For many high school students, this past year was the first “normal” year of their secondary experience. They had to adapt to online schooling and socially distanced schooling, and they’re now adjusting to a reality that’s slightly closer to pre-pandemic times. We talked to five students at private high schools across the region about life in the wake of the pandemic, getting involved in the community, and what parents should understand about being a teen. Despite all they’ve been through over the past two years, they share a renewed sense of hope.
Ann White
Ava Yu just finished her freshman year at Nerinx Hall and is as enthusiastic about the upcoming year as she is about her school. “I just love Nerinx,” she says.
HOW WAS THE ADJUSTMENT BACK TO IN-PERSON LEARNING?
Evan: It was refreshing. I think initially students were happy when we went online because you can kind of just doze off a little bit. But after three months of online school, you realize that you actually miss it. I speak for myself and a lot of my friends when I say that people were relieved to be back in person.
Savannah: I had been at Whitfield since sixth grade, so I knew how things went, but it was an adjustment to get back into the swing of things. When [classes were] virtual, I had a lot more time to do things, but I also felt a little bit less motivated
Skye: I ended up staying online longer than the rest of my grade because my mom works in health care, and she’s primarily in an area where 99 percent of patients live below the poverty line. I didn’t want to do anything that could possibly give [COVID-19] to her to give it to one of her patients. I have the privilege that I can get the help I need, but I can’t guarantee that for some of her patients.
Ava: It wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be, because at that point, I was starving for social interaction.
Ann White
Nilavan Daniels is preparing forhis senior year at ChaminadeCollege Preparatory School, where he’s hopeful for a basketballstate championship. He also hopes to play in college and major ina sports-related field.
IS IT EASIER OR HARDER TO BE BACK IN SCHOOL?
Savannah: It’s probably more difficult—just remembering how to interact with people.
Evan: Initially, when we were wearing masks and social distancing, it almost didn’t feel like you were back in school. Desks were 6 feet apart, and the lunchroom was all spaced out. We had to spray down our desks with big bottles of sanitizer.
Skye: It was a little strange coming back, but I’m an extroverted person, and I very much appreciate being back in classes. It helped my grades, and just being around my peers and being able to communicate with my teachers made such a difference.
HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC CHANGED YOU?
Savannah: I’ve been trying to find something positive [in the pandemic experience]. I often think about years from now, having to tell my kids that this happened. This is something that’s going to go down in history. I try to think of this period in our lives as a season because seasons pass, so this trauma that we’re going through is temporary. I try to look at it that way. It gives me hope, and I try to think about what lessons we’re all going to learn from it.
Nilavan: It definitely made me a lot closer with my family. We did a lot of things together, like watch movies and play board games.
Ann White
Skye Patton is preparing for her senior year at Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School (MICDS).During the pandemic, she started a nonprofit clothing business called good, which raised more than $5,000for the Environmental Defense Fund and the Equal Justice Initiative.
WHAT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ARE YOU INVOLVED IN?
Nilavan: I started playing basketball in second or third grade, but I didn’t take it seriously until around fifth grade. [During the pandemic] I couldn’t get in the gym, but I have a basketball hoop at my house, so I spent my days shooting. Coach [Frank] Bennett did a good job of having Zoom calls where we’d work out together.
Ava: I’m really involved with the technical side of theater. It was the first day of school, and I was asked to be an assistant stage manager for our fall play. I didn’t even have time to think about high school at the beginning or to be scared, because I was involved in this big production. I met tons of people, people in my grade and seniors and upperclassmen… I’m also on student council and am going into my second year of being a treasurer. It took me a while to figure it out, like: This is what I need to do to help my class succeed. I love it so much. I know what I’m doing, and it’s so rewarding to see my class enjoying these events that I helped plan.
Evan: During my freshman year, I wanted to do some service hours, and at the beginning of the year, there was a club fair. START had a booth set up, and I thought it looked interesting. I did a couple volunteer activities, and the students who started the organization asked me to be president the next year.
Ann White
Savannah Harris, a recent graduate of Whitfield School,is attending Vanderbilt University this fall. She plans to majorin English, with a concentrationin creative writing.
WHY DO YOU THINK SO MANY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE PASSIONATE TODAY ABOUT SOCIAL CHANGE?
Savannah: People under 18 can’t vote yet, so I feel like a lot of teenagers are frustrated with the fact that there are not as many outlets to express their viewpoints. People in this generation have so many ideas… I try to think about the future and the ways I can make it better. I think we shouldn’t waste so much time complaining but instead try to fix things. I try to have that mindset: What can I do?
Evan: I honestly think social media has played a big role. For all of social media’s problems, one benefit of increasing access to social media is that it’s easy to organize around a specific issue. It’s easy to get the word out about problems in our community and gather groups of like-minded people to tackle those problems.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT RIGHT NOW?
Ava: I’m excited for sophomore year. I’m excited to take different classes and get involved in new things. I love meeting new people, so I’m just excited to meet the incoming freshmen and make new friends.
Nilavan: Senior season of basketball, for sure. I’ve been in the Final Four my first three years here, and I want to end on a good note. For me, that’s a state championship.
Laura Siebert
Evan Hugge, a senior at Saint Louis Priory School, is the president ofSt. Louis Teens Aid Refugees Today (START), an organization that helps area immigrants and refugees.
WHAT DO YOU WISH ADULTS UNDERSTOOD ABOUT THE TEENAGE EXPERIENCE?
Nilavan: I think a lot of adults don’t realize what happens in school—like, there’s bullying happening. As a parent, you’re like, “Go to the teacher,” but what parents don’t realize is that you seem soft. You’ve got to be able to stand up for yourself, and you really can’t go to a teacher to make it better.
Ava: I feel that adults don’t understand how tiring it is. I feel like when you go to work, you know what you’re doing. It’s different from going to school and having to take in information that you’ve never learned before. There are some days where I don’t want to go to school, and it’s not because I don’t like it—I’m just tired. Learning is hard.
WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION?
Skye: I’ve seen so many young people doing these phenomenal things, like Malala [Yousafzai]. You see these people who are so young doing things that are so empowering. I met someone my freshman year who started a nonprofit that’s dedicated to working with kids in economically disadvantaged areas, and he was just a 14-year-old. Seeing people around me doing amazing things is my biggest inspiration… And my mom—I’ve always appreciated how much she cares for other people. She’s just great, and I don’t think she realizes it either.
