Graduation Guidelines
Please review all of the guidelines set out in this document. We may not have time to rehearse prior to the start of the ceremony. It will help make the ceremony go smoothly if all of these guidelines have been reviewed prior to the day of the ceremony.
Pre-Ceremony
Members of Guilford Christian Academy will be receiving diplomas from GCA signed by Jim White, parents will also need to sign one side of the diploma so please find Trisha prior to the ceremony. All non-members should plan to meet with Trisha White prior to the ceremony in order to sign their graduate’s diploma. These must be signed prior to the ceremony.
We will be in the back of the room prior to the ceremony for signing.
The form here has questions that should also be answered so that we can order materials and put together the slide show.
If you have not received your gown, mortarboard, and tassel prior to the Saturday before the event, please make sure to contact us.
Ceremony
Graduates will need to meet 30 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony at 1:00 pm. They will be lined up alphabetically by last name as this is how they will be announced for receiving their diplomas. Graduates should plan to walk at a slow but steady pace to the front of the room. Once there, they should line up in front of the row of chairs to their right. Once all graduates are standing in front of their chairs and the music stops, they should sit.
Jim White will be presenting the diploma to the students. You will have some time to say a few brief statements. Please try to keep this to no more than 3-5 minutes total.
Graduation Schedule:
1:00 pm Procession of Graduates
1:05 pm Slideshow of photos and bios
1:10 pm Jim White to speak
1:15 pm Diplomas presented by Jim White
1:30 pm Graduation Address*
1:50 pm Recessional
The schedule may be off slightly to allow for flexibility in the flow of the ceremony.
*Once the keynote speaker has finished their address, all the graduates should stand and face the audience. At this point, they will move their tassel from the right side to the left side as a symbol of their graduation. As the music plays, they should walk slowly and gather at the back of the room.
Dress Code
We ask that all graduates dress accordingly. This is a formal occasion. Men should wear a light-colored shirt and tie and dress pants. Ladies should wear a knee-length skirt or dress in a light color. No immodest dress, please. Dark colors may show through your gown.
Please note that all graduation caps should be worn flat on the head, not tipped forward or back. Ladies may need to use bobby pins to secure them.
Post-Graduation
At the immediate close of the ceremony, we would ask all graduates and parents to go back to the front of the room so that photos can be taken. Photos will be taken of all the graduates together and all the graduates and Jim & Trisha White.
Photos may be taken of just the graduate, the graduate and their parents, etc after the group photo is taken.
Optional Displays
If you would like to put together a small table display about your graduate, we will have space in the room for these to be displayed. The display can include a cardboard trifold with information about the graduate’s accomplishments. Consider making the display give an overall snapshot of what the graduate is like. Please keep display to one board or trifold.
**There are lots of places available for a meal after the event. Parking is out behind Pat’s Pizza which is directly across from the facility.