WEYBURN -- With traditional graduation ceremonies not happening due to COVID-19, 2020 grads have had to come up with creative ways to celebrate, including those from Weyburn Comprehensive School.

The graduates organized a “reverse parade” with graduates lining the streets of Weyburn, maintaining a safe distance and members of the community passing through to send their well-wishes.

It’s not how Megan Ebel and other graduates pictured ending their time in high school, but she’s happy they could mark the occasion in some way.

“I envisioned walking across the stage and having my family in the stands and having our grand march with everybody,” Ebel said. “We did get cut short this year and that they all want to share their congratulations. It truly means a lot.”

“I think it’s our opportunity to sort of give back to the grads,” said Weyburn Police Chief Jamie Blunden.

“It’s been a hard year for us and of course it’s not the way we wanted it to end, but having everybody here cheering us on is fantastic,” said Brett Bowler, another graduate. “It’s unlike all the others, we’ll be able to tell our kids and grandkids how our graduation was very different.”

In Regina, graduates from kindergarten all the way up to university stopped by Pure Country for a drive-through grad and photo op.

“I’ve always been stoked for getting the grad pictures where you get to hold the little scroll,” said Destiny Kaus, a university graduate, adding the photos are a way for grads and their parents to remember the occasion.

“They like the keepsakes of having the grad photos and stuff on their wall, so this is for them,” Kaus said.

The graduation celebrations are set to continue on Sunday, when a parade is scheduled to roll through Wascana Park.