The 2020-21 School Year: A Positive Outlook During a Not So Preferable Year By: Sam Di Santi

 The 2020-21 School Year: A Positive Outlook During a Not So   Preferable Year By: Sam Di Santi

Introduction: 

    This school year has not been easy by any means. Speaking from personal experience, this year has challenged me in ways that I never thought possible. We have all experienced burnout, exhaustion, and the constant need for a break from the screen. We are all so tired after this year, and while I know everyone is counting down the days until it ends, we can still appreciate the positive things that came out of this unfortunate situation. While this is not how we imagined our sophomore year of high school playing out, I still believe that there was some good we can all look back and smile about. For my last blog post, I wanted to go month by month and describe all of the good that occurred, my goal is to bring a smile to everyone's face, and hopefully, next year will be better than this one. This year has certainly been rough, but we have all come out on the other side of it, and that alone is something to be so proud of. Our parents, our grandparents, even older siblings out of school, have never experienced something like this. We have all made do and been flexible during these "unprecedented" times, but there is so much more to this year than it seems and I'd like to highlight those good moments rather than focus on the bad.  

September: 

    I went into this school year with so much anxiety and anticipation. I had no idea what a fully virtual start to the year would look like. One of the best things that came out of September was being able to "meet" and connect with our teachers despite being through the screen. It was no easy feat creating relationships with teachers when we were all in our own homes, but we all made it out stronger than we began. In terms of global news, some positive events that occurred were that scientists discovered 3 new underground lakes on Mars, which gets us one step closer to proving that life can survive on Mars. This project has been going on for a very long time and water is one of the key signs of life due to its many important properties. The scientific advancements we made this year were certainly remarkable, whether it be COVID-19 vaccines or the general technological advancements we've experienced. Another positive event that occurred was former President Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barret to be the next Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. Whether or not you agree with her politics or her religious stance, it is always a win when another woman is nominated to the Supreme Court. The SCOTUS was dominated by men for a long time, and after the death of long-time feminist RBG, being able to continue her legacy with another female justice is nothing short of remarkable. In terms of things that personally happened to me, surviving the month of September was my greatest accomplishment. This month brought me so much anxiety and worry due to the school situation and being able to adjust to this brand new environment was an accomplishment in and of itself for me. 

October: 

    October was a big month for our schools and for my family specifically. This month, the youngest Sparta students were able to return to school. While it was brief, young kids who hadn't seen their friends or teachers since March 2020 were able to experience being in a class of people again. Even though it ended quickly after that, those kids still got a chance to be "normal" (or as close as you can get to normal in these times) again, and that was a win for not only the students but our district as a whole. In terms of national news, former President Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19 and made it out on the other side of it. No matter what you believe about his politics or his personality, the death of a president is never good for a country, especially so close to an election cycle. His health and ability to do his job well was in all of our best interests, no matter what side of the political aisle you fall on. In other news, the Nobel Prize for Chemistry was awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier, and Jennifer A. Doudna, who developed a technique for genome editing. This year was big on technological and scientific advancement, this biomedical accomplishment is just another example of that. We are getting closer to finding solutions to long-term biological problems which is a  major win. The American poet Louise Glück was also awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. In terms of religious news, the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis announced the appointment of 13 new cardinals including the first African American, Wilton Daniel Gregory. This is another step in the right direction to diversify higher-ups in one of the most respected religious institutions in the world. In my personal life, a lot of good things happened in October. My sister, Jessica, got engaged to her boyfriend after almost six years of dating. Her wedding is next Spring and we could not be more excited for her and her fiance. Her engagement was one of the best things to happen to us during this rough year and turned it around for us. 

November: 

    November was a very exciting month for Sparta Students. Students at the middle and high school were sent back for 2 weeks in November on a hybrid and half-day schedule. Although it was brief, it was still something to dip our feet back into "normalcy". Students were able to see friends for the first time in many months and officially "meet" their teachers in person. We were closed until January soon after due to COVID-19 case concerns, but even the short opportunity to see friends and socialize again was much appreciated. In terms of national news, the kids' song "Baby Shark"  became the most-watched video on YouTube with over 7.04 billion views. While this isn't particularly good news for any of us, I thought it was entertaining. Charli D'Amelio also became the first person to hit 100 million followers on Tiktok, maintaining her title as the "Queen of Tiktok". The US General Elections happened during this month, it looked like the winners were Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Kamala Harris, but due to the nature of mail-in ballots most relied more on the electoral college vote in December to confirm who the next president would be. In terms of personal news, in November my cousin, Melissa, got engaged to her boyfriend of almost 5 years. This year has been jam-packed full of engagements and has certainly shined a bright light on the Di Santi family. She and her fiance will be getting married in the summer of 2022. 

