LB High Schools Celebrate Class of 2020
Since the coronavirus pandemic started, students have had to face many challenges. For high school, their senior year has not been the most ideal, to say the least.
“I always thought I was going to go back to school,” said James Whitney, a senior at Millikan High School in Long Beach.
He said that at first, he was excited about not going to school anymore. Little did he know how much of an impact the closing of his school would have on his life.
“They told us that we were going to come back in a month, but that never happened, which sucked because it was my senior year,” James said. “Don’t get me wrong, I feel great that I graduated. It just sucks that I couldn’t celebrate with people.”
Students and parents did not know whether or not a graduation ceremony was going to take place. Each day from June 2, parents received senior updates to inform them what was going to happen with the senior class at Millikan.
“At the beginning, we were told by Los Angeles County that we could not have any parades at all,” said Andrea Itson, the activities director at Millikan High School. “But once the county finally lifted the restrictions and gave us guidelines in late May, from there the superintendent met with the principles and activities directors and gave us the green light to plan the parade.”
It wasn’t until June 4, that the Long Beach Unified School District gave the okay for the graduation parade. Students and parents received the guidelines and rules for the parade.
“It was really frustrating to receive