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<p>NANTICOKE &#8212; One area school started a new tradition that the administration hopes will inspire younger students to stay in school &#8212; a graduation walk.</p><p>Students, who were already in caps and gowns at the Greater Nanticoke Area High School for graduation practice, took 20 minutes from their day on Wednesday to walk the halls of three of the districts buildings. They walked through the educational center (grades six and seven), elementary center (grades three, four and five) and Kennedy Elementary (grade two).</p><p>GNA Superintendent Dr. Ronald Grevera said the students didn&#8217;t walk in the K.M. Smith building because the building isn&#8217;t part of education center.</p><p>Grevera said board member Wendy Wiaterowski brought the idea to Grevera&#8217;s attention after seeing the tradition on social media about a high school in Texas.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a nice little tradition; great idea,&#8221; Grevera said. &#8220;It&#8217;s surprising that nobody really thought of it before.&#8221;</p><p>Grevera hopes the walk will &#8220;show the importance of education to the younger kids.&#8221;</p><p>Alexis Selli, 18, president of the senior class, agreed with Grevera.</p><p>&#8220;They&#8217;ll see us and want to work to be like us,&#8221; Selli said.</p><p>Matthew Schwenk, principal of Greater Nanticoke Area High School, said he &#8220;was at the end of the (senior) line&#8221; and saw that the younger kids were just as inspired as the older kids were.</p><p>&#8220;It was a win-win&#8221; Schwenk said noting that the younger kids were motivated to stay in school and the older kids were recognized by adults and former teachers. Schwenk called the atmosphere similar to a &#8220;pep rally.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;I saw young kids clapping, hands outstretched for high-fives,&#8221; Schwenk said</p><p>&#8220;The kids faces light up,&#8221; Selli remembered.</p><p>Selli was the first person in line while walking though the halls. She said the seniors were &#8220;so happy&#8221; they received the approval from the administration to do it.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not an option (to not continue),&#8221; Selli said.</p><p>Selli called the &#8220;graduation walk&#8221; one of her &#8220;fondest memories&#8221; of high school that she&#8217;ll take with her to the University of Florida.</p><p>Nanticoke will graduate 141 graduates Wednesday with 58 students reporting that they will be attending two-year schools and technical institutes and 61 students reporting they will be attending four-year colleges or universities.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Greater Nanticoke Area senior Alexis Selli leads the class of 2016 in a &#8220;graduation walk&#8221; to inspire the younger students. It&#8217;s a tradition Selli thinks the district needs to continue. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_image201663203337868.jpeg</photo0><caption0>Greater Nanticoke Area senior Alexis Selli leads the class of 2016 in a &#8220;graduation walk&#8221; to inspire the younger students. It&#8217;s a tradition Selli thinks the district needs to continue. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Greater Nanticoke Area conducts ‘graduation walk’ as a new tradition