Danny
Something that I think about that makes me feel a little bit better is that it’s not just me that’s going through this. It’s every senior across the globe that’s having to experience this whole coronavirus thing. We’re not alone.”
A pandemic brings separation, but Danny finds solidarity in the shared challenges his classmates face. Even when apart, the students find strength in the bonds that were created in the halls, classrooms, and bleachers of McKinney High School — memories that feel like they just happened yesterday.
“It’s not even like missing prom and missing all these events that seniors do because obviously I miss that and everyone misses that. But I feel like for me, it’s like there’s an environment…
It’s a feeling that I don’t really miss until I don’t have it.”
Danny
“I can’t really go out as much as I see my peers go out. Public areas are still more dangerous. I’m more scared to come home with something. It could really affect us differently than another family.”
A pandemic brings separation, but Danny finds solidarity in the shared challenges his classmates face. Even when apart, the students find strength in the bonds that were created in the halls, classrooms, and bleachers of McKinney High School — memories that feel like they just happened yesterday.
“I can’t really go out as much as I see my peers go out. Public areas are still more dangerous. I’m more scared to come home with something. It could really affect us differently than another family.”
Sydney
Sydney
You grow up with your parents your whole life, and you kind of believe in the same thing that they believe in. You do the same things that they do. High school was when I realized that I have my own thoughts, my own beliefs.”
“I can’t speak for everyone, obviously, but I think a lot of people start to figure out who they are in high school.”
Mariana
Mariana discovered a passion for photography by joining the high school yearbook. Documenting the daily student life brought her to people and places she likely wouldn’t have come across otherwise.
I fell in love with it, pretty much. My high school years went by a lot better because of yearbook and participating and being involved. I feel like I accomplished a lot through it, and every single memory that I made involved my camera somehow.”
Mariana
Mariana discovered a passion for photography by joining the high school yearbook. Documenting the daily student life brought her to people and places she likely wouldn’t have come across otherwise.
“We’re like, Okay wow this is actually a really serious thing. Everything’s going to be different. Are they going to close airports? Are they going to close down states? We just had no idea, and we were kind of scared but at the same time we were kind of laughing about it, happy at the fact that we didn’t have to go back to school… It was a mix of excitement but also fear at the same time, using the excitement to mask that fear.”
Jose
Jose and his family moved to the USA five years ago and faced the difficulties of adapting to a new country. While attending MHS, he kick-started the English Learner’s Club so students new to the USA had a space where they felt welcomed and accepted.
That helped me expose myself to different stuff and open up to different people. I was really able to develop my communication skills giving presentations during our club meetings, and I was also able to learn a lot about school tradition because, like a lot of students, I wasn’t familiar with a lot of school traditions. I attended my first football game as part of this club, and my first beat the drum.”
Jose
Jose and his family moved to the USA five years ago and faced the difficulties of adapting to a new country. While attending MHS, he kick-started the English Learner’s Club so students new to the USA had a space where they felt welcomed and accepted.
“We’re like, Okay wow this is actually a really serious thing. Everything’s going to be different. Are they going to close airports? Are they going to close down states? We just had no idea, and we were kind of scared but at the same time we were kind of laughing about it, happy at the fact that we didn’t have to go back to school… It was a mix of excitement but also fear at the same time, using the excitement to mask that fear.”
Trinh
Entering high school I had always been an introvert, and I thought I would always be an introvert.”
Trinh’s mask she used in the first musical she participated in, Phantom of the Opera.
“It was my junior year when I participated in my first musical, Phantom of the Opera. It was such a quick and such a sudden decision… I was like, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing!’ And then I got in as part of the cast. That was my breakthrough: that I can be whatever. I can do whatever.”
Trinh
“We’re like, Okay wow this is actually a really serious thing. Everything’s going to be different. Are they going to close airports? Are they going to close down states? We just had no idea, and we were kind of scared but at the same time we were kind of laughing about it, happy at the fact that we didn’t have to go back to school… It was a mix of excitement but also fear at the same time, using the excitement to mask that fear.”
Trinh holds the mask she used in the first musical she participated in, Phantom of the Opera.
“…that was my breakthrough, that I can be whatever, I can do whatever.”