This story is first in a series covering graduations during COVID-19
Story and photos by Jerry Masek
No prom, no traditional graduation ceremony, no hanging out with friends.
It would be perfectly normal if members of the Class of 2020 feel cheated and depressed as they watch a national pandemic wash away their senior year.
But that’s not the case, says Faith Habrat of West Park. “I’ve talked a lot with other seniors, and we agree. We started the year together, and we are going to end it together. We’ll just remember all the good times. We’ll be fine.”
“We are trying not to feel cheated. We understand that everyone is doing what they can.”
But she admits,”It has been scary. It’s not the senior year I expected.”
Prom has been pushed back to July, and may not happen at all.
“I’m not really huge on prom,” she said. :But to not have it is very upsetting. It is a good time to share with friends.”
Before the shutdown, Faith attended the Cleveland School of Science and Medicine, located next to the sprawling Cleveland Clinic campus. Since March, he has studied at home.
“I try to cope with that. Life is hectic, and its really frustrating and hard. We text and e-mail our teachers and our principal a lot throughout the day. They are very helpful. We want to make sure we know what their expectations are.”
This summer, Faith will work as a camp counselor at Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU). After that, she begins work on a psychology at the University of Cincinnati.
For now, she is focusing a school-by-school drive-thru graduation ceremony that all Cleveland seniors will eventually particpate in.
Her graduation party was “no big get-together.” but a drive-by parade of family and friends as they drove past her house on Woodbury Ave., on Sunday afternoon, May 24.
Pre-party checklist: Cap, check. Gown, check. Mask, check.
It’s still an event that Faith will never forget.