Life on hold. COVID-19 through the eyes of a Manatee County high school graduate

At first, COVID-19 seemed like a distant news story to Manatee County’s high school seniors.

Ximena Chafloque, 18, traveled from Peru to the United States at an early age. Her graduation from Southeast High School, originally scheduled for May 16, was a chance to honor her parents and her own achievements.

“I’m the first one that gets to walk across a high school stage in the U.S.,” she said. “Even getting into college was huge for me because, in a way, it’s telling me my parents’ hard work paid off and I’m taking advantage of my opportunities.”

Chafloque was one of three Gold Feather recipients at Southeast High, the school’s highest honor, and she was anxiously awaiting her speech to the Class of 2020.

There would be pictures, graduation parties and lifelong memories. Chafloque would then travel to Ithaca, N.Y., and become a first-generation college student at Cornell University, part of the Ivy League.

COVID-19, a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus, surfaced in the U.S. in January. The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency less than two weeks later, and by early April, Chafloque was spending her 18th birthday in self-isolation.

The virus, first discovered in the Chinese city of Wuhan, was no longer a foreign headline.

Schools throughout Florida were closed, forcing both teachers and students to finish the year online. Universal Orlando canceled Grad Bash, a yearly celebration of graduating seniors, and the prom at Southeast High soon followed.

“That was a little sad for all of us who bought our tickets and our dresses,” Chafloque said.

She now fears that online learning, which marked the end of her high school career, will continue at the beginning of her college experience. With guidance from UnidosNow, she was accepted at half a dozen colleges and universities throughout the country.

COVID-19 forced her to make a crucial decision without visiting the campuses. She improvised by taking virtual tours, watching YouTube videos and speaking with other students.

“These schools had really good programs, so it was really hard to make that decision based off a computer screen,” Chafloque said.

Her chosen campus, Cornell University, hopes to open for students in the upcoming school year, but it made no guarantees in an update posted on Thursday.

“Even when we reopen our campuses, the virus will likely remain a part of daily life and social distancing measures will need to remain in place until that threat passes,” the update states.

Chafloque planned to work over the summer and save money for college. Donning the cap and gown she bought for graduation, she also hoped to visit Peru and celebrate with her grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. Both plans are now on hold.

“I have a lot of personal expenses once I go up to New York, especially because I don’t own any winter clothes at all,” she said. “I needed to start saving money for college. But now with the coronavirus, my mom is really worried I could get sick.”

Her focus shifted to finishing the school year and revising her graduation speech. A lot happened over the last several months, and she wanted to capture the experience of Manatee County students.

The School District of Manatee County recently announced that all graduation ceremonies would be postponed for more than two months.

Southeast High students are scheduled to walk the graduation stage on Aug. 1. Manatee High School and Bayshore High School have graduations on the same day, while Lakewood Ranch High, Palmetto High and Braden River High will hold their ceremonies in late July.

District officials said they were also planning “video alternatives” to celebrate in the meantime, though nothing was final on Thursday afternoon.

Chafloque knew she was robbed of an experience. After emigrating from Peru and excelling in school, COVID-19 stole her big moment.

Still, she was optimistic. Chafloque was doing her part to curb the virus, and whether it be online or in person, she could still pursue her education and connect with her loved ones — the most important parts of her life plan.

“In the end, you’re still going to graduate,” she said. “You’re still going to college, but it may be a little different.”

This story was originally published May 1, 2020 at 10:30 AM.