Evanston Township High School administrator Beth Arey recalls the years before COVID-19 cast a shadow on spring celebrations, when high school seniors clad in collegiate spirit wear would head to “The Hub” on May 1 for congratulations and cupcakes.
The Hub — a multiuse student learning center — is dark and silent these days, and while Arey laments the disappointing end of high school facing Evanston’s 870 graduating seniors, she said the absence of a traditional college Decision Day this year has a silver lining.
“Decision Day can be a tricky time in a diverse environment, where you have very bright kids, many who don’t have financial resources,” said Arey, the school’s college and curriculum coordinator.
“Some of these students feel like everyone is wondering why they aren’t going to a better college … it’s one of the reasons we’ve gotten a lot of pushback on Decision Day. But I think there are also those families that are frustrated this week, because it’s another thing their kids are missing out on,” Arey said.
Despite some educators, parents and students questioning the merits of marking Decision Day, many graduating seniors across the region took advantage of the sunshine Friday to celebrate the tradition from the safety of decorated cars, and via tweets and Instagram stories.
At Lane Tech College Prep High School, Decision Day typically involved a massive celebration for seniors, with an afternoon of activities on the football field. Instead, the school on Friday held a virtual Decision Day, with a Zoom call for the entire class of 2020 and social media celebrations including a Twitter competition for the best Decision Day spirit photo.
Officials at Barrington High School said while Friday’s Decision Day celebration would not feature cookies and school banners as in years past, students were invited to decorate their car to reflect their next step, whether it’s college, trade school, a gap year, the military or a career.
The teens, who were asked to wear masks, were also invited to drive over to the high school’s parking lot, where they were to be photographed in their cars and handed a free graduate yard sign.
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As scores of decorated cars arrived at Barrington High School around 1 p.m. Friday to pick up the promised signs, however, students learned that like everything else they had anticipated about their senior year it was not to be. Officials said the signs were not ready for delivery, so the teens were asked to return later in the afternoon.
“This is not what we expected, but I love our school, and I know they were trying their best for us to celebrate decision day,” said senior DeeDee Broustis, who spent two hours decking out her SUV Friday with University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign-themed orange and blue.
“It’s really hard to be a senior right now, but so many people are dying, and people are losing family members. I’m just looking forward to being able to hug my friends again.”
The annual Decision Day breakfast was canceled at Buffalo Grove High School, but officials transformed the event into a “Pick-up and Drop-off” day for caps and gowns, yard or window signs, honors regalia and items that were left behind in students’ lockers.
While Buffalo Grove graduating seniors were also urged to decorate their cars to reflect their future plans, many of those decisions hinge upon the future trajectory of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Paul Genovese, a postsecondary counselor at the high school.
“I’m fielding calls every day from parents who are very concerned, and many are telling me they’re taking a wait-and-see approach,” Genovese said. “For many families, making a decision about college is in a holding pattern right now, because parents are waiting to see if they’ll still be employed.”
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