2013 Royal Oak High Graduation Guide

When and Where

Commencement takes place at 7 p.m. sharp Friday, May 31 at Freedom Hill Amphitheatre, 14900 Metropolitan Pkwy., Sterling Heights. Graduates need to arrive no later than 6:15 p.m.

About Freedom Hill

Royal Oak High School's graduation ceremony will be the first event at the 7,200-seat facility, which is reopening after a 3-year shutdown. It will proceed the official opening of the amphitheater by four days when Huey Lewis & the News hit the stage to open the 2013 summer concert series.

The gates open at 5 p.m. but guests can arrive earlier to park. Tickets are not required for this event, however, as a courtesy if your party has more than 10 people, consider bringing beach chairs or blankets and have some of your guests sit on the lawn. 

Seating is on a first come, first served basis. Wheel chair seating is available.

Bottles, cans, liquid containers, food, snacks and coolers are not permitted in the amphitheater. One or two concession might be open, but it is probably better to plan on eating and hydrating before you arrive. Umbrellas are not allowed so bring a rain poncho if the skies are gray.

Of course, you need to wear shoes and a shirt and please leave Fido at home. Only guide dogs are allowed in the facility.

Directions & Parking

Freedom Hill is located at 14900 Metropolitan Pkwy, which is also known as 16 Mile or Big Beaver Road. If you have never been there, you can find directions using Mapquest, which has routes using West Big Beaver Road (24 minutes, 13 miles) and 14 Mile Road (26 minutes, 13 miles). Times and mileage were calculated starting from the high school.

Because students need to arrive at 6:15 p.m., you should allow additional time for rush hour traffic.

Freedom Hill can handle more than 4,000 vehicles. Handicap parking is available.

Dress Etiquette

A cap and gown is required for students to participate in the ceremony.

The graduation cap should be worn flat on the head, parallel to the floor, with tassel on the left side. Apparently, the right side is customary, but Royal Oak has been using the left side since 1995.

Men generally wear dark trousers, dress shirts with a collar and ties under their gowns. Women generally wear lightweight dresses or a blouse and skirt. Purses are not allowed. Flowers and jewelry should not be attached to the gown.

Students purchased “keeper” gowns. The gowns are a good quality and may be worn again by a younger brother or sister so take care to put it in a safe place after the ceremony.

Students who received stoles and cords should wear them. Regalia pins may be worn on cap.

Photos and video

A professional photographer will be on hand to take photos of students as they receive their diplomas, which will be available for purchase, and WOAK will be there to take video of the ceremony from start to finish.WOAK can be found on Comcast Channel 19 and WOW Channel 15. 

If you don't subscribe to these cable stations, the video is also available to purchase. 

Royal Oak photographer Gary Quesada said it is unlikely anyone will get a better shot than the photographer who is directly on the stage. Remind your student to pause and smile for the camera while receiving his or her diploma.

“Unless you’re shooting with a professional quality camera and a 200 mm lens, you’re better off just buying the photograph of your child receiving his or her diploma,” he said.

Quesada did offer a few tips for the casual photographer:

• Do a triangle shoot:  Take overall shots that set the theme, such as shots of the crowd and the surroundings. Take mid-range shots that tell the story. For example, candid shots of two grads talking. And take close-up shots that show mood and texture for drama.  “A tight shot of a tassel is a nice little detail,” he said.
  
• Portraits: “Everyone thinks you need to be in the sun when you take a portrait, but the sun is really harsh — too much contrast," Quesada said. "You’re better off moving to the shade or waiting for the sun to go down a bit. Sunset shots are nice.”
  
• Using a flash: Natural lighting is best, but when you are indoors you’ll want to consider a flash. “It used to be that a flash didn’t make much difference if you were shooting something more than 10 or 15 feet away” he said. “But I’ve been surprised lately. A flash, even at a distance, can make a slight difference.”
  

All Night Party

Check in begins at 11 p.m. for students going to the All Night Party at the Boys & Girls Club of South Oakland County in Royal Oak following commencement. About 95 seniors have already signed up for the party, but there is still space for plenty more. 

If your student is interested in attending, email Liz Milan at themilans@aol.com.

 Your $40 ticket includes a mechanical bull, photo booth, henna tattoos, karaoke, palm readers, basketball, volleyball, human foosball and more.

Tips for Moms

Throw tissue in your pocket or purse and only wear mascara on upper lashes!

Tips for Grads

Near the end of the ceremony, it is a tradition to throw your cap in the air. To save yourself the hassle of looking for it later, throw it straight up so that it lands near you. If you hurl it Frisbee-style across the amphitheater, you may never see it again.

And, of course, use the restroom before the ceremony. You will not be allowed to get up and move around once the ceremony begins.