NEENAH (NBC 26) -- The past several months have been full of change for students.
First, they left school early and went to online learning. Then, they went through a summer vacation marked by social distancing and masks. Now, they're preparing to get back to a school year that will look much different than the previous ones.
In a little more than a month, students will likely be able to return to the classroom for the first time since March. We sat down with a group of Neenah High School seniors to hear how they feel about a return to school this fall. All five students said they'll hope to be back to in-person classes.
“I think online learning, obviously it was the only option we had this spring, but I would rather be in person than online,” Kiersten Kraus said.
A return to class means students will get to see their friends and teachers again. For athletes, it could also mean a return to the sport they love.
“It being my senior year, I want to be able to get the full experience in person and just soak it all in in my last year of high school," Nathan Lee said.
Students also recognize that class will look different. In Neenah and many other districts, masks will be required. Several other safety measures, such as social distancing, are also expected to be in place.
“I think it’s definitely going to be weird walking down the hall seeing everyone in their covering, but it’s what we have to do," Chase Hanselman said. “It’s definitely going to be nice to be able to see people that we haven’t seen since March, because that’s when we were last in school.”
Not all students will return to class. In Neenah, students will have the option to continue their education online.
“I’m choosing the in-person option because I like the traditional style of learning and being able to communicate with my teachers, but I’m totally okay with wearing a mask and socially distancing with my peers because I just want to be in school," Ella Buksyk said.
For seniors, they're hopeful their last year of high school can ease it's way back to normal. They're optimistic that prom will happen, sports will continue, and they'll be able to get together with friends more as the year goes on. Right now, many of them are just excited to return to the classroom.
