The buzz emanating from the Nolanville Elementary School hallways already had started to increase with the anticipation of some special guests –– some much taller and now wiser special guests –– Tuesday morning.
But when it was announced over the PA system that a group of Harker Heights High School seniors had arrived, the hum turned into much louder hurrahs.
Clad in their caps and gowns a little more than three weeks before they walk the stage during the school’s commencement ceremony at Cadence Bank Center, about 60 seniors returned to an old stomping ground, where the foundation for their education was formed.
“We are so excited to be able to celebrate their success and to see how much they’ve grown,” Nolanville principal Dr. Wendy Haider said. “For our current students, it’s a great opportunity for them to see where they can be –– to see that this is their journey and that they can be successful just like these young people getting ready to go off to college.”
Harker Heights student activities coordinator Ivana Saxon said, in all, more than 160 soon-to-be Class of 2025 graduates streamed through elementary doors Tuesday for what now can be considered an annual tradition. HHHS introduced the grad walk last year.
On Tuesday, in addition to the five dozen at Nolanville, another 45 visited Mountain View Elementary School and 61 more gathered at Skipcha Elementary School.
For those who hopped off the bus at Nolanville, they were greeted by six Eagle Ambassadors, a collection of the school’s student leaders who handed their high school peers blue and gold beads before they made their way under a scarlet and black balloon arch and into a sea of elementary students.
“I think some teachers might shed a tear,” Eagle Ambassador Zion Melendez, a fifth-grader, proclaimed. “They are taking a walk down memory lane before they go to college and I think everyone will be excited to see them.”
Melendez was right on the money.
A quick right turn sent the parade down one hall, up some stairs to the second floor and back down to the first –– and the cheering never stopped.
Many of the wide-eyed youngsters took a pause from clapping to reach up for a high-five. Others seemed to be frozen, awestruck by the sight of all the seniors, some of whom received hand-drawn cards of encouragement.
Brenley Bishop, a former Eagle whose mom used to work at Nolanville, said she had some flashbacks of her time at the elementary school.
“It’s super-cute, and it’s exciting to see all the teachers and staff that I used to come to school with,” said Bishop, who will attend Tarleton State in the fall. “I just remember all the friendly faces.”
View more photos on KISD Communications’ Flickr page.
Harker Heights’ commencement ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, May 23.
For more graduation information, visit https://www.killeenisd.org/graduation.
