When the 2019-2020 school year came to a close officially on Thursday, April 9th, the class of 2020 was devastated to learn that they would not get to spend their last semester of high school with their favorite teachers, their friends, or their classmates before they went their separate ways. There were many things that the class of 2020 did not get to experience including their last season of sports, decision day, National Honor Society induction, Spanish and French Honor Society induction, awards day, the D.C trip, the senior trip to Disney World, the walk through the elementary center, and many other events.

With prom and graduation still up in the air, many seniors are still hopeful that there can be some semblance of normalcy to bring the year to a close with a gathering, however it may be, of the class os 2020 for one final time.

The GNA Insider talked with a few seniors about the things they would not soon forget:

Name: Rickey Klepadlo

What is your favorite memory of GNA?

Beating Hanover in football for the last 4 years.

What are you going to miss most about GNA?

The teachers and sports.

What was your favorite event of this school year?

Halloween, it’s always crazy.

Did you miss out on any sports this spring?

No, I work.

Are you still hoping there is prom and graduation? If so, where would you want each event to take place? 

I just want to graduate with my classmates the traditional way with everyone seeing everyone walk across stage and get there diplomas.

Name: Rielly Miller

What is your favorite memory of GNA?

My favorite memory would have to be winning the spirit games and all the seniors coming down to the center, along with all the other classes. When we sing the alma mater all together as one whole school. 

What are you going to miss most about GNA?

The thing I will miss so much about GNA is going to all the sporting events and watching our friends senior night. 

What was your favorite event of this school year?

My favorite event would have to be watching all of my friends on their senior nights and having my own.

Did you miss out on any sports this spring?

I missed out on track. I wish I could have finished out my last year since I started in 8th grade. 

Are you still hoping there is prom and graduation? If so, where would you want each event to take place? 

I am hoping to have both, but I’d prefer a graduation over a prom. If prom happens I don’t really care where it would be, but I would like to have a formal graduation, not a virtual or driving one. 

Name: Jen Kurkoski

What is your favorite memory of GNA?

My favorite memory at GNA is getting to see all my friends play their sports and going to all the sporting events with them dressing up in costumes with the student section.

What are you going to miss most about GNA?

I am going to miss walking in the halls with my friends and showing up to class late with them. Also, I am going to miss the time Mr. Stetz (Tyrone) came down to Mr. Nutitaus’s class to goof around.

What was your favorite event of this school year?

There were lots of good events that happened during this school year, but it’s so hard to choose one. One of my favorite events would be the Halloween Show along with the Philadelphia trip. Getting to experience all the fun with my friends in a big city with friends crossing into traffic was an experience I’ll never forget . Also, getting to experience everything else with my senior friends was a great way and I wouldn’t wanna spend it any other way.

Did you miss out on any sports this spring?

I missed out on the love of the game of softball. I wish I could get that one more minute to finish off my softball career since I’ve been playing since I was 4 years old. It’s a love of a game that you will never forget.

Are you still hoping there is prom and graduation? If so, where would you want each event to take place? 

I would like to still have a prom and graduation, but whatever the outcome is I’ll be fine with it. I hope everyone takes something from this experience and learns from it. If we end up having prom, I’ll take whatever it ends up being. Also, it doesn’t really matter to me what graduation we have. I do think it would be cool to have a virtual or a drive around especially with the circumstance we are in, but if circumstances clear up I would like to have a graduation outside with a parade.

Name: Andy Kozlofski

What is your favorite memory of GNA?

Just how amazing everyone is; the faculty and staff do a tremendous job of making you feel at home. 

What are you going to miss most about GNA?

I’m going to miss being able to see all the people I grew up with and becoming close friends with them everyday. I wish them all the best luck in their future plans.

What was your favorite event of this school year?

My favorite event from the school year was definitely the spirit games, the intensity and competitiveness was unforgettable. 

Did you miss out on any sports this spring?

Unfortunately, I missed out on my senior season for volleyball.

Are you still hoping there is prom and graduation? If so, where would you want each event to take place? 

Of course I’m hoping there is still going to be a graduation and a prom, they are major events for every senior. I’`m hoping graduation can take place on the football field like it used to in the past. I’m hoping prom can just happen at any place we can get, I don’t wanna miss out on these events since they will most likely be my last. 

Name: Gabby Rakowski

What is your favorite memory of GNA?

My favorite memory from GNA was being a part of the softball team sophomore year. We made it to the final four in the state and it was an experience that I’ll never forget. 

What are you going to miss most about GNA?

There are so many things I’m going to miss about GNA. I am mostly going to miss seeing my teachers and friends everyday.

What was your favorite event of this school year?

My favorite event from this school year was the Halloween show. It was a lot of fun to put together and everyone enjoyed it. 

Did you miss out on any sports this spring?

