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The Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Department of Education teamed up to do something pretty cool for all of the graduating seniors across the state of Minnesota.

The Interstate 35W Bridge in Minneapolis will display the colors of Minnesota state high schools tonight and Friday as a tribute to the graduating Class of 2020.

MnDOT and the MDE will also be joined by the Minnesota Twins, who will also display the colors celebrating the Class of 2020. Transportation Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher said that the pandemic put an abrupt half to many traditions that the Class of 2020 may not have gotten to experience.

“The global pandemic put an abrupt halt to many cherished traditions and activities this spring, including graduation ceremonies celebrating the hard work of thousands of Minnesota high school seniors,” Anderson Kelliher said. “We’re lighting the bridge to honor the achievements of these students and the promise they bring for a brighter tomorrow.”

Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker mentioned that the Class of 2020 made many sacrifices and many traditions to keep Minnesotans as safe as possible, and this is a way to honor them.

“This spring, our graduating seniors sacrificed so many of the traditions that we hold dear in order to help as many Minnesotans healthy and as safe as possible,” Cathryn Ricker said. “Among those sacrifices included traditional in-person graduation ceremonies to celebrate all of their hard-earned academic accomplishments. We are excited to partner with MnDOT to honor the class of 2020 and their bright futures.”

There will be 86 different two-color combinations that will change every five minutes starting at 9:40 p.m. each evening. The presentation of the high school colors will start and finish with the colors of the American Flag for 30 minutes before the show and 30 minutes after sunrise. MnDOT will post a time-lapse video of the light show to its website on Friday, June 26.

 

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