BARNEGAT – Barnegat High School celebrated the Class of 2021 with an outdoor ceremony, demonstrating an amazing sense of camaraderie after a challenging year.
Shouts and applause rang through the football stadium as each of the 250 graduates accepted their diplomas. It appeared as if they were “all in it together” – because they were.
Every rung of the education ladder came with its share of challenges, with none comparing to the series of changes brought on by COVID-19. The vision of a traditional graduation even seemed out of reach.
One group of this year’s BHS graduating class first donned caps and gowns collectively in 2008 when they finished Barnegat Community Preschool. The fifteen students subsequently transitioned through the Barnegat public school system, with most now going their separate ways.
Many of the moms who met when their graduating seniors began the local preschool remain in touch. They’ve found themselves mirroring the support their children seemingly mastered.
Kim Wheeler, who steps in next year as the president of the Brackman Middle School PTA, has four children in the Barnegat Township School District. She choked up as she described the impact of the pandemic-related shutdowns on her son Gavin, one of the graduates. He starts Rowan University in the fall.
“Gavin became withdrawn, especially in the beginning,” shared Wheeler. “I think by the time he got back in September to start his senior year, he was honestly grateful for everything.”
By that time, Gavin and his classmates had already lost out on March, April, May, and June of their junior year. The switch to virtual learning and leaving friends behind contributed to a feeling of isolation. Gavin’s driving test to get his license was cancelled five times, as were his SATs.
“Gavin is a swimmer,” Wheeler said. “This was the most important sports season for juniors looking at colleges, and they lost it. The Class of 2020 lost a lot, but at least 90 percent of them already knew where they were going to school.”
Wheeler complimented the Barnegat Township Schools for the way they approached the return to school. The initial start with a hybrid schedule seemed to keep everyone healthy and the COVID-19 numbers down.
Twins Ava and Jaxon Baker joined Gavin as part of both the Barnegat Community Preschool Class of 2008 and Barnegat High School Class of 2021.
Their mother, Nichole Baker, shared a memory of the days when the district went completely remote. She recalled a message she received at work.
“A teacher texted me to tell me Jaxon didn’t sign on,” Nichole said. “I liked that they were on top of things and checking on the kids with such a personal touch.”
“I hated the virtual learning,” admitted Jaxon. “It was really hard for me to get out of bed and not see any of my friends and just open up a Chromebook and look at a screen for a couple of hours.”
According to Jaxon, when school was back in session, everyone was still worried about COVID-19 and followed mandates regarding masks and social distancing. Many of his classmates chose to continue with virtual learning, and in-person classes had as few as twelve students.
“There was no lunch at school, and we were spaced six feet apart,” shared Jaxon. “We had dividers up between us.”
Jaxon, who loves the outside and plays basketball, recalled how the pandemic impacted his game. Not only were there no summer workouts, but the start of the season got pushed back three times. Jaxon’s off to Mount Saint Mary’s College in New York next fall, on a basketball scholarship.
“Everyone’s so eager to get back to a normal life that we’re kind of rushing the no masks and all,” Jaxon opined. “I’m really hoping it’s all over.”
College represents the first time Jaxon and Ava will be apart as Ava heads to Lehigh University in the fall. Ava plans to major in public health and epidemiology, a decision only partially influenced by the pandemic.
“I was doing a lot of research on my college, and they actually just came out with a new subsection called the College of Health last year,” explained Ava. “My goal is to be a better person and ultimately help people with a doctorate in epidemiology. I want to make sure others don’t have to suffer through something as my whole age group did.”
Like her brother and other classmates, Ava muddled through the obstacles put up by the pandemic. She found the class as a whole became closer as they faced what she hopes will turn out to be the most challenging part of their lives.
“I learned that if you keep your head down and work hard, it will lead you to great places where you can do anything,” Ava said. “I saw a lot of my friends working much harder than they ever had, and they were very inspirational to me.”
Ava admitted that the beginning of the shutdowns brought its share of uncertainty. No one knew what the future would bring.
“We were literally cut off from everyone we’ve known our whole lives,” shared Ava. “It was really hard to stay positive and focused. We pushed through it, and everything’s mostly better now.”
Some of the graduates decorated their caps, including one young lady who donned hers with sunflowers and a poignant message. It read – “The end of a new beginning.”
The next new beginning starts now for the Class of 2021 – and their attitudes should make it better than their last.
