The pandemic has sparked many challenges for both students and teachers at Camas High School, especially the senior class. This year, CHS seniors are tasked with doing and completing their senior projects from home. 

The leader and organizer of CHS senior projects, Kristi Bridges, shared her thoughts on the changed guidelines to accommodate the pandemic.

“If a student has very strict health protocol that isn’t allowing them to leave the house very much, this year and this year only mentors are allowed to be parents,” she said.

In previous years senior project mentors were not allowed to be immediate family members; however, due to everyone being at home students now have that option.

Students and mentors have to get creative this year and find new ways of meeting up and logging hours.

Bridges said, “A lot more mentors are meeting over Zoom and even some shadowing is happening over Zoom.”

Seniors are facing certain challenges with their projects in the midst of the new guidelines.

CHS Senior Jake Blair is helping out and mentoring Skyridge Middle School athletes for his project.

Blair shared his thoughts about the challenges the new regulations have presented.

“Just not being able to see the athletes in person makes it hard. Working with them face to face would be much easier,” he said.

Other students are having a difficult time generating ideas.

CHS Senior Luke Basanta, “I had some trouble with brainstorming ideas at first, due to some restrictions that were mentioned last minute. I ended up going to my last resort, which was a job shadowing a friend’s dad about sales and management.” 

Some seniors are not too thrilled about doing their projects during a pandemic.

CHS Senior Camyrn Mock said, “I think we should have fewer hours to turn in because of complications with social distancing. I can do my project. It is just hard for me, and other students to meet with our mentors and log hours.”

Teachers must also adjust to the new guidelines of the senior project. Despite all the unknowns, they are excited to see what students can produce from home.

CHS English teacher Matt Loop said, “I am optimistic to see what students push out with these new challenges that we all have to face.”

Camasonian journalists Blake Bell and Josh Fernando contributed to this article.