Mistake leaves honor student out of virtual graduation ceremony

COLERAIN TWP., Ohio (FOX19) - The region’s socially distanced graduations have gone over pretty smoothly so far, and the same was true of Northwest High School in Colerain Township.

That is, for everyone except Da’nasia Hollis, a graduate and an honor student who spent most of the ceremony in tears.

In the school’s virtual graduation ceremony Monday, Hollis’s name was skipped.

“I didn’t know what to do right then and there,” Hollis said. “I sat in the bathroom crying for like 30 minutes long.”

While her name was on the list, and a slide with her name on hit had been prepared, the school mistakenly overlooked her when calling out the names of the graduates, school officials confirmed.

Hollis says along with family and friends, one of her teachers helped her get through it.

“She told me I was one of the best students that she ever had in her class,” Hollis said. “And I was just so grateful for her, because she knew how to put a smile on my face when I was down."

Hollis says she plans to become a middle-school teacher.

Principal Susan Smith sent FOX19 NOW a statement on the mistake, which reads in part:

“I want to sincerely apologize to Da’nasia and her family. We are beyond proud of Da’nasia and her accomplishments. She is a kind young woman and also one of our brightest students. Da’nasia earned straight A’s this year, and we know that she has a successful future ahead of her. This in no way diminishes the four years of hard work that she has put in. She deserved her moment to shine during graduation.”

Smith continued: “Upon learning of the mistake, we contacted Da’nasia and her family to express our sincere apologies. We also contacted the media outlet who had filmed the ceremony to correct the error.”

A link to the corrected version of the ceremony can be found here, and the corrected ceremony will also air on local cable, Smith confirmed.

The graduation ceremony will air again on the following dates:

Wednesday, May 20 at 11 a.m.

Sunday, May 24 at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, May 26 at 4 p.m.

Thursday, May 28 at 8 p.m.

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