GONZALES — Gonzales Public Works staff installed 54 new banners around town last month, each featuring a 2020-21 graduate from Gonzales High School plus their plans for college and careers.
This is the third year the city has honored the graduating seniors as they move into their future, calling the banners “Future Focused.”
“Students faced many challenges during the 2020-21 school year due to distance learning and Covid restrictions, but they persevered and succeeded, and we are so excited to celebrate them with the Future Focused banners,” said Rene Mendez, city manager. “The banners not only celebrate the student’s accomplishments, but they also inspire all our youth to focus on the future and achieve academic success.”
The locations are along poles throughout the city, so that motorists or pedestrians can look up and see the college- and career-bound graduates. Some of the more recognizable areas are near the shopping center and businesses along Fifth and Fourth streets.
The banners will be on display for a full year, with pandemic delays having caused the display to begin in August rather than closer to graduation time. At the end of the display year, the banners will be turned over to the Gonzales Unified School District to determine how to get them to the graduates or their families.
The Aug. 9 ceremony to mark the banner display was attended by a small group due to the event happening later in the summer.
Many graduates have already begun, or are preparing to begin, their journeys to university or careers. Among the attendance were school district leadership, city leadership, parents and youth.
“We feel it’s important because we want to not only honor the work they’ve been doing these four years of high school,” said Carmen Gil, director of community engagement for Gonzales. “We also want to inspire other young people in the community to see what’s possible. Especially if they recognize a neighbor or friend or somebody they know from town and see where they’re going.”
The banners displayed more than just those planning to attend a four-year university. Students who are heading off to trade schools or even entering into a career or job were also included.
The city had asked graduates to opt-in with a photo that displayed something about their future, such as a jacket with a college logo.
