What I miss...

I miss being face to face with teachers, being here is hard and alone. It is hard doing work by yourself, for me it's better face to face with a teacher. -Adam Kadhri 

Some things I miss about Leyden are my teachers and my friends and the classroom. I miss eating lunch with my friends. I would be happy to go back next year.  -Juan Llanos-Hernandez

I miss hanging out with my friends and being in class and playing sports, going out. But I mostly miss my friends and my teachers because at least I could have fun learning and goofing around with my friends and enjoy each day.  -Jasmely Martinez

What I miss from Leyden is the teachers and all my classes. I also miss eating in the new cafeteria. I hope we can go to school soon. -Michael Radzik

Dear Coach Dave

Dear Coach Dave,

I know you are probably bored walking the two doggies, but I am writing to let you know I (your favorite student) is doing well and putting on hand sanitizer 24/7. This may seem random; our current situation is not the best, but I would like to thank you for all you’ve done for me throughout my skating career. This is only just the beginning and your wise sayings make skating a lot more worthwhile. You grow my confidence to a whole new level which brings tears to my eyes. I am definitely not a confident person, so it takes me a lot to believe in myself. You are just the thing that helps. 

On a funny note, I think the astronaut or the turtle are going to win the mask singer. I still firmly believe the astronaut is Joseph Gordon-Levitt even though you never agree with me. I am just here to tell you how much I miss your wise words and caring personality. I am still training everyday even though it’s not on the ice. Off ice is a big priority in this situation, and I do it everyday. 

From, Faith (aka Crabapple McNasty)

Dear COVID-19

Dear Covid-19,

You have caused a great mess. The respect you’ve earned for the damage you have caused is immense. Nowadays, it seems like everybody is always giving you attention and thinking about you, and there is no doubt in my mind that you enjoy every bit of it. It was as if you felt disregarded when they were just acknowledging you as a mere variation of the flu. Now that you, Covid-19, have brought us to our knees such that none of us have ever before seen in our lifetimes, you force us to adapt to this new normal. 

The thought of you makes me sick. Before you came along in March, the year had felt like an eternity. From my vacation where I would’ve gotten together with my family to the tennis season I was looking forward to, you have taken all of that away from me. Waking up everyday, looking forward to seeing my friends while maintaining a solid routine is gone. All the highlights and big-time moments that I wanted to see in the big-league sports have been snatched away. It doesn’t make it easier when I see you on the news where your suffering and devastating impacts are showcased on TV. This is a war. But our medical staff (like my mom), are rising to the occasion on the front lines working tirelessly to face you head-on.

And even though there is so much I wish I could return to, there is still much I hold on to. You thought that you could break me through physically distancing myself from my friends, but instead you allowed me to test out the benefits of social media. Playing video games with my guys, checking up on family, and Facetiming my friends have all kept my plenty occupied. The time you’ve opened up for me has only allowed me to spend it on staying in shape and reading some of my books. You have been advertised and portrayed as the deciding factor that will bring the end of the world. But realistically you’ve only given us more time to better ourselves. So when we come out of this, and we will, humanity will come out as the improved varieties of ourselves.

Go to hell,

Jordy Pinero

What I Miss

  I can't believe that I'm about to say this, but I miss everything about school. They do say that you don't appreciate what you have until it's taken away from you and here I am... I miss my teachers, their funny phrases to the other students, funny jokes to the class, their sense of humor. I do miss my friends, hanging out. Also the yummy salad I make myself at lunch and the sandwiches. Right now, as the end of the school year is coming, I am missing all the fun activities. I once even said to my mom, when I couldn't find a thing to wear, that I wished I was "home schooled"... which I totally regret and will never, ever say that again. I MISS my school family.  --Iliani Toledo

Dear COVID-19

Dear COVID-19, 

There is no better way than to ask why? Why take my social life from me? Now I am at my house reminiscing about the times I took going outside with friends for granted all because of you! I wish you understood how much pain you caused. I wanted to ask- can you please go away? I am trying to enjoy my spring without having to worry about the man 2 feet in front of me who just coughed up a lung. Also, this is important. Please, and I beg, don't take summer 2020 from me because if you do… actually I don't know what I could do to a virus. Just be scared of what I could do. 

