York High School to host a 'Community Cheer' for the Class of 2020 May 17
Elmhurst Unit School District 205 has developed a plan to celebrate the Class of 2020 and commemorate York High School's original graduation date of May 17.
At 1 p.m. Sunday, York High School will host a "Pomp Under Any Circumstance Community Cheer Countdown," a webcast on the York High School webpage at york.elmhurst205.org.
The York High School fight song will play over the loudspeakers at the stadium.
In honor of our seniors' traditional entry into the field house at 1:10 p.m., the horn at the stadium will sound. District 205 is inviting the entire community to join them on their lawns, clanging pots and pans, blowing air horns, sounding sirens, ringing church bells for a "Community Cheer" raising a celebration of the Class of 2020 at this symbolic time between 1:10 p.m. and 1:15 p.m.
The final act of commemoration will be the lighting of the York High School football stadium. Lights will remain on until 8:20 p.m. or 20:20 in military time.
The York Athletic Boosters are offering the opportunity to purchase 2020 York Graduate yard signs to help celebrate the senior class. Yard signs can be ordered using this Google form.
Yard signs are $12 each and can be picked up at two contact-free locations in Elmhurst.
For $1 more, a York Athletic booster member will (noncontact) deliver your sign to your home. All profits from the sale of these signs will be donated to the District 205 Foundation COVID-19 Response Fund.
The hope is to get a yard sign to each and every senior! If there is a family in the York community with a graduating senior that cannot afford a sign, arrangements have been made to provide one. Please email the Athletic Boosters at YorkBoosters@gmail.com to request a sign.
In tandem, District 205 has asked private school friends from Immaculate Conception and Timothy Christian High School as well as Elmhurst College to join in by adopting any one or all of these ideas and tailoring it to the needs of their constituencies. The district will reciprocate by using York's marquee space to salute their graduates on their original ceremony dates through the end of May. The City of Elmhurst also is working with all area schools to honor graduates. Plans will be forthcoming.
Beginning Friday, May 15, District 205 also is asking the City of Elmhurst, Elmhurst Park District, all area businesses, churches and organizations to post special messages on their marquee and/ or posting signs saluting the Class of 2020. The York High School campus marquee will be updated to read: "Congratulations York High School Class of 2020. Brighter Days Are Ahead."
"The collective goal is to make the spring of 2020 a special one for this most unique class of students," Superintendent Dr. David Moyer said.
"Our first priority must remain keeping our students and staff as healthy and safe as possible. However, we will celebrate the Class of 2020 in a significant way despite the constraints of this health crisis. Thank you for supporting our seniors and all D205 students as this extraordinary school year comes to a close."