Madera Unified creates graduation experience with "Senior Send Off Video"

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Valley school district is making sure their seniors don't miss out on the graduation experience.

Senior Yeilen Fernandez is celebrating a major milestone.

"It's bittersweet, I woke up this morning and thought, 'I'm walking across the stage, I'm graduating today,'" said Fernandez.

Walking across the stage to receive her diploma is something she wasn't sure would happen.

"There was that uncertainty, what's going to happen with graduation? What do we do?" said Fernandez. "Is it just a drive-through diploma?"

Madera Unified found a way to make sure their students still walked the stage.

"Being denied the chance to hug your teachers goodbye, say goodbye to your classmates, that entire experience, we had to do something special," said Todd Lile, Madera Unified School District Superintendent.

The district is making a senior send-off video, giving all of their seniors the chance to walk across the graduation stage in their cap and gown during an assigned shift, and crews are there to get it all on tape.

"They capture that on camera, they get them turning their tassel, their name is read, they walk up, take a moment with their principal, some board members," continued Lile.

Then it's up to the editing team to put the students together. The video will be streamed online in June.