Aiken will celebrate its graduating seniors – safely – on Sunday with a parade through downtown.
The parade, which will follow social distancing guidelines, is for students who attend Aiken High School, South Aiken High School, Mead Hall Episcopal School and South Aiken Baptist Christian School and for private, independent and home-schooled seniors in the Area 1 attendance zone.
“We are excited to celebrate our seniors while prioritizing the health and well-being of our students and our community following CDC guidelines,” said Betty Ryberg, who is helping organize the event with sponsors, the City of Aiken and Project Graduation.
Registration for prizes will begin at 1 p.m. in Gyles Park at the northeast corner of Park Avenue and Union Street across from the Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum.
The parade will begin at 2 p.m. at Park Avenue and Union Street. Students, spaced apart, will march west on Park Avenue, turn north on Laurens Street and continue to Barnwell Avenue. Students have been asked to select music to be played along the route.
At the end of the parade, each student will receive at least one gift certificate and be directed to an assigned family meeting area. Aiken High School students will meet in the parking lot at St. John's United Methodist Church at 104 Newberry St. N.W. South Aiken High students will meet in the parking lot at First Baptist Church at 120 Chesterfield St. N. Private, independent and home-schooled students will meet at Pendleton Street and Barnwell Avenue.
Nathan Simmons, a senior at South Aiken High School, said he's looking forward to seeing friends he has not seen since schools closed March 16 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I'm looking forward to seeing everyone who's graduating and just looking forward to graduating and going to college and starting a new chapter in my life,” said Simmons, who plans to attend Aiken Technical College for two years and then transfer to the University of South Carolina in Columbia.
Seniors should wear their graduation gown, but not their cap, with comfortable clothes and shoes.
All students and parade volunteers will be required to wear face masks. Face masks will be available for students and volunteers who need them.
“Decorate your masks. Make them fun,” Ryberg said.
Paradegoers also will be required to follow social distancing and safety guidelines as follows:
• Students will be given hand sanitizer at line up
• Physical distancing guidelines set by the CDC will be followed at sign up and throughout the parade
• Families and friends along the parade route are asked to follow CDC guidelines between family units
• No gathering will be allowed at the end of the parade.
Prize winners will be notified by text during the parade and can pick up their prizes immediately after the parade at the Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum. The prizes, which were donated by individuals and local businesses, are as follows:
• Four $500 scholarships
• Ten televisions from 50-inch to 33-inch
• Six mini refrigerators
• Three AirPod Pros
• Ten $50 gift cards from Lionel Smith Ltd.
• 600 Papa John's gift cards
• Gift cards from Chick-fil-A, Jimmy John's, McDonald's, Cook-Out, Hobby Lobby and Habitat for Humanity.
Several downtown restaurants – Whiskey Alley, Alley Downtown Taproom, Mellow Mushroom and Pizza Joint – will be open after the parade.
Silver Bluff High School will hold a graduation parade for the class of 2020 at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Carolina DragWay at 302 Dragstrip Road, Aiken. Students should arrive at 3 p.m. for pictures at Victory Lane.
Read the full Aiken Standard article here.