‘Adopt a Senior’ brings out thousands to support 2020 Tri-Cities graduates

For 18 years Monette Roberts thought she’d watch her three kids pick up their Richland High School diplomas together.

Her twins and an older son were close enough in age to attend the same grade.

“I’ve had this dream that the three of them would walk across the stage at the same time,” she said. “All three of them would be at the end of the stage together and I would take a picture.”

Then the new coronavirus pandemic hit and her hopes for that photo disappeared along with her kids’ dreams of a graduation ceremony, prom and other senior year celebrations.

But two Tri-Citiy women have found a way to give 2020 high school grads some special attention.

Brandy Peters and Nicole Clayton formed a Facebook page — Adopt a Tri-Cities High School Senior.

Parents post a photo of their student and some information about them.

Then Tri-Citians “adopt” the high schoolers, sending them gifts and words of encouragement.

“This was all Brandy’s brainchild,” Clayton said. “She just felt like she need to do something to be a light in the darkness and saw a similar group from a small town in Western Washington and decided we needed one here.”

What started late of a Friday in April gained nearly 500 members overnight. Now, more than 4,200 parents and Tri-Citians have joined in the feel-good effort.

Overcoming adversity

Clayton’s favorite part is seeing the love and pride radiating from the biographies parents are posting about their seniors.

She’s seen dozens of stories of students struggling against adversity to reach graduation.

There are students who battled through health problems, lost parents and at least one student graduating late because she helped her mom who was fighting cancer.

“We have so many kids who are just stellar students with gigantic goals and dreams,” she said. “The community has been amazing. We’ve had community members offer to mentor students in their chosen career path, internships offers and those who really connected with student stories.”

Adopters are ordering yard signs, putting together gift baskets, making shirts and sending cards. And some have adopted more than one senior.

It doesn’t have to be expensive, Clayton said. The important part is to provide validation for the students’ accomplishments.

“Families are definitely staying active in the group even after being matched,” Clayton said. “Pictures and write ups are starting to roll in as seniors have started getting their first gifts from their matches.”

Making somebody’s day

Roberts’ kids — twins Sterling and Sieraka and their brother Stone — have each received gifts tailored just for them.

Stone, who mentioned he loves crazy hats, was given a cowboy hat emblazoned with a U.S. flag, along with a USA T-shirt and a cactus.

Sterling received a sign with words made of candy.

“It’s surprising that so many people are feeling the same way for our seniors,” Monette Roberts said. “One of the people that adopted Sieraka was a former Richland High School cheerleader.”

And Roberts is paying it forward. She adopted a senior and is putting together baskets of balloons, candy, hand sanitizer and other fun stuff.

“It’s fun to do knowing that you’re going to make somebody’s day,” she said.

This story was originally published May 10, 2020 at 10:19 AM.