Rising Graduates: New Hampshire School Plans Ski Lift Ceremony

One New Hampshire high school decided it would let coronavirus ruin graduation. In fact, they have gone one better and are hitting the slopes with a ski lift graduation.

Kennett High School principal Kevin Carpenter told The Union Leader he and Kennett alum Ben Wilcox, who is president and general manager of Cranmore Mountain Resort were half-joking about having students ride chairlifts up to the summit as a means of social distancing.

As they talked about it, they thought, why not?

"Ben said, 'Let me ask the owners,' and they green-lit it," Carpenter said.

So on June 13, graduates will have the chance to ride to the top of the 2,000-foot summit, get their diploma and have their photo taken. One chairlift will be left vacant between each student to maintain social distancing.

"People will ride it up, get their diploma, get a picture of them on the top of a mountain, they'll go to a different place with a second photographer, and get a pretty amazing backdrop," Carpenter told WCAX-TV.

There are alternate plans for anyone who does not want to ride a chairlift or in case of rain.

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