With graduations, prom nights and senior activities all canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, someone in Inyo County figured out a way to make lemonade out of lemons, with Adopt a High School Senior –an Inyo County Facebook group, based on a national movement. Click on and vVisit the website to see photos of the Seniors and the gifts.
Kimberley McCormick started it and told Sierra Wave that she was invited to join an Adopt a High School Senior by a friend in Southern California and thought, “Wow, this would be a great thing to do here!” She, like most of us that live here, realize what great kids we have and that the High School Classes of 2020 could use a “little love” considering how the Covid-19 pandemic has turned their word upside down. The program is for all high school students in the Owens Valley.
When you hear the enthusiasm in McCormick’s voice when she talks about the program, it is no small mystery why, of all people, she would be the one to kick it off. It is what it must be like to have the Energizer Bunny show up and take charge…the rest of us are just trying to catch up with her.
The Adopt a High School Senior Facebook Group has 642 members…and growing. Can it be emphasized enough that this program is for all high school graduating seniors at all the Inyo County schools?!! That includes Bishop, Big Pine, Independence, Lone Pine, Palisades and Death Valley…why not?!
Some 50-plus high school senior students have already received gift baskets full of flowers, congratulation cards, gift certificates and one photo showed a high school senior holding a basket of his favorite snacks.
So, how does this thing work? As explained by McCormick, a parent or guardian of a local high school senior is invited to post 
a picture and brief bio of their graduate in the Facebook group. They are provided with a brief questionnaire for the student to fill out asking what types of things they enjoy or that they are interested in. Based on that, they can be adopted by people in the community who can send them gifts, cards, and support.
Not everyone has a Facebook account, but interested parents, guardians and people that want to “adopt” by calling McCormick at (760) 258-7694 and make arrangement to coordinate an email exchange.
How excited is Kimberly McCormick about the Adopt a High School Senior? Well, she is already talking about seeing if maybe she can expand it to Mono County high school seniors! This woman has a lot of energy…and her enthusiasm and love of children have made a difference in our communities’ high school seniors. This is a very nice woman.
[The Sierra Wave strongly endorses this program and supports and congratulates all of our high school seniors throughout the Eastern Sierra. Aside from showing our high school seniors that we care about them and value their lives and their futures, how anyone chooses to support others during the coronavirus pandemic should be left up to each individual.
Under normal circumstances, Sierra Wave would be covering the high school graduation ceremonies which brings the graduating seniors together with their classmates, friends, families and those that love them. This year’s Class of 2020 will not have that experience, one that most adults and parents have experienced, remember with fond memories, and cherish all that is shared on that special day. High school graduation is an important milestone in our lives and marks a passage to adulthood.Let’s support this program and lets support our children.]
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Wow some people are unbelievable plenty of senior citizens are getting help out there, it’s a great thing to also focus on our young people. The people of our future. They deserve anything people can afford to help with. They sure didn’t ask for any of this, they were gonna graduate before the pandemic came about and will still move forward with the pandemic altering all their plans. They dont need bitter people bringing them down and talking down on them for doing their job and graduating. Dont say anything at all if you dont like it.
In case you didn’t notice this story is about people in the community trying to make things better for kids that are getting ready to go out into the world. I haven’t seen anywhere in this article that states people HAVE to do it. These are people that have chosen to spend their money on something other than themselves. I see all these comments about putting money to a better cause. But have you actually even done that or are you just sitting behind your screen insulting people that are handing out smiles? If you don’t want to spend your money on these kids well then don’t. But what do you care what someone does with their money? Who are you to tell them there’s better places to spend it? This is something people feel is important to them. If YOU don’t like it don’t adopt one of these kids and go spend it on something you deem as important. Then move on about YOUR business.
Instead of adopting high school seniors during this pandemic, why don’t we instead adopt a senior citizen? Or better, have high school seniors adopt a senior citizen.
Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.
Hi Lori, what a wonderful idea, if you need help getting something like that started please reach out to me and I’d love to help you get that going!
Kimberley, I would love to organize something like that with others. I’ll try to look you up on FB.
