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Homeschool Graduation

Celebrate your special milestone!

Members, get your code first on your benefits page!

View all graduate biographies here!

2024 Graduates!

Welcome, Graduating Class!

Registration Is Open!

Pricing through March 30

Do you have a graduating homeschooler?

This milestone marks the completion of your child’s homeschool years and the beginning of a new journey into the future. It’s a moment your family will remember forever.

The HEAV graduation ceremony, held during the convention, includes your family and friends in a special, God-honoring celebration when parents meet their graduate at center stage to present the diploma.

We’d love to celebrate with you!

 

2024 Ceremony

Saturday, June 8, 2024, from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.

The Greater Richmond Convention Center Ballroom
403 North 3rd Street 
Richmond, Virginia

Registration opens on January 23 for members only.

Email graduation@heav.org to be notified when graduation registration opens.

Graduation Registration

Member-Only – January 23 to January 31

$89/Member

March 1-30

$139 non-member
  • Just $109 for Members
  • Member Save $30

February 1-29

$129 non-member
  • Just $99 for Members
  • Member Save $30

Not a member? Join Now.

You’ll save most of your membership fee on graduation registration.

Questions? Email graduation@heav.org.

Important: Registration ends when the Ballroom is filled to capacity or on March 30, whichever comes first.

Graduation FAQs

HEAV does not have academic (GPA, credits, or courses) or age requirements for participation in the graduation ceremony. Consistent with our belief that education is the primary responsibility of parents, we leave this decision in the hands of each family. As long as the graduate has been home educated for a minimum of one year under Virginia law §22.1-254.1 (homeschool statute), §22.1-254(B)(1) (religious exemption), or §22.1-254(A) (certified tutor provision), we invite your family to participate. If the participating graduate is from another state, he or she will have to have abided by the laws pertaining to home instruction in that state.

All graduates must register through HEAV and pay the registration fee (See Graduation Information).

Graduates are also required to provide regalia (these may be purchased through the HEAV supplier) and a high school diploma ($45 when purchased through HEAV).

HEAV conveniently provides the opportunity to purchase the required items as well as optional items. The costs associated with purchasing the additional items are thoroughly explained in the online registration form.

The diploma was designed especially for HEAV graduates and is printed in rich black ink on parchment. This certificate will be inscribed with the graduate’s name, date of graduation (June 8, 2024), and the parents’ names or family school name. It will also include the signatures of the graduate’s parents, the HEAV president, and the commencement speaker. An engraved seal and gold ribbon corners adorn the diploma, which is encased in a beautiful, padded navy case with matching seal.

Diplomas purchased through HEAV will be received onsite at the graduation ceremony.

The diplomas are inscribed as follows: “This certifies that [student name] has successfully completed the Course of Study for graduation prescribed by [name of parent/school] and is therefore awarded this High School Diploma given this [date] day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four [current year]”.

For the diploma wording in the section, “Has successfully completed the Course of Study for graduation prescribed by,” options include: “his parents,” the parents’ names, or family school name.

If you choose to use a family school name, the inscription must be the name that you have chosen for your homeschool. Copyrighted school names such as “The American School”, “Keystone High School”, or “Liberty University Online Academy” will not be inscribed.

Do not use prescribed by “the Commonwealth of Virginia.” The Commonwealth of Virginia does not prescribe a curriculum or course of study for Virginia homeschoolers. It is up to the parents to decide the course of study. This also incorrectly implies the Commonwealth of Virginia has authorized and approved your course of study.

You are not required to purchase a diploma through HEAV. Some families use a diploma from their local support group’s graduation ceremony or simply a computer-generated certificate. If you do not purchase a diploma through HEAV, you are required to bring something that resembles a diploma for the presentation during the ceremony. It should be flat, sturdy, and clearly labeled with the graduate’s full name. If you are supplying your own diploma and not purchasing one through HEAV, it must be turned in at graduation check-in.

You may order your graduation cap & gown, and announcements at Homeschool Diploma. 

Cap and Gown Recommended Fabric Colors:

Boys: Matte Royal
Girls: Matte White

The formal graduation announcement for 2023 will read as follows:

The parents and seniors, along with the
Home Educators Association of Virginia,grad announcement
are pleased to announce the
Commencement Exercises
for the homeschool graduates of the
Class of Two Thousand Twenty-Four on Saturday, the eighth day of June
at half past three in the afternoon Greater Richmond Convention Center Richmond, Virginia

The cards will be personalized with your graduate’s name. You can also choose letter style, envelope style, and seals.

