MEADOW BRIDGE, WV (WOAY) – To make up for the loss of ceremonies for Meadow Bridge High School’s small graduating class, teachers are hand-delivering their diplomas.
To help make up for it, the school’s faculty has been planning festivities for them, part of which includes hand delivering each student’s diploma personally. Principal Stacy White says they wanted to show the students that they truly care for them.
“These students, they have been the face of Meadow Bridge High School for the past six years and they have represented us very well. And because they do not get to have their traditional end of their senior year, we want to let them know how special they are to us,” White said.
The diplomas are just one part of what the school’s been up to. Throughout the month of May they’ve been planning the Shine on Class of 2020 campaign. It consists of putting up banners and signs congratulating the students, hand-delivering their diplomas at home and even throwing a parade for them.
Mark Gladwell, a PE and health teacher at Meadow Bridge, says it’s all being done to show their support for the community.
“Meadow Bridge is such a small community and so tight-knit, we just felt like we needed to do something and go the extra mile for these kids,” Gladwell said.
Planning all of this hasn’t been easy either. The faculty has had to come in on days off and take time out of their personal days to make sure everything goes smoothly.
“We’ve been coming in a few days here and there for the last couple weeks. We kind of staggered what departments are in to try and get stuff done so that all this could come together today.”
The teachers are driving to each student’s home personally in shared vehicles. They wanted each student to know that the entire faculty of Meadow Bridge is behind them and supporting them.
“When they see a caravan of their teachers actually coming out, pulling into their driveway and showing them all the support and love that we have for them. I hope that that’s what they take, that we really appreciate them,” White said.
Meadow Bridge High School’s graduating class of 2020 consists of just 28 students.
