Crisis has transformed me into better person

June 8, 2020

Soaring above a global crisis

The world changed in March – and one group uniquely affected was the high school graduating Class of 2020. In a moment’s notice, it seemed, Catholic high schools closed their physical campuses as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus, sending thousands of students home to begin online classes.

For the seniors of the 22 Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the final two months of their high school lives were turned upside down. But the amazing thing is how God worked quietly through this crisis. Over the next several pages, see how the Quarantine Class of 2020 used the support of their parents, teachers and faith to shine despite difficult circumstances. The Clarion Herald asked seniors to reflect on how they used their time of quarantine and handled the challenges of a global pandemic during one of the milestone moments of their lives.

Get ready to be inspired!

Kayla Belfield, St. Mary's Academy

As I reflect on my experience with distance learning, it is amazing what an impact COVID-19 has had on my 12th-grade education.

I would never have expected to have to quickly switch from in-class learning to online learning.

It was hard for me to transition at first due to the consistency we had in a classroom environment. I was never able to remember the class times or the class codes for our Zoom meetings. All of my teachers were patient and understanding when it came time to adjust. I was new to the application, just like they were. That made my transition from the classroom to in-home learning easier.

My biggest challenge was waking up in the morning for classes. It’s one thing when I had to get up in the morning to go to school, but having the ability to roll over and decide if I wanted to attend classes that day was something I struggled with. I pushed myself out of the bed and attended classes daily because I still had goals to reach.

My goals this school year were to graduate and to have done my very best in all of my classes. I am proud to say that I will have completed my goal of graduating.

Faith has played a major role in my life, especially during this time. I am always praying for others, their safety and myself. I pray for my school, teachers and for the future. I put all of my faith in God, and I believe that we will overcome this virus.

I believe that with prayer, hard work and determination, this virus will not be a thing of the future but of the past. It will be a challenging first year for me transitioning into college life due to coronavirus, but I will not let that stop me from accomplishing what needs to be done.

This crisis has shaped me into a better person overall. I’ve learned to face challenges head first and to make the best out of everything. I may be disappointed about what happened during my senior year, but I am thankful that it did because through all that happened, I am still standing strong and doing what has to be done!