It’s a new tradition that is quickly becoming a meaningful favorite across Papillion La Vista Community Schools: Graduation Walks. Seniors at Papillion La Vista High School and Papillion La Vista South High School are given the opportunity to return to their PLCS elementary school, decked in their graduation cap and gown, to walk the halls of their childhood one last time.

The celebration may look different from school to school, but there are two key features. First, the seniors walk through the halls lined with elementary students, receiving cheers and giving high fives. As the seniors pass these younger students, it’s a striking visual of the driving goal of education to prepare students for their futures. Second, seniors are able to pop in and out of classrooms to find favorite teachers from their elementary days. While seniors reminisce about their early years in education, teachers are seeing the ways that their years of consistent work and dedication have come to fruition in the achievements and aspirations of their graduating former students.

“The graduation walk is meaningful to me because I am able to share my growth to the teachers who believed in me since day one,” shares PLHS senior Jacquelynn Tran. “The walk also provides a way for me to show my immense gratitude to everyone who helped develop my character and provided me with an unforgettable experience in school.”

Tran has an equal appreciation for her high school years for shaping her with valuable experiences and opportunities to help her find direction for her future and gain confidence in building her social network.

“The wide variety of classes and clubs helped me confirm my passion to give me confidence in what I wanted to pursue in college. By Junior and Senior year, I was able to take more targeted classes to advance my career.” While her high school years have helped her explore her own aspirations, returning to her elementary school this spring has her reflecting on the teachers who helped ground her at the very beginning.

“They handed me opportunities to really challenge my potential while also remaining funny and supportive,” she reflects on her teachers. “They really built my confidence and made me believe that I could achieve my seemingly ambitious dreams. Their efforts and attitude are the major contributors to why I loved attending school. This makes the walk all the more important to me, so I can show them how far I’ve come.”

For Tran, this full-circle closure brings many emotions.

“Going back to elementary is so bittersweet because it’s difficult to fathom how I’m already done with school,” she explains. “Especially now that I’m going back to my roots as an entirely new person.”