Delphine Boitano

In this historically unconventional year, senior Delphine Boitano tries to channel her inner optimism regardless of her overwhelming senior year agenda.
As an involved student on Associated Student Body (ASB), Boitano agrees with many
seniors who feel their academic and social lives being negatively impacted by the events that have unfolded in 2020, from COVID-19 to canceled school events and distance learning.
“You always hear people say that [senior year] is your best year and to have so many events taken from us and to not have that external outlet to balance stress and social life is definitely disappointing to an extent,” Boitano said.
As ASB clubs commissioner, Boitano faces many new obstacles to her job. More broadly, as a normal senior navigating college applications and AP classes, she finds that COVID-19 drastically changed many aspects of her life this year.
“One thing I have taken away from this year is to be more grateful for the health and safety of my family and friends. Especially with my parents being high risk and my asthma history, I feel that my fear losing someone is heightened…” Boitano said.
Though it has been a year of hurdles, Boitano emphasizes that clubs are one of the many ways that students can preserve a sense of school culture and experience a sense of community that faded in the chaos of this year.

Noor Addal

Facing the impacts of COVID-19 and the recent California fires, senior Noor Addal has a different outlook at the unwinding events of this year.
“I would say that my emotions are scattered towards this year, it’s more chaotic than anything and I have never experienced a year like this where I have been overwhelmed with information and news that has had the potential to change so many people’s lives including my own,” Addal said
Following the Silverado fire, Addal and her family were ordered to evacuate abruptly.
“I remember going to sleep and thinking normally about everything I had to do the next day, and next thing I know I wake up and I’m collecting all my valuables and driving to find the best place to shelter which is hard for anyone to reduce their whole lives to a small bag,” Addal said.
Though the fires and COVID-19 cases altered the school year, Addal still finds light in her community among the darker days of senior year.
“I think people are a lot kinder to each other this year because through isolation, people have been getting closer to their friends… there is more compassion towards each other because there is so much that people could be going through,” Addal said. “I think going forward hopefully our community can recognize that and maintain that level of understanding and kindness.”