I think it is an apt reflection on the 2019-2020 academic year that the traditional farewell blog post is appearing a full month after classes came to their end. Every year I say something to the effect of “Oh, what a year!” And every year there really are dozens of memorable moments to reflect on. But this year has been, shall we say, even more memorable than most.
After shifting nearly all classes online after Spring break, TEEN DAY managed to finish the year strong. In the face of technical glitches, converting course content, and inventing new ways to foster community, we pieced together a digital version of our planned programming. No amount of thanks is enough for our versatile instructors who learned how to manage new technologies in record time and stepped up to ensure a seamless transition from in-person to online instruction. And, of course, all this work would have been in vain without the flexibility of TEEN DAY participants and their families as we worked to rapidly reinvent ourselves.
On the last day of classes each year, we have little celebration – cake, certificates of completion, and a group photo. This year, participants had to bake their own cake, if they wanted to eat it. Certificates were sent out as email attachments with a brief congratulatory note. But we DID manage a group photo. It isn’t the whole gang, but, as should really be the motto for the TEEN DAY Class of 2020, we gave it our best shot!
Looking forward to doing it all over again (ok, not ALL of it) in 2020-2021!
TEEN DAY Ithaca 