By JORDAN HOREJSI
Panther Press
With the recent coronavirus pandemic spreading worldwide, NRHEG schools have had to adopt an online learning plan. David Bunn, NRHEG’s Secondary Principal, addressed the district virtually through a YouTube video, stating that “We’re here to keep this moving forward. We are unsure as to how long this might last or what this might look like. We believe that at some point, hopefully in the near future, we’ll get further direction from the governor.” With the plethora of changes involving people’s work schedules, health care procedures, and even social norms, it has become quite evident to the students at NRHEG, and to all students nationwide, that the world has entered a new reality, a time when self-isolation and adapting to change are essential.
A survey was sent out to the student body of NRHEG Secondary School that revealed the students' perspective of their new reality during these challenging times. As mentioned above, NRHEG Schools had to implement a virtual learning plan and students have said they would rather go back to school, because they miss seeing their friends and interacting with others, including their teachers. Human interaction is an aspect of life many of us took for granted before the corona virus outbreak caused us to stay home. Kyra Cain, an eighth-grade student, expressed, “I have been doing a lot of school work and it has been challenging.” Based on the results of the survey, it is safe to say that roughly half of the students who attend NRHEG find positive sides to attending school over the distance learning plan.
An unsurprising majority of kids do not miss their supervised study halls, the school meals, the overflow of students in the hallways trying to get to class or lectures given by teachers, but that isn’t to say they do not miss getting out of their house every day and going somewhere rather than staying home with the temptations of the TV and social media distracting them from doing their schoolwork. Based on survey results, many students are grateful to be able to set their own schedules and monitor their own progress in their studies. Students also indicate that the vast amount of time at home has brought them closer to their family members, which is one bright side to all the negativity in the world right now. Despite the corona virus taking us away from the hallways at school, the students at NRHEG have persevered through the difficulties of online education.