Every year for the holidays, classes and electives have festivities, but COVID-19 has affected even this. Electives such as art and theater art are performing virtual plays, having competitions, and being creative at home.

Some teachers are sticking to their traditional holiday plans for student activities.

¨Every year that I teach art, two Christmas holiday card design assignments are given to my students. The first assignment is a Christmas-themed card featuring original artwork done by students without the use of words. The intent is to express a message visually and a select number of designs are entered into the annual YISD Christmas Card Contest. In the second assignment, students can use text and words to express themselves along with their artwork,¨ art teacher Victor Zavala said

It’s going to be a different learning experience for students.

¨It’s different because we don’t have the opportunity to do anything face-to-face which is effective and more fun for us,¨ junior Irais Morales said.

These festivities are working out just as planned and teachers are surprised.

¨This year’s project worked out better than I expected because access to art materials was a factor,¨ Zavala said.

Since times have changed due to the pandemic, teachers have found alternatives for holiday activities.

¨Coming up with these ideas wasn’t too difficult and the credit goes to my art students, who had unique concepts about what Christmas means to them and they expressed it visually on paper,¨ Zavala said.

Students are optimistic about doing these activities at home.

¨I hope to accomplish while having a fun time and learning to be more creative at home during these times since we can’t be in class for the holidays,¨ Morales said.