Senior Trip Proves to be Final Send Off to Class of 2020 Due to COVID-19

By Ryan Sy

Group photo of the Wall High School senior trip at Walt Disney World.

    The annual Wall High School senior trip is a time for graduating students to have a fun-filled week in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., however, this year’s trip marked the last time the seniors saw each other in person before the end of the school year as COVID-19 created complications to senior celebrations such as the Decision Day, prom and commencement.  
    The COVID-19 or coronavirus was known to have entered the United States about a month before the trip took place. I was fortunate enough to be able to go on the trip. I had my fears about the virus, but I was not going to let my worries dampen the experience. 
   As the trip approached, plans did not change but extra precautions were put in place. These precautions included wiping down seats in the airport or at Disney. The trip, however, ended abruptly. The final day was cut out due to concerns of flights coming back home to New Jersey since the trip was on the last flight out of Orlando. This is the first occasion that the senior trip was cut short. It did not affect the time in Disney World as the night before was the final day in Disney itself. The seniors’ visit to Universal Studios was the only part of the trip affected. 
    “The coronavirus was a minor detail when looking at the trip overall,” said Wall senior Julia Fischer. “We may have had to leave a day early, but the coronavirus did not affect our time in Disney World.”
    “It wasn't until Thursday where we had to make some adjustments,” said Class of 2020 co-advisor and math teacher Mrs. Jessica Erbe via email. “You could see that some of the kids had questions towards the end of the trip, since they were hearing all different stories from their friends at WHS. Thursday night was our first meeting where we addressed the issue of COVID-19 and ensured all students that they were safe!”
      “In all of my eight years chaperoning the trip this was the second time we had ever made a major adjustment to our plans,” Mrs. Erbe added. “I am extremely grateful to each of our students and chaperones who took the news so well. [Co-advisor and fellow math teacher] Mr. [Eugene] DeLutio and I felt that this was a wonderful trip, and an amazing experience for the Class of 2020, and we are so happy that each student who went will have these memories forever.”
    The seniors on the trip had four days of Disney World magic. During those days, there was no sense that there was a pandemic unfolding, rather, happiness and fun. The parks were busy because of the long lines and crowds of people entering the park. I remember the line waiting to get into Hollywood Studios because of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride. 
     “I think that overall the trip was a blast,” said Wall senior Peter Gacos. “It is really tough not to have a fun time in Disney as it is truly one of the happiest places on earth. I think that the coronavirus did not play too big of a part because it was easy to get caught up in being in Disney itself.”
    As one of the last groups to experience the still-shuttered Disney World, this Wall class trip will forever have a place in history. Like many communities across America, Wall Township has transitioned to an online learning environment with virtual classes and discussion. 
    “I miss having a structured learning environment and seeing my friends,” Fischer added. 
​    Currently, we are all in self-isolation and hoping for a return to normalcy in the near future. Roads are empty and boardwalks are closed. But, in making these sacrifices, the Wall community is helping those on the front lines and also saving lives by staying home. 
  Families are being brought closer together since they are spending more time together, time that was lacking within our daily lives before this pandemic. They are eating meals together again along with watching movies and reigniting relationships with each other.  
  There is no question that the impact of this pandemic will forever alter our lives. That Wall’s seniors were able to get almost all of their trip in before the coronavirus closure of the theme parks punctuates their time at the high school in this unusual point in history.

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Wall High School seniors (Back, from left to right) Abigail Nonnenberg, Haleigh Merriman, Abigail Kiewe, Jack Wolter, Abigail Greene, Frank Passantino and Ryan Sy (front) Julia Fischer and Izabella Aravich soaked up the sun in the Magic Kingdom.