It’s graduation time! Immokalee High School’s graduating seniors will be taking that all-important walk across the stage tomorrow, Friday, May 25 at 7:00 p.m. at Alico Arena. On Tuesday, however, these same Immokalee High School (IHS) seniors took another important walk—through the halls of Immokalee’s elementary schools. Graduation walks, as they’ve been deemed, celebrate the success of our seniors while inspiring our younger students to see what they can one day achieve. At Eden Park Elementary School (EPE), the graduates were met with cheers and applause. Donned in caps and gowns, they received high-fives and handshakes from the much younger EPE students as they walked the halls to the tune of “Pomp and Circumstance.” And there were no shortage of inspirational signs along the way. Priscilla Perez, a former EPE student and soon-to-be IHS graduate, shared that her brother now attends the school and has been motivated by the graduation walks. “I know my little brother, whenever he had watched them last year, he was like, ‘mom, I can’t wait to graduate!’ I think it’s inspiring to them.” Her advice to the younger generation, “Keep pushing through. Even though it’s hard - hard to wake up, hard to do your homework - just keep pushing through because you can do it.” “Our kids connect to each other, but it’s really important that they connect to the school and that they begin connecting to their middle school and high school early,” shared EPE principal Linda Salazar. “We want them to feel a vested interest in that high school, that they’re a part of it even before they get there and that graduation is something that they have to look forward to as well.” Salazar’s advice to seniors moving forward, “You belong wherever you want to be. Just like when we move and we buy new homes, we create it and make it our home. That’s what they have to do. They have to find their niche, where they belong, and make their place there. It’s not anything that’s handed to you. You create it. Go forward, be confident, be trustworthy, and cross that finish line which is college graduation.” Congratulations, Class of 2018!