Reasons why graduation should be outside:

1. Graduation may be moved from Saturday, May 20th at 10 A.M. to Friday, May 19th at 7 P.M., as has been discussed, but heat would not be a major factor at either hour.
2. No maximum occupancy outside as opposed to the Wetsel gymnasium. This will benefit students with large immediate families that are not able to even invite their grandparents due to the usual limit of 7 tickets.
3. The grand stand bleachers at football field, combined with baseball portable bleachers seat roughly 2,250 people as opposed to 1,607 people in the Wetsel gym.
4. More visible seats for handicap accessibility.
5. Previous years graduates from MCHS graduated on the football field.
6. Multiple students in surrounding counties graduate outside, including Greene, Orange, and Eastern View in Culpeper County.
7. Live stream remains indoors (auditorium and/or gym) to accommodate audience who prefer the indoors.
8. The majority of the class of 2017 has already “graduated” as 8th graders in the Wetsel gymnasium and prefer the football field for our high school graduation.
9. If weather is a persistent factor, it can be moved to the Wetsel gymnasium because the setup will need to be there for the following Thursday, May 25th for this year’s graduating 8th graders (have tickets on standby to accommodate maximum occupancy).