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Student ACES Center celebrates high school seniors with surprise graduation parade

"They just told me we had an important meeting," says a graduating senior
Posted at 6:23 PM, May 13, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-13 18:22:59-04

BELLE GLADE, Fla. — The coronavirus has made graduation a hurdle for many high school seniors.

Due to social distancing guidelines, many ceremonies have been canceled.

The Student ACES Center in Belle Glade is calling their students "champions of character."

The non profit helps mentor over 30,000 high school student athletes in the tri-county area.

"They just told me to be here and that we had an important meeting," says Madelynn Moore, senior at Belle Glades Central Community High School.

Moore is just one of five seniors from either Glades Central or Pahokee High School that were honored at Wednesday's suprise parade.

"Considering the circumstances of what's happening, we cant have a regular graduation so it made me feel good," said Moore.

"We get to know these kids pretty well. All of them we've worked with since sophomore year," said Krissy Webb, Executive Director and Co-Owner of the Student ACES Center. "Its not necessarily the 4.0 student. It could be that 2.5 student that go this way or this way. They just need that support system. I love them. I mean they know that I'm so proud of them and they always have a home here."

The caravan consisted of 15 to 20 vehicles driven by teachers and parents.

"They were there for us," said Moore. "They wanted to do something for us to make us feel special. I saw my mom, I saw my grandma, I saw my god brother, I saw everybody."