Wheeling High School Class of 2021

Graduates in the Class of 2021: 443

Graduation Speakers: Geneve Halfman and Barunka Szamaranszky

Academic achievements:

• National Merit Finalist - Miranda Lawson

• 33 students earned Highest Honors

• More than $6 million earned in scholarships

Extracurricular achievements:

• Geneve Halfman won 2nd place speaker at IHSA state finals, as well as a spot on the IHSA All-State Debate Team

• Syeda Khan also earned a spot on the IHSA All-State Debate Team

Athletic achievements:

• Joe Jordan threw a no-hitter against Waukegan on April 15

Theater productions:

• Virtual Fusion Show - "Take Out and Delivery"

• Orchesis Virtual Concert "The Show Must Go On" (links still available

through WCAT Media)

• Musical - "And the World Goes Round"

What traditional events were adapted for the pandemic and how?

• Fine Arts productions were all streamed.

• Prom was outside on the football field.

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

Obviously the most significant challenge faced by the Class of 2021 was remote learning and being socially isolated. Our students still found ways to interact virtually to maintain relationships and support each other. Despite the remote learning, our students adapted. and flourished academically.

Principal's reflections on the Class of 2021:

The Class of 2021 has been a resilient bunch. They had a major part of their high school career taken away due to the pandemic. Yet, they never gave up and continued to take advantage of every opportunity to excel in both academics and extracurriculars. There was no learning loss experienced with our seniors, instead they learned a lot about themselves and their community.

They learned that they are tougher than they thought, they learned that their school really cares about them, and they learned how to survive a global pandemic. The Senior Class of 2021 is tenacious.

- Principal Jerry Cook