I really just want you to go away. You’re like the little cousin at family parties that none of the older kids want to be around...yikes! There is no need for Coronavirus to even be around. This was supposed to be my spring, my summer, and my year. No. It just had to happen right before “late-night cruise weather.” Instead, I wake up at 8 am every day watching cartoons in my PJ’s while eating a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. What a time to be alive huh? 

I am not quite sure if I am angry or just frustrated. One thing is for sure I am sick and tired of you. Get it? “Sick and tired.” See, this is what I mean. My humor has gone away because of you. I lost all of my social skills because the only people I talk to are my toddler sisters. Hey, I am not complaining, but it's hard to keep a conversation with a three-year-old who doesn’t want to be talked to during “TV time.” 

More importantly, we all want our old life back. You have affected many people’s lives, mostly in a bad way, besides the stimulus check. You have been a pain in the butt. Coronavirus, just go away. It would be best for everyone. 

Yours Truly, 

Guise Salas

Dear Covid-19

Dear Covid-19,

While I’m sure you're enjoying your destruction to the world as if you were in Bora Bora, I am not enjoying my stay at home. You may be asking me why I’m not enjoying it and how this stay at home order is boring. Oh my goodness… where should I even begin with this nonsense boredom of mine and frustration and anger I have towards you, but I also have to say a small tiny itty-bitty thank you to you (sadly). 

I’ll start with the boredom first since that's the feeling I feel every single minute and hour of the day. At first it was fun sleeping in until 8, getting ready and then doing some classes because of our schedule. Now Oh my goodness I can’t even fall asleep at 10pm without getting bored of trying to sleep. I have watched every single YouTube video in my subscription box! So you might ask, what do you watch now (if you even care). Well, last night I went from watching a makeup review to watching a person who's from India build a pool and a house out of materials made on earth. You have messed up my sleep schedule so badly, and I'm so tired because of it that I thought that maybe I should go to the forest preserve and try it out as well. Later on, I yelled at myself, as if I was a parent of mine, and told myself all the consequences. 

Now I’ll start with the anger. Why would you want to kill so many innocent human beings? Like why would you be sitting in Bora Bora or even Cancun sunbathing on the beach while infecting others with the particles you put into their atmosphere. I am so angry and frustrated that you target people with Immune deficiency and asthma (especially older people). What enjoyment do you see out of that? I don’t see any besides ache and sadness in my heart. I myself have sports- induced asthma as well as asthma that can cause me to end up in the hospital if I were to be sick very badly. I am so glad I have a mask, gloves, and hand sanitizer on me 24/7, and I wash my hands now at least 15 times a day. I went from maybe 6-8 times a day to 15-20 times a day. 

Now here is my thank you to you. I know I know others might think I’m crazy for even saying thank you to you, but I think people need to understand something here too. You have helped planet earth recover from air pollution, water pollution and much more! In Italy the canals have become crystal clear and even fish started to go into the canals themselves (maybe that's their vacation). Also in Italy, the dolphins finally migrated back near civilization and they look so happy. The pollution in the air in China has gone down so much that even scientists are surprised and shocked. In the United States I haven’t seen a difference besides how much less cars are because everyone who isn’t going to work took a Bora Bora vacation at home, but I noticed that you made rain and weather come back to us here in Chicago. I can smell the freshness in the air. So I wanna tell you thank you for bringing life back to Planet Earth but please go back to where you belong so this can be over with, maybe turn the cure over to the scientist cops so they can give the cure to people. 

Sincerely, 

Nikola Sokolowski

Dear COVID-19

Dear COVID-19,

Everything happened so fast and so unexpectedly: no school, shops closed down, everyone’s wearing masks and gloves to protect themselves from this unknown virus. It’s like something out of a movie. I’m not able to see my close friends and loved ones, and it’s been over a month like this. COVID-19, you took something away from me that I didn’t think would impact me this much: my friends. 

I’d see my friends everyday during school and my boyfriend on the weekends. I can’t do that now. Why did you have to come at such a wrong time? Why are you messing with our lives and jobs and schools? Why are you killing innocent people? Nobody knows the answer to any of those questions and neither do I. If you continue to happen, we won’t have a summer filled with late-night drives, Lollapalooza and other concerts, going to the beach, spending time with our friends and loved ones, going to parties and dancing the night away. You took away the time we could’ve been kids, just having fun without having to worry if someone has you, virus. 

