2 western Wisconsin high school seniors walk in caps and gowns at White House

A small group of graduating students walked in their caps and gowns on Friday at the White House as they were honored in a special event hosted by President Donald Trump.

Allie Jennings and Rachel Leonard, who both attend high school in Ellsworth, Wisconsin, were invited to Washington D.C. by the White House.

"It kind of hit us this is real, “Jennings said. “We're getting past security, we are actually going to get into the White House. It’s so crazy."

It was a viral video that showed Jennings and Leonard, who both work as certified nursing assistants at the Prescott Nursing and Rehabilitation Community, holding a prom for residents that caught the White House’s attention.

"It kind of shocked us when he (President) started his speech. He was kind of like 'There were two Wisconsin girls that did their senior prom at the nursing home,'” said Allie Jennings. “I'm like 'Oh my gosh, he's talking about us.'"

The two seniors went in their prom dresses and masks to surprise a care center resident named “Gladys”, but then went around to visit other residents dancing along the way.

"Our prom ended up being canceled, we were like 'We both have our dresses, we already paid for them,' so we'd go surprise her anyways," Leonard said. "It turned into something really great."

The class of 2020 at Elllsworth Community High School was not able to have the graduation ceremony that other classes at the school have experienced over the years due to the pandemic.

The moment in Washington D.C on Friday, Ellsworth principal Mark Stoesz said, was a welcomed sight back home.

"Our kids could live a little bit through those girls," she said. "These girls are representatives of their class. It wasn't just an honor for these girls, it's an honor for this particular class."

The pandemic brought the teens a little closer to the patients they care so much about at the center in Prescott.

"It gave us an opportunity that we wouldn't have had," Leonard said.

Jennings and Leonard plan to both attended college in the fall.