Thinking Forward Deprived of tradition, the Class of 2020 ready for the future By Kendall Ash | Photos by Bryan Mitchell
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our years ago, I played Pomp and Circumstance with the NHS band for the first time as I watched the class of 2016 take their seats at graduation. The ceremony was somewhat long-winded for a freshman who hardly knew anyone from the graduating class, but watching the seniors turn their tassels and throw their caps in the air was a heartwarming moment. As I cheered my friends across the stage in the following years, I dreamt of being in their place; of receiving my diploma and feeling a sense of fulfillment while shaking my principal’s hand. If this were a normal year, the moment I have waited for would be at my fingertips. Instead, no one knows for sure what graduation will look like, and if I get to shake my principal’s hand at all, we’ll probably both be wearing gloves. It has
22 The ‘Ville
now been nearly three months since the stay at home order was issued, and life has changed dramatically in this short time. Students and teachers faced a unique struggle as we adjusted to a completely different online school environment. For seniors, Northville High School Principal Tony Koski handed out caps and gowns to the loss of facegraduating seniors in a different way this year. to-face learning and extracurriculars is especially small groups; but the available options just disheartening. This time of the year seem impersonal. Instead of being clapped is normally spent creating enjoyable out by our parents on the last day of school, memories of seniors’ last days with events we smiled and waved at our teachers and like prom, graduation, and the senior all pressed a button that said “leave meeting.” night party. We look forward to these Northville’s Class of 2020, in particular, events as parts of a final farewell to high has been through some rough times school and as a way to focus on all the good together, especially this year. The from the last four years. Because of the community we have built as a result of our pandemic, we must instead forego many of struggles is considerate and dependable, the “lasts” we hoped to celebrate. and many of us rely on its support. To leave For me, that means no last concert this community so abruptly without proper for my band or wind ensemble, no last closure just feels wrong. We have lost an astronomy club meeting, and no last day entire transitory period when we would of school. The events we are missing out normally be able to say goodbye to our on are what many people remember when classmates and accept our passage into a they think back on their senior year, or new environment. even high school in general. When I These last couple months it has felt like look back on this year in the future, we were in limbo. We hadn’t really left high though, my memories will be school, but it was still gone. Now, we also much different. worry that the pandemic will extend into Grad parties will be held next semester, meaning many of us will virtually or not at all, and be taking college courses online. If this is events like prom and the the case, then we will also lose the valuable all night party are out of experience of having in person lectures the question for the time and being able to live on campus. As a being. Graduation may be precaution, some of my peers have opted to held in cars, online, or in postpone their acceptances to universities