(Laughs to myself because I just noticed someone downvoting Kimberley’s comment to me. That’s some petty, passive-aggressive, yet par for the course behavior. ????Hope it made you feel, even for a few moments, like you had some of the power and control back in your life that you obviously feel you are lacking. Namaste!????)
Reese
How surprising, huh ?
I know of a senior on the list, and his Dad probably has more money in his pocket right now than I’ve ever had in a bank account
IMO, sending the wrong message to a 17 or 18 year old.
Maybe a better thing to do would be to offer them a job for a few months, before they go off to collage, and if they do a good job working for you, whether it’s a business or yard work, etc., maybe show them your appreciation by giving them a bonus.
Hi David, The adopt a senior program isn’t really about how much money their parent has. I don’t believe that should have anything to do with whether the kid should be adopted for this program or not, and I can assure you that most kids that are participating in this program have full-time jobs. I respect your opinion fully but You’re pointing out one kid out of 70 that have been adopted. Like somebody said in another comment the program is a choice it’s not something that you have to do.
We have a page in our community and the seniors posted their Amazon list…… PlayStation , airpods, nail sets and other insignificant items. I adopted a senior and sent what he needed for college…I’m thinking some are taking advantage and the parents are loving it. The post “Let’s help clear my son’s list!” Not humble at all.
I am a mother of a currrent BUHS Senior and am a little disgusted by the previous negative, detached, ignorant comments. This pandemic has affected everyone everywhere and is taking it’s toll. My daughter has been a laser focused academic who has worked 2 jobs while on honor roll plus volunteering in our community among other things-hardly spoiled. Her dream of walking across that stage, celebrating with her classmates along with all other activites in the traditional sense, has been ripped from her. If others in our community want to ‘spoil’ a Senior, boost their spirits and let them know they are supported, that is their prerogative. Why knock anyone trying to do a good deed right now? Who is anyone to criticize how another individual spends their time or money? There are many ways we can help eachother and contribute during these difficult times, no effort should be knocked if intended to lift up spirits!!!
Those comments arent ignorant. Its ignorant to think that the best thing to contribute to is some pampered kid that has been allowed to be “laser focused” and not people who are losing their lives, their livelihood, and much much more. Far better places to donate !!!
Why don’t you post your real name so we know what garbage is among us?
I feel sorry for the seniors not getting a proper graduation now, but can think of better things to donate to right now,for those who can afford it…I’m sure once things are back to normal,the local high schools will arrange 2020 graduations for the seniors..
It’s my understanding that BUHS is arranging a graduation ceremony in early to mid August. Unfortunately a lot of the kids will have already left to further their lives and their education elsewhere so they will be missing out regardless. So the adopt a senior program is just a small gesture To help make their day a little brighter, to help put a smile on their face, and to lift them up. Everybody is enduring their own battle with this pandemic, and right now today my battle is that my senior doesn’t get to graduate and it’s devastating for the both of us and I’m sure I’m not speaking for myself when I say that it is devastating for us as parents of seniors to not be able to celebrate their hard work throughout the years with a ceremony.
I can’t afford to do this, I need to pay my employees first…
Do what you need to do, as will we, these kids are the future.
What a waste of time and resources when there are so many other good places to donate to. I dont think a bunch of spoiled kids that dont appreciate anything anyways need this.
Good bye, hi there. It’s unfortunate that you think this is a waste of time and resources, please by all means feel free to donate to wherever you would like to donate to. Please find the program on Facebook and look at the smiles on these kids faces for receiving something so small as a card or a flower picked in the yard, it’s a lot more than what you’re saying. These kids are not a bunch of spoiled kids who don’t appreciate anything I can guarantee you that. They are very grateful, very thankful, and very appreciative for the program and their adoptive parents. Like I said please feel free to donate wherever you’d like, this program is a choice And obviously isn’t the one for you.
Good bye, you sound like a miserable, negative hag. Don’t donate then, nobody said you had to, and if you think people should donate to other causes, why don’t you spend some time to set something up in stead of crying around on social media? The only one that is spoiled, is you! It’s sad that it bothers you that people in our community are doing something nice for the seniors who worked hard to get where they are and are missing out on things that they will never get back. #rotten #goodbye