Ursuline Academy eighth-graders cross home plate, move up to high school

WILMINGTON — Over the last month, schools around the Diocese of Wilmington have had drive-through graduations, small outdoor ceremonies and virtual commencements. But none have had featured families sitting behind home plate with a slideshow playing on the center field video board.

Not until June 26, that is, when the 33 eighth-grade girls at Ursuline Academy had their moving-up ceremony at Frawley Stadium on the Wilmington riverfront. Family members were scattered around the grandstand behind home plate, while the graduates sat in the seats closest to the field. On the field, a podium was set up on home plate, and the faculty sat in chairs on the warning track behind the plate.

The commencement included singing, a student speech, awards and the presentation of diplomas. The girls entered the field by the third-base dugout, picked up their diploma and had photos taken about eight feet from their principal, Ann Phillips. The marker in the grass where the girls were to stop for their photo was, fittingly, the leather cover from an old baseball.

All photos by Mike Lang.