Sean Hughes’s children opened the first phase of a memorial garden at Lower Merion High School on Sunday, Nov. 8, the school district announced.
The ribbon-cutting followed the annual benefit run honoring the late principal. More than 400 people took part in the 5K and 1-mile fun run combined, according to Lower Merion School District.
The memorial creates an outdoor learning and gathering space between the high school and the district administration building. The district says sculptor Miguel Antonio Horn, a Harriton High School alumnus, designed its pillars.
The pillars incorporate Hughes’s image, his final commencement speech and words associated with his leadership, according to the district. A later phase will add an arch, while planned hillside boulders will provide seating for classes and events.
The run supports the Hughes Memorial Fund, whose work also includes college scholarships. The district reports that four students who lost a parent have received awards.
The district’s memorial fund page describes the scholarship as based on financial need, with consideration for students who have lost a parent. Hughes died in a car crash in November 2021.
The Nov. 8 event was the fourth annual Sean A. Hughes “Character Counts” 5K and fun run. Participants followed the Arnold Field track and neighboring streets, the district said.
Students helped check in participants, guide them along the route and distribute shirts. Ryan Manion, president and CEO of the Travis Manion Foundation, spoke before the run, according to the district.
