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Wash High seniors take Inspiration Walk through elementary school

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Angela Roberts/Observer-Reporter

Graduating seniors from Washington High School march past elementary school students Thursday during the Inspiration Walk.

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Washington High School graduating seniors hold signs with inspirational quotes Thursday to encourage fifth- and sixth-graders at the Inspiration Walk.

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Angela Roberts/Observer-Reporter

Washington High School graduating seniors pass out candy Thursday to elementary school students during the Inspiration Walk.

A week before graduation, Washington High School seniors donned their caps and gowns to march through the halls of the district elementary school for the third annual Inspiration Walk Thursday.

“It was just so heartwarming,” said Washington Park Elementary School faculty member Michelle Engle, who organized the event with senior class adviser Kellie Ryburn. “I don’t know who gets more enjoyment out of it – the former teachers, the students or the graduating seniors.”

Students in kindergarten through fourth grade lined the hallways, waving signs that said “Prexie Pride” and “Congratulations!” while they clapped and cheered. The 93 future graduates in turn tossed candy to the chanting students and chatted with them as they wound through the school.

Kindergarten teacher Susan Robertson smiled at the graduates as she held up a poster with photographs of the seniors from when she had some of them in class.

“I’m so proud of them,” she said. “I tell my students now, that could be you in 2030.”

Washington High School Principal Chet Henderson said it was his first time witnessing the event in person.

“I’m sure there is a lot of reminiscing for the students,” he said. “I found myself thinking about when I graduated from Wash High.”

Walking through the halls of her old elementary school was an emotional experience for graduating senior Noelle Bryner.

“It makes you want to cry,” she said. “You think of all the memories we made here.”

Her classmate and longtime friend, Marci Ward, chimed in she cried “like three times.”

“It makes you think of everything you went through with your class,” she said.

During the Inspiration Walk, fifth- and sixth-graders sat in the school’s auditorium to watch a compilation of encouraging messages from the seniors. In the seven-minute video, the future graduates told the students about the moments they wish they could relive and what they would do differently if they could go back in time.

After the video, the seniors gathered on the stage to applause from the audience. Select members of the graduating class then hoisted signs with inspirational quotes while others passed on advice to the students.

Washington School District Superintendent James Konrad sat in the crowd and cheered for the students, who will graduate June 7.

The event was “a great opportunity for celebrating the success of the high school students and really bring the whole Prexie community together before the big moment next Thursday,” he said.

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