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What are your thoughts after reading the Chalk Beat article?

5 to 7 sentences minimum.
Cite one take away and provide an example when submitting your response.

Class Discussion:
We will discuss your response in class next week

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The pandemic has spared no student from its grasp. If asked, every young person could share a story about how the crisis rearranged their life and learning this past year.

In Newark, where the coronavirus has mounted a relentless assault, the stories have been heartrending.

Lisalove Atangana's mother lost her job this fall, and her family had to cram into motel rooms while they searched for affordable housing. Stephen Haley, who has spent years training as a dancer, turned his living room into a makeshift dance studio yet still felt his skills slipping away. Nayvon Terry, an ambitious teenager who had maintained a 4.0 grade point average and planned to run for senior class president, watched his motivation dwindle and his grades decline. And Sophia Enemoh, stuck at home away from her friends and teachers, mourned the loss of the freshman year she'd always imagined.

"I miss everything," she said.

And yet, like so many others in Newark and beyond, these young people have persisted. They've logged onto virtual classes even while looking after younger siblings. They've stayed connected to classmates and committed to school. And they've learned important lessons about themselves and the world amid the upheaval of the past year.

Chalkbeat spoke with those four Newark high schoolers and a dozen others over the past few months to hear firsthand how the pandemic has transformed their lives, both in and out of school. More changes are in store next week when Newark school buildings reopen - though just under 40% of district students, and only 28% of high schoolers, are registered to return.

The following are excerpts from those interviews, which were conducted individually and in groups, and organized here by topic. They offer a window into the hardships many students experienced over the past year, as well as their determination to make it through.

Sophia: I started my freshman year virtually, and that's the hardest part. I'm telling you, the first day of high school, everybody was lost, everybody didn't know what to do.

Nayvon: I'm the type of personality where I like to get up and go and do things. I love to be on top of things. I love to be interactive with the students and the teachers. And I haven't been able to do that.

Brianna: I feel like I wake up and do the same thing every single day. It gets to the point where sometimes I feel like my days are blended. Like a whole week could pass by and I wouldn't even notice because I'm doing the same routine every day.

Nathan: I don't go anywhere at this point. The only place I might go is church on the weekends. Even that, they're so cautious and everything. There's no, like, hanging out afterwards.

Zacore: Six months ago, I just had a daughter. So my days are more or less me and my daughter. I sit in the living room, I do my [school]work. I'm here with my baby mother, my girlfriend. She helps me if I need help. But most of this stuff I try to work out on my own.

Lisalove: We were spending months in motels trying to look for homes. That was really rough. ... It also took a toll on us as a family because sometimes we would just get mad at each other or just be so frustrated and stressed out because of how we're living right now.

Nathan: My mother never stopped working because she works in the medical field. The stress and anxiety that she had to deal with was visible, it was audible, whenever she came home. On top of that, multiple members of my family had COVID at one time or another.

Sophia: I barely know what my own high school looks like. And that's a high school I'm supposed to go to, but now I'm in my bed during school. And it's just like I miss school, I miss walking through the hallways, I miss going to my friend's house. ... I miss everything.

Nathan: In the beginning, it took my brain and my body a while to realize that you're at home but you still have to work, you still have to go to school. Because before this, if I was staying home, it meant relaxing.

Stephen: In my opinion, it's not school. It just doesn't feel like school at all. If you ask me, it's all about retention now and not necessarily learning.

Lisalove: My second class, I have my Spanish teacher and she wants all of us to be on camera and visible. So that's one class I can't escape and be in the dark in my bedroom laying down.

Stephen: Sometimes I don't even get out of bed and I just join from my bed. Sometimes I wouldn't even have the energy to log on and I'll miss a period. It's definitely harder to stay motivated.

Sophia: The teacher will ask a question and it's just quiet. I feel like I'm the only one to talk in class even when I feel like I'm the dumbest one. Because everyone will act like they get it and not say nothing.

Brianna: In my household, there's just a lot of distractions. You know, technology and all that. And it gets very hard to log into every class and be like, "I got to do this," and not just, like, ignore all my classes for the whole day and go watch Netflix.

London: When you're the oldest [child], like I am, and everyone's breaks are at different times, the children can come ask me for something but I'm in the middle of class. ... They'll ask me to make them something to eat. Or if it's school-related, they'll ask me to help with, like, a math problem. That one I usually get a lot.

Sophia: Teachers don't know why your camera is off and they call you. They think you're skipping class or you're late on purpose or you're not listening. Mind you, I'm trying to listen but I have to help my little sister.

Lisalove: It just takes so many hours for me to really get stuff done because I'm around my family and something might catch my attention and I'll get distracted.

Sierra: It's honestly not healthy at all. I don't get away from my computer until 12 o'clock at night. ... And then, on the weekend, you're so tired to the point where you just want to sleep all day.

