Apex Friendship High School principal creates 'Class of 2020' wall for seniors

It's very likely that Apex Friendship High School Principal Matt Wight won't be able to hand out diplomas to his graduating high school seniors this year -- so he found another way to honor them.

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Over a span of 10 hours and several days, Wight used a Sharpie to write almost 600 names on an empty wall. He used a ladder and a ruler to make the handwritten mural not only sentimental but a beautiful work of art.

Sydney Turner, one of the school's 590 graduating seniors, created an emotional video chronicling Wight's act of kindness.

"Whenever anybody asks me about the best part of my job, without hesitation, I say it's handing diplomas to the graduating seniors at commencement," Wight says in the video, which has clocked over 16,000 views on YouTube. "It's a tangible, personal moment, it's unique, and it's the high point of the school year for me."

Wight said he saw a video of a high school principal in Illinois writing his graduating seniors' names on a wall inside the school and became inspired.

"As soon as I saw the video I knew what I had to do," he said.

The 590 names are carefully written out in block print. Above them, Wight wrote, "Class of 2020: Make it a great day"

The coronavirus pandemic is causing high school seniors all around the world to miss not only their graduation ceremonies but parties and celebrations with friends and family. When they left school in March per Gov. Roy Cooper's order, many students didn't get to say goodbye to friends who will be heading out-of-state for college or careers.

"This is my attempt to recognize them, to recognize what they're missing," Wight told WRAL News. "This is my way of saying, 'Hey guys, you're really special.'"

Turner's beautiful video ends with a final message from Wight.

"Class of 2020, it's my hope and prayer that I'll be able to hand you your diploma personally, but until then, this is my tribute, this is my gift to you."

While it's not clear if high school graduations at Apex Friendship and other schools will be rescheduled months down the road, Wight said Wake County Public Schools are in talks about other ways to honor seniors.