A trip down memory lane
Washington Park Middle School fifth-grade students give high fives and cheer as Wash High seniors pass by under decorations in their graduation hats and gowns during their “Inspirational Walk” through the elementary and middle schools Monday.
Washington Park Middle School fifth-grade students hold up signs as Wash High seniors pass by in their graduation hats and gowns during their “Inspirational Walk” through the elementary and middle schools Monday.
On their last day as students, Washington High seniors returned to elementary school.
“They’re going back to where they started,” said Washington School District employee Nina Hargrove. “This is where it all began.”
Wearing caps and gowns in Prexie blue and black, graduating seniors paraded through Washington Park Elementary Monday to cheers, claps and chants of “Prexie pride!” from elementary students.
“It made me so happy. It’s really nostalgic,” said senior Alana Luppino. “It’s the icing on the cake of our senior year.”
Organized by Michelle Kasula-Engle, supervisor of special and gifted education for the district, kindergarten teacher Chaleece Trapuzzano and Kelly Ryburn, senior class organizer, the “Inspiration walk” gave seniors a chance to inspire their younger counterparts, and vice versa.
Both groups carried signs of encouragement, with seniors advising, “Work hard! Stay in school!” and kindergarten through sixth-grade students waving encouragements like, “Take on the world!”
The signs will be displayed in Wash High’s gym for graduation ceremonies Friday.
“We’re always pushing (students) to do their best,” said Trapuzzano. “Seeing the graduates, they see it’s achievable.”
Kindergarten teacher Lisa Antonelli, who had many of the graduating students in her class at Washington Park, said the walk was “one of the most wonderful things we’ve ever done here.”
“It was so heartwarming. I recognized all of their faces,” Antonelli said.
Superintendent Dr. Roberta DiLorenzo smiled as she watched her youngest students bid farewell to her oldest.
“We really emphasize that kindergarten teachers have as much to do with our kids graduating as high school teachers,” DiLorenzo said. “So, this is a nice thing, bringing it all together.”