Nayvon: The momentum and the motivation stopped, so I didn't want to study for the SAT. ... We would also have a program where we could study for the SAT, almost SAT prep. That stopped. So when I did take the SAT, it wasn't the score that I wanted and that I know I deserve.

Luke: There's not a lot of motivation sitting in front of a computer for about eight hours a day - on top of COVID, on top of not seeing your friends or your teachers. I think that's the largest issue about online learning: There's not much motivation to do anything, but it's not like you have a choice.

Malayjah: I used to be good in school, and then after awhile with the virtual I just started giving up. Because I feel like the teachers wasn't really helping me.

London: For most of my schooling, it's been teachers interacting with me. And [now] I've found it hard to do things without instruction. It's been difficult for me to do things self-taught.

Nayvon: There's no relationships and bonds being built. So the connection and excitement for school isn't the same.

Zacore: I try to stay as focused as possible. I read, I watch a lot of YouTube, just keep my mind active. ... In this day and age with technology, everything is free. These resources we have, I can easily Google it and figure it out and try it so many times until eventually I get it right.

Sierra: I was going to use this last year to let me branch out a little bit, let me explore my freedoms as a young adult. And then once this happened, it was like that was all gone.

Nayvon: A lot of things were ripped away from me. ... The previous year I went to an internship at Ernst & Young. I thought I would be doing that again. ... I've always dreamt of running for class president my senior year, being able to plan our prom ... There's a lot of things that I've had to leave behind.

Stephen: It's really hard being a dancer in quarantine - especially when you don't have the studio to work in. You don't dance, basically. ... I've regressed, you know. And I'm not where I should be in my development as a dancer.

Sophia: Now I'm a freshman and I'm pissed because I did not have my eighth grade social. My dress was on the way and I had to cancel the order. I cried because I was so ready.

Brianna: A couple months ago, my uncle, he got diagnosed with COVID. At first they didn't know what it was because, you know, people were still gathering information. He had to go to the hospital ... A couple days later he died from that. It's just been really hard on my family. Especially my mom. My mom has a lot of brothers and sisters and she's very close with all of them, especially my uncle. And just seeing her go through that, it really hurt me.

Sierra: I had to sit down and think about, "Oh, I've had so many deaths in my family." ... I have a hard time coping with death itself and grief. I feel like everybody grieves in a different way. It's hard. It's like you're not taught how to to grieve. You're not taught how to deal with your emotions. It's like something you have to deal with yourself.

Stephen: Thankfully I haven't been hit as hard as some of my friends. But I know some of my friends who actually thought about suicide. They couldn't take the isolation anymore. I know people who grew depressed. They just feel so alone, and everything is just so sad in this world.

Stephen: I find myself going through my camera roll remembering all the good times I had in school. And it's like, wow, I really should have just stayed there and enjoyed it. ... So if COVID taught me anything, it would be to take my time and enjoy these moments, because you never know when you're going to have another one.

Lisalove: Even though it was kind of a curse and a really bad situation, it kind of brought us together. Because now we know we can really count on each other and really strengthen our bond as a family. Spending all that time - every single day, every single hour - being in that space, probably even getting to know each other even more than before. ... Yeah, things were stressful. But at the same time, I was still able to laugh with my family, to have those good times.

London: When everything came down to it, I really had to learn a lot of skills that I wouldn't necessarily have had to learn until college. Like time management. ... With everything virtual, it's definitely made me a lot stricter on myself with getting things done.

Nayvon: Just being really honest, I would say I strived for success for the wrong reasons. Such as, like, getting the award or just getting the praise and the acknowledgement. But now all that's been stripped away. I have to regroup and find out what it is that I'm really striving for success for. Now I'm striving for success to better my future, to instill a different life than what my family has been used to.

Zacore: Sometimes isolation is your best friend. You don't need to be outside and running around. You can sit sometimes and just learn about yourself, focus on yourself, and really take time to love yourself. ... It gives you a chance to go to the next direction. Like a chance to do something new. Or a chance to be somebody new.

Stephen: I just hope that whatever comes next, I get to fully enjoy it. That's all. I'm just ready to enjoy life again.

This project was a collaboration between Chalkbeat, The Newark News and Story Collaborative at WBGO, and Free Press.
The following individuals and organizations provided assistance: Deborah Smith-Gregory, Great Oaks Legacy Charter School, LEAD Charter School, Schools That Can-Newark, and SHE Wins Inc. These students also participated in interviews: Abriyah Julu, Lakita Lloyd, Nyla Mitchell, Taniyah Ferrell, and Zerlina Sutton.

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'I miss everything': Newark teenagers reflect on life during COVID

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Chalkbeat spoke with more than a dozen Newark high schoolers who described their struggles - and resilience - during the pandemic. They described grief after losing loved ones, isolation during quarantine, frustration with remote learning, and hope for the future.

