Dear Seniors,

   This isn’t how it was supposed to go. This was the final stretch of our high school experience, and we were supposed to make some of the best memories in these last few months. We weren’t supposed to get confined to our homes, left wondering if we’ll get to go to prom, play in our last season, or walk the stage at graduation. The crippling anxiety of the unknown hit in the blink of an eye, and then all of a sudden, everything was gone. 

   March 13 was the last time we would ever sit in a classroom with our friends, push through the crowded hallways, listen to Mr. Parker make announcements five times a day, and get yelled at by security for bringing coffee in the building. Some of the smallest moments meant more than we thought on the day we left for spring break. Now, our high school dreams are coming to a close, and the best we can do is make the best of the difficult times we’ve been given. We’ve been waiting on these days our entire lives. After all, what sounded better than being the class of 2020? 

    I wrote a letter in December reminding you to take in and cherish your last semester of high school and never take the experience it would give you for granted… but now, here we are. I  hope you took that advice, I hope you came to school with a smile on your face as much as you could; I hope you laughed with your friends; I hope you learned from your teachers. It’s a hard pill to swallow, and though society has told us that it’s not the end of the world, it was the end of the world we knew. Will we ever get the closure we deserve? 

   We were the generation that grew up being told that we were going to change the world, and even though the world we know seems frozen right now, we still hold that title. We’ve been told that these times and these losses do not define us, but that statement is wrong. This unprecedented time of unknowns defines our strength, it defines our tenacity, and it defines our heart. We came into this school year having to learn how to work without technology, and from there, we battled so many obstacles throughout the year that built us. We may be down and sad about the loss of our senior year right now, but we’ve stood so strong through it all. This time is the definition of our strength as people, and we’re already starting to move on to bigger things. 

   There is nothing I can say that will make our situation hurt any less, because trust me, I’m hurting too. It doesn’t sit right that I will never walk into a classroom at East High as a student ever again, or wear my soccer jersey during my last season, but those moments and how I handle them is a testament to my personal strength. Use this time to learn who you are and who you want to be, and what really matters to you, because high school was going to come to an end one way or another. Write your own story, and don’t ever let anyone tell you how the next chapter should go. Take pride in who you are, lead people, have confidence, and continue to live the life you are building for yourself. 

   The class of 2020 left an East High legacy that nobody will ever forget. Over the last four years, we have been the class with the most spirit, the most drive, and with the most passion put into anything we did. We were not just students, we were artists, athletes, writers, leaders, and scholars. We were the epitome of an E-Rab. 

   It has been an absolute pleasure to represent this school, play with these teams, learn from these teachers, and create long-lasting friendships with some of the most amazing people. East is truly something special, and I will always hold onto the memories that were made here. My journey with this school is what built the person I am today; this will always be home. Now, as we wait for the bad to pass, and we wait for our chance to finally reunite and finish what we started four years ago, promise me one thing… wherever you go, wherever life takes you, and whatever dreams you decide to chase, promise that you will go with all your heart. Don’t ever take a single day of life for granted, and don’t ever forget where you started. Smile bigger, laugh louder, and love harder. The future is full of new dreams, memories, lessons, and endless possibilities. We will get through this together. 

With love, 

Hailey Hunter

a class of 2020 E-Rab