When seniors at Aiken High School left school on March 13, they didn't know they wouldn't be back in class and would miss most of the traditions associated with the end of their final year.
The senior picnic, prom, awards day, even graduation – activities students look forward to for 12 or more years – would be canceled, put on hold or modified because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From posts on social media and emails, educator Kimberly Baynham, the graduation sponsor for 11 years at Aiken High, and her colleagues saw how disappointed the students were and decided to do something to turn a negative into a positive.
“I saw how hard they were taking it,” said Baynham, who teaches government, economics and sociology. “They couldn't believe that was it – their final year in school. Senior year is over, congratulations. We wanted to try to do as many things as we could to make it special for them and let them know their senior year just didn't end on March 13.”
On May 21, students were able to pick up their yearbooks, and a senior parade was planned from 10 a.m. to noon.
“All the seniors can decorate their cars, and we hope to have as many teachers as possible line the drive in front of the school,” Baynham said. “Anybody who earned a cord or a stole for their graduation robe can pick it up at that time, too.”
May 29 will be Senior Day at Aiken High. Seniors can pick up any awards announced at the virtual awards day and get a free senior T-shirt.
Aiken High Principal Dr. Jason Holt also will have a professional photographer on campus, and seniors can have a photo made in their cap and gown.
“It's just going to be a fun day where we can celebrate them,” Baynham said. “We just want them to know that we're thinking about them and we feel so bad for them and hate that this has happened to them. But we keep telling them that they definitely will be the class that everyone will always remember. No one is going to forget the class of 2020.”
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