A recent high school graduate posing for a virtual portrait

A high school yearbook editor reflects on the tumultuous year she had to document

What happens when photos of events are never taken? Or when the events never take place themselves?

Cate Engles poses for a portrait in her bedroom in Akron, Ohio. A 2020 graduate of Hathaway Brown in Shaker Heights, Ohio, she is taking a gap year to organize volunteers for her county's Democratic Party. She will begin her freshman year at Harvard University in the fall of 2021.

Photograph by Jackie Russo, National Geographic

I was editing my high school’s yearbook in March when news of school cancellations erupted in our classroom. Even remotely, we did produce a publication. But just like the year has been, the yearbook is uncommon. That’s evident from the first pages.

There will be a different kind of dedication for this yearbook. We dedicated it to the healthcare workers who risked their lives on the frontlines during the height of the pandemic and who continue to sacrifice their lives and time to cure those affected by the coronavirus. While many of us stayed home to protect ourselves and each other, they worked tirelessly for our safety. We thank them for inspiring us and showing us what it means to be

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