Senior year is a celebration of a twelve-year journey that leads way into adulthood. A year that is supposed to be filled with memories of prom, grad night, and parties. COVID put a halt to all the plans of a celebration. This would be a year of change that would make it where Live Oak could make a difference.
In a year of distance learning, senior year activities were canceled and graduation was on the ticket to not happen. Ted Roush, Superintendent of the schools said “The seniors will have a graduation, even if we have to do a drive-through graduation”. The Bull Dog Bash organization donated yard signs that featured each senior. The school posted the signs along the road in front of Suwannee High School, the signs go in both directions. Adrienne Taylor said “It is important for the community to see the faces of the seniors that had a year’s worth of memories ripped away from them.”
The local businesses have decided to honor seniors as well. The First Federal bank has a giant poster featuring all seniors graduating in the drive thru. Other businesses have congratulations on their signs and windows. Live Oak is plastered with a drive through celebration for friends and family.
The community has even set up programs via Facebook called Adopt a Senior. The group was started by Denny Tompkins a mother to a senior. Seniors post what they like and their career goals. A family adopts the senior and in some way, they show support whether it is a card or a box of goodies. Ariana Ginger a senior said “It’s not the idea of a gift, it’s the idea that someone is out there in my corner.” A year that started out great will now end greater and no pandemic is going to stop it.
