Mon, 05/18/2020 - 2:15pm

ROCKPORT — An effort to honor the Camden Hills Regional High School Class of 2020 in taking novel approach this year, courtesy of a disruptive pandemic.

Although the students will not be gathering with family and friends in the high school gym for the annual graduation ceremony, there will be a series of events.

Additionally, families are organizing a special commemoration and hope to line Route 1 north of Camden downtown with signs of each graduating senior.

They are raising funds online now to make signs in each students' name and place them along Route 1 from the Camden Library to that school's namesake Camden Hills State Park, to celebrate the students’ accomplishments.

Adventure Advertising will make the signs for $14.25 (inc tax). And these will be installed for graduation week in June. (175 seniors x 14.25 = $2,492.44).

The 175 signs will look similar to real estate lawn signs. size 24 x 18, according to organizer Brooke Kehoe.

“For solidarity and unity, each will simply have the student’s name, CHRHS logo and 2020,” she said. “This clean design will make them easy to read from the road, and will show equality for all graduates.”

She is hoping to enlist a group of parents.

“Many parents are eager to do anything in our power to boost and support our senior class this year, so I’m quite certain I’ll have plenty of social-distancing helpers,” she said.

“I hope to be able to install these along both sides of Route 1 from Camden Library to the State Park,” she said. “If, for some reason, that is not acceptable to the town or police, then alternatives could be: Rt 90 from the Market Basket to CHRHS, or perhaps the old ball field at the corner of routes 1 and 90.

“Many of us would like to do even more for our graduates, but our ideas have not been approved because of current restrictions. Having these signs up during graduation week is a way for the CHRHS parents and the whole community to show our love and support to this year’s graduating class who will miss out on the town march, yearbook signings, the senior banquet, a traditional graduation, celebrations with friends and family, and so much more.”

To make a donation via GoFundMe, visit gofundme.com/f/signs-for-chrhs-seniors.