Class of 2020 reacts to schools closing, missing events

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – COVID-19 has ripped away many of the memory-making events for high school and college seniors.

High school seniors could be missing out on proms and special senior breakfasts while student-athletes involved in spring sports may not see another day of competition.

“At first, it was really sad to think about the chance of not getting to have a senior prom and other senior activities that you look forward to. But I have kind of come to terms with this is the best thing for everybody right now,” said Barren County High School senior Bethany Schalk.

College seniors have already seen their year come to a close at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College and Western Kentucky University.

“We planned, with all my friends, to go to the baseball games and to do all this fun stuff for this last year, this last part of this senior year, and it is just not happening. But, I can understand where everything is coming from, but it is just still really frustrating,” Western Kentucky University senior Meghan Rice said.

For the rest of the semester, all their classes are online, meaning no in-person goodbyes and an uncertainty about graduation.

“I have classes with the same people every day, and it’s just so hard because we’ve seen each other for the last time and we don’t know if we are going to have our graduation and not to say goodbye to each other is super hard,” said Rice.

As of now, grade schools are out until late April and perhaps longer.

“Realizing that you may not get those lasts with the people that you have gone to school with for the past six to 12 years. It’s been really hard, but we are making the best of it. You know, having social media and being able to talk to your friends that way helps a lot too,” said Schalk.

Western Kentucky University has not yet announced commencement plans.