Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a classic 80s movie about a group of seniors who take a day off from school and the escapades that ensue. Most high school seniors, at one time or another, come down with a similar case of “senioritis,” the symptoms of which include sleeping in, cutting classes, staying out past curfew, and spending time partying with other seniors afflicted with the “syndrome.” There has never been a known cure for senioritis, until now. Even Ferris wouldn’t have been prepared for a two and half month absence from school.

A little over two months ago, at the normal end to a normal school day in March, there was light discussion over plans for the long weekend and confused murmurs over the newly declared pandemic known as Covid-19. Looking back, so much has happened. Nationwide quarantine orders have gone into place; restaurants and stores have closed their doors, and life as a high-schooler came to a grinding halt. Ceasing social activity canceled or changed many high school activities such as athletic seasons, prom and even graduation.

Chapin high school senior Noah Davis was preparing for his final year of varsity baseball when the virus caused the cancellation of the rest of the season. “Adjusting to life without the remainder of my baseball season and the rest of my final moments and memories has been different. Knowing what could have been hurts the most, as our team was having an amazing season and we were expecting nothing short of a state title,” Noah said. “For a while I just kept holding on to hope that school would return and life would resume, but hearing that school was canceled for the rest of the year opened my eyes. I have made it my goal to stay motivated and continue to find ways to work on school, baseball and continuing to workout from home.”

Banners featuring the CHS’s Chapin Eagles were posted throughout downtown Chapin in honor of their hard work and success.

Despite the devastating end to many senior athletes’ seasons, the Chapin community has made the celebration of their seniors a priority. Working together with the town, Chapin High School created and hung senior athletic banners along Columbia Ave, in the heart of the town. Yard signs were also created showcasing 2020 graduates, tying together the community throughout each and every neighborhood. “Although this doesn’t make up for our lost time in the halls and on the fields, it brings comfort knowing that students and athletes are supported and recognized. Our community has made it a goal to support our seniors in every way that they can,” Noah said.

Without being able to connect in person, District Five has moved to social media and other online resources to spread information and keep students on track. Virtual Google meets occurred frequently between teachers and their classes and virtual district-wide challenges were spread—all in an attempt to keep the students connected to their schools and the rest of the community. District Five superintendent Christina Melton has been one of the key figures orchestrating this transition and has had to rely on new partnerships and resources to get her job done.

“The stress has been physical, emotional and mental on all of us. But because there is no recorded history of anything like this, I’ve tried to be more inclusive, more thoughtful,” Melton said. “I’m keeping the vision and mission of this district in mind and students in our decision making. I hope that our students see that I’m really focused on what they need and what we can do for them.”

This year was the first time students had a direct influence on what would become of graduation. A survey was sent to both the families of 2020 graduates as well as directly to the seniors evaluating whether a virtual graduation was preferred over an in-person ceremony. The latter of the two reigned most popular, and socially distanced graduation ceremonies were planned for each school in June.

“The survey was developed for the class of 2020 and for the families of the class of 2020. I decided to send it directly to our seniors and also send it to their families and compare the two to see how aligned they are. As far as I know, that was a first for District Five. Seniors have never had the kind of influence to make decisions about graduation [before]. So, I’m proud of that,” Melton said.

Besides graduation and athletic seasons, senior prom was another aspect of high school that many students were sad to see let go. With the social distancing guidelines set in place at the time, there was no feasible way for schools to create a safe enough environment to host prom, which led to the decision to cancel the dance all together. With this cancellation though, some of those in the community took it upon themselves to host a prom for their own kids and their friends. A parent to two girls in Chapin High School, Maddie and Mallery, Clare McKay went the extra mile in making sure her kids and their friends had a night worth remembering.

“As a mom, it’s extremely difficult to see your child disappointed especially when it is out of your control. Senior prom is an important milestone in a young adult’s life. To me, I couldn’t have imagined what I would have felt like not having the option of participating in my senior prom. I hated it for my girls—I didn’t want them and their friends to miss out,” McKay said.

Although the faux prom didn’t have the huge venue or massive crowd, the night proved to be even more special for the girls as they got a personal celebration with their closest friends. The appropriately dubbed “Promdemic” gave the opportunity to both high schoolers and their parents to catch up with each other after spending months in solitude.

“I think our kids appreciated it more since they didn’t even know if they were going to have a prom. While [the parents] were elated to be doing this for our kids, I don’t think we realized how much we needed it too,” McKay said. “After months of watching high school milestones being taken away from our seniors, it was immensely gratifying to see such genuine happiness on each of their faces.”

“ The traditional model has been turned upside down, and I would say that the district has risen and exceeded the challenge.”

— Dr. Christina Melton

This school year was not the one that any high school student thought they were getting. It had been a long few months of confusing changes and anxiously waiting for what was coming next. This time has not been easy on anyone, but that does not mean there isn’t a bright side to focus on. We have all been gifted with more time to spend with our families and a chance to slow down and spend days in our own routine rather than one dictated by a typical school schedule.

A lot has been lost from this year, but much has also been gained. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, Chapin students haven’t been forgotten. Honoring them has been a feat that has taken the effort and participation of local schools and members of the community.

“I would say that our faculty and staff have grown closer together because we have flipped how we educate students, and that took a creative commitment of our staff. It has given us the opportunity to look at how we’re serving, but [it has] also given us the challenge of working together to serve our community and to serve our students,” Melton said. “The traditional model has been turned upside down, and I would say that the district has risen and exceeded the challenge.”

One thing is certain, next year’s seniors will surely appreciate everything school has to offer. Even Ferris would agree to that.