Connect Bridgeport
Ad
FacebookTwitterInstagramYouTubeRSS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
    • Community News
    • Anniversaries
    • Announcements
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Calendar
    • Churches
    • Clubs & Organizations
    • Directory
    • Farmer's Market
    • File Complaint
    • Greeting Cards
    • Library
    • Lost And Found
    • Obituaries
    • Parks & Recreation
    • Sponsorships
  • Trading Post
    • For Sale
    • Local Deals
    • Services
    • Yard Sales
  • Visitors
  • Relocation
  • Education
  • Jobs
  • Alumni

ToquiNotes: An Almost Certain Unprecedented, Unfair Feat in Play for State's Graduating Classes of 2021

By Jeff Toquinto on October 10, 2020 from ToquiNotes

I am pretty sure I am not going out on a limb here in saying 2020 absolutely sucks. While each of us can point to things of a positive nature, the year has been a dumpster fire.
 
As much as I hate the year, there is a particular group of people that I truly hate are dealing with the impacts of 2020. I will focus on the group in Bridgeport, but it is likely being repeated in counties across West Virginia.
 
I thought of this recently when one of my long-time friend Doug Sprouse’s daughter, Audrie, told me just recently about the Homecoming Parade. Thanks to some smart-thinking folks, there will be some part of Homecoming that will take place – some of which you will read about on Connect-Bridgeport.
 
Homecoming, for the most part, will not be happening. It is going to be tough for every single student at the school that was looking forward to it. And it is yet another bitter pill for the seniors in the Class of 2021 to have to swallow.
 
I guess I could be wrong here, but has a senior class in Harrison County’s history – and again probably everyone of them in the state – endured more than this class? Has there ever been a class spending less time in an actual classroom setting? Has there ever been a class that has watched more extracurricular activities vanish?
 
For that matter, has there ever been a class that has simply not been able to meet up with friends without a twinge of anxiety that they not only could get sick, but bringing back something to their household with serious health ramifications to their parents or others under their roof or in the family setting?
 
I cannot imagine the answer to all those questions is an emphatic no. Understand, the loss of classroom time is not limited to COVID-19 during the 2019-20 school calendar year and the current 2020-21 calendar year.
 
Prior to COVID-19, this class dealt with back-to-back years where the educators walked away from their jobs due to issues with their benefits (not pay as so many like to paint the narrative). While one year was a short interruption of class and activities, the other had some duration to it.
 
I don’t know the total number of days the students have missed in actual classroom time, whether school was actually shut down or they were at home with virtual learning, but I know when it is said and done the number will easily surpass triple digits.
 
The really said thing, despite the best efforts and intentions of those involved, the only thing that will bring back normalcy is an end to a pandemic with no end in sight. There are talks of vaccines, medicines to treat it, and even that is being judged – at best – in terms of months and not in weeks.
 
It is a shame. Bridgeport Principal Matt DeMotto, who has been around education for decades, summed it up about as solid as it can get – with a positive message included.
 
“This class is getting a hard dose of what those who have lived long enough know. Life isn’t fair,” he said. “But every time you get down you get back up. This class needs to know they can get up and will get up stronger from the tougher times they’ve had to endure.”
 
DeMotto is right. Life is not fair. Usually, you realize the full score of that when you are a bit older, maybe with a few gray hairs. This class has had the misfortune of realizing it as they wait for a color-coded map to come out on a late Saturday afternoon to see if they can take part in a cross country meet, a band festival, a football game or a soccer match.
 
No, life certainly is not fair and gives you a whole lot of lemons. I have hope, more importantly faith, the Bridgeport High School Class of 2021 – and all others statewide – will have lemonade as a result. If any class deserved it, it is this one.

Share

Leave a Comment
Login or register

Very good article. You said it as well as it could be said. Thanks Jeff

Posted by Harry Murray
Oct. 10, 2020 at 8:52 PM EST

Leave a Comment

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up/stay connected

Create your profile to start adding photos, posting comments, and more.

SIGN UP

Ad
Ad
Ad

Blogs [ view all ]

  • Photo

    From the Bench: BHS Alum Bonamico's Last...

    It was back in 2016 when Dante Bonamico entered West Virginia University. He was a preferred walk-on player invited by...

    Posted by Jeff Toquinto

  • Photo

    Time Travel: Bridgeport High's 2000-01 C...

    This is the 2000-2001 Bridgeport High School color guard. Shown, front row, from let, is Lindsay Bryant, Anna Long, J...

    Posted by Dick Duez

  • Photo

    It's Happening: 2020 in Review

    At the recent meeting of Bridgeport Rotary, I shared a synopsis of 2020 here in Bridgeport. I scrolled through stories...

    Posted by Julie Perine

  • Photo

    Off the Shelf: Books from New Netflix Ro...

    Netflix debuted a romance series based on the books of Julia Quinn at Christmas.  It turned out to be one of their mo...

    Posted by Sharon Saye

  • Photo

    The Grapevine: Generations of Family in ...

    A highlight for the new year, 2021, was the swearing in of my grandson, Ben Queen, as a member of the West Virginia House...

    Posted by Rosalyn Queen

  • Photo

    ToquiNotes: How COVID Closed One Local B...

    It was more than a year ago, in October of 2019 to be exact, when I was able to write the story of a city resident tak...

    Posted by Jeff Toquinto

  • Photo

    Healthy Faces: Meet Perris Oliverio Reed

    "Healthy Bridgeport" is comprised of health-concious individuals; the same group that served as the steering committee for...

    Posted by Julie Perine

  • Photo

    City Faces in Different Places

    This week's City Face is Michele Wagner. Meet her here!   How long have you lived in Bridgeport and what...

    Posted by Julie Perine

  • Photo

    Sweat & Smiles: The Many Layers of Askin...

    Did you know ultra independence is a defense mechanism?   That was a casual question posed to me by a counselor. I...

    Posted by Melissa Romano

Calendar [ view all ]

Apr
28

DigiMarCon At Home 2021 - Digital Marketing, Media and Advertising Conference

May
26

DigiMarCon South 2021 - Digital Marketing, Media and Advertising Conference & Exhibition

 



Bridgeport, WV
Editorial Board Advertise Privacy Policy Contact Us
FacebookTwitterInstagramYouTubeRSS

©2014 Connect Bridgeport.