“I feel that the ending of our high school experience was taken from us. However, I’m still grateful that I will be able to graduate, as not everyone has the opportunity to receive an education,” says William Alexander Garcia, a senior at H. Grady Spruce High School.
Garcia is part of the PeerForward group that was newly introduced to Spruce to help students learn more about the next steps to take after after high school. He’s also part of the varsity soccer team and tennis team.
The COVID-19 crisis transformed seniors’ daily lives, Garcia says.
“Not being able to see my friends or even leave my house to have fun, just being stuck at home is frustrating,” he said. “I deal with it by being optimistic and knowing that it won’t last forever, and since I have a lot of spare time, I’ve been able to find new hobbies like reading and also working out.”
His parents tell him to stay on top of his schoolwork, and that although he might not be having a graduation ceremony, he will still be graduating and going on to college. They understand that even if it’s a difficult situation, they have to push through because doing so only makes them stronger.
Garcia sees his future clearly – graduating from a university with a major in business management and helping his dad further grow his company by applying his experience on the business side of work.
“My main goal in life is to have the opportunity to provide enough money so my parents won’t ever have to work again because they’ve worked so hard already,” Garcia said. “I would just like to see them enjoy the rest of their lives without worries,.”
