WHS students to show support for global cause at graduation
The Class of 2009 made history during the 118th Annual Westfield High School Graduation Ceremony by being the first high school class to walk barefoot across the stage to accept their diplomas. WHS Principal Stacy McGuire described the action as “one of unity and global awareness” unlike any before at the school. She continued that an act of “showing leadership and compassion will surely change the world.”
Three years later, the 2012 senior class is looking to continue the tradition of making a difference in someone’s life.
“We kind of want it to be our send-off,” said Senior Class President Tanner Givens. “We’ve had a great run at Westfield. It’s something we’ll all remember as our last day of being together. Not many people get to help hundreds of kids.”
Why are seniors graduating barefoot?
The Class of 2012 said, “Samaritan’s Feet is an organization that strives to reach people in third-world countries and even our own backyards in a simple yet easily forgotten way: by providing them with a pair of shoes. Many people go without shoes on a daily basis, and this alone results in the deaths of more than one million individuals annually due to easily preventable diseases. During the month of May, the Class of 2012 along with the Westfield community is partnering to collect shoes towards this cause. In honor of those who do not have a choice, this year the Class of 2012 has chosen to go barefoot.”
Graduates walked barefoot in 2009 and 2010 but wore socks and shoes last year. This year’s senior class wanted to return to bare feet and make WHS recognized for its symbolic action – “A step of unity, together out into the world.”
“We want to make it a Westfield tradition if we can,” Givens said.
The goal of the action was not only to raise awareness with their peers and the Westfield community, but to also create a lasting memory of graduation and the impact a small act has on others. Senior Class Officer Jordyn Hoffman was a close friend of a 2009 graduate who helped plan the initial barefoot walk.
“I went to the graduation and thought it was really cool how they got a lot of people to do it,” said Hoffman. “I’m glad it’s carried on. I was really excited to working with the organization – it’s an awesome cause.”
While researching about Samaritan’s Feet, Hoffman said she was surprised by the number of children that go barefoot every day – nearly 300 million, and more than a million people die each year as a result.
“Samaritan’s Feet has been helping for years and made an impact,” she said. “You don’t think about the number of kids until you see the numbers.”
Senior class officers said they are hoping to collect 50 pairs of shoes at each school by the end of May. Donation boxes for shoes have been placed at each school in the Westfield Washington district, as well as at Westfield’s City Hall and Public Safety Building.
“We’re trying to get the whole city involved this year. We’re hoping to bring a lot in for them,” Hoffman said.
To prepare for the occasion, Hoffman said she and a few friends are planning to get pedicures for graduation instead of a new pair of shoes.
“It’s a good reason to get one,” she joked.
Samaritan’s Feet, a nonprofit organization dedicated to changing lives though Shoes of Hope distributions around the world, was started eight years ago by Emmanuel “Manny” Ohonme. A native of Nigeria, Ohonme received his first pair of shoes at the age of 9 from an American missionary. He eventually earned a scholarship to play basketball at Lake Region State College in North Dakota.
Samaritan’s Feet has helped an estimated 3.5 million impoverished children and adults in more than 60 nations by teaching them a biblical story of faith, hope and love, demonstrating those truths in touching them by washing their feet and treating them to a new pair of shoes and socks.