Instead of ‘Pomp and Circumstance,’ Class of 2020 graduates with pandemic and protest

There is a word that high school graduates use to succinctly sum up what the pandemic has done to their senior year.

“It just sucks,” said Genisse Gonzalez, 17.

She hasn’t missed a day of school since kindergarten and has never received a final grade lower than an A. But in this pandemic-shortened school year, there was no award ceremony to reward her accomplishment.

“They gave me a pin to wear on graduation...,” she said. “I appreciate the medals and the trophies. The fact that in my high school I didn’t get anything big, for 13 years I feel is a long time. I feel they should make it more recognized, doing that hard work.”

Genisse and her 21,000 fellow graduates of Miami-Dade County Public Schools worked hard and waited their turn. They want what everyone else got, the stuff of coming-of-age teen movies — a wild prom night in dresses and tuxes; senior awards and their final yearbook signings; and a pomp-filled ceremony that ends with dozens of caps hurled into the air in front of family and friends.

Gone also are the senior superlatives that matter to those who worked for them. End-of-year competitions for thespians, robotics engineers, future lawyers and orators. Athletic championships for spring athletes. The in-person grandeur of the Silver Knight ceremony for nominees who logged thousands of hours of community service. Proper farewells, send-offs, goodbyes and thank-yous to the teachers who made it all possible.

The generation born into the chaos of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks will unceremoniously crown their high school experience on June 3 of a historically trying year. Their not-so-fond memories will be drive-by graduations and Zoom ceremonies. It’s the last day of school for everyone else in public school, too.

The Class of 2020 will have much to say about what it was like to embark into a very real world at this time, but it won’t be like anything graduates imagined. Coronavirus stopped time, the economy went into freefall and the streets were filled with protesters, tired and outraged by seeing another black man murdered at the hands of police.

Society at large, often running on fumes of nostalgia for simpler times, feels their pain. Teachers, administrators, radio stations and the super-famous like NBA legend LeBron James and former President Barack Obama have all tried to dull the ache.

Extreme graduations

Some high schools tried to make the best out of it. Somerset Island Prep in Key West held a graduation on jet skis. Miami Country Day School hired planes to fly sky banners congratulating the Class of 2020. Christopher Columbus High School graduates will move over their tassels while driving on the Homestead Miami Speedway.

District administrators Steffond Cone and Reggie Fox were tasked with making the taped graduation ceremony as normal as possible. All 63 graduation ceremonies will be aired online and on public television.

On the bright side, anyone can tune in, and this year schools won’t run out of tickets or seats.

“We don’t really think of the challenges. We know why we’re doing it,” said Fox, the district’s administrative director over athletics activities and accreditation. “For the graduates who have worked toward this goal for 12, 13 years of their lives, it’s a labor of love.”

The Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald are having their own special salute to the Class of 2020 at 8:20 p.m. — that’s 20:20 on the 24-hour clock — on June 3 at miamiherald.com, so join us there.

Nikia Brown-Johnson’s “cool teacher” status at Miami Springs High School gets her invited to attend graduation and chaperone prom every year. She knows her students’ pain — her own son is graduating, too.

“It just really really hurts me that these kids work so hard for four years and not to be acknowledged for their accomplishments,” she said. “It just devastates me.”

Adopt a senior

She had to do something to make her students feel special during these uncertain times. So Brown-Johnson created a Facebook page called “Adopt a 2020 Senior Miami-Dade County” as a grassroots way to brighten seniors’ days. Seniors post about what makes them special and where they’re headed, and anyone can “adopt” them.

Family, friends, teachers, entire alumni classes have showed up in a big way. Grads have been showered with gift cards, dorm essentials, yard signs and private graduation ceremonies, even half of a stimulus check toward college fees.

Some grads don’t want anything material. They just want some guidance in a time where it seems like the world has been turned on its head.

“It’s not about the gifts,” said Brown-Johnson. “It’s about giving them that ear that they need.”

There’s talk of an in-person graduation or prom at a later date, but that won’t hit the same. Still, Gonzalez, who is graduating from MAST @ Homestead, will settle for anything that resembles the traditions she waited so desperately for and now mourns.

“I still can’t comprehend it,” says Gonzalez, who’s off to the University of Florida. “Sometimes I just ignore it and I act like it’s not happening because it’s just so crazy to understand. These [school] events I’ve always wanted to go to keep getting canceled. It’s unreal. I don’t know if [I’m] in denial. I just want to pause and act like it didn’t happen. I just want it to pass. Act like it never canceled. Like these [world] events never happened.”

‘Nobody deserves anything bad’

At a time when the spotlight should fall on them, many graduates have instead stepped up to aid others. They’re helping out at home, volunteering for those in need and marching for justice. They have a new appreciation for their friends, for school even. Some are enjoying time spent with family before leaving the nest.

The graduates spared from the consequences are mindful that other families have been ravaged by a harsh and misunderstood virus. They keep it in perspective even if emotions get the best of them.

Kevin Garcia sees life a little differently because he spent a few days in a psychiatric ward freshman year to treat depression.

The now 17-year-old worked on himself and, as a senior at Miami Arts Studio 6-12 @ Zelda Glazer, earned his first high grades. He called it his peak year, despite having his statewide thespian competition canceled, jeopardizing his dream of taking off to New York City to become a voice actor.

“I’m upset, don’t get me wrong,” Garcia said. “All the fun stuff was supposed to happen this year. I prefer that everybody and their families are healthy and safe than to be selfish and want to do all my activities. Nobody deserves anything bad to happen.”

This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 6:00 AM.