Community shows support for Class of 2020
By Angie Landsverk
Images and messages of support were on display for Weyauwega-Fremont High School’s Class of 2020 during Senior Nights Lights.
The school district hosted the event on Friday, April 17.
Community members were invited to make posters to support the seniors.
The plan was to start Senior Nights Lights at 8 p.m. by turning on the football field lights for 20 minutes and 20 seconds for this year’s senior class.
The lights were turned on a bit earlier than that.
“People started arriving by 7:30 p.m., and the last vehicle – after over 100 vehicles – left at 9 p.m.,” said Jodi Alix.
She is the principal of W-F’s middle and high schools.
Alix described the attendance as outstanding and said, “It was fun just to see all of us get together even if it was within our vehicles and supporting our seniors.”
Families and students thanked the school district for putting the event together.
Many students told Alix they never thought they would say how much they miss school.
“It’s so hard, but this is good,” Rena Tomaszewski said while standing and waving to those who drove there to see the posters.
She teaches physical education at W-F High School, and is also the varsity volleyball coach there.
Tomaszewski walked from home to see Senior Nights Lights and did not plan to stay long.
She changed her mind.
“Cars started rolling in,” Tomaszewski said. “I’m glad I stayed because it is so good to see the kids.”
Student rolled down the windows of the vehicles they were in to say hello to her.
Many W-F seniors attended the event with their families.
Julia Rice went with her mother and brother.
“Going into Friday, I wasn’t sure what to expect,” she said. “There was a lot of people. Getting up there, it was all real.”
Rice said it was hard seeing her friends in cars and teachers like Tomaszewski.
“But it was also really cool to see all the community support,” she said. “It was more than I expected.”
Rice had been looking forward to the end of her senior year, especially the last two months of it.
The last two months were to include prom, softball, senior banquet and graduation.
It came to an abrupt stop.
A few weeks ago, Rice and her friends put on the dresses they planned to wear to prom, met in a parking lot and danced.
“We’re helping each other through it,” she said.
Honest emotions
Angie Landsverk Photo
Chloe Heisler is also a member of W-F’s Class of 2020.
She painted an image of a graduate who was wearing a mask and crying.
“I chose this image because I know many seniors if not all of us can relate to it,” Heisler said. “It is very emotional and honest.”
She painted it in a day.
“I can’t speak for every senior, but I’m sure that many miss being at school with our friends and teachers,” Heisler said. “Senior year was supposed to be our year and it was cut short.”
She watched her brother get his diploma last year.
“It is hard not knowing if I will have that same privilege. I know many seniors feel the same way,” Heisler said. “That is what this picture is about to me. And I used the red cap for our school color.”
She stays in contact with her friends by talking to them and also through social media.
“It breaks my heart,” Heisler said while waiting to go through a second time last Friday night to see the display of posters under the lights.
Joe Titus is the father of an elementary-aged daughter and the high school’s varsity girls basketball coach.
After taking pictures of some of the posters, he explained why he was there.
“We wanted to show an example to our daughter,” Titus said. “My daughter looks up to these girls so much.”
Adrienne Rice teaches English at W-F High School and is the parent of a senior.
She went to Senior Nights Lights with her daughter Julia and son Jaden.
As a teacher, Rice knew it was going to be a tough thing to go to.
She said they are still trying to do what they can to make this a special time for the senior class.
“As a parent, where I struggle the most is there’s so many things my daughter isn’t going to experience,” Rice said.
Rice sat on the bleachers with a number of people the last three years, watching her daughter play softball.
There is no closure.
She said it has been a trying school year for the class, but it is a resilient group.
Days before the school year began, their classmate Taylor Folk passed away from complications due to surgery.
There was a poster on display at Senior Nights Lights in her memory.
Rice said the hardest part of the evening was they were all together, but could not be together.
“It was a great way to honor the seniors and the senior class,” she said. “I hope they realize they are a class making history.”
Alix said it was exciting to see the students.
“As I say often, we all went into education to be with students and to not have them in our presence is heartbreaking. We are all trying to connect in some way, and this was the perfect opportunity to be able to see some of them and share in the fun together.
“It’s this time of year that all of the staff share in the special events and accomplishments of students for the school year, and this gave one of those opportunities,” she said.