Ready to FLY! High School Senior Adoption of Class of 2020 – CHS

“Adopt a Senior”  Program helps High School Seniors to feel special and share their accomplishment of graduating in times of Pandemic.

A few volunteer parents from our school district, here on Long Island, NY,  created the ADOPT A SENIOR Facebook Group. Anyone could join to give the graduates another family to cheer them on.  Adopting a high school senior comes in the form of prayers, cards, gift baskets, support, etc. I decided to adopt 14 of them! My gift: photography.

“It was very special because we probably won’t have a normal graduation with the rest of our classmates and teachers. Taking pictures now since we probably won’t have that is something I am very grateful to be able to do. It shows that graduation and the cap and gown are still extremely special and an accomplishment, even though we might not get a “normal” graduation ceremony.”, says Nicole Serravillo, one of the seniors graduating from Connetquot High School.

For my adoptees, It all started with the adoption of Nicole, who has been photographed by me many times over the past few years as a client. Her mom, Michelle, makes sure she hires me for every special occasion. Nicole’s best friends also wanted to be in the photos, then I added them and this group of 9 was a ton of fun! Don’t you wish you had such memories with your High School best friends?

And what a joy it feels to give back, with memories that will last forever! Plus, I don’t get to photograph families so much anymore, as I rebranded as a Personal Branding Photographer and Coach for Entrepreneurs.

But I can just imagine how frustrating it must have been for these kids not to have a proper end of the school year, with Prom and Graduation Ceremonies as usual. It is such a milestone and representation of moving to adulthood.  but luckily for these seniors, a lot of families joined the group, to make this momentous time is nothing but memorable as it should be. This is the power of the community.

So here is my first 9 adopted T-Bird Seniors from Nicole’s group: Nicole Serravillo, Giana Messina, Alanah Amarando, Sophia Boccadifuoco, Diana Migliosi, Julia Patsos, Erin Rocovich, Summer Daley and Emma Littieri.

May this new chapter be the beginning of the best years of your lives!

Fly T-Bird Seniors! Fly! And dream big!

Much love to you all!

Carolina Luna.

 

 

Congratulations T-Birds! Fly!!! Class of 2020 Connetquot High School, Bohemia, NY

Nicole

 

“Growing up all we all pictured walking across the graduation stage and going to our senior proms with the people we have been with since we were 5. It is so weird that this is the new normal and we have to accept the fact that we will not get to walk across that stage with our family and friends watching, which is very hard for an 18 year old girl about to move to a new state to start a new journey. For me, it is hard to start a new journey without closing the previous one. Connetquot has become like one big family to me and I will forever cherish all of the memories I have had there. It is extremely hard not being able to have a “normal” senior year due to the pandemic but I have said to myself everything happens for a reason. I think that this has made myself and the class of 2020 stronger than most. We have had to deal with these crazy circumstances and I never thought my senior year would have to end this way but I think that everything happens for a reason and it will bring the class of 2020 together even more. Connetquot has done a great job at making us feel special by coming with buses and many administrators and teachers to hand us our caps and gowns. I will forever miss Connetquot and the people but I feel this is a graduation we will never forget.”

 

Diana

Emma

“I will be attending Adelphi University to play volleyball and major in Physical education. I am extremely excited! chose Adelphi University for its beautiful campus, high-level volleyball, and competitiveness in the classroom.

This is definitely not how I pictured senior year to turn out but I am trying to make the best of it and better myself in the time.

I absolutely loved taking these graduation photos. They are such beautiful pictures that allow me to remember these memories forever..”

Emma Lettieri

 

Julia

 

Sophia

Summer

Erin

Alanah

“It was amazing to have my photo taken with my closest friends. I am so thankful I could get all dressed up and celebrate my accomplishments since I don’t know if we are having an actual graduation.”  Alanah Amarando

Giana

Graduation During the Pandemic