In a sweet connection across the years, high school seniors on the edge of graduation walked through neighborhood elementary schools remembering their past and inspiring the future.
About 225 Harker Heights High School seniors signed up to participate at senior walks conducted simultaneously Friday at Nolanville, Harker Heights and Mountain View elementary schools.
Congratulations banners and signs greeted the cap-and-gown clad seniors. Elementary students lining the hallways cheered their approval, some waving pompoms and many offering hands for high fives.
At Nolanville Elementary School, several of the visiting seniors accepted invitations to visit classrooms and answer questions from curious students.
In one fifth grade class, the older students fielded queries about life in high school – favorite electives, easiest and hardest classes, passing periods, lockers, snack availability and other details.
Elementary teachers reunited with former students. A few hugged their own children, soon to graduate from high school. Some seniors embraced their own younger siblings.
Tammy Hubbs, instructional coach at Nolanville, taught third grade when the current seniors passed through elementary school. She connected with eight of her former students.
“I have a lot of my heart here,” she said. “They are very special to me.”
“(The elementary students) just love it. They thought they were celebrities coming through. I think it helps them to see why we go to school, what the end result is. We want to grow up and get to do this, too.”
The experience was powerful for the seniors, too.
Hannah Thompson and Kayla Martin both attended Nolanville Elementary and said it was nostalgic to be back and to see familiar teachers.
“It brings back all the memories,” said Thompson. “I really enjoyed my time in elementary school. Seeing my teachers is really nice. A lot of the kids gave us high fives, and they were excited to hear about high school.”
Other seniors attended schools outside the Harker Heights High School attendance zone and even out of state but still found the senior walk experience emotional.
“It’s so surreal how much we’ve grown since we were their age,” said Miranda Orduna, who attended Harker Heights Elementary School. She said pondering the future brought a mix of joy and sadness.
“Seeing how they look up to us is how we saw people older than us,” said Nayla Gerena, who attended Reeces Creek and Clarke elementary schools. “
“It’s an emotional moment because everything is coming to an end, everything we looked forward to, graduation and being a big kid. Now, it’s our reality.”
Xavier Ogles attended elementary school in North Carolina, where his military family was stationed. “It’s really inspirational. I want to be someone kids look up to. They are going to grow up, and they will carry on Harker Heights High School.”
“It’s amazing and emotional. You only experience this once so I’m taking advantage of every moment.”
Killeen ISD photo albums: https://www.killeenisd.org/photos