Darien K-11 Students and Families Celebrate the Class of 2021 through Adopt-a-DHS Senior Program
DHS seniors were surprised last week by creative and thoughtful congratulations from the school community thanks to the Darien High School Parents Association’s Adopt-a-DHS Senior Program.
More than 200 Darien school families generously offered to honor this year’s graduates with messages of congratulations and support. The families, who were randomly matched with a graduate, were asked to drop off a homemade card or sign, a flower from their yard, or a small token to their senior’s mailbox or front porch. Their tributes included festive cards and posters featuring original artwork, balloons and many other treats!
The DHSPA created the Adopt-a-DHS Senior Program last year as a way to celebrate the Class of 2020 when schools closed in March due to the COVID pandemic and the seniors missed out on graduation, prom and other traditional senior activities. It was so enthusiastically received by the seniors and their adoptive families, it was brought back to celebrate the Class of 2021 after a long year!
The DHSPA enlisted the help of the elementary and middle school PTOs to spread the word to their school communities and to bring the Adopt-a-DHS Senior program to life. Senior parents shared their student’s interests and plans for next year via a sign-up link to help make the project even more personal, and participating families were then randomly paired with DHS seniors.
Both the givers and recipients benefitted from the heartwarming program. Families of younger students enjoyed creating their signs, poems and artwork and coming up with ideas to make the graduates feel special and appreciated, and seniors were grateful to receive their surprise deliveries and touched by the kindness of another Darien family.
The DHSPA thanks all the families who helped brighten a graduate’s day during Adopt-a-DHS Senior Week and for building a sense of community between schools.
*contributed photo