Amelia and Sophie, Age 12
The Untouchable
Out of reach
But not out of mind
Running and running
But always behind
Reaching for dreams
But you find yourself empty
Searching and searching
For nothing near plenty
You open your eyes
Wishing for success
Hoping and hoping
With no time to rest
With each new day
You continue to stretch
Reaching and reaching
But never quite there
not yet
It feels like eternity
But there’s still so much more
Forever and ever
We just can’t be sure
We long for the future
But hold onto the past
Thinking and thinking
About what will come next
We touch what we can
But the rest is so blurry
Running and searching and hoping and reaching
Flying through times in a hurry
Forever thinking
Of the untouchable
Out of reach
But not out of mind
Running and running
But always behind
Reaching for dreams
But you find yourself empty
Searching and searching
For nothing near plenty
You open your eyes
Wishing for success
Hoping and hoping
With no time to rest
With each new day
You continue to stretch
Reaching and reaching
But never quite there
not yet
It feels like eternity
But there’s still so much more
Forever and ever
We just can’t be sure
We long for the future
But hold onto the past
Thinking and thinking
About what will come next
We touch what we can
But the rest is so blurry
Running and searching and hoping and reaching
Flying through times in a hurry
Forever thinking
Of the untouchable
Gus, Age 10
An answer to your questions
What have I lerned? that we need to give up some of our old habits for the time being. What's the same? that I'm still here. What's diffrent? I can't see my friends. What scares me? our contry is really messing up on tring to stop corona. Whare do you find hope? in my records/record player. What makes me happy? being cozy with family.
thanks,
Gus, age 10
Frankie A-S, Age 13
Hello! I'm Frankie Adams-Sternal, a 13 year old girl from Northampton. I have not been as affected by the corona virus pandemic as many other people have. But my life has still been derailed. School, I have discovered, is so much more interesting when I am sitting in class and not in my bed. Although it is easy to be lazy, I wish that I could still be in school because it is so much more fun to learn while I am in school.
I am also a swimmer, and I am pretty committed to the sport. Before the pandemic I swam 2 hours a day, 5 days a week. It is incredibly difficult for me not to be swimming, especially since a very important swim meet for me was canceled because of quarantining. I have started running at the Smith college track with my sister. I have also been keeping in touch with my friends.
For the past few weeks, my friends (Misha, Greta, Ruby) and I have been face-timing or zooming nearly every day for 2+ hours. Last week, we zoomed every day while drawing and painting together. Misha painted an amazing portrait and drew a bunch of very detailed butterflies, Ruby painted a cactus, I painted various images on Polaroid film and drew a few pictures, and Greta is still working on an oil painting of the four of us. This week, we are working on a slide show and on it we are adding daily updates about our lives and making an "ultimate pandemic playlist.
I am still scared for my friends and family members who are at risk, but by staying connected with other people, we are all finding a way to get through this. With the extra time in my home, I have been focusing more on myself and my family and despite the virus, it feels almost like healing.
Here are some of the paintings/drawings I made last week:
Reiter K., Age 8
My Life During the Pandemic
The pandemic feels sad, happy, good, bad, angry and annoying all at the same time.
It feels happy because we are all out of school and don't have to do as much work and because I can be with my bunny all the time.
It feels sad because of everything else--I can't visit anyone or go anywhere.
I feel angry that the coronavirus happened now at the end of the school year, so everyone who is graduating or going to a new grade might have to do the school year again or won't be able to celebrate their graduation.
It's bad to have to stay 6 feet away from everyone.
Here's some advice I have for other people, including kids:
1. Stay 6 feet away from everyone not in your family.
2. If you're sick, stay home.
3. Don't visit anyone over 60.
4. Don't touch anything outside that isn't yours.
This is a good time to read a book you've been wanting to read for a long time, or hang out with your pets, or send a card to someone, or call a friend on the phone. It's also a good time to go outside.
Mostly it feels like a big grey cloud has descended on the world and destroyed things and made a lot of people sick.
Gabby, Age 8
My Life During Covid-19
I miss school. I feel not so great about school being closed. I miss playing with my friends and I miss science. I miss my teachers and also funny moments, like when my friends are telling me jokes. I miss Quinn and Sylvie. We draw pictures of animals or monsters and make up a story line, like a short comic about the monsters. There’s a monster character called Exbobo who is made out of lava and blue fire.
I also miss friends in my neighborhood, going to their houses or people coming to my house. It’s just me and my mom. I don’t get out much. I mostly stay inside. Me and my mom hang out, watch TV. I go on my tablet sometimes and watch how-to videos, like how to get a youtube channel and how to make a plushie. My grandma is coming from Africa soon. She knows how to sew. Maybe she can show me how to make plushies.
Sometimes we leave our house, like to go shopping or to the bank. I used to go with my mom to her job on the weekends, but the hotel closed.
I feel not good about these changes. This never happened in my life. I never seen a school close down or people have to stay inside or me and my mom having to stay home for a long time.
I miss school. I feel not so great about school being closed. I miss playing with my friends and I miss science. I miss my teachers and also funny moments, like when my friends are telling me jokes. I miss Quinn and Sylvie. We draw pictures of animals or monsters and make up a story line, like a short comic about the monsters. There’s a monster character called Exbobo who is made out of lava and blue fire.
I also miss friends in my neighborhood, going to their houses or people coming to my house. It’s just me and my mom. I don’t get out much. I mostly stay inside. Me and my mom hang out, watch TV. I go on my tablet sometimes and watch how-to videos, like how to get a youtube channel and how to make a plushie. My grandma is coming from Africa soon. She knows how to sew. Maybe she can show me how to make plushies.
