Movin' on

Robbinsville – Families and friends socially distanced from others. Temperatures were taken at the entrance gates, and masks were required to sit in the bleachers.

However, despite all the curveballs the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown, the Robbinsville High School Class of 2020 was able to end the most unique school year in history with a walk-off home run, as 96 seniors turned their tassels and moved on to the next chapter of their lives Saturday on a hot morning at Modeal Walsh Memorial Stadium.

“I know that this worldwide crisis has been a challenging time for a lot of people,” Warren Brooks said in his “Welcome” speech. “For us students, we believed that we would finish off our school year like any other year before us. We planned to spend so much more time around one another, in preparation for moving on to the next stage of our lives.

“The virus changed that.”

Understandably, most of the speeches given centered around the impact the coronavirus had on the 2019-20 school year. Students left school on March 14, never to return.

“When March 14 hit, I constantly thought about all the memories we would be missing,” Emma Nichols said in her “Tribute to Friends” speech. “We’ve missed prom, field day, normal banquets and even a normal graduation. I was sad, because I felt like we were cheated out of our last few memories together because of this pandemic.

“But as I started looking back, for the memories we did lose, there are so many in place of them. Most of us have been together since preschool. 

“We’ve known each other since we were 3-4 years old. We’ve gotten in trouble for talking during nap time, putting on a Christmas play during third grade and my personal favorite, we’ve even danced in the elementary school lunchroom to the ‘Harlem Shake’ in fifth grade.”

Salutatorian Madison Alexa “Lexy” Daniels and valedictorian Karlyn Matheson both commended their peers on arriving at high school graduation, but added that the best is yet to come.

“It’s hard to believe that our long-awaited and slightly overdue graduation day is here,” Daniels said. “These unfortunate situations that we are faced with have proven how strong and resilient our class is. As we move forward into the next chapter of our lives, I hope we never forget to look back at the memories we have made and the lessons we have learned. 

“I know this may seem like it’s the end, but it’s just the beginning of a new chapter and I can’t wait to see what our class will accomplish.”

“Looking forward. Recently, that has been hard to do,” Matheson’s speech began. “How am I supposed to write a speech about the future, when it is so uncertain? Five months ago, I was sure I would graduate on May 29. But things drastically changed, in what seemed like the blink of an eye. We suddenly became the ‘quarantine class.’ 

“As I think about this trial we are all going through, I cannot help but think of all we have to look forward to, as well. Although we may begin living in a ‘new normal,’ this is a very exciting time in our lives. As I look at all of you today, future health-care providers, business owners, community leaders, construction workers, teachers and much more are looking right back at me.”

Tayla Millsaps made sure to give a nod to all the instructors who made sure the Class of 2020 rose through the ranks, in her “Tribute to Teachers” speech.

“Teachers. These are the people who we spend most of the time growing up with,” Millsaps said. “They are the people we thought we hated, but actually loved at the end of it all. 

“Today, we recognize the sacrifice our teachers have made for us and today, we acknowledge those who have taken up the duty of educating us and leading us through life itself.”

Bryce Teesateskie threw a little humor into his “Tribute to Parents” speech.

“We weren’t sure if this day was going to actually happen, but here we are,” Teesateskie said. “Now, parents, words can never describe how thankful we are for you. But of course, I’ll try.

“Without you, we literally wouldn’t even exist. All of our mothers went through the struggle of labor and delivery, to bring us into this world. And they are quick to remind us of that, when we begin to argue with them: ‘I brought you into this world, and I can take you out of it.’