How East Kentwood High School Honors Their Students with Innovative and Inclusive Graduation Experiences

At East Kentwood High School, graduation is a celebration of identity, perseverance, and community. Located just outside Grand Rapids, Michigan, East Kentwood is known as one of the most diverse high schools in the state and among the top in the nation. Each year, over 650 seniors walk across the stage, representing dozens of languages, cultures, and life stories. For Assistant Principal Lindsay Kimbrough, getting each detail right, from name pronunciation to family recognition, matters deeply.

In a recent episode of The Liminal Podcast by Tassel, Lindsay shared how her school has transformed its graduation experience by partnering with Tassel to bring precision, personalization, and pride to every graduate’s moment.

A Legacy of Celebration, Modernized

Lindsay’s connection to East Kentwood runs deep. A proud alumna herself, she represents a long line of East Kentwood graduates: her father, aunt, and uncle all walked the same halls. Reflecting on her own high school graduation, Lindsay recalls the traditional fieldhouse ceremony, where students walked up the center of the gym floor, the young ladies carried roses, and all were excited to hear their name read while parents were cheering for them somewhere in the rafters.

Today, that tradition has evolved into a high‑tech but emotionally resonant event. With a new football stadium, cutting‑edge sound system, and massive Jumbotron, the school has transformed its graduation into a visual and emotional experience for all the attendees.

“Now, we're on the field as the sun is setting and graduates are looking at their families all up in the stands, and they remember seeing flags from their countries, the student speakers, and of course they remember their moment on stage,” Lindsay shared.

The Power of Saying Every Name Right

One of the most meaningful changes came with a simple but profound goal: getting every student’s name pronounced correctly.

With a graduating class representing dozens of nationalities, name pronunciation was a recurring challenge. “The most important piece that really mattered to us was, you only get one shot at saying a kid's name right. And we come from a very diverse tapestry of students and names, and they aren't all easy,” Lindsay explained. “‘What’s in a name?’ Well, everything's in a name for that family who's listening for it. That was one of the greatest motivators for us. We thought it an important enough investment to make sure every student who has gone through 12, sometimes 13, years of education with us, to say their name right at the end of it all.”

Historically, school counselors were responsible for reading names aloud, often struggling with unfamiliar pronunciations. Partnering with Tassel ensured that names were said correctly by using pre‑recorded name announcements. Students can approve a recording or provide their own pronunciation to a voice professional to record, giving them ownership of their moment and ensuring accuracy and respect.

“The rate at which they do it successfully tells me that they're invested in it. They see the importance in it. They want the opportunity to get their name said correctly,” Lindsay said.

Technology Meets Tradition

Beyond accurate name announcements, East Kentwood has integrated Tassel’s tools into its graduation production process, creating a seamless event that blends tradition with technology.

Using Tassel’s digital name cards and Director stage crossing software, the school has streamlined logistics for over 600 graduates. Cards can be printed, scanned, or digitally accessed, minimizing errors and keeping the ceremony running smoothly. “It’s a scan‑and‑go system, and it’s been flawless,” Lindsay noted.

Their student‑led video production team takes it further. Underclassmen operate cameras, manage the livestream, and help run the Jumbotron display showing each graduate’s name as they cross the stage. Their involvement turns graduation into a hands‑on learning experience, giving students behind the scenes a sense of pride and anticipation for their own future ceremonies.

“I know we're talking high level stuff, but when you get down to it, some of that is enough to get a student through their high school,” Lindsay shares. “Making them a part of these moments encourages some of them to pursue through hardships, challenges educationally, personally, mental health, all that. It's so many more layers when you get kids involved in the process.”

A Celebration for Every Student

Perhaps the most powerful stories are the personal ones. Lindsay shared moments that define why this work matters, like a student with significant disabilities scanning their card and walking the stage unassisted as the crowd erupted in applause, first‑generation graduates delivering heartfelt speeches to families who had flown in from around the world, and a formerly homeless student crossing the stage and later writing from Washington, D.C., to share his success in college. “Just to play a tiny part in his lifespan is such an honor,” Lindsay shared. These moments remind her that each ceremony is far more than a logistical achievement; it’s a celebration of perseverance, belonging, and the boundless potential of every student.

A Reliable System for High Schools Everywhere

While technology made the ceremony smoother, it also made room for more engagement. With Tassel’s system reducing setup time and errors, staff and volunteers can focus on connecting with students and families, rather than logistics.

“It's much less strenuous on the entire system,” Lindsay said. “There's a ripple effect beyond ‘we did it faster.’ Security gets easier, flow of traffic gets easier, service questions get easier to respond to.”

With smoother operations and less strain on the system, the team has been able to create a more engaging post‑ceremony experience. “It just creates space, which then creates opportunity for more creativity and options and engagement for families,” Lindsay said.

In recent years, that space has allowed families to join their graduates on the field for photos and celebration, which previously would have been too chaotic to manage, turning the end of the ceremony into a shared moment of joy that feels personal, connected, and memorable.

Looking Ahead: “Wash, Rinse, Repeat”

After two successful years, Lindsay and her team are already thinking ahead. She’s intrigued about possibly introducing new features coming to her Tassel package like AI chatbot and graduation announcements, which allow students to receive congratulatory messages and cash gifts directly through Tassel’s new platform.

For other high school administrators considering Tassel, Lindsay’s advice is simple:

“Once you've learned the system, it's just wash, rinse, repeat for next year. So now that we have the hardware for it, it's plug and play because the database is going to do what we need to do.”

From accurate name calls to glowing faces on the Jumbotron, East Kentwood’s partnership with Tassel proves that the right tools can make a big difference. “Even if all it did was make sure every name was said right, it would have been worth it,” Lindsay said. “But it’s done so much more.”

Click here to listen to the full Liminal Podcast interview with Lindsay!