MEADOW BRIDGE, WV (WOAY) – At Meadow Bridge High School, teachers and faculty put together a parade for the graduating seniors to participate in, rather than a standard graduation.
Meadow Bridge High School’s small graduating class lost out on a traditional graduation, but they’re community decided to do as much as they can for them to make up for it. One way of doing this was by throwing a graduation parade for them, where the students dressed up in their caps and gowns, and rode around the school and through their neighborhood.
Brandon Wickline, a special education teacher at Meadow Bridge, helped put things together for the parade.
“We’re having a parade for our senior graduates since the COVID kind of cut in on their traditional graduation. We delivered diplomas for them this morning so we’re gonna have a parade for them this afternoon,” Wickline said.
Earlier in the day, the school’s staff hand-delivered diplomas to the students, and throughout the month they’ve put up personalized signs congratulating each member of the graduating class as well. The parade was the last thing they planned to send off the students in the best way they could, and show them that they truly do care for them.
“I think that they understand that we really do care about them. Coming from a small school it’s like watching your own kid graduate every year. And that’s why this is a special place to be.”
According to Wickline, the community one of the driving forces of the school. When the faculty announced their plans, every family of a graduating class member came out and decorated their cars to participate.
“This community supports everything we do if it has to do with the school. Whether it’s football, basketball or a parade like this, they’re gonna be lining up to support these kids. And that’s what kept this community going.”
Meadow Bridge High School’s graduating class of 2020 has just 28 students.
