Fairfax High Seniors Cheered By Elementary, Middle Students During Graduation Walk

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Two days before Fairfax High School's graduation ceremony, nearly 275 seniors donned their caps and downs to take part in the traditional graduation walk.

Starting around 9:30 a.m., on Monday, two buses departed the high school carrying students to Eagle View, Providence, and Daniels Run elementary schools and Katherine Johnson Middle School, which are all in the FHS pyramid.

At each school, the students walked the halls of the schools, which many had attended, to the applause of students, faculty and staff.

Once the last school is visited, the buses were scheduled to take the students to Old Town Fairfax to enjoy pizza from Old Dominion and ice cream from Woody's.

Part of transition counselor Dara Markenson's job is to help middle school students prepare for high school. As such, she works at both schools.

"I know it's been a tradition for some years and it's something that I know a lot of seniors really get excited about, as well as our underclassmen that will be going to Fairfax," she said on Monday.

City of Fairfax School Board Members Sarah Kelsey, Rachel McQuillen and Carolyn Pitches came out to KJMS on Monday to take part in the celebration.

"This is actually the best time of year for the school board," Pitches said. "It's so much fund doing the graduation walk and then we attend graduation on Wednesday. Just seeing some of these kids that have gone through our schools since kindergarten, this is really exciting."