As the clock struck noon Wednesday and the sun beat down on the parking lot near the Selma Auto Mall, Balery Dominguez and her mom looked toward the sky.

Overhead on the mall’s digital readerboard, Balery’s name and picture appeared in lights for just a few seconds, along with the names of hundreds of other 2020 Selma High School and Heartland Continuation School graduates.

Although Balery never thought she’d be celebrating graduation from inside a car in a parking lot, she wasn’t complaining.

“I feel appreciative that Selma put my photo up there even though I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to high school,” she said.

The auto mall is running slideshows of nearby high school graduates the rest of the week, honoring the class of 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic that has taken traditional graduation ceremonies away.

Selma High got the spotlight Wednesday, Fowler High is next on Thursday, and the slideshow will close out Friday with Kingsburg High. The slideshows begin at noon each day and are visible from Highway 99.

“This has been a difficult and unique time for everyone, to say the least,” said Amber Nelson, a spokesperson for the mall, “but it’s been especially difficult on those students who will be graduating.”

“Everything they have worked so hard for and a time that they were looking forward to has now been put on hold due to the pandemic. We thought this would be a great way to show our support and would be something fun that students and their loved ones can come out to enjoy.”

Selma High Principal Guillermo Lopez and a few other staff members also stood outside their cars on Wednesday, watching the slideshow.

Lopez said he saw a few of his students pass by, and the superintendent also made a stop.

But the readerboard wasn’t the only way Selma High celebrated its students, he said.

Like several schools in the Central Valley, SHS graduates participated in small, individual ceremonies last week where they received their diploma in front of a few family members. Then they had to get back in their car and drive away from Staley Stadium, as health officials still frown upon large gatherings.

Clips from those virtual graduations will be published to the district’s YouTube channel on June 4, the day Balery and her classmates would have walked across the stage in front of an overflowing stadium if not for COVID-19.

Lopez said the graduation will not only be on YouTube but will be broadcast on Valley PBS (channel 18.1) on June 5 from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Valley PBS is airing graduation ceremonies from several districts this week and next week, including Fresno and Clovis Unified.

Although Balery would have preferred a crowd cheering her on, the ceremony was unique, just as this year has been.

“One of my family members got to give me my diploma, and it was special,” Balery said.

She looked up at the readerboard: “And this is good too.”

The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab on our website.

This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 5:36 PM.