Even though you caused all this, you also showed me the lack of time I spent with my family before. I didn’t spend enough time on myself to try and figure out what I want in this life. I took all those times I could go out freely for granted. But also, I finally took time to take care of myself and my family. 

I honestly hope you go away soon and leave us alone, after teaching us this lesson. It isn’t fair living like this. It feels like “captivity.”

Sincerely, 

Viktoriya

Dear Dad,

Dear Dad, 

Thank you for waking up every morning to get on time for your early shift. Punching into work just on time and stepping foot into the truck. Today is a new day with new supplies. Thank you for doing your daily job and supplying all these companies with medical and necessary needs. You really are a huge boost in this time period. I am truly grateful for what you do and happy to see that you are enjoying your job. I especially appreciate it for you making time for your kids when you come home from work. Coming back from a long day of work can be very hard but you always manage to keep a smile on your face. When I see your smile, that's what makes my day after I know what you do for the day. 

Love, Ernad

Dear Covid-19

Dear Covid-19,

You came at such a great time in the world! 2020 is just our year, huh: The potential for WW3, the Australian wildfires, the loss of Kobe and Gigi Bryant, and now you, the Coronavirus. It could be the end of the world, and you were the icing on the cake. I’m only a Sophomore, so it doesn't really affect my high school years. The class of 2022 is just chilling while the Freshmen are worrying about their Freshman year being ruined, Juniors worrying about SATS and ACT make ups, and Seniors worrying about missing prom and their last year. Sophomores, on the other hand, are just enjoying the time off of in-person school. But still, I WAS ABOUT TO EAT MY FAVORITE FOOD BUT THEY’RE CLOSED DUE TO COVID! NOW I HAVE TO WAIT A WHOLE MONTH TO EAT MY DANG CHINESE FOOD!!! As an introvert who lives in their room 24/7, I personally don’t mind the stay-at home order, but MY DANG CHINESE FOOD! I was really feeling that peanut oily flavored fried rice and shrimp I always get. Along with the refreshing taste of a strawberry smoothie with chewy balls of tapioca. I wonder how the owners feel, having all that Chinese food to themselves, eating it all day, smothering it in my face :C. The first thing I will do when this stay-at-home order is lifted is RUN to Chinese Kitchen, order my usual items, and savor the taste. I might even shed a tear in the process. I miss this food so much. If I could’ve only had it one more time! *cries* So thank you Covid, for coming at such a great time to ruin my food life in such a dire time. 

Best wishes, 

Jisselle Munoz

Dear COVID-19,

Dear COVID-19,

I hate your stinking guts. You make people vomit! See, everything was fine at first until you came around. Everybody underestimated you, and we didn’t believe that a virus could lead to the shut down of many states. All you were in the beginning was a meme people made fun of on Facebook. We knew the virus was serious, we just never thought it’d come close to Chicago, nevertheless Franklin Park. 

It was all fun and games until you cancelled school. Many people would think this was a great idea: they would get more time off school which meant a longer Spring Break. On the other hand, I was upset because I knew that I wouldn’t see my friends for a while, and I would also be less likely to learn things online. School has been out of session for a little over a month, and I’ve never been more bored out of my mind than I am right now sitting at home for a month. This boredom has even caused me to dye my hair! Time goes by so slow. Everyday seems like a cycle. I wake up at 12 pm, make something to eat, take the time to watch my little brother while my mom is working, then I shower, lay down in bed watching Tik Tok, then force myself to get started on homework, and fall asleep at 2 am! 

I didn’t mind too much not having to go to school; I could focus on myself even more, finish work that I needed done, and make improvements around the house. The fact that you had the AUDACITY to close restaurants is beyond me. That is really pushing it. You mean to tell me I can’t go to Wingstop and order my 15 original hot wings with a side of fries and eat it there at the restaurant?! Or what about my all time favorite, the Spicy Chicken Sandwich from Popeyes?! Unbelievable. This lockdown is the weirdest thing I have ever experienced in my 15 years of living. What if we are experiencing a time where this whole thing will be taught in school by teachers in the future? 

