Ma’at Smith was born a member of Generation Z, cohorts born between 1997 and 2012 when the world had long been overrun with technology.
You’d think she wouldn’t even flinch at a virtual high school graduation or college tour for that matter, and yet the very notion has devastated her and other members of the class of 2020.
“Students have worked very hard for the opportunity to walk across the stage and be congratulated on their completion of K-12 school,” Smith told me recently. “Not only was graduation postponed and possibly canceled, but so was prom, college orientations, and senior trips.”
I get it but I’m a baby boomer. A graduation ceremony is usually the last time a graduating class gets to be under the same roof before finally going their separate ways.
In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, however, schools here and across the country are shut down, many through the end of the school year. Some have already canceled or postponed plans for spring graduation.
RELATED | Second Newton school employee diagnosed with the coronavirus
Smith, a 17-year-old senior at Newton High School’s Academy of Liberal Arts, first learned college visits had been canceled and that orientation for newly admitted students would be online. Then on April 14, she learned that Newton High’s graduation would probably be a virtual one.
“I was disappointed, but by then, I expected it to be canceled,” she said. “When I saw the virtual one was confirmed, I was really upset, because my family had plans to spend that time with me celebrating, not watching it online.”
She was especially looking forward to sharing the time with her grandmother and best friend, Joan Alexander, who planned to travel from Louisiana with 10 other family members, but that changed.
Maybe in August, she told me.
The loss of tradition was one thing, but would she and her classmates have to navigate the sadness alone?
It seemed that way.
Then an out-of-state friend reached out. There was an “adopt a senior” movement afoot on Facebook.
Smith would soon learn that no such effort was happening in her corner of the world, but there it was — a glimmer of light in the darkness.
Right then and there, Smith created Adopt A 2020 Senior: Covington/Conyers to lead her cohorts out of the doldrums.
RELATED | How you can attend an HBCU tuition-free
In a personal post to the page, she noted her high school and her plan to attend Spelman College as a theater major this fall. She said she was president of the Newton High’s sisterhood First Lady, secretary of student government, and vice president of the Drama Club.
“I write, act, sing, and direct,” she said. “My dorm colors will be orange, turquoise, and burgundy in the bohemian style. I plan to hang Broadway play posters.”
She listed her favorite stores — Target, Home Goods, and Express; her favorite restaurant, Starbucks; and noted she wears a size 0 or small.
“Please message me with questions about any dorm or college supplies I may need,” she said finally.
She sent a link to her friends and encouraged them to make a similar post on the page.
They flowed in slowly, maxing only about a dozen posts the first day. The day after, the number of adults wanting to help outnumbered high school graduates by almost 2-to-1.
Smith was flabbergasted. People were texting her via Messenger to see if there were more students to adopt.
RELATED | Gwinnett announces plan to end school year
“My goal was to shine a little light in these somewhat dark times,” she said. “I felt really accomplished to know that I had helped someone.”
As of Monday, more than 1,700 seniors and sponsors had joined the Facebook group.
Because of the success of the local page, Smith decided to extend the effort statewide: Adopt A 2020 Senior: Georgia Rendition.
Smith initially tried managing both pages, but that quickly became impossible, so she invited a few classmates to help. Ten classmates signed up.
Although Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced plans to begin easing restrictions, Smith said she is concerned many of her classmates will still feel isolated and unable to move forward.
“I don’t want my classmates to feel stuck,” she said. “This program hopefully will be a reminder to them that we can still move forward into our futures.”
When the shelter-in-place order went into effect, Smith and her classmates were upset. They felt abandoned because no one seemed to be listening to their complaints or empathized with their feelings of loss.
She hopes the Facebook group will change that.
“With this program, adults can remind the students that there is more to look forward to after this and they are willing to help them get there,” she said.
I certainly hope so.
Find Gracie on Facebook (www.facebook.com/graciestaplesajc/) and Twitter (@GStaples_AJC) or email her at gstaples@ajc.com.
About the Author
