This 2020-2021 school year has undeniably been a crazy one. Classrooms have turned 2-dimensional and through a screen for many students. Learning has been difficult for countless students this year, and virtual learners had to adjust to the new environment of learning at home. Despite the circumstances, however, the clock is still ticking towards the end of school, and graduation for our 8th graders. 

This year’s 8th grade graduation is approaching quickly. Because of Covid-19 regulations, a car parade will take the place of normal celebrations. Nevertheless, students are still excited about graduating, and many are looking forward to the parade. 

“This year has been really crazy, and a car parade is a great way to end it with a bang”, says graduating 8th grader Timothy Kong. “A lot of my friends are designing really cool posters to put on their cars for the parade. I’m really looking forward to it.”

The upcoming parade is a last chance for our eighth graders to spend time with each other before going off to high school. For the majority of these students, 3 years of their lives here in this school have passed, and are now ending on a good note. From the car parade, to the signing ceremony, to out of school meetups, these students have kept their ties with old friends, and made new ones along the way. Even though graduating students haven’t been able to go to school in person for the entire year and have only seen their friends on testing events, eighth graders are still having a positive outlook on their middle school experience.

“It’s kind of bittersweet since I missed out on a lot of “normal” 8th grade experiences because of coronavirus, and I pretty much haven’t gotten to see my friends in person all year,” says 8th grader Emily Wang. “The online learning environment really changed a lot of things about my last year at the Cove.” 

Another thing for 8th graders to look forward to is decorating shirts of their high school colors to wear on the last day of school, a tradition here at Falcon Cove. After the car parade and summer vacation, most of the eighth graders from Falcon Cove will be heading to Cypress Bay High School, while others go to schools like American Heritage, St. Thomas, Archbishop McCarthy, Pine Crest, and other high schools around the state. 

“I’d make [my shirt] yellow and blue since those are the school colors,” says 8th grade graduate, Sofia Trinidad. “And maybe write 2021 on it and 8th grade.”

Starting middle school at ages ten or twelve and leaving at ages thirteen to fifteen, these students have grown a lot since first coming in sixth grade. Many memories from their years at Falcon Cove will forever linger in student’s minds. Although some may be nervous and some may be excited, eighth grade graduates will do phenomenal during their high school years.

“I feel a little sad graduating middle school; I’ve made so many great memories despite the pandemic and it makes graduating ten times more nostalgic,” 8th grader Ashlyn Gao says. “High school seems daunting, but that’s what I thought about middle school too. It’s a whole new place, and I’m slowly getting ready to face it.”

Overall, Falcons still had a great year, despite all the obstacles. As the year ends, everyone is wishing our graduates good luck into their new chapter of life. Congratulations to our eighth graders!