I’m patiently waiting for April 30th, in the hopes that the stay at home order will be lifted. Not only do I miss my friends, I miss going out to do errands with my mother or random drives around town. I really hope this lockdown is lifted by summer because my 16th birthday is approaching. I was planning to fly out to Las Vegas and spend my birthday in nice hot weather. Let’s hope it all goes as planned.

Let’s not forget all the lives you have taken around the world. My heart feels deeply for anyone whose lives have been affected by this virus. R.I.P to all those resting that unfortunately faced the coronavirus and didn’t make it. Coronavirus, please go away sooner so we can all enjoy this summer!

Sincerely,

Yesenia H  

Dear East Leyden

Dear East Leyden High School,

I would like to ask a few questions and also just think about what is going on right now. We are currently in the middle of a pandemic, a once in 100 years occurrence that has really mixed up the world. I haven't been going to school for about a month now, and honestly it’s kind of strange. I mean for the last few years I have had a schedule: I would wake up at 6:00 AM, go to school, get back home at 3:00 PM. I had a set bedtime, chores, and even a schedule for going to the gym. However, now I wake up and go to sleep whenever I want, the gym and school are closed, and I can do my chores whenever I want. 

The Covid-19 virus has made me lazy, but I wonder what effects it will have on the world. After all, many countries have closed their borders to everything except for essential travel and  restaurants and schools were closed. I can’t help but wonder what’s actually going to happen when everything calms down. 

What I want to know is what’s going to happen next year? Even though schools are practicing distance learning, it’s inevitable that people are going to fall behind. I personally am a visual learner, so it is not too difficult to adapt to this kind of schoolwork; however, what about the people who are auditory learners? What about the curriculum? Because school is online, I doubt that teachers can do everything that they had planned for the year. Also, what effect will these grades have on a college application? What about the people who had borderline grades or were being tutored at school? It is difficult to account for every circumstance, so I wonder how this situation will be treated. 

I have my AP test coming up, and it has been made into an online 45 minute test; it has been edited to only include the content that we went over in class. While I feel prepared for it, I don’t actually know how it will go until I start. Many things have been changed, and I wonder how they will be adapted back when everything returns to normal. I guess only time will tell; I’ll just have to wait until it actually happens to find out.

Thank you, 

Kacper Bakun

Dear 26 Year-Old Me,

Dear 26 year-old Lizbeth,

Hey how are you doing? Hopefully you are having a better time than you were 10 years ago. I wanted to talk to you about a few small things that hopefully you haven’t forgotten about. 

Let's see where we should start. Well, as you remember there is a pandemic going on with a virus called the Coronavirus. Of course, who could forget--and everything is closed. When I say everything I literally mean it; all different types of public places like stores, schools, restaurants, and even places like the DMV.

Let’s just focus on you right now and not about the pandemic which is what half of 2020 was spent talking about or at least up to right now when I’m writing this. Junior year is coming up, and you will finally start your path on working towards entering the medical field. You have decided to take a few classes to help you with this journey--AP biology and Human Anatomy--which lets you see if this is what you truly want to be because up to now, you haven’t changed your mind to anything else. I know everyone says that AP Biology is one of the hardest classes you can take at Leyden, but I believe in you and hope that you did great in these classes. Hopefully classes like this helped you out and now you have become a nurse. If you have, where do you work at and how is it going? I would be surprised if you weren’t a nurse because your sophomore year this is what you had chosen as a career that you 100% wanted to follow. If you changed your mind wow I can’t believe you did that. I really can’t think what else you would have chosen. Either way, whatever  you decide on I know you chose a career that you would enjoy.

Also, I hope you remember that your sophomore year you finally were able to get braces. Now I don’t know if you remember, but this was a very big deal for you back then. You had wanted to have braces since you were in 5th grade, and now you finally had them. As of right now, you don’t have that small gap that used to bother you so much in your two front teeth and your teeth are getting better. Fun fact as you wrote this letter you were wearing your rubber bands. Ahh yes those things you remember what a pain in the butt they were to have to wear every night.  I sure bet they were worth it because you probably have an amazing smile now. 

