Crying dancers filled the lobby of Highland on Thursday, March 12 on the opening day of their spring concert. They weren’t tears of joy, but rather tears of devastation.

Many seniors are upset about the closures and cancellations COVID-19 has caused and are unsure if they will ever walk the halls of their high school as a senior ever again. Dance company members and other athletes who have had their season cancelled and just as crushed.

Dance company president Clara Larsen did not believe the news was true when she first heard their spring concert, “XO,” was postponed. 

“We started practicing and getting things ready for this concert in the middle of November,” Larsen said. “I got a text from Vivien Greenhawt about it being canceled and I was in denial about it.”

Larsen walked into the dance room that afternoon to find many of the performers devastated. It was the day of their first night and the news was only shared five hours prior to XO’s opening number. 

As students continue to learn remotely with no idea on when they are going to be able to return to school, there are a lot of unanswered questions as to when and if Larsen and the other dancers will be able to perform.

“We are all sad, but I think for a lot of us, it was just a shock,” Larsen said. “I’m just trying to stay positive and get through this with a good attitude in hopes that we are still able to show what we have worked on.”

Athletes work their whole lives to play their sport during their senior year of high school. Along with dance company, baseball, track and field, lacrosse, golf, soccer, rugby, softball, and tennis teams can no longer practice or compete.

Senior Will Poulson has played baseball for Highland for four years and is a varsity catcher, pitcher and mid-infielder.

“When I first heard the news, I was heartbroken,” Poulson said. “We have put in so much work in the off season and to have the season be canceled crushed me.”

Senior and lacrosse player Eric Greene feels the same way and will no longer be a part of the first Highland lacrosse team that is sanctioned under the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA). 

“We were going to have a great season,” Greene said. “It felt like a new start and we were going to dominate.”

Greene had hoped to lead his team to the state championship this year and will miss his senior season that never happened. 

“I will miss my friends the most out of everything,” Greene said. “My advice to the younger players is to be confident with your play and don’t be scared.”

Remote learning and cancellations of all athletics and activities has changed everyone’s schedules drastically. As for sports, a petition is going around to extend spring sports into the summer when the COVID-19 scare declines, although the UHSAA has not released any information about it. Athletes are stuck in the unknown as of right now and all they can do is wait.