“The seniors need special memories that differentiate this year, their final year of high school,” Rafferty said. “We are a resilient society and with this unprecedented time we can still help make special memories for their senior year.”
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When parents, grandparents or even friends of a Beavercreek senior post to the Facebook group, anyone is then able to “adopt” the senior to then send a card, care package, baked goodies, balloons or anything that might brighten the end of their senior year.
“It’s almost like a Secret Santa,” said Osten. “A lot of the seniors don’t know this is going to happen, then they get kind of a door-drop. So there’s no contact.”
Osten is the mother of a 10th and sixth grader in the Beavercreek City Schools system, but is a BHS graduate herself.
“When you look back at it, some of these kids have gone to Beavercreek schools their entire childhood and (it’s sad) to think they’re not going to get the opportunity to say goodbye to their teachers, to have those final days,” Osten said.
“Let’s shower our Beavercreek 2020 graduating seniors with some extra love,” reads the Facebook page. “In their young lives, this is a stressful time that has resulted in the cancellation of proms and graduation postponements.”
Once a photo of a senior is posted, as well as a little background information on their post-graduation plans, group members then comment “adopt” and then send a message to the person who listed the senior to find out where to send them something special.
Group members adopting a senior can do as little or as much as they want.
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An alternative Beavercreek High School graduation date has been set for June 26 at the Wright State University Nutter Center.
“The alternative is a good sign, but we still don’t know if it’s going to happen or not,” Osten said. “And I think it’s emotional for the parents, too. So I think this is just kind of helping the parents out as well.”
If you know a Beavercreek senior who has not yet been posted to be adopted, email aysha.osten@yahoo.com to arrange your senior to be posted or visit the Facebook page at Spreading Joy to Beavercreek Seniors.
Together, Osten and Rafferty also organize and run the Beavercreek Tornado Network Facebook group.
“The Beavercreek community pulls together in hard times, we proved that in the Memorial Day tornadoes, and we are doing that again,” Rafferty said.
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