Havre de Grace High School Grads To Be Featured On Banners

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — A local photographer who saw a moment in time that deserved to be captured is working to bring a special graduation present to Havre de Grace High School seniors.

Malgorzata Baker said she read about a town that put banners up of its graduates to celebrate them.

In hopes that something similar could take off in Havre de Grace, she started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for banners that would showcase the names and photos of each senior.

"In less than 24 hours I raised over $5,000!" she said.

"While nothing can replace the memories of graduation, prom, the countless senior events, honoring each senior shows how much they are loved and how proud we are of them. GO WARRIORS!" her GoFundMe campaign states.

Paula Casagrande of Big House Signs on North Juniata Street is designing the flags to go on the poles around town, and Mayor Bill Martin is ensuring city personnel can help put them up, she said.

Baker, whose son Devon is a member of the class of 2020, said that she has been involved with Havre de Grace High School for the past five years since her other son also graduated from there.

"The main reason why I wanted to do this for our seniors is that I ... feel that I’ve known and loved most of them as my own," Baker said. "It started by taking photos during baseball, football and wrestling seasons."

Both her boys are athletes, and she said she started Facebook pages for parents to share game pics.

Baker said she came up with another way to use photos, to "brighten our seniors' memories of the time that should have been fun and exciting," by flying their pictures from the city's lampposts as a way of recognizing and celebrating them.

The state superintendent of schools has ordered schools closed since mid-March to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

Currently, the goal of the banner campaign to celebrate the Havre de Grace High School seniors is $10,655 so that each of the 150 students could have their own flag. It costs $70 per flag, and there are 150 seniors, Baker said. As of Monday morning, Baker has raised more than $8,600.

Donate to the GoFundMe campaign for Havre de Grace High School banners.

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