On Monday, a group of seniors from Churchill High School in Eugene put on their caps and gowns and took a trip to César Chávez Elementary School to celebrate their journey to graduation. The seniors took a lap around the main hall of the building, giving out high fives to cheering elementary students who lined the walls.
Grad walks like this are an opportunity for graduating seniors from all over the school district to inspire younger students to think about their future. Teachers here are already talking to their students about college and career paths. And it's leaving an impression on students.
“We mostly talk about, like, all these different colleges that we can go to and how much it costs to get in there, or like, jobs that you can have that don’t require a college degree,” said Myra Alto Cruz, a fifth grader at César Chávez.
For those who are visiting their own elementary school, it can be an opportunity to think back on how far they’ve come and to reunite with familiar faces. Jaelyn Perry is a graduating senior who went to César Chávez.
“I actually went here for all five years of elementary school,” she said.
Perry listed some of the teachers she got to see again during grad walks this year.
“Ms. Heidi, she was one; Ms. Kristin; ok, they weren’t my teachers, but I knew them. Ms. AJ—she’s actually principal at ATA, she was my kindergarten teacher here. And then I saw another teacher named Ms. Greta, and she was an after school program teacher for me here, and then became a great friend.”
Prepare for a lot of “Pomp and Circumstance”: 4J seniors are having their graduation ceremonies this weekend and early next week.
