COVID-19 is putting a damper on Grad 2020

Graduation is looking very different for the class of 2020.

Plans for how ceremonies will look are still up in the air and a lot of students are hoping they can still get together with friends in the summer to have one last celebration before the teens move on to their next stage of life. 

Will Maxwell is a Grade 12 at St. Timothy High School and says he's disappointed to not have that last day to celebrate with all of his friends and is hoping they can still have a grad ceremony and party in the summer or the fall. 

"I'm definitely a little sad as all of my buddies and all of my Grade 12 friends are as well. We don't get to be together on our special day all dressed up nice and fancy and we're a little disappointed as well with just the school for now having only a virtual grad, not postponing it and that's what we're a little upset about."

Maxwell says switching gears to solely learn online has been tricky. 

"For me it's been pretty difficult because it's super hard to concentrate when I'm by myself. So, I'll be in my room and trying to do an essay and it takes way longer because I'm not thinking straight and I'm not in a classroom setting."

Maxwell plans to spend next year working while he decides on where to go to post secondary school. 

Grade 12 student at St. Tim's - Will Maxwell 

 

Emma Baldwin is in Grade 12 at Springbank Community High School. 

She says these past two months have been difficult. 

"It's been stressful, that's for sure. Online schooling is very different, and then of course with grad being cancelled this week. A lot of the girls in my grade have their dresses already and it's a little sad because we don't want to waste our money on the dresses, but we also want to wear the dresses." 

Baldwin says she and her friends have been preparing for grad for months now. 

"I do have my dress already, we've been thinking about it since the first day of school really. My friends, they got their dresses already in September. So we've been waiting and very excited to have grad."

Baldwin says her school is doing a really good job at helping students prepare for life after high school. 

She is heading off to the University of Western Ontario to take Business in the fall. 

Grade 12 student at Springbank Community High School - Emma Baldwin 

 

Xavier Vaillancourt goes to Cochrane High School. 

He says he's upset about not having a big grad ceremony to celebrate with his friends but mostly he just wants this time to spend with his buddies.

"I think, mainly for me I'm not missing grad as much, I'm just missing seeing my friends everyday and just kind of even going to school is something that I wish I could do right now just to see everyone and just to go back to normal." 

He says the adjustment to online learning hasn't been too difficult to navigate.

"Online school is pretty good. I've found a way to kind of keep myself busy here. I have been doing some online school, trying to stay in shape for University camp next year and getting all my work done so it's been a good balance but it's definitely getting a little lonely."

Vaillancourt is heading off to the University of Calgary to study Finance and to play football for the U of C Dinos. 

 

Grade 12 student at Cochrane High - Xavier Vaillancourt