Graduating seniors at Newburgh Free Academy campuses around the city were given some graduation cheer on Friday. The schools handing out NFA regalia to excited seniors were forced to celebrate their graduation a little differently this year.

Teachers lined up with signs congratulating the seniors for their accomplishments and passed out yard signs and pennants to the Class of 2020.


What You Need To Know

  • Students were encouraged to decorate their cars in NFA gold and blue colors

  • The school district passed out yard signs and NFA pennants

  • The Newburgh Enlarged School District is finalizing graduation plans

"We're here to support our great students through the challenges that they've been through and they are strong and we love them and we miss them," said Mrs. Maria Lastowski, a teacher at NFA Main. 

Students were encouraged to arrive with their cars decorated in NFA blue and gold. The students did not disappoint.

Kisbell Fuentes decorated her car with Post-it notes, each one representing a different part of her high school experiences like drill team, goals, and hard work.

"I did six years in high school, two in my country, four here," said Fuentes. "But it is what it is, I'm grateful that I have health.

The graduates say they're grateful for the memories while looking ahead to the future.

"I think it's obvious that we all made great memories in the first three and a half [years] and if we can learn from any of this it's how to bounce back and be stronger and that’s what we do as Goldbacks. We bounce back and we’re resilient," said NFA Main class president, Luke Fischer.

Newburgh School District officials say that while graduation for these seniors won’t be the same this year they are finalizing their alternative graduation plans for the class of 2020.