Students and teachers left school last March for what they thought would be a two week hiatus, but as it became evident that the Coronavirus pandemic was spreading throughout the country, the weeks of being stuck at home quickly turned into months.

     Spring sports and festivities were cancelled, and the Penn-Trafford community discovered at-home activities to keep themselves occupied, in-shape, and productive throughout the quarantine.

     “First, I spent a lot of time improving my Italian while reliving one of my favorite series – ‘Harry Potter.’ I managed to get my hands on the Italian translations and really improved! Second, my favorite cuisine is Indian and boy is preparing it different than any cooking I am used to. So I have spent the summer looking for, practicing, and improving some Indian dishes that I love. I was met with…..ok results there. Finally, I have fallen into an obsession with houseplants. I have always been a fan of nature and have kept vegetable gardens, but I have over quarantine turned my house (and my classroom!) into a small jungle. I went from two houseplants to about 120 in like four months! It has been quite a fun journey for me. I love learning and caring for things and seeing them grow and thrive.” (Patrick Flynn, Spanish Teacher)

     “It was hard to keep my spirits up because we were just about to perform our spring musical ‘Footloose.’ We practiced on Zoom, which kept my mind busy, and practiced dances, [an activity I loved to do to bring myself happiness during the hard time]. After things slowed down a bit, we were able to start rehearing our show to be performed virtually for viewers to watch in July. This brought light to the whole quarantine situation and I got to do what I love even if it was modified.”  (Sarah Winchell, senior)

     “I spent a lot of quarantine figuring out how to produce a HS musical!” (Jen Haberberger, Art Extensions teacher and producer of Fall play and Spring musicals)

     “I watched Netflix, made whipped coffee, and my family bought a piano, so I have been learning how to play!” (Ella Coy, junior)

     “Since there was no one on the roads, it was the perfect time for me to learn how to drive.” (Rachel Fedornock, junior)

     “Over quarantine the main thing I did was work out and try to stay in shape. I ran around my neighborhood, worked out in my backyard, and lifted weights in my basement. Our football coaches sent us out workouts to do so that kept me on a schedule. Beside that, in my extra free time I played video games with my friends and spent time with my family.” (Carter Green, junior)

     “I watched All-American and made cookies!” (Rylee Vovaris, freshman)

     “I basically ran a lot of sprints in my backyard. Lifted weights almost everyday. Ate correctly, and played a lot of football with my brother.” (Cade Yacamelli, junior)

Carleigh Bruno, Staff Editor