Congratulations, Class of 2021

The Class of 2021 traveled a winding road to graduation, enduring the challenges of a global pandemic that demanded sacrifice but also provided meaningful perspective.

We congratulate you on your accomplishment. We offer our best wishes for your success and happiness in the years ahead.

There are a lot of challenges in this world and a lot of possibilities. We, and the generations that will follow you, are counting on you to make a difference.

We hope this tribute section to the Class of 2021 can be a special keepsake to help mark and remember this important passage in your life.

This section grew out of the pandemic a year ago. That's when we published our first, trying to respond to the students from the Class of 2020 who largely missed out on graduation ceremonies.

It meant so much then that we decided we owe it to your class to do it again this year.

Deputy City Editor Charles Keeshan and Paul Valade, deputy director of visual journalism, made it happen from our end.

But they had a lot of help. This section wouldn't have been possible without the efforts of scores of principals and staff at the suburbs' high schools. We feel indebted for their efforts to support the project.

We've also made an effort to provide a strong tribute online at dailyherald.com/graduations.

Among the features in our tribute is a commencement address by bestselling author Veronica Roth. a 2006 graduate of Barrington High School. We thank her for her contribution.

We hope the section is meaningful to you - now and when you look back on it in the future.