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After reading the Chalkbeat article, it helped me understand the different perspectives and effects Covid and virtual learning had on different people. The virtual setting has drastically affected many and maybe only slightly affected some but we've all been impacted by this transition. It has been hard and I completely agree with the benefits and disadvantages that the students featured in this article included. Isolation and lacking social interaction can be mentally and emotionally harmful for many but it can also be used as a time for one to find themselves and grow as a person. School at home can also be very challenging when they are vivid distractions and home responsibilities that many, especially as older siblings. Personally, I haven't lost any family members due to Covid but I do empathize with people like Brianna who have because that can be traumatizing to deal with the times we are in.

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I cant relate to any of the stuff they said.I dont have any mental issues and i dont need to talk to people to solve my problems. If i did have some of he issues that they were talking about then id solve it myself. People only disappoint me in this world we are living in. I learned that in this world the weak die off and the strong survive. I plan to stay strong so that even after i die people will remember my name when they hear it.

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I can relate so much to what they said. It is really hard to stay motivated , and having to adjust to all this and missing the year of school i have looked forward to the most sucks. I personally haven't gone through half of what those who talked went through,ut i have had to face some of the mental issues that i have been  hiding  because of the workload and communicating with people that normal school brought about.
Reading this just brought back memories of in person class and mis school a lot now. WHat this whole experience taught me and i believe all of us is that we are tougher than we know!

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The virus has hit everyone really hard & not only mentally, but also physically & just in general, COVID has affected all of us. Going back to Stephen´s statement below virtual learning, I definitely agree because it is really hard to stay motivated during the pandemic & sometimes you just don´t want to wake up or you just want to miss that one class. Also Sophia´s statement called my attention because it is true how all of us are not even answering to our teacher´s questions. I would that I try my best to answer questions & If I participated a few times, I allow other students to participate so they don´t feel left out. Also, the distractions are a reality like you can´t really concentrate in your house as much as when you are in school(I thought so) but now that we´ve experience it, it is very difficult to concentrate when all of your family members are at home. I feel like it is necessary to work as a team & to understand that even though the situation has been very hard, we can still manage to keep learning & keep ourselves motivated.

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While reading the responses from each student, I felt a connection to what was being said. It's like ever since COVID changed everything, every student has been doing the same process every day. When Sierra mentioned that her eyes stay peeled to a computer screen basically all day, that's when I knew every teenager or child is going through the same thing. Each student also tended to say that they was a lack in motivation since virtual learning came about. And I can honestly say that the motivation to keep immaculate grades did slip.

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I agree with everyone who was mentioned in the article. Like Sierra and Nayvon mentioned, I was really looking forward to my senior year and using this as a way to step out and explore more opportunities around me. But this pandemic took that away from me. For me personally, I have had to deal with the death of 2 of my aunts and 2 of my cousins along with staying on top of my school work. In addition, I became more distant and I would literally just lock myself in my room all day. I miss seeing my friends everyday and hanging out after school.

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i feel as though due to the pandemic has coughed a lot of stress for families. This pandemic took a lot away from everyone more from others. I honestly do believe that as seniors we missed out  on a lot which is not fair but we also can not control.  We all was looking forward to our senior year to be fun and full of activity but it was over before it even started. This pandemic took a lot but we'll all come back stronger.

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I agree with everyone’s responses in the article. I was looking forward to a smooth, chill year but corona had different plans. I feel like the worst part of this pandemic (other than the loss of opportunities, senior activities, etc) is the redundancy. Everyday is just another day and everyday is spent spending hours behind a screen like Sierra said. As a result, it’s easy to lose motivation but honestly I think graduation is the only thing that’s driving me right now.

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I feel connected with everyone responses on the article in a way, I was happy to start a new chapter in my life when I came to the USA, I was starting everything new again, to make new friends and just start moving on with my life, to experience why USA was always hyped to up. I was think this pandemic was a way to have a more chill high school expiernce again. But now i just miss my life in London I felt connection with my friends and family. I sometimes feel as if am a burned on my American family because I was never connceted with them until I moved, it was honestly just being stressful to all families, I feel as if my life pasting me by. It the same everyday in and out.

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While reading each student response  it is clear that the virus hurt a lot of people in many ways .I honestly agree with everyone.  I feel like because we are senior It was a little more upsetting due to the fact that all our senior fun activities were taken away from us . During this crazy pandemic many people lost their family , friends and other important people they loved . Many people lost their homes and jobs making it really hard for them to provide for their families . This life crisis taught me alot though , it help me gain better knowledge it made me realize that you can not always take life for granted anything can happen .  It honestly feel like the world isn´t moving . I feel like we are doing the same thing everyday which is crazy an unfair .

