The pandemic has many in the Class of 2020 missing out on their graduation, but some Long Beach parents are making sure their graduates get the pomp and circumstance they deserve.

A gathering of 200 Long Beach High School graduates was made possible by a parents group that made sure they could be brought together within the state's social distancing guidelines.

"Uniquely for Long Beach, the 50% social distancing guidelines that came down June 7 from the governor - it opened up a window of opportunity to utilize open spaces that are in beach parks," says Johanna Sofield.

With the help of Nassau Legislator Denise Ford, the parents got permission from Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin to hold the event in the parking lot of the 9/11 Memorial Park in Point Lookout.

"This is a very large beach park, and we only have a few hundred students that will be attending," says Sofield. "We will be far below the 50% capacity."

The Senior Celebration also included students sitting 6 feet apart and wearing masks across the board.

While it wasn't an official graduation, it had all of the trappings of one, with speeches, graduates walking on stage and plenty of pictures. They didn't receive a diploma, but instead a piece of paper with a humorous reminder of their pandemic-laden senior year.