June 2021 – Around the country states have lifted the restrictions related to the pandemic that began fifteen months ago. It is a much awaited and anticipated announcement by many, particularly by graduates, since June is the month when many graduation ceremonies take place. The lifting of social distancing rules means that families can attend the events and gatherings to celebrate a milestone of their graduate. I took a look back at the June days of last year when High School Seniors of Class 2020 were invariably disappointed as their entry into the next phase was marked by online speeches and canceled proms, absences of traditional-style graduations and overseas trips.

2020 Graduations and the Age of Uncertainty

High school seniors across New York state and around the country will miss once-in-a-lifetime memories of graduation ceremonies. They are canceled in an effort to control the spread of Coronavirus. Graduation represents a major transition in an individual’s young life symbolizing a passage into the next stage of life.. In other words, a school graduation serves as a ritual ceremony that celebrates with much pomp and pageantry the student’s personal journey, while marking a transition into adulthood. These important milestones are meant to be shared. High School seniors of class 2020 missed the experience and the opportunity for connecting with their peers at this critical point of transitioning into adulthood. When a major rite of passage, such as graduation, is abruptly disrupted, it can cause confusion, disorientation and lack of closure among those affected, experts say. For the class of 2020, this frustration is further exacerbated by the uncertainties they face in the fall, in terms of their academic plans. The teens and young adults who were sheltered at home were suddenly dealing with experiencing transition in a new way and adapting to an environment marked by adversity and unknowns. It was not just graduation. Schools have many traditions leading up to the final ceremony, such as sports ceremony, senior trip, prank day, and, of course, prom night. As a senior, my daughter, Rea, was looking forward to the spring season of the Track and Field Team. She told her coach that she was heartbroken the last competition race in High School was the Indoor Season Championship, since the rest of the season was canceled. The Sports Awards ceremony and a special celebration for the Senior Athletes were also called off. Senior trip and Prank Day did not happen!

The Graduation

In emails that acknowledged the importance of a long-established tradition of graduation, United Nations International School proposed hybrid ceremonies: an online event in the spring, followed by an in-person celebration in the fall when it is believed the pandemic would be under control. The news reports showed impromptu parades in front of senior’s houses as principals and faculty made extra efforts to convey their appreciation for graduates given the extraordinary circumstances. There was none of that from UNIS. At the end of June, a huge banner appeared at the rooftop of the UNIS building, draped over the eastern corner of the structure: Congrats Class of 2020! It too was an anticlimactic representation of the whole experience. The June virtual celebration of UNIS Class of 2020 hosted over 800 individuals. Dr. Dan Brenner, UNIS Executive Director, introduced the keynote speaker, the UN General Secretary, Antonio Guterrez. “We were meant to be together at the UN General Assembly in the room that embodies UN history, yet COVID has altered everything,” said the 9^th Secretary General, who described the pandemic as a wake up call. “We are at the beginning of learning about the virus and its impact,” said Mr. Guterrez. He called for massive multilateral efforts that will be required to combat the health crisis by engaging in a global cooperation and actively debunking “the epidemic of misinformation”. This year marks the 75^th anniversary of the UN, a milestone that would have been celebrated with the UNIS seniors at the Assembly Hall graduation ceremony. Rea and I were sitting in front of the screen as students directed a few questions following Guterrez’s remarks. The Secretary General, who is a Portugal native and grew up in an oppressive environment, has had a long career in the service partly thanks to “his early appreciation for solidarity”. His advice to the graduates was to be who they are! Wishing them continued success, Mr. Guterrez said “Education is about learning as you move on the path of life.” A video montage from junior, middle and high school years, recorded messages from teachers and counselors were presented afterwards in what was the highlight of the ceremony.

Albanian American Seniors

To understand the teens point of view, I asked three Albanian-American seniors of the community about their impressions and expectations from their graduation. My daughter, Rea, said that she is grateful that an effort was made to keep the graduation tradition. “Yet, instead of walking down the General Assembly Hall, across the podium, passing the speaker’s rostrum under the impressive domed ceiling, I was seating in front of MacBook air at home.” While it was a relief not to hear the typically long speeches of the graduation, she wished the guest speaker did not talk about the virus. “I was hoping for an escape, if only for the duration of the virtual ceremony,” said Rea. She appreciates the technological advancements and virtual Zoom calls, yet she can’t help feeling disappointed for not having an in-person ceremony with friends and family. Darius, a fellow senior, rationalized that bringing large crowds of more than 300 people in the one room at this time is very risky, yet he said “it feels demoralizing”. In a bit of an ironic twist, Darius noted that he came to the US for these opportunities and to enjoy the whole experience, only to have it taken away. “I didn’t get to experience prom or even graduate with my friends and it’s something I’ll never experience again,” he said. Both seniors appreciated the teachers’ recorded short videos with inspirational and encouraging messages for the class of 2020, the kind messages from college counselors and even elementary school teachers. Rea admitted that it was emotional to watch the video montage from junior, middle and high school years. “Viewing a parade of wonderful memories on my monitor prompted a feeling of un-fulfillment and having to accept an unrewarded ending of years of hard work,” she said. The Albanian-American senior recounted previous years’ graduations where she as a member of the school’s Wind Ensemble has performed the Pump and Circumstance for senior classes from 2016 to 2019. “As I got closer to our own ceremony of 2020, my anticipation was flying high only to take a dive down in a hard landing. The online graduation was a letdown compared to what I’ve seen the real experience is supposed to be. Yet, the rite of passage is complete, and I am a 2020 High School graduate,” said Rea. Then with a soft smile, she described how her family turned the living room into a private graduation hall with banners, hanging decorations, a speaker’s stand, balloons, centerpieces and even custom made tee-shirts.

Franka Veliu, a senior at a Bronx High School, experienced a Drive-Through Parade instead of a graduation at the end of June. She had dreamed about the High School graduation ceremony ever since elementary school. The eruption of Covid-19 early this year and months long restrictions on huge gatherings deprived her of the traditional cerebration. “I would always dream of hearing my name being called in a large auditorium and of walking on the stage, being proud of myself,” Franka remarked. She responded graciously to my request to describe the recent event. “As I approached my High School, I saw a long line of cars beautifully decorated, all of my teachers standing in different ‘stations’ handing out food, gifts, our diplomas and awards. It was a well-organized and incredibly ‘unusual’ graduation. An unforgettable experience that will be a part of our history!”

The Pan-Albanian Federation of America VATRA has a long tradition of celebrating the accomplishments of students of our community. President of VATRA, Elmi Berisha, hosted a lunch for Arelena Shala and Ylli Dalladaku, two newly graduated cadets of West Point – United States Naval Academy.

A Special Entry in the Books

While some schools have announced plans of fall celebrations, the administration and parents acknowledge that even if it were to happen, it will be difficult and disruptive to the students’ lives. Some experts advice that envisioning a celebration at the end of the crisis and remembering that their sacrifices were not just for their own health and safety, but for the greater good, helps the seniors to overcome the situation. The class of 2020 seniors are invariably disappointed for missing important milestones. Yet, inadvertently, they have made the first entry in the record books of graduations. Class of 2020 will forever be acknowledged with praise and admiration. The graduation ceremonies did not resemble those of previous generations and were not held in auditoriums and great halls, yet these graduates shared their experience with the whole world and that’s not a

small claim.