XENIA — Xenia High School seniors received some unexpected inspiration on social media Thursday.
Former Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer sent the district a video message for members of the class of 2020, congratulating them for their achievements and wishing them luck in the future.
Athletic Director Nathan Kopp made it happen after he and Superintendent Dr. Gabe Lofton discussed a way to honor the seniors, and really all of the students. For a small donation to the Urban and Shelley Meyer Family Foundation, Meyer will record a personal message.
“It was just something small we thought we could do,” said Kopp, who recalled 19 years ago when he was a senior in high school pitching his final game in the spring and prepping for prom.
“He’s got Ohio ties,” Kopp said of Meyer. “He’s a guy most of our kids will recognize.”
In the 30-second message, Meyer said it “has been a strange year for all.”
“A lot of you seniors didn’t get to experience some of the typical prom and graduations that most of us had,” Meyer said. “We wish you all the best of luck. We all will get stronger from this adversity.”
He ended by saying, “go bucks,” which was appropriate since Xenia’s nickname is the Buccaneers and the teams are often referred to as the Bucs.
Kopp previously had former Xenia and Ohio State star Vaughn Broadnax reach out to students on social media as well.
