Submitted Photo Pictured from left to right are Memorial Middle School students Tianna Sikes, Ai Yasumura, and Lillian Beebe.

Counselors at Jim Hill, Erik Ramstad and Memorial Middle Schools are teaming up next week to celebrate the resilience of students during what has been a challenging year for everyone.

Last year, students and teachers went home for spring break and never returned to in-person classes for the remainder of the year due to the pandemic. Instead, they finished the year with on-line classes. In-person classes were offered again beginning this fall, though parents were also given the option of enrolling their children in virtual learning this year if they were uncomfortable with in-person classes.

“Kids are just saying, ‘Wow, that was a year ago. Wow, do you think that will happen again,'” said Annette Stach, the guidance counselor at Ramstad.

Ramstad counselors Stach and Stacey Eskelson, Jim Hill Middle School counselors Tara Sundahl and Jana Fjeldahl and Memorial counselor Jayd Eggert wanted to find a way to mark that anniversary with an emphasis on some of the silver linings of the pandemic, like the strength kids have found within themselves, the support they have gotten from others, and new skills they have learned such as how to deal with change.

Resiliency Week will be held at all three schools during the same week to show unity. Next Monday, March 15, will have the theme “Mondays Matter” and people at the three middle schools will be encouraged to wear an inspirational message. Tuesday has the theme “Lifesavers Day” and people will be encouraged to think about who has been their lifesaver this year and to wear beach or Hawaiian attire. Wednesday, March 17, has the theme “Lucky Us!” in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and kids will be encouraged to wear green. Thursday is “Hats Off to Us” in celebration of the end of the third quarter and people will be encouraged to wear different hats. Friday has the theme “Better Together” and people are encouraged to wear school colors.

Kids are also reflecting on what they have learned over the past year and on some of the challenges they have faced.

“We’re so thankful to be back in school,” said Ellie Schaefer, an eighth grader at Erik Ramstad Middle School, who said she thinks kids learn better when they are in a face-to-face classroom setting. Especially when the coronavirus numbers were up earlier this school year, kids seemed especially glad to be in a classroom setting. Some teachers and students, remembering what happened last year at this time, might worry that they will leave for spring break this week and won’t be able to come back to school. But coronavirus numbers are way down in the community and students and teachers are looking forward to having a celebration next week.

Her classmate, Ramstad eighth-grader Nicole Couture, praised the teachers who have done so well with both online and in-person classes.

Masks have been a requirement in most situations for students and teachers in the Minot Public Schools.

They and their classmate, Marleigh Iverson, said they are also looking forward to a time when they won’t have to wear masks at school. In the early part of a pandemic, some kids might have matched their masks to the clothes they were wearing. Now more kids at Ramstad are wearing disposable masks that can be thrown away.

Kids at Memorial Middle School, which is located at Minot Air Force Base, have had many of the same challenges this year.

“Moving during COVID I’ve had to learn to get things done quicker,” said Lillian Beebe, an eighth-grader at Memorial Middle School at Minot Air Force Base. “My mental health wasn’t great during COVID so I’ve had to learn how to ask for help and that it is okay. I think teenagers overall should know that it’s okay and that it’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help. Being a military kid we have extra toughness because we are constantly adapting to change and starting over at new schools in new countries so we have to rely on our family and close friends.”

Beebe said some of her classmates have also developed new skills and learned new things about themselves. Kids had to switch from virtual learning to in-person learning and sometimes back to virtual learning if they came into close contact with someone who had the new coronavirus and had to go into quarantine. They also had to learn to do everything wearing masks.

Memorial seventh-grader Tianna Sikes mentioned some of the challenges the pandemic posed in getting to know her teachers.

“Last year after spring break, when we had to move from in person to distance, it was difficult because it was hard to connect with the teachers,” said Sikes. “This school year, whenever there’s been a close contact and we’ve had to learn at home, we have had to overcome the distractions with pets and siblings and try to learn at the same time.”

Ai Yasumura, an eighth-grader at Memorial Middle School, said it’s been tough but she found out who she could rely on.

“”For me personally, I’ve tried to stay more organized and on-task with school work this past year,” said Yasumura. “I’ve also learned who’s really there for me and my true friends.”