Barrington High School Class of 2021

Graduates in the Class of 2021: 708

2021 Graduation MCs: Katie DeGrazia, Jessica Bergman, Nora Rafaty, Aliyyah Zaidi, Johannah Lim, Alex Lynn, Laasya Maruvada, Maggie Graves

2021 Graduation Student Speakers: Cameron Marchese, Megha Rao, Caroline Prentiss, Grace Tripathy

Homecoming Ambassadors: Peter Anderson (senior) and Gracy Tripathy (senior)

Significant individual or team athletic achievements: Senior Molly Fitzpatrick was named to the 2020-21 IHSA All-State Academic Team and the BHS chess team placed second in the IHSA state competition.

Theater productions:

• 2020-21 Musical: Songs for a New World

• Fall Play: War of the Worlds

• Fall Experimental: An Evening Edgar Allan Poe

New for 2020-21 School Year: Winter Wonderfest, held in December 2020, was an outdoor drive-through event at BHS which featured live performances, tree displays, and much more.

What traditional events were adapted for the pandemic and how?

• Prom: On Saturday, May 15 at Westin Hotel in Itasca. Traditionally it is a senior/junior prom. This year it will only be seniors. The theme is "Golden 20s"

• Graduation: Typically BHS graduation is held on a Friday evening at Willow Creek Community Church. This year, it will be held outside on a Saturday at Barrington Community Stadium. There will be four ceremonies throughout the day in order to follow COVID-19 capacity guidelines.

• Decision Day: This celebration took place on April 30. It included a celebratory car parade, as well as a celebration in the BHS cafeteria with cookies and pictures with postsecondary college flags.

• Senior Celebration: Typically the graduates attend a boat cruise at night on Lake Michigan. This year they will be enjoying a day at Six Flags Great America with limited capacity.

What were the most significant challenges faced by the Class of 2021 and how did they overcome them?

Rather than focusing on a challenge faced by the Class of 2021, it is a better representation of this class to share a community challenge the Class of 2021 identified and how they worked to overcome it. During the holiday season our students recognized that many families and individuals would be isolated as the result of COVID mitigation efforts. The Class of 2021 worked with staff and their fellow students to develop the Winter Wonderfest. Winter Wonderfest was a drive through music and lights festival that brought some holiday cheer to the Barrington community.

Principal's reflections on the Class of 2021:

In spite of multiple disruptions and course corrections during the past year, the Barrington High School Class of 2021 has embraced opportunities to develop and share their academic, fine art, athletic, and philanthropic talents with our community. Whether presenting a play on the front steps, livestreaming a competition to family or friends, or hosting special community events, they have embraced every opportunity. Their flexibility, grace, and sincere appreciation is unprecedented.

- Principal Steve McWilliams