Eyewitness: Coping With the Pandemic in California

Johnny does schoolwork at home during the coronavirus pandemic. 

I live in California and am a middle-school student in the Los Angeles Unified School District. It is one of the largest public school districts in the United States.

Our schools have been closed since March 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic. On April 13, the superintendent announced that remote learning will continue through the end of the school year, and campuses will remain closed throughout the summer. Money is currently being raised to help provide meals for students in need. 

Teachers are conducting remote learning on Google Classroom. Throughout the day, students talk on the FaceTime app, helping each other with assignments.

Still, says 12-year-old classmate Jimmy Yang, “Life in quarantine is lackluster, with less social interaction and more work assigned by my parents.”

Josh Fossum, 13, of California has been playing basketball to stay fit. 

BASKETBALL AND ART

Several friends and classmates report being bored and tired of online classes. How are they keeping busy?

“I enjoy shooting baskets to stay fit, practice, and have some fun,” says Josh Fossum, 13. 

Diane Joung, also 13, is focusing on her artwork. “I’ve been trying to stay off of my computer and the rest of technology, and trying to spend time painting,” she says.

Many extracurricular activities have been canceled, postponed, or moved online. My soccer team has had to cancel games, while my piano and speech and debate classes take place on Zoom, an online platform for video conferences.

Despite the huge disruptions in our daily routines, my friends and I know that it’s important to practice social distancing and proper hygiene to keep people safe.