Indian Creek High School salutes seniors
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WINTERSVILLE -- Indian Creek's Class of 2020 may have missed out on traditional senior year experiences, but their teachers weren't about to let them leave without knowing how much they'd be missed.
So Saturday, in lieu of their customary walk across the stage, the Indian Creek Education Association arranged a senior processional from the parking lot at Ferguson House of Furniture to the school, about a two mile drive.
Graduating seniors were invited to decorate their cars and dress in their caps and gowns for the procession of cars, led by their teachers, village police, firefighters and emergency crews.
"The end of year is always about special things from teachers. We're always doing something to send them off, whether it's just for summer or for graduation," ICEA President Karen Lloyd said. "We always have that personal time to wrap things up and send them on their way, but we didn't have that this year so this is closure for them and closure for us, too."
When they got to the school she said the drive was lined with teachers and staff members who wanted to recognize the kids, who each received a yard sign informing passersby on one side that an "Indian Creek grad lives here" and on the other, "Your teachers are proud of you."
In a normal year Lloyd said the kids would have gotten the signs at graduation practice, and teachers would have donned their college gowns and hoods to lead the graduates into the auditorium, "cheering them on, making a tunnel for them to walk through."
With large groups banned until further notice, Lloyd said teachers had no choice but to adapt.
"We wanted to let them have that celebration and procession and let them know we're proud of them," Lloyd said. "We wanted to do something for them. This is our way for them to celebrate."
The teachers also arranged to have a list of songs chosen by the graduating seniors played on the radio, with a voice over by some of their teachers congratulating them for a job well done.
Graduate Lainie Haggerty said the celebration "is definitely going to give us some closure."
"And it's nice to know our teachers care about us so much they would plan something like this," said Haggerty, who admits she felt cheated by the pandemic.
"I know that coronavirus is very serious and all the stuff we have to do is necessary, but it just felt so unfair it had to happen now," said Haggerty, who was vice president of her class. "There are a lot of things we're missing out on now we can't get back in the future."
Nicole Walkosky, senior class president, said she was excited to be with her classmates again, even if it had to be in cars, and to see their teachers and staff again, albeit from a safe distance.
"Missing the month of May ... the scholars' banquet, prom, graduation ... that's supposed to be the best part," Walkosky said. "That's what made it so hard. I'm more upset that I can't be with my class, that's the hardest part -- we can't all be together. Hopefully one day we can all do something."
Graduation, she said, was "something we've all looked forward to."
"I'm really excited that the school did something for us, that the teachers put this together for us," she added. "I love my teachers, I've loved all of them since kindergarten. It's so good to see them all come together and do this for us. It's good to see them try to do something to support us."
Lloyd was thrilled with the response, saying she heard Walkosky cried when she found out there was going to be a graduation processional.
"She was so excited, she actually told her aunt how she knew if anybody was going to do something for them, it would be the teachers," Lloyd said.