People Invited To 'Adopt' Dundalk High School Graduating Seniors

DUNDALK, MD — The coronavirus pandemic drastically altered the remainder of the school year for the class of 2020 and has upended school for current high school seniors. In an effort to help graduating seniors from Dundalk High School realize how much others care for them and to show them support, one mom has assembled an Adopt A Dundalk High 2021 OWL program.

Kimberly Whitaker's son Chase will be graduating from Dundalk this spring. The closure of schools due to the pandemic was particularly difficult for Chase.

"This year has been especially hard for him because he was diagnosed with autism when he was 3. He doesn't understand why he wasn't going to school and it was really hard trying to calm him down," Whitaker told Patch.

When her friend invited her to join a Facebook group encouraging people to adopt a graduating senior from her town, Whitaker was inspired to do the same for local seniors from Dundalk.

"I thought, 'Wow, that's nice.' So the idea is for a parent of a senior to post a picture and then tell everyone a little something about their senior. Next, hopefully after parents join the group, anyone can adopt a senior. The person who adopts the senior can write them a letter, send them a snack, a gift, anything that will lift their spirits. This will be the second year without a prom, without any normal high school activities," Whitaker said.

Anyone can join the Facebook group Whitaker created highlighting the seniors graduating from Dundalk High School.

"I thought this was something beautiful to give these pre-adults, a loving send-off to college or whatever they plan to do," she said.