A New Way To Support The WHS Class of 2020

Pia Ventola’s son Dylan is a member of Westwood High School’s class of 2020. However, as is the case with many seniors across the country, his senior year’s spring has no prom, Senior Week beach trips, or June graduation. This fact led to Ventola creating the “Adopt a Westwood Senior” Facebook Group.

“So, like so many others who have a senior, and in my case, one who has four older siblings, I realized the seniors' Springtime is typically filled with so much fun, tradition and last and lasting good times. I tried to think of ways to support my son and his friends in a way that was different but was still memorable.

“On Dylan's Mar 25 birthday we placed a sign in front of our house ‘beep for Dylan's 18th birthday’. Although he didn't know almost any people who beeped and he was initially mortified that there was a sign in front of the house, it made him smile all day to be recognized. That got me thinking, instead of that specifically, what if, as a town, we send our seniors congratulations in the form of notes, cards, advice, postcards, gift cards, drawings, books etc ... any small token or acknowledgment that they did it! I hoped we could fill WHS 2020 graduates' mailboxes with love and support acknowledging that it may look different than years past but we are all proud of them and want to make them smile.

“I originally envisioned a website, where anyone could enter a town or school, because the issue was nationwide, and get a random address. Hoping the site would even attract music superstars, sports figures, and other celebrities and some kids maybe would receive a really memorable congratulations! I was thinking maybe school systems would provide the addresses. After talking the idea through with friends and family, I realized based on our short timeline, that wasn't going to be possible. A friend of mine told me that she had heard of a Facebook group doing something similar. After researching those groups, I messaged Mr. Bevan and Ms. Parks again to let them know, that if it was okay, I was going to proceed with a version of my original idea using a Facebook group,” explains Ventola of the genesis of the Facebook Group.

Ventola’s immediate need is for parents of WHS’ seniors to provide their home addresses (listed anonymously in the group) and create profiles in the Group for their children. Once a student’s profile is adopted by a community member or members, the fun can begin.

“An ideal senior adoption would be where a community member sees a profile and they identify with the student in some way. Maybe they played the same sport, were in the same clubs, maybe they went to that college. They request to ‘adopt’ the senior and then create and send a student-specific box with treats to them. The amount spent is up to the giver. Some may want to send a box with chips and candy while others would like to treat the graduate with a college sweatshirt and a book,“ says Ventola.

If adopting a senior is out of a person’s price range, there are other ways “Adopt a Westwood High Senior” can be helped. “Anyone can join the group and share it. Once on there, there is a list of senior addresses. I encourage all who'd like to help, to send a WHS graduate a WELL WISH. WELL WISHES are a card, note, or small token sent to a WHS 2020 graduate on the senior address list. Send to one or send to all. You choose how many WELL WISHES you'd like to send.

“The younger students in town could be encouraged to participate, as well as local celebrities and sports figures. All mailboxes could be filled with WELL WiSHES!

“I chose to keep this address list anonymous so all students would have the opportunity to receive WELL WISHES, not just those well known in the town,” she explains.

Did you see Westwood High School’s teachers on parade for the Class of 2020 on Friday?