PHS seniors surprised with graduation yard signs
Published 4:21 pm Friday, May 1, 2020
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By NATHAN HOWELL | Special to the Reporter
PELHAM –Pelham High School administration and Pelham City Schools Foundation members spent the day April 30 placing yard signs at the homes of the PHS class of 2020 celebrating their graduation.
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic the graduating seniors are unable to have a proper ceremony celebrating their achievement so these groups wanted to come together to show their love and appreciation for the seniors.
“One of the things that was very important to us was that every senior be recognized,” PCS President Jim Sumpter said. “When we first heard that schools wouldn’t go back for the rest of the year we immediately started thinking of things to do for the seniors.”
According to Sumpter, the foundation sponsored the signs and sought the high schools input for the designs.
On April 30, foundation members, city officials and school administration, including PHS Principal Dr. Amanda Wilbanks, traveled around in a school bus dropping of the signs at each of the seniors homes.
“We were looking for ways to recognize our seniors and we came up with this idea of delivering the signs,” Wilbanks said. “We wanted to do something as unique as we could, and also to just connect with our seniors and let them know we are here for them.”
Sumpter said that they kept the plan a secret so that when the seniors woke up and looked outside that morning they would be surprised by the signs.
While it is not the same as an in-person graduation these groups hope that this effort will show the student that their school and city are thinking about them during this tough time.
“We don’t want to stop there, we are still looking for ways to recognize the seniors later in the year if possible,” Wilbanks said. “This is not the end but just a way to reach out.”