Liberty HS is back in session after several questionable months of what a typical school day would look like for its students. Fortunately, with today’s thriving technology, students are able to have multiple options for attending school. Many students opted to do remote learning, which can be completed from the comfort of their home. This entails weekly online Zoom meetings with their teachers and strictly virtual assignments. Other students attend Liberty two days of the week and participate in e-school the remainder of the week. Although Liberty is being operated under difficult circumstances, the school manages to create an exciting environment inside and outside of the classroom.

Each year, Liberty makes a point of educating its students about the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, by holding a remembrance ceremony on campus. Students were able to watch the remembrance ceremony from their classrooms. Representatives from the Bethlehem Police Department and local army reserves raised the nation’s flag, while select Grenadier Band members performed the national anthem. This year’s guest speaker, John LaBarbera, former captain of the New York Police Department, recounted his experiences of that day and recognized heroes who sacrificed their lives.

After multiple postponements and months of uncertainty whether or not they would perform, Liberty’s football team was able to play its first game of the 2020 season Oct. 3 against Easton Area HS at Frank Banko Stadium. In past years, students shared their excitement for the Friday night lights by matching the student section’s theme and gathering in the stands to cheer on Liberty’s athletes. Now, the Liberty community must cheer on their athletes through a television screen. The football team has been practicing to the best of its ability since mid-July. The players and coaches properly protected themselves in accordance with CDC guidelines. Although the team was unable to bring home a win, its first game set a vision of new goals to conquer during their shortened season. The team plans to play five games throughout October.

Liberty’s 3A golf team brought home the District 11 title over Stroudsburg, Lehighton and Blue Mountain on Oct. 7. Liberty senior Jordan Barker was the winner of the 3A boys competition with a score of 71. His younger brother, freshman Jace Barker, followed right behind him in second place with a score of 72. The title-winning team will proceed to take on regional and state championships in the following weeks.

Liberty, along with all other Bethlehem Area School District schools, was approved to temporarily provide free lunches for all students. The distribution of free lunches started Sept. 21 and will be active through Dec. 31. This includes the newly implemented Monday meal distribution, which provides meal kits containing three to five days’ worth of meals, depending on the student’s hybrid or remote schedule. The program was created to ensure students are properly nourished even when they are not in school. The meal kits are available to all students to be picked up at select schools: Broughal, Northeast, Marvine, Donegan and Fountain Hill.