Maspeth High School purchased seven celebrity cameos for the graduating class of 2021 to honor their accomplishments after missing out on a normal senior year.
The Cameo App allows people to purchase short personalized videos of their favorite celebrities.
The following celebrities were featured: Anthony Anderson from “Black-ish,” David Henrie from “Wizards of Waverly Place,” Kat Graham from “The Vampire Diaries,” Pete Alonso from the New York Mets, James Maslow from “Big Time Rush,” Kevin Chamberlin from “Jessie” and Brian Baumgartner from “The Office.”
The seven celebrity cameos were released each day the week leading up to the graduation ceremony in June. Students were completely surprised when the cameos were posted on the school’s Instagram page.
‘The responses were amazing. The kids were shocked to see celebrities shout out the school,” Maspeth High School Assistant Principal Jesse Pachter said. “They seemed to really like the celebrities that were chosen.”
Pachter interviewed 11th-graders to ask what celebrities the seniors would like to see.
The cameos ranged in price. Some were under $100 and others were priced at over $200. The school’s PTA had chipped in as a going-away present for the seniors.
Pachter pointed out that this graduating class lost an entire normal senior year compared to the class of 2020.
“They were robbed of a senior year, and I think it was important to acknowledge all that they’ve done,” Pachter said. “I could tell them how proud I am but hearing it from a celebrity may make them feel even more accomplished.”
The ceremony was held at St. Johns University on the Great Lawn.
Pachter said that this is something he will continue to do for graduating seniors.
“Regardless of pandemic or not pandemic, it was a creative and fun way to celebrate the graduates,” Pachter said.
