Despite challenging times, the human ability to adapt and survive, no matter what the conditions, has sustained us as a species throughout time.
Two years ago, no one could predict the challenges that our community was about to face. Masks and sanitizers became essential items that we would carry everywhere we went. Ongoing tests for COVID, social distancing, and isolation have left a trace of our emotional wellbeing.
As James Madison High School closed for quarantine in March of 2020, many students, including me, felt ecstatic. We received what seemed like an opportunity to rest from school for several weeks. Yet, as those weeks became months, and months grew into more than an entire year - no one was as cheerful anymore. The inability to physically communicate through the means of hugs or touch with our friends and family made handling the isolation even more problematic. We became prisoners in our own homes.
Online school caused mental suffering for many students. The lack of oxygen and Vitamin D, and the constant staring at screens for over 9 hours a day led to the atrophy of our brains. To stimulate our intellect, teachers increased the amount of homework, but this only made the situation worse. The lack of personal attention from teachers paired with a colossal amount of homework made it difficult for students to succeed in their classes.
When it was announced that schools would finally reopen, students started rejoicing. Hundreds of high schoolers stood in line to enter the building, enthusiastic to finally see their educators and classmates, many of whom they had never met.
Even though the first several months were difficult for our school community, our school staff did everything in their power to return our school to its pre-pandemic state. Various safety measures are applied to reduce the risk of COVID infection. The stairs, along with hallways have been divided into two sections to lower student traffic. Sanitizers and air purifiers have been placed in every room. Health Screening is required to enter the school building, and students are selected daily for COVID testing. Emotional support clubs and counseling sessions have been created for students who struggle with depression. Various school spirit days are frequently organized to re-establish a sense of community. More and more student extracurricular opportunities have been created. Over the past 6 months, students were able to reopen more than thirty clubs.
The issue of academic failure has also been resolved. Online tutoring is provided to students in the afternoons to accommodate students’ schedules and allow more access to education. High-achieving students are encouraged to become involved in a peer tutoring program that is administered throughout the day.
As sorrowful as it is to say, the Coronavirus pandemic became something habitual for us. The majority of schools, including Madison, were finally able to return to pre-pandemic times and make themselves better. No matter what the world will face in the future, the human ability to adapt to our surroundings will always be part of our biology and will help us overcome any difficulties, just as schools throughout the nation did with the coronavirus pandemic.