High school graduation is a rite of passage, a major milestone for students, families and friends alike.

But for the Class of 2020 in Santa Barbara County, that celebration has been diminished by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Graduation ceremonies, where students don caps and gowns and march to the strains of “Pomp & Circumstance” before receiving their diplomas, will take place in a virtual format this year.

Because none of this has diminished the accomplishments and resilience of this year’s graduates, Noozhawk has created a special section — “Celebrating the Class of 2020.”

Graduates and their families are welcome to post a free announcement, including a photo and a congratulatory message.

Graduates will be organized by school, and the listings are searchable by name.

This section won’t replace the thrill of flinging a mortar board into the air at the end of a graduation ceremony, but we hope it provides a measure of recognition for our graduates during these difficult times.

Click here to submit a free graduation announcement.

The section is sponsored by Santa Barbara Partners in Education.

For information about other sponsorship opportunities for the section, contact Sheridan Taphorn, online media consultant, at staphorn@noozhawk.com or 805.456.7197.

— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.