On June 23rd, 2022, Bronx Science’s class of 2022 graduated from high school and officially say their goodbyes. With a ceremony at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, seniors at Bronx Science experienced an in-person graduation ceremony, despite the on-going Coronavirus pandemic. 

The 2022 school year started after a year and a half of remote learning. Seniors could once again meet their friends in-person for the first time since the beginning of their sophomore year. The unpredictable events of the COVID-19 pandemic left the class of 2022 craving more in their high school years. Zayedali Shaikh ’22, said “COVID-19 made my high school experience feel less than it could have been.” 

Many seniors shared the same sentiment regarding the influence of the pandemic on their high school experience, but some thought that the extensive virtual learning period had some upsides. Eli Bui ’22 said that he was able to capitalize on the free time that remote learning provided and he “devoted the time towards new hobbies in learning how to play the piano and a new language.” Without a doubt, the pandemic had forcefully changed the high school lives of the class of 2022, but seniors still worked together to make their final year together more memorable and entertaining. 

One tradition for seniors at Bronx Science is the Assassins and Spork Royale games. In the former, students receive a clothespin with a target’s name on it, and the student’s job is to find the senior and pin them without being detected. After taking down the target, they will take the target’s clothespin until only one person is left standing. The latter is a game that includes participants, separated into teams, whose main goal is to always hold a spork in their hand and if caught not holding, the individual is eliminated. As a fun middle-of-the-school year event, seniors most definitely enjoyed the competitive games.

Even with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, seniors were still able to make memories in clubs, classes, and with friends. Toaha Bin Muhammad ’22 said that at Bronx Science, he cherished the community that he was a part of. 

“Throughout my four years of high school, I loved the community that I was around. The students were always pushing each other up to overcome obstacles whether it was class-related or related to life in general. Everyone looked out for another. The teachers and staff, additionally, were the best. They listened to what we had to say as students, and being around them made me feel comfortable. Lastly, I had such a great time with the friends I made. From playing sports at Harris Field, to conversing with another classmate in the library or in the cafeteria, to eating food together, and praying together after school with my friends from the MSA (Muslim Students’ Association), I learned the importance of having a community to be a part of, and I will always treasure that.”

The high school experience is an important part of an individual’s growth, and although the pandemic made the in person part of it shorter, the seniors overcame the obstacles and made the most out of their time at Bronx Science. Although the class of 2022 will be in different cities, states, or even countries this fall, they will still be held together by the community that they formed together at Bronx Science.

Although the class of 2022 will be in different cities, states, or even countries this fall, they will still be held together by the community that they formed together at Bronx Science.