Barnsdall Kindergarten Class Of 2024 Celebrate Graduation After Tornados

The kindergarten Class of 2024 in Barnsdall held its graduation ceremony Monday night, determined not to let two tornados in the past month stop them from celebrating.

People in Barnsdall wanted to do everything possible to keep things as normal and upbeat as possible for these 35 kindergartners. 

Outside the gym, a town is in the process of rebuilding, but inside, it was about cheering loudly for their little grads.

Barnsdall Kindergarten teachers Ms. Parks and Mrs. Shaw say their students got to practice their two graduation songs just a few times inside their classrooms before the tornado forced the school year to end early. 

So, the 35 kindergartners didn't get to practice where to walk, what to do when their name was called, or what was going to happen when they were handed their diploma, but all that mattered was that hundreds of people came together to them feel special after witnessing so much change and destruction. 

Brook Harper's daughter, Brynlee, was one of the graduates, and she says this ceremony is an important lesson for all the students. 

"We need to continue to show them that even through devastation that we keep pressing forward and that we can keep doing life, so giving them some normalcy and getting to still celebrate graduations means a lot to us," Brook said.

Hadlee Doshier and Brynn Baker both say this graduation ceremony means moving forward.

"We're going to the first grade next year," Hadlee said.

They say the best thing about first grade will be getting to play tag during recess.

All Barnsdall students can drop off books or anything from the school to their classrooms between 11 and 7 on Tuesday.