December: 

    Throughout December, all SHS students were all virtual but that doesn't mean we didn't make the best of the situation. We all began to bond virtually and get closer with our teachers and friends. We didn't let the physical barrier stop us from enjoying the year, and that is what counts the most. In terms of national news, The UK became the first western country to authorize a vaccine for COVID-19, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. This is the fastest time for a vaccine turnaround in history and certainly is an accomplishment to be proud of. On December 8th, 2020 the UK became the first country to start vaccinating citizens with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Canada authorized the vaccine for use on December 9th, on December 11th the USA authorized its use on patients in emergency situations. On December 14th, 2020 the US began vaccinating its citizens with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, on the same day the Electoral College confirmed Joseph R. Biden Jr. as the next POTUS. On December 21st, the US began vaccinating with the Moderna vaccine. The advancements made in terms of the pandemic in less than a year are nothing short of extraordinary, these vaccines are allowing us to go back to normalcy and that is no easy feat, they are surely something to be thankful for. In terms of my personal happiness, 2020 ended in December. 2020 was such a difficult year for myself and my family, it finally coming to end felt like we were turning the corner, and no matter what happened in 2020, it was behind us and we could move on to bigger and better things. 

January: 

    January came with even more changes for SHS students. Students who chose the hybrid option went back to school consistently for the first time since March 2020. This lasted up until April when both cohorts were combined. The hybrid schedule allowed students to have one week in person and then one week virtual on a half-day schedule. This system worked very well for most students and allowed them to maintain normalcy. In terms of national news, the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden,  was sworn in alongside his VP Kamala Harris. After a very complicated and confusing election, we were officially given our next president in this country. Other than that, this month was pretty slow nationally. In terms of my personal good moments, my sister officially asked us to be her bridesmaids. Of course, we all accepted and we began the process of planning. Her "bride tribe" is my sister Rebecca (Maid of Honor), Amanda (Bridesmaid/Sister of the Bride), Hannah (Bridesmaid), Carol-Ann (Future SIL/Bridesmaid), and myself (Bridesmaid/Sister of the Bride). We had a nice brunch at our house and celebrated together. (IMPORTANT NOTE: In the pictures below, I was drinking seltzer with apple juice) 

From L-R: Rebecca, Samantha, Jessica, Amanda, Hannah

February: 

    In terms of District News, we were chugging along with hybrid and overcoming the challenges of this interesting school year. We made it through the worst of it and were getting used to our new normal. On the national scale, we were adjusting to a  new administration running this country. Nothing particularly interesting happened this month on a national level other than the new presidency. In terms of personal news, I turned 16 and celebrated with my family and friends. I had a party with all of the people I love and we certainly had a great time, I couldn't have asked for a better 16th birthday and despite this difficult year, it was a major bright spot. I've attached pictures below. 

Rosie & I

Gus & I

March: 

    Throughout March, Sparta students were introduced to a new plan to come back to school all in person, and all day. This news, especially for the seniors, was extremely uplifting and needed after a very disappointing year. It gave us all an extra dose of hope for our future this year and helped to keep our momentum up. On the national level, not many positive events occurred, it was a slow month in terms of news in general. In my personal life, we celebrated my mom and my sister's birthdays and had parties for them. We began the process of planning the various events for my sister's wedding and made it through another month in this crazy year. 

April: 

    April was a big month for Sparta Students, students could choose to go back to school with both cohorts combined. For some students, this was their first time back in the building since last March and the first time seeing some of their friends from the other cohorts. On the national scale, not many positive things occurred in April, but that doesn't mean there was no good. The fact that students got to see the rest of their grade in over a year is an accomplishment in and of itself. In terms of my personal news, we went shopping with my sister for her wedding dress, while she has not found the one yet, she is getting close and that makes this whole situation feel even more real. We are beginning to plan her bridal shower, bachelorette party, and many other fun events coming up in the future. 

May: 

    At the time I'm writing this, it's only May 7th, but many good things have already happened. In terms of national news, US President Joe Biden announced a  new goal of 160 million people, nearly 70% of adults, vaccinated by July 4. No other major national news has occurred at the time of writing this blog. In my personal life, many good things have happened. Rosie, one of my wonderful dogs, turned one this month and had an amazing celebration. We also celebrated my dad's birthday this month and have continued to plan for my sister's upcoming wedding. I also got my first "big girl" job and I even opened a checking account (very impressive, I know). My sister also picked out her wedding dress just the other day, it's crazy how quickly time goes by. In terms of district news, we have switched back to both cohorts combined and a full-day schedule. While there has been a mixed response to the full day switch, it has helped students to feel more normal throughout this crazy year. It has been an eventful month already, and we're not even 11 days in. It's been a month of many accomplishments and I can't wait to see where the end of this year takes me. 

On Rosie's First Birthday, she felt very special in her hat

From L-R: My Mom, Jessica, Rebecca, Samantha

Conclusion: 

    After going through this whole school year and seeking out the good news, I've realized how many positive things have happened in such a short period of time. This year has been like no other, it has been without a doubt one of the hardest years of my life, but we are all making it out together. As students, we have been so flexible with our educations, teachers have had to be flexible with their lessons, to say the least, and everyone has had to make do during these tough times. However, we're getting close to the other side of it. Remember, good or bad, nothing can last forever. One day this will be a great story to tell our grandkids, but for now, it is our reality and we will make it out together if we continue to have a positive mindset and see the good in all things, even in the toughest of times. I will forever remember this year and everyone who has made it even better for me. I have made new friends over this year, experienced new things, and still lived life despite the difficult circumstances, I hope you can say the same. Needless to say, we all deserve the longest and most relaxing summer break ever after this year and I hope that's what we all get so we're recharged for the next challenge we face! :)