We are all going through a lot of change. As adults, we are adjusting to new habits, routines, and responsibilities. It can be overwhelming, and whether you exercise, bake bread, or pour your energy into home improvement – carving out time for self-care is important. Just as it is for adults, it’s also essential for young people to have a space to re-set, reconnect, and feel like themselves again.
Twin brothers Atticus and Elliot May were startled when their academic and social routines abruptly stopped. “I didn’t even know it was the last day of school for a while,” Atticus remembers. “I thought it was gonna be a regular day.”
Both Atticus and Elliot participated in the WITS Workplace Mentoring Program with their classmates at Walsh Elementary in Pilsen. The twins were disappointed when program ended unexpectedly, but through the WITS Empowering Readers at Home mentor portal, they received warm messages from their mentors, encouraging them to keep reading and stay positive.
“Even though the pandemic has stopped us from going into school, real school,” Atticus says, “it still hasn’t stopped us from being a community.”
After school ends for the day, Atticus and Elliot do online meetups to keep in touch with friends outside the virtual classroom environment. “I love learning and all,” Elliot shares, “but sometimes I just want to kick back relax and talk with my friends and just have fun. When you’re on that meeting…it’s like you’re at recess.”
With nearly two months of distance learning complete, we have begun WITS Virtual Program at our partner schools, including Walsh Elementary. With your help, these weekly sessions with peers and mentors will bring students an exciting, joyful addition to their remote learning routine.
