Lawn Signs Honor for Millis High School Seniors By J.D. O’Gara Millis High School seniors received a happy surprise on April 22nd, the same day they learned from the Governor of the Commonwealth that they wouldn’t be finishing their final year of high sch

Millis High School seniors received a happy surprise on April 22nd, the same day they learned from the Governor of the Commonwealth that they wouldn’t be finishing their final year of high school with their fellow students. In front of each senior’s home appeared a lawn sign that read, “Millis High School Class of 2020: Know without a doubt that you were made for great things.”
Local parent Tammy Coutts spearheaded the idea.
“As a parent of a senior, it has been hard to watch them go through the disappointment and uncertainty of their last year in high school. I really wanted to do something special, not just for my daughter but for all the seniors,” says Coutts. “The sign idea really came to life when I started texting my friend, Rachael Jewett, and while drowning my sorrows with her we started thinking .... both of us being on the Millis Boosters, we often do lawn signs for athletes, why not do this for the seniors?”
Coutts reached out to Shannon Graham, at Millis High School, to help get the ball rolling with a list of seniors, 91 total. Although the Coutts family was prepared to donate the costs, Graham looked into whether any senior class funds (which the seniors raise through fundraisers and class dues) were available to help. After discussing the idea with class advisors, Mrs. Riley and Mr. Dunn, as well as Millis High School Principal Bob Mullaney, and having secured a low cost to create the signs from Vistaprint, the decision was made to invest the money in the signs, since the funds weren’t able to be used for a senior activity. Another member of Millis Boosters, Sharon Vaillancourt, helped to order the signs.
Tammy’s daughter, Mia Coutts, assembled the signs, while Graham and the Coutts family, including Coutts’ husband, Douglas and dog, DJango, delivered the signs.
“It was a team effort, true to Millis’ motto “Small Town, Big Family.” My vision was to have the signs placed on the lawns as a surprise, and hopefully, bring a smile to our seniors and their families, says Coutts, adding, “To the class of 2020, you are loved. Stay strong, we know you will do great things!”