Highly Commended: Serena Brown
Image Title: Class of Covid-19
Image Location: London, UK
Image Story: One thing that showed the severity of the lockdown was seeing schools shut and all exams being cancelled. The years between 16-18 were when I struggled with my mental health the most and young people are now juggling a global pandemic alongside an even more elevated sense of uncertainty when it comes to their education and their future. I’ve been documenting the “Class of Covid-19”, from two meters of separation, and speaking to local young people about how they’re coping with lockdown in their final year of school. The government will be grading them based on their predicted grades which is proven to disadvantage black and minority ethnic and working class students. A lot of the girls I’ve spoken to so far understand its a very complex situation which can’t be helped but know it’s important to talk about these problems in the education system and particularly highlight the privilege private schools will have over state school students. The way the government have dealt with this crisis has allowed so many to fall through the cracks, and this series is a way of voicing the worries of a generation that are feeling lost.”