Banners bearing the smiling faces of Lander Valley High School graduating seniors will once again adorn Lander’s Main Street this spring, according to an agreement the Lander City Council approved Tuesday.
The agreement allows Fremont County School District 1 to display the graduation banners on Main Street’s decorative light poles between May 1 and May 31 each year, after submitting an application for annual approval.
Kari Lynn White, who is the parent liaison for the 2024 Senior Banners on Main Street project as part of LVHS Project Graduation, spoke in favor of the agreement during this week’s city council meeting, offering “a little history” about the “very special tradition” that began in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic prevented LVHS seniors from celebrating a “traditional” graduation.
At that time, White recalled, “some parents got together and just blessed the students and the community” with the Main Street banner idea, which “many volunteers” continued in 2021 and 2022.
But in 2023, LVHS senior Avery Bever said the banners weren’t posted on Main Street – instead, they lined the fences surrounding the high school, where many community members likely didn’t notice them.
“I’m here to speak on behalf of the graduating class of 2024, (because) I know a lot of my classmates are very passionate about this,” Bever said. “I believe that these banners are very important when it comes to recognizing the huge accomplishment (that) the seniors are taking the steps to complete. …
“Graduating high school is a huge milestone in anybody’s life, and I believe that it should be celebrated proudly and in any way that it can.”
The agreement the council approved Tuesday indicates that FCSD 1 must submit its application to the city administration for approval by March 1 each year.
For more information, call the City of Lander at 332-2870.