Baker High School seniors hopped aboard yellow school buses one last time Thursday to return to where their educational stories began 13 years ago.

The buses took the young people, all decked out in purple and gold graduation robes and mortar boards, first to Brooklyn Primary and then to South Baker Intermediate and on to Haines Elementary School as they finished their last day of school.

Three students who attended Keating Elementary are expected to make one more trip Friday to show off their robes and accomplishments to staff and students there.

The visit to the schools is a new tradition inaugurated by the Class of 2016 that will be known as the “Senior Walk.”

Kevin Cassidy, Baker School Board chairman, proposed the idea about three weeks ago, said Bryson Smith, student body president. Ben Merrill, BHS principal, coordinated the event with the support of Smith, Kourtney Lehman, student body vice president, and Robie Davis, senior class president. Merrill also lauded the elementary school administrators for their willingness to participate in the event that he rated a great success.

The Brooklyn School stop started on the playground where some of the younger students were finishing recess.

The seniors were greeted by applause and cheers while delivering high-fives to their appreciative audience.

For the seniors it was a time to reminisce about where they started and how far they’ve come, Bryson said.

His dad, Tim Smith, who teaches science classes at the high school and serves as athletic director and head baseball coach, accompanied the seniors on the trip. And his mom, Molly Smith, who is part-time assistant principal and math coach at Brooklyn, helped move the seniors through the school that houses kindergartners through Grade 3. Many first-graders missed the event because they were on a field trip to Boise Thursday.

After making a tour through the building and sharing a hug with his first-grade teacher, Susan Yen, Braden Staebler-Siewell found himself struggling to describe how he felt about the experience.

“It’s hard to explain,” he said. “It was nice to see my old teachers and to see how happy the kids are.”

Principal Gwen O’Neal told the seniors she got goose bumps watching them stroll through her school to the appreciation of her young students.

“I am so honored,” O’Neal told the graduates as they prepared to again board the buses and move on to South Baker.

O’Neal first met many of the seniors while serving as assistant principal at BHS. This is her third year as Brooklyn principal.

“It is so amazing to see you,” she said. “I know the impact you have on our kids right now. This is an accomplishment and I am so proud of you.”

Megan Pintock was among the students who gathered around Amanda Wilde, her third-grade teacher nine years ago. Wilde presented a class photo to each of her former students and posed for another photo with the seniors Thursday.

Megan said she appreciated the return to Brooklyn.

“It means a lot to me just because I went to school here and I remember all my teachers,” she said. “And I think it’s important for us to be role models.”

Brenda Rilee was one of many parents who tagged along on the trip with cameras and cellphones in hand to document the day. Her son, Jacob was among the graduates.

“I think this is great,” she said.

See more in the June 3, 2016, issue of the Baker City Herald.