Back in March of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic had first started spreading across the country, school districts decided to close and have students learn remotely. At first, everyone was looking at the class of 2020 and how they lost the last few months of their senior year. It is now January, 11 months later and the pandemic is still an ongoing issue. High school students at the district only got to return to in-person learning for two weeks until the district decided to return to virtual instruction. Class of 2021 has not only missed out on some of their junior year, they are now missing out on their senior year as well. 

“I feel I’ve missed out on a high school experience and I feel that I missed out on sports because high school is supposed to be something you remember forever and I feel I just want it to end,” senior Jalen Foster said.

When the pandemic had first started, many people thought by January of the following year, students would be back in school and that everything would be ‘normal’ again. Many seniors didn’t think their last year of high school would end up being this way.

“When school first got cancelled I think I felt the same as everyone being that it was going to be a short time until we went back. I thought at most a month and a half. However, as the year went on, I had a feeling my senior year was definitely going to be different but I didn’t think it would be like this,” senior Alexis Surenda said.

As students are currently in the middle of the 2020-2021 school year, there are still a few months left before summer begins. Many people have different views on whether students will return back to in-person learning or not. Obviously, people are hoping for the best and want to see a change. 

“I don’t feel we will return to in-person learning because this keeps getting worse and there’s no point in going back because we will just go right back to lockdown. We have tons of kids in school, some don’t want to wear masks which can be dangerous for other people. Some people have problems with their lungs and can get sick easily,” Foster said.

As much doubt as there is about returning back to in person instruction, others are still trying to stay positive.

“I’m really hoping that we get into school because I miss my friends and seeing everyone. After this year most kids who graduate together never really see each other anymore or they drift apart. So I really want to spend my last moments of high school experiencing things with my friends,” Surenda said. 

There is really no clear answer to how the class of 2021 will finish their last year of high school. It is also a possibility that they will have no senior prom, like the class of 2020, or any idea of how their graduation ceremony will look in June.