
By Mike Kinney
“Nothing Can Stop Us.” The message is stated on a t-shirt that was passed out Thursday to Kennedy High seniors preparing to graduate at an unusual and difficult time in world history.
Members of the Class of 2020 picked up their caps and gowns via a drive-through set-up in the Kennedy High parking lot. They were greeted by applause and joyful shouts of “We love you” and “We are going to miss you” from staff and students.
Each time a student received their cap and gown, Assistant Principal Helene Burke would announce their name into a loudspeaker.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, graduation celebrations will be done virtually rather than in-person. Either way it happens, the 205 seniors deserve recognition, Burke said.
“So many of these young people had hurdles and struggles long before the Covid-19 pandemic came around here,” she said. “Today is a true celebration of what these amazing young people have accomplished.”
Fellow Assistant Principal Elena Duarte-Ruiz stated, “We want to wish the class of 2020 congratulations and despite our sadness in not being able to send them off in the traditional way, we wish them the best and teachers, clerical staff campus safety officers, admin, our whole community came together and want them to know we care and love them..go Eagles!”