High school seniors are one segment of the population who have been greatly impacted by the coronavirus. This talented group across our region left classes in March. They will not be returning.

It is a bitter pill for each one of them and their families.

Going forward, there are many questions on how to handle the graduation ceremonies for each district. Obviously, there is no easy answer for this.

Some schools are being more open about considerations than others. Earlier this week, Gowanda High School Principal Rebekah Moraites offered this suggestion: “If we’re able to host it at Hillis Field, we will certainly do it,” she said during an online town hall meeting with parents. “If we are allowed to gather, we would have to make sure we have a number of protocols in place to allow us to be socially distant. We would keep the same date (June 26) and would add additional rain dates because we couldn’t have it inside.”

Nothing is easy in planning for the future right now. But knowing how connected the younger generation is through social media could be a benefit.

Allowing these seniors to have their voices heard for graduation alternatives — even months from now — is something that needs to be promoted and understood in moving forward by area educational leaders.