GREAT FALLS — As graduating high school seniors in Great Falls prepare to walk the stage and receive their diplomas, they first took a quick trip down memory lane.
"Graduation Walks" are a six-year-old tradition in Great Falls, and seniors from both Great Falls High School and CMR High School were excited to walk the halls of their old elementary schools one last time before throwing their caps.
“It’s so surreal,” said Jordan Belote, a soon-to-be CMR graduate. “It’s crazy that not long ago, we were going to school here and now we’re back while ending a whole entire era of our lives.”
Teachers also felt the nostalgia by seeing some of their students come back.
“In a way, it’s just kind of an honor to see them grow up and make those accomplishments and yeah, I’m ecstatic to see them walk. It’s really going to be fun.” said Dennis Hogan, a fourth-grade teacher at Riverview Elementary School.
Hogan has been a teacher since 1989 and was excited to see some of his old students one last time before hitting the stage.
“There’s absolutely a chance that I taught some of these seniors and it will be so exciting to see them, especially if I can recognize them after all these years and all their growing up.”
Kim Skornogoski of United Way Cascade County explained why graduation walks are not only important for the seniors, but for the younger students as well.
“It’s almost as important for these little kids to see these graduates as it is for these graduates to come back and inspire, because we want to start the conversation of graduation back when the kids are in kindergarten so they can plan for the future,” she said.
All in all, it was an exciting day for all of the students. The seniors last day of school will be on Wednesday, May 25th, and graduation will be on Saturday May 28th, at the Four Seasons Arena.
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