Written by: Lisa Walton / Contributing Writer
Over the last eight weeks, COVID-19 has led to the cancellation of every major event in America, including many that are rights of passage for high school seniors. It’s no surprise that the senior class of 2020 has been the focus of a lot of sympathy and attention.
In recent days our community has come together to plan many creative ways to recognize and honor these kids. Each time I see a new idea, I find myself choking back tears. I’m touched by the ingenuity and compassion for these kids and filled with sorrow for the anticlimactic end to their final season of high school. I am not the mom of a senior, but my heart truly breaks for these kids.
There is another group of kids though, one year behind seniors, who are facing their own challenges. A group that hasn’t gotten much attention thus far – the junior class.
As the mom of a high school junior, I see firsthand the toll this pandemic is taking.
Spring semester is usually a very busy and monumental time for juniors as they prepare for senior year. This year, however, everything is on hold. Juniors are sitting around with way too much time on their hands, freaking out about the future.
I think the junior class could really use our support right now, too.
“Hey Juniors,
I see you. I see your fear, your anxiety, your uncertainty. Unfortunately, nothing I say can ease those fears. But I am here to offer you unconditional support.
I know this is a scary and frustrating time in your life. You are being asked to put your young lives on hold, indefinitely. At sixteen or seventeen years old, this is a huge request.
This spring was supposed to be such an exciting time for you. Many of you were planning to visit colleges and perhaps stay overnight in a dorm and attend your first college party. Those visits are now canceled. You can’t walk on college campuses, try campus food or meet students and chat with professors. You won’t experience the feeling that “this school is the one for me.” And, we both know, virtual tours are not the same.
You’re feeling frustrated that months, if not years, of preparation for the SAT or ACT were for naught. Those tests, too, have been canceled. As someone who is not a proponent of high-stakes testing, I assure you this isn’t all bad. Many schools are waiving the SAT/ACT for next year. But I know some of you were counting on your test-taking prowess as a chance to shine.
You’re worried that your grades don’t paint the full picture of your abilities or that your extracurriculars aren’t robust enough or that your school’s grading scale is more difficult than other applicants. The absence of standardized tests definitely shakes up the application process.
You have concerns about grades. How is remote learning going to affect your GPA? How will colleges compare students from different districts with different policies? Some districts are using remote learning only for review. Others are moving ahead with new lessons. Some schools have opted to make work voluntary. Others are assigning Pass/Fail grades. Still others are continuing with a traditional grading scale.
You might be worried about your third quarter grades. Some schools retroactively changed grading periods, cutting weeks from the quarter. This means fewer assignments went into grade calculations. And, in some cases, resulted in much lower than anticipated grades. Districts justified this unfair policy as “it was our only choice.” But that doesn’t help your GPA.
Your current “remote” classes . . . those are all over the map. Some teachers are doing an amazing job providing meaningful instruction from a distance. Others, not so much. This too can have a significant impact on GPAs and class rank.
Some of your teachers have been piling on the work – like you aren’t suffering enough through a global health crisis. Some teachers are trying to prove themselves by giving extra projects. Or worse, busywork – including word searches, crossword puzzles and voluminous review packets for state tests you aren’t taking.
Those of you in AP classes worry that the new online testing format will not showcase your knowledge. The test you have been preparing for all year, the one that was supposed to earn you college credit has been completely redesigned on the fly. You feel unprepared for the test and wonder whether the scores will even be counted by your future college.
You’re likely worried about money. Many of you lost part-time jobs when restaurants and retail shops closed. You now find yourself unemployed and penniless. You have no prospects of making money. Once again you are dependent on your parents for everything.
You worry that your summer work plans are no longer guaranteed. And you were counting on those jobs to begin saving for college. Between extended closures and the millions of adults now out of work, will you find a job?
Some of you are working, often on the front lines in grocery stores or as delivery drivers. You may even be the sole breadwinners in your family. Those are stressful situations for anyone, let alone a teenager.
Speaking of money, one or more of your parents may have lost a job. As an “almost adult” yourself, you understand what it means to be without an income. You may have noticed your parents budgeting and struggling to make ends meet. I know this weighs heavily on your mind as you worry about how your family is going to pay for college.
Athletes are feeling a special type of anxiety right now. You have worked your entire life to excel at your sport. From the time you were in preschool, you rose before dawn and braved the weather to practice. Baseball or softball, tennis or track was going to be your ticket to college. Only now, your chance to showcase your talent to scouts is gone. Are your dreams of a scholarship and a college education gone as well?
You miss your friends. You feel isolated and lonely, not to mention bored. And, you can’t help but think about all the opportunities you’ve missed to make lasting memories.
While [hopefully] you will get one more bite at the apple next year, you’re missing your junior prom. I know this loss is not as significant as seniors missing out on their prom. But, when you only get to do something twice in your life and one of those times is taken away from you, it’s a big deal.
It’s okay to be sad, confused, and anxious. It’s justified.
One of your biggest concerns right now is “what will next year even look like? Will it be what I expected?”
You have likely been dreaming about your senior year for ages. You waited for your turn to be the captain, president, senior soloist, or star of the debate team. Now, when it should be your turn to “rule the school,” you worry that all that may be in jeopardy.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the answers.
It’s too early to say exactly how your senior year is going to unfold. But I can assure you that there are many brilliant people working hard to fight this virus and bring some sense of normalcy back to all our lives. Two months ago we never could have imagined what the world would look like right now. Just think how different things might be by the end of summer.
The uncertainty is scary. Especially when you have so much to lose.
But high schools, colleges, teachers, coaches, and parents want your senior to be everything you dreamed it would be. And we will do everything possible to make it as memorable and momentous as we can.
Lisa is a writer and editor living in western, Pennsylvania. She is an experienced educator and has worked with students from kindergarten through college. She is also the mom of three rapidly growing children.