BUFFALO, N.Y. — The high school senior class of 2020 is missing out on a lot this spring: No walking a stage in a cap and gown, no prom, no parties. A new movement on Facebook is helping seniors feel special this graduation season.
In "Adopt-A-Senior" Facebook groups, the students, their parents or loved ones write posts about the senior. They share their interests, achievements and plans for the fall. Facebook users can request to join the groups, and then once accepted, can volunteer to "adopt" a senior featured in any post. Then, they make arrangements to send them personalized cards and gifts.
Alicia Chavanne-Depp started the Lockport High School "Adopt-A-Senior" group while she was home recovering from coronavirus in early May. Her son is only a freshman this year, but she said doing something for others helped provide a distraction for her entire family while she was sick and self-isolating.
"When you see the seniors faces, they're so happy," Alicia told 2 On Your Side. "Who doesn't love getting a package with your favorite things? It's something so little but the way that it's taken off has become something so big for our community."
So far, more than 270 out of 340 Lockport seniors have been adopted. You can find the page here.
Michelle Zylinski, launched the "Adopt-A-Senior" page for Frontier High School in Hamburg. Her son is a senior this year.
"Anybody in the community, from one person to a hundred people if they would like, can send the child anything, from a card saying 'congratulations on graduating' or a gift, gift boxes, gift cards, all sorts of things," she told 2 On Your Side.
"It means a lot to seniors, I think, because our senior year is over," Said senior Britney Reynolds. "It's just showing us that you guys know."
To request to join Frontier High School's Adopt-A-Senior page, click here.
Below are the links to additional "Adopt-A-Senior" pages at local high schools.
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