Exploring COVID’s Impact on Waukee’s Youth

In the spring of 2020, the classrooms were hit with a global pandemic that changed the way these classrooms functioned for many years to come; however, even four years later classrooms are still facing the impacts of this situation. 

Jessica Wunsch, a music teacher at Grant Ragan Elementary, has seen many impacts in her music classroom due to COVID-19. 

Wunsch got so used to being able to sing. She and her students never thought it was something that could be taken for granted. That was until that ability was taken away. Once COVID hit she and her team had to change the curriculum, which they had never thought twice about. They could no longer do partner activities, play instruments, or even have concerts. 

Wunsch explained, “Students did not travel to our music room, so we had no opportunity to take a lot of instruments or ability to play instruments. We had to get creative with technology, playing instruments on iPads. On our desks, I had every student with a pair of little dowels that they used as rhythm sticks, and they would store them in their desks or their rooms.

Before COVID-19, as a music teacher, we never took for granted singing in the music classroom or getting the opportunity to have music concerts, doing movement activities with partners, and playing all the instruments in our classroom. We never thought about the curriculum we taught. We were just able to teach the way things had always been. Then COVID-19 hit, and everything had to change.”

Dani Danilson, a fifth-grade student at Waukee Elementary, was in first grade when the pandemic hit. Even though he was young he vividly remembers what school was like before and after this sickness hit. 

The biggest change that Danilson has seen is way fewer absences because people are not getting sick as often. He also noticed that fewer and fewer people are getting sick with COVID-19. 

Due to being online Danilson never got to see his friends. This is why he prefers school now because he can see everyone and no one has to wear a mask. 

He reflects on his school during COVID-19, compared to today. Danilson shared, “I was in first grade and many people got COVID-19 and had to quarantine. But the classes that we did have were not as long. I was in an online school. Online school was elementary.”

Evelyenn Chambers, a fourth-grade student at Waukee Elementary, was in kindergarten when COVID-19 struck. 

Chambers said she prefers school after COVID-19 due to being able to do more fun activities at school instead of at home. She got bored not being able to play with her friends and talking to people other than her family every day. 

Chambers thinks about what school was like during COVID-19. She commented, “It felt like too much iPad time because we were on it a lot.”

Even though much time has passed since the pandemic first hit, without realizing it, classrooms are still impacted greatly. Whether it be teachers or students everyone’s life got affected. Even though it might be closer to how it used to be, it will never be the same.