NFA Senior deals with COVID-19

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Newburgh Free Academy

Mid-Hudson News has launched a “Student Journalist” section to allow elementary, middle, and high-school students to write essays or “news as they see it” for submission.  The following is an essay from one of our “Student Journalists”, Allison Evans.

NEW WINDSOR – I wish COVID-19 would go away as quickly as it came. When they first announced it, I was just sitting in class and my math teacher was going paranoid saying it was coming to get us all. Back then I thought it was just a joke and thought nothing of it. Once it got to the US and we went on lockdown, it really affected me. Since I am a senior and I would have graduated in June, this is the time where my friends and I were supposed to be spending the most time together before we all go our separate ways. Instead, we are left to text and FaceTime these days. Without being able to see each other, we don’t get to do the things that seniors usually get to do. For instance, our prom and graduation are not happening until the beginning of August right before we all go to college. I am lucky enough to be getting one in the first place though because I have seen some schools that aren’t getting a prom or graduation at all. 

My school is trying its hardest to honor the seniors. Everyone who doesn’t know our school labels it as the ghetto school because it is in Newburgh. The truth is that our school is just a really diverse group of kids and I’m glad to have gone to a school like that. Other schools don’t have that much diversity and I feel like it’s going to be a bigger culture shock once they are but in a room with a diverse group. My principals have been putting out encouraging videos on their Instagrams and they are trying really hard to help us have each experience that every other senior gets to have. 

Decision Day is May 1st. That is when everyone gets to walk into school with their college apparel on and take a picture with the principals to say that they are going off to do great things in the world. This year, that won’t be happening. Instead, everyone that is going to be involved has to send in a video themselves announcing where they are going. It’s not entirely the same, but I am proud of my school for trying to make the best out of a bad situation for us. Some people are mad and think that us seniors care more about ourselves then the pandemic going on, which is not true. We all think of the pandemic and do the best we can to stay inside, but after how hard we have tried to get to this point, we are allowed to be upset about our senior year. 

Now that we are home, but still have to do work, life has changed. I feel like now, teachers are giving more work than ever before. They have changed the grading system. Everything is different now and school will never be the same. Of course, the world right now is terrible with the death count rising every day.

I know everyone is sick of hearing this, including me, but it is necessary to stay inside and only go out for essentials if we want to get the world back on its feet faster. 

About the author:

Mid Hudson News Student Journalist Allison Evans.

My name is Allison Evans, but I usually go by the name “Allie”. I am 17 years old and a senior at Newburgh Free Academy. I currently reside in New Windsor with my family but will be going to SUNY Oneonta in the fall with my best friend. I will be studying childhood education to become a teacher. Hobbies include reading many dystopian young adult novels and playing on the Varsity Tennis Team at my school.

 

If you have a student that is interested in writing a submission, please send an email to bender@midhudsonnews.com and include a brief bio and picture of the student along with a note from the parent giving us permission to edit and post the story and photograph.




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