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I feel extremely connected to the people in this article. I really feel like Lisalove's point about arguing really hit close to home. I did not really argue with my family until this virus. I don't know if the time that we spend apart like work and school kept us together or the annoyance of the virus made things more heated for us.

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I feel connected with the response everyone gave. I strongly agree with cashmere about a new start and having to move on with life. I feel as though that is one biggest point. With covid this a change that everyone has to ajust and make the best of the this tough situtation.

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If I learnt anything from this pandemic it will be that I am not alone. I don't mean that I have a ton of people or so checking on me but I am really just trying to say that we all went through really tough times together, most of us were really depressed for months and managed to hide it from the people around us. Most of us suffered the death of a loved one and I just love how resilient we've become. In so many different ways we all have been affected by this pandemic, I feel really connected to all the speakers because in one way or the other I have also gone through the same things and it is honestly so sad that we have to deal with all of it at such young age, but if I learnt anything it will be how I took it upon myself to discipline myself and I see that in my classmates as well.

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My takeaways from the articles was how the pandemic didn’t not only affect my life in the way to unmotivated me but other students as well. Being brought up in schools all of our lives it was such an big adjustment to transfer to being in front of an computer. We weren’t learning or interesting the same. From the article, Nayvon stated how it was an challenge for him being physically around his teachers and classmates to then in front of an laptop. I agree with his statement because I have yet to bond with any of my new teachers for my senior year because of the fact that I have to interact virtually. I believe that the motivation from students and even teachers declined.

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i relates to everyone’s response in terms of how i feel deep down due to the pandemic . Not only has it hurt us physically but it hurts us emotionally and mentally too . Lots of seniors had high hopes in going to prom and being able to just say “ I finally did it !” and walk the stage . But due to the pandemic , no one is able to do that . It is frustrating and tiring to be on a computer all day & it isn’t fair that we had to spend our last year of high school this way .

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I also agree with everyone on how the pandemic has made a really big impact on everything in life and because of this it has made adjusting to this life very difficult educational wise.

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What I took away from the article was that the things i struggled with academically and mentally, other students have struggled with too. I was able to personally connect with class of 2020 now that I was able to experience my senior year being taken away from me.

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I agree with everyone in this article. The pandemic has taken a toll on all of us students. One impact we all faced was school closures, it has also disrupted the daily routine and structure of students whether they were school activities etc. Without daily interaction with peers, friends students fail to build friendships. Even though we may have thought this year would be different, we have to thank God that we are well and alive, many people have died.

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I found myself relating to everything each participant mentioned. I realized how in a way we are all living the same life. Caught in this on going cycle where we wake up and are glued to the computer majority of the day with no way to get out of it without falling behind and ruining our future. Everyone has different stories on how COVID has affected their lives but we at least we didn’t go through it alone. This article helped me understand that I’m not alone in this situation. Other people know how hard it has been and maybe we can lean on each other for support.

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I agree with a lot of the things that were said in the article.having to complete our senior year online was never the plan so it makes it difficult for everyone to adjust to all the changes.senior year is the one year everyone expects to be the best but with the pandemic all of that excitement is gone.this pandemic has had a big toll on a lot of students mentally which then impacts their personal relationships with family and friends.all of these circumstances has made a lot of students feel unmotivated to continue joining their classes.

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I agree because everybody wishes that things were back too the way it was before COVID hit. People with that they were back in school rather than being on a laptop all day staring at the screen. being on the laptop is difficult for students because there have too be on a laptop for a few hours. A lot of people expect their senior year too be fun but it actually has been hard for a lot of students.

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I agree because people are overwhelmed about the situation involving COVID, also people are tired of staying in their homes.

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Honestly I agree with everyone's responses on the chalk beat I feel like my senior year was ripped away from me I was so ready to be a senior have a prom just be a 12th grader in high school is the best thing but when I found out school was still online earlier of last year I was upset still am.I also experienced lost My grandmother my best friend she didn't have covid but she had something else ,and I was hurt for months and I've just started getting a little better but there's times where I would have a memory of her and get a little down .I also agree when people talked about there friends and teachers like some of my friends I haven't seen since last year when I was a junior that takes a toll on people too some of us still text but its not the same as in person but we all just have to be strong and get through this whole thing together.

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I agree on the grounds that everyone had hopes that things were back too the manner in which it was before covid hit. Individuals wish that they were back in school instead of being on a pc throughout the day gazing at the screen. Being on the computer is hard for understudies in light of the fact that there have to be on a PC for a couple of hours. As many individuals expect their senior year also be fun however it really has been hard for a great deal of understudies.

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I agree with what everyone is saying because during the coronavirus and quarantine everybody lives has been running differently. Students have been taking care of our family while trying to pay attention in class. It's hard taking care of your younger ones when you can't keep it private by turning your camera off. On top of that students are sitting at a desk staring at a computer screen for seven plus hours and it can be tiring.

