What we had in mind in our junior year at Lexington High was disrupted by covid-19 our senior year.

Social distancing disrupted our community. Things in our homes were re-purposed and classroom settings were re-defined.

Hours of classwork was now homework provided by our teachers. Kitchen tables oftentimes became our desks. Sometimes our bedrooms were our classrooms.

PE and fine art activities were recommendations not mandates. Garages were converted to gyms, music stages or art studios. Private conversations were held in bathrooms and our teachers were just a phone call away. Teacher conferences equated to meetings on zoom.com or other electronic means. This was historic change, for we were living and learning within gubernatorial executive orders.

THE “HOME or work” executive order interrupted standardized testing, organized sports and liberal arts, not to mention valuable time volunteering in our community.

Some seniors were unable to schedule a time to take the SAT or ACT, a costly issue for students desiring scholarships.

With spring sports cancelled, college recruiting was by DVD or virtually. Some state and national 2020 academic competition dates were removed from the calendar. Even our school-organized senior prom was scrubbed and yearbook signing was nonscripted. It was a year of significant change.

STILL, WE ARE excited. Many people contributed in making this the best senior graduating season. YouTube, Facebook and Zoom have been our internet highways. From signage of banners, posters or cup art, the LHS family has been there for us.

Educational leaders provided our annual awards ceremony via a live-stream which was shared with loved ones. They gathered on the internet in a video to say goodbye and wish graduating seniors success.

Administrators, principals, counselors, teachers and other staff traveled the extra mile to congratulate and place “LHS Senior 2020” yard signs on our lawns. Support from the community was astounding with neighborhood parades, school ride-bys, and virtual religious baccalaureate services.

The local paper provided additional space for senior photos and remarks.

THE LHS CLASS of 2020 had a graduation ceremony. However, instead of an indoor ceremony, seniors had outdoor seating within the Lexington High School football stadium and were relegated to 2 guest tickets. Instead of unlimited hugging, hand slaps and kisses, seniors were held back with LHS mask and bottles of hand sanitizer and sat 6 feet apart for social distancing.

This ceremony was different and in many ways better. The megatron scoreboard was illuminated with the LHS logo and large screens revealed a headshot of each senior. Echoes from speeches traveled further instead of reverberating off 4 walls. Our feet were on land, not hardened concrete. And, as in years before, we walked across the stage with all the ceremonial pageantry.

The LHS Class of 2020 is deeply grateful to our families, friends, Lexington District 1 and community for a year that we will cherish and talk about for years to come.

Thank you. Good Luck, seniors, in all future endeavors.hland County’s Economic Development Offic. has begun distributing noncontact infrared thermometers to local, private-sector businesses.