Senior Class Photo Altered Due to Guidelines
Traditions this school year have not been particularly practiced as much as previous school years due to COVID, this even applies to the senior class photo taken of every graduating class.
The not so surprising news that the senior class photo wouldn’t be taken together was shared with students on Dec. 4.
Senior Jadyn Bierman understood why students could be disappointed but understood the school’s reasoning.
“I know that a lot of students are upset about it,” Bierman said. “It is unfortunate and upsetting because it's just another experience that this year's seniors won't get, but there isn't much to be done.”
“The normal way the class picture would be wouldn't be safe to do given the current situation. I appreciate the school's effort to at least try to make it somewhat normal,” Bierman said.
Since HUHS is following social distancing guidelines, the photo could not be taken on the bleachers with the graduating class like previous years. Instead this year students will have an individual photo of them take one at a time.
Their photos will be cut out and edited into a collage of everyone with the intention to make the photo look as normal as possible. Empire Photography has a team of about 10 people working on this process.
HUHS project coordinator Beth Hermann said the only other senior class photo option would have been taking no picture at all, “Which is not what we wanted,” Hermann said.
“We see this plan as the best one given the current circumstances and we have complete confidence in Empires ability to produce a great final product for our seniors,” Hermann said.
Empire Photography has been serving HUHS with graduation related photos for more than 20 years. Hermann said they do a fantastic job.
Senior Jordan Zainer would prefer to have the class photo taken the same as previous years. “I think that if masks are worn and the picture is taken right away, there shouldn't be any issues with covid,” Zainer said. “Close contact rules are I believe being within six feet for 15 minutes or more. So if the photo was taken right away those rules would be followed.”
Production Manage, Erin Hoffmann from Empire Photography said they edited together a photo for another school’s class photo and that the school was pleased with the final product. “[The school was] happy to have something to remember the year with,” Hoffman said.
Seniors this year have been told over and over again that things they may have been looking forward to for years are now canceled because of the virus. The senior class photo is not the only thing that has been taken away this year.
“The school removing Class Color Day was quite unfair to this year's seniors, as we were robbed of many of the normal traditions seniors get to have,” Bierman said. “Additionally, the cancelation of Junior Prom last year, and I'm sure the future cancelation of Snowcoming and Senior Classic will just add on to the things that this year's seniors won't get to experience.”
Zainer said he was looking forward to homecoming and the football game along with graduation and the tradition of visiting the elementary and middle schools.
