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Editorial: High school graduation

Navigating high school is a big deal, even when a global pandemic isn't making matters even more stressful than they'd otherwise be.
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It's great to see the return of traditional high-school graduation ceremonies throughout Cochrane this school year.

While virtually everyone has been impacted negatively by the COVID-19 pandemic, a demographic that has repeatedly been thrown curve balls since March 2020 is high-school students. Throughout the last two-plus years, high-schoolers have had to contend with a variety of challenges, including learn-from-home directives, the cancellation of extra-curricular activities, various health-related mandates, and other hardships. 

High school can be a pretty overwhelming time for students. It takes place during an awkward (albeit formative) stage of human development, when hormones are raging and puberty is causing expedited physical and emotional changes. High school also brings increased academic expectations and dedication, compared to earlier grades. 

Navigating high school is a big deal, even when a global pandemic isn't making matters more stressful than they'd otherwise be.

Thus, graduation is an achievement worth celebrating. And for the last two school years, those celebrations have unfortunately – like so many other things – had to be modified and adapted to abide by public health protocols.

While the Classes of 2020 and 2021 will have unique stories to tell their kids and grandkids decades from now about their unusual and socially distanced graduation celebrations, we're sure many of those students would have preferred a traditional convocation.

Thankfully, the pandemic is at a point where those ceremonies can once again occur. Students can cross the stage in their cap and gown to receive their diplomas, and blow off steam later in the evening in the form of a grad banquet and dance. 

Completing Grade 12 is one of the first major milestones in a young adult's life. It's the culmination of 12 years of work, and we're happy to see the Class of 2022 will get to celebrate it properly.

Congrats, Cochrane grads!

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