What does the future hold for graduating high schoolers?

Last weekend, high school seniors across the state walked across the stage for graduation.The class of 2026 grew up in a world of social media and lived through the COVID-19 emergency as middle schoolers, which shut down schools for a year and upended their learning experiences.Members of Gen Z, they’re entering a world with the U.S. once again at war, a slowing economy, unaffordable housing and a challenging job market, with everyone concerned about a future dominated by artificial intelligence.Now of voting age, they will have a role in shaping the direction of the political landscape of the country.Many will be headed to college in the fall, where the high cost of education is a worry for many. In a Third Way poll of graduating seniors, 56 percent of respondents said "the best path forward for me is not to attend a four-year college or university, regardless of the cost." But, more than three-fourths believe they have a “great future ahead of them.”Nationally, nearly a third of graduating high schoolers do not attend a post-secondary education institution, choosing to enter the workforce or alternative training right after high school.This week we’ll talk with graduating high school seniors about their educational experiences, living through COVID and their plans and expectations after high school.GuestsKelton O’Connell, Bloomington High School NorthFinn Wolfger, Eastern Greene High School