God revealed to me importance of family

June 18, 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!

Ford Favre, Pope John Paul II High

My experience with COVID-19 distance learning can be best described as a case full of ups and downs, with a special emphasis on the ups.

First, there were only a couple of negative aspects about the quarantine. I was not able to see my friends and could not go long distances to see special places such as the Bahamas or Florida. It also saddens me that churches seemed barren and empty with no one or only 10 people at Mass physically.

Although technology such as online video chat are nice, it seems to strip away the personal aspect of anything. That was the biggest challenge for me. Being in the classroom with other people motivates me to learn so much more than being alone online. It’s hard to learn when you know of the great distance between you, your classmates and teachers.

However, this also made my classwork and homework a lot easier. There are a lot more tools available online to help students understand source material if they do not understand it at first in the Zoom session. Also, having so many resources inspired me to research topics that were somewhat related to the topic I was being taught.

My faith has been one of the biggest blessings God has given me throughout this time of social distancing. Because of my faith, I have been able to stay happy and optimistic about life. It has allowed me to combat all of the negative things on the news and all of the pessimistic mindsets of modern society.

It has also inspired me to be creative in expressing my faith, such as writing songs from Scripture. God has revealed to me in small ways just how blessed I am in life. From having simple classroom discussions to helping someone out with their homework, God shows me he is present in the people I know. I am blessed to say I know and love so many wonderful people in my life.

This crisis has made me stronger by giving me time to gain more control of certain emotions and has allowed me to love in more ways than I could have ever imagined. By spending so much more time with my family, I have recognized just how important they are to me.

The future for me is uncertain. While I do think about it often, in reality I will never know what the next couple of seconds or years will bring me. All I know is that this pandemic has helped me realize how important people are in life, how beautiful life can truly be and how amazing yet mysterious God is.