Adopting seniors: Class of '20 gets some love via Facebook

Morgan City resident April Tabor just cannot quit “adopting” area high school seniors.
Her fiancé is doing the same thing.
No, they are not literally taking them into their homes, but they are providing them with gifts and recognizing them during this time as part of a practice that she saw in Terrebonne Parish. It now is being done in St. Mary Parish with school facilities closed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tabor started one of three area groups, “Adopt a 2020 Morgan City High & Central Catholic Seniors.” Two other groups, “Adopt a 2020 Berwick High Senior” and “Adopt a Patterson High Senior 2020” also have formed. In each group, family members or students post their graduate’s senior pictures and give a narrative about the student.
Then, the students are “adopted” by fellow group members, who use ideas that the seniors give to buy them gifts. The gifts are delivered to the seniors, and pictures are posted to the page with the gifts and notes of appreciation to the donor.
“A lot of the kids enjoy it,” Tabor said. “They’re getting a lot of gifts. They’re getting attention that they deserve and need at this time. With them not in school, it takes away from a lot of the activities and functions that they should be doing and able to do.”
Through this practice, Tabor said they are getting the recognition they are due.
Berwick High School senior Cody Kapp said it is a good feeling to be recognized.
“It’s the feeling of having more than one person behind you with it all,” said Kapp, who has been adopted by about 11 people. “They’re just all helpful.”
Patterson resident Kristy Lynn Thompson, who started the Patterson page, has a graduating senior as her son Samuel Walker will complete his high school career at Patterson High this spring.
Thompson, who said she didn’t finish high school, already had planned to make this year extra special for her son before COVID-19 struck.
“I want him to remember this for the rest of his life, because it really is a great accomplishment,” she said.
Thompson said she has adopted about four of her son’s friends.
While she is sidelined by work as a nonessential employee right now and her husband is doing whatever work is available for his employer at the moment, she said that it is nice to see area residents give, even in tough times.
Tabor said she believes it’s the work of God to help people provide gifts — big or small — and that the students appreciate not just the gift but that they are recognized.
“I honestly believe that God is in control right now,” she said. “He’s helping everyone at this time to help these kids.”