In August of 2016, the first freshman class to enter the new MVTHS campus began their lives as a part of Ram Nation. On June 6, 2020, the now senior class will graduate, and their days as an MVTHS student will come to an end. After four years as Rams, the class of 2020 takes a walk down memory lane of their high school career. 

In addition to being the first class to go all four years through the new MVTHS campus, there are many things that make the class of 2020 special.

“[What makes us special is] we’re all so involved, whether it’s academically or sports most of us are a part of something. I think we have a very gifted class and we genuinely try our best at everything. When we’re cheering at a pep assembly it feels like family to me,” said Allyson Jones, ‘20. 

“We are very talented in many things we do. Most people just don’t know it because some people don’t get a chance to shine,” expressed Alec Blaydes, ‘20.

“I think what makes us special is that we want to be involved in things and be good at it. Like sports, drama club, student council, we want to be in it and be good at it,” explained JaRay Mincey, ‘20.

“[We are] able to overcome and push through at tough moments,” said Montrel Barbour, ‘20.

“[What makes us special is] all the different personalities. [Also] we didn’t have a normal second semester of our senior year,” stated Devin Edwards, ‘20.

“[Something special about us is] our energy we give off,” said Anna Lamczyk, ‘20.

The special class made their last year of high school special as well, even with COVID-19 circumstances causing it to end three months early. 

“I believe my senior year was one of the most memorable years despite COVID, it was filled with tons of great memories and experiences that I would not trade for the world!” exclaimed Hailey Mooney, 20.

“[Senior year was] definitely the year I will never forget, it was very special,” said Kassidy Olsen, ‘20.

“Senior year was the best year of highschool for sure. I became friends with the right people and really found myself this year and decided what I wanted to do for college,” explained Jones.

“It obviously didn’t end the way I dreamed of it ending but overall it was a great year and also a learning year. I’ve learned things about myself and the people around me,” expressed Mincey.

“[Senior year was] unbelievable, and wake up call to adult life,” said Edwards.

Throughout their senior year and all the years prior, the graduates made countless memories, which they will remember forever.

“My favorite memories will definitely be from pep assemblies and ball games, nothing is better than getting to cheer for the Rams and spend time with my friends,” expressed Jones.

“My favorite high school memories would be our first homecoming assembly, playing the regional championship game for softball my junior year, and all the nights spent in the Khaos Kage with my classmates,” recalled Mooney.

“My favorite memories were in sports. I made my first basket at a home game and the crowd was cheering my name. The other one is at Meet the Team for football when they announced my name and the crowd went crazy,” recalled Mincey. 

“[My favorite memories are] all the state conferences we went to and just all the times hanging out with friends,” said Quan Nguyen, ‘20.

The memories, experiences, and numerous other aspects of being an MVTHS student have helped shape individuals of the Class of 2020 into who they are today.

“MVTHS has allowed me to meet and become close with so many different people and has really helped me become a stronger minded and determined person through all the experiences I have faced,” explained Mooney.

“[MVTHS] has helped me to find out who I am as a person and how to deal with trials and tribulations of being a student, but also maintaining a social life amidst my sports practices,” said Mia Riggan, ‘20.

“The people at MVTHS pushed me to let my voice be heard,” said Lamczyk.

“I stand up for what I believe in and chase my dreams. I’m not timid anymore,” explained Blaydes.

“MVTHS has helped shape me into the person I wanted to be before entering highschool. I wanted to be outgoing and I wanted to be a good student. The teachers and staff pushed me to be better in my academics, and Cheer put me out there and made me more confident in who I am. I am thankful for all the experiences I had in highschool, good or bad, they made me who I am today,” stated Jones.

“[High school] made me learn how to adapt,” said Amir Spann, ‘20.

“It made me think outside the box and it made me want to try new things out and be more open with people,” expressed Mincey.

After four years in their home of MVTHS, many seniors are saddened by having to leave it behind following graduation, especially without the closure of a normal school year due to COVID-19.  There are many things the students will miss about their high school lives. 

“[I’m saddened by] not getting to have a final goodbye to all of my favorite teachers and friends,” said Jones.

“I will miss my teachers that helped shape me and taught me more than just school work. The teachers that taught me real life lessons,” Jones added. 

“[It is sad] that this will be the last time all of us will be able to see each other in the hallways. [I will miss] getting to see everyone everyday and having multiple classes with friends,” expressed Nguyen. 

“I’m sad about leaving behind all the amazing memories and people my four years at MVTHS brought me. I will miss the amazing teachers I have gotten to develop relationships with and all the nights spent cheering on the Rams!” expressed Mooney.

“[I’m saddened by] never having a goodbye,” said Libby Schmidt, ‘20.

“I’m sad because I may not get to see the people I love again. [I will miss] the people I saw everyday, and the friends I’ll never see again,” stated Blaydes. 

“[I’m saddened by] not having a graduation,” said Barbour.

Although students are saddened by leaving MVTHS behind, they are also excited for their futures as they enter the next chapter of their lives.

“I’m ready for college and I think I’ve always dreamed about college, so I’m completely excited to end my high school career,” explained Lamczyk.

“I am extremely excited to start this next chapter of my life pursuing my dream career and meeting new people!” expressed Mooney.

“I am excited to leave and get my life started and grow older,” stated Nguyen.

“I’m excited to see where this journey takes me,” said Blaydes.

“[I am excited], knowing wherever I go in life it’ll be good,” stated Barbour.

The Class of 2020’s new lives will begin following graduation. The graduation ceremony is scheduled for June 6 at 6:00pm. Due to COVID-19 circumstances, MVTHS will not hold a traditional ceremony. Instead, there will be a drive through ceremony in front of Changnon Gymnasium. 

“I am grateful we are getting a ceremony at all, but it definitely is a bummer not being to have it normally,” stated Riggan.

“It will definitely be memorable. I’m sad I won’t get to socialize with my friends during the graduation, but it will be something I will remember forever,” said Jones.

“The school is trying to do the best they can to let us have a graduation but I wish it was just a classic outside graduation on the football field,” expressed Lamczyk.

“I’m happy that our families will get to take part and that all the students will get to graduate together in a sense, but I would have loved to have the traditional ceremony,” expressed Mooney.

“I’m glad that MVTHS is trying their best to make it as normal as possible,” said Olsen.

“I feel like the staff did an excellent job including the graduates and their family safely,” stated Mincey.

Illinois schools shut down for COVID-19 for the rest of the academic year on March 17, 2020. The school closure has greatly affected the Class of 2020, and caused them to miss out on not only graduation, but numerous defining experiences of their senior year.

“It’s made it hard to make classic memories other classes got to experience, such as prom or an actual graduation and honors night,” stated Lamczyk.

“The closure affected me a lot emotionally, myself and probably all the senior spring athletes were really looking forward to our last seasons as a Ram,” expressed Mooney.

“It was hard not getting a chance to say our final goodbye. It was also really sad knowing our class would not get to enjoy all those great last moments of high school together,” Mooney added.

“It has cut our year short and we missed out on the best part of senior year,” said Nguyen.

“[It has] disappointed all of us, we worked hard for nothing it feels like,” expressed Barbour.

“We don’t get to hang out and it saddens all of us. It’s depressing to not see your loved ones,” explained Blaydes.

“I feel like I never really got to say bye to some of my friends, I know some of them I will never get to see again and that makes me sad to think about it,” expressed Jones.

“We won’t ever have a closure,” stated Schmidt. 

Despite their final year at MVTHS not going as planned, the Class of 2020 truly is special and has left a positive impact on MVTHS. They will continue to make an impact after high school, as they begin to build a better world, one Ram at a time.