Sophia Heinz, a senior at U-32, found out school was closed for the rest of the year while she was working at Shaws in Montpelier.
“A customer told me. I just ran to the service desk and I started crying,” she said. “And then my coworker sent me to the back and I cried in the back for a while.”
Sophia was in the early college program, a student at Norwich for her last year of high school and first year of college.
She plans to attend Norwich next fall.
Covid-19 has impacted everyone: students like Sophia, staff and families. U-32’s seniors have faced particular challenges. These seniors have lost their prom, their graduation, their walk through the hallway with their cap and gown, senior trip day, senior skip day and senior prank day.
Sophia will be attending Norwich for her freshman year of college. Sophia believes the first semester will be online. Sophia explains that working so hard throughout those twelve years of school was all a waste now.
“The whole point of college is to meet new people, experience the dorm room and your new roommate,” she said.
Sophia said her last couple days at Norwich were normal. She was told she would be back in a couple weeks, but she didn’t know they would be her last days.
“It was the week before spring break and my professor was making jokes about it. He told us he would see us in a week,” Sophia said. “Now, I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again.”
Maia Castonguay is another senior at U-32. She walked into the school, put a learning plan into the office, and left. She regrets not saying a proper goodbye. 
“My last few moments of being at U-32, I did not know would be my last moments,” Maia said.
Like many other seniors she feels sad and regretful, but mostly nostalgic.
“The big event was about to happen. I was about to light the fire and then it just got put out, like it rained, it put out the fire I’ve been building for 12 years,” she said.
“One day I feel like I’m going to go out on my porch, and on my steps will be my diploma in the mail.”