Sometimes we leave our house, like to go shopping or to the bank. I used to go with my mom to her job on the weekends, but the hotel closed.
I feel not good about these changes. This never happened in my life. I never seen a school close down or people have to stay inside or me and my mom having to stay home for a long time.
E.E.G., Age 9
|
|
Carter R., Age 11
At the start, around December / January, I thought it was gonna be something small that would stay in china. But over two months, it has gone everywhere on the planet. I have to stay home and do work online on a laptop. It was weird at the start, because my body got used to getting up early in the morning, really early, and I was getting scared too. My dad is a mailman, so he has to go to work. He has a chance of getting the virus every day and bringing it home. And because of that, he takes a shower every time right when he gets home. But, for me, I’m ok. The online school is pretty fun, and inside is way more comfy than the school chairs. I get to sit on a couch and do math if I wanted! I think we might have to start over the grade because of all the work we’re missing. We have mettings in this website called Zoom, where you can talk to your classmates and teachers. It’s the closest we’ll get to seeing them face-to-face. But, it’s fun anyway to see them. If we stay away, this disease won’t spread as much. I think there will be a vaccine for it in the future, because it won’t just disappear. It’s here forever now. But, it won’t be as bad in the future because we will have vaccines for it (kind of like a flu shot) and maybe we will evolve to overcome it. But, I can’t say for sure. I hope the fire-fighters, mailman and mailwoman, doctors and nurses, and everyone else that has to go out every day is as safe as possible. Have a phenomenal day, and we can get through this!
Sarah, Age 7
Aidan, Age 10
4/24/2020
COVID-19 has been affecting my life in many ways. For example, since my parents are divorced, I usually am at my dad’s house on-half of my time. But since my dad works at Trader Joe’s, he might have exposure to the coronavirus, so I can only take hikes with him, staying six feet apart and not touching anything he touches.
Another way my life has been affected is that my school is closed for the rest of the school year. This not only means that I have to be homeschooled, (which is way worse than regular school), but also that I can’t play with or see my friends. Also, I can’t have playdates because they might spread COVID-19, so I can only connect with my friends via FaceTime or Zoom.
A third way I am affected by COVID-19 is that my first trip out of the country, a trip to England from July 20 to August 7 that I had been anticipating for months, has been cancelled. So has my trip to Yellowstone from June 19-27.
Lastly, we might start using homemade toilet paper if we can’t get more. Luckily, we have lots of canned and dry food, but we still stocked up on food from the supermarket. At one point, my dad told me ab out how 95% of the shelves at Trader Joe’s were empty. But for now, I’ll just hang in and wait for a vaccine.
—P.S. From Aidan’s mom: homemade "toilet paper” is home-sewn, washable/sterilizable cloth wipes—just in case!
COVID-19 has been affecting my life in many ways. For example, since my parents are divorced, I usually am at my dad’s house on-half of my time. But since my dad works at Trader Joe’s, he might have exposure to the coronavirus, so I can only take hikes with him, staying six feet apart and not touching anything he touches.
Another way my life has been affected is that my school is closed for the rest of the school year. This not only means that I have to be homeschooled, (which is way worse than regular school), but also that I can’t play with or see my friends. Also, I can’t have playdates because they might spread COVID-19, so I can only connect with my friends via FaceTime or Zoom.
A third way I am affected by COVID-19 is that my first trip out of the country, a trip to England from July 20 to August 7 that I had been anticipating for months, has been cancelled. So has my trip to Yellowstone from June 19-27.
Lastly, we might start using homemade toilet paper if we can’t get more. Luckily, we have lots of canned and dry food, but we still stocked up on food from the supermarket. At one point, my dad told me ab out how 95% of the shelves at Trader Joe’s were empty. But for now, I’ll just hang in and wait for a vaccine.
—P.S. From Aidan’s mom: homemade "toilet paper” is home-sewn, washable/sterilizable cloth wipes—just in case!
|
|
Lucia F-P, Age 9
COVID-19
Covid-19 cannot be seen,
But couldn’t be the slightest bit more mean.
To babies, children, and grownups,
As well as many teens.
Yes, we do social distancing,
And this is also a big part of history.
Woe is me, (and maybe you)
Definitely.
And for sure my family, too.
Everything’s germy,
And just thinking about it makes me squirmy.
We’re protected by masks, gloves,
And washing our hands.
And do you know what?...
|
Everything’s closed,
In many different lands… Such as Italy, The island of Fiji, too. And to the virus we’re in rivalry, Totally, As well as the virus is in rivalry With me and you. |
Annalia, Age 7
COVID-19
It is 2020, the year of COVID-19.
Schools have closed down, all stores too.
No one’s going on airplane flights.
It seems the Quad at Smith College and Childs Park might close soon.
I can’t go to gymnastics at the Y, I can’t see my friends, and kids aren’t even allowed at the grocery store.
The best thing that’s happened because of COVID-19……
Is my babysitter Jazmine moved in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yay. My dad, my mom, my brother and me were all over the moon about it. Then my mom asked Jazmine - when?......
“Tomorrow”. The second best thing that’s happened…
was my birthday on April 6th. I had a party with six people at night –my babysitter Jazmine, my mom, my brother, Jazmine’s boyfriend Ian, my dad and me. We had cupcakes I decorated in the shape of an ice cream cone with sprinkles. And then we had a big scoop of chocolate ice cream with chocolate sprinkles on the side. And best of all, we had watermelon slushies (Isaac spilled his).