Hand delivering yard signs covered in calligraphy and hand-written notes to each senior at Eastern Mennonite School turned out to be “one of my all-time best experiences as a teacher, administrator and coach,” says Justin King, high school principal.

King, joined by senior class sponsors Shannon Roth and Jodi Hertzler, covered more than 180 miles on the trek to each student’s home and one workplace on Saturday, May 23 to drop off the signs with calligraphy by art teacher Malea Gascho and math teacher Laura Hershey Herr.

The yard sign was special, explained King. But “seeing their reaction when they turned it over and saw all the notes from teachers and staff, that was powerful. It made them happy, a few people cried, and you could tell they really appreciated it.”

At the end of each visit, Roth recorded a short greeting from each student to post to the Marco Polo video app where EMS teachers have been keeping up with each other’s day-to-day lives since the quarantine began. So, throughout the day, a host of additional teachers, staff and administrators were “along” on the delivery route, seeing each student hold their sign, express thanks, and share a greeting.

In addition to the sign, the trio delivered a bag with each senior’s cap and gown for photo ops between now and the June 14 outdoor, socially distanced commencement ceremony on June 14.