Founded during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic last spring, Adopt A Senior returns for the class of 2021. Beginning on May 1st and ending on June 1st, Adopt A Senior is in full swing. Adopt A Senior is where each senior gets gifts and personalized items throughout the month of May from an anonymous source. Senior parents and Project Graduation kicked off the event by creating a Facebook group. Each senior parent filled out a Google Form with information about all their senior’s favorite things to give adopted families ideas for the gifts. This was followed by a post within the Facebook group with the students’ pictures and information, so they can be adopted by families in the comment section. The administrators of this organization made sure that every senior was included and adopted. Throughout the month of May, our seniors have been receiving exciting and personalized surprise gifts from their anonymous adopted families.

A teacher at Morgan has also been participating in Adopt A Senior. This teacher wants to remain anonymous to keep her identity a secret. This teacher has generously adopted four seniors from The Morgan School. This teacher chose four seniors that were her former students. She chose gifts based on the charts that they filled out for the Facebook Page. She delivers gifts that they will possibly need when entering life after high school. This teacher has a big surprise gift for the last drop off, but until then, she will continue to drop smaller gifts off every weekend.

Joel kindergarten teacher and Morgan parent Melissa Corgan adopted one senior this year. She is friends with this senior’s mom and was eager to adopt them. Mrs. Corgan selects her gifts by getting items personalized to the school her senior will be attending next year, their favorite snacks and candies, Morgan colors, dorm goodies, and fun items. She brings gifts to her seniors weekly and loves to see their reactions which are posted  on the Facebook group page by the senior parents. 

Former Morgan student and Morgan parent Monica Randall adopted four seniors yet again. Ms. Randall participated in the 2020 Adopt A Senior and now the 2021 program as well. In both programs she adopted four seniors even though she didn’t know the seniors in the class of 2020. For this year’s Adopt A Senior, Ms. Randall adopted four seniors who are close friends to her daughter and who she considers to be her other children. Ms. Randall drops gifts off once, sometimes twice a week for all four adoptees. She designed presents based on the form on Facebook and personal information she knows about them. She enjoys watching their reactions on the Facebook post and always worries if they like the gifts or not. 

Senior Madeline Dunham receives weekly gifts from her adopted families. Maddey has been so excited to come home to these surprises. Maddey knows the identity of one of her adopted families but not the other. She has gotten great gifts such as her favorite snacks, gift cards, and little succulents. Maddey has to say her favorite item thus far is her Snapple Raspberry Iced Tea.

Senior Caitlyn Donadio has been receiving gifts from her adoptive families each week. Catie knows one of her secret families but not the other. Catie has received some of her favorite snacks, a beach themed basket, Connecticut College merchandise, and a Vera Bradley pocket book. Catie’s favorite gift is a personalized wooden sign with Conn College’s coordinates on it.

Senior Ryan Hromadka received weekly gifts from his adoptive families. He knows both of their identities. Ryan is going to Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA, and one of his families gifted him a gift card to a restaurant located in Pittsburgh to use when he is there. Ryan has also received a Morgan alumni t-shirt, a batman under armor t-shirt, a fidget toy, a man cave sign, and a bunch of his favorite snacks. Although, Ryan must say his favorite item is his batman shirt.

Senior Rex Smith does not know his secret families, and he has been given something once a week by each of them. Rex received a variety of spicy and regular candies. He also received a botany t-shirt, perfect for his major. He got a Himalayan salt lamp for his room and his favorite gift : a pot with gardening equipment in it.

Senior Madison Corgan receives  gifts twice weekly from her unknown adoptive families. Maddie received a bundle of beach equipment as well as an art themed basket from her families that includes colored pencils, books, candy, snacks, and a fidget toy.She has also been given some jewelry, gift cards, a nice Yeti coffee cup, an Edible Arrangement, and a bouquet of flowers. She said it is hard for her to choose her favorite gift as they have all been amazing, and she is extremely grateful for all of them.

Senior Luke Furches has been receiving gifts from his adopted senior twice a week. He suspects that one of his adopted parents is the mother to his closest male friend, due to how close they are. Luke has mainly been receiving a lot of candy and gift cards to his favorite places. Although he has mainly been receiving food, there is one gift that is his favorite one yet. He got a long sleeve shirt that is dark blue and is a surfing shirt. There is a surf club logo on the front, and he claims it’s very soft and comfortable. That is why he likes it so much.

Senior Max Skidmore has only received one gift from his adopted family. He does not mind because the one gift he got was over $75. He received a rail bike so he can go out onto railroad tracks that are safe, and be able to go across the track without needing to walk. He is excited to be able to go out to the Essex Steam Train tracks to test it out. 

Senior Carley Schmidt has been loving her senior gifts from her adopted families. She receives a new charm every day, and if it’s not a charm, she receives other gifts once a week. She has no idea who adopted her which makes the excitement of these gifts more special to her. So far Carley has gotten a lanyard, a bunch of candy, and other types of food. Her favorite gift are these little charms she puts on her lanyard because “they are different, and I wouldn’t expect to get them.” 

Senior Leah Burdick has been enjoying all the gifts she has received so far. Leah suspects that one of her adopted parents is her friend’s mother who has known her for many years. Leah has been receiving about one or two gifts almost every week, each with a different theme. She doesn’t have one favorite gift; instead, she has two. Her most recent gift was a bag filled with essentials for prom. In this bag, she got a $100 gift card to get her nails done and a pair of earrings. The other gift she likes is the one someone left in her car during the night. There were balloons with the University of Tampa colors and a basket filled with her favorite snacks and drinks. Leah will be using her gift card to get her nails done for prom.