When the quarantine took effect everyone believed that it would just last a couple of weeks. Now with all of the unknowns of the future, school has been canceled until May 4 and might continue to be canceled for the rest of the school year. Seniors are mostly affected by these cancellations because of graduation, prom, senior breakfasts, sports and so much more has been ripped away from them. 

Two moms came up with a great idea to do something to help these seniors feel a little bit better during these hard times. “Adopt A Senior,” which is a Facebook group of people who post their seniors for them to be “adopted”. When a family “adopts” a senior they bring them their favorite little or big gifts and goodies to cheer up their days a little more. 

“The inspiration came from me wanting to do something for my daughter, Maddie, a senior who is at Waxahachie High School,” Wendy Bazemore, co-admin of Adopt A Senior, said. 

Like many seniors all over Ellis County, Bazemore’s daughter was very bummed out about her senior year being cut short and heartbroken over her final high school milestones. With so many questions in senior’s minds, the ladies who created this believe that this organization would help these students out. 

“I feel like during these uncertain times every senior is feeling anxious, stressed and sad about the unknown,” Lisa Charnoski, co-admin of Adopt A Senior said. “If each senior could know how their community is thinking of them and how proud they are of them, then that’s our goal!”

While the seniors continue to feel down about their last year of high school, the two admins of “Adopt A Senior” make it their goal to make these students feel better.

“I thought this would be a great way to encourage my daughter,” Bazemore said. “It would give her joy knowing to know that other people are thinking about her, lifting her up, and brightening her day!”

Many seniors all over the county have been chosen by families and been given gifts. To the seniors that have been stripped of things that make senior year, senior year, these efforts help make things a little better. 

“I think this gives me something to look forward to,” Genesis Baze (12) said. “For years I have been looking forward to senior year activities and those no longer being possible can be sad. However, I look forward to seeing what my adopted family has in store.”

The seniors often are excited to receive their gifts from the families who chose to “adopt” them. Everything that the people do for them is meaningful in their eyes. 

“It means a lot,” Abby Charnoski (12) said. “That person is taking time out of their day to write you a letter or make you a gift basket, just so we can feel better.”

It has meant a lot to all the seniors all over Ellis County for what the ladies who have organized this have done, along with the families that have put the time and effort to do all of these things for them. Families who “adopt” are often left feeling happy that they were able to help these students. 

“This is a huge blessing for me to be able to give back to the community,” Bazemore said. “Seeing new friendships that come from all of this, and the joy that these seniors and their families feel when they are acknowledged is a great feeling.”