Seniors spotlighted across county

WHITMAN COUNTY – School is out of the classroom and in the home. With distance learning and end-of-the-year activities canceled, many graduating seniors are left without ending the year with teachers and friends.

School districts and communities across the county are doing what they can to give the Class of 2020 extra recognition for all of their hard work and dedication throughout their schooling.

Colfax- Decorating Main Street, 42 double-sided banners are in place for the graduating class as well as one banner for Konnor Stirling, a member of the class who passed away in eighth grade due to leukemia. Community businesses and members donated their time and bucket trucks to help hang the signs in town. Yard signs were also placed in front of the homes of the graduating students.

Colton- To show its support for the 11 graduating seniors from Colton, the school district has a banner displayed on the softball backstop stating how all the students are missed, as well as, a display for the Class of 2020. This display includes photos of all graduating seniors. In Uniontown, a few of the seniors were spotlighted in the town hall's monthly newsletter.

"Colton's students are resilient and our seniors are holding their heads up high in the middle of all this uncertainty," said Paul Clark, Colton School District superintendent and principal.

Garfield/Palouse- Through social media Gar-Pal has been highlighting one of their 16 seniors every few days. These highlights are then posted to both Garfield and Palouse community websites and papers. On Saturday, June 6, the Gar-Pal seniors will be lined up on Main Street in Palouse for drive-by congratulations. Family, friends and community members are encouraged to drive by honking their horns and give congratulations to the Class of 2020.

Graduation for Gar-Pal has been postponed to Saturday, June 27. Jones said they are hoping to have an outdoor graduation with immediate family only, following social distancing guidelines, and live stream the ceremony to the community, if regulations allow.

LaCrosse- To recognize the five graduating seniors, banners, with the name and picture of the student, are lining Main Street to honor the class of 2020.

Oakesdale- With 11 graduating seniors, Oakesdale has a slideshow on the school's website showing pictures and short bios of each senior. Banners were placed downtown on May 20, as well as yard signs for the Class of 2020. Oakesdale High School has set a graduation ceremony for its seniors on June 6. Plans are still in the works for what type of ceremony that will be.

Rosalia- Discussion is in progress to celebrate the 13 graduating seniors of Rosalia. Local businesses are planning on making special baskets for graduation. Banners of the students were hung up on a fence outside the school to honor the graduating class. The Rosalia Senior Class has been busy working on its senior project of making renovations to the Malden Community Park. The students raised $2,000 and are rebuilding the park sign, flower bed, installing new basketball hoops, renovating the volleyball court and building new benches.

St. John/Endicott- To celebrate the 21 seniors from St. John/Endicott, banners will hang in the center of Main Street in St. John featuring the students. Each lamppost will hold four seniors, two on each side of the banner. Community members sent in donations for the banners and Signs & Designs by Abundant Faith Studio created the banners.

Tekoa- While holding "cruise nights" every Friday, the Tekoa School District dedicated its Friday, May 15, cruise to the eight graduating seniors. The seniors started at the high school and cruised through Tekoa with the community. They ended the cruise with stopping at the high school for supporters to drive by, wave, honk and offer congratulations. There is also a plan in place to have a mural painted on a retaining wall near the high school commemorating the Class of 2020.