Franklin graduation disrupted by downpour

Williamson County Schools kept two Franklin-area high school graduation ceremonies outdoors as heavy rain and lightning moved through on Thursday, May 21, leaving graduates, relatives and staff soaked on school football fields. News footage and social media posts showed students in caps and gowns crossing wet stages while families opened umbrellas and sought cover. Local television stations said the ceremonies for Centennial High School and Franklin High School continued despite the worsening weather. The district had scheduled Centennial High’s ceremony for 7:30 p.m. on May 21 and Franklin High’s for 7 p.m. the same night, both on their football fields, according to Williamson County Schools’ published graduation calendar. That schedule also said schools would communicate plans if a rain date was needed. ### Which schools were caught in the storm? Centennial High School and Franklin High School were the two schools identified in local coverage as having graduations disrupted by the weather in Franklin, Tennessee. (newschannel5.com) NewsChannel 5 reported that both ceremonies were hit by downpours during Thursday night’s events. FOX 17 reported the same two schools held their graduations on campus in inclement weather. (infocus.wcs.edu) Thursday, May 21, fell inside the district’s May 21-24 graduation window for the Class of 2026. Williamson County Schools had listed several other ceremonies during that span, but the reporting on the rain-soaked events focused on Centennial and Franklin high schools. ### What did families say happened on the field? Brooklynn Broadnax, a Centennial graduate interviewed by NewsChannel 5, said her “prom shoes were like puddles” by the time the ceremony unfolded in the rain. (newschannel5.com) She said she had looked forward to graduation since freshman year and said her poncho offered little protection while she sang the national anthem. (infocus.wcs.edu) Michelle Wyatt, Broadnax’s godmother, told local media she was worried about safety for elderly attendees because of standing water and slick conditions. Broadnax also told NewsChannel 5 that parts of the ceremony did not happen as planned, including a moment of silence for a classmate who died last year. ### Why did the district not move the ceremonies indoors? (newschannel5.com) Superintendent Jason Golden said Williamson County Schools expected to complete the Centennial and Franklin ceremonies before another round of rain arrived. In a statement quoted by FOX 17, Golden said many schools choose football fields because families and students consider on-campus graduations meaningful and because outdoor venues allow more relatives to attend. (newschannel5.com) Golden said the district monitored forecasts and radar through the day. He said changing conditions brought rain during the events and added that the weather “could not diminish our pride” in the graduates. NewsChannel 5 similarly reported that district administrators said they tracked weather conditions and would adjust timing based on forecasts and radar. ### What does the published graduation plan show? (fox17.com) Williamson County Schools posted the Class of 2026 graduation schedule in February. The listing named Centennial High’s ceremony for Thursday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m. on the football field and Franklin High’s for Thursday, May 21, at 7 p.m. on the football field. The same district posting said schools would communicate plans if a rain date was needed. (fox17.com) As of the published schedule, both Franklin-area ceremonies were set for outdoor campus venues rather than indoor arenas used by some other schools in the district. ### Where can readers find the next official details? Williamson County Schools publishes graduation information through its district and school websites, including the Class of 2026 schedule and school calendars. (infocus.wcs.edu) Superintendent Jason Golden is the district’s named official in statements carried by local outlets about the May 21 ceremonies. The district’s online graduation posting remains the clearest official record of the date, time and location for the two ceremonies affected by the storm. (infocus.wcs.edu) Local follow-up coverage from NewsChannel 5 and FOX 17 has carried family accounts and the district’s explanation for why the events stayed outdoors. (newschannel5.com)