CLass of 2020 celebrated

DAVENPORT - The community celebrated the Class of 2020 on April 10 with a new take on 'Friday Night Lights."

Instead of a football game, students, families and area residents parked vehicles and honked horns at Davenport High School's football field. High school stadium lights were turned on for 20 minutes.

Lincoln County Fire Department trucks joined in the celebration, blaring horns, too.

"That was part of a national movement, all across the country at 20:20 military time, 8:20 p.m. our time," Superintendent Jim Kowalkowski said Monday.

"Stadium lights were turned on four 20 minutes to honor the sacrifice, challenges and amazing resiliency of this year's senior class."

The celebration was in honor of the graduating class that lost its last quarter of high school due to Gov. Jay Inslee's stay-home quarantine order.

It was also a way to recognize spring sports athletes whose seasons were canceled as part of the executive order.

Nearby, the Ritzville and Almira-Coulee/Hartline school districts hosted a similar observance.

The shutdown order was issued as a purported way to slow the spread of the coronavirus that spread from Wuhan, China, across the globe.

The on-campus school year was canceled Monday, April 6, but students are still expected to home-study.