The Columbian: Senior Destinations for Columbia High School 2020

From The Columbian:

Dear CHS Class of 2020,

Congratulations on your graduation! After four chaotic years together, we may celebrate this important milestone knowing that we have emerged from high school stronger and smarter.

We spent hours and hours together cramped in the classrooms of Columbia, ostensibly learning about biology, essay writing and algebraic equations, but it was not those lessons that we will most dearly treasure. Rather, we will best remember our abilities to unite for activism, to make others smile, to empathize and to defeat the odds.

After black men and women were brutally killed by the police in May, we joined in the national movement and flooded the streets, marching as over a thousand strong. Earlier this school year, we walked to town hall, protesting for action against climate change. During our sophomore year, we tied orange cloths around the fences in remembrance of the many lives lost to gun violence. And during our freshman year, we marched out of the school in protest of Donald Trump’s inauguration.

As if these events didn’t prove how strong we are as a class, the COVID-19 pandemic forced us inside to learn from home. Our senior year did not end as we expected as we missed out on the iconic events we have been looking forward to since we entered the district. More importantly, we mourn those lost, including the parents who constituted such a vital part of our community.

This pandemic has put a mark on our class that will never be forgotten and has severely impacted our senior year, but it does not define us as a class. We watched the talented artists of CHS in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” “Hairspray” and “Mary Poppins,” holding our breath as the musical cast enchanted us with their lively numbers. We cheered nonstop for the Special Dance Company and occasionally sang and danced along. We jumped up and down as our incredible sports teams went on to win title after title, achievement after achievement, making us proud every season. Our senior year brought us our football team’s first home win that we had seen during our time at CHS. We took part in our school’s first—and last—winter formal and racked up an insane amount of book fines, which we are still working on paying off. Lastly, we never stopped standing up for ourselves in the face of the uncertain nature of CHS—asbestos, ceiling collapses, rats, principal changes, that chicken that kept appearing on the stairwell windowsill, and all.

After all we have been through together, we are confident in each of our abilities to succeed not only in the next few years, but in life. To all the devoted teachers, counselors, custodians, cafeteria staffers, librarians, and administrators, thank you for helping to educate, comfort, and nurture us as we went from wee kindergarteners to mature-ish seniors; you truly made our time in the district special. Some of us have been together since elementary and will fondly remember the friendships forged and the knowledge gained here. We are excited to see what everyone does as CHS graduates in the world and once again offer our congratulations.

Sincerely,

The Columbian 2019-20 Editorial Board

*If you are a graduating CHS senior whose information we do not have, whose information is inaccurate in any way, or whose name is not on this list, please contact us through email (thechscolumbian@gmail.com) or (jenyeart@somsd.k12.nj.us) so that we can promptly fill in your senior destination. Congrats to the CHS class of 2020!

Thank you to Liz Petroccia for massively helping gather data for this list. Without her hard work and dedication to the school and senior class this list would not have been possible during such a difficult time!