Akron Early College High School will celebrate its top ranking on the state report card with a parade through downtown Akron on Thursday, Nov. 5, on a changed route that steps off at 1 p.m. near East Buchtel Avenue and South Main Street, across from 7 17 Credit Union Park, the Akron Beacon Journal reported.
The parade will continue north along South Main Street and turn west at Bowery Street, walk through Lock 4 and end at Lock 3, where a community celebration will be held, according to the Beacon Journal. The new route replaces the plan first announced for the celebration.
Plans call for Akron Early College’s 400 students, 15 teachers and seven office and support staff to take part, along with the school’s pep band and school, district and city leaders, the Beacon Journal reported. The Lock 3 rally is expected to include remarks from Akron Public Schools Superintendent Mary Outley, Mayor Shammas Malik and Principal Tom O’Neil, according to the Beacon Journal.
On the most recent state report card, Akron Early College topped traditional public high schools statewide in overall performance, which includes student test scores, graduation rate and college and career readiness, the Beacon Journal reported. That ranking is the reason for the parade and the downtown celebration that follows it.
The high school, established in 2007, is a partnership between Akron Public Schools and the University of Akron and is located on the university’s campus, according to the Beacon Journal. It is designed for first-generation college students, a mission the district points to when it talks about the school’s results.
Drivers and downtown visitors should expect the South Main Street corridor between Buchtel and Bowery to be busy around the 1 p.m. step-off on Nov. 5. What happens next is the celebration itself at Lock 3, where families and community members can join the students after the walk through Lock 4.
