When the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School class of 2021 processed onto the varsity baseball infield, families clapped, cheered and rang cowbells, nearly drowning out Pomp and Circumstance.

Graduates from the charter school classes of 2020 and 2021 walked across the stage together in a combined ceremony to celebrate two senior classes affected by the pandemic.

At Friday night's Class Night ceremony, graduating seniors and post graduates received scholarships, grants and other awards totaling over $2 million, breaking a record set last year.

Alone and together, the regional high school class of 2021 persevered. Graduation is Sunday at the school baseball diamond, with a public parade set for Saturday morning along State Beach.

For the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School class of 2021 — a creative group of nine — a pandemic wasn’t going to define them.

For Eric Reubens, the path to becoming valedictorian paradoxically began once he started focusing less on his grades.