NPR

With Senior Year In Disarray, Teens And Young Adults Feel Lost. Here's How To Help

Stuck at home, with graduations and celebrations canceled, young people are feeling disconnected. Here's how to help them through.
Source: Mikyung Lee for NPR

For many young people sheltering at home means missing milestones and public recognition of their achievements. This is especially true for seniors graduating from high school and college.

Kendall Smith, a high school senior who lives in Tallahassee, Fla., says her school has many traditions leading up to graduation. But this year things are very different.

One of the most eagerly anticipated events is "Grad Bash," a rite of passage when all graduating seniors head off to Disney World. "It's something we've looked forward to since we were freshmen," says Smith. "And I remember hearing about all the memories and seeing them on Snapchat and Instagram, and being so excited about going with my friends."

So it was understandably disappointing when this highly anticipated event was cancelled.

Smith, who plays flag football, says a big celebration for

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR5 min readIndustries
China Makes Cheap Electric Vehicles. Why Can't American Shoppers Buy Them?
American drivers want cheap EVs. Chinese automakers are building them. But you can't buy them in the U.S., thanks to tariffs in the name of U.S. jobs and national security. Two car shoppers weigh in.
NPR4 min readInternational Relations
Hamas Says Latest Cease-fire Talks Have Ended. Israel Vows A Military Operation Soon
The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo. Meanwhile, Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza after Hamas attacked it.
NPR7 min read
How One Stretch Of Interstate 20 Through Alabama Tells The Story Of American Workers
Three high-profile labor disputes have unfolded in central Alabama over the past several years, with Amazon warehouse workers, coal miners and autoworkers all speaking out for change.

Related Books & Audiobooks