MHS seniors share devastation as year ends early

A couple of weeks ago, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that schools across Iowa would close for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year due to the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). That meant a very early end to the school year; the last time Monticello students were in the classroom was March 13.

     While most students will go back to school in the fall for the start of the 2020-21 school year, the high school seniors saw an abrupt end to their last year of high school. No more sports. No more music or arts. No senior skip day. No more senior year memories.

     The Monticello Express reached out to some MHS seniors to hear directly from them about the early end to their high school career, what they’re doing in the interim, and what they’ll miss the most as they look ahead to their future.

Kendra Foust

     Foust, who’s involved in drama, band and choir, found out a couple days before the start of Spring Break (March 16) that their band/choir trip to Disney World in Florida was going to be cancelled. In addition, the drama students were in the midst of dress rehearsal for the up-coming play when that was cancelled as well.

     “Most of us were really upset, we really didn’t know what to think,” she said.

     Foust said she would have never guessed that they would not be going back to high school.

     “I never would have thought that this was how our senior year was going to end,” she said. “We weren’t able to prepare for all of the last times and goodbyes.”

     Foust admitted it’s hard to remain positive right now, but realizes the entire situation was out of their hands.

     “We just have to continue to make the best of an unfortunate situation,” she added optimistically. “I think we can all rise stronger after this.”

     Foust has missed so much of her senior year since school let out in March:

     • Disney World Trip over Spring Break

     • The last play of her high school career

     • Dessert Concert

     • Prom

     • Graduation

     “Those were two major events that were supposed to happen,” said Foust. “I also miss seeing my friends and the teachers that have helped me grow.”

     Once the announcement came that school would be no more, Foust said the seniors received a message from Principal Joan Young, expressing her regrets and sympathy to the senior class.

     “They weren’t going to give up,” she shared of the administration trying to find a replacement for prom and graduation. Foust said if they do hold both events later this summer, it would be important to clean and sanitize everything beforehand. “I think if we’re smart about it, it’ll be OK,” added Foust.

     With no physical classes, Foust has been staying busy finishing her Kirkwood classes online, which was required. Though, she said, it’s been hard to stay motivated.

     She’s also been taking advantage of the nice weather and spending time with her family.

     “Sometimes just being in the fresh air can really help,” she encouraged.

     Since school ended, Foust has been putting in more hours working for J&P Cycles in Anamosa. However, their store hours have been cut back due to COVID-19.

     Foust hopes to continue her education at Kirkwood in the fall, pursuing her liberal arts degree.

     She said she’s really appreciative of all the things people have done for the high school seniors. “All the things the school system and community have been doing to cheer us on is really heartwarming,” Foust said.

Chase Sternhagen

     Sternhagen’s last day of school was actually March 12; however, he spent his last night at play practice worried that the band/choir trip to Disney in Florida was going to get cancelled.

     “When that happened, I figured that that was going to be our last day for a while,” he recalled of the end of his senior year.

     Once Kirkwood and other colleges moved to online classes only, Sternhagen felt it was a matter of time when schools were closed for the year.

     “It feels pretty sad,” admitted Sternhagen. “When everyone was talking about it before it happened, I didn’t care too much. However, when school did get cancelled for the rest of the year, I started getting sad and realized that some people I may never see again, and that my friends since first grade would all be moving in different directions.”

     Like Foust, Sternhagen misses the idea of not having his senior prom. “I was really looking forward to post-prom,” he said.

     He also misses his last school play.

     “The thing I’m most sad about for Drama is that we won’t have our cast party after the shows,” he said.

     Sternhagen will also never have choir, Forte, and the Dessert Concert anymore.

     In terms of alternatives for prom or graduation, Sternhagen said while he’s received e-mails about both events from the school, he does not have any ideas at the moment on how to keep them safe for everyone if they were to be rescheduled.

     Since the virus became widespread, Sternhagen has also had to quit his job at Diamond Pi Company due to his susceptibility. (Sternhagen had a kidney transplant when he was young.)

     “If I were to get coronavirus, it would not be good,” he said. “So I texted my boss, Eric Green, and told him I didn’t want to work because I don’t want to risk getting sick with my health problems. Thankfully, Eric was cool with me not working during this time.”

     With so much free time, Sternhagen’s been finishing up his Kirkwood classes online, though he said it was hard to concentrate and put all of his effort into producing quality work. Like Foust, he was lacking the motivation.

     Sternhagen has also been playing video games and shooting hoops by himself at home.

     “It’s kind of sad,” he said.

     As for schoolwork, Sternhagen said because the school made it optional/voluntary for the students, he hasn’t been doing much work online.

     “It doesn’t affect your grade, and I have all A’s in my high school classes.”

     In the fall, Sternhagen plans to attend the University of Northern Iowa and major in history education. He’s looking forward to rooming with his high school buddy Jeff Carlson.

     “I want to become a history teacher, and I’m excited to live on campus,” he said. “I’m excited to meet new friends. I’m excited about everything that the university has to offer me for the next four years.”

     Sternhagen said he is worried about starting his first year of college without the possibility of physically going to class due to coronavirus.

     “I’m afraid that our first semester of college is going to be online. That would be very hard to do because we won’t know our professors at all. We won’t know those classes at all.

     “It’s something I pray won’t happen.”