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I agree with what everyone had said. I believe that  the pandemic had made everyone life harder. For me, it hard doing virtual learning. I agree with Lisalove when she said "something might catch my attention and I’ll get distracted" Being home with my family distract me from learning. My little sister is also on zoom and my parent are always talking. Because of this pandemic, I can't go out and hang with my friends.

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while reading i notice one fellow classmate say that its became stressful not only to him but as well as his mom because since shes an essential worker she was in and out causing more fear and anxiety about covid and i really felt drawn to this comment because we don't realize the risk adults do for us in the pandemic we mainly focus on "when will i see my friends again" weather than what can i do to make sure everyone can see their friends soon

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I agree with everyone because throughout this whole pandemic, this whole pandemic affected everyone’s mental health (mentally and physically). The pandemic ruined kids who go to school education in way of learning. Many people became stressed, depressed and lonely because of this pandemic and things will never go back the same to the way it was.

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After reading the article, I've noticed a theme about how everyone is feeling during this time of COVID, it's frustrated and tiring. It's not fun staying at home all the time, and on top of that, being responsible for piles of work that are due the next day. It's mentanlly exhausting trying to find motivation waking up in the morning and login to the computer. A comment that the student name Brianna made, that stood out to me was that everyday is the same. Being in the class room, things were unpredictable and you never knew what would happened. Even if it was something small like the school lunch suddenly changing, it was different. Now during COVID and me not being old enough to even take a walk in the park, every day just seem repeated. Now weekends that I used to adore is boring. Going back to school with only two months left just fills me wisth such anxiety that it freaks me out. Being a freshman and have yet to be in the building and knowing only a few people stresses me.

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Reading the article I definitely saw myself in Nayvon & Lisalove stories. COVID has taken a toll on me mentally and physically, causing my depression to get extremely worse. Living the days the absolute same, watching me slowly give up in my classes, settling for the bare minimum, has put me in such a rut. Especially as a senior worrying has been on my mind non-stop and it has gotten to the point where I was having mental breakdowns every other week. Sitting at home, facing a computer screen trying to take school seriously has definitely caused me to spiral. So much so that even when going out I don't feel much, I've gotten so used to be at home that I never want to leave. It's sad because I really thought this year would be such a break through for me, but instead it has gotten harder and harder the closer I got to graduation. I just wish things could get better fast because I don't honestly know how much I can handle.

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Reading this article , lead me to a rude awaken because you never know what people go through nor people mental emotions. However , I would complain so much to the point where I grew an pessimistic mindset for anything and everything... this pandemic has became life changing for many in different circumstances, waking up to online school caused me to become less motivated within even completing my high school year , I learned to cope but it doesn’t change the fact that my whole senior year was taken away and I experienced panic attacks , mental break downs at a young age.

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While reading the article I realized that though life during COVID made us feel as if we were isolated and alone, we're actually more connected than we thought. It's no doubt that we all hoped senior year would take a different route. We all had plans of being together and making the most of our activities for our last year together but things went a different way. Instead we've all seemed to despise the many flaws attached to virtual learning, and essentially counting down the days until graduation just so all of it can be over. It's a common trend within not only me personally, but for my peers as well. Much like Nayvon mentioned, COVID has slowly picked us apart and made many of us lose motivation from doing the same thing everything. It's both mentally and physically exhausting from the work we have to do inside and outside virtual learning. And though we all feel alone different these difficult times, we're connected in the sense that we're experiencing similar things together.

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While reading the article, I was really able to relate to a lot of things they were talking about. I understood exactly as they felt because all my life I've dreamed of what highschool would be like and how 8th grade graduation and dance would be like. We didn't even get to have a graduation nor dance in 8th grade. It was like the universe snatched it all away from me as punishment. I forgot how to actually interact with others and its pretty sad. I've lost all motivation. And being home all day doing the same thing affected my mental health alot too. Just more hours to overthink and have breakdowns in my room while trying to be ok around everyone else. I try so hard to get all my work done but sometimes I just can't. I just don't feel like doing anything at all. I never had an extreme over the top life to begin with and now that Covid happened I just slowly feel like i'm slipping away. I know some of the teachers actually really try to make class seem a little entertaining but it doesn't work.. at all! I feel like life will never be the same it was before and I guess I just have to accept it.

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I definitely understand where all the other students are coming from like when Stephen felt like he was losing his skills in dancing and when Malayjah just wanted to give up on school because virtual learning is hard. I really felt bad for Sophia because she had to transition to a new school as a 9th grader and not be able to build those friendships early. If I were in her same shoes, My life would be kinda boring and miserable. The connections and friendships I have now wouldn't have been possible. But I am glad that we were all able to see the silver lining of this pandemic because life is full of twists and turns but it all comes down to how you mange them.