No, announcements do not provide admission to the graduation ceremony. Announcements are designed to be a formal means of letting your friends and family know of your graduation from high school. Etiquette dictates that they may be mailed up to two weeks after graduation.

Biographical sketches must be submitted at the time of registration. Each graduate’s biographical sketch will be shared on the HEAV website along with his or her picture,  full name,  and the city and state of his residence. Please write a bio that includes the length of time you have been homeschooled; some of your homeschool activities; some special interests, achievements, and scholarships; and your future plans, if known.

  • If your bio mentions a specific organization you have worked with; award you have received; or school, co-op, or group you have participated in or plan to attend, please be sure to give the complete, correct name of the organization, award, or group.
  • If you mention a favorite Bible verse, it helps to quote it for the reference of the reader.
  • If you do choose to quote a Scripture verse, please specify in parentheses which version of the Bible you have quoted. Example: (KJV).

Please do not exceed 100 words. If the bio exceeds 100 words, HEAV reserves the right to edit as necessary or to send it back for revision.

You may upload your bio and picture here.

The photo will be shared, along with the bio, on the HEAV website. Also, prior to the graduation ceremony, we will have a photo presentation of all the graduates from whom we receive photos.

Please consider sharing a favorite photo of your graduate (in JPEG format). 

We suggest that you use a photo without too many people other than the graduate, and one that shows more of the graduate and less background. Please choose a photo that will honor your graduate on this special occasion. If we receive a photo that could be considered inappropriate, HEAV reserves the right to crop the photo or refuse it. Please ensure the photos are high-resolution (A shared social media image will be too small.)

You may upload your bio and picture here.

Tickets to the graduation ceremony are complimentary. Every graduate is guaranteed up to 10 tickets. 

The graduate does not need a ticket, but to meet the fire marshall requirements, parents do.

If you would like to attend workshops, the used curriculum sale, or other parts of the convention, you will need to purchase a full-convention or shopping-only registration. However, graduates, parents, and ticket-holding guests have access to the Exhibit Hall at any time.

Yes! Family members and friends with a ticket to the graduation ceremony may browse the Exhibit Hall in the adjoining Richmond Center FREE OF CHARGE on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.

Be sure to let your guests know they will be admitted to the Exhibit Hall at no cost when they show their graduation ticket. This is a perfect opportunity for grandparents and other family members and friends to see the extensive resources available to homeschool families–they are often amazed at the variety and diversity of educational materials. (It’s also a great place to purchase gifts!)

Graduation Check-in is located inside the Exhibit Hall (not in the Lobby where convention registration takes place). One parent is required to check in. The parent may check in on Thursday or Friday any time the Exhibit Hall is open. This avoids the Saturday morning rush, but please bring your graduate’s regalia to the check-in booth. If you plan to check in on Saturday, June 8, please note that the check-in hours are between 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. only. Graduation check-in closes at 10:30 a.m. to allow us time to prepare the Ballroom for rehearsal and the ceremony. You must check in in order to participate in the ceremony.

Once checked in, your family’s next obligation to graduation is to be in the Ballroom for rehearsal at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday (whether you check in on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday).

The graduate and at least one parent are required to attend rehearsal. We would like for both parents to attend rehearsal, but, we understand that for some families, their situations may prevent both parents from attending rehearsal.

No, graduates should arrive at rehearsal dressed for the ceremony (except for cap and gown), since the graduates will not have a chance to leave between the rehearsal and the ceremony. Parents are dismissed part way through the rehearsal, and are free until 3 p.m., when they return to their seats in the designated parents’ section.

Yes, the UCS pick-up hours allow families participating in graduation to pick up any unsold items following the ceremony. You may still choose to arrange for someone else to pick up your unsold items as it will be a busy afternoon for graduates and parents.

There will be a $10 sitting fee for cap and gown portraits. Additional pricing information will be available soon!

Yes, you may submit a refund request for the ceremony through HEAV’s online form. A cancellation fee of $7 will be deducted from your refund amount. Requests for graduation refunds must be submitted no later than March 31, 2024.

You may submit refund requests here. The refund request deadline is March 31. A cancellation fee of $7 will be deducted from your refund amount.

Visit the Christian Connector, Inc. for information on Christian colleges, Bible colleges, short-term missions, and other Christian youth opportunities.

The Graduating Class of 2022 Ceremony:

Play Video about Graduation caps

Convention Sponsors

Many, many thanks to our convention sponsors!

They have invested heavily in homeschool families—in YOU—to help keep our convention prices as low as possible and support homeschooling in Virginia. Please join us in thanking them for their generosity!