RITZVILLE — The 2020 senior class was honored at Lind-Ritzville High School over the weekend, with an art installation on the football field beside LRHS. 63 seniors from Lind-Ritzville, Sprague, Washtucna and Kahlotus high schools were honored.

Rita Fryberger, a former teacher and parent in the Lind-Ritzville school district, said she came up with the idea after seeing what Moses Lake had done with its “Field of Chiefs” behind Chief Moses Middle School.

Fryberger, who currently teaches at Chief Moses, said she knew the school district already had the bronco stencil for football games. From there, she said, it was just a progression from there towards the finished product.

Fryberger enlisted the help of other former BroncBoosters, a group that supports extracurricular activities at LRHS. She said she retired from the group after her youngest son graduated in 2013, but still contributed when she could.

After just three hours on Saturday, the project had come to life. Fryberger said the response has been positive since posting the project online over the weekend.

It’s great for the community to be able to give these seniors something they’ll remember, even if it isn’t the traditional senior moments, she said.

“Having the couple different things that were special, even though it’s not traditional, they realize the community is behind them, supports them, and is trying to encourage them in this weird time,” Fryberger said.

As she watched a senior athlete walk across the field over the weekend at LRHS, Fryberger said she thought of her own son, and how important those senior moments were for him.

“That kid, he got his football season, but he didn’t get his baseball season or his track season,” Fryberger said. “That last walk on the field, it’s different than it should have been. But, at least there’s kind of that closure, I got that last walk on the field.”

Fryberger said this project and this senior class held special importance to her.

“I taught for three years in the Lind-Ritzville school district when it was starting its cooperative,” Fryberger said. “I had this group of seniors, I had them as sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students in English.”

Fryberger said the post took off online between parents, students, and community members, with messages of thanks coming in as well. She said the support is going towards the BroncBoosters, without whom, she said, the project wouldn’t have been possible.

Fryberger said she hopes that this time will help remind students, especially underclassmen, the importance of living in the moment, not taking anything for granted.

“It’s an opportunity to learn that you can’t put off things you want to do because you never know, is this going to be last time we’re going to be in English together, the last time I’m able to do my long jump, the last time I’m able to play softball in high school,” Fryberger said. “As sophomores and juniors, they’re thinking ‘I can’t wait for my senior year.’ And your junior year was it.”

Students, parents, and families are encouraged to come check out the project on the football field beside LRHS.