PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

COVID-19 pandemic impacts post high school endeavors

BY EMILY HELMUTH co-editor-in-chief

As the 2020-2021 school year comes to an end, next school year looms closer and closer in the distance. For seniors this means pursuing a career, college or something else, and for juniors this means senior year and all the post high school planning that comes with it.

When looking back on this past school year, one word comes to mind: COVID-19. Even though the vaccine is available and the light at the end of the tunnel visible, the impacts of this pandemic will continue to affect society for years to come.

According to internship sponsor Ginny Zega, the pandemic had a great impact on the internships students could take this year, particularly ones in the medical field.

“A lot of businesses did not take our interns because of COVID-19. It affected a lot of our internship opportunities, mostly in the medical field. The hospitals and some of the nursing homes haven’t taken any of our students because they are closed to all visitors who don’t work there,” Zega said. “The only interns we’ve been able to have there are students that work at the hospital or nursing homes and no regular interns.”

Zega added that the school was also more flexible with internship opportunities this year compared to years past.

“This year we let students do other things, like landscaping. Usually I don’t let landscaping happen because they don’t work in the winter, but because we were so short on places I let students be with landscapers. Students were also able to just use their job as an internship,” Zega said. “This year changed a lot of our capabilities. We let people be interns at places that they won’t be able to intern at (in the future) and haven’t interned at (in the past).”

Outside of student internships, the pandemic even altered some students’ college decisions. College and career counselor Johanna Hess elaborates on this.

“In terms of applications being submitted by students, we are still on track, so I don’t think (COVID-19) negatively impacted how many students are applying (to college). I think the biggest thing it’s impacting is where students are choosing to attend,” Hess said. “I think more students are choosing to stay closer to home or they’re choosing to spend a year at an institution that costs less and transfer.”

Senior Gianna Fantin decided to switch universities for next school year when the NCAA created a new rule in light of the pandemic.

“I was going to go to Saginaw Valley State to play softball, but the NCAA gave all players an extra year of eligibility (because of the pandemic),” Fantin said. “All of the seniors at that school took the extra year so I wouldn’t have been able to play softball. I changed my mind about school and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.”

The pandemic had an impact on non athletes’ post high school plans as well, like senior Morgan Longo who opted to take a gap year next school year over going

‘‘ I honestly have no clue what I want to do with my life and the pandemic has only made that fact a lot more obvious to me.

senior Morgan Longo

to college.

“I ended up graduating in early February by taking a bunch of credit recovery classes. My college plans had drastically shifted when we went into ‘red’ for the first time last March,” Longo said. “I honestly have no clue what I want to do with my life and the pandemic has only made that fact a lot more obvious to me.”

Senior Chloe Miller adds that the pandemic has made it more difficult for her to save money.

“It’s harder for me to work super often. I want to be able to save up a lot of money for school, and I eventually want to move out and live on my own, so COVID-19 has definitely made that more difficult,” Miller said.

Hess notes some changes that occurred this year that may have affected students’ planning.

“We didn’t have college representatives coming into the building, they were offering online visits. Attendance was pretty down on those. I think students are kind of Zoom-ed out so they weren’t really engaging with reps like they have in the past. We weren’t able to have our college fair either so that was a big one,” Hess said. “The other big change for this years’ class was test scores. Many schools were starting to go test optional before COVID-19, but once COVID-19 hit they kind of all went the test optional route because they knew students weren’t able to sit in on exams like they were in the past. That was a huge change in how students were applying.”

Despite those students who did change their minds due to the pandemic, there are still some who have remained set on their original plans, such as senior Joshua Holbrook.

“(I want) to join the Air Force, and join the Fire Protection, which is the Fire Department but for U.S. Air Bases. After

serving for several years, I want to use the same setback. discipline, knowledge and skills from the “Most of the planning and conversamilitary, specifically as a firefighter, to be- tions I’ve been having is all online. It has come a local firefighter,” Holbrook said. not hindered me from taking standardized “During my service years I want to take a tests but it has definitely put a halt on visfew classes, (and possibly) become EMT iting,” Zimmerman said. “Hopefully once certified, or enroll in a local or online col- more people are vaccinated and feel safer I lege to get an associates in science.” can start visiting in-person instead of virtuHolbrook adds that the pandemic allowed him the unique opportunity to analyze his plans for after high school. “The pandemic didn’t change my post ‘‘ If there is anything that I have learned from COVID-19 it’s that nothing I think is going to happen is what hapal tours.” When it comes to student internships, Zega believes that some of these opportunities will still be impacted next school year. high school plans, but pens. “St. Anthony’s is it did make me think already not sure about more about what my college and career when their doors will plans are as I was counselor Johanna Hess be open to other peospending more time at ple besides workers. home,” Holbrook said. There’s a protocol for

Like Holbrook, senior Cody Hall’s our interns at the hospital. They have to plans were also not changed despite the (get) a flu shot, a TB shot, a drug test and pandemic and its challenges. all that, and, even if they tell us (we can

“I’ve always been interested in things send interns there) in August, we won’t be in the electrical field and have always able to until second semester,” Zega said. wanted to work for NIPSCO and want to “Hopefully by second semester we will be follow this. I think it’s interesting how able to have hospital interns again.” small wiring and power huge things and Hess discusses whether or not she bealso the techniques and technologies they lieves these impacts will last for the current use,” Hall said. “The pandemic was an ob- junior class. stacle for all of us to get over, but it did not “A lot of students are still going about change my plans for after high school, as I their business as usual and still looking at wanted to go and become an electrician.” the same colleges that they would have

With the next school year quickly ap- looked at in years past. I don’t think that proaching, next year’s seniors prepares for part would have changed so much for this the next stage of their life. Junior Ashley years’ juniors. I think the biggest change Keneson notes how the pandemic has al- will be that test optional admission, to see ready impacted her college search during if that stays in place or not for next year and her junior year. of course where students intend to enroll,”

“The pandemic has made me think Hess said. more about my future and college. It made Keneson says that the pandemic imme want to research colleges and the type pacted her standardized testing and gave of academics and the environment that they her opinion on colleges having optional test have,” Keneson said. “Since the pandemic, admissions. I have a good idea of what I want to do for a “I wasn’t able to take the SAT when I living and I have a good idea of the colleg- wanted. As long as I get my goal score on es I want to attend. Overall, the pandemic the test, I will be including it (on my appligave me more time to picture a future occu- cation),” Kenesen said. pation and how I would achieve it.” Hess reflects back on the lessons she

Despite these advantages, Keneson has learned from the pandemic from worknotes a major setback she faced due to the ing as a college and career counselor. pandemic in her college search. “If there is anything that I have learned

“It (didn’t) allow me to go and tour all from COVID-19 it’s that nothing I think the colleges that I plan to apply to and hope is going to happen is what happens,” Hess to attend,” Keneson said. said. “I think it’s possible that this could

Junior Cameron Zimmerman agrees continue into next fall for the next senior with Keneson and notes he had faced the class as well.”

MOVING FORWARD

CPHS class of 2021’s plans for next year*

*out of 426 seniors who filled out Hess’s final exit form

90.4%

of seniors plan on attending college

1.6%

of seniors are pursuing military careers after high school

CPHS class of 2021’s plans for next year**

**out of 42 seniors surveyed by Inklings

50%

of seniors applied to college without standardized test scores

26.5%

of seniors changed their post high school plans because of the pandemic

14.3%

of seniors are not attending the college they originally planned on attending because of the pandemic