As schools across the country are shut down or restricted by the coronavirus pandemic, one school in Monroe County shines brightly as a beacon of excellence in the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. McQuaid Jesuit’s 2020-2021 school year is unique in the fact that students are presently attending class 5 days a week – more than most other schools in Monroe County and the United States as a whole.

Socially distanced lunch at McQuaid Jesuit strictly follows the global guidelines for defeating the COVID-19 pandemic: at least 6 feet of space between students and requiring students to wear masks while not eating or sitting, with lunch monitors to enforce these guidelines during the lunch period.

While these guidelines are necessary to prevent the spread of disease, it’s critical to hear the opinion of the students; the ones actually being forced to follow these guidelines at lunch.

“I dislike having to yell to someone two tables away. Other than that, it’s not much change,” says Nicholas Bailey, ’22 .

“…I don’t think it is nearly as easy to spread the virus from the distance enforced… I think we should wait until next school year at least [to return to a normal lunch format].”

It is quite clear that even among students, whom are forced to be physically separate from their friends during the lunch period, are well-versed in the nature of the pandemic and understand the sacrifices they were forced to make all those months ago in service of a healthy community and a healthy world.