'Adopt a Senior' brings smiles to Allen County high school seniors

Graduation is cancelled, but the end of the school year doesn't stop with disappointment thanks to 'Adopt a Senior' sponsors.

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Allen county high school seniors finish off their school year on a high note.

Fox 55's mallory beard shows us how local parents turned covid-19 graduation disappointments into special memories by "adopting-a senior."

The covid-19 pandemic flipped the end of high school upside down for many allen county seniors.

Marla simmons holmes//adopt a senior co- founder "you know, it kind of devastated her.

It really had her down and out.

She tried to make the best of it but you can tell that this whole thing with the pandemic and not being able to go places really had her down and out."

Holmes is referring to her goddaughter, alaya.

A senior basketball player at southside high school.

Who, like many other students, won't get to turn tassels this month because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Alaya chapman//south side high school senior :28-:32 "walking across the stage would've been a big accomplishment."

But alaya's sadness doesn't have to linger.

Got surprise gifts from allen county residents apart of the 'adopt a senior' initiative.

Marla simmons holmes//adopt a senior co- founder "to be able to be surprised by showed that they cared about her and that it'll be okay that this will be over soon...it brightened up her day."

The initiative only started three weeks ago, from co-founder amber stine wanting to sponsor local students she'd known since they were little.

Now, over 7,000 students have joined the facebook groups.

Amber stine//adopt a senior co founder "so i started it on monday, april 13, and by monday april 20 there were 1,000 members."

Alaya's sister, a sophomore at goshen college, felt moved by the gifts given to her sister.

So she decided to surprise seniors entering the nusring field like her.

Taniece chapman//alaya's sister 1:23-1:32 "our community came together to help the seniors in the 2020 class.

With my sister being in the 2020 class...they really just caught my attention."

Adopt a senior's motto is "no senior now the end of the year can end with special memories instead of disappointments.

In fort wayne, i'm mallory