Fort Scott High School staff wanted a way to recognize the senior class on the night of their original graduation date, Jeff DeLaTorre, athletics/activities director said.
To honor the FSHSClass of 2020 on that evening, Saturday, May 16, staff members have planned a”Senior Cruise Night”.
Students in vehicles will follow a lead car around the city starting and ending at the high school. Vehicles must be street legal, he said.
Students are invited to wear their cap and gown on the cruise.
” We saw that some other schools around the area were doing something similar to this so we thought it would be a good way to recognize them,” DeLaTorre said.
A parent or family member is encouraged to drive the vehicle on the cruise so their 2020 senior can fully enjoy the event, he said.
Students who have not picked up their cap and gown yet, can still do so, DeLaTorre said.
The car cruise will drive around points in Fort Scott that have been a part of the students’ educational journey.
Senior class members in years past have gone to their former elementary and middle schools for a walk-through the halls which honors them.
So the cruise night route will go to each of the district’s schools, sort of a trip down memory lane.
” We chose this route for a couple of reasons,” DeLaTorre said. “One, we wanted to spread it out so people could be present along the route and still practice social distancing.”
“But the significance of going by Eugene Ware Elementary, Fort Scott Middle School, and Winfield Scott Elementary was to kind of take the place of the traditional ‘Senior Walk-Through’ that the senior class usually gets to do at the end of the year. They usually walk the halls of each of these buildings one more time and the students and teachers congratulate them. The Class of 2020 won’t get to do that so we thought we would include the schools in the Senior Cruise.”
On May 16, the seniors will follow a route that will be led by School Resource Officer Mike Trim.
Senior students are asked to arrive at the high school by 6:45 p.m.
The event will start at 7:00 p.m.
The line up will be starting in the southwest corner of the FSHS front parking lot, and the line will proceed to the east, on the south side of the high school and will weave into the east parking lot.
Here is the route:
-Start at the southwest corner of FSHS
-turn north on Main Street and go to 6th Street
-turn west on 6th and go to National Avenue. Turn north on National
-stay on National until Wall, turn east
– stay on Wall until Margrave, turn south
– at 3rd Street turn east (in front of Eugene Ware)
– at Broadway turn south
– at 6th turn west until Margrave, then turn south
– at 10th turn east and head up to middle school
– turn south on Sheppard and then turn west on 12th
– at Margrave turn south until East National
– follow East National until National. Head north and then turn west on 12th
– take 12th to Crawford and turn north, then turn west on 10th
– follow 10th (in front of Winfield Scott) to Horton
– At Horton turn north and go to 6th and continue east on 6th
– At National turn south. At 9th turn east and cruise ends at 9th and Main in front of high school
“Community members are asked to be present along the route to recognize our senior students,” DeLaTorre said.
Here are some important items to remember for this event:
– All social distancing guidelines must be followed. Seniors will need to stay in their vehicles before, during, and after the event.
– One senior student per vehicle (unless it is siblings).
For the high school senior to be able to enjoy the experience more, it is encouraged that a parent or family member to drive the vehicle for them.
– Community members are asked to be present along the route to recognize the senior students but are asked to stay in their vehicles to practice social distancing.
If you live along the route you are invited to come out on your porch or front yard to show your support.
– This is not a parade!
All traffic rules and laws must be followed, including stop signs, stoplights, etc.
Also, because it is not a parade all vehicles must be street legal.