If this past year has made anything abundantly clear, it’s that the De Soto High School class of 2021 is resilient. 

The learning model has shifted between remote, hybrid and onsite throughout the course of the year, making many DHS traditions difficult to pursue. 

Despite this, the class of 2021 was able to participate in prom and senior assassins, two activities that made this year feel more normal. 

Senior Riley Padden felt like prom contributed to the feeling of senior year being one to remember. 

“I’ve always heard about prom, even in elementary and middle school,” Padden said. “The fact that I was actually able to go to prom built into that stereotype of what high school looks like.”

Additionally, senior Jaycie Swift enjoyed participating in senior assassins. 

“There was connection and communication throughout the whole senior class. [Assassins] was a way to unite after this year,” Swift said. 

In order to make up for many of the activities that were lost over the last two years due to the pandemic, the last week of school will be filled with opportunities to make memories leading up to graduation. 

With Grad Fest on Thursday, senior awards on Friday and graduation on Saturday, the class of 2021 will have the opportunity to come together as a class for the last time. 

“This week will give us a chance to make some last memories, so that kind of makes up for activities we lost during the year,” senior Nicole Schottler said. 

Ultimately, while this school year has had unprecedented challenges, the senior class of 2021 has overcome numerous challenges. As the year comes to a close, the seniors hope to make some lasting memories before they go their separate ways.