Jake Harris, 12

“After the pandemic, somehow, my life got exponentially better. I felt guilty about it, of course, because what was happening around me was tragic, but going to school every day was a drag. The instant when quarantine hit, I started finishing my assignments, writing, spending time with family, etc. Everything I said I would do, I did. And my mood was better for it … I feel improved. I could see the progress I was making every day because the monotony of my school life wasn’t distracting me from it. I woke up every day and dedicated that day to bettering myself in some way, shape, or form. I started playing piano during the pandemic. I went from not knowing how to play a C Major scale to being able to play ‘Moonlight Sonata’ within a few months. It was really rewarding.”