The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced students from kindergarten to college to move to remote learning. Many of them also missed out on their graduation ceremonies.
That was the case for students at Cheviot School, who six years ago never got to walk across the stage at their 6th grade graduation, or celebrate their accomplishments with the people who made them possible.
On Friday, a group of 2026 high school graduates sat alongside this year's graduating class of Cheviot 6th graders to join in their ceremony and reflect on how the school's educators changed their lives for the better.
Bareen Abdulrahman was one of them. She received her diploma from Walnut Hills High School the day before and was excited to return to her old stomping ground to celebrate with her brother, who also is a recent graduate.
Abdulrahman came to Cheviot School as a 2nd grader from Kurdistan. She credits the school's culture and the welcoming nature of its teachers for helping her break out of her shell and reach her full potential.
"I was a bit shy in elementary school. So, being able to come back and see them, and show them the person I became thanks to them early on, it just feels so nice," she said.
That confidence she earned when she was younger has already taken her pretty far. This fall, she's heading to the University of Cincinnati to study medical sciences on a full academic scholarship.
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