Pictured above is a photo showing the 2018 Thomas Worthington High School graduation ceremony at Battelle Hall at the Columbus Convention Center. The Marysville High School class of 2019 will use the facility for its graduation on May 18.
At a board of education meeting in January, officials decided to hold the district’s May 18 graduation at Battelle Hall in the Greater Columbus Convention Center because of construction work at the Marysville High School (MHS) stadium. Superintendent Diane Mankins said this year had a temporary change in the plans because the stadium is being made unusable by the district’s actions, rather than by a force of nature.
“This wasn’t the weather or something being done to us, and it was something being done at the district,” Mankins said.
Mankins said normally, when an event like weather makes the stadium unsuitable for graduation ceremonies, the district uses the MHS gymnasium. However, she said the gymnasium has to limit students to only inviting up to four family members, and it wasn’t fair to families to limit their seating because of a district action.
“I did not like the idea, and really I don’t think the board was crazy about it either, limiting families to four tickets, since it was something we were involved in,” she said.
Though it will cost the district $14,000 to book Battelle Hall, as opposed to the $10,000 in expenses that would be incurred if graduation was held at the gymnasium, Battelle Hall has the space to allow students to invite more family members.
Mankins said the district wanted to find a venue in Marysville, but couldn’t find a local place to hold around 3,000 people. She said the district was also “late in the game,” as there wasn’t a venue available in Marysville to book in time.
She said she doesn’t like the idea of sending residents to Columbus for an event that’s normally held in town, but Battelle Hall was able to fit the district’s requirements.
“The backup plan is not perfect, but I don’t know of too many backup plans that ever are,” Mankins said.
She said district officials “felt fortunate Battelle Hall wasn’t booked that day.”
Mankins also said she doesn’t foresee any issues with fitting people into the new stadium. She said the stadium will be built to allow the district to expand on some portions like the bleachers.
The superintendent said the district will try to maintain the tradition of hosting graduation at the football field, or at the gymnasium if the weather is unfavorable. She said the district doesn’t plan to change this tradition for the near future, and Battelle Hall was only a temporary solution.
Mankins said she’s heard positive feedback from parents and students about the switch to Battelle Hall. She said she has not heard of any negative conversations from students about the change.
“Students were kind of apprehensive and nervous about having to be in the gym, so they appreciated Battelle Hall, or in general kind of wondered what was going to happen as the stadium project extended,” Mankins said.