DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - Reunion Tower in Dallas is hosting graduation events for schools that had to cancel their own ceremonies because of COVID-19 this spring. Students at Dallas ISD's Molina and Trinidad High Schools are attending celebrations Monday.
"We just wanted to do our part as a good community partner," says Reunion Tower President Dusti Groskreutz. "We felt bad for the students who weren't getting to have that special moment. We realized graduation is a big milestone."
Last week, Reunion Tower held a similar celebration for Texas Woman's University. Before that, the tower held a graduation for SMU.
Students are able to wear their cap and gown and have their "tassel turned" in the Geo-Deck. They must make reservations for themselves and their family to ensure social distancing and capacity restrictions are followed. Students and their families can then take pictures in Reunion Tower or outside the Geo-Deck with the Dallas skyline in the background.
"It's something they really have embraced, and we wanted to embrace it, too," Groskreutz says. "That's what Reunion Tower's about is being a cheerleader for this city."
Reunion Tower says it is running a "Congrats 2020 Grad Light Show" the night of each school's graduation event from 8:30-9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Reunion Tower will hold a ceremony for the University of Texas at Dallas.
Groskreutz says the tower may use graduation ceremonies as a chance to launch broader partnerships with Dallas ISD and local colleges and universities.
"It definitely is an opportunity because the schools are already talking to us about the future or about a return," she says. "We could have new students, possibly the freshmen, come in and get to see their city from above before they go to school. It's an opportunity we didn't expect."