The end of May won’t come with the usual pomp and circumstance for high school seniors.
There won’t be a packed gym with proud parents and educators seeing their children and students cross the stage as their names are called. Franklin Community High School, along with the other five public high schools in the county, decided to postpone graduation ceremonies to July in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Franklin, students will still get a May celebration. With mass gatherings prohibited in Indiana, school officials organized a car parade, during which seniors will drive from the Johnson County fairgrounds through downtown and to the north side of Franklin, according to a map from the school district.
The parade will kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday. Initially, the parade was supposed to start at the high school, but school property is closed until the end of June. Each of the 360 to 380 graduating seniors will be allowed to participate, but will be required to stay in their vehicles, said Steve Ahaus, principal.
“We’ll be asking spectators to socially distance along the route and cheer or put up signs, words of encouragement,” Ahaus said. “It’s an event for the city to recognize seniors.”
The event was made possible by the City of Franklin, Mayor Steve Barnett, Police Chief Kirby Cochran, according to a news release from Franklin Community Schools.
Franklin High School’s graduation ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. July 18.
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What: Vehicle parade to honor high school seniors
When: 10 a.m. Saturday
Where: Students will start the parade at the Johnson County fairgrounds
Line the parade route in three locations:
• Downtown along Jefferson Street
• King Street from Forsythe Street to Eastview Drive
• Eastview Drive
Spectators are advised to maintain social distancing (six feet apart from each other) while attending the parade.
Source: Franklin Community Schools
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