All Spartanburg One schools are closed through the end of April 2020, per state mandate meaning that learning is now happening remotely rather than through a traditional setting. 

High school teachers continue to push assignments through Google Classroom. 

Freshman Olivia Ireland said that it has not been a challenge to switch.

“Google Classroom was used much before COVID-19 and is a piece of normalcy for us students,” she said.

I interviewed my first grade teacher Karen Trout from Inman Elementary school, and she indicated that she misses the daily interaction with the students so much. 

“Relationships are at the heart of what I do and not being face-to-face with the students every day has been a challenge,”  she said. “The COVID-19 pandemic is making us all look to be more creative in ways that we communicate with others. We need to  think outside the box and share kindness and love in ways that we have never thought of or could imagine.” Other mandates include social distancing, closing nonessential businesses, and proh. How are different generations reacting to COVID-19?  

As I interviewed my grandparents, Bobby and Sandra Simpon, my grandmother indicated that she immediately was ready to stay at home, frequently wash hands  and cook all meals at home whereas my grandfather wanted to ignore it at first and greatly missed getting out to see others. 

He admits he did not want to heed the warnings at first. That opinion changed as he had a grocery store experience where he was asked if he is over 60 since the first hour of the day is reserved for senior citizens. 

He is over 60 and was given a wipe to wipe down his buggy. Aisles were one way since meeting someone would mean you are closer than 6 feet apart, and lines at checkouts are marked so you won’t stand too close. This set in his new reality and his new norm. 

My new norm seems to be through video conferencing. 

Zoom Video Communications is an American remote conferencing services company. It provides a remote conferencing service that combines video conferencing, online meetings and chats. 

My youth group used this platform for our Sunday School lesson this past week. We were able to talk with one another and continue our spiritual growth through this means. 

Zoom, along with the Google Chat and Google Hangout, has been a way that high schoolers are also interacting with their classmates and teachers. Many students believe that technology has helped us to communicate while still adhering to the Center of Disease Control (CDC)  guidelines of social distancing. Ireland, for example, indicated that she feels connected using social platforms such as Instagram and FaceTime with friends.