Kennedy High School graduates celebrate successes despite disrupted school year

CEDAR RAPIDS — Kennedy High School graduate Allison Hubbell, in her valedictory speech Thursday, encouraged her peers to take the disruption caused by the pandemic and use it to explore who they want to become in life.

Her remarks came during the Cedar Rapids Community School District’s first in-person graduation ceremony in two years — a gap caused by that pandemic. The Kennedy High School Class of 2021 gathered at the downtown Alliant Energy PowerHouse to celebrate their accomplishments despite having to navigate both the public health crisis and the last summer’s derecho disaster.

Hubbell said she turned to books during the stress of the pandemic, which she called an “obsessive” coping method. It began affecting her academically, she said.

“School was a big deal for me, and then suddenly I just didn’t care,” she said. “I no longer fit into the mold of who I was and thought I would be.”

When a teacher told her that “it’s OK to not be who you expected to be,” Hubbell felt like she had permission to change and explore her identity more deeply.

“Learn more about yourself: your dreams and desires, interests and passions and your place in this world,” she said. “Perhaps it is intimidating, but it’s also liberating. You are the author of your story.”

Last year at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person school was canceled in March 2020 for the remainder of the academic year. So the Class of 2020 was unable to have an in-person graduation ceremony as usual, and students participated in drive-through celebrations instead.

Talking about how proud he is of the Class of 2021 made Kennedy High School Principal Jason Kline tear up.

“I think the adults around them had less resiliency than they did,” he said. “They took the situation and ran with it and did exceptionally.”

Morgan Gerst gave a welcoming address Thursday, reminiscing on all the class has experienced during its senior year.

“How do you welcome a group of people you haven’t seen in over a year?” asked Gerst, student government president.

Cedar Rapids’ Class of 2021 began the senior year a month late after the Aug. 10, 2020, derecho delayed the first day of school because of damage caused to school buildings.

The students continued to navigate the school year in the midst of a pandemic, with some students attending school in-person and others opting to take classes online only.

“Look at this. It is so refreshing to see this many people together again,” Gerst said.

“Despite going through the pain of essentially losing a senior year, I want you to take a second to reflect and look at where you are today,” Gerst said. “None of this would be yours without the perseverance you have all shown. Although this year was a milestone for many of us, one year does not determine who we are or what we are capable of.”

Elizabeth Bagby spoke on behalf of herself and Rahma Elsheikh, co-presidents of the class, about what the Class of 2021 has achieved despite the pandemic.

“Rahma and I are honored today to actually be speaking before you all and not to a computer full of blank rectangles,” Bagby said, alluding to virtual learning.

In the past year, the Class of 2021 witnessed and maybe even participated in the largest voter turnout in U.S. history during the 2020 presidential election, Bagby said in her speech. It witnessed “an overdue racial reckoning“ and students’ social media feeds were inundated with politics.

“We, more than anyone else, understand the power we hold in the world,” Bagby said. “It’s up to us to continue carrying our humanity with careful arms, so we end up being good people to one another and ourselves.”

“We see the strength, the empathy, the compassion, the love and the ability to become whatever your heart desires. You are not the leaders of tomorrow. You are already leaders right now,” she said.

Shefa’a Tawil, 2021 poet laureate, shared a poem with her peers before they accepted their diplomas.

“Do you remember the first day we met?/Clinging to our mothers’ legs/begging them to stay …

“It’s been quite a year/all those deaths/and no, I don’t mean to depress/but let’s take a moment for those at rest …

“Our class knew loss before we even found who we are/that’s how we know,/we’ll go far.

“Whatever your future may hold/whatever it is you’ve been told./I believe in you … so keep your chin up.”

Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com