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I would like to better understand why seminary graduation is stake based and not associated with the school a student has been attending? We live in a mixed stake that services multiple high schools and our boys are forced to graduated seminary with people they did not spend their educational time with. Not being able to celebrate this achievement with their school mates that they have their relationships with is very disappointing and a poor decision on the part of the brethren. I would like to hear some sort of explanation why this is. It did not used to be this way.

Jeremy Wood

Guidance can be found in A Guide to Seminary Graduation and Institute Recognition Exercises. One of the very first points is "Seminary graduation exercises should be held on a stake level." So this does not seem to be a local decision.

As for why it's organized that way, I can't say. Seminary seems to be largely organized at the stake level with the assistance of CES. Details in Handbook 1:11. But I don't see anything that prevents them from sharing this with those they have been sharing seminary time with since this would seem inclusive rather than exclusive.

There's probably something to be said for working to transition the youth to the next stage in their life. From what I've seen, high school graduation is major social change in the member's life. I'd think anything that would assist in the transition, including transitioning to Institute would be beneficial.

I'm assuming you live in an area with a lot of Church members, such that a high school could include members of multiple stakes. In most parts of the world, it's the opposite – a single stake includes several high schools, and you attend seminary classes with members of your ward or stake – not really tied to specific high schools at all.