Advertisement

Future-bound Hoover High seniors visit former campuses to inspire younger classes

Hoover High School senior Ara Sukiasyan waves to Mark Keppel Elementary School students. Inspired by social media, seniors from Hoover visited Keppel and Toll to encourage the younger students with the power of graduation gowns being worn by students from the 2016 graduating class.

Hoover High School senior Ara Sukiasyan waves to Mark Keppel Elementary School students. Inspired by social media, seniors from Hoover visited Keppel and Toll to encourage the younger students with the power of graduation gowns being worn by students from the 2016 graduating class.

(Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Share

About a dozen graduating seniors at Hoover High School donned purple-and-white gowns a few days before their own graduation ceremony to walk through the halls of nearby Mark Keppel Elementary School and Eleanor Toll Middle School.

The tradition has taken place in schools across the country and strives to inspire young students who are bound to graduate from high school one day.

But for some of the soon-to-be graduates, walking through their former campuses brought tears to their eyes as they hugged old teachers and recalled old memories.

That was the case for Mary Kalfayan, who walked alongside her friend Kristina Laue.

“It was really emotional because both of us saw our old teachers,” Kalfayan said.

The two also noticed a new classroom building on campus, among other physical upgrades made since they left Mark Keppel about seven years ago.

“This school has changed a lot, but it looks really beautiful. I’m just happy that I got to come back here,” Kalfayan said.

After visiting Keppel, the graduates marched onto the field at Toll Middle School, where the students there greeted them with hugs, high-fives and “Pomp and Circumstance” over a sound system.

“For me, it was an amazing experience,” said Haiko Kovkasyan, who attended Keppel and Toll. “I got to relive all the experiences I had growing up.”

At the end of the event, they stood on the steps at the front entrance of Toll and posed for a selfie with Hoover principal Jennifer Earl, associate principal Hagop Eulmessekian, and assistant principal Lena Richter.

--

Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan

--

ALSO:

Glendale school board adopts ‘G2’ map, officially setting voting districts

Plans for state-of-the-art pool at Glendale High aquatic center make a splash

Advertisement