Wednesday, March 17th was Saint Patrick’s Day, and the students and faculty of North Augusta High were all wearing green to celebrate the holiday. However, that was all most people in the city were doing. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and recommendations by the CDC, many Saint Patrick’s Day parades and festivities were canceled. This is the second year that Augusta has had to cancel their parade.
Even without the pandemic, many North Augusta students do not celebrate the holiday other than wearing green because the holiday festivities are more suited for adults. However, there are still ways for young people to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. Junior at North Augusta High School, AnnElise Baxley, has a family tradition that she and her mother have done every year since she was in kindergarten where her mother hides a gift for her. Baxley explained the reason for the tradition, saying, “So when I was in kindergarten, my teacher told me that if you were good, the leprechaun would hide a gift for you because you were lucky. My mom ran to Walmart that afternoon and she put a gift in the oven for me to find.” She continued by saying, “This year, I got no gift because she decided to tell me the truth. Because even though I know it’s been my mom all of these years, I still enjoy getting candy and gifts.”
The faculty at North Augusta was also celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, despite COVID-19 restrictions. Band director Chuck Deen wore a green bowtie to school and described how he celebrates the day. He said, “It’s my mother’s birthday, so every year, we do her birthday with Saint Patrick’s Day. I also played Irish music for all of my classes.” Although faculty couldn’t go out in public and celebrate as would occur during a normal year, people still found ways to celebrate despite the restrictions. It’s this sentiment that allows North Augusta to continue to thrive despite the challenging times the community is facing during the pandemic.
Pictured: Mr. Deen
Photo Credit: Greer Worley
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