Senior Aman Rahman said, “It was very nice to get this care package because it was a thoughtful and unique way to make the best of our current situation. I feel like this was the first senior-oriented thing that took place, and it was refreshing to feel recognized and appreciated as seniors by SPA.”

Candy. Fuzzy socks. Hot cocoa mug. A flurry of blue and gold welcomed seniors as they opened care packages this week. While most Novembers would end with a senior brunch, this year is different. With school in full-time distance learning until Jan. 19, and an undetermined amount of time before large gatherings will be safe again, the parent association shifted the tradition to Zoom.

“Because this is the last year of high school for me and all my friends, it has been really hard for us as we don’t really get the full senior experience. The transition into full-distance learning was a tough one for us, and it has even impacted some of the traditions at SPA,” senior Senai Assefa said.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the senior brunch was not wholly canceled but was instead held on a Zoom meeting to facilitate limited in-person interaction. To compensate for the decision, each senior at SPA was given a large box filled with goodies like SPA-styled mugs, socks, snacks, hand sanitizer, and more.

The care packages were made up and delivered by volunteers at SPA to ensure that each senior felt truly represented. Sophomore Johnna Johnson was one of the many volunteers that dropped off the gifts at senior’s homes. Johnson said, “I felt like it was important for me to help hand out the care packages. My family and I wanted to make sure that seniors at SPA felt cared for by the community.”

Even though seniors have taken such a devastating impact from the COVID-19 pandemic from sports cancelations to impacts on in-person learning and interaction altogether, the gift boxes are sure to repair some sense of hope.
Senior Senai Assefa said, “I won’t forget this gift for a while. It truly had a positive impact on me.”

Though the COVID-19 pandemic will most likely continue to cause several problems throughout the rest of the year, seniors will begin logging into Google Meets for the rest of the year with an SPA mug full of warm wishes for the Class of 2021.