COVID Profiles, Part I: the Simpsons

With Mt. Greylock closed until May 4th, many students are looking for ways to remain occupied turning this temporary break. The Echo is writing profiles on students who are pursuing activities outside of the traditional school environment.  

While teachers have assigned optional work, Mt. Greylock has no “online schooling” as of right now. But freshman twins Jennah and Kiersten Simpson have taken matters into their own hands, pursuing their own daily homeschooling routine. “We just go through a regular school day, but at home,” Kiersten said.

Kiersten also commented on why they decided to do this homeschooling. “Because my mom is an educator, she said that a big part of this for her was making sure that we didn’t just lose all forms of education and lay around for the next however many weeks.” 

Jennah said, “I really enjoy it because it keeps me busy, and takes my brain off of what’s going on around me, in the way being at school would.”

When asked if they were doing the assignments sent out by teachers or designing their own curriculum, Jennah said, “I would say a pretty healthy mix.” 

Completing both the assignments sent out and other additional educational activities has helped the twins continue to learn, even out of school. She added, “We’ve been doing a lot of online stuff. Not so much in the English category, because my mom is actually an English teacher, so she’s home with us doing that.”

Each year Mount Greylock ninth graders are assigned a research project, which they are now working on at home.

Kiersten said, “In English we were doing our research project, so my sister and I are working on that while we’re at home.” 

In terms of math, Jennah says she has “mostly been doing my own thing, but with the way Grelyock is set up for math, that actually kind of works out anyways.” 

When speaking on the benefits of homeschooling, Kiersten said, “I like still being able to learn while not being in the building.” Although much of the work being done is online, having a schedule can help add some uniformity to the day, which many Greylock students may be craving. 

Although homeschooling has proven as a good way to keep busy during this break from school, it’s not the perfect solution, and the Simpsons are still feeling the effects of the time off. 

“None of us are loving [the break], but it’s very much a ‘we need to get by for the next few weeks, might as well do this.’” Kiersten said.

When asked if the structure of homeschooling had helped her stay on top of schoolwork, and stay in the “student” frame of mind, Kiersten said, “I think it has and it hasn’t. It hasn’t in the way that because I’m only a week or so in, it feels very abnormal to me.” 

Some of the educational activities the twins pursue outside of school include planting seeds and completing activities related to the arts. Jennah said, “My mom is a very big advocate for the arts, so we have a forty-five minute  art period where we can just kind of do whatever.” 

The Simpson twins are making the most of their time off, using the ample free time each day brings to continue to learn. If you or anyone you know are utilizing this break to undertake stimulating hobbies and activities, please send us an email at mountgreylockecho@gmail.com.