The past 2020-2021 year has been a memorable one for many students at Camas High School (CHS) as they recall the moments that have stuck with them most. Whether it be related to politics, extracurricular activities, school, (etc.), students recognize how memorable this year has been for them.
When a group of students was asked if their year has been mainly positive, negative, or if they’re not sure, the majority was split between positive and that they’re not sure, but negative was the minimum.
For the majority of students, COVID-19 had something to do with how their year was affected most. Some students’ most memorable moments had to do with returning to school and getting to experience something new after a whole year. CHS Sophomore, Keely Wieczorek says, “First day back was kinda crazy, but I think it was really good to see everyone again. Getting things back to “normal” is super important to everyone. And getting to see all my friends again in person really brightened the rest of my year… and I actually felt like I was understanding what I was learning.”
Another student reflected on how returning to school has affected them most this year. CHS Junior, Zoe Cox says, “I think going back to SVE was really a nice change for me, and the schedule threw me off… [it’s] a change of pace from being home all year, having something to look forward to when you sit at home all day trying to focus on your schoolwork.”
Going back to school for these students was beneficial in so many ways including mental health wellness, obtaining routine and schedule, re-establishing social relationships, learning their subjects more clearly, (etc.).
Other students had their most memorable moments occur during extracurricular activities like sports. CHS Sophomore, Grace Combs says, “… [doing] districts for track… was amazing to see that after all the separation and tension through the past year, everyone came together to support each other… It reminded me of how important community is and how much it means to have that!”
By making a frustrating situation positive, CHS Junior, Taylor Minnick says, “This year with everything that’s been going on, I didn’t think I would be able to do sports since I’m a year-round athlete. I was able to do soccer and track this year… I found that the limited time we were given in each sport, allowed me to enjoy it more than I have the past two years. I’ve built more friendships and have gone out of my comfort zone much more as well.”
Being able to participate in activities outside of school and with other people has helped many students to make memories that have made this year a positive one.
A factor that has made this year positive for other students is the lessons they have learned along the way. When asked what the most memorable moment was for her, CHS Junior, Haley Huckvale says, “I feel like just those moments when you realize that everything has an end and you only have this life to live so LIVE IT UP. Because of the pandemic, I have realized how fast things can change and not happen so I plan and do the most in my days so they are memorable and I can remember the days of the pandemic as not so bad.”
Even with all that has happened this year, in a lot of ways, many unfortunate situations have become something positive for students at CHS as they look at things from a different perspective. In fact, for many, it seems that without negative situations and experiences from this year, it would be much harder to discover the silver linings and appreciate what might otherwise be taken for granted.
