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Friday was Senior Day at Luverne High School.
For the first time in seven months since the coronavirus pandemic started, the 92 seniors in the Class of 2021 attended a full day of classes together.
At the end of the day, in their honor, Luverne elementary students lined the school parking lot for a senior parade.
“The purpose was two-fold,” said High School Principal Ryan Johnson.
“Give the seniors a little shining moment of glory, as the elementary students look up to them, and for the elementary students to enjoy the time looking up to them.”
As the last day of an abbreviated Homecoming Week, all students were encouraged to dress in the red and white school colors.
Homecoming king Cade Wenninger and queen Lauren Ver Steeg donned their crowns and robes for the walk.
Seniors playing in Friday evening’s Homecoming football game donned their red jerseys.
Elementary students made signs recognizing the seniors and/or the game that night.
Friday also marked the first time the seniors attended class together this school year.
Since September, Luverne Middle-High School has operated on a hybrid schedule with half of the sixth- through 12th-grade classes attending in-person classes on alternating days.
Seniors were the only high school class attending in-person classes Friday.
The juniors, sophomores and freshmen learned from home online. The “red group” of the middle school students attended class as originally planned.
The seniors attended a short assembly together prior to the Friday afternoon senior walk.
The assembly featured a recorded message from several LHS graduates.
“I showed a video of the past four senior presidents talking about life and meshed it together for them to watch,” Johnson said.
“After that (the walk) the seniors walked to the football stands and took a senior photograph — might be the only chance we get this year.”