Huntington High School seniors should never feel forgotten during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. On Saturday, care packages will be distributed across the district to each member of the Class of 2020 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Delivery teams consisting of parents, teachers, administrators and special guests will fan out and visit each house. A request has gone out for the seniors to post a Blue Devil or Huntington High School sign in their window that can be seen from the street to facilitate the deliveries to the correct house.
Seniors don’t need to be home when the delivery is made, but if they are they can give a wave from the window or door to those making the deliveries.
“While we may not be able to be with our seniors at school right now, we look forward to celebrating them and all of their accomplishments during this challenging time,” Principal Brenden Cusack said.
The familiar saying, “It takes a whole village to raise a child” has never been more true than during this surreal time of lockdown and school closures. But once again, the Huntington UFSD community is rallying to its young people.
“We are truly heartbroken for our seniors,” Superintendent James W. Polansky said. “Such a fantastic group of young people who have earned so much more than they are currently experiencing. We appreciate the community’s support in helping to do everything possible to honor and support them. This is among the initial steps in that endeavor and we hope that it brings on huge smiles for them and their families. We are genuinely looking forward to Saturday.”
Local fire departments plan to join the fun by circling around the district with lights flashing and sirens blaring to call attention to the members of Huntington High School’s Class of 2020. The district has been graduating students since the first class of six seniors received diplomas in 1862.
The senior care package initiative is brainchild of senior moms Judy Jamison, Nicole Sandvik and Terry Moreno. Senior signs were designed and printed by Dave Practical Printing and the bows were created by The Flower Petaler.
“Truthfully, we’ve had some incredibly generous donations for this and from people who don’t even have a senior or even a child in school,” Mrs. Moreno said. “The outpouring of support for these kids has been immense.”
While many traditional rituals and events are on hold and may not occur due to the mandatory school closures, Huntington UFSD is committed to doing whatever it can to celebrate the Class of 2020 in a special way.
Parents, administrators and district staff members have been working to coordinate the logistics of Saturday’s deliveries and organizers strive to insure each of the seniors is acknowledged.
“We are especially grateful for all of this hard work and all of the donations from Huntington families, alumni and community members who sponsored this project,” Principal Brenden Cusack said. “It is clear there is much love for our senior class. Stay strong seniors. We are with you!”