Covid-19 has caused many Thanksgiving celebrations this year to be very different from prior ones, but the students and teachers at Rachel Carson MS still managed to enjoy the time off in different ways, such as Zoom calls and immediate family gatherings instead.  

“I’m excited for Thanksgiving because even though we aren’t hosting guests, I get to spend time with my immediate family,” said eighth-grade Rere Akinyemi, in early November. “It’s also my birthday.”

While original plans have been altered in order to follow the CDC guidelines, many people at Carson were still excited for Thanksgiving.  “We had some activities planned and I’m sure it’ll be just as fun!” exclaimed Claire Moon, an eighth-grader. 

Instead of a typical large Thanksgiving dinner this year, the students and teachers have chosen to celebrate in different ways. To prevent the spread of Covid-19 and practice social distancing, many chose to cancel travel plans and family gatherings and had no guests over either.  

Still, many families maintained traditions surrounding food and family activities. 

Student Ishita Thatavarthi said, “Every year we make brownies on Thanksgiving so we were able to continue to do that since they don’t really depend on where you make them.”

Mrs. Kelly Hagan, an eighth-grade teacher at Carson, switched her plans to online. “We have gotten used to Zoom calls and are planning to host a Zoom call on Thanksgiving.”  She reported a successful gathering and expressed that she had a good time.

It is especially important to stay safe over the holidays and make sure that nobody gets sick.  According to the CDC, it is crucial that we practice social distancing and stay at least six feet apart.  

“We stayed inside and around our neighborhood to avoid a lot of contact,” Claire said.