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WINTERSVILLE -- Indian Creek High School graduates may not walk in a formal commencement exercise this year, but teachers are recognizing them with a special event on May 9.
Seniors are invited to decorate their vehicles and take part in a procession at 3 p.m. from Ferguson House of Furniture to the high school campus. Karen Lloyd, president of the Indian Creek Education Association, said teachers and staff will line the driveway and show their appreciation with signs and applause while the grads will collect yard signs to adorn their properties.
The district is offering a virtual graduation or similar activity in place of the scheduled event on May 31. Video of the ceremony will be posted online Lloyd said senior yard signs have been distributed at graduation practice for the past five years, but since no formal exercise will be held they will be given out in a different way. Seniors and their immediate family members will line up at 2:45 p.m. in their vehicles and make their way to the campus instead.
"The kids are going to be at Ferguson's and we will put senior officers in the front of the line," she said.
"The police will block traffic by McDonald's and the fire department will escort the kids down Main Street to the school."
Spring sports athletes will also be recognized along the route and photographs will be taken of the grads in their vehicles. The seniors will get the senior yard signs near the bus garage as they exit the site, and Lloyd noted that any Indian Creek teacher was welcome to participate. Organizers will strictly enforce social distancing rules and noted it was not a parade, so no one should line the roadway to the school.
A rain date has been set for 3 p.m. on May 16 and in case of inclement weather that day, signs will be dispersed outside Wintersville Elementary from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. The signs should be returned to any of the school buildings by Aug. 7.
In recent times, teachers have also dressed in their college alma mater robes and lined the entry at Finnegan Fieldhouse at Franciscan University to cheer on the latest crop of alumni. Since they will be unable to do so at commencement, this was another way to send the Class of 2020 off in style.
"These are our kids, too. We're hurting too that they aren't getting to graduate (because of the quarantine)," Lloyd said. "This is a way to send them off and say, 'This is your time and we're proud of you.'"