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Reading this article made me see different perspectives/ views from other students and how the effect of the pandemic have had a major impact on their lives. I realized that the pandemic destroyed not just the school year but especially 12th grader who were looking forward to having a normal senior year, prom, and graduation.  We all had plans to spend more time with our friends and families but instead got stuck home everyday. Get up early in the morning log into into our laptops for like 8 hours everyday just staring at a screen and doing work. There was also the constant nagging and comment from teacher about camer's and being visible. I just feel like teacher's needs to be more understanding . Covid  has ade huge chances toward our lives and caused half of the senior class to be uninspired and not motivated to get work done or even having an idea of going to college. I agree with Sierra when she stated;  " It’s honestly not healthy at all. I don’t get away from my computer until 12 o’clock at night." and also when Nayvon stated; " There’s no relationships and bonds being built. So the connection and excitement for school isn’t the same."  TBH my whole senior year was trash, I felt trapped in one space, I had a lot of mental breakdowns where i had to shut people out, distant myself from social media just to work on myself and push myself to get higher grades.  At the end, I feel like looking back on it. It was worth it because it showed me a different side of me. A side in which i can look back on and see changes too. 

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Reading this article made me see different perspectives/ views from other students and how the effect of the pandemic have had a major impact on their lives. I realized that the pandemic destroyed not just the school year but especially 12th grader who were looking forward to having a normal senior year, prom, and graduation.  We all had plans to spend more time with our friends and families but instead got stuck home everyday. Get up early in the morning log into into our laptops for like 8 hours everyday just staring at a screen and doing work. There was also the constant nagging and comment from teacher about camer's and being visible. I just feel like teacher's needs to be more understanding . Covid  has ade huge chances toward our lives and caused half of the senior class to be uninspired and not motivated to get work done or even having an idea of going to college. I agree with Sierra when she stated;  " It’s honestly not healthy at all. I don’t get away from my computer until 12 o’clock at night." and also when Nayvon stated; " There’s no relationships and bonds being built. So the connection and excitement for school isn’t the same."  TBH my whole senior year was trash, I felt trapped in one space, I had a lot of mental breakdowns where i had to shut people out, distant myself from social media just to work on myself and push myself to get higher grades.  At the end, I feel like looking back on it. It was worth it because it showed me a different side of me. A side in which i can look back on and see changes too. 

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COVID-19 and this pandemic has isolated me from the people I love and care for. I couldn't see my grandparents, my aunt, nor my cousins for months. This virus also left me terrified for my family as my grandparents are quite old and if they were to catch this virus, I wouldn't know how much longer I'll be with them. This hurt immensely as I knew that I could lose the people I love. Though working from home sounded nice at first, it quickly grew boring as I missed leaving my house everyday. Especially now that it’s spring and the weather is starting to clear up. I’m not able to do the things that I loved to do anymore.

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I really resonate with the article specifically Breona and her losing the motivation to want to persue school or even do the bare minimum as to join a class. During quaritine the days have definetky blended into all of just one mashball. I hate things that are boring to me and cause disinterest, this causes me to disorientate from life and only participate in things I prefer. I would find myself joining class but not paying attention or falling asleep because of thd dry pattern of doing exstensive and boring work on zoom. The motivation to do work giving me the product of good gades were lost and I soon developed socopathic tendecies to alot of things school rleated as a result of zoom.

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I feel strongly connected with the people responses especially Lisa’s. I was looking forward to a new year as a senior and not I haven’t been able to experience 1 day at being it. The virus hit everyone hard and now we just trying hard to live through it. I liked Lisa’s point about the family, I love my family and all but now being In the house with them all day everyday becomes annoying and most people love to see they friends.

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After reading this article i realized everyone has been going through a hard time even if they haven't showed it.One takeaway is that you can't judge others if you haven't been in their shoes,struggles happen even if their not in the light of everyone.I also agree with school not being a motivation anymore due to sitting all day in front of a computer as well a high expectations expected through all this stress.For example Lisalove stated that in spanish class we have to be in camera visible and it can't be escaped.I agree with her because i personally don't feel comfortable being in frame when i am already not motivated sitting for hours class after class.As the day goes on their is also stress after classes are over due to homework being due at certain times early in the morning.

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While I read through the article, I didn't realize how all felt the same if not similar about the pandemic and how it's effecting us. I do feel like even amongst how we might feel about having to be inside all the time and not with friends we all changed for better or for worse. Everyone has realized who they're real friends because at school you saw each other everyday, but since you couldn't you seen who really calls you, checks up on you and etc. I saw in the article they talked about students not being as motivated after having to be inside for school and I completely agree because I just feel like it's harder for us to grasp everything being taught to us. Also, it's tempting just to go on your phone during class or just procrastinate and say you'll do things later. Losing sleep because you felt like you didn't get to do much in your day because of school. It causes you to not be so active during school, which causes grades to decline and it may be harder for you to get them back up. That's why I really appreciate the teachers for understanding what we're going through and trying to help us get through it as best as they can.

