High School Seniors Graduating After Two Years of Disrupted Learning

Think about this. The High School Class of 2021, who were juniors last year, are now the first class in one hundred years to have not one, but two years of disrupted learning, due to a global pandemic.

We'd like to recognize this class's achievement of making it to graduation. 

They had to go through schools shutting down last year, many - just as the students were trying to take their SATs, ACTs and final exams. They were the first class to have the college application process disrupted, as many colleges were remote this fall, and in-person tours were closed. And they are the first class to experience schools returning to in-person learning after cases began to slow down, and vaccines became more readily available. 

On The Sound of Ideas, we'll talk to seniors across Northeast Ohio, as well as a few of their school counselors; about what these last two years have been like, and where these young grads will go next. 

Also this hour: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced it is planning to ban menthol flavored cigarettes and flavored cigars within the next year. We'll talk to a pulmonologist from the Cleveland Clinic about how the move could save lives, particularly in the African American communities which have been targeted by tobacco companies with menthol cigarette ads, for decades. 

And, we'll talk about this year's commemoration of the May 4th shooting at Kent State University, that occured 51 years ago today.

-Dr. Sumita Khatri, MD, Pulminologist & Director of the Asthma Center, Cleveland Clinic  
-Rachel Berlin, School Counselor, Warrensville Heights High School 
-Shaune Herbin, Senior, Warrensville Heights High School
-Katie Detwiler, School Counselor, Kenston High School 
-Layla Gilbert, Senior Class President, Kenston High School
-Jayden Gilkerson, Senior, Harvey High School 
-Makayla Shelton, Senior, Valley Forge High School 
-Eric Mansfield, Spokesperson, Kent State University