Officials in Purvis are kicking around the idea of a senior class parade for graduating seniors of Purvis High School, but are still waiting on more information before deciding when or if to proceed with the endeavor.
A small group of parents came to the May 5 meeting of the Purvis Board of Aldermen to discuss the matter, but Mayor Roger Herrin said he has not heard anything back from them as of yet.
“They haven’t got back with us on a date,” he said. “They came by and wanted to know the possibilities of doing a parade, kind of like we do the Christmas parade – from the vo-tech, go through town and come out at the school. But they don’t know when, and we haven’t heard from them as far as a date, so we really don’t know.”
Herrin said officials would be receptive to the idea if the parents do come to an agreement on the date.
“They would be in their vehicles, and we could let them ride through, and whoever wants to stand on the side of the road (can do that),” he said. “There’d be no throwing candy or any of that kind of stuff. It would be just to honor them.”
In addition, there are 142 expected graduating seniors this year, making planning a little difficult as well.
“I think that’s what their problem is, is trying to get as many of them as they can to do it,” Herrin said. “But scheduling something for everybody to be there at the same time is going to be hard on them.
“Police protection would be the only thing, blocking traffic and stuff like that. It would be just like a drive-through-town thing.”
The Lamar County School District held an alternate graduation plan this week for its four high schools – Oak Grove, Purvis, Sumrall and Lumberton – that was recently approved by the school district’s board. The district contracted with a videographer to create an individualized graduation video for each high school, and the graduation ceremony took place at each respective school.
Graduates were allowed to arrive with four guests, on set dates and at set times, in order to participate in the segmented graduation ceremony. Forehead temperature scans were taken at the entrances.
The final video will include all graduates who wished to participate.