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After reading that article I realized how Covid has hit different people in many ways. Some people use school to get out the house and see their  friends, or just to get out the house.  I can connect to this article because it does feel like everyday is the same. Wake up, go to school, do assignments, sleep, then repeat. I think because of Covid this school year has gone by faster than it should’ve had. It feels like last week we was just in Quarter 2 but in reality we are about to graduate in a few weeks. Most kids looked up to their first year of highschool because of what they were told or what they’ve saw in movies/shows. I feel bad for people who missed stuff important like end of the year school trips, proms, and seeing their friends. Next school year the school is going to open so imma just focus on that. The only difference is we’re going to be wearing masks, but I rather do that than miss my highschool experience fully.

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Covid has hit everybody differently because itś just like some people was still being their normal selves and some people just changed completely ... People were gaining weight and some people were losing weight and covid made a lot of teenagers become depressed and do things that they never normally did.

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After reading this article, what I find that really resonates with me is the lost of motivation. After the first month of online school, school felt real optional and I did not want to do anything. You can see this in my grades and worth ethic. I went from a honor roll student to having C's and F's. Not only did Covid-19 take away my love for school but it made me realize that not everyone is your friend. Overall, Covid-19 has took a toll on all of us, and I don't think anyone or anything will be the same.

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I feel the same way they feel honestly because everything has drastically changed in my personal life. I felt it when she said her mother lost her job because during the virus break out my mother could not return to work for months. I also would like to add on to some quotes I saw like when Sophia said the teachers don’t really ask why the cameras are off, I feel like it adds more stress to students and a lot of times strategies are being made but it’s not in the best interest of students and it’s not the most feasible to everyone. But student to student overall, I do understand where they are coming from to financials, schoolwork and home.

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I agree with all of them because this pandemic has affected many of us mentally and economically. Being home all the time has affected me in a negative way because is not easy to be 24/7 without being outside or without seeing the people that I was used to seeing every day. Also it has affected many in a negative way because of the fear of going outside and getting affected by COVID-19. I can relate with my peers because my mom stopped working for a month because of the fear of getting sick and getting my brother and me sick.

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i agree with all of this theme because covid hit everyone different like people do have job some school be clase last thing go on now i am think will came do all best.

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I agree with alot of the information that was told in the article for example where it was said that days feel blended. a week can go by and it feels like a day because its just the same thing as if you are a robot. i also agree with where it was said that sitting in the house all day everyday washes away your skills because its like if you aren't being active and constantly working at your craft, you begin to regress and thats how i felt most of the pandemic.

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I 100% agree with all the students and I give prayers to all the students that are going to something right now. I'm just blessed that I have tried to blend in with this new system that we have but my grades actually increased due to covid because I started to realize that this was my last year and colleges are looking at you so I needed to go all out, but it was a big challenge for me to be on a computer for hours and not miss a bunch of assignments. I just sometimes don't like how some teachers don't allow students to make-up some work that was past due , because they don't really know our pain that students go through. But I'm not going to sit here and act like it was easy to be home rather and school because its not , people homes are different from everyone else prior to lisa example she had to move from different motels I knew that was a challenge for her and to go to virtual school and I hope she is okay right now. But people is out here struggling and people need to realize that !! Prior to what lisa stated,"  We were spending months in motels trying to look for homes. That was really rough. … It also took a toll on us as a family because sometimes we would just get mad at each other."

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The responses from the students showed that everyone are facing the same struggles and we might not realize it. If we did realize it, the burden of the pandemic would not have been so great because we would have strengthen each other. Since this is something new, no one knows how to address the  loneliness or depression and it is in these times where we isolate ourselves. If everyone just got up on day without the mindset of feeling hopeless, the world would be better. There is always something you can do.

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This article was a really good article, I feel like many people needed to read this because it’s like we get to understand how to pandemic has affected people we know. During this pandemic many people have lost many things whether it’s family members, jobs, homes, we all have our own story during these times. This article was more personal because one the participants were vulnerable and letting us in to their lives and also it’s the stories of people we know or even people we have on social media which really connects us. Reading the perspective of the 9th grader who started high school virtual made me realize some students really went into this school year blind. These stories really helped me understand that recovering from this hard time we experienced will be different and harder for everyone. I wish everyone the best as we all try to get back to normal and adjust to our new way of living.

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I can relate with these students because during the pandemic my mother also lost her job.Learning online was very difficult for me in the beginning my grades dropped tremendously and having to check my gmail every minute was really stressful . In the article it seemed like most of the student were having the same problems like being stuck home not being able to there friends , teachers and decrease in GPA.

