Arlington Senior Portraits
Matt Mendelsohn Photography
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Not Forgotten: Yorktown Seniors 2020

Arlington Senior Portraits

The Yorktown Seniors of 2020: Peter B. I don’t want to play any favorites here, as this project is open and available to all the seniors of Yorktown High School. But today I met some incredible seniors. After years of walking my crazy sheepdog past the school every day as students arrive, it’s been a great treat to actually meet so many of you guys. This morning I got to spend some time with Peter B., whose entry into this world came on an inauspicious day: September 11, 2001. Peter was born with cerebral palsy, and if you talk to him for more than five minutes you know that 9/11/01 was the last time anything slowed him down. He is universally revered and respected by his classmates. I can’t tell you how many seniors that I’ve photographed have asked “have you shot Peter yet!?!? He’s going to be president some day.” I asked Peter that this morning and he said “Well, first Congress.” He wrote me this: “I’m Peter Beckstrom and I was born on 9/11/01. It was a rough day to be born and I have cerebral palsy. I’ve overcome so many challenges in 18 years. I’m planning on studying human rights and social justice at George Mason University. I hope to be the first person (if not one of the first) with CP to be in Congress.” Sign me up. I can’t wait.

Location: Arlington, Virginia.