SAINT PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s one of the most important periods in a student’s life: deciding where to attend college.
Traditionally, May 1 is a day where high school seniors announce their post-graduation plans, and parade the halls representing the place where they’ll spend the next few years of their lives.
COVID-19 changed all of that.
This year, there’ll be no hugs with friends or high-fives from teachers. Instead, there will be lots of Instagram photos and hashtags celebrating #NationalDecisionDay.
In Pinellas County, the school district is also using the hashtag #PCSDecisionDay to praise the quarantined class of 2020.
“I’m glad to see everybody go to school and what their plans are. It would have been better if we were face-to-face saying what we’re going to do, but [you] can’t really choose,” said Aaron Hardy, a senior at Tarpon Springs High School. “But it’s awesome. I’m glad to see all the different students in the county and what they’re doing.”
Hardy will be heading to the Army this summer. He is supposed to leave June 2, but COVID-19 could change that.
Like Hardy, Jenna Martin of Dixie Hollins High school is also excited for her next adventure. She will be attending the Ringling College of Art & Design in Sarasota.
“Art is always therapeutic for me to create. I love drawing because it takes my mind off a lot of things,” she said. “I’m going to Ringling for motion design, which dips its toes in all forms of the animation industry.”
Martin said she aspires to work on television cartoons and hopes to one day have her own.
Throughout the day, Pinellas County Schools will be posting the stories of students like Jenna and Aaron on Facebook and other social media channels.
A video of Brison Stevens, of Palm Harbor University High, showed the high school senior letting out a squeal of excitement as he learned he would be attending the University of Florida. Pinellas County Schools posted he has been looking forward to attending UF since he was eight years old.
"I come from a single parent household and my mom works really, really hard for me to go to this school," he said. "My senior year was cut short and I didn’t get all those regular things that we would as seniors. I just know I worked hard every single day at school, and this is where I wanted to be."
The world students will be entering when they attend school in the fall will be very different than years past. Cronavirus has moved many classes online and shifted societal norms. While it’s unclear what will happen in the fall, students are not letting the pandemic stop them from pursuing higher education and life goals.
“These times are pretty tough and I know a lot of people are struggling right now being stuck inside their homes,” said Martin. “But I guess if I were to add a message, it would be just to stay strong. You can do it. You got it.”
Emerald Morrow is a reporter with 10News WTSP. Like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. You can also email her at emorrow@wtsp.com.
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