Six Feet Apart
TY’HANA ALDRIDGE | APRIL 28, 2021 | FEATURES
During typical school years, students embark on a coming-of-age journey while indulging in the memories and hardships the high school experience brings. This atypical school year has separated teachers and students between a screen and a requirement to remain six feet apart. Those in and out of school are forced to live under a mask, disguising their true emotions and leaving some suffering in silence. As the United States attempts to contain the coronavirus pandemic, students across the country and at Stanton College Preparatory School are struggling with mental health.
“I feel starved for touch,” said sophomore Aceline Manganti, who is enrolled in Duval HomeRoom, Duval County Public Schools’ online learning platform. “I like hugging people and talking to people face-to-face, so it's really hard to do that when most of the time I'm just staring at a screen.”
Once COVID-19 was declared a national pandemic in March 2020, the state of Florida went into lockdown. Schools in Duval County resumed instruction on Duval HomeRoom while extracurriculars were cancelled, leaving students and teachers confined to their homes. While the start of the 2020–2021 school year allowed many students and teachers to return to campus, changes were noticeable. Much needed safety measures included barriers and marked pathways implemented at Stanton contribute to isolation and loneliness felt among students and teachers.
“The barriers on each desk can definitely impede what is seen [in the classroom by] the students and they limit the interaction between other students,” said on-campus sophomore Kenneth Allen. “You can sometimes feel enclosed with all of them around you.”
According to students, the stress of the pandemic, combined with Stanton’s rigorous academics, is overwhelming. As a result, programs and counselors are available to help students while discussing personal issues relating to mental health. Wellness Wednesday, for instance, is a 30-minute instructional period which takes place the last Wednesday of every month. Students are presented with a series of instructional videos aiming to spread mental health awareness and coping mechanisms. Despite this, concerns are continuously expressed by both teachers and students who question whether this program is beneficial. While some students feel unaffected by the message being promoted, others argue the prohibition to share personal stories discourages them from seeking help. In response to this, counselors encourage scheduling sessions to discuss personal issues.
“It can be difficult to motivate folks to participate if it’s not something that they were either personally impacted by or they feel like is a priority,” said Stanton guidance counselor Mr. Fessenden. “You can just put them in the position and provide them [with] motivation to do so and certainly that is a challenge.”
Online students are provided with the same resources relating to mental health as those on-campus. Still, there are concerns regarding whether DHR students receive the same attention as on-campus students. On each Wellness Wednesday, on-campus students report to their homeroom class, where they are required to watch the video. Through online platforms, teachers are expected to post the videos for virtual students to watch. DHR students claim to be unaware of the videos posted during Wellness Wednesday.
“In the beginning they used to just send us the videos and tell us to watch it so it was voluntary for me because my teachers didn’t show it in their class online while other teachers did,” said Manganti. “Then they stopped posting the videos after [the first] three months so Wellness Wednesdays for me was a day to sleep or eat early.”
Unlike on-campus students, those online are at higher risk for developing an unhealthy mental state, especially if there is an imbalance of resources received. According to a Devil’s Advocate Instagram poll conducted Feb. 7, 2021, 70 percent of Stanton students believe on-campus learning is better for mental health. Though some excel online, not everyone copes with unexpected changes in addition to the overwhelming requirements of Stanton. Similar to students, teachers and administration must work to adjust their teaching styles to fit the new normal.
“[Teachers] enjoy teaching you face-to-face,” said Ms. May Ibasco, Stanton guidance counselor. “They do their absolute best to do it online; it's just not the same.”
The mental health of teachers and administration may potentially affect the way they interact with and teach students. A National Education Association survey conducted from August through September of 2020 found 19 percent of teachers reported the help and resources provided by schools regarding their mental health was “not at all adequate.” Due to this, finding comfort in oneself has become an important technique.
The reopening of schools and revival of extracurriculars helps alleviate stress in public environments. Still, students are discovering ways to manage their mental health alone, either through engaging in new hobbies or binge-watching television series. Although there are restrictions, sports and clubs provide the familiarity of companionship with teammates and friends. Stanton’s Real Talk Club offers a safe space for students to speak up while spreading awareness towards the concerning rise of mental health issues among teenagers.
“We will be covering topics such as healthy coping mechanisms, allowing for students to express themselves, and help them find ways to go about self-growth, which can be hard to navigate by yourself,” said junior Danika Tinana, president of the Real Talk Club. “It is important for students to join because Stanton students tend to romanticize not taking care of themselves, and having an overly busy work schedule.”
Even with sports and clubs available, students look upon Stanton staff to pay more attention towards students' mental health. The cancellation of normal high school activities, such as school dances and pep rallies, gives little motivation for school participation, negatively impacting performance. In response to this, the administration emphasized they are doing their best to ensure students remain mentally healthy.
“Whether it be sitting down, having a conversation with them face-to-face, or providing some strategies on how to cope with certain things, especially when it comes to doing the work,” said Assistant Principal Kenyannya Wilcox.
Online learning and wearing masks is a challenge everyone is adapting to. The strain of this year has left students and teachers wondering what the new school year will bring. Plans for the upcoming school year are still in progress depending on the state of Florida’s handling of COVID-19. Until Stanton and the school district return to normalcy, students learn to grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the effects it poses on their mental health.