I really hope you are just living your life to the fullest and enjoying everything that you have because 10 years ago when you were in quarantine you were really not having a great time. It made you realize how you took the smallest things for granted and never truly appreciated all the freedom that you had. I could go on forever talking about many other things and, of course, writing a hundred questions for you to answer when you read this but this would just be too long for you and your english teacher to read. Yes hopefully you remember Ms. Ellis, your sophomore English teacher, who loved to tell jokes and made that double period class not be as boring. Take care of 26-year-old Lizbeth, and tell everyone that is currently in her life now that I appreciate everything that they have done for her, especially Mom and Dad.

                                                     Yours truly,  

16 year-old Lizbeth Quintana

Dear AMC Movie Theatre,

Dear My Beloved AMC Theatre Located in Rosemont, 

Hello! Hi! How are you! You are desperately missed! Quarantine has ripped us away, and now we are here seeing if there will be more days added to our distance apart. The amount of smiles, laughter, tears, and excitement you brought to people exceed astounding numbers. I understand you're a special place because us moviegoers can’t stop coming back; you fill up a space in our hearts like no other movie theatre does. Cinemark does not even compare to you. HA! You bring inclined seats, seat warmers, countless rewards, constant great experiences, and DOLBY CINEMA! Dolby is an experience like no other that brings even more defined movies. I bring up these points with my friends, and I still get the same stale answer: “Cinemark is better.” The utter disrespect in those three words make my stomach sick. What makes me sicker is what will happen if quarantine continues. 

If we continue on this self-quarantining path, I’m afraid you will not survive this pandemic. It scares me that you won’t be there when I want to cry out my feelings to a sad dog movie or laugh till I can’t breathe at a superhero movie. I am not saying quarantine is bad, but I’m trying to say that your establishments will close all around the United States. Both of us can’t have that! If your theatre turns into a Monkey Island, I will go BANANAS! Prepubescent teenagers will destroy your decorated walls and your expensive bathrooms; they will tear up everything that makes you a majestic theatre. There is nothing I can do but just sit on my couch and just watch episodes of Nailed it! on Netflix. It is hilarious, and I get a kick out of it watching bakers fail making fondant dogs. I would rather kick back on your recliner seats and watch a good old movie. Besides the point, I’m bored as hell! 

What made you even more special is that you brought my family even more closer. To relieve some stress and escape our reality of financial burden, we would go see a movie about a blue hedgehog running around making stupid jokes. These kinds of days are forever cherished; I remember us laughing non stop and my dad choking on popcorn kernels. You created some memories that will last for forever, and I hope you know that. Another incredible memory is when the last Avengers movie came out and the whole fanbase was dying to see it. I anxiously waited all day for the moment when the title screen would roll in. I vividly remember sitting in that dark theatre with random strangers who were probably more excited than me. The sheer energy that radiated in that room was intoxicating! I will always remember that night as we all experienced an awesome movie.

Now, where will this letter go? Well your establishment is closed, and I am stuck at home eating goldfish. I’m really missing your popcorn just about now. No one could replicate that amazing taste. Well, boxed popped corn can, but that’s not the point! 

In conclusion, thank you. Thank you for being an awesome theatre and for making life more fun. You are awesome.

Sincerely, 

Aaron <3

Dear Hallways

Dear School Hallways,

Do you miss us? Do you miss kids stomping all around on you? Do you miss the security guards making sure you were safe? I miss you; you were the passageway to all my classes and gave me many options to get around the school. You were the social hotspot for everyone. 

I hope they took care of you when we left. By “they”, I mean the janitors; they probably made you look the best you have since summer. I was told you were going to be well-sanitized from all the germs on you. You deserved it for all you see and go through with like 1,000 teenagers walking all over you - must be hard to deal with us.

We all thought we were going to have a three-week break that turned into what feels like a forever thing. It feels like we will be stuck in our houses for an eternity. I assume we are supposed to hope and wait for our world to get back to normal; it will be a new normal, but closer to natural. 

Let me tell what I have done: there isn’t a lot. I like to act as if walking from my desk to the kitchen table is like walking from class to class; this gives me hope that I will one day endure the school hallways again. Sometimes, I pretend there are people blocking my way: I heard sticking to your regular schedule is good. Also, my dog and I have been exploring the streets of Franklin Park; I've never seen so many people running, biking, or even speed walking so cautiously. 

