The academic landscape went from bustling halls to Zoom calls, and teachers and students had to constantly adapt to new standards. One Iberia Parish public school teacher and one Episcopal School of Acadiana (ESA) student share their stories of

life in lockdown and how they turned obstacles into triumphs.

A Teacher’s Perspective

If you’re in a crisis, call Cae’ly Romero. When area schools first began closing, no one knew how long classes would be relegated to the internet, so the Westgate High School teacher came out swinging. Romero is no stranger to challenges. At 30 the mother of two has survived both thyroid and breast cancers, and she is considered a powerhouse at her school: a triple-threat English, public speaking and drama teacher. Known for engaging coursework – and knowing many of her students would not have internet access during the lock-down – she hand- delivered assignments to their homes.

“We are in an area where not everyone has access to the internet or devices,” Romero says. “Every student has free lunch. So it’s absurd to assume they would all have access to any kind of technology. We had to convert to support education opportunities.”

Online work counted as “enrichment,” and was not graded. Still, Romero

says she and her colleagues were “scrambling to get stuff together for our kids.” The silver linings are the virtual classes she recorded for English and the radio and improv days she did for drama and public speaking.

“Now I forever have copies of some of the greatest class discussions on ‘Hamlet’ I would have never had – these moments I wouldn’t normally get to capture,” she says.

In September students were given Chromebooks and hotspots for virtual and hybrid classes. Then, at the end of the winter semester, schools reopened. As an immunocompromised person, Romero was, admittedly, “terrified.” Returning was a culture shock, but she missed seeing her students. And she got more comfortable as the year went on.

“Eventually, we got used to the new world we had to survive in, and they started to brighten up as things got more comfortable,” Romero says.

Westgate’s class of 2021 got a special send-off from Romero and her colleagues. “During homecoming, I got together with a couple of teachers, some kids turned in pictures for us, and we made a slideshow PowerPoint for a drive-in movie theater [viewing].

I cried,” she exclaims. “They still got their senior slideshow and started a new tradition. We had to get creative as teachers to give some normalcy. They deserve so much,” Romero says.

A Student’s Point of View

Graduating ESA senior Kinsley Welch had just portrayed Velma Kelly in a production of “Chicago” when her school closed. At first, she says, the break was welcomed.

“I have always loved academics, so even though our teachers did an admirable job of adapting our courses and their teaching styles, it was no surprise that I quickly started to feel like I was missing out on something I relish,” Welch says.

Senior year was not what Welch had always envisioned. However, the experience augmented Welch’s self-discipline during a time when it would have been easy to let academic work slide. This year, she had the unique experience of not only learning online but rehearsing remotely, then masked, for her role as Sandy in “Grease.”

“Singing with a mask is challenging!” Welch says. “I found myself kind of swallowing my mask anytime I took a big breath. It was undoubtedly annoying, but I was determined to not let it bother me or inhibit me.”

She credits her teachers tailoring their approaches to each student to keeping everyone on track – in the classroom and on the stage. “I ended up getting a lot of benefit from working with [ESA drama teacher] Ms. Jennifer Andrews, by first brushing up on solid basic vocal technique,” Welch says. “Working with her on fundamentals really reminded me that good technique always serves a vocalist well, especially with the distraction of a mask covering your face. With Ms. Jenn’s help, I managed to rehearse my songs until I felt totally comfortable performing them, with or without a mask.”

In fall Welch is slated to attend Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida on scholarship. She is looking toward the future now, hoping she learned something from what happened in

her recent past. “Considering all the horrible things that have come from COVID, I hope that maybe there will be a few things of value that I take away from the experience of being a student during a worldwide pandemic.