Some students choose to continue wearing masks regardless of the mandate being lifted on Dec 12. Other students say they love not having to wear a mask. 

Freshman RJ Grove chooses not to wear a mask. 

“I think masks should be optional. Some people have family members who are more at risk so they might want to wear a mask, but there is no reason to make everyone wear one. I don’t wear a mask because my family is fully healthy, and I am fully healthy so I just don’t need to wear one,” Grove said. 

Freshman Teagan Fanelli thinks it should be the student’s choice to wear a mask or not. 

“I think they should be optional because some people just don’t like to wear them and some people do. Some people have family that are at risk and feel more secure wearing masks and that is okay,” Fanelli said. 

Masks have been mandated off and on all year. 

“There is this freeing feeling that getting back to normal is almost here, and people do not want to give that up. Also, even if they mandate masks, I don’t think students will follow it,” Grove said. 

Physical education teacher Megan Yingling commented on masks.

“I feel like it doesn’t matter because a lot of kids won’t wear them right anyhow. So if you’re not going to wear them well or the way they’re supposed to be worn, then I don’t think it’s really making a difference whether you’re wearing them or not,” Yingling said.

There are many things that can be done in hopes of preventing COVID-19. 

“I think that if you’ve been vaccinated and boosted and you feel safe without a mask then that’s fine,” Yingling said.

Freshman Seth Goheen is glad there is no mask mandate. 

“I don’t like wearing masks, even when it was a mandate I would only wear it in the classes I had to. If you feel more comfortable in masks that’s fine. I don’t care if people wear masks, I just hate when people force me to wear masks,” Goheen said.

Sophmore Tianna Burroughs chooses to wear a mask. 

“I already had Covid, but I choose to wear a mask to keep me and my other family members safe,” Burroughs said.