Central High graduates celebrate at War Memorial Stadium.

This week, Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium hosted four incredible LRSD graduation ceremonies, and in a year defined by grief, trauma, fear and hardship, the graduating class of 2021 surprised us all with an almost tangible determination to step into the world not just as new graduates, but as resilient, hopeful and joyful young leaders.

It has already become a cliché to talk about how hard the last year has been, but for the class of 2021, their entire high school career has been marked by unprecedented challenges. These students came of age practicing active-shooter drills, navigating an increasingly hostile partisan political divide, learning difficult lessons from the stories shared as part of the #MeToo Movement, fighting for LGBTQ+ equality in a state that often refuses to recognize the basic humanity of gender-diverse Arkansans, working to heal communities shattered by poverty, addiction, and violence, and reckoning with the harsh reality of racism and police brutality. These kids, most of whom were born in the first few years of the new millennium, have learned to adjust, and then readjust, and often readjust again, to fast-changing political, cultural, economic and technological realities.

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And then they were faced with a terrifying and life-altering global pandemic that robbed them of many of the normal joys of adolescence. Proms, field trips, sleepovers, homecoming, college visits, in-person classes, after-school jobs, dating and many extracurricular activities were suddenly gone. For many of our students, the losses were much deeper. They lost loved ones, homes and their sense of personal safety and security. They feared for themselves, family and teachers, all while trying to navigate an entirely new way of learning. It is inevitable, then, that the fear, loss and trauma they experienced will have a lasting impact.

But how have these experiences shaped them? Will these young people lose hope, become hardened to the suffering of others, and develop a self-protective shield of cynicism to deal with the hardship they experienced?

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This week, the LRSD graduating class of 2021 answered that question with a loud and resounding “NO!” They brought joy, pride, vulnerability, artistry and compassion to their graduation ceremonies in a way that, frankly, stunned and inspired many of the adults who were fortunate enough to witness these events. It would be an understatement to say that the students were beaming as they crossed the stage. On two bright, clear days at War Memorial, these students’ faces outshone the blazing sun. They gave deeply moving speeches and musical performances, often punctuated with the type of truth and vulnerability that is rare at such highly orchestrated events. Even more striking was their obvious pride in what they accomplished. Graduates cried, gave thanks to God, strutted and danced and twirled across the stage, and cheered for each other with reckless abandon. Several students proudly wrapped themselves in Mexican flags and American flags, displayed Black Lives Matter masks, and expressed their individuality through bold and creative fashion choices. A few graduates thanked beloved teachers by name as they accepted their diplomas, and quite a few sets of twins walked the stage arm-in-arm.

While each of the schools did an exceptional job of making sure that every graduate’s name was pronounced properly, I was so proud to see a few graduates stop walking, speak up and correct the announcer when their names were mispronounced. These kids knew they had earned this moment, and they believed enough in themselves to make sure that the adults running the show didn’t shortchange them. Many of the graduates also broke with tradition to embrace their principals rather than simply shake their hands. Some paused briefly, midstride, to point to parents and family members in the stands . Others used their moment on the stage to live their truth, including their gender identity. In a year that has seen heartbreaking legislative attacks on transgender youth, it was life-affirming to see transgender graduates hold their heads high as their classmates and teachers brought down the house for them.

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The cheering was contagious. Through it all, during ceremonies that lasted hours in the harsh sun, the graduates and their families never stopped cheering. When students with developmental disabilities crossed the stage, they did so to a roar of heartfelt applause from their classmates. In each of our four graduation ceremonies, the class of 2021 gave their energy and their encouragement fully and generously, whistling, cheering and clapping not just for their fellow graduates, but also for their principals, counselors and teachers.

For two days in late May, after more than a full year of lockdowns, isolation and hardship, the LRSD class of 2021 taught a master class in the power of joy and resiliency. These students have repeatedly had to face and overcome challenges they never asked for. When they took the field in their caps and gowns, they made perfectly clear that they plan to write the rest of the story on their own terms.

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Ali Noland is a lawyer, writer, mother and member of the Little Rock School Board. Her views here are her own and do not reflect the views of the board or the district. 

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