A Time to Adapt: Parker Focuses on The Future
By AMIE KNOWLES
WILKESBORO — When Hayley Parker embarked on her senior year at Wilkes Central High School, she knew she’d make memories to last a lifetime.
Already a member of the Beta Club, Key Club, National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society and Junior Civitans, being on the Homecoming court, graduating with honors at the number two spot in her class and having taken all of the necessary courses to sit for her certified nursing assistant test, the student body president was well on her way to having one of the most fulfilling senior years a student could dream up. Then in March, without warning Parker walked out of her high school for the very last time.
“Well, we didn’t even know that we were going home for two weeks until later that weekend, so we had no idea that we would even be out of school at all,” Parker said.
It didn’t take long for her to become suspicious of the sudden switch.
“I kind of figured once they told us we would be out for two weeks and everybody else around the state and country were doing the same thing, I figured that we wouldn’t be going back for the rest of the year,” Parker said.
Parker’s hunch turned into reality as students across the nation switched to online classes for the remaining months of the school year. For Parker, the technological component wasn’t much of a change — she’d already taken 36 hours of college credits online, so she was familiar with the format. She adapted to the new schedule of classroom Zoom meetings and learned the online modules quickly.
Becoming An Online Presence
Her position as student body president also switched to an online presence and she took on extra responsibilities to help her peers come to terms with the adjustments.
“We had meetings with our advisor and we came up with ways to highlight the seniors,” Parker said. “We made senior spotlight videos. We had an online spirit week where you would post stuff on Instagram. We had teachers make some messages for the seniors to encourage them in this time.”
While the extra efforts helped ease the transition, 12th graders still felt the sting of missing some of the milestones of their senior year they’d looked forward to.
“It does seem like we missed out on a lot of things that other senior classes have got to do,” Parker said. “We didn’t get the senior prom, the [in-person] awards ceremonies and we don’t even know if we’re going to be able to have a regular graduation ceremony yet or not.”
Tentatively planned for Friday, July 17, Parker noted that she hadn’t heard many details about the potential graduation ceremony. It seemed like a good possibility before Gov. Roy Cooper extended Phase Two to that very date, but the switch made Parker uncertain of the particulars surrounding the ceremony.
“We’re supposed to have it in July, but we’re not sure if it’s going to be normal or not,” Parker said. “Ours is supposed to be outside, but they haven’t told us if there’s a limited number of people going yet or not.”
Optimistic about commencement, the Wilkes Central High School staff hosted a special, socially distanced event where students received their graduation regalia. They also gave each graduate a special gift. It was one of the highlights of the pandemic for Parker.
“Our school gave out signs that said ‘we’re proud of our seniors’ that we could put up in our driveways,” Parker said. “They also did a little drive-thru ceremony where we could go pick up our cap and gown and yearbook. They had all of the teachers there celebrating.”
The community also pulled together for the Class of 2020.
“They had an adopt a senior page on Facebook where people could go on there and adopt any senior they wanted in the county,” Parker said. “They could send them gifts and stuff to their houses and little notes of encouragement.”
Looking forward to the fall, the 2020 grad plans to pack her bags for the University of North Carolina at Wilmington where she will study occupational therapy. While past family crises inspired her to enter the rehabilitation field, working with younger patients has her heart.
“I’ve really always loved to help out kids and they’re kind of drawn to me as well, so I want to specialize in that region,” Parker said.
To the future kids she works with, it’s likely Parker will give one piece of advice, stemming from her senior year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Never wish anything away,” Parker said. “All seniors are getting that senioritis and they’re like, ‘Oh my, I can’t wait for this to be over.’ But then all of a sudden, it was just taken away. So live life as it is and don’t wish it away. Don’t wish time to go by.”
Want to read more of Hayley’s story or others like hers? NWNC’s 2020 Wilkes County Graduation Yearbook is out now. It’s 72 pages of full color material, all dedicated to the Class of 2020. You can order a copy by emailing martha@nwncmagazine.com.
