Junior Zoe Balewicz on Covid-19’s Impact on Learning

Abington High School junior Zoe Balewicz has been happy about the social aspect the hybrid model allows. She said, “I like seeing people face to face instead of through a screen.”

Balewicz said that the most difficult aspect in the hybrid model has been “not having any structure for the days we aren’t in school. It really affects my motivation.”

During the period when the school was fully remote, Balewicz enjoyed it because students were scheduled to be online four days per week with teachers. “I felt I had more structure in my day and I was more motivated to actually do my schoolwork because I was seeing my teachers more often. Another plus was to be home of course.”

As for extracurriculars, students are missing out in many events, like football games, pep rallies, Powder Puff, homecoming and possibly prom. Most understand it is out of anyone’s control.

Balewicz said, “We’re living in a new world now, and I don’t have the same expectations as I did last year.” She said, “Although all those things would be fun, I know we can’t do anything about it and the school can’t either.”  

As a member of the girl’s soccer team, Balewicz said, “I’m really just happy we could play [this fall] at all. We made it as fun as we could under the circumstances. And I think that was the best we could do,”