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'We're all really nervous': Central Georgia high school seniors face year without prom, graduation

Stratford Academy senior Abby Ellison says their senior trips are canceled, and now they're hoping it won't affect prom or graduation

MACON, Ga. — Stratford Academy student Abby Ellison woke up Thursday morning to head to her high school French class on her computer at home.

"We had a half day Monday, then we started our online classes yesterday. We're just adjusting to that right now and that's a lot of changes in the works," Ellison said.

It's a big change for students across the country as schools close down due to the COVID-19 outbreaks, and an entirely different experience for high school seniors.

"We have like the big stuff -- prom, graduation, spring break -- and then we get our senior trips, but then there's little Stratford things that we do," she said.

Now, all of those plans are all up in the air since Stratford Academy closed indefinitely.

"One group of students that were going to Jamaica. That was the big trip and that was officially canceled and then graduation...we're all really nervous about because that's supposed to be a really big event and they're not supposed to do the large gatherings right now," Ellison said.

"She was very sad. It's shocking. You don't expect this. This is the last thing you expect when you start your senior year," her mother Donna Ellison said.

Donna is also working from home as a Stratford teacher. She's been helping her daughter keep an optimistic outlook.

"In times like this when things are very scary that we can be a positive light for others, and I think that responsibility falls on the parents right now to be that light for their children," Donna Ellison said.

"We're all trying to do what's best for everybody and so if that means we don't get a high school prom, then it is what it is," Abby Ellison said.

As of now, Stratford Academy's prom is scheduled for April 17 and Graduation is May 22, but both could be rescheduled depending on the severity of the coronavirus outbreak.

This is also around the time students are going on college visits and getting acceptance letters back.

Ellison's been accepted to Georgia Tech and plans to move there in June.

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