School closures caused cascading obstacles, but our resilient students did not give up, instead they continued learning. They found their way by organizing their at-home school schedule while managing responsibilities to help family and younger siblings. They adjusted to stay-at-home orders and faced household income losses and/or concerns for essential workers. High school Advanced Placement (AP) students prepared for annual AP Exams disconnected from AP teachers and peers. In total, Future Sacramento students took 18 AP Exams between May 11-22, 2020. High school seniors selected their chosen college for Fall 2020 and announced their Intent To Enroll from home, even though campus visits were cancelled, access to school counselors was lost, and Fall 2020 enrollment remains uncertain.
What began as temporary, was extended, and then ultimately schools closed for the remainder of this school year. For the graduating high school Class of 2020, all senior-year rites of passage were cancelled – or moved online. Highly anticipated graduation events connect students with their community to commemorate important transitions. Missing end-of-year senior events feels understandably disappointing.
Future Sacramento graduating Class of 2020 created their own positive alternative, demonstrating their increasing resilience to do hard things.
Rituals like graduation ceremonies bring communities together and guide us through major life events. The event unites the group to recognize individual achievements and commemorate their move from one phase of life to another. Missing highly anticipated end-of-year senior events feels understandably disappointing. Here is how our Future Sacramento high school seniors feel about their cancelled and alternative graduations:
“I dreamed of the day I walked across the stage while hearing my family cheer for me. Now, I just feel crushed when I think of it. However, I am grateful for the people that continue to care for the Class of 2020 and are trying to make the best of this situation. This event will just make us a unique and resilient class.” – Tatiana
“I still look forwarding to tuning in with my family. I look forward to being announced virtually and holding a mock graduation with my friends and family later this summer. It’s a painful reality because I attended the last two graduations and saw great friends enjoy the moment I won’t be able to experience.” – Monica
“Graduation was the grand event that I had been looking forward to since the start of my high school journey. Never did I imagine that we would have to cancel such an important event. Although this is disappointing, I am fortunate to have such a loving school community that is doing everything possible to make our graduation different but memorable.” – Jennifer
“The hardest consequence of school closure for me is all of the senior events getting cancelled. For the majority of my life I have been looking forward to graduation, senior goodbye rally, ball, etc. It is a little disappointing I’ll never be able to experience some of the best moments of high school.” – Hsinyi
