TAMPA, Fla. - The pandemic continues to change annual events, especially ones for the end of the school year.

On Saturday, students at Pepin Academies in Hillsborough and Pasco Counties took part in a special drive-thru parade.

It meant a lot for students like Mico Procel, who was kept home from school until the parade.

“I was at home feeling sad,” Procel said. “I’m so happy now. It cheered me up.”

Pepin Academies are charter schools for students with learning disabilities. They have campuses in Hillsborough and Pasco Counties.

They organized drive-thru parades at all of their locations to give their students a special send off.

Teachers and staff cheered on students who drove through the line with their families.

“It’s been difficult. We miss our students,” said Hillsborough Executive Director Jeff Skowronek. “We miss each other. But the one thing we all have is a great resolve.”

For the seniors, their portraits lined the parade route through campus. They also got a class photo and gifts to start their new lives out.

“It’s a little sad to be missing out on some of the big milestone events,” said parent Beth Wolfgang, whose twin children Hannah and Jacob are graduating together. “But we’re really excited to have a parade here for them to get recognized. And to see all of their teachers for a last time. It’s a really nice thing they’re doing.”

A drive-thru is not quite how the class of 2020 thought the year would end, but like any graduation, it’s a special memory they’ll hopefully never forget.