BHS Class of
Bitsy Hall Photos courtesy of Dr. Teresa Van Woy Social interaction is intrinsic to events that mark the end of senior year. Grad night, senior trips, prom, and graduation are symbols of transitioning from adolescence to young adulthood. The significance of these events is often closely tied with the gathering of peers and family. For the graduating Class of 2020, the ending of senior year is playing out far differently than they could have imagined. When COVID-19 started to surface in the news months before school closures, many students did not foresee the effects the virus would have on daily life. Emily Boe, a Benicia High senior, was not concerned when she first heard about the novel virus. While she was sad to hear about devastation abroad, she says “I didn’t really connect their situation and my own until much later.” Boe’s initial reaction was common – few of us could have predicted our current state under shelter in place. Even when Benicia Unified School District closed its doors, it was anticipated to be temporary. While many of us hoped that the shelter in place would end swiftly, normalcy has yet to return months later. For some, finishing the school year online seemed to be a natural progression with the growing intensity of the virus. Cole MacDonald, a Benicia High senior, says “I think we all expected to finish the year in lockdown – it didn’t come as much of a surprise.” While
16 • Benicia Magazine
