The class of 2020 has had anything but a typical high school experience. We witnessed multiple historic events during our four years at DGN—starting with Trump becoming president our freshman year and ending with COVID-19 our senior year. Despite all this, the most significant event for me from our time at North is one that hits close to home: the loss of our classmate, captain, and friend, Beth Dunlap. 

I had the privilege of being friends with Beth during her last few months. She was one of those people that could make absolutely anything an adventure. She was a fearless, generous soul that chased fun and excitement everywhere she went. She used to call me up in the middle of the night just to go on a drive and listen to music. Those are the memories with her that fill a special place in my heart. 

Whether you knew her personally or not, you felt how her loss affected the DGN community. Sadness hung in the hallways the weeks following her passing. It was palpable. During this time, I experienced the saddest moments of my life, but I also witnessed kindness like I never had before. A sense of togetherness and community blanketed Downers Grove as we healed. DGN students and staff met together before and after school to pray for Beth and her family, worked to raise money for the Beth Dunlap Foundation, and celebrated her life together. We, as a class, made sure that no one went through the grief alone. We were there for one another, and through this, the class of 2020 kept her fun-loving, bubbly spirit alive. 

Her death taught me to always appreciate your loved ones while you can. The quote, “tell your friends you love them,” circulated around social media shortly after Beth’s passing, and it left an everlasting mark on me. A picture of Beth and I rests next to that quote on my bedroom dresser. 

This is something that will always define DGN’s class of 2020. We are the class that had our senior year taken away because of coronavirus, the class that went to high school all four years with Trump as our president, and the class that will forever be Beth strong.