Class of 2021 is graduation ready
If there is one word that could be describe the North Fort Myers High School Class of 2021, it is resilient.
That would be an appropriate word for most Lee County senior classes, and North seniors, when they get their diplomas Saturday at 7 p.m. at Hertz Arena, will know the mountains they had to climb to there.
That this class will be able to hold an actual graduation ceremony is especially rewarding, since the Class of 2020 didn’t get that opportunity.
“This whole year has been difficult for everyone. Every month this year there have been so many unknowns that it wasn’t until the second semester that things seemed to be getting better,” principal Debbie Diggs said. “We’ve been able to have more opportunities for the kids, so we were just thrilled when we were given the green light for a live graduation.”
It wasn’t until recently that Diggs knew whether they would hold graduation at Hertz Arena or at their school. Even with the venue, each of the 462 graduates will be limited to four tickets each, which will still leave the arena less than half-full.
The graduates will be on the floor, while the guests will have open seating where they will be able to physically distance. Masks are still expected, since it is a school event.
Yet, despite all the adversity of home schooling and the unknown, Diggs said none of that prevented them from being one of the most successful — and resilient — classes she has had in her five years at the school.
It started their freshman year, when Hurricane Irma in September 2017 kept them home and without electricity for some for nearly two weeks, less than a month into the start of the year.
“It’s amazing what they’ve dealt with on both ends. It’s a very resilient group and they’re so positive about things,” Diggs said. “I forgot that it started with Irma.”
As far as raw numbers, the class has a weighted grade-point average of 3.97. Of the 462 graduates, 218 have GPAs of 4.0 or higher and 87 of them a 5.0 or better. So far, 88 have earned their Cambridge AICE diploma and despite COVID and the inability for many to volunteer the class still logged 11,000 hours of community service, which is crazy good for most schools, but at North they have become routine.
Diggs also said this class has shown determination, cohesiveness and positivity, necessary attributes considering the obstacles faced.
Diggs said none of this could have been done without the amazing staff the school has, who have encouraged the students, especially those on the borderline.
“When the kids are home and not wanting to log in, the teachers have been relentless. We’ve had tutoring and teachers going online to tutor and they weren’t getting paid extra,” Diggs said. “Those who were in danger of not making it are making it because the staff wouldn’t let them not finish.”
So many adults have shut down and given up while this group has faced it, Diggs said. One student lost a parent to COVID while others lost other family members or have been quarantined or forced to learn virtually.
“This class is very cohesive, super positive even through COVID, the adults have had the harder time with it. It wasn’t fun wearing masks and having one-directional hallways or assigned seats in the cafeteria, they get it,” Diggs said. “They did what was necessary without complaining. Sometimes you had to remind them, but they do what’s necessary so we can be here every day.”
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com