Community Champions: Banner reunites Rosa Guerrero Elementary School class 7 years later

EL PASO, Texas -- For a high school senior, the journey to graduation day is filled with its share of ups and downs.

However, looking back at that journey can be a fun trip down memory lane.

That's what happened for some high school seniors who got to reminisce about the time spent at Rosa Guerrero Elementary School.

And it started with a banner.

In 2013, Valerie Patterson had a banner made honoring the Rosa Guerrero Elementary School class of 2013.

Each graduating student was featured with their cap and gown, including Patterson's daughter, Hannah Patterson.

Fast forward 7 years later, the former Rosa Guerrero students are now high school graduates.

While some members of the class ended up going to the same high school, others went to different high schools.

But the banner was like a beacon that brought everyone back together again.

Because covid-19 derailed some of the seniors' plans for graduation, Patterson decided to hang the banner outside her home as a way to honor them.

"All of the parents were like 'I can't believe you saved that' and I said 'yup, it's been under my bed for 7 years," Patterson said.

Once word spread about the banner, former students started to show up to take pictures in front of it.

"We've had tons of kids and parents come by and take pictures with it, so it's been fun," Patterson said. "I think they (former Guerrero students) were a little embarrassed, they didn't want to say it was cool, but they knew that it was."

For Patterson's daughter Hannah, a graduate from Canutillo High School, she had completely forgotten that her mother still had the banner.

"I mean I'm still haunted with my old school pictures, so I looked and I immediately looked away," Hannah Patterson said. "It was nice when they came over because same school or not we did it together."

And one of the fond memories at Rosa Guerrero Elementary for the now high school graduates, were the visits from Rosa Guerrero herself.

Guerrero, an artist and educator, would frequently visit the school that bears her name to speak with students and also teach them how to dance folkorico.

When ABC-7 reached out to Guerrero to tell her the story about the banner, Guerrero wanted to send her well wishes to her former Rosa Guerrero Aztecs.

"Whatever you do in life, whatever career you take, good luck and God bless you. Never give up," Guerrero said. "I love you. I love you very much, and I'm very proud of you."

And for their accomplishment for graduting from high school ABC-7 would like to honor the Rosa Guerrero Class of 2013 as this week's Community Champions, sponsored by Albertsons and the El Paso Community Foundation