By Brandon Martin
With schools closed and stay-at-home orders issued, Magna Vista High School students took to an online forum to celebrate and share some of their special moments.
Kolby Quigg and Gracie Roberts were among the couples to participate in an event to share photos of their prom looks via social media.
The photo of Quigg and Roberts show the couple separated the required 6-feet by a row of neatly arranged rolls of toilet paper.
Kenzie Morrison also was among the participants. Her prom ensemble included a protective mask instead of the usual a jeweled clutch.
Monica Hatchett, the director of Communications and Organizational Learning for the school division, said the school division hosted the event to coincide with the April 18 date of the school’s prom.
The school system intends to acknowledge “milestones students should be experiencing,” Hatchett said. “Though we can’t host these important events due to gathering restrictions at this time, it is our goal to recognize our students in as many ways as we can and acknowledge what they’re missing during this unprecedented time.”
Additionally, the school closures prompted by COVID-19 are “certainly upsetting to school staff members who want to be able to be with students and to celebrate the many accomplishments and milestones that the spring semester brings,” Hatchett said, adding that many special events will be recognized with online ceremonies to coincide with the date the event was scheduled to occur.
For instance, students at Bassett High School will be invited to celebrate their prom looks online on the April 25 date of their prom.
“While we know that these acknowledgements don’t replace the events they’re missing, we feel that it is important to not let these milestone days go by without properly acknowledging our students,” Hatchett said.
She noted that the county school division also will host a virtual, or online, “Teacher of the Year” event by surprising winners at their homes, a “Graduate of Distinction” event, a division-wide art show, and virtual events on each high school’s graduation dates.
“It is still our hope and goal to have in-person graduations at each high school once gathering restrictions have been lifted, because we feel that this ceremony is an important culmination of a student’s education in Henry County,” she added.
In addition to the upcoming online events, Hatchett said county schools also are considering other opportunities to acknowledge students as the May 20 final day of school approaches.
All of the events all are designed to show students how “important they are to us,” and so that students “know how much we miss celebrating with them,” she said.
