Parents & Community Raise Money for Signs For Framingham High Seniors In Less Than 24 Hours

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FRAMINGHAM – In less than 24 hours, parents of seniors at Framingham High School and community members raised more than $6,000 for lawn signs to honor the class of 2020.

A GoFundMe was established yesterday. May 1, to raise money to purchase a lawn sign for every senior at Framingham High and every senior at the Thayer campus in Framingham. That is roughly around 530 students.

The signs can be personalized with a graduate’s name or it can say #SeniorStrong.

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“We will be getting a sign for every student in the Class of 2020 regardless of their ability to pay, which is why we’re asking the Framingham community to stand with us in celebrating our senior class during these unprecedented times.  Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated, and any remaining funds will be donated to the Class of 2020 to offset other expenses,” wrote the parents, who organized the campaign.

Framingham High seniors have not physically been in their classrooms since mid-March, and with the Governor’s order that schools be physically closed through the end of the school year, it is unlikely they can have prom, seniors events, or even graduation ceremonies. Some are hopefully for a graduation ceremony in late summer, but the administration has not announced anything.

“It was a group effort. I put up 3 different designs for parents of the class of 2020 Facebook group to vote on. And listened to their edit suggestions. This design won,” said one of the organizer Cathy Blais, who has twin daughters in the class of 2020.

“Thank you to Jon Gocer of AllType Digital Graphics for working with me remotely. Parents will all be receiving an email survey about if they want their child’s sign to have his or her name in it or not. If not, the space will be replaced with: #SeniorStrong,” added Blais.

Scott Wadland, who has twin daughters graduating from Framingham High in 2020, said “I am amazed and incredibly grateful for how quickly our community came together to support our graduating class.”

City Councilors Michael Cannon from District 4 and John Stefanini from District 8 were among the more than 100 individuals who contributed to the GoFundMe.

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“Because we hit our goal so quickly we are discussing as a team whether or not to leave the campaign open a little loner so that other families have an opportunity to participate, and those funds would be used to support end-of-the-year events for our seniors,” said Wadland, who was one of five parents on a committee focused on the lawn signs.

Wadland is also an elected School Committee member for District 3.

To donate, click here.