Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
Members of the Senior graduating class of 2020 placed their signs in front of the school after picking up their cap and gown, and placing items in the capsule on Monday at Lewis County High School.
Initially, students lined up outside the building to sign in, placed an item in the time-capsule and then were allowed in the building to collect their belongings where they could also return items to the school (e.g., calculators, books, etc.). After the first hour or so, the rain started and the outside line-up was moved to the gym.
Alyssa Grinder placed a letter into a time capsule and signed her name.
After checking in, putting their items into and signing the capsule, students were allowed into the cafeteria one by one to pick up their cap and gowns along with a sign they could place in front of the school.
After getting their cap and gown, seniors could then go into the hallway to pick up things that had been left at school before the extended closure was ordered. Hallways were monitored by teachers, making sure students were socially distanced.
Those who worked the event wore masks to protect themselves and others from possible spread of COVID-19.
Jude Tibbs, LCHS Senior, posed before placing his sign in front of the school.
Lewis County High School seniors lined up six feet apart in the high school gym to gather their belongings left behind, pick up their cap and gown, and sign a time capsule.
COVID-19 came in a hurry and left graduates with anything but a typical senior year.
But that could not stop the senior class from creating memories.
The mood in the building Monday, May 4, was high spirited as seniors got to wait in line beside their friends and talk across their taped out lines, showing what they had for a time capsule.
Students came to LCHS Principal Stacey Hinson Graves and asked if they could bury a time capsule in lieu of all the typical senior memories that never had the chance to be made.
The seniors brought things like letters, pictures, basketball schedules, and one student brought something iconic to the times: a mask.
Even if the students did not bring a memento, they could still make their mark by signing the outside of the yellow capsule in black permanent marker.
A few students did not mind the break that Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee mandated, starting March 24, that extended throughout the rest of the school year.
Some seniors enjoyed having more free time to spend with their friends, some stated it was great to have more time with their families at home, and others said they had simply spent their time at work.
Others, like Danielle Adkins had more mixed emotions on the long break, "In some ways it's been nice, but I've really missed things like having all those special times as a senior in high school and saying goodbye to everyone before I graduate."
Principal Graves said it has been hectic to say the least as educators realized that they relied on communication much more than ever before.
"But it did make it evident that our students are at the center of everything. They're the reason we do what we do," she added.
Seniors will also have a chance to build up some unique senior memories during the month of June, when there will be multiple activities for a "Senior Week," planned for June 8-12, 2020, including a block party.
After placing their items in the time capsule and picking up caps and gowns, seniors could then place signs with their names and pictures on them in front of the school.
It will most likely be sometime during Senior Week that the students will bury their time capsule, said Principal Graves.
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