Before I end my letter, I would like to tell you a short story; I know everyone barely has any time during quarantine. I had run out of toothpaste and my mom needed some products, so we had to go to Walgreens. When we arrive, the parking lot is packed. I thought, “Had they restocked the hand sanitizer or toilet paper?” If you didn’t know, those two products are equal to gold. We go in, get our stuff and get in line to checkout. The lady behind us asks, “Is the toothpaste really needed? You should save your money for something else.” 

Anyways, I hope to see you soon and I promise the students will love and appreciate you when we return!

Your friend,

Maya Madej

To My Old Self

Dear Old Self :

By now I’m sure you are aware of the perilous events that have caused you to spiral out of control, but I assure you in your death I now know what it is like to miss you. Maybe I didn’t show you enough care when you were still alive and flourishing-- by no means do I blame anyone but myself for your downfall. It would have been nice to spend an extra moment with you: you were the one who brought me my sanity-- an endless supply of knowing everything would be all right. In all honesty, I assumed I was stronger than what everyone warned against; how could a few weeks of nothing leave me so distraught? 

In my own arrogance, I let you wither away-- I let you fall to a place of death, but was it my fault I sent you on a journey with no direction? To try and convince myself every day you are there again with me-- it’s daunting. I wake up and say “today is when life gets back to normal,” yet for you, it never does. If you aren’t completely gone-- if you still hold on to a little strength-- there may never be another chance for you to go back to the way we were. That’s my fault. I try not to think of you often anymore: it brings me too much pain and anxiety-- weakness. In light of your death I try to make myself happy-- perhaps occupied with other things. Though you do still haunt me-- as a shell of your former self. Can a phantom still bring hope? Typically this would be the part in which I apologize to you; this is the part where I admire your past strength, devotion, and willpower-- what drove you to blossom under such fretful conditions. You were always plagued with a world against you, and still you somehow managed to push ahead and persevere, though the chances of failure never loomed far behind. In every way, they are admirable traits: however, they do not warrant an apology until I forgive you. How could you leave me behind in the time of most need? Desert me in a place so cold and dark and bleak in which you were my only light? Maybe it’s melodramatic, but in the end I needed you here. 

I understand clearly why you left. I couldn’t give you what you needed: normality. It’s what I needed too-- what I still need. Just as your past selves have left me, you do too; in a twisted way it brings me hope--a feeling-- of your not-too-long awaited return. It won’t be you-- I know that. It will be a different you, a you I have yet to meet. But if I can get any semblance of what you were, then I’m afraid it’s all worth it. While gone, I hope another gets the chance of discovering what life with a characteristic such as yourself is. It’s an experience you cannot selfishly take from others as you did to me-- as I did to you. I await your return-- even if it is not you I wait for, per say. I only ask you do not forget me; for surely, it would break my spirit. 

In hope,

Pallas Athene

A Letter to Our Lunchboxes

Dear Lunchboxes,

  Whatever happened to you? I may not have known you well, but I am nevertheless concerned about your absence. Over time, you just slowly faded away from memory (and cafeterias). These days, people who pack their lunch keep them in more streamlined packages with pockets and cooling installation. I’m sorry, but It's true. You’ve been replaced.

  I’m acting surprised, but I'm more disappointed: you should have stuck around and, at least, tried to stay in the market. So what if you were unsanitary and caused sandwiches to get warm? So what if you could be fashioned into a weapon? I saw you at a garage sale for $5; is that what you think you're worth? You had a Spider-man logo, AND YOU'RE WORTH 5 DOLLARS?!?

  Maybe you could try a new career, like that time you tried to be a pencil holder. Weren't you an actor? I swear I remember seeing you in those 90s kid movies. I know you can do great things: what if you tried being a COLORED pencil holder, or a PEN holder? Please, think of the possibilities. I hope you get out of this rut you’re in and do greater things. 

Sincerely, Kevin.

Week 2 Blog Prompt: Send us your letters!!

Ms. Ellis' 10th grade ELA class answered the call to write letters to whomever and/or whatever.  They are really creative and show a great deal of writing talent.  We'll post them here.  And they lead to the call for our next Blog Post:  Write a Letter!!  Just like Ms. Ellis' class, write a letter to someone important or something important with the context of COVID-19. Some students even wrote to COVID-19 itself.  Send in your writing to gcaneva@leyden212.org.  We'd love to publish it!!