Toronto high school students reflect on unprecedented school year

TORONTO -

An unprecedented school year due to COVID-19 is officially in the books for thousands of high school students within the Toronto District school board.

Once again, there will be no in-person graduation ceremonies. Instead, students were seen arriving at their schools on Monday wearing their caps and gowns to pick up their diplomas.

Some students are relieved it’s an end to a year that saw multiple school closures amid rising COVID-19 cases and variants of concerns.

“It’s bittersweet, there’s part of me that is so happy we were able to push through,” said Firdaus Shallo, who is part of graduating class at C. W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute.

The Grade 12 student spent their entire school year isolating at home and learning online, which she admits was a constant challenge to focus.

“There were moments were I felt like I just couldn’t wake up and moments were I felt like I could rock the world,” said Shallo. “The biggest challenge was being isolated from everyone, not being able to see friends for months on end…still some to this day.”

Shallo said she found the motivation she needed halfway through the year when she was accepted to Middlebury College in Vermont and also received a scholarship to become a member of the school’s squash team.

“I just look at it as a blessing,” said Shallo, who described the college as the school of her dreams.

Shallo competed for her high school and with Urban Squash Toronto, but hasn’t competed since the onset of the pandemic due to restrictions. However, the college took into consideration her performance pre-COVID-19.

“They looked at my rankings and talked to other coaches and trust the fact that I will go there and give it my all.”

The year has been equally challenging for Grade 11 student Evan Woo, who had to switch twice from in-person to online learning amid school closures.

“It was definitely taking a toll on our mental health. It’s been hard not having a proper schedule and routine, we had a hard time keeping up with material ,” said Woo, adding that many friendships and connections were lost while in-person meeting wasn’t allowed.

Woo, who sits as a member of the TDSB student senate, has also been very active at his school, Earl Haig, competing on ultimate Frisbee and Volleyball teams and sitting on a number of clubs. He even tried to organize some events virtually, including a cooking club over Zoom.

“It’s so important to stay connected with other people, especially online, they’re losing touch and we can’t let that happen,” he said. “That’s what keeps us together and we can fight through the pandemic together.”

The TDSB is planning for students to return to the classroom in September, coupled with vaccinations rates, Woo is hopeful for his grade 12 year, but has mixed feelings after spending a majority of the year online.

“The teachers were trying their best, but the content was really lacking,” he said. “I’m really happy to go back and as COVID-19 subsides, I really hope we can do sports and clubs.”

Shallo is still deciding on her major, which she says will likely be international and global relations, and says the life lessons she gained over the past year will be a big help for the next chapter in her life.

“I know that next year I will be able to better prepare myself mentally, physically and emotionally.”