An Open Letter to the Class of 2021

We’re told that our junior year will be the most important year of high school because it's when college mania begins. It’s the last full year to get grades up, it's the year when most kids start to take SATs or ACTs, start to tour colleges, start college essays. Quite often, there's a bombardment of schoolwork that goes along with it.

Now, as the world has seemingly come to a halt, things are a little different. Standardized testing has been cancelled, meaning that many juniors will go without having SAT scores until September at the earliest. College campuses have been shut down, which means no in-person tours. Sparta High School’s final exams have been cancelled, completely transforming the weight of our marking period grades. Our sports, our shows, our concerts have been cancelled, some of which could be pivotal in our transcripts or just in boosting our moods.

Not everything in quarantine is bad. Accomodations made by schools and by the College Board have made things a little easier to manage. AP testing is online and is modified into a shorter test. A new SAT date in September has been set in place to help more students get their scores quickly. Many colleges have been hosting virtual tours and open houses, which could include personal interactions with professors and students over Zoom. Additionally, Sparta’s cancellation of finals is really meant to relieve students of review and extra stress. 

As of right now, the future isn’t super clear. There's a possibility that Sparta juniors could start their senior year online. The best thing to do is keep our heads down and continue on. Stay safe, work hard, and be #SpartanStrong.

-Liv Canova, Class of 2021