Lynbrook parents surprise graduating seniors with 2020 lawn signs

Across the village, 206 homeowners were surprised to look outside and see signs dedicated to the class of 2020 adorn their lawns.

Mary Beth Kilcommons Stalter said she and five other parents had the signs made to lift the spirits of every senior at Lynbrook High School who had their final academic year interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

“It definitely was something that was important to me as a parent to be able to do something that was inclusive of everybody,” Kilcommons Stalter said. “It was good to get the feedback from the families and the students that they really did appreciate that people are thinking about them.”

Kilcommons Stalter helped spearhead the initiative to have the signs made. They are green and gold — LHS Owls colors — and say, “Lynbrook seniors 2020 #allinthistogether.” Kilcommons Stalter's daughter, Kayleigh, is a senior at LHS, and is still reeling from the lacrosse season being canceled after it was announced that all spring sports would be canceled this school year.

Between spring sports being canceled, remote learning becoming the new normal and questions surrounding the status of prom and graduation, Kilcommons Stalter said, she and the other parents wanted to provide a gesture to boost the spirits of the seniors.

“Families were very happy,” she said. “They were surprised and really appreciative that people took the time to recognize the seniors.”

Kilcommons Stalter said she didn't want to sell the signs because she wanted to make sure every senior was included. With donations from families around Lynbrook, they were able to purchase the signs for all 206 graduating seniors. In addition to Kayleigh, Kilcommons Stalter has two other children in the district, Dylan, a sophomore at LHS, and Payton, a sixth-grader at Lynbrook South Middle School.

While the virus has impacted all three of her children, she said it's been most hard on Kayleigh because she is a senior. She noted that her daughter has remained positive by looking toward next year, when she plans to play lacrosse at the University of Scranton. Kayleigh has spent time Zoom video chatting with her future college teammates, but has lamented the lost lacrosse season for her senior year.

“It's tough having not known all the lasts were gonna be the last,” Kilcommons Stalter said. “Her last lacrosse season. Her last concert. All of those things and not knowing what's happening with prom and graduation is also unsettling.”

Despite the negative ramifications of the pandemic, gestures like the lawn signs, seniors decorating one another's cars and hosting drive-by parades of support have helped residents in the school district remain positive.

“It's hard on everybody, but for the seniors, it's really tough for them,” Kilcommons Stalter said. “We just wanted to surprise everybody by putting these signs on their lawn.”