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I related to Sophia and Brianna most throughout the article because the students feel exactly how I feel they feel as if there is no variety of the life that were living right now, and Sophia does not know her high school the way she should know somewhere she has to learn at knowing its an unfamiliar environment. This is a situation that seems to be tragic because what´s the point of being back if we don´t know where we are.

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When I read the article I thought about how I could relate so some of their stories because I'm not able to go anywhere. And it was really difficult for me to keep my grades up since I'm not in the school building because since I'm home it's easier to get distracted by the small things and my grades dropped too quickly. I could relate to Nathan because I'm not able to go anywhere and my family doesn't really go to church but when we do the people are very cautious and we're not really able to socialize afterwards.

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I can agree with the article for the most part because during quarantine, I did struggle to maintain focus and I was having trouble dealing with virtual school. Ever since then, everything has went down hill for me. But when I was given the opportunity to come back into the building, my grades shot up and I started doing much better!

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I relate to this article, it's hard to adjust to the huge change. It feels like a culture shock, not going to school and learning online. There are a lot of distractions at home but I can handle them. Going to verture classes is easier and there won't be much of an excuse to miss class and turning in your work late. I do miss going school and talking to my friends at school. If I could, I would do online classes and go to school.

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I agree with what Brianna as well as Nayvon because we start to feel so isolated to a point where we have to believe that we are alone. There are no relationships being built just everybody feeling the same thing and not being able to do anything about it.

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I agree with this article because every since the pandemic hit we have been doing virtual for a while and it is like hard to stay focus because we are at home but it is just like in school to and us as people need to keep pushing so we can go to the next grade and just be able to finish school so we don't have to worry about virtual

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I completely understand where the participants in the article are coming from especially since I’ve been through it myself. There’s always a constant need of reassurance and a fear in the uncertainty. Relationships are broken and some are bonded even stronger than before but I know from experience that a relationship is best when there’s time alone; time away because that yearn for love and companion grows and the expression of gratitude strengthens to a level that you never thought you could get to with that special someone. Active in person school is also important for kids like myself who have focusing issues because looking at a screen doesn’t get my attention especially when I’m home and there’s other things that I consider entertaining. The pandemic will forever have an affect on the lives of everyone and won’t be forgotten; because this is the time that tore people apart but also gave us an even greater reason to rise up and unite greater and stronger than ever before. I’m Ju’Wuan Clark and I’m not alone in this and neither are you.

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Cierra Jones
I agree with Brianna with her feeling like she is doing same routine With getting up  and doing the same thing with getting on the the computer just to look at the screen all day. Have it to be online for school not only did it cause a lot of people to fall class because of this pandemic but also they couldn’t attend to many things that’s all students  look forward for with being a senior. Senior were  looking forward to things like prom, senior end of the year trip and many other fun. This is why I believe the pandemic impacted students the most.

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I agree most of the students, the pandemic has left a burden on all of us some of us lost family members and jobs, the the kids their education is decreasing and grades are low. I feel as though everything is slowing down because there no interaction going on so there´s no more interest in the work.

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I agree with everyone because covid has impacted everyone and it hasn't been good for parents and children and its really sad to see some people like lisa go through hard time like this. Her story hit home and I feel for her

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I agree with much of the facts presented in the story, such as nowadays everything feels so boring . A week will feel like a day and the weeks will pass by so fast now. One minute we just started online school and now we are almost done. Time passes by so fast.. I often believe that staying in your house all day every day clears away your talents and if you were n’t involved and continuously practicing at your profession, you continue to fall, which happened to me. I use to be so fit and creative and with This pandemic everything has fell down and I'm just trying to rebuild that

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I agree with everyone that was in the film because, they where speaking true facts about  COVID 19 incidents because of COVID i feel like days can go by so fast by just a blink of an eye.

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I completely agree with all of the students experiences during the pandemic because being a student while at home can be very challenging, even impossible sometimes. When your home you feel comfortable and inclined to just relax but being that

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After reading the article the main takeaway was that the pandemic has had an enormous effect on teens . The one teen who was an freshmen didn"t even get the oppurtunity to see what her high school looks like which she felt socially was an bad start. The other student was at home and became lazy and his grade started to decline . This goes to show that most students need an professional work environment in order to stay on track in school. If some students work at the leisure of their own home they tend to fall behind..

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I agree with all of the students experiments because at home learning is much more challenging than in person. At home, your mindset is way different in school. Trying to maintain your grades, keep up your health, and be the best you can be is hard to keep up with.

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I 100% agree with all of the students experiences becaause learning at  home is more perplexing than being able to be in school and learn. When we are hom we have the mindset that we can relax and we can do the work whenever we feel like it.  And with that happeneing grades are dropping because we don´t understand the work or kids are just not doing it. Also most kids need to be in a school environment in order to be focused and actually complete work, so that they could be productive and actually understad what they are doing.