Seniors at East High School get a custom send-off
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) East High senior Erica Stringham gets an elbow bump from one of her teachers, Mr. Frank Langheinrich who teaches photography as she gets a home visit from a school team of teachers and fellow students as a way to celebrate the school seniors on Thursday, May 7, 2020.
On Wednesday and Thursday, trying to bring back a sense of community, students and volunteers visited each of the 408 seniors from East High School who will graduate under trying times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when students were anticipating celebrating graduation with friends and family, precautions for the pandemic forced Utah schools to enforce a soft closure in mid-March.
Nearly two dozen groups consisting of student body officers, a teacher and a PTA parent fanned out throughout the neighborhood to visit the school’s seniors and connect face to face with a student body represented by 37 languages. The seniors received a personalized yard sign, donated flower bouquets and embroidered blankets.
As the groups visited the seniors, some answered the door sleepy-eyed. And another exclaimed, “I am so happy to see you!” as it took her a minute to recognize her photography teacher behind the mask.
Utah schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year. Official graduation ceremonies will be held virtually.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) East High student body members Olivia Winston, left, and Nele Kaufusi pay graduating senior Lucille Myers a home visit on Thursday, May 7, 2020, as teams visit each of the over 400 students in the 2020 graduating class, as a way to check in since the coronavirus pandemic has changed what should be a time to celebrate with friends and classmates.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) East High school special education teacher Myra Waters gets ready to head out with one of several teams to visit each of the over 400 students of the 2020 graduating class on Thursday, May 7, 2020, as a way to celebrate them during this challenging time of the coronavirus pandemic.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) East High senior Iversyn Tapusoa gets a lawn sign and special gift as he is visited at his home on Thursday, May 7, 2020, by fellow classmates and teachers as a way to celebrate the seniors of 2020.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Teachers, members of the student body and parents from East High, head out for do drop offs to celebrate the school's seniors on Thursday, May 7, 2020.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) East High senior Erica Stringham gets an elbow bump from one of her teachers, Mr. Frank Langheinrich who teaches photography as she gets a home visit from a school team of teachers and fellow students as a way to celebrate the school seniors on Thursday, May 7, 2020.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) East High senior Skyler Nelson gets a home visit by a small team of fellow students and teachers, presenting him with a gift and yard sign as a way to connect with over 400 students in the 2020 graduating class on Thursday, May 7, 2020.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sam Hurtado, the self described "spirit master," as East High school gets ready to head out with teachers, members of the student body and parents from East High, for drop offs to celebrate the school's seniors on Thursday, May 7, 2020.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) East High senior William Nordhoff gets the thumbs up as he gets a home visit from teachers and fellow classmates celebrating the school senior's on Thursday, May 7, 2020.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Members of the East High student body organize themselves at their school as they get ready to head out on Thursday, May 7, 2020, to celebrate each of the over 400 graduating students with a home visit as a way to check in and present them with a sign and gift.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) East High senior Aurora Nielson is paid a home visit by student body members Olivia Winston, left, and Nele Kaufusi as teams comprised of teachers, parents and student body members visit each of the class of 2020 as a way to connect on Thursday, May7, 2020.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) East High senior Do Yeob Lee gets a home visit on Thursday, May 7, 2020, as over 400 graduating students are visited by a teacher, joined by members of the student body and a parent as they are presented a gift and yard sign to celebrate the school's seniors.
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