Lewiston’s class of 2022 portrays unique qualities

The LHS class of 2022 is unique for the events that took place during their high school career, but especially for the students that comprise it.

“I feel like they invest in things they care about. School spirits, grades, whatever they do, they do with enthusiasm,” said Jamie Bakker, an English and relationships teacher. “I think they’re enthusiastic, which makes them fun to be around.”

Another characteristic of the class of 2022 is that they are some of the last students who attended high school at both the old LHS campus and at the current building. Students transitioned from the Ninth Avenue location to the current location in the fall of 2020.

Many of these graduating students attended three schools during their high school years, including the two high schools. In their ninth grade year, they also went to junior high school buildings such as Sacajawea Junior High School or Jenifer Junior High. In their junior and senior years, the students also attended the original high school building and the present building. The class will be the final class to attend three schools in high school.

Ian McCall, a graduating senior, commented on another characteristic of the class of 2022.

“I think our class is gifted athletically,” he said.

Another unique event that the seniors experienced was the online learning of the pandemic in their sophomore year. In-person classes temporarily ended in 2020 as students transitioned into online learning. The current seniors experienced this transition in the middle of their high school years, becoming one of the only classes to participate in this type of online education in high school.

“From losing part of their sophomore year to wearing masks — the stuff they’ve had to persevere through is pretty impressive,” said David Cornelia, a mathematics teacher.

The class of 2022 also became the first to resume the original Senior Project after recent classes finished simplified versions with less presenting time and hours required. The Senior Project became simplified because of issues regarding the pandemic for the last two years.

“We actually did the Senior Projects,” said Joshua Pasic, a senior.

The class of 2022 will also be the last class required to take a mathematics class in senior year. The requirement changed this year: if a student meets six credits by 11th grade, the student will not be required to register for a senior math class.