LAURINBURG — Scotland High School property was decorated with signs and balloons for seniors as they came to pick up their cap and gowns on Thursday.
Typically, seniors pick-up their graduation regalia during the school day, but with schools being closed by Gov. Roy Cooper Scotland High moved pick-up to a drive-thru style and teachers wanted to help students celebrate their accomplishment. So while maintaining social distancing teachers cheered on students as they came to pick up their items.
“Our teachers wanted to do something, because it feels like seniors have lost so much,” said Scotland High Principal Larry Obeda. “So they put a little pep rally together, so to speak, as seniors drive up … to let them know we miss them and still care about them.”
At this time, Gov. Cooper has not canceled any graduations, which gives students hope of finishing out their senior year with some normalcy.
“When they get their caps and gowns on a normal school day, there’s just so much excitement and fun on that day,” said Tilisa Adkins, who has a senior homeroom. “I didn’t want them just driving through the drive-thru and leaving. So I asked what do you think of this idea to other teachers and they loved it.”
The idea is to give students some form of normalcy during these difficult times where they’re unable to see friends, play sports and go to school like normal. One student was even brought to tears.
Alyssa Douglas sent a text message to her honor’s English teacher Meg Johnson after coming through the line saying she had been brought to tears.
“The fact that you all would sit out there all day in the cold shows you care,” the text from Douglas read.
Johnson added they got a lot of smiles and waves from students as they drove and it was nice to be able to see her student’s faces again.
“Getting your cap and gown is a normal thing, we might be doing it in an abnormal way but it’s a normal thing,” Johnson said. “It’s some hope too that we are going to find a way, I hope, that they can wear those caps and gowns at their ceremony.”
Obeda was extremely glad that teachers were out welcoming the students proud of them for coming up with the idea and hopes that students will be back in the halls this year.
“We want the students back, it doesn’t feel right walking through these halls with no students,” Obeda said.
Reach Katelin Gandee at kgandee@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.
