Page 7 - Mid Valley Times 8-19-21 E-edition

Thursday, August 19, 2021
The View From Here
The last time I at- tended a Back to School rally at Orange Cove High School, it
was held
indoors and
was in 2019. During that time COVID-19 hadn’t made its impact on the world.
This year, I walked up to the Titan campus expecting the rally also to be indoors, however as I walked up, I saw the large group of stu- dents and staff gathering outside in the grass area out- side the cafeteria. Another reminder that COVID-19 is still making impacts in some way or another.
When I spoke to the An- gel Durazo, OCHS principal he told me that it had been 18 months since they’d had a "normal" start to the year.
I couldn’t wrap my mind around that. As he was talk- ing, a rush of memories be- gan to surface in my mind. The numerous photos we re- ceived last year at the start of the year from students starting their “distance learning” educations.
Parents transformed bedrooms into classrooms. Their kids' walls adorned with “classroom like” fea- tures to encourage learning.
Walking up to a campus and witnessing students in- teracting with each other, as well as with their teach- ers, with the other staff was something that can’t be com- pared to the isolation of be- ing in one’s room on a laptop.
The Kings Canyon Uni- fied School District also added new regulations to its campuses. Some of those in- clude enhanced ventilation with newly installed ionized filtration systems. Windows and doors will be open to im- prove air flow. Frequently touched surfaces will con- tinue to be disinfected.
Touchless appliances have been installed in school restrooms and classrooms. Students will also be asked to bring a water bottle daily.
Here's hoping all of our local students enjoy a "nor- mal" school year. Although I'm not exactly sure how much normalcy will return.
Again, I urge those who haven't been vaccinated to at least consider it.
I have personally seen how COVID-19 has affected those around me. Friends who are vaccinated versus those not vaccinated. It's hit them really differently. I know we each have our own reasons either for or against vaccinations, but lets try to do what is best for all of us as a society.
Juanita Adame
Orange Cove High celebrates Back to School
By Juanita Adame
Mid Valley Times
The annual ‘Back to School’ rally held each year on the first day of the school at Or- ange Cove High School was a special occasion for students and teachers on the morning of Aug. 11.
“We are very excited for our students, all our staff who are finally able to come back,” said Angel Durazo,
OCHS Principal. “This time we’re not on a hybrid model, not on Zoom, not any of that, this is live, students actually here every day.”
The school, which is part of the Kings Canyon Unified School District resumed to classes along with the rest of the schools in the district following a nearly 18 month break due COVID-19 state re- strictions.
“Students will have the
chance to be back in front of their teachers and dealing with adults who are here for them,”
According to the KCUSD website, there will be certain restrictions to ensure stu- dent’s safety during the year.
The district states that students will attend school daily. During the 2020 school year, students returned on a hybrid model meaning sched- ules were split between grade
levels so students were not on campus every day.
SEE OCHS on page A8
By Juanita Adame
Mid Valley Times
She called it one of the most "dark and depressing periods" in her life.
Lorena Tapia, a Parlier na- tive said that in 2014, giving birth to her stillborn daughter Loreal left her shattered.
“I was actually 34 weeks, the outcome of that, the only medical reason given was that the umbilical chord was wrapped around her neck she was born purple and blue and there was really nothing else wrong with her,” she said. “I couldn’t get a grasp on the de- pression I was feeling.”
Tapia said the distress she felt was so bad at one point that she actually contemplat- ed suicide, however no mat- ter how much pain she felt, she knew deep down that she wanted to turn it around.
“To keep her memory alive, I started researching and came across the commu-
nity of loss.” she said.
Tapia instantly connected
with other grieving mothers and came up with an idea.
“I happened to go with a memory box idea,” she said. “I wanted to get the word out and make memory boxes that include a lot of informational material, which I feel is im- portant. Knick knacks, me- mentos, things that represent these angel babies.”
Tapia said she created her non profit organization called "Project Loreal." Its purpose was to help mothers who were grieving.
“Lots of people don’t like talking about this and I under- stand that, I have very close friends of mine who do not talk about it,” she said. "But the other side is me trying to spread the word to talk about because it helps with your healing process.”
For information on Project Loreal visit projectloreal.com.
Contributed
A photo of Arturo Gonzalez, a firefighter with the Reedley Fire Department and his 4-month-old son, Alekai photographed in front of the department's ladder truck 131, was sent in by Alexis Shamp. Have a photo you'd like featured? Email juanita@mid- valleypublishing.com.
Juanita Adame / Mid Valley Times
LEFT: Angel Durazo, Orange Cove High School principal, addressed students and staff during the OCHS first day of school rally on the morning of Aug. 11.
ABOVE: ASB student members for each grade level spoke words of inspiration for their fellow classmates during the rally.
"Students will now be back in front of their teachers"
Angel Durazo Principal, OCHS
Parlier woman turns tragedy into support for other women
Contributed
Several of the memory boxes created by Project Loreal to help griev- ing mothers.
Welcome back Pirates
Photo Contributed/ Danny Jimenez
Reedley High School students posed for a photo during the school's second day of in person instruction on Aug. 12. Students were happy to be back to a normal schedule, reuniting with friends and teachers.
Photo of the week