Class of 2025
HOMESCHOOL GRADUATION
It’s Time to Celebrate!
Congratulations Class of 2025!
Do you have a Class of 2025 Homeschool Senior?
Join fellow Maryland homeschoolers for our parent-led Class of 2025 Graduation Ceremony Thursday, May 29, 2025
In a beautiful, intimate setting, parents will be joining their graduate on-stage to present the high school diploma.
An optional indoor reception* will be available after the graduation ceremony (*Included for the graduate with their registration fee. Family members and guests of the graduate can purchase tickets to the reception for a fee).
Participation is limited due to room capacity, so be sure to register early!
MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITS: Member families will have the option to register first and receive a discount.
Learn more about MACHE Membership
TICKETS: Each graduate will receive 5 tickets for family members and guests to attend the ceremony. Additional tickets may be purchased for a nominal fee.
CAP AND GOWN: Each graduate must purchase and bring their own cap, gown, and tassle … white with a gold tassle. Cap and gown sets plus tassle can be purchased through HSLDA or through the supplier of your choice.
Homeschool Graduation Ceremony
Thursday, May 29, 2025, 10:00am – 12:00pm
9:30 am Doors Open
10:00 am Graduate Procession
10:30 am Graduation Keynote
11:00 am Parent Diploma Presentation
11:30 am Reception & Mingle
University of Maryland Riggs Alumni Center, College Park
7801 Alumni Drive
College Park, MD 20742
2024 Commencement Speaker
Will Estrada, Esq.
Will Estrada, Esq is Senior Counsel with the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)
Will began his legal career working for HSLDA in January 2004 as a legal assistant to HSLDA Senior Counsel Scott Woodruff. After graduating from Oak Brook College of Law and Government Policy with his Juris Doctor in 2006, he moved on to direct HSLDA’s Federal Relations department and serve as HSLDA’s federal lobbyist.
Will worked as a career federal employee in the Office for Civil Rights at the US Department of Health and Human Services from 2018 to 2021. In November of 2021, he resigned from the federal government and was selected by the Board of ParentalRights.org to serve as the first full-time president of ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation.
In June of 2023, Will decided to return to his roots at HSLDA, this time serving as a senior counsel and contact attorney for HSLDA members in the states of California, Wyoming, Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire. He works to make homeschooling possible for thousands of member families and hundreds of thousands of homeschool students by advocating in state legislatures for homeschool freedom, working to ensure that homeschool graduates are treated equally, and that the laws protecting the rights of homeschool families are followed by government officials.
Will is a member of the following state and federal bars: U.S. Supreme Court, First Circuit Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, California, and District of Columbia. In June of 2023, Will was selected by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin to serve a four-year term on the Board of Visitors of Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia.
Will is a homeschool graduate from Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Rachel (a homeschool graduate from Virginia), have two sons, Dominic and Merrick, and live in Northern Virginia.
Registration Is Open
Capacity is limited for this intimate ceremony, so register early to secure a place for your graduate.
MACHE MEMBER PRIORITY REGISTATION
October 28 – November 4, 2024
Members Only – $150
November 4, 2024
Registration Opens for Non-Members
November 4, 2024 – December 31, 2024
$150 Member
$160 Non-Member
January 1 – February 14, 2025
$160 Member
$170 Non-Member
February 15 – March 31, 2025
$165 Member
$175 Non-Member
April 1 – May 15, 2025 (if space is available)
$170 Member
$180 Non-Member
Questions? Please email graduation@machemd.org.
Note: Registration will close when the capacity limit is reached or on May 15, whichever comes first.
Additional Information: See FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS below.
Graduation Reception
(Optional)
$15
Celebrate Maryland Homeschool Graduates
Reception immediately following the ceremony
Enjoy coffee, tea, fruit, and pastries
$15 per person for family members and guests
11:30 AM
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included with my registration fee?
The MACHE Graduation is a cap and gown ceremony for Maryland homeschooled seniors from across the state. This ceremony is a beautiful celebration of this important milestone in a homeschool student’s journey and includes parent participation in a special way.
- Meaningful ceremony and celebration
- Diploma for the parent(s) to present
- Video montage
- 5 free tickets included per graduate for family/guests (additional tickets available for purchase as space permits)
- Graduation reception (free for graduate, fee for guests)
The graduate is responsible for purchasing and bringing a white cap and gown and gold tassle. Cap, gown, and tassle may be purchased through HSLDA or through your own supplier.
Where do I send my bio and photos?
Each participating graduate must provide the following:
- Graduate bio
- Senior photo
- Baby photo
After the registration form is complete and payment has been received, our team will email each graduate and their parents with further instructions and information.
What time should the graduates arrive for the graduation on May 30th?
Graduates should arrive at the Riggs Alumni Center and check-in at the Rotunda at 8:30 am. Graduation rehearsal will begin at 8:45 am for graduates in Ballroom A.
The diploma presenting parents/guardians should arrive at 9:00 am for rehearsal. Doors open for everyone at 9:30 am.
What time should the parents/guardians arrive who are presenting the diploma?
Parents/guardians who are presenting the diploma to their graduate should arrive at the Riggs Almni Center, Ballroom A by 9:00 am for rehearsal.
Doors open for everyone at 9:30 am.
What time will the doors open for graduation?
Doors will open for graduation seating at 9:30 am. The processional will begin at 10:00 am.
How many people can we bring to watch our student graduate?
Each graduate will receive 5 tickets for family/guests. Seating is limited. Additional tickets are available for purchase ($10 each) as space permits.
Are the cap and gown provided in the cost of the graduation?
No, the cap and gown are not included in the cost of the graduation. Each graduate will need to bring their own white cap and gown with gold tassle for the graduation ceremony. Purchase your cap and gown so that you receive it in plenty of time to bring with you to the ceremony.
What kind of cap and gown will my graduate need?
All graduates will need to provide their own WHITE cap and gown and GOLD tassle for the graduation ceremony.
Cap and gown sets plus tassle can be purchased through HSLDA or through the supplier of your choice.
Do the parents need to provide a diploma for the graduate?
MACHE will provide a diploma for each graduate that the parent will sign as part of the graduation fee.
Are you offering a cap and gown portrait photo at the ceremony?
A professional photographer will be available at the graduation ceremony. Graduates have the option to have a cap and gown portrait taken on the day of the graduation. The sitting fee is $10. Information and a payment link will be provided after your graduation registration is complete.
What is your cancellation policy?
Coming soon!