Pocomoke High Holds First-Ever Intent Ceremony

Pocomoke High Holds First-Ever Intent Ceremony
Pocomoke

BERLIN – Members of the graduating class at Pocomoke High School shared their future plans with the community during a first-of-its-kind ceremony.

The school hosted its inaugural Intent Night May 19 to celebrate the post-graduation plans of its senior class. Students walked down a red carpet sporting gear from their intended university or training program as their friends and family members cheered.

“I think it’s wonderful we’re starting down this road,” said Jerry Wilson, superintendent of schools for Worcester County. “We know that if they express their goals publicly they’ll be more likely to achieve them. This is something we ought to be considering in all our schools.”

The ceremony was the culmination of Pocomoke High School’s “Project 100” endeavor.

“Project 100 is our goal for 100 percent of our kids to get an education beyond high school,” Principal Annette Wallace said.

Similar to the way student athletes sign letters of intent before joining a college team, on Project

Pocomoke High Senior David Hanlon holds up a T-shirt representing his next step in the fall. Photo by Charlene Sharpe

Pocomoke High Senior David Hanlon holds up a T-shirt representing his next step in the fall. Photo by Charlene Sharpe

100’s Intent Night seniors at Pocomoke High School each added their signature to letters formalizing their plans to continue their education after high school.

“They’ll have a keepsake of the commitment they made tonight,” Wallace said.

Whether it’s with a branch of the armed forces, in a workforce development program or at college, nearly the entire graduating class will continue their education beyond high school. Wallace said teachers will spend the handful of days until graduation working with the few students who haven’t made plans to help them do so. She’s optimistic that all of the school’s seniors will be doing something meaningful after they graduate.

“Through Project 100 we sell hope to our students,” she said. “Our community and our students are hungry for that hope.”

Lillian Lowery, state superintendent of schools, delivered the keynote address at Intent Night. She said she wouldn’t have missed the opportunity for the world.

“It really is a model other schools should emulate,” she said.

Lowery said Project 100 was something that went perfectly with the state’s goal of producing students who were college and career ready upon graduation.

“I think this is the start of something really good here,” she said.

Several students said they felt the same. Senior Maya Batson was excited to share her plans of attending Salisbury University with the school community. She said she liked the fact that Intent Night was something “different” the school hadn’t done before.

“It’s a good idea because it makes everyone have a plan,” Batson said.