DeKalb County high schools set to honor seniors with Friday night lights ceremony

DeKalb, Sycamore, Genoa-Kingston, Hiawatha and Kaneland school districts are celebrating their seniors and honoring essential workers by keeping the lights on their respective football fields from 8 to 8:20 p.m. Friday.

Sycamore Athletic Director Chauncey Carrick said in a news release that the school is participating in what it calls #LightsForTheFight for three reasons. He said it was to honor grocery store workers, medical professionals, firefighters, police offers, delivery drivers and all those who have kept Sycamore running. He also said it was to honor the staff of the district as well as the Class of 2020.

“This class is having some great memories put on hold,” Carrick said in the release. “Many in this class have not been able to compete in the sports that they love. #LightsForTheFight is also to remind this group and all our athletes that there is hope for the future and that our sports and activities will be back soon.”

Administrators at all the schools stressed that if people come out as a show of support to respect all social distancing guidelines and remain in their cars. Genoa police will be present to help prevent unsafe activities.

District 428 Athletic Director Peter Goff said DeKalb High School is using it as an opportunity to honor both the Class of 2020 and essential workers.

Genoa-Kingston Athletic Director Phil Jerbi, in a letter to the principals of other Big Northern Conference schools, said all timers and scoreboard will read 20:20. It’s also the reason the time of 8:20 was selected, as it’s military time for 20:20, representing the class of current seniors.

Jerbi said the school plans on playing the school fight song through the PA system. The BNC schools are using the hashtag #BeTheLight.

“We are all dealing with a brand new reality right now, and our intention is that this event will provide just a glimpse of hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” Jerbi said in the release. “Although our future is still extremely blurry and uncertain, this gesture from the BNC may be a way for all of us to show support for all of our students, faculty, staff, community members, essential employees and first responders. We appreciate ... their efforts, and we remind them that we will still be here, stronger than ever, when this pandemic has subsided.”

Kaneland Athletic Director Dave Rohlman said he’s asking the community to turn on porch lights as well to honor and recognized the senior class and said this will be a weekly event for the school.