Yes. I missed out on softball. 

Are you still hoping there is prom and graduation? If so, where would you want each event to take place? 

 I would still like to have a prom and graduation. I don’t really care about the location of prom as long as it happens and I get to wear my dress. I want graduation to happen outside on the football field.

Name: Lance Jenson

What is your favorite memory of GNA?

I could honestly sit here forever with a list of my favorite memories here at GNA, but one of my most memorable will always be participating in PJAS with my friends and Mr. Fleury. There’s so much time that goes into the process leading up to the event, and when you actually get to the day of the competition, it’s a whole other level of fun. Making it to States every year for PJAS was also the best follow-up, because each 3-day trip to Penn State was something I will never forget.

What are you going to miss most about GNA?

There is a lot I’m going to miss about GNA. Definitely PJAS, like I’d mentioned, but also the play. Every year the cast and crew became a family like no other, and I’ve always been grateful for them. Above all, I’m going to miss every one of my teachers. The teachers here have always been my motivation, and I could get another year to sit in their classrooms I would.

What was your favorite event of this school year?

This school year was particularly interesting, because there were so many changes (the barrel burn, new semi location, living through this current historical event, etc.); however, my favorite event was definitely helping emcee the pep rally during Homecoming Spirit Week. That was something I never in my life thought I would be doing, and I was more than happy to be out there on the mic.

Did you miss out on any sports this spring?

No, I didn’t have any sports coming up, but I missed out on States for PJAS, as well as the rest of the QuizBowl season I was looking to finish.

Are you still hoping there is prom and graduation? If so, where would you want each event to take place? 

Prom is a very tricky thing to want right now, especially since it’s a large, crowded gathering. I would love to see it happen, and I want everyone to be able to enjoy themselves, but it’s all a matter of when it’s rescheduled. I don’t care where we would have prom – if the location changes, so be it. Graduation, I absolutely want to see it happen. Whatever the accommodations are, I just want to see our class come together and celebrate their achievements with each other one last time. If anything, it’d bring some sort of closure to the seniors. I think we all need a bit of that right now.

Name: Madison Stashak

What is your favorite memory of GNA?

My favorite memory at GNA was when Danny would do basketball trick shots while jumping over me and Lillian in Mr. Stetz’s classroom. 

What are you going to miss most about GNA?

The thing I am going to miss about GNA is being able to see my friends all the time. We are all going to different colleges and it’s going to be a big adjustment for all of us not being able to see each other every day.

What was your favorite event of this school year?

My favorite event this school year was the Halloween show. Every year we got to see the seniors perform for the whole school and I couldn’t wait until me and my friends would finally get the chance to do that and this year was our turn to do it.

Did you miss out on any sports this spring?

This year, I missed out on my senior year of softball.

Are you still hoping there is prom and graduation? If so, where would you want each event to take place? 

I hope we still get a prom and graduation. The seniors worked hard for these special moments in their life and I don’t think it would be fair for it all to be cancelled. I hope that these events would take place like normal with prom being held at Genetti’s and hopefully an outdoor graduation on the football field. 

Name: Mackenzie Casey

What is your favorite memory of GNA?

My favorite memory of GNA is getting dressed up and going to semis and proms.

What are you going to miss most about GNA?

I’m going to miss all GNA’s amazing faculty, being with my friends every day, and of course the Trojanette field hockey team. 

What was your favorite event of this school year?

My favorite event was the Halloween show. 

Did you miss out on any sports this spring?

Yes, I missed out on running track. 

Are you still hoping there is prom and graduation? If so, where would you want each event to take place? 

Yes, I’m hoping there is a prom and graduation! I’d love prom to stay at Genetti’s because it’s a beautiful venue. I think if graduation was on the football field it would be really fun and different for GNA since graduation hasn’t been outside in a long time. 

Name: Zack Golembeski

What is your favorite memory of GNA?

My favorite memory at GNA is when I had the opportunity to perform in the Halloween talent show and me and my friends dressed up in GNA cheerleader uniforms.

What are you going to miss most about GNA?

The thing I will miss the most at GNA will definitely  be the teachers. Each teacher at GNA takes the time to get to know their students and form unbreakable bonds with each and every one of them.

What was your favorite event of this school year?

My favorite event of the school year was definitely the spirit games. It’s something that I looked forward to for all of high school. And throughout the week leading up to them, I had the opportunity to make plenty more memories with my friends during the preparation for the games. 

Did you miss out on any sports this spring?

Although I didn’t miss out on an spring sports myself, I did miss out on the chance to see most of my friends play their senior seasons.

Are you still hoping there is prom and graduation? If so, where would you want each event to take place? 

After all this is over, I hope there is still graduation and prom. I hope that with the help of the staff and students they are both events are able to happen at the originally planned locations.