Oxford Hills Principal Personally Delivers Caps and Gowns To Every Senior

If there's one thing that is apparent about Ted Moccia, the long-time principal of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, it's that he cares deeply about his students. In fact, the whole staff at Oxford Hills does the same. I may be a little biased with that statement, because I'm a Class of 1989 alumnus, but if you needed any convincing that what I said is true, you just have to look to see what they have done over the past three days.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, nothing is normal for Maine's high school graduations. School districts are doing whatever they can to try to give their seniors the best commencement they can under the circumstances.

Oxford Hills will hold their commencement on June 21 at the Bridgton Twin Drive-In so they can practice social distancing while still allowing seniors to walk across the stage to receive their diploma. But that still meant that over 200 graduating seniors still needed to get their caps and gowns.

Moccia, and other staff I can't recognize behind the masks, personally delivered caps and gowns to happy Oxford Hills graduating seniors one by one over three days.

Now keep in mind, Oxford Hills School District is one of the largest districts in the state geographically.  In just one school day, their school buses travel over 3300 miles in the towns of Norway, South Paris, West Paris, Oxford, Otisfield, Harrison, Hebron, and Waterford which all include some very rural areas.

After three days of traveling over 517 miles of paved and dirt roads all over the Oxford Hills, Moccia and staff made over 200 stops at the homes of students, delivering caps and gowns personally to each and every graduating senior.

The OHCHS Facebook page has over 100 photos of the deliveries with Principal Moccia posing with each student at least six feet away and giving a thumbs up.

Congrats to the Oxford Hills Class of 2020! This may not have been how you thought your graduation would go, but thanks to the people who have watched you grow into adults over the past four years, it will definitely be one you remember.