Morton West seniors, Berwyn mayor discuss COVID-19 challenges

BERWYN – For many teens, the final semester of high school proves to be a monumental moment. Senior awards night, senior breakfast, prom, graduation – these are the beloved traditions sprinkled through the last few months of high school. Inked like a yearbook signature, the events are unforgettable rites of passage, a new beginning hidden among a bittersweet ending.

“Going into senior year, that was something I was really looking forward to experiencing,” Gloria Maldonado, a Morton West High School senior, said in an interview with Suburban Life. “It’s basically a bummer that we don’t get the opportunity to be able to experience it. I kind of feel bad because we’ll never be able to go through it.”

Maldonado led a conversation alongside her classmates during a Facebook Live event with Berwyn Mayor Robert Lovero.

On the afternoon of April 23, Maldonado, senior Omar Roman and junior Gianna Torres spoke with Lovero about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their school year, their families and their community.

“I feel like I’ve felt a little bit less motivated,” Torres said about the transition to e-learning, adding that what has helped her is reaching out, being honest and sharing struggles with teachers. And, in return, they have been accommodating and understanding, Torres said.

Torres said she leans on her teammates from the school’s cross country and track teams for support. Regularly held Zoom meetings have allowed them to stay connected.

Roman reflected on missing out on his last season of high school baseball.

Even Lovero was candid, opting to relay his personal experiences. He told the teens and the rest of the viewers that the COVID-19 outbreak has affected every aspect of his life. Lovero is a lawyer, a husband and the father of three adult children. One of his children works in a hospital; another works at Morton High School District 201.

“I have a mother who’s in a nursing home,” Lovero said. “I haven’t seen her in six weeks. I can talk to her on the phone once a week, and she tells me, ‘Where are you? Come and see me.’ But I can’t. We’re on lockdown.

“My 65th birthday is coming up this Saturday,” he continued. “I can’t have a celebration.”

As the four talked about the changes and the challenges brought on by COVID-19, Maldonado asked Lovero what advice he had for high school students who are also front liners and work at local grocery stores or other businesses deemed essential services.

“I thank them for doing what they’re doing because they are at risk, and we definitely need to make sure that they’re protected,” Lovero said.

As of May 5, there were 644 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Berwyn, while neighboring Cicero had 1,325, the Cook County Public Health Department reported.

Maldonado asked Lovero what local teens and young adults can do to help raise awareness about the coronavirus.

Despite the state’s stay-at-home order and other restrictions, “there are still people trying to go to the parks in large groups,” Lovero said. “They’re playing soccer. They’re playing baseball. The disease can be transmitted just by touching the ball.

“What we really need to do is avoid those instances where we can’t have social distancing,” he advised. “We need to be very cautious. We need to be very responsible, and we need to use our minds. We need to use our heads to know that social distancing is going to be with us for quite some time.”

On April 28, Berwyn announced the annual Independence Day fireworks had been canceled. The Route 66 Car Show, Cruise Nights and Oktoberfest, seasonal traditions hosted by the Berwyn Development Corp., have been suspended. Athletic programs have been postponed, and swimming pools, along with spray parks, will be closed through June.

Lovero said one of his biggest worries is the coronavirus pandemic peaking again.

“We want to make sure that we take the proper precautions to avoid what tremendous liabilities it could place on everybody,” he said.

While Lovero discussed Berwyn’s safety measures, he offered a message of hope for Maldonado, Roman, Torres and community members who tuned into the social media event.

“What you guys are going through and what we’re going through, it’s actually a testament to your personalities because you are able to get past this and look for a brighter future for yourselves and for those friends you have around you,” Lovero said. “Because things will change. They may not get back to the normal we all once knew, but we’ll adapt to it.”

Maldonado chimed in, closing the virtual discussion with her own words of encouragement.

“Usually, you look up to senior year as it being one of the most festive years of your life,” she said. “In reality, coronavirus or not, we still are seniors. We’re still a graduating class. And it really helps that we’re all going through this together.”