This year's ceremony also will be at a different time. Instead of an evening program, commencement will be held in the afternoon. One hundred and fourteen seniors are scheduled to take part in the ceremony in the high school gym at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 4.
Friday has been the historic night for graduation. Breaking with traditon, and to accommodate students competing in state track, commencement was held on a Thursday evening last year.
With the school year going until Friday this year. It rushed everything too much to hold commencement on the the last day of school, said high school principal John Janotta.
"I'm excited about holding the ceremony on Sunday. I haven't received any bad reports, only good responses from parents," said Janotta.
Presenting the senior address will be Joe Halvorson. Kelsey Moser will deliver the farewell address.
The high school mixed choir and pops choir will perform under the direction of Cheryl Bungum. The high school band will play the processional and recessional under the direction of Bryan Mara.
Dean Hanson, president of the Paynesville Citizen's Scholarship Foundation, will present scholarship awards to members of the senior class.
The Class of 2000 has 10 students graduating summa cum laude. They all earned a grade point average of 3.8 or higher. There are 14 graduating magna cum laude, with a 3.5 to 3.8 grade point average; and 11 graduating cum laude, with a 3.0 to 3.5 grade point average.