Carter Seth will be a senior at Lyndon High School. He is the son of Jaryl & Stephanie Seth. Carter participates in athletics, FBLA, theatre, and scholars bowl. He is involved in youth leadership roles throughout the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC).
I think it's safe to say that COVID-19 has officially blown our lives out of the water. We thought it would be a few weeks, and then we'd go back to normal. Almost an entire year later and our lives are more affected than ever.
I started to write poetry about how I felt to see if anyone had similar feelings. It helped me control that feeling of helplessness and added something back into my life that I could use to motivate me. My family also decided somewhere during the summer that we were going to move to a new town. Moving to a new town was new to me. I left everything I had ever known and started to head into somewhat of a leap of faith. Starting a new school with people I had never seen before and teachers I had never met is very intimidating for a semi-shy teenager.
My life wasn't the only one that's been affected by COVID-19. My family also underwent some significant changes. My mom recently became a Chaplain at St. Luke's Hospital. During a pandemic, she had daily challenges of going into rooms of people dying of this virus and praying for them. It had a significant impact on her, yet she's a selfless and brave person who risks her life every day for people she doesn't know. She's one of the main reasons I wanted to get into leadership positions in the first place. She's always been accepting what I've wanted to do and never made me feel uncomfortable making a decision. I want to credit her for where most of my morals originated. On the other hand, my dad has started to work from home for the first time by choice, which allows him to stay home with us on days when we don't have school and cooks for us when we have late nights at school.
In more ways than one, this virus has changed us—some for the worse, and some for the better. For me, it was tough to adjust. I had to grasp much help from my peers and my parents, but I think it made me better. The pandemic also made my parents stronger role models than they already were. It taught me many things that I hope I'm able to share with my future peers the next time we face a challenge. This uncertainty has led me to become more responsible for my peers. I find myself contacting my friends to make sure that they're doing all right and have someone they can talk to amid this new era. I've learned that I will always have to motivate myself even when I can't tell what the days ahead hold for me, and that's delivered a sense of determination always to be accountable when I have the chance. It's also taught me to become more comfortable with coming out of my comfort zone when faced with unique and never-before-seen challenges by our generation.Finally, this experience would allow me to expand my network with others, using creative problem solving to solve real-world challenges and applying a sense of leadership among peers in our day-to-day lives. Sharing ideas is the basis of how our country came to be so great among so many adversities. If we continue that idea of sharing information and problem solve, there is no possible way to know the amount of greatness we could accomplish.
Evan Shupe will be a senior at Tonganoxie High School. He is the son of Darren & Stephanie Shupe. He is active in the Happy Helpers 4-H Club, FFA, band, soccer, golf, and swim. He has been recognized as a nominee for Leavenworth County Youth Volunteer of the Year.
I know now that I am resilient in the face of adversity, and many great things can happen. Last March, as everyone retreated to their homes in a state-wide shutdown, I found that my world became a much slower and peaceful place. I enjoyed the newfound time that I had at home with my family. My dirt road, usually filled with noise and plumes of dust from cars traveling up and down it, was silent and dust free. For the first time in years, my family was able to take nightly walks, and bike rides on our road. We became closer and had time to do things together that we never seemed to do before. I know that I will remember and cherish that time that I had.
As I began online learning, I had the feeling of isolation. I could no longer talk with my friends in person, play soccer, and the events I was looking forward to were being canceled. It was a difficult time and hard to understand. Life as I knew it was turned upside down. During this time, I learned a lot about myself. I realized that I value my friendships, I prefer going to school in person, and I became much more aware of how others felt. I could not see or spend time with my grandparents, and I knew that was the case for many elderly residents in my community.
After talking with my mom about what we could do to help lift the spirits of the isolated people – I came up with the idea of making cards that would put a smile on their faces. I named my project "Smile more, Worry less." I had a goal of making at least 500 cards that could be delivered to the elderly. I drew pictures on the front and wrote motivational notes or jokes on the inside. During April through June, I made cards and recruited others to help me make cards. I completed the 500 cards, and all of them were delivered through Meals on Wheels, at the local meal sites, and the local nursing homes. I got some wonderful feedback from employees at the Council on Aging about how my cards made the recipients smile. The most valuable lesson that I learned during this time is that little acts of kindness can go a long way. I also learned that it makes me feel better when I help others feel better.
During the summer, I missed some of my favorite activities. I love being a 4-H camp counselor, and although I wasn't able to be a counselor in person, I could be a virtual counselor. The fair was a lot different. However, I was still able to show my projects, and I did well at the fair. I think some of my projects were better because I had more time to work on them. What I learned during this time was adaptability. Despite the changes, everything still went on. It wasn't how I would prefer it, but I found that I had a greater appreciation for my given opportunities.
As summer ended and I returned to school, I was excited to return in person. I realized how much I value hands-on learning. I was ready to get into the welding room and work on projects. I also found that learning math, science, and English were much easier in person. While I don't enjoy wearing a mask – I know that it helps keep me and others safe. If that's what it takes to go to school in person, I am very willing to do it.
To sum it up, COVID-19 has been both challenging and rewarding for my family and me. I have learned many lessons during this time. Lessons that I might not have learned if it wasn't for COVID-19. I have learned I truly cherish the time that I get to spend with my family. My entire family has learned that as well, and we continue to try to spend as much time as we can together. I knew that it is important to stick together during difficult times and help others when you can. Small acts of kindness can go a long way. I learned that I need to be thankful for the opportunities I have, even if it is not exactly what I want. Finally, I learned that I truly appreciate my education and the relationships I have built with my teachers and classmates. Learning is a lot more fun and more impactful when it is done, in-person. I feel that the lessons that I learned through COVID-19 will impact me for the rest of my life. I am much stronger and more appreciative than I have ever been. Most importantly, I have learned that tough situations do build strong people.