Photos: May 2020 Favorite Photos of the Month

Senior Dalissyana Al-Hisnawi has her picture taken with her yard sign after being filmed walking across the stage for commencement ceremonies at Metro High School in southeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, May 12, 2020. The high school has 160 graduating seniors who were video recorded walking across the stage and moving their tassels from right to left side of their mortor boards. The footage will be edited together for a virtual commencement that will air May 22. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Willow Adams, 8, of Marion dances around her family members spot on the lawn as service is held outdoors at Oakland Church of the Nazarene in Cedar Rapids on Sunday, May 31, 2020. The church held their annual ‘Service on the Lawn' event without provided food or games and with social distancing enforced to bring the congregation back together for worship before resuming indoor service next weekend. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Sondy Daggett (left) visits her wife, Liz Hoskins, on their tenth wedding anniversary with Liz's daughter Sara Hoskins (right) and granddaughter, Allie Hoskins (center) at Bickford of Marion Senior Living in Marion, Iowa on Friday, May 1, 2020. Sondy and Liz have been partnered for 24 years and married for ten. Liz, who has dementia, lives in an assisted living facility and has not been able to see her family since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Healthcare workers applaud as recovered coronavirus patient, Chad Edmonds of Cedar Rapids is discharged from St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids on Friday, May 1, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

A medical worker gives a thumbs up to a resident after taking a sample for testing for the coronavirus Covid19 at the Test Iowa site at the Kirkwood Continuing Education Training Center, 101 50th Avenue SW, in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday, May 7, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

A bald eagle is seen on the side of a tractor truck trailer as members of the Iowa National Guard work at the Kirkwood Community College Test Iowa coronavirus testing site in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, May 14, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

A senior is silhouetted as she walks in front of the stage during filming of commencement ceremonies at Metro High School in southeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, May 12, 2020. The high school has 160 graduating seniors who were video recorded walking across the stage and moving their tassels from right to left side of their mortor boards. The footage will be edited together for a virtual commencement that will air May 22. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Kyden Martinez, 18, smiles back at family as he walks off the stage with his diploma during his graduation ceremony at Liberty High School in North Liberty on Thursday, May 28, 2020. Martinez plans to attend the University of Iowa in the fall. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Iowa City West High School senior class speaker Jessica Moonjely holds up a 'W' after making a lightning bolt sign when talking about the West class of 2020 having classmates move to Liberty High School as she tapes her commencement address in the auditorium at the high school in Iowa City, Iowa, on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Last week, seniors everywhere celebrated their graduation, and local schools have gone above and beyond to make sure this rite of passage is feted, despite the circumstances. I followed the Xavier principal last week on her diploma delivery route, which was full of surprises, both for the students and for us onlookers.Jane Constant celebrates the graduation of her daughter, Nicole Constant, during a diploma delivery to Xavier High School seniors around Cedar Rapids and Hiawatha on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. The school held a virtual prom and is holding a virtual Baccalaureate mass, in addition to the drive-by graduation. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

