School Counselor Susie Eriole greets a student during the parade.
By Laura Hayes, Contributing Writer
SHREWSBURY – Applause and cheers of “congratulations” echoed throughout the campus of Shrewsbury High School on June 1.
The Class of 2021 decorated their cars with streamers and balloons as they paraded through the campus with their family members. Some of the decorations commemorated students’ work at Shrewsbury while also displaying their future plans.
The parade wove through the back of the high school before turning to drive in front of the school’s entrance.
High school staff played music and stood on the sidewalk cheering, clapping and blowing bubbles as seniors’ cars drove past. Seniors, in turn, were waving and thanking the high school staff.
Staff held signs with hopeful messages for the seniors like “Your future is so bryt 2021.”
BRYT is short for the “Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition” program.
With graduation just around the corner at the time, the parade was one of many celebrations held in honor of the seniors.
Shrewsbury’s student advisory committee specifically introduced the activities, including the parade, during the May 26 School Committee meeting.
“It’s that part of the year where tears are shed and people say goodbye,” said student advisory committee member Aabia Hasan. “It’s the final stretch for the Class of 2021 seniors, and they have a string of exciting events coming up.”
A similar parade was held last year for the Class of 2020. This year, though, the absence of masks after Gov. Charlie Baker lifted the restrictions marked a difference between the two parades.
Elsewhere in the region, a number of other schools recently took to the streets to continue car parades of this sort that many first ran last year as the pandemic initially disrupted the traditional “senior spring” for the Class of 2020.
