With graduations canceled, the Class of 2020 shared these senior speeches virtually

No one in the class of 2020 could have predicted a year like this one. To graduate in the midst of a global pandemic forced seniors to embrace resilience and change.

As the coronavirus pandemic upended their plans, members of the class of 2020 missed one milestone after another — canceled proms, canceled spring athletic seasons, canceled senior trips.

COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, shut down schools in North Carolina in March. Efforts to slow the spread of the disease have meant bans on large gatherings, putting an end to the traditional way seniors celebrate their academic and personal accomplishments as students completed classwork from home.

In a number of districts, including Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, large, in-person traditional graduations were not possible. CMS seniors marked the end of their high school careers with virtual commencement activities and drive-up ceremonies at each school to pick up diplomas.

In one neighboring district, celebrations were held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Like much of life since the pandemic began, important moments like graduation largely moved into the virtual world.

The Observer asked seniors who would normally have shared parting words with their friends and classmates at a traditional graduation to make videos of their speeches to feature here.

Many emphasized strength in the face of adversity and the support of their peers to get through an unexpected end to the year.

H’arrya Canty, a senior at West Charlotte High School, praised her peers for their joyful and resilient adaptation to whatever this year threw at them.

“We as a class have proven our perseverance through these unprecedented times,” Canty said. “We are the class of creativity, TikToks, dance challenges, virtual video calls and a confidence that is beyond comparable to any other class.”

And for many in the class of 2020, the curveball thrown at them this spring will only serve as a point of growth in coming years.

“Everyone knows in order to reach the top, you must face some adversities and setbacks,” said Bryson Ellis of Olympic High School in Charlotte. “To me, this quarantine can be looked upon as a minor setback for a major comeback.”

This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 5:30 AM.