Hundreds of Washington-Liberty High School students woke up Tuesday morning in Arlington to find their front lawns adorned with congratulatory messages.
Principal Gregg Robertson said administrators and faculty at the school missed their students and were heartbroken that seniors didn’t get to experience their full senior year due to the coronavirus closure.
Robertson and other administrators at Washington-Liberty divvied up 500 addresses provided by Arlington Public Schools administrators to travel around the county and post signs.
“Congratulations seniors on your upcoming graduation,” the signs said on the side facing the student’s home. “From your W-L family.”
On the street-facing side it said: “Washington-Liberty High School Class of 2020. Home of a General!”
“One police officer did stop to see what we were doing,” Robertson said, “but once we told him what we were he stopped to take a selfie.”
After waking up Tuesday morning, students and parents shared photos of the signs on social media and with Robertson.
Not sure what my kid’s reaction will be, but it made me smile and cry. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/PzSGRWFq5G
— Betsy (@bforinash) April 21, 2020
2/2 @WLHSAthletics congrats swimming seniors! pic.twitter.com/MCFyZw7HCa
— WL Swim & Dive Team (@WLswim) April 21, 2020
A couple more great photos of our seniors and their signs! pic.twitter.com/pSm0fXFHVc
— Dr. Gregg Robertson (@WLHSPrincipal) April 22, 2020
A senior picnic was delayed until August, which Robertson said should give seniors at W-L a chance to reconnect before they go off to college.
Robertson said the school is also trying to figure out how to host the graduating students at the school one last time, but in the meantime school staff wanted students to know they weren’t forgotten and were valued.
Photo contributed