March 13, 2020.
Everyone knows this date, and what it means — especially the high school graduating class of 2025.
While the COVID-19 pandemic only disrupted middle school for the class of 2025, it has left an imprint that will forever be etched into their lives.
Carter Lynch, a senior at Highland High School, experienced online middle school and a forever-changed high school.
“The fact that middle school was online just kind of ruined it for me. I’m an in-person kind of learner. I work well with other people; I work well with my hands,” Lynch said. “When that was taken away, it was honestly just negative, and I really just didn’t even want to try anymore.”
He’s not alone. Utah education data shows the pandemic continues to have an impact even years later. Students aren’t doing as well in English language arts and math as they were pre-pandemic, according to this 2024 Salt Lake Tribune article.
Even when Lynch returned to in-person learning, he felt like some teachers stayed in COVID mode. Lynch says his 9th-grade math class was nearly all online, even with a full room of students. He said the teacher taught over Zoom at the beginning of every class, and all the assignments were on Canvas.
Editor’s note • This is part of a collaborative project between The Salt Lake Tribune and the Highland High School Rambler. Read more about these young Utahns’ experience and perspective here.
Read the full report at sltrib.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.