Before making their way across the graduation stage, Wilson High School seniors will stop by their former middle schools and elementary schools for the inaugural Wilson Graduation Walkthrough on June 12.
The graduating class of 2018 at Wilson High School is on their way to new heights and new pursuits. But first, they will visit their former middle and elementary schools during the inaugural Wilson Graduation Walkthrough, which takes place on June 12 at 9 a.m.
“Essentially, they are going to parade through the local middle and elementary schools, and it’s an opportunity for them to see and thank their former teachers, get cheered on by younger students in the district, and inspire them,” said Edward Steinhauser, Wilson’s Pathway Coordinator who implemented the walk at Wilson. “The walkthrough idea has been implemented across the country, but Jordan High School was the first to do it in Long Beach for their local elementary and middle schools. I went to [activities director] Erin Fekjar and said, ‘Hey, we need to do this for our school.’”
On the day of the walkthrough, the entire senior class is going to meet on the west campus in their caps and gowns. They choose which elementary and middle school they will visit; some will go to Lowell Elementary School and Rogers Middle School, and some will visit Fremont Elementary School and Jefferson Middle School.
“I spoke to Principal Lawson at Lowell Elementary School, and he said that the teachers are really excited for the walkthrough because they get to see their former students. Many of the students haven’t seen their [former] teachers in 10 to 12 years, and they are coming back to show them, some of whom they had as teachers in kindergarten, how much they’ve accomplished...they get to share a little bit in the ‘You made it through!’ fun.”
Fekjar says the walkthrough will be an expanded version of Wilson’s hall marches that are put on by the band and cheer teams to get students psyched for big games or events at the school.
“I think crossing 7th Street with the wave of cardinal and gold and with us bringing our big flags [bearing] the Wilson ‘W’ and ‘Woody the Bear’ — people are going to be stunned and are going to have to get excited.”
Fekjar says that the walkthrough is a pretty nifty way to create more spirit at the school and for the community to see how spirited Wilson Bruins can be. Not to mention, she says, the amount of inspiration that it can bring to the students will be priceless.
“To walk through those halls to see where you’ve been and now where you’re going — I think when you see it in someone else’s eyes, when you see kids excited and teachers elated, there are going to be moments and experiences that come out of this walkthrough that we cannot even fathom.”