University of Iowa graduate Emily Mead wears a mask for a graduation photo taken by her friend, Amy Theuambounmy, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City on Saturday, May 16, 2020. Mead graduated with a bachelors degree in interdepartmental human services. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Ellie Tanko is hugged by Abby Tanko (left) and Anna Tanko,. 16, after graduating during a diploma delivery to Xavier High School seniors around Cedar Rapids and Hiawatha on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. The school held a virtual prom and is holding a virtual Baccalaureate mass, in addition to the drive-by graduation. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Kinesiology and health and pre-physician assistant graduate Molly Norman (left) of Clinton, Iowa, is cheered by kinesiology and pre-occupational therapy graduate Emma Gettes (center) also of Clinton as the pair gather with family and friends to watch the online commencement ceremony near the Campanile at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, on Friday, May 8, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Senior Sadie Schmidt, 17, leans out of her car to watch as senior photos are displayed on the video board over the football field during the Friday Night Lights event at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School on Friday, May 8, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Kalilah Thomas moves the tassel to the left side of her mortar board during filming of commencement ceremonies at Metro High School in southeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Tuesday, May 12, 2020. The high school has 160 graduating seniors who were video recorded walking across the stage and moving their tassels from right to left side of their mortor boards. The footage will be edited together for a virtual commencement that will air May 22. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Hundreds gather to protest at the Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids on Sunday, May 31, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Activist Lujayn Hamad speaks to protestors through a megaphone during a rally hosted by the Black Voices Project at the University of Iowa Pentacrest in Iowa City on Saturday, May 30, 2020. The rally was held in response to the recent death of George Floyd, a black man who died Monday night while in custody of Minneapolis police officers. Organizers estimated that over 750 individuals attended. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Protestors march behind police vehicles down 3rd Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids on Sunday, May 31, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Protestors gather at the Cedar Rapids police station after marching around SE Cedar Rapids on Sunday, May 31, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Friends and family of the victims gather at the scene of a shooting on 30th Street Northwest in Cedar Rapids on Friday, May 1, 2020. One woman was found dead at the scene and another was taken to the hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Katlin Brown and Jeff Boyd of Iowa City, Iowa, walk with their daughter along the Clear Creek Trail in Coralville, Iowa, on Thursday, May 21, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Troy Williams of Cedar Rapids, also known as DJ Commando, performs during a virtual prom at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Saturday, May 2, 2020. Administrators livestreamed a DJ, who performed in the school's entryway, and live video of staff and students dancing to the music, which lasted for an hour. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Troy Williams of Cedar Rapids, also known as DJ Commando, performs during a virtual prom at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Saturday, May 2, 2020. Administrators livestreamed a DJ, who performed in the school's entryway, and live video of staff and students dancing to the music, which lasted for an hour. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Principal Angela Olson dances during a virtual prom at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Saturday, May 2, 2020. Administrators livestreamed a DJ, who performed in the school's entryway, and live video of staff and students dancing to the music, which lasted for an hour. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

An injured pelican tries to get away as Chris Watts of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, uses a kayak paddle to block its path as volunteers work to coax the injured bird to wildlife rehabilitator Tracy Belle of Wildthunder (cq) Wildlife & Animal Rehabilitation & Sanctuary in Independence, Iowa, on Cedar Lake in northwest Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. The pelican was taken to an Iowa City veterinarian for an exam and x-rays. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Drag performer Doja dances to music as A.J. Adorien records video for an upcoming virtual drag show in the alley off of South Dubuque Street in Iowa City on Thursday, May 7, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Customers wait to order food at a fair food stand owned and operated by Renee Taylor of Anamosa and her son, Preston Taylor of Monticello, in Monticello on Friday, May 22, 2020. The stand sells traditional summer fair fare, and will be traveling around the region this summer to bring peoples' favorite treats to their towns. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Richard Wolken of Monticello holds his pork tenderloin sandwich at a fair food stand owned and operated by Renee Taylor of Anamosa and her son, Preston Taylor of Monticello, in Monticello on Friday, May 22, 2020. The stand sells traditional summer fair fare, and will be traveling around the region this summer to bring peoples' favorite treats to their towns. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Caretaker Matt Schlegel scrubs the wall in the deep end of the pool at YMCA Camp Wapsi in Coggon, Iowa, on Friday, May 15, 2020. Schlegel and other workers are making preparations for the opening of the summer camp season. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Social distancing markings are seen inside the Ground Transportation Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Monday, May 18, 2020. Bus service resumed limited routes today, with free fares continuing for riders. Riders must wear a mask and bus capacity is limited to ten passengers at a time. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

