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MURRAY — Many school lots have been eerily quiet for the past six weeks.
With Utah public and charter schools under a soft closure until the end of the year to help combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, buildings, parking lots and fields have sat vacant across the Salt Lake Valley.
It’s a constant reminder of what many in the Class of 2020 are missing during the final quarter of their senior year.
Which is why Murray High School, like several others across the state, decided to turn the lights back on Friday night — to encourage their 500 graduating seniors across the district to “Be the Light” in turbulent times.
“We recognize this is a tough year for all seniors across the state, and educators including the Murray School District have been working really hard to figure out ways that are meaningful to recognize and celebrate the accomplishment of our seniors,” district spokesman Doug Perry said. “‘Be the Light’ seems to be a great fit for the Class of 2020, and it was very well attended. We were excited to have the seniors be a part of it, and to see it happen.”
Most of the school’s seniors, as well as teachers, administrators and faculty members turned out to form a socially-distanced processional to welcome students back — albeit briefly — to the school for one more night with car signs, decorations and lots of honking horns.
.@MurraySchoolsUT turned the lights on for the Class of 2020, encouraging seniors to "be the light" during a pandemic that has shuttered schools around the state. https://t.co/ZLTWlk9K1wpic.twitter.com/Kn1fmbYmbz
— KSL (@KSLcom) May 10, 2020
The lights were turned on at 8:20 p.m. — or 20:20 in military time, another tribute to the seniors — and were originally expected to remain constant for an hour.
Except an hour later, the steady stream of cars continued through the lot. So administrators left the lights on, and the final faculty member didn’t go home until well after 10 p.m.
In addition to the skylights on the football field, the high school also lit up its sail-shaped glass art piece in front of the school’s main building for the first time in 16 years. Perry said school administrators hope the move begins a new tradition to “light the sail” in honor of seniors for years to follow.
Like several other schools, the smallest district in the Salt Lake Valley has tentatively planned to conduct graduations virtually, though Perry said that could change quickly if local restrictions will allow for more traditional gatherings by the end of the May.
If not, they’ll celebrate the Class of 2020 twice — once on the scheduled graduation day June 4, and again later in the summer or early fall so students can sign yearbooks and celebrate graduation.
“It’ll be more of an alumni night,” Perry said, “because our seniors will be alumni by then.”
Students will be instructed to pick up their diplomas at a pre-scheduled time following the June 4 ceremony.
