Stadium lights across Idaho will be on this Friday night, for one night only.
A campaign to honor Idaho’s high school seniors and student athletes who were sidelined amid the coronavirus pandemic is spreading across social media.
#BeTheLightId encourages Idaho’s high schools to turn on their stadium lights Friday, April 10, to support the 2020 graduating class and the spring sports athletes.
Families can drive by and honk from their cars to show added support while practicing social distancing. Schools are asking participants to take pictures and share them on social media along with the hashtag.
“The lights will be a symbol showing that we are thinking of you all and hope this provides hope and assurance during a time when all school and sports are suspended,” Filer High School wrote on its Facebook page.
The COVID-19 crisis scuttled spring sports and jeopardized in-person high school commencements across Idaho and the country in recent weeks.
Dozens of schools had promoted the campaign as of Tuesday morning.
Some parents are asking their schools to join in.
“Could Madison participate in this?” Patron Amy Loomis posted to a community Facebook page.
Idaho’s biggest district, 40,000-student West Ada, said it would not participate.
“We encourage everyone to continue to follow the stay at home order,” the district wrote on its Facebook page Wednesday. “Our chance to recognize our athletes and seniors will come.”
So far, at least 28 schools plan to participate:
- Filer
- Rigby
- Blackfoot
- Buhl
- Mackay
- Salmon
- Sugar-Salem
- Marsing
- Kamiah
- Snake River
- Madison
- South Fremont
- Council
- Wendell
- American Falls
- Thunder Ridge (Idaho Falls)
- Highland (Craigmont)
- Parma
- Salmon River (Riggins)
- Middleton
- Century (Pocatello)
- Highland (Pocatello)
- Irving Middle School (Pocatello)
- Halliwell Park (Pocatello)
- Greenleaf Friends Academy
- Cambridge
- Midvale
- Council
