With Covid-19 entering our lives, Westerville City Schools has given the students a choice; Virtual Academy or hybrid learning. 

   Students have started this school year remotely, with hopes of going back to school with a hybrid schedule. Meaning students with the last names A-L will be cohort A, and last names M-Z will be cohort B.

   But this looks different for students who started the school year taking classes through Westerville Virtual Academy (WVA). 

   Although there are many positives, the downside to Westerville Virtual Academy is that students have to stay online through the first semester and can’t go hybrid with the rest of their peers. 

   Westerville North Senior, Eve Malick, decided to take classes through WVA to start this year. Malick explains that she is happy with her decision to take classes through the Virtual Academy this semester. 

   “I don’t wish I was doing hybrid learning because even when they let students back in, it won’t be normal. I think the schedule and the procedures that the school has to follow would stress me out and it’s not worth it,” Malick said. 

   Although Malick is happy with her decision about choosing WVA, this is not the case for everyone. 

   Ann Salih is also doing Westerville Virtual Academy the first semester of her Senior Year. She signed up for WVA before hybrid learning was even an option. Salih mentions that she wishes she chose to learn remotely through WCS because she finds herself missing being in the classroom and seeing her friends. 

   “I wish I was doing school through the hybrid model just because I kinda miss physically being at school,” Salih said. 

   Many people felt the same as Salih, but decided to do school remotely through hybrid instead of Westerville Virtual Academy. 

   Westerville North Senior Abby Clark, decided to learn remotely through WCS so she could go back first semester. She’s excited to go back because she learns better in a classroom with other students that she can work with. 

   “I am excited to go back to school! Some parts of all remote learning have been nice, but I’m ready to be back in the classroom with my teachers again because I definitely learn better that way,” Clark said.

   Andrew Davis is a freshman at Westerville North this year and was very nervous to go back to school this year. 

   “Starting school online and then coming into the classroom a month after school started was weird for me. I didn’t know where all my classes were and all my teachers were new,” Davis said.

   Davis also mentions that he was sad that he wouldn’t get to experience the full freshman experience.

   “It’s sad that we can’t all go to school together because I was looking forward to meeting new people this year. I’m also sad that I can’t go to as many sporting events because I would have loved to support my friends this season, especially in the student section,” Davis said. 

   Zach Shields is senior this year and is upset that his senior year is looking a bit different this year due to Covid-19. But he explains that he will try and stay positive during these tough times. 

   “I’m happy that we are getting to go back finally, because I’ll get to see friends before we all leave for college. There are some people that I won’t be able to see because we have A and B weeks. I was really looking forward to making senior year one to remember, but because of Covid, it’s been hard. I’ll keep trying to make the best of it,” Shields said.