And despite their differences, they each have one thing in common — they each want in-person classes to carry on as long as possible as the threat of COVID-19 continues to loom.

Keiona Crooks, 17, began her day surveying the vast hallways of the school, looking to see which students were social distancing and which students were wearing masks.

Her first class was early childhood education. She followed that up with iJAG (Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates), health essentials and Circle of Friends, which is a physical education class geared toward helping students with special needs participate in various activities.

In her first day as a senior, Crooks said there’s a lot of uncertainty about how the year will play out.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Sawyer Springer, 17, a senior at Fort Dodge Senior High, poses with a football and Western Civilization textbook at the high school on Tuesday. Springer is hoping COVID-19 does not take away his ability to learn in-person and play football for the Dodgers this fall.

“I am hoping it goes well, but there’s a lot of doubt about it,” she said.

Crooks’ top interests include music and drawing.

“It depends what I see,” she said. “If I like how it looks, I’ll draw it.”

A past drawing she created is a pencil rendition of a painting called “A Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer.

She’s looking forward to going to the classes on her schedule.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Dreyzon Phillips, 17, a senior at Fort Dodge Senior High, listens in during Spanish class Tuesday on the first day of school.

“I would rather stay in school than online,” Crooks said. “I would have a lot more motivation by seeing people.”

At the same time, Crooks is worried — not just about herself, but her family.

“Catching COVID or bringing it back home,” she said. “My mom has underlying conditions and I don’t want her getting sick.”

After high school, Crooks is planning to go to college to become a preschool or kindergarten teacher.

Seniors Sawyer Springer and Dreyzon Phillips, both 17, share a couple of classes together — Iowa Central Composition and Spanish IV.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Chase Anderson, 17, a senior at Fort Dodge Senior High, poses next to a trash receptacle that was made by industrial arts students last year. Anderson, who has enlisted in the Iowa Air National Guard, said welding is a favorite class of his.

The two athletes want to be able to compete in their final year.

Springer started his day with a zero hour weight training class at 6:50 a.m.

All seniors went to homeroom in the morning. There, they were told that at the end of every class, tables and seats need to be cleaned.

Next, Springer went to choir, which is being held in the school’s gymnasium.

“The choir room is too small to have it now,” Springer said. “And we have to wear certain masks for that class.”

Extended learning lab is another class on Springer’s schedule.

“It’s kind of like study hall, but you choose something specific to study and get better at,” Springer said.

Outside of academics, Springer participates in football, baseball, wrestling and track.

His favorite sport is football.

“I am hopeful we will get to play a full season,” Springer said. “If we go to online, we can’t play. All the football players are trying to social distance and stay healthy so we can play.

He added, “I want this year to be as normal as it can be. I hope homecoming is normal, too.”

Springer, who is thinking of pursuing a career in the medical field, said it doesn’t feel like high school is almost over.

“It still doesn’t feel like I’m a senior, but since I am a senior it sucks that this is going on,” he said.

Springer said “adapting” will be the biggest challenge of the year.

“Every year of high school we have had different schedule (times) and a lot of teachers have switched rooms,” he said.

Phillips began his day getting his Google Chromebook fixed in the technology department.

His schedule consists of physical education, American government, Iowa Central Composition and Spanish IV.

Phillips top passion is wrestling.

“I wrestle,” he said. “That’s why I am hoping school stays on track.”

Last year, Phillips placed second at state, wrestling at 138 pounds.

He’s been trying to stay in shape.

“I’ve been running a lot during quarantine,” Phillips said.

The class he enjoys most is Spanish.

“Mrs. (Amy) Hinders’ class is fun,” he said. “Spanish isn’t my favorite, but the way she teaches makes it fun.”

Phillips said his biggest worry is having to learn remotely.

“That we have to go back to online fully and there’s no wrestling season,” he said.

His goal is to continue to work hard.

“Maintain a good grade point average, stay strong and get through it,” Phillips said.

His future plans include attending Grand View University in Des Moines. There he plans to wrestle and study business.

Chase Anderson, 17, said he and his classmates are adjusting to being back on a normal schedule.

“It’s difficult being in class again,” Anderson said. “We are all used to checking our phones a lot. It doesn’t feel like we are back yet.”

Anderson noticed people are taking the virus seriously.

“People have been good about masks,” he said. “Social distancing will be hard, though.”

Classes on Anderson’s schedule include: introduction to programming, welding, physics and public speaking.

“I like STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics),” Anderson said. “Programming classes are a lot of fun. I like problem solving.”

Taking classes online would take away the hands-on learning Anderson enjoys.

“If we have to get acclimated to online learning, I can’t do welding online or public speaking as good,” Anderson said.

Anderson recently enlisted in the Iowa Air National Guard.

“Ever since I was young I wanted to serve in the military in some form,” Anderson said. “I know people who have benefited from serving. You get good benefits and paid to go to college. It’s beneficial for me and and it’s a way to serve my country.”

His top priority is to see as many of his friends as he can before the end of the year.

“It still feels like we are finishing our junior year,” Anderson said. “I just want to see people before I leave. I will be leaving right after high school for nine months straight for boot camp.”

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