Senior year is supposed to be the time of your life.

For many,  the last few months of high school creates memories that last a lifetime.

The Class of 2020 has been crushed by the cancellation of spring sports, classes and proms, as well as the uncertainty of graduations.

Throughout the state, high school seniors are adjusting to their new normal as they anticipate the next step toward their futures.

Marshfield locals are helping to comfort their future graduates through acts of kindness.

A Facebook group has been started for community members to network and “adopt” seniors from this years Marshfield High School graduating class.

The Adopt a Marshfield 2020 Senior group on Facebook generated a community of nearly 300 within its first 30 minutes of creation.

Mandy Espy, mom of two MHS senior boys, started the group.

She says she wanted to create a way for the immediate community to rally around their seniors.

This idea stemmed from a statewide group, where several Marshfield seniors had been submitted.

As popularity grew, it was hard to differentiate kids within the Marshfield community from those in Kansas City, St. Louis and other larger areas of the state.

Espy says baskets of goodies, handwritten letters and cards, gardening supplies and more started arriving on porches of senior students this week.

“It doesn’t have to be an extravagant gift. Just something to let them know you’re thinking of them during this time,” Espy says. “It could be a small gift, a letter or even an activity for them to do. The idea is to give them something that will create a memory, because they’re missing out on all their memories right now.”

Here’s how it works:

• The group allows one post per graduate.
• To submit a senior, start your post with “Not Adopted” then give a bio with a few photos.
• Once your senior is adopted, change post to remove “Not Adopted.”
• Each senior may be adopted by more than one member of the community.

The more love, the merrier.

During the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve been ordered to Stay-At-Home and practice social distancing.

Espy says this is no problem for the group.

Seniors receive their gifts through mail and porch pickups.

Some gifts have been sent from as far away as California.

In a time of such uncertainty, there’s one thing that remains.

A small act of kindness can go a long way.