HENDRICKS COUNTY — A Facebook group dedicated to supporting the Class of 2020 has taken off and given high school seniors something special to remember, despite having their last semester cut short.
Not wanting the seniors to look back and only be disappointed about their last year, Billie Jo Brown started the Hendricks County Adopt A 2020 High School Senior group.
The response? Overwhelming.
"When I go back to talking about high school, that senior year is what rings clear in my memories," Brown said. "So much love, so much outpouring. If you go to the page, you'll see kids sitting there with a basket of goodies or a note or a letter or a new shirt from the college they intend to attend."
The Facebook group is filled with hundreds of seniors looking to be adopted, in a sense, and it is resounding with people. One of them is Cari Rice, an Avon High School alumna.
"I remember when I graduated how fun my last month of school was, how fun commencement was, having a graduating open house. All those things they're missing out on," Rice said.
After Avon, Rice went on to Indiana University and is now in medical school at New York University. She wanted to give back to someone in her hometown.
"I'd thought it would be cool to have someone that's not local, but still has a connection to the place to participate," Rice said.
So many others are getting involved for various reasons, as well.
Nick Albright, who runs a welding shop in Danville, has adopted two seniors who plan to pursue careers in that field.
Emily Wolf and her husband adopted two teens who share the same major as them: nursing and engineering.
The generosity is something Brown said she couldn't have imagined, but she is glad to see it's happening here in our community and bringing us together during such a difficult time.
"I have seen kids go, 'Oh, I'm in this club or I'm in that club' and parents going, 'My kid is going there. We need to introduce them.' So much love," she said.