YORKTOWN, Va. — In another high school senior year without all the thrills and frills, a group of determined parents of Yorktown's Grafton High seniors has been working to keep their students' spirits up.
"We're trying to recreate some of the same things that they would normally experience in the school," said senior parent, Martha Owens.
The group has created a QR code that the students can scan to find out about each event. This week, they received "Cupid Grams" to celebrate Valentine's Day.
Seniors were honored with encouraging messages from community members, family, friends and school personnel.
"Let's bring them on campus once a month, keep them in their cars, safe, masked and distanced - and let them see each other," added Owens.
The school year effort has been a hit as students look forward to the next gathering and offer suggestions on future activities.
At Green Run Collegiate in Virginia Beach, students and faculty are turning a Valentine's day celebration into a virtual wine tasting fundraiser with "A Toast to Love."
"Not only is there wine tasting hosted by the owners of New Kent Winery, but also performances by national recording artist Delta Rae, as well as a live auction."
The inaugural event, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m., will benefit Virginia's only public charter school.
The funds will support International Baccalaureate students and to help fund the school's Summer Bridge Program, which helps ease middle school students' transition to high school.
"It kind of like gets you used to the whole GRC family and gets you used to people and it kind of makes you feel less alone throughout the whole thing," said GRC senior, Brendan Baker.
For those wishing to participate in the silent auction, sign up here.