Charleroi graduates treated to surprise goodbye parade

By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
One by one, in alphabetical order, graduating Charleroi Area High School Cougars drove through campus to pick-up their caps, gowns, yearbooks and honor cords on Wednesday.
The valedictorian, salutatorian and 12 honors graduates led the way, followed by the rest of their classmates who were surprised by a parade of teachers who lined the route to say a socially-distanced goodbye to their students.
The surprise, organized by High School Principal Patti Mason and guidance counselor Janet Toth, was emotional.
While the seniors hope for a traditional commencement ceremony later this year and district administrators are thinking outside of the box to allow them to experience special milestones that come along with receiving their diplomas, it was not how students expected to finish high school.
“Our principal came up with this idea, to really allow the seniors to feel special when things are not going as expected for them,” Toth said.
As students picked up their belongings, more than 70 teachers and six school board members and administrators sent them on their way with smiles, holding signs with encouraging and congratulatory messages.
Toth said teachers, as well as students, did not properly get to say goodbye.
“This year was a lot different for all of us,” she said. “It helped bring closure to a lot of us on staff.”
For a lot of teachers it has been hard to end the year this way, especially for those in the high school.
“They did not know the last day they saw their students would be the last day,” she said. “To have us there today, made a special connection and gave us another moment together before they start on their next chapters.”
Despite virtual learning, Toth has remained in constant communication with seniors; helping them send their transcripts, apply for scholarships and complete applications.
“While it has been difficult keeping up with them when we are not able to do that in person, I have just tried my best to encourage them that they will get through this last unknown,” she said. “Unfortunately, none of this is anything we could have ever expected.”
Students, she said, were grateful.
“A lot of the kids were saying how nice it was nice to get together on campus one last time to see everyone, and that picking up their cap and gowns and year books is an encouraging sign of the next chapter about to begin,” she said. “We know this is not the way the pictured their senior year ending, but we want them to remember that they have had 12 years of awesomeness that will not be forgotten.
“They are just leaving it a little differently than other classes have in the past.”

Jenn Codeluppi / Mon Valley Independent
Charleroi Area High School senior Jamie Protz was emotional as she received her award for “Girl of the Year” from the Charthene Club presented by Adele Hopkins.