GREAT FALLS – Later this week, C.M. Russell High School and Great Falls High School seniors will graduate.
But on Tuesday, the future graduates had the chance to revisit the place where it all started.
“Everything is different. Everything was so big and now looks really small,” GFH graduate Sam Potoczny said.
The graduates spent the day walking the halls of elementary schools where they were greeted with high fives and applause.
“It’s really neat for them to see that baby blue come walking through to the school,” kindergarten teacher, Nathan Schmersahl, said.
For many of the seniors, the day was a bittersweet moment.
The seniors gave advice to the future Great Falls Public Schools graduates to always work hard, listen to your teachers and be kind to one another.
“Perseverance. You just got to tough it out. It will be rough, it will be good. But it will all be worth it,” Potoczny said.
“Remember you still are kids. Have fun and try as hard as you can,” Schmersahl said.
Schmershahl says it’s important to set the bar high at a young age and to get them thinking about graduation.
“I think it’s important because it puts into perspective what’s going to happen to them and this is something to look forward to,” Schmersahl said.
After the walk, the kindergarten class received shirts sponsored by United Way and took a picture with the graduates.
The kindergarten class will be the future graduation class in 2031.