Second, I want to tell you how sorry I am. I’m sorry all the traditions you’ve been looking forward to for years are not happening as planned and for now have been put on hold. I remember watching your faces during last year’s graduation and knowing you were all thinking “Next year, next year this will be us!”
Schools are doing their best to get creative, but I sympathise with you knowing you feel that it’s just not the same. You’re right. It’s not the same and it is not fair. But we can always hold on to our wonderful memories that we have made over the past 4 years. It is the class of 2020 that will have an amazing story to tell. You’re all a part of history. During this pandemic, you’ve been using the technology to raise your voices and share your ideas. You’ve been part of a Sports Week, Art Week and Poetry Week, as well as doing other weekly challenges. You’ve expressed yourselves in so many different ways and it’s been really enjoyable. When you are older and look back on this time I hope that you will be proud of how you all moved forward with respect for each other and embraced the challenges ahead of you. Because, really, that’s what all the ceremonies and rituals you’re missing out on are—expressions of deep love, gratitude and affection. You have laughed, cried and learned with each other for years. You’ve sweated in classrooms during tests, celebrated your victories and made it through the drama of table quizzes, football finals and our Christmas extravaganzas. Finally, I want to say thank you. Thank you for being such an incredible class. Fun and inspiring, silly and intelligent. You not only made me a better teacher, but you made me a better person. I’ll always be grateful I got to spend four years of our lives working with you and getting to know you. I am excited to see where you go next. I wish you all the best in Secondary School. Good Luck on your journey and don’t be strangers. Your teacher, Ms. Sweetman
