Dear Seniors, 

The past four years have kept us on our toes, to say the least. We entered high school with one goal: to survive until graduation. We worked hard to get where we are today, even if it is not the happy ending we anticipated. What were supposed to be our final victories in high school were cut short and taken away faster than any of us had thought possible. Although we will not get to walk across the stage to receive our diploma, surrounded by family and friends like we had planned, and spent the last quarter of our senior year fighting a literal pandemic, we did indeed survive. Through all of this, we remained strong and that is a victory that makes us extremely unique. 

There were a few good times we all shared and will hold close for the rest of our lives, such as playoff games, state-bound athletes, sold-out theatrical productions and crowded concerts, elaborate school dances and more. We joined activities and bonded with those around us. Additionally, everyone should congratulate themselves on their personal victories that were not shared with the class, but warrant celebration nonetheless. 

In Kindergarten, when we were called the Class of 2020 for the first time, but the year 2020 felt so far away. While the final few months of high school were ripped away from us like the last few pages of a book torn out from between the covers, we still have the memories from the past 13 years to see us through to the end, until we see one another again. In time, we will fill stadiums with cheering fans, we will smile at each other as we navigate crowded hallways, we will put together wacky outfits for dress-up days and we will line dance to Cotton Eyed Joe once again. 

As strong as our class is, we cannot take all the credit for surviving through high school. We would like to thank the teachers, coaches, directors and administration that gave us strength to keep going when things got tough. The adults of OHS were always there to support us. We have been given many opportunities for growth, and, for that, we will always be grateful and take the lessons we learned with us into adulthood. They taught us to work together despite our differences, they taught us to always look for the light at the end of the tunnel, they taught us integrity and responsibility and they showed us that we were never alone. 

Our last day of high school came and went without us even knowing it. We deserved a traditional commencement for all we have gone through together, but at least we can say that we graduated with decorated caps. We deserved a formal goodbye to our classmates and teachers, but life goes on to bigger and better things. But we are a class full of determined and smart teens who will go on to be driven and passionate adults.  

Goodbye Class of 2020, until we meet again. Good luck to all of you as we go our separate ways to accomplish our goals and aspirations. Wash your hands, stop touching your face and don’t get coronavirus.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