Students frustrated after coronavirus cancels senior year in Pennsylvania

Christie Ileto Image
Friday, April 10, 2020
Students frustrated after coronavirus cancels senior year in Pennsylvania
Students expressed their frustrations after the coronavirus forced the cancelation of senior year.

Coronavirus is canceling senior year.

Governor Wolf broke the news Thursday that schools are shut down for the rest of the academic year, and the rights of passage that come along with it for hundreds of thousands of high school seniors.

"Graduation for sure, getting everybody, all my family to come see me," said Keed Kpoto.

That's what the Cardinal O'Hara senior says he was looking forward to most. He knows he'll get his diploma but now wonders if he'll get the chance to walk across the stage.

"It's definitely something we had circled on the calendar and not being able to see that through is kind of frustrating."

Graduations, proms, senior banquets. Milestones now up in the air.

And for some seniors, also comes the added stress of making the biggest decision of their young adult lives: college.

Caroline Borio has been accepted to Ithaca College, Elon and Boston Conservatory. Two of the schools she's never set foot on their campus--all of which are closed due to the pandemic.

"It's scary to think of committing to a place that you've never been to before. You can like the program and talk to students from the program and stuff, but it's totally different stepping foot on the campus," said Caroline.

Major life decisions and major milestones, now casualties of coronavirus.

Many seniors have until May 1 to decide on a college.

Meanwhile, the state is allowing school districts to make the decision on whether or not they will have traditional graduation ceremonies.