MOSES LAKE – What looks like white ripples in the grass slowly becomes letters and names as you walk onto the football field behind Chief Moses Middle School in Moses Lake. The list becomes clear on the “Field of Chiefs,” a project created to honor the 638 Moses Lake High School seniors inching closer to graduation next month.

Moses Lake High School seniors and their families came out to the Field of Chiefs beginning on Monday to find their names and their friends’ names, and take photos. Meanwhile, MLHS announced its plans for unusual graduation ceremonies, due to the continuing state-mandated measures against the COVID-19 outbreak.

Seniors Cameron Carter and Tanyr Williams came out to the field on Monday.

Carter said she lives with two teachers, so adjusting to the online school has been “super easy.” That part of everything, Carter said, is fine.

“I miss seeing everyone,” Carter said. “This would be the prime time of senior year. It’s spring, AP testing, that’s finally over, so now we get to have all the fun stuff.”

Looking around at the painted names on the field around her, Carter said it “sucks” not getting this last thing, especially with people she has grown up with forever.

“It’s a unique experience though, it’s something we’re never gonna forget,” Carter said. “I think it’s going to teach us a lot in the long run, but it’s not like we’re never going to see our friends again.”

Williams said it’s tough not being able to hang out with everyone as the senior year winds down.

“A lot of us had trips planned, we just wanna go somewhere,” she said. “This isn’t the senior year we hoped for. I know some people are totally devastated about it. Some people really don’t care.”

Having been together as a group for so long, Williams said the seniors just want to experience this last part together and graduate.

Tom Pettoello, a Spokane artist, painted by hand the names of all 638 seniors. Twelve hours and 110 paint cans later, nearly 4,500 square feet of the football field were filled with names from the Chiefs class of 2020, each name a foot tall.

Moses Lake School District Assistant Superintendent Dr. Carole Meyer met Pettoello while serving as the principal at Rogers High School in Spokane. After seeing similar projects to the Field of Chiefs that Pettoello had done at Rogers and East Valley High School, Meyer said she put the word out to see if they could set something up.

Meyer said she and Pettoello came to the football field on Sunday, with the Spokane artist taking just a single break during the 12-hour project.

“It’s all freehand, beautifully done, and we’re just really proud to honor our class of 2020,” Meyer said.

Families and seniors coming to the field on Monday, Meyer said, was great to see.

“We hoped this exact thing is what would happen: kids and families just trickling in, coming to find their name and take pictures, and just kind of have a way to really start the graduation ritual ceremony process,” Meyer said.

Moses Lake High School also announced plans for its graduation procedures on June 5. Due to social distancing concerns, the graduation ceremony will now become a Class of 2020 Parade.

The parade will begin at the Grant County Fairgrounds at 3 p.m. on June 5, led by a police officer or sheriff’s deputy on both sides with firetrucks in between. Seniors and their families will branch off to six locations around Moses Lake for graduation ceremonies to be held.

Students will drive up with their families, with the seniors getting out of the car in their cap and gown to receive their diploma. A professional photographer and backdrop will be at each location to take photos of the seniors as they receive their diploma.

Graduation locations are Moses Lake High School, Chief Moses Middle School, CB Tech, Peninsula Elementary School, Lions Field and the parking lot at Surf ‘n Slide Water Park.

These locations will also be used for cap, gown and graduation announcement pickup on May 18. Senior awards, including Top 10, Outstanding Seniors, department awards and various other honors will be handed out at the same place and time.