A short end-of-school video posted on social media by Hockinson Heights has garnered nearly 1.2 million views since it was posted on June 16.
The video shows a group of graduating seniors from Hockinson High School (aka "The Class of 2026") passing their mortar boards to incoming Kindergartners, representing the Class of 2038. The recording took place as part of this year's Grad Walk, which has become an annual tradition in Hockinson since it was introduced in 2022. "The Grad Walk is a very sentimental event for everyone - our graduates and our elementary students and staff. I think it takes on added significance in Hockinson because so many of our students start and finish their K-12 academic careers here," said Principal Tim Fox.
When asked if he ever imagined that the video would have over a million views, Hockinson Heights Elementary Associate Principal Michael Olson responded, "No. I didn't foresee that. I loved the idea; our Transitional Kindergarten teachers envisioned it and I thought it was great. But, no, I never dreamed it would be viewed by so many people around the world," said Olson. "It's such a positive video and I'm happy it captured the heart of our seniors and the excitement of our younger students and that so many people caught a glimpse of the special connections we have in Hockinson," added Olson.
Hockinson Heights Elementary Principal Meredith Gannon offered perspective on how rare and far-reaching this video has become: "We learned that only about 1% of all videos on social media reach 1 million views. And what's so surprising is that not only has this video been viewed by people across the U.S., it's been seen internationally in places like the Philippines and Europe," said Gannon.
You can view the video here. It remains to be seen if another post from the Hockinson School District will ever again reach such lofty social media status. But it is certain that HSD students will continue to inspire and support each other as they carry on the district's 156 year tradition of "preparing all students for lifelong success."