Promote health in 100 teens in Portland, Oregon

It was only six months ago that the coronavirus impacted almost every aspect of our lives. For youth, that impact uprooted their social connections, daily routines and future plans. MIKE visited one youth this summer to check on how she was coping.

“I used to take normal days for granted,” said Kiah, standing outside De La Salle North Catholic High School in Portland. Kiah participated in MIKE Program during the Fall 2019, as part of the last group of youth who completed a full semester on campus.

“I remember that day when we heard we’re going online so clearly,” she recalled. “Everybody was saying, ‘Ooh, we’re out of school. Cant’ wait’. But all of us we’re thinking it wasn’t going to last this long.”

Kiah remembered everybody being happy that they thought they were getting some days off from their school work. “We were just excited to be out of school. We didn’t think it was going to go into summer, then into next year!”

“All that day, we were hearing about schools closing,” said Kiah. “We were just waiting for that announcement. So at just five to ten minutes left for class that day, the principal comes on the intercom and tells us to take out paper and pens and write things down. He told us to stay safe, that we wouldn’t be coming back to school and that we would be finishing school online.”

Shifting to an online experience was far different than any of the students had expected. Kiah said school had always been about being around other people. When she and her MIKE mentor group presented their health leadership project in December 2019, the experience impacted them all. “We got to share how important health is and ways to improve your health with little kids,” said Kiah. “We were all together.”

Then in March, everything changed. Schools were grappling with immediate closures and converting courses to online platforms. Kiah said her school was busy informing the students and their families on reasons why they were leaving school, though no one realized that such changes would extend beyond a temporary shift.

“The minute the principal announced ‘no school,’ everybody got out of their chairs and started screaming and jumping and cheering. We were so happy,” said Kiah.

As the days rolled into weeks and the weeks into months, Kiah said few students felt the same as they felt during that day of the announcement.

“By the end of the year, we were like, okay, that’s enough,” she said. “We were ready to start new again. We were ready to start school again.”

Kiah shared that her perspective on school has grown since those early days in March.

“At first I was excited about online school, but no, it’s way too hard,” she said. “I’d rather be back in a class. Listen. Pay attention. Have my breaks. Go through a regular day. I’m looking forward to going back to the new normal.”

Your support helps continue a foundation of normal for youth. MIKE stands together with you to build a healthier society.

Links:

• MIKE Program website