HAHIRA, Ga. – Ashleigh Kenny, a seventh grade teacher at a middle school in a small town in Georgia, out of the classroom because of the COVID-19 crisis, at first found herself inundated with the negativity of social media chatter.

But, that is just not who she is, and it is certainly not the attitude of her students. 

“Understandably so, people were so focused on the things we don’t have right now. I even found myself wrapped up in that mentality,” she said. “I miss teaching. I miss my students. I miss my classroom. But then, I thought of my students and how they can always find the best in any situation, and I thought maybe that could help shift people’s perspectives.”

Through a virtual meeting, Kenny talked with her students from Hahira Middle School in rural Georgia, and challenged them to come up with the positives of living through a pandemic.

“They were eager to participate and began working immediately,” Kenny said. “They were able to think of things that I had not even considered.”

Within a day, every participant finished their contributions, and they were then compiled into a single video called “2020 Shifting Perspective.”

Seventh-grade student, Jack Hillberg, was thrilled to join the project.

“It really motivated me and my classmates to find the silver lining of this catastrophe. I really hope that it can also show other people that this pandemic is bad, but together, we can find something good in it.”

During a time when so many are panicking, Kenny knew that it sometimes takes the words of young people to shed light on the darkness.

“Our kids are watching how we handle this crisis, and it’s important we provide them with a sense of stability and encourage them to see the brighter side,” Kenny added. “Yes, this is a horrible time. There are so many bad things we can rightfully find in the midst of this, but through our example, we have the chance to show them the power of perspective, and they need a sense of stability right now.”

Kenny and her students hope those who view the video will be inspired to find something during this time that brings them happiness.

“Unfortunately, sometimes, you have to lose something before you appreciate its value,” Kenny said. “And there are so many things I took for granted that I cannot wait to have the opportunity to do again. Sometimes, it just takes a 13-year-old to remind you of that.”

The full video can be found here: https://youtu.be/yvZZQk7LwVo