By Cristina Cruz - Christopher Columbus HS
Columbus High seniors display their school spirit as they drive thru the high school's parking lot on senior appreciation day, April 24, 2020.
A Columbus High senior waves and holds up his yard sign as he is driven thru the school parking lot on senior appreciation day, April 24, 2020.
Columbus High's former president, Brother Kevin Handibode, hands out gift bags to seniors as they drive thru the school parking lot on senior appreciation day, April 24, 2020.
Columbus High's masked principal, David Pugh, hands out yard signs to seniors as they drive thru the school parking lot on senior appreciation day, April 24, 2020.
Photography: COURTESY
MIAMI | A cheering group of faculty and staff members greeted Christopher Columbus High School’s class of 2020 as the seniors drove through campus April 24 to receive a special gift.
Each senior received a congratulatory Class of 2020 yard sign and Columbus socks. But what many of the students appreciated most was the show of support and love from their teachers and the school’s administration.
“While our time with them was brief, it was still such a joy to see them happy and enthusiastic today,” said David Pugh, Columbus principal. “Providing this experience was just one small way of showing the class how much we appreciate them.”
Wearing custom-made Columbus masks and holding up inspirational signs, several teachers, guidance counselors, and staff members lined a path for the seniors to drive through. The gifts were distributed and placed in car trunks by the school’s president and principal with the help of members of the administration and former president, Brother Kevin Handibode.
“Due to this pandemic situation, we’re the first Columbus class to not celebrate some senior events in a traditional way,” said senior Maximus Vilar. “What the school did today means the world to us.”
“We heard from students in recent focus groups that in this ‘new normal’ any little thing we can do for them would be appreciated and that inspired us to offer this event,” said Thomas Kruczek, Columbus president. “This is not the end though; we plan to have a graduation. This was just another opportunity to honor this special senior class.”
