Two students – one remote, one in-person – talk about their school day
Katherine Mansfield/For the Observer-Reporter
Trey Kratz, a junior at Canon-McMillan High School, takes a class in the kitchen of his home.
Canon-McMillan High School junior Trey Katz spends a recent school day working remotely in his kitchen.
Katherine Mansfield/For the Observer-Reporter
Hannah Smith did her best to establish a productive routine to get the most out of remote learning.
Hannah Smith, in her home "classroom," said the dedication exhibited by her teachers at Canon-McMillan High School throughout the pandemic influenced her decision to pursue a career in education.
Trey Kratz and Hannah Smith are students at Canon-McMillan High School.
Both are juniors, excel in academics, are involved in extracurricular activities, including the band.
But they opted for different educational platforms offered by the school district during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kratz selected the hybrid model, while Smith selected remote learning.
While not all educational experiences have been the same, these students described what it’s been like for them to attend school during the 2020-21 school year, amid the global pandemic.
Trey Kratz
Kratz attends in-person classes at the high school two days a week (Mondays and Thursdays), and attends classes virtually two days a week (Tuesdays and Fridays). Wednesday classes are asynchronous.
“I feel so much happier when I’m at school. I get joy just from being with people and talking with people and being normal for a bit,” Kratz said.
On the days Kratz goes to in-person classes, he wakes up at around 6 a.m., and on most day runs through a quick health screening – which includes taking his temperature and making sure he doesn’t have a sore throat or cough.
He grabs a face mask and a packed lunch, jumps in his car, picks up a friend and arrives at the high school by 7:20 a.m.
There, his sits at a cafeteria table seat – separated from other students by a plexiglass divider – until classes begin at 7:45 a.m.
“There are so few kids that it’s not crowded and everyone fits in the cafeteria,” said Kratz. “When everyone was here, the atrium and hallway used to be filled, too.”
Throughout the day, Kratz travels to his classrooms, where in-person attendance in his classes ranges from about eight to 15 students.
His teachers instruct students in the classroom while at the same time teaching other students who are learning from home via Google classroom.
At 11 a.m., Kratz eats his packed lunch in the cafeteria, and then resumes his classes, which end around 2:30 p.m.
On the days Kratz attends remotely, he rolls out of bed at 7:40 a.m. – five minutes before classes start – and heads to the kitchen, where he logs into his first class.
“It’s definitely more difficult. There are some days when you wake up and you’re just over it and not into it,” said Kratz. “I don’t even want to log on, but you’ve got to find motivation to just get it done.”
He works mostly at the kitchen island and snacks throughout the morning.
“I’m snacking all the time. It’s bad, but it’s all right there: chips, Gatorade, snacks.” said Kratz.
At lunchtime, he cooks a pizza or heats up hot dogs or hamburgers in the microwave.
He usually completes all of his class assignments during the school day so he doesn’t have homework.
“I don’t like to procrastinate,” said Kratz, who has been able to maintain a 4.0 grade-point average despite the challenges of learning during COVID.
Kratz is a member of the Canon-McMillan High School band and is involved in drama, where he participates in plays and musicals.
It’s his participation in extracurricular activities that Kratz especially misses.
“I haven’t been on a stage since March 13 of last year, and that’s depressing. I miss performing and I miss being in front of people,” said Kratz.
He also has started his college search and worries how the interrupted academic year will impact his future.
“That’s definitely adding to my stress,” said Kratz. “I know this is just a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s historic. I guess it’s kind of cool that some day I can tell my grandkids that I lived through this. It’s not cool at the moment, though.”
Hannah Smith
Smith started the school year attending in-person classes two days a week, but switched to remote learning in early November.
“It just doesn’t feel like school anymore, and that’s why I decided to go remote,” said Smith.
Staying motivated in the classroom during the pandemic has been a challenge for many students.
So Smith, who holds a 4.3 GPA, has done her best to establish a productive routine to make the most out of the remote learning experience.
She wakes up at 7:30 a.m. and spends the 15 minutes before classes start by grabbing a quick beverage and getting ready for the day.
She logs into classes at the work station her parents set up when schools closed because of the pandemic.
During her morning study hall, Smith and her twin sister usually drive to Starbucks for an iced caramel macchiato or a pink drink.
“I’m going to miss that when I go back to school, when I don’t get my daily coffee,” Smith said, laughing. “I’m going to have to get up early and go in the morning before school starts.”
Fueled by coffee, Smith returns home and resumes classes. At 11:30 a.m., she eats a granola bar or breakfast food.
At lunchtime, Smith and her sister either squeeze in a two-mile walk or exercise inside.
She usually turns her camera on at the beginning of classes, but like many of her classmates, she doesn’t always keep it on. Most of the students, she said, leave their cameras off.
Smith said the dedication, concern and encouragement her teachers at Canon-Mac have shown throughout the pandemic has influenced her decision to go into elementary education.
“I just see their hard work and dedication constantly, every day,” said Smith, who plans to take college classes during her senior year and then attend the University of Pittsburgh. “They’re always there for me, they ask if I’m all right, how I am doing. Most of my teachers reach out or email me. They make me feel like they’re there for me. I want to be a teacher and inspire kids like my teachers have.”
Note: Both Kratz and Smith began attending in-person classes four days a week on March 8.