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This piece, originally published by , is part of a led by the Institute for Nonprofit News and member newsrooms. (See more rural case studies at 社区黑料)

Augustine Guido looks forward to the chance of again playing under the Friday night lights on the Gervais High School football field, even in a shortened spring season. After graduating, the 17-year-old senior hopes to do it on Saturdays wearing the uniform of his favorite college team.

He鈥檚 kept his grades up to be eligible to stay on the field, but the pandemic has changed the way he views school.

鈥淚鈥檓 just not as focused and committed,鈥� said Guido, known to his classmates as Auggie. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a bummer.鈥�

Without football, Guido said he has found it harder to stay engaged with online classes, and his grades are slipping.

鈥淚t was sports that kept me motivated鈥� said Guido, who also was a starter for the Cougars鈥� basketball team last year. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all shut down now.鈥�

shows that the COVID-19 pandemic is widening achievement gaps for Oregon students of color, including those who attend rural schools.

In the previous academic year, Gervais High School, which has a majority Latino student body, boasted a 92% graduation rate.

The latest schoolwide grades 鈥� a two-week snapshot of December 鈥� indicate 40% of students are failing. At the same time, the number of completed college aid applications at Gervais High School is down 43% from this time last year, indicating there is less interest among this year鈥檚 senior class in continuing their education after high school.

Students feel the need to work

The drop-off comes as students like Guido navigate a host of challenges that come with the unusual circumstances of a pandemic.

鈥淚 think most high schools in our state are having trouble with students engaging and distance learning,鈥� said Andrew Amen, vice principal at Gervais High School. 鈥淲e noticed we had an outstanding number of absences, which led to an astounding number of failing classes.鈥�

The decline in attendance and grades forced Amen to reimagine his role as vice principal, stepping out from behind the desk and knocking on doors.

鈥淎ny students who have three or more F鈥檚, we now go out and knock on their doors two days a week,鈥� Amen said, 鈥渁nd what we have found is that the majority of our juniors and seniors are working full time.鈥�

National youth participation in the labor market is at the highest point in 10 years, 36.2% compared to 35.2% this time last year, even as adult participation levels in the economy haven鈥檛 returned to prepandemic levels.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e having a very difficult time going to work eight or 10 hours and then coming home at night tired, and they鈥檙e not engaging in the classes,鈥� Amen said.

Some parents don鈥檛 have the option of working from home, as agriculture or service jobs are unable to be performed over Zoom.

鈥淎 lot of people were losing jobs,鈥� said Sylvia Valentine-Garcia, the district鈥檚 director of special programs. 鈥淚 think some of the kids who have jobs, their families maybe need them to keep that job.鈥�

Valentine-Garcia recalls talking to a couple students in her office about their work obligations.

鈥淭hey couldn鈥檛 quit,鈥� she said.鈥淭hey just couldn鈥檛 afford to.鈥�

So, she reminded them that all the classes are recorded.

鈥淚鈥檓 saying, 鈥榃hen you get home from work you have to eat dinner, right? So, while you鈥檙e eating dinner, can you listen to your recorded classes?鈥欌��

Child care also is a factor

While some students are working outside the home, others are fulfilling a role usually done by schools.

鈥淎nother thing we鈥檙e running into is students having to spend time with their young siblings, helping their younger brother or sister with their elementary classes, which gets in the way of pursuing their own education,鈥� Amen said.

Guido can relate to that.

鈥淚 have two younger brothers,鈥� said Guido, who watches over his siblings while his parents are at work. 鈥淲e have music on in the background and mute our microphones, but I make sure they鈥檙e doing their work. I have to tell them 鈥榪uiet down, we鈥檙e all in class.鈥� I have to motivate them, stay positive.鈥�

Valentine-Garcia started a program offering tutoring every night from 6 to 8 p.m., shifting funding to help students who are working or looking after siblings during the daytime.

鈥淚f we have a student not doing well because they鈥檙e taking care of their siblings during the day, while their parents are at work, then we have to help those students in the evening,鈥� Valentine-Garcia said.

She knows extending the school day is not ideal, but it is an effort to accommodate the needs of students.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e dead tired and going to eat dinner and get ready for the next day, how can we get some schooling in?鈥� she said.

Amen said that the challenges he鈥檚 seeing are impacting all kinds of students.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just kids who weren鈥檛 motivated before,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also kids who were doing well. We have students who were very successful, straight A鈥檚, and are now not engaging.鈥�

Student athletes like Guido may find some motivation in tentative plans to host a shortened athletic season in Oregon starting next month and, in some districts, resume in-class learning.

鈥淚t鈥檚 weird getting up in the morning and doing this from home,鈥� Guido said. 鈥淚鈥檇 rather be in school. Hopefully there鈥檚 a chance we can get back.鈥�

This piece, originally published by , is part of a called “Lesson Plans: Rural schools grapple with COVID-19”. It includes the Institute for Nonprofit News, Charlottesville Tomorrow, El Paso Matters, Iowa Watch, The Nevada Independent, New Mexico in Depth, Underscore News/Pamplin Media Group and Wisconsin Watch/The Badger Project. The collaboration was made possible by a grant from the Walton Family Foundation, which also funds 社区黑料. 

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