Operation GradBox

Along with the cancellation of school due to COVID-19 came the cancellation of many time-honored traditions for graduating seniors, resulting in deeply felt disappointment among senior students and their families. With this in mind, a group of “Senior Admirers” began to brainstorm ways to honor and celebrate the Kinkaid Class of 2020 so that they would “feel the love from the entire community” despite the unfortunate turn of events. Creative, clever minds dreamed big with Operation GradBox, a “fun and frivolous”, minds dreamed big with Operation GradBox, a “fun and frivolous”, three-week “operation” designed to celebrate the seniors during their three-week “operation” designed to celebrate the seniors during their fial weeks at Kinkaid. Seniors were invited to drive through campus final weeks at Kinkaid. Seniors were invited to drive through campus on their last three Wednesdays of school to pick up their surprise on their last three Wednesdays of school to pick up their surprise GradBoxes and were greeted by faculty and staff olunteers who GradBoxes and were greeted by faculty and staff volunteers who cheered and waved signs in their honor, turning GradBox pick-up into cheered and waved signs in their honor, turning GradBox pick-up into a celebratory senior parade. The GradBoxes were filled with personal touches including The GradBoxes were filled with personal touches including wrapping paper bearing all of the seniors’ names and wrapping paper bearing all of the seniors’ names and featuring the logo of every college the seniors will featuring the logo of every college the seniors will be attending this fall. Each week’s box reflcted a be attending this fall. Each week’s box reflected a different, senior-friendly theme. Week One: “Party different, senior-friendly theme. Week One: “Party in a Box” included playing cards, balloons, Class in a Box” included playing cards, balloons, Class of 2020 cups and napkins and a mini portable speaker. Week Two: “Grad in a Box” included each senior’s cap and gown, a fan featuring each senior’s cap and gown portrait, a group photo of the senior class and a congratulatory note from the Deans’ Offi. Week Thee: “Good Luck in a Box” included Tiff’s Treats cookies, a copy of the senior video, a journal with the senior’s college logo, a lottery ticket, fortune cookies and Lucky Charms cereal. A special addition to the week three box was a letter that all seniors wrote to themselves when they were in freshman Decisions class, a letter which students have traditionally received in school as part of senior year. Students who picked up a box each Wednesday were entered into a drawing for that week’s “bonus prize” with the lucky winner drawn by a community celebrity. Thank you to the Whataburger drive-through associate who probably knows many of the seniors by name, the ever-generous “Mattress Mac” MacInvale of Gallery Furniture and Houston Rocket Isaiah Hartenstein for doing the honors! The prize for each week was hand-delivered to the lucky winner’s home, at a social distance, of course, by a group of “senior fans”, adding a little extra excitement to the winning senior’s day! The week one winner, Jared Orkin, learned it was time to party with a new Apple Watch. Week two delighted two winners as Jonah omas graduated to his own mini-fridge, and Sarah Stephens won when “Mattress Mac” unexpectedly drew a second name and surprised everyone with the donation of a Tempur-Pedic mattress. Lizzie Markovich had all the luck in week three as the winner of Apple Air-Pods. Although impossible to replace the senior events that were missed, the behind-the-scenes masterminds responsible for Operation GradBox recognized an opportunity to make a challenging time a little brighter and worked tirelessly to send the 2020 seniors into their futures with a little extra love. Kinkaid Class of 2020, we hope you felt the love!