Kindred High School Honors Seniors By Putting Their Pictures On Football Field

There are 50 students in the 2020 graduating class.

KINDRED, N.D. – Gunnar Braaten, a Senior at Kindred High School, did not expect his year to end with Zoom classes and major events cancelled.

“I don’t think any of us were, I mean, last Friday we were in school, we were all joking about not going to school in the next couple of weeks, but never thought it was real, until the following Monday, we found out,” says Gunnar Braaten, a Senior at Kindred High School.

To celebrate the seniors’ achievements, even at a distance, the school decided to get together and showcase the students’ senior pictures on the school’s football field.

“They’re such a great group of young men and women and we have a ton of respect for them and so, we know that they’re going through a tough time right now and not having a traditional senior year. And so, it was just a small act that we could do to help them out,” says Matt Crane, the Dean of Students at Kindred High School.

“I mean we have a pretty good community here, our teachers have been super helpful, the outreach from the community, I think has been amazing, trying to help our seniors and all,” Braaten says.

For Braaten, seeing his picture displayed on the school’s football field where he spent four years of his life still hasn’t sunk in.

“I see it and I’m like happy that we’re getting recognition and stuff, cause nobody would expect this. It’s pretty surreal,” he adds.

The senior adds there’s a lesson to be learned in every situation.

“Don’t take anything for granted. Never did I think that I would miss my senior year of track or prom or graduation and it all kind of went away within a couple of days. So, definitely glad that I did enjoy this part of senior that I did have,” Braaten says.

The school says they are hoping to still have the graduation ceremony on the football field in May.