That’s because her dad, Shawn Prinkey, is an Army soldier (and a motorcycle officer back home) serving in Afghanistan.

So, instead, Sophia had the opportunity to do the next best thing: have the entire local Mesa Police Department attend her ceremony in honor of her hero father’s absence.

“The graduation ceremony event was put together by a fellow Mesa Police Department officer and friend of his, whose wife is also a teacher at the same school,” Mesa Police Det. Esteban Flores told ABC News. “They worked together with the school and with Prinkey’s motor squad to make it happen.”

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According to ABC, Sophia even got to sit on one of the police department motorcycles.

“There’s a lot of our officers in the military,” Flores said. “And they all look out for each other.”

What’s next? A trip to SeaWorld?

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