NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio — It’s graduation season, and the North Ridgeville City School District is breaking with tradition and bringing its graduation ceremony back to campus.
For years, the district has held this important milestone at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland.
Senior Cecilia Bouman is eagerly counting down the days until the celebration and is happy to have it in a familiar place— Ranger Stadium, where the football team plays.
“We'll be ready to make another great memory together and reflecting on what's happened from all the way back when we first started going to school together,” Bouman said. “It's kind of like an extra little memory that we're that we get to have here,” Bouman said.
The standout student-athlete also served as the class president.
“What did you try to accomplish, you know, holding that role?” I asked Bouman.
“My main focus was just to make sure everyone was able to participate in all the activities,” she said.
Wrapping up her high school career is bittersweet.
"I'm so excited,” Bouman said. “But I know the day when I'm going to walk across the stage, I'm going to be crying, I'm going to be crying tears."
District's reasoning
Assistant High School Principal Meghan Hignite said having the ceremony on home turf is meaningful for several reasons.
“We're able to bring in the community and connect more closely with what's going on,” Hignite said. “We used to bus our students down there (Wolstein Center) and we weren't always able to get our band and our choir, and we couldn’t always get student volunteers because of just being off site.”
The Wolstein Center has long been a popular venue for commencement ceremonies.
This year, it’s hosting events for six Northeast Ohio high schools in the following districts: Amherst Exempted Village Schools, Maple Heights City Schools, Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, Westlake City Schools, Mentor Public Schools and Shaker Heights City School District.
But the Wolstein Center’s future is unclear. Recently, developers were invited to submit ideas for repurposing it or tearing it down and building something new.
And with more schools tightening their budgets, North Ridgeville’s going to save about $10,000 by having its commencement ceremony on its own campus.
North Ridgeville High School Principal Joseph Mueller said saving money wasn’t the main reason for the change— it’s a bonus. Ultimately, he said the decision just felt right.
“What made it click was watching our kids have their final embrace of their classmates and friends and teammates in some dark corridor of a place that they probably won't visit again,” Mueller said. “We've had outstanding hosts in the past, but it wasn't home. We're helping to create some of those unique experiences that will enrich families and conversations and memories in the future.”
Commencement tickets, contingency plan
There are 2,500 tickets for the May 28 ceremony. That’s six tickets for each of the approximately 350 graduates. The district also has a few hundred extra tickets.
May 29 is a backup date in case Mother Nature hampers plans. If need be, the ceremony will be held May 30 indoors at the gym at the Academic Center.
Since the news broke about leaving the Wolstein Center, some have expressed a preference to stay—something Mueller said was expected.
“We are one of the few remaining schools in our conference that does not do it at our stadium. And so we're getting in line with our fellow communities,” Mueller said. “Tradition becomes comfortable… let's just do what we've done. And change is difficult, even though we know that change is the only constant.”
End of a career
It’s a reality he’s about to live, because after 50 years in education, he’s retiring after this school year.
"Just going to miss it,” Mueller said as he walked down a hallway filled with students, greeting many by their first name and giving them fist bumps.
“My first day as a paid educator was the day Frank Robinson hit the home run as a playing manager for the Cleveland Indians,” Mueller recalled. “Where’d that time go? All of a sudden, it’s 50 years later. My journey and my career have far exceeded any expectations I could have ever had.”
Mueller said he plans to enjoy more time with his family and horses.
Hignite will become the high school principal. She said following in Mueller’s footsteps is a tall task.
“I’m so excited. I love this community,” Hignite said. “I think that it’s so huge that I get to be a part of these huge transitions and growth that’s happening here in this community.”
This summer, the district will break ground on the construction of its new high school. If all goes according to plan, it will open in the fall of 2028.
100th graduating class
As the Class of 2025 prepares for new adventures, there’s an added sense of pride because it’s the district’s 100th graduating class.
“From the 100 graduating class to classes that will come in your footsteps. What's your advice to them?” I asked Bouman.
“Do anything you think you want to do in high school. This is your only shot,” Bouman said. “Even if you’re scared just try it. The only person holding you back is yourself."
Mueller is excited for his final commencement ceremony—another shot at delivering his mantra.
“One of the things that that I challenge all of us to do is to G-B-E-D. Get better every day,” Mueller said. “We're going to sing that alma mater together. I’m going to coach those student speakers. I'll sit right behind them, and I'll say ‘Slower. Louder’. I'll be coaching them up.”
He said it will be a party with home-field advantage.
