Community adopts class of 2020
(Courtesy photo) BFHS senior Lance Freeze, a member of the Class of 2020, was adopted by Lisa and Ty Iverson and received a gift through the BFHS Class of 2020 Adopt a Senior cause.
(Courtesy photo) Lance Freeze, a BFHS senior student, has participated in the The BFHS Class of 2020 Adopt a Senior facebook page. The page has generated a lot of positive feedback amongst parents and senior students who have been involved.
Community ‘adopts’ BFHS seniors affected by school situation
BONNERS FERRY — High school seniors have it tough this year.
The issues surrounding COVID-19, the statewide “stay at home” mandate, schools in soft closures, a halt to school-related activities, canceled sports, meetings and events — not to mention the cancellation of prom — have all been a strain on emotions and a test in patience.
The students have had to leave their last year of school unexpectedly, and all the perks that go with the last days of high school.
Charli Turner’s daughter, Cassidy, is part of the Bonners Ferry High School class of 2020 student body who was affected by the big changes with the school year.
“Cass was most sad about missing time with her friends and then for the total cancellation of all of the events that celebrate the end of high school,” said Turner. “These events are the way we culturally close one chapter of life and launch into the next. For seniors there is an internal clock that ticks a countdown to graduation, [with] milestones like prom, senior ditch day, senior class trip, senior prank, senior night at their athletic banquets.”
After seeing a Facebook group suggestion in her news feed, a 2007 BFHS graduate, Ashley Brewer, wanted to help. The group Brewer came across was a page dedicated to helping Sandpoint High School Seniors.
“Being a BFHS graduate myself, and my youngest cousin is a 2020 BFHS senior, I thought it was only fitting I try to do the same thing for Bonners,” said Brewer. “After deciding I wanted to do this for BFHS, I got in contact with Carla Clark, who also had the same idea in mind and she created the group.”
The BFHS Class of 2020 Adopt a Senior Facebook page was created, and in a short amount of time, has reached close to 600 page members as of April 17.
The idea behind the endeavor is to show senior high school students that they are in the community’s thoughts. Adoptees choose a senior from the page who are listed as #notadopted, get in touch with the poster of the senior, which typically are family members, and communicate as to what it is that the senior would need, like or want for their graduation gift.
“The general idea of it is to show our seniors how much we care about them and show our support by gifting them with some special, personalized gifts and letters,” explained Brewer.
“Whether it is sending a letter of encouragement, a gift basket, their favorite snacks and drinks, gift card to their favorite restaurant/coffee shop, the ideas are endless.”
Brewer estimates that around two-thirds of the Class of 2020 have been adopted. Out of all of the seniors who have been listed on the Facebook page, all have been adopted.
“There is no limit on how many times a senior has been adopted,” said Brewer. “Several people can adopt the same senior, and a person can adopt more than one senior.”
Brewer confirmed that some of the students have already been receiving gifts, and as a parent, Charli Turner found the cause and support from the community uplifting.
“It has brought some love to our kids from the world outside of social distancing,” said Turner. “It has softened the harsh absence of the senior class traditions and helped bring back some of the excitement to the seniors who have worked hard to get to this moment in their lives.”
As of this date, Brewer said that the Bonners Ferry High School graduation has been changed to June 6.
“I am crossing my fingers it will happen, and if graduation goes on as planned, we are going to need way more than just the football stands to hold everyone, because our whole community is going to come out in full force to support our amazing class of 2020,” said Brewer.
If people would like to participate in the Adopt a Senior cause, they may log on to Facebook and find the BFHS Class of 2020 Adopt a Senior page.
“There is no deadline to adopt or send out a gift. You can do it tomorrow, a week or month from now, whatever you chose to do.” said Brewer. “We would encourage gifts to be sent before a graduation but again there is no deadline or timeline.”
