Paris Fietsam

An empty student section, a view that was unfortunately a common scene this year.

This year has been full of unexpected and last minute decisions. PV students and administrators have gone months throughout the year without knowing what will be going on at school the next week.

When the school announced that the structure would change in two weeks from hybrid to 100 percent in person, it came as a surprise to many. This caused a huge change in people’s routines and schedules. However, COVID-19 did not lead to one simple change, but hundreds more.

Current high school students have had a much different high school experience the past two years compared to previous years. Schools missed out on countless opportunities and events, leaving students with a disappointing high school experience.

Schools were quickly shut down in March 2020 due to the pandemic, causing students to miss out on some of the most memorable events. One of the hardest losses for students was their favorite parts of high school: school dances. At PV, there was not a 2020 prom, homecoming or 2021 turnabout. PV also was very unsure about a 2021 prom, with a very late announcement that it would be happening.

Along with this, PV was not able to hold any assemblies this year, therefore having no opportunity to put on Dancing with the Studs and the Homecoming Coronation Assembly, which has been a huge event for years.

Along with school dances, PV missed out on all of the events that come with these things. Spartan Assembly was not able to hold their usual activities. Due to this, there was not a 2020 homecoming carnival, festival, court, Student Hunger Drive or Mr. PV. 

Students also had a very different year in athletics than in the past. Limited tickets were given to players, only allowing a small number of students to attend each sports game. This impacted the turnout of the student section, which was the highlight of games for many. Many seniors have long anticipated their chance to be a part of the front line, but this year they have been more worried they would not be able to attend the game itself.

This impacted the athletes as well. Having fewer people supporting at games often had athletes worrying about how well they would play. Senior Joey Borbeck had been looking forward to his senior season of basketball throughout high school, but with limited tickets it was not the season he expected. “The crowd gives us a ton of energy. With a limited crowd and tickets in place we had to bring our own energy, so we didn’t always play as well,” he explained.

While some of the bigger lost events are noticed by all, students have lost many little things that often go unnoticed. Seniors never got a normal “last first” day of school, while freshman never got a normal first day of high school. Students in AP courses did not get the chance to experience a normal AP test, and students preparing for college missed out on many opportunities to take the ACT or prep courses.

Senior Courtney Mohr took an AP class but did not take the exam for it due to COVID-19. “I chose not to take the AP test because I didn’t feel prepared enough to be able to get a good score on it, especially because we missed out on so much class time,” she explained.

The huge changes in AP tests caused lots of frustration for students. “It feels like it was a waste to take the class because I couldn’t take a test or earn any credit from it,” Mohr stated. 

Despite all of the issues, confusion and missed events throughout the year, the staff, students and teachers of PV worked together to create the best possible outcome of the current situation.