A plasma collection or apheresis machine separates whole blood into its component parts at the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, May 14, 2020. Plasma collected from recovered COVID-19 patients is being used as a therapy in the treatment of the coronavirus disease. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Jake Fedeler installs a hand sanitizer dispenser near the front door at the Red Lion Lounge, 3970 Center Point Rd NE, in northeast Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. Owners Kristina Meyer and Mary Hansen bought the bar six years ago. They had to close it March 17 per Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' order. The establishment has been at this location since 1972. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Eli Peters boxes up to-go orders at Pita'z Mediterranean and American Cuisine in Hiawatha on Monday, May 4, 2020. Pita'z has been donating meals to local hospitals and nursing home staff, and Joe Sample has stepped up to help deliver them. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Tara Walker of Marion and her sister, Robin Odean of Cedar Rapids (left) wish their father, Jerry Ridenour of Marion, a happy birthday from outside his second-floor window at UnityPoint Health's Living Center West rehabilitation center in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. Ridenour. who was recovering from an earlier procedure at the care facility, contracted the novel coronavirus just over three weeks ago and has since recovered. His family has been unable to be with him during this time, but thanks to maintenance staff at St. Luke's Hospital they were able to wish him 'Happy Birthday' from outside his second-floor window. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Jerry Ridenour (above) of Marion waves to his children, Tara Walker of Marion and her sister, Robin Odean of Cedar Rapids (left) as they are lowered via scissor lift from outside his second-floor window at UnityPoint Health's Living Center West rehabilitation center in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. Ridenour. who was recovering from an earlier procedure at the care facility, contracted the novel coronavirus just over three weeks ago and has since recovered. His family has been unable to be with him during this time, but thanks to maintenance staff at St. Luke's Hospital they were able to wish him 'Happy Birthday' from outside his second-floor window. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Jake Kundert, program manager, drives a tractor as Jason Grimm, production manager, and Míchi López, packshed distribution manager, plant onions at GROW Johnson County in Iowa City on Monday, May 4, 2020. The farm grows vegetables for the county's food banks, but this year they've had to scale back the number of workers as they begin the planting season. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)

Jim and Sylvia Grant of Marion (from left) sit with Gloria Daywitt of Cedar Rapids for the 'NoOn Game' at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

I finished with an assignment near Masonville, Iowa, in Delaware County and decided to take the long way back to the 'office'. I figured we haven't been up to Lake Delhi and the Amish country recently so today would be a good opportunity to get some stock photos. I love being able to take a drive and explore what I consider the most beautiful part of the state. I photographed Tate and his father testing out the watercraft from further away when they put them back on the trailer. I thought that was the end of it so I went to get their names. Tate's father said that they would be back on the water in about 20 minutes, after some adjustments. Tate Monk, 14, of Delhi, Iowa, tests out a Sea-Doo personal watercraft after some engine work was done in preparation for the Memorial Day weekend on Lake Delhi in Delhi, Iowa, on Friday, May 22, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Eliezer De Los Santos works out at Dugout Sports in Fairfax, Iowa, on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. De Los Santos is a foreign exchange student at Regina High School in Iowa City. He is from Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic. De Los Santos is currently carrying a 3.38 GPA and was named Student of the Week at Regina two weeks ago for his hard work in the virtual classes while at home. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Sport mod racers compete at Benton County Speedway in Vinton on Sunday, May 24, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Drivers, crew and family members stand on top of trailers and up against fences in the pits to watch racing at Benton County Speedway in Vinton on Sunday, May 24, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Volunteers Sophia Webster, 16, (left) and Jodi Moffitt of Anamosa place a flag at the headstone of a veteran while working their area of Cedar Memorial Cemetery in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, May 23, 2020. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)

Beverly Davis cleans the gravestone of family friends George and Phyllis Bishop at Evergreen Cemetery in Delhi, Iowa, on Friday, May 22, 2020. Davis was cleaning the gravestone in preparation of the upcoming Memorial Day. The Bishops were church friends with Davis and her husband. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Army veteran Tom Schaul, a member of Carpenter-Diesch-White American Legion Post 436, presents the Stars and Stripes during a Memorial Day ceremony at St. Joseph Cemetery in Earlville, Iowa, on Monday, May 25, 2020. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Keagan Shaull, 9, retrieves weighted balls as he plays a math game with Kendra Kemerling in the driveway of Kamerling's home in Mount Vernon, Iowa, on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. The first person to reach 100 wins the game. The two were tied until Keagan won the rubber match. Kamerling, who runs a daycare, tries to include fun math activities for Keagan to do when he is staying at her home. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Ken Lewis paints a morel mushroom on the window of his and his wife Pam's antiques mall Czech Village Antiques in southwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday, May 7, 2020. The couple were still decorating there closed shop for what would have been this weekend's Houby Days festival to continue the spirit of the tradition. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Sandee Skelton leads neighbors, friends and family in the little drum belly dance in front of her home along Tenth St. NW in northwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Saturday, May 2, 2020. Skelton, 82, a belly dancer and dance teacher for the city recreation department for 50 years, invited the gathering to listen to the music and dance at a safe distance to provide a fun relive from the coronavirus shutdown. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)