The community has found yet another virtual way to come together. “Adopt a Senior” is a national movement made by the families and friends of the class of 2020.
The class of 2020 is one that won’t be forgotten. Every graduating class and senior has heard this before, but needless to say, this year is quite different. In an attempt to give seniors the special end to their classroom-days that they’ve spent the last 12 years in, the Adopt a Senior movement was born.
First Things First
Seniors are nominated on their corresponding Facebook page—there are different ones for different schools and counties. Hundreds of seniors are presented by their families on these pages; baby photos, graduation photos, and other favorites are shared along with a small blurb about each senior. At the top of every post, “adopted” or “not adopted” is included. Comment directly on the post to adopt a senior.
Organizers are encouraging community members to adopt seniors who have not already been adopted, but each senior is allowed to be adopted by multiple people if there is more than one person who wishes to do so.
Next Steps
After “claiming” a senior, adoptive community members connect with the person who posted that graduating individual to get additional information, such as home address and gift ideas. Send your adoptee cards, letters, gift cards, balloons, or anything else to celebrate their accomplishments.
“I just have so much sympathy for these kids,” says a local adoptive. “They’re giving up so much of the things that other graduates have taken for granted, you know? I’ll never forget [the day I graduated], and now that I’m grown, these kids are giving that up so I can stay healthy. This is the least I could do.”
If you would like to either nominate or adopt a senior, visit:
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/677782739681807 for the Deer Park class specifically
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/246151923427265/ for all Stevens County seniors
Another Way To Celebrate
Another high school staple that the class of 2020 is missing out on is senior prom. Katy Byrnes, the owner of Shore Acres Resort on Loon Lake, has planned a prom of her own for local seniors. Mary Walker, Deer Park, Riverside, and Chewelah seniors are all invited on June 6th to Shore Acres to partake in “an evening on the lake.”
Tickets go on sale May 6th. Up to 75 tickets are available.
- Single tickets are $25
- Couples are $35
Visit the Shore Acres Resort Facebook page for more information. https://www.facebook.com/events/161587615218629/
Despite the downturn that society has come face-to-face with due to the coronavirus, tenacity is being found around every corner. “It’s amazing what the world can do when we have no other choice,” says a Deer Park local. “I’m proud of our seniors, but I’m also really proud of our town for coming together in a time when there’s not much else we can do.”
