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Park City Class of 2020 set to graduate on Deer Valley’s ski lifts this summer

The Park City High School senior class will graduate in style, officials announced, with a ski lift ceremony planned at Deer Valley Resort July 31.
Park Record file photo

Instead of walking, the Park City High School Class of 2020 will ride.

Park City School District officials are asking students and parents of the Class of 2020 to “save the date” of July 31, announcing a partnership with Deer Valley Resort to hold a ski lift graduation this summer.

“Deer Valley has generously offered this opportunity and we couldn’t be more thrilled,” said Park City High Principal Roger Arbabi in a press release. “This will be an unforgettable experience for our students.”



District officials said they didn’t yet have details about how the ceremony would work, but graduating seniors should hold on to their caps and gowns to use them in the ceremony.

Though this senior week was different than in years past, district staff tried to send the seniors off with special memories. The staff is compiling submitted photos for a senior tribute video that will be distributed in mid-June, and on Friday and Saturday, they set up photo backdrops at Dozier Field for seniors to stop by and take photos.



The students were told to bring their personal cameras and to sign up for appointed 15-minute time slots to ensure social distancing measures could be maintained. The groups were limited to immediate family members, as well.

The Class of 2020 will have the opportunity for keepsakes from a strange year, including photos taken in front of a balloon installation or from above on the 50-yard-line.

Arbabi said in the release that it was important to be able to commemorate this graduating class. Graduation was originally scheduled for Friday, May 29, but was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We were heartbroken that we were not able to celebrate our graduates this spring,” he said. “(But the Deer Valley ceremony) will be a Park City graduation backdrop no other PCHS graduate has ever had.”

Deer Valley Resort President and COO Todd Shallan said in the release that the resort was happy to be able to be a part of recognizing the students’ achievements.

“Deer Valley very much looks forward to celebrating the Park City High School Class of 2020 this summer with a well-deserved chairlift commencement ceremony on the mountain,” Shallan said.

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