LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Moving forward after a school year like no other. It’s the last day of school for Clark County School District students! For high school seniors, it marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
“As we go on….We remember all the times we’ve had together…” This year’s senior class can certainly relate to the lyrics of Vitamin C's "Graduation (Friends Forever)" song.
“I get to walk across the stage and show people that I did this. I worked my butt off for four years and now this is my recognition for it.”
RELATED STORY: In-person Clark County School District graduation ceremonies start Wednesday
Savannah Peterson is graduating from Centennial High School and is glad to be finished with classes. She says being isolated from her classmates and friends was tough, but to make things better, she organized small group meet-ups outside of school.
“We kind of took it upon our own hands. We’re not going to just sit at home and feel sad and pity ourselves. We’re going to make the most of it,” she said.
The strange year didn’t let the Class of 2021 fully enjoy their experience. A yearbook survey from West Tech Academy shows “senior year” to be the least favorite year out of the four. Durango High School senior Maya Swift agrees.
“During like assemblies and stuff, seniors would always win everything, and I didn’t get to experience that. I know it’s a little cheesy and there’s a lot of other issues going on, but it’s like man, I didn’t experience that,” she said.
Swift says “senioritis” did hit harder than usual, especially since hybrid learning didn’t bring back a complete sense of normal.
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“There were times I was the only person in that class with that one teacher, mask on and they had a mask on. They were talking to a screen and I was sitting there,” she said.
Swift is glad to have in-person graduation and the current pandemic has motivated her to study psychology in college to eventually become a therapist.
“I know there’s going to be a lot of mental health issues involving not only quarantine, but the way life has shifted entirely,” she said.
Peterson says she plans to study nursing in college and is looking forward to starting the next chapter of her life.
“Hopefully get into that, start my life, and have a family,” she said.
The graduation ceremonies will vary from high school to high school so be sure to check with your child’s school.
