A show of support

MEDICAL LAKE - Spirits were bright and faces were smiling -if only for short while - as Medical Lake High School seniors were celebrated by staff and community members Friday.

"Any opportunity we have to try and put a smile on a student's face is one we have to try to take and maximize," said Principal Chris Spring, "Opportunities that come about for our students to feel that they are still connected to our school are important."

Seniors and their families were invited to drive around the school and through the bus loop as their teachers and coaches were lined up - at least six feet apart from each other, of course - to greet them and cheer them on.

Spring said having students back on school grounds, even if they had to stay in their cars, was a nice feeling for everyone.

"This is a tough time for all of us," Spring said. "Students not being able to walk the halls and teachers not being able to have direct contact with our students is difficult.

As students drove by, they were also greeted by banners featuring themselves.

Local resident Robert Kibling purchased and donated 120 banners, one for each graduating senior. The banners had the name and photo of each student on them.

Spring said Kibling's donation is an example of the community's desire to make the graduating students feel appreciated.

"Kibling is a retired military employee who has made his home in Medical Lake and has done a lot of volunteer work in our community and at our high school, specifically," Spring said.

Friday's event was the latest in a series put on by the school to make seniors feel valued. Last month, the school hosted "Friday Night Lights," where staff turned on the lights to the football stadium while students and community members drove by and honked their horns.

With the strong possibility of the reminder of normal events for seniors - such as prom and graduation - being canceled or modified due to the COVID -19 pandemic, Spring said teachers and staff feel they owe their seniors all of the special moments they can give them.

Spring also said the school closure has been tough for teachers as well.

"It's a different feeling for them to be told they may not be back in this building this year," Spring said. "None of knew when we'd be back together and with our students again."

While a full, in-person, graduation is all but ruled out, Spring said the school district is trying to figure the best options for graduation. He said while a fully virtual ceremony is being considered, he would prefer an option that includes some level of in-person participation.

"We have some ideas that we are looking at right now," Spring said. "We want to offer up as intimate a graduation ceremony as we can while also practicing social distancing."

Spring said the school is considering a drive-in version of the ceremony, but several things would have to fall in place for that to happen.

"We are at the mercy of the approval of the [Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction] as well as the approval of the potential venues who could allow us to congregate," Spring said. "We are really working hard to pull it off."

Jeremy Burnham can be contacted at [email protected].