Despite Pandemic, Neighbors Celebrate 2020 Grads

May 3, 2020

On a sunny Saturday evening in the Green Valley neighborhood in Middletown Township, neighbors had set up foldable chairs on their front lawns as if a parade were about to begin.

But instead of inflatable balloons or decorated floats, recent high school and college graduates had decorated their cars and were led by Middletown Township police as the neighborhood held its own graduation ceremony for the kids.

Neighbors held signs reading “Congrats Class of 2020” and cheered on as the graduates waved and drove through the streets. Some of the cars were decked out with balloons and signs with their college and graduation picture. Multiple students wore their graduation hats and one student wore a whole graduation gown. One student’s car windows had the words “hire me” written in paint.

The idea began just as a conversation with recent Thomas Jefferson University grad Sara Cohen, 23, of Langhorne, and her mother Renee.

“We were all really sad that we were missing our graduations, but this neighborhood is really close and we all grew up here together so I joked that we should hold our own Green Valley graduation and then our mom made it happen,” Cohen said.

“Once she said that I knew we needed to do something,” Renee Cohen said. “I figured they could at least drive around the neighborhood in their cars. It doesn’t replace their graduation but it’s a positive day for the kids and our neighbors.”

Renee posted in the private Green Valley Facebook group and neighbors responded. And they weren’t the only ones. The Middletown Township Police Department volunteered to lead the caravan of graduates on Saturday evening.

Sara’s brother, Ethan, 22, recently graduated from Syracuse University. He said he was crushed when he found out he would not have a graduation ceremony.

“It was just really abrupt and tough to take in, but this neighborhood is like family so it’s still really nice to have something to celebrate and to have people celebrate it with you.” Cohen said.

Renee Cohen said the event was both good for the students and the neighbors.

“During this time, if people can just come out of their house, have a good day and celebrate something then that’s wonderful. We’ve been living here for 15 years and everybody supports each other like that,” Cohen said.

“We have the coolest community where everyone is linked together. We always look out for one another and it shows with a ceremony like this,” said Lisa Kruse, as she sat on her front porch and waved to the graduates driving by.