LEHIGHTON, Pa. — Freshman students from Lehighton Area High School visited their school Tuesday for the first time in nearly two months, to pick up their belongings that were left in their lockers from the start of the school year.
Faculty held a curbside pick-up, where students would give their name and locker number, and then would be given a bag with whatever items were left in their locker.
Normally locker clean-outs wouldn't happen for at least another month, and students we spoke with say getting their things in May as opposed to June just doesn't feel right.
"It's kinda like a closure to the school year, it kinda symbolizes you moving on and you completing the school year, but here it's like somebody's cleaning out my locker with a trash bag, and I'm not really getting any closure for my freshman year," said Freshman Levi Monka.
Other kids say using garbage bags to put their stuff in is quite fitting, given the fact that there school year was cut short.
"It feels like this year has been thrown away, which is just awful. And I feel like I honestly miss my friends and stuff and going to class with them, and you know talking to my teachers who I love," said freshman Amaya Nevengloski.
All morning, staff from Lehighton Area worked to clean out each child's locker, even making sure not to toss away anything important.
While freshman students are just happy to be receiving some of their belongings back, parents and other students we spoke with say none of this would have been possible if it wasn't for the administration.
"I really don't think my child had anything important, but she still wanted to get what was in her locker, and so I think it's great that there still very involved. I know the school is trying to do everything they can to keep some sense of normalcy for the kids, whatever that means these days," Lehighton parent Dawn Peters.
Although the school year didn't go exactly as planned, the faculty at Lehighton Area hope their students know they are not going through this alone.