Hey! My name is Chedean Kaaialii, and this is my senior year, and what a year it has been so far with virtual classes. I feel like I will do better because I have my family at home to guide me and do the right thing instead of getting distracted by my friends. However, I do get tempted to lie down on my bed because it is right next to my laptop. 

Some of the positive things I had were being able to go to the bathroom whenever, Eating whenever, Wearing whatever, and the fact that I feel like I will do better in school in general. The only few negative things about virtually learning is not being able to chill with my friends; I am a visual learner, so it is pretty hard for me to get used to doing it by myself. Also, I think it also sucks because now I lost a lot of motivation to do school. 

I have learned a CRAZY ton about myself through this pandemic, and I say I have matured from how I was in school, and I realized all the negatives I had around me, and I used to do. Quarantine has changed me to be a better person and that I don’t need as many friends that I thought I had. I work out a lot more often, and I am on a nine-month diet. I have a small circle of solid friends, Got more of a bond and connection with my family because we were never really close at all, Prepared for college but still a little scared to move on in life and do things on my own in the future.

I am concerned about not passing this school year and have to stay back another year. Another thing I am worried about is that no colleges accept me for a scholarship. I am concerned about how bad or good I will do in my upcoming SAT. 

But the other concern is my passion for music and the band class.

This year has been challenging due to the pandemic, and a lot of changes have happened. First off, We have a new teacher, Ms. Theresa Miller, I have not met her personally yet, but I have read her self introduction that she sent to all of the kids. I also donʻt have band till 2nd semester due to the new bell schedule. We can’t play our instruments because of Covid-19. But I still practice and play at home to keep striving and doing better, especially since I want to get in college and major in music. 

Ms. Miller has stated that she notices all the problems going on right now and how badly it will affect the bandmates, and she has a plan. 

She said, “Let’s face it. It will be hard to play woodwind with a mask on, and doing 6 feet distance will further damage the practices. The woodwind instruments collect saliva, and that is how coronavirus spreads, and it is just risky to do that.” 

She is thinking of making a solely pitched percussion section, and I suggested that maybe we do recordings of different sections. 

“Our band is slowly building up our pitched percussion section. Not only have we added a new Glockenspiel and concert xylophone to our existing percussion section, but we have the use of a 5-octave set of Schulmerich Handbells through a one year grant from Area 12 of the Handbell Musicians of America.  We are on our way to an incredible percussion ensemble that will allow us to play and perform some amazing music.” 

I’m hoping we can at least play a couple of songs in the 2nd semester and maybe even record a song and put it somewhere on the internet, maybe like Instagram or the Nanakuli Website.