Mayor congratulates Class of 2020 as town announces Water Tower lightings to honor seniors

The Gilbert Water Tower will be lit up in school colors to honor the town's graduating high school seniors. (Courtesy town of Gilbert)

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By Tom Blodgett | 11:46 AM May 17, 2020 MST | Updated 11:46 AM May 17, 2020 MST

Gilbert Mayor Jenn Daniels congratulated the town’s graduating high school seniors while consoling them on losing out on many final experiences because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s not what you dreamed about or worked so hard for, and for that I can only say how sorry I am that you’re not getting to experience all the things you were looking forward to,” the mayor said in a video message to seniors. “However, I have no doubt that this experience, coupled with so many others that you have had, are what will prepare you for the future.”

In conjunction with the release of the video, the town announced it will be lighting the town’s Water Tower each night in colors to honor the various high schools in town.

The schedule runs as follows:

May 16: Gilbert Classical Academy (purple and gold)

May 17: Campo Verde High School (gold and green)

May 18: Highland High School (teal)

May 19: Higley High School (blue and white)

May 20: Mesquite High School (blue and white)

May 21: Gilbert High School (gold)

May 22: Williams Field High School (red)

May 28: Perry High School (red and blue)

May 29: All 2020 Graduates (red and blue)

Daniels said she was excited to see what was in store from the graduating seniors.

“We need your ideas,” she said. “We need your solutions. We need your brains. We need your grit. We need you to rise up and help us solve the problems and challenges. Where others just see a challenge, I know you sometimes see a solution.”

By Tom Blodgett

Raised in Arizona, Tom Blodgett has spent 30 years in journalism in Arizona and is the editor of the Gilbert edition of Community Impact Newspaper. He is a graduate of Arizona State University, where he now serves as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet.

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