By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

Cheers and applause greeted soon-to-be graduates from Shelby County High School as they walked by young students lining the hallways at local elementary schools on May 20.

The annual SCHS Senior Walk gave members of the Class of 2019 a chance to don their caps and gowns the day before their graduation ceremony and visit hundreds of children at Elvin Hill, Shelby and Wilsonville elementary schools.

“Even though I don’t know many of them, I saw much satisfaction on the faces of our Shelby County seniors as they walked proudly down the halls of Elvin Hill Elementary School, where many of them attended during their elementary school years,” EHES Principal Dr. Lisa Stamps said. “I heard numerous faculty comments of delight and honor for these graduates—and even saw a few tears. I witnessed our students clapping, cheering and honoring these hardworking students as they filed through the building, their job complete, ready for the next chapter of life.”

EHES second grade teacher Jennifer Long said watching the seniors take some of their final steps as high school students was both happy and sad.

“That was my first group of kindergarteners,” Long said. “I’ve watched them grow up.”

SCHS English teacher and senior class sponsor Anne Stansell called the Senior Walk a “good warmup” for graduation, and added, “The kids really enjoy this. It’s a good thing the elementary schools do.”

Shelby County High School’s graduation ceremony is set for Tuesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. at the McChesney Student Activity Center on the University of Montevallo campus.