Coronavirus: Owner of Dayton body shop holds graduation ceremony for students in the Miami Valley

SUGARCREEK TWP. — The owner of Carl’s Body Shop, Matt Miller, built a stage and is holding a series of graduation ceremonies on his 26-acre property for students from all over the Miami Valley.

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The property offers plenty of room to social distance and Miller is planning for eight seniors to be honored every 30 minutes between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

“I built a stage with bunting and if I may say, it looks pretty good,” Miller said.

“Yes, it’s going to be very cool, it was very last minute, but we worked really hard the last several days putting this all together.”

Miller said he got the idea when he saw a photo on Facebook. A man built a stage for his daughter in the backyard because he didn’t think it was fair to have no commencement ceremony.

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Now Miller is not only doing this for his daughter, Morgan, but for nearly 200 other 2020 graduates from all over the Miami Valley.

Students participating in Saturday’s event will be spaced out according to schools including Beavercreek, Carroll, Wayne, Xenia, Centerville, Tipp, Dunbar, Greene County Career center, Tecumseh, Springboro, Belmont, Summit Academy, Trotwood, Vandalia, Miamisburg, Fairmont and Fairborn.

Miller says even his friends Jack and Darcy Stump from Stump Photography jumped on board and added more students.

“This may not be the real deal, but these students will look back and see how creative people can be especially in times like these,” he said.

“We are so happy to bring this bit of normalcy to our future leaders.”

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