By Savannah Morgan 

intern@salisburypost.com

The halls and sidewalks of Forest Park Elementary School were lined with smiling young students Thursday who cheered and high-fived a steady stream of A.L. Brown High seniors.

The scene was part of Kannapolis City Schools’ second annual Senior Walk.

The elementary students held up signs reading, “Congratulations!” and “You did it!” as the group of about 25 seniors flowed through the school, proudly wearing their caps and gowns.

In all, about 200 visited their former elementary schools — McKnight Head Start, Forest Park, Fred L. Wilson, Jackson Park, Shady Brook and Woodrow Wilson — for the Senior Walk. The purpose was not only to celebrate the seniors’ accomplishment but also to inspire the elementary students.

“This is a really neat experience,” said Martha Motley, assistant principal at A.L Brown. “It’s a chance to encourage the little ones and help the seniors remember their time here.”

Motley said the Senior Walk is something that teachers and students alike have been looking forward to, and she hopes to continue the tradition for years to come.

The excitement of the young Forest Hills students was evidenced by their enthusiastic waves, but the A.L. Brown seniors seemed just as delighted.

“It’s such a positive and exciting thing,” senior Macie Eury said.

Eury said she wished she had been able to experience the Senior Walk as a child.

“When you’re in elementary school, you’re looking forward to getting to fifth grade — not graduation — so this is a way to bring the goal of graduating closer to the younger students. I think if I had experienced it, it would have inspired me,” Eury said.

Eury, who will attend Pfeiffer University in the fall, hopes the children she high-fived will be able to reach their goals just as she has.

“I hope the kids will see this and say, ‘If they can do it, so can I,'” Eury said.