A storm couldn’t stop them: North Crowley’s Class of 2026 proved “delayed is not denied.”
FORT WORTH, Texas — Thunderstorms forced Crowley ISD to postpone North Crowley High School’s graduation ceremony Sunday evening, leaving some families to rebook flights and rearrange plans before the class of 2026 finally walked the stage Monday morning.
Graduates and supporters filled the district’s Multi-Purpose Stadium on Monday, with T-shirts and cardboard cutouts in hand to celebrate the milestone.
Chad Poole, whose daughter graduated, said he was turned away Sunday when the ceremony was called off.
“They said, ‘Oh, it’s canceled,'” Poole said. “I’m like, y’all should have some backups, like move everything inside or something like that.”
District officials said it’s not a simple solution. Crowley ISD hosts its outdoor graduation ceremonies in a voter-approved stadium specifically because most indoor venues in the area can’t accommodate more than 700 graduates and thousands of family members.
“Lightning and rapidly changing weather conditions Sunday evening prompted the district to postpone the ceremony in accordance with safety protocols and guidance from the Fort Worth Office of Emergency Management,” according to a district statement.
“Monday had been communicated in advance as a potential alternate date in the event of severe weather,” the district said in a statement.
However, not everyone received that message. Tiffany Parham said she had to rebook flights to attend Monday’s ceremony.
“Not affordable but manageable — but for family, that’s what you do,” Parham said.
Superintendent Michael McFarland addressed families Sunday on social media, offering a simple reassurance.
“Delayed is not denied,” McFarland said.
Tyler Steptoe, whose sister graduated, said the experience left him with a firm opinion about future ceremonies.
“I think all graduations should be indoors, to be honest,” Steptoe said.
Though he added Monday’s ceremony made the effort worthwhile.
“I’m glad I came. I would do it all over again for my sister.” he said. “She means the world to me.”
Others took the disruption in stride.
“We’re in Texas. We have bipolar weather, you know,” said Avalon Scott, who attended Monday’s ceremony. “I think Crowley did a wonderful job in pivoting, turning and making sure that they were ready for the crowd today.”
In a full statement, the district said it is proud to have delivered two successful graduation ceremonies over the weekend for more than 1,300 graduates across the district, drawing an estimated 15,000 guests.
“We also remained committed to ensuring that every graduate had the opportunity to walk the stage and receive their diploma,” the district said. “We are proud that, despite the weather disruptions, we accomplished our mission. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our families as we worked to deliver a safe and meaningful ceremony for the Class of 2026.”
After a last-minute lesson in perseverance, the North Crowley class of 2026 celebrated their accomplishments Monday — diploma in hand.