Graduation

UPDATED: The Class of 2026 graduation ceremony will be Sunday, June 7, 2026 beginning at 10:00 A.M. in Giant Stadium at Ben Davis High School.

Both name readers will be available on Saturday, before and after practice, for graduates to check the pronunciation of their names. This will be their last opportunity before the ceremony.

• All participants are required to attend practice in order to participate in the graduation ceremony.
• Graduation practice will begin Saturday morning, June 6, 2026 at 8:00 A.M. at Giants Stadium at Ben Davis High School. Graduates should plan to arrive at Gate 1 by 7:30 A.M. to sign in. The practice will run for approximately two hours, but will depend upon student participation and cooperation. Students should park for practice in the North Lot by Area 31 or the NGC Staff Lot near the basketball courts.
• Graduates must have their own transportation to both the morning practice and the evening ceremony. Please park in the student parking lot for rehearsal.

• Graduates must check with the Bookstore to ensure that all fees have been paid.  All fees must be paid to the bookstore before it closes at 4:00 P.M. on Friday, May 29, 2026.
• Graduates must also check with the Media Center to be sure that all materials have been returned by Tuesday, May 26, 20206 at 3:20 P.M.

• Admission tickets will be distributed to students at the end of graduation practice. Each graduate will receive 9 tickets for admission to the graduation ceremony. Every guest must have a ticket.
• Lost/Stolen tickets cannot be replaced, so students are responsible for their safekeeping.
• A live stream of the ceremony will be available on our Ben Davis High School website for those unable to attend.

• All graduates must wear the regulation 2026 cap and gown purchased through Herff Jones. Order online at www.highschool.herffjones.com.
• If caps and gowns are NOT ordered and picked up by Friday, May 29, 2026, those graduates' names will be removed from the graduation seating chart, and they will NOT be permitted to participate in the ceremony.
• Gowns should be hung up as soon as possible to take care of most of the wrinkles. If necessary, use a cool iron to press it.
• Students are PROHIBITED from wearing custom stoles, tassels, and cords. Only school tassels and Honors Cords may be worn by graduates. Approved cords include:
  • National Honor Society
  • Honors Diploma Recipient
  • Technical Honors Diploma Recipient
  • Armed Services
  • Vincennes University
• Graduates are expected to dress semi-formally or in business casual attire, such as a pair of slacks and a button-up shirt or a nice dress. Because the ceremony will take place on the football field, graduates should consider their shoe selection and waling on uneven surfaces.
• Graduates may decorate their caps to celebrate their accomplishments. All cap decorations must follow the school dress code and are subject to review by school staff and adult volunteers.

• UPDATED: Graduate check-in begins at 8:00 A.M. on Sunday, June 7, 2026. Graduates must be in the MPA no later than 9:00 A.M. Due to increased traffic and parking, please plan to arrive early.
• Graduates are encouraged not to bring any valuables with them. Cell phones are permitted; however, Ben Davis High School is not responsible for any damaged, lost, or stolen items.
• Graduates will receive a diploma cover upon crossing the platform during the graduation ceremony. Graduates must return to the MPA and return their rental gown immediately following the ceremony to receive their diplomas.
• UPDATED: Only graduates are allowed in the MPA and band lot. 
• UPDATED: Guest seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests with a ticket should plan to arrive early. Gates open at 8:00 A.M. All guests will pass through security. The ceremony will begin promptly at the scheduled time.
  • Handicap seating is limited to a designated area. Handicap seating will be limited to the individual needing wheelchair/handicap access and one family member.
• Bags are discouraged in the stadium. Anyone bringing a bag other than a small purse or a diaper bag will enter through designated bag entries and will be subject to a search.
• No outside food and beverages, except for infant food, are permitted. Water will be available for sale at Giant Stadium concessions.
• BDTV will livestream the ceremony on the Ben Davis High School website, and the footage will be archived on the Ben Davis Television YouTube page.
• Inclement Weather Plan: 
  • If there are storms on Sunday morning, the ceremony start time will be pushed back in 3-hour increments, with the latest possible start time being 7:00 PM.
  • If the ceremony does not begin by 7:00 PM on Sunday, it will be pushed to Monday, June 8, 2026, at 6:00 PM.
  • District officials will make these calls.
• Additional Details: The following are the answers to frequently asked questions.
  • Infants/babies in arms and laps do not need a ticket. A baby carrier or a young toddler/child who can walk must have their own separate ticket.
  • No, graduates DO NOT need caps and gowns for practice.
  • Yes, guests can bring stadium cushions and an umbrella.
  • No, guests may not bring Big Heads or signs into the stadium.
  • Interstate will be there to take photos of the graduates after they cross the stage. A QR code to order photos is located on the back of the program that each guest will receive at the gate.
  • The ceremony will last approximately 90 minutes.
  • If graduates have received the wrong tassel, please bring it to the ceremony, and Herff Jones will replace it.
• UPDATED Parking & Shuttles:
  • Graduates should park in the North Lot by Area 31 or the NGC Staff Lot near the basketball court for graduation practice on Saturday morning.
  • Guests should review this Parking & Shuttle Map for all parking and shuttle locations.
  • Shuttle buses will run from Chapelwood Elementary and Chapel Hill 7th/8th Grade Center. Shuttles will begin at 8:00 AM and will run until 10:30 AM OR until traffic makes the lots too congested to safely operate.
  • NO SHUTTLES will run after the ceremony, as traffic will be far too congested and will make for unsafe operation.
  • There will be volunteers available to shuttle those in handicap parking with mobility issues to the gate BEFORE the ceremony. Those shuttles will not run post-ceremony for the safety of foot traffic.

Graduates who did not fill out the Google Form to keep their Chromebooks and did not turn them in on their last day should plan to bring their device to graduation practice. There will be bins to collect them. This will be the last opportunity to turn it in before you are billed for the device.

BDTV will livestream the ceremony on the Ben Davis High School website, and the footage will be archived on the Ben Davis Television YouTube page. (Note: The livestream will not be available until the time that the ceremony will begin.)