A group of parents are determined to give their kids a great senior high school experience, despite an unprecedented school year.

The Scripps Ranch Senior Parent Committee is made up of parent volunteers who work to prepare events for Scripps Ranch High School (SRHS) class of 2021.

Jody Luke created the committee in September once she realized the school district wasn’t going to hold events for seniors due to COVID-19.

“It didn’t seem like anyone was advocating for kids … That kind of broke my heart right away,” Luke said. “I think at that point I felt like I had to do something.”

Luke, the mother of a SRHS senior, a freshman and a sixth grader, called other parents she knew to form the committee.

Now, the committee is 15 members strong, with 250 members in their Facebook group.

Luke’s goal with the committee is to support and celebrate seniors.

“I think senior year is a really pivotal time in someone’s life,” Luke said. “This was supposed to be their time to be leaders and captains and role models, and they found themselves at home, in front of the computer all day with no activities and no sports.”

The committee’s first event was lighting the SRHS football stadium for 20 minutes and 21 seconds in the fall when football season was normally held.

“It doesn’t seem like a huge thing, but it was a big deal,” Luke said. “It was something that said, ‘Hey seniors. We see you, we recognize the loss, but we want to support you.’”

During homecoming week, the committee partnered with Scripps Ranch restaurants to organize a seniors’ restaurant week. Ten restaurants participated by giving seniors a discount.

In November 2020, the committee put together an event for seniors to paint parking spots. Painting spots is a tradition normally held as a fundraiser, and this year the committee ensured it was COVID-safe. Since the SRHS campus was off-limits, seniors were allowed to paint parking spots in the Scripps Miramar Ranch Library parting lot.

“I heard of someone, once their grandparents got the vaccine, they took them down to see their senior parking spot,” Luke said. “I don’t know if they would have done that (otherwise).”

Other events the committee put on include a senior drive-in night at the Santee Drive In Theater, a Starbucks Falcon drink, connecting the high school seniors to senior citizens at The Glen at Scripps Ranch Retirement through letters and more.

Luke said it’s been cool to see the community come together for the seniors.

“It speaks to the testament of the families of Scripps Ranch that where they see a need, people just step up,” she said.

Their upcoming events include powderpuff football, a senior picture with a drone and a graduation parade.

“We knew this was going to be challenging from day one,” Luke said. “All these parents have come together to say, ‘Let’s not just watch and wait and see, but be a part of a solution and make some memories for our kids.’”

Luke said the students are grateful they have not been forgotten.

“The amount of gratitude we’ve gotten from seniors and families has been satisfying,” she said. “But that’s not why we did it. We did it because there’s a need, and Scripps Ranch families rise to the challenge when there’s a need.”

Seniors at Scripps Ranch High School (SRHS) describe both the bad and good aspects of distance learning – and explain what activities they miss most.

Nick Aguilar
Four-year cross country runner

“I really miss the cross country invitationals and getting to represent your school. Usually, we have the Mt. Carmel invite and there’s always such a big crowd, and it’s a fun and notable experience each season,” Nick Aguilar said.

Aguilar shared what he misses from in-person classes.

“I miss the personal connection with teachers. I miss getting to joke around with the teachers and the one-on-one question and answer time. It’s a lot harder to interact with your teachers online,” he said.

He commented on the positives of a virtual school year.

“The good thing about online learning is that I get more personal time. I have been able to spend more time with my family, which I think is nice especially since next year I’ll be off to college,” Aguilar said.

Along with cross country, Aguilar participates in Falcon Peer Tutoring and is the vice president of the Letters of Light club at SRHS.

Outside of school, he is part of the Chamber Bravura acapella choir and volunteers at the It’s all About the Kids Foundation.

Aguilar hopes to attend the University of California, Los Angeles to study human biology or genetics this fall.

Mackenzie Cain
Four-year theatre member

“I’m missing the social interaction. I miss seeing my friends in person and the teachers. I’ve been Facetiming my friends, but it’s not the same as seeing them at school,” Mackenzie Cain said.

She explained the hardships she has faced due to virtual learning.

“It’s hard not being able to stay after class. I used to be able to ask questions then. Now, it’s harder to ask questions because sometimes the teachers will miss your email.” Cain said.

She conveyed the benefits she has experienced with online learning.

“I like not having my camera on because I can go to class in my pajamas and in my bed. You don’t really have to wake up early … and it saves a lot of time,” she said.

In November 2020, Cain was able to participate in a virtual play through the school.

“It was nice that we were able to put on a production even through this time,” she said.

Outside of SRHS, Cain is Miss San Diego’s Outstanding Teen and has signed with Rage Model and Talent Agency. She participates in the Race for Autism and plays recreational soccer.

She has plans to attend Washington State University to study animal science.

Sabrina Krebs
Captain of varsity volleyball team

“I’ve been on the volleyball team for four years. We’ve been able to qualify for states and it’s sad that this year we were not able to do that. It would be nice to just have one last season with all the friends I’ve grown close with through the years,” Sabrina Krebs said.

She discussed the challenges she has seen through online school.

“I miss learning through others in a classroom. I miss seeing people in the hallways and being able to interact with everyone,” Krebs said. “It’s been difficult to communicate with teachers. Sometimes we have group assignments and it’s been hard to coordinate with group members.”

She explained how online learning has been beneficial.

“Online learning has helped me with my technological skills, which is something I’ll need in the future. I’ve been used to writing with paper and pencil, but now I’ve gotten better with typing,” she said.

Other than volleyball, Krebs is a part of the club Circle of Friends at SRHS.

Krebs is part of Wave, a club volleyball team, and Girl Scouts outside of school.

She plans to attend Pepperdine University to study occupational therapy.

Dean Bisco
Four-year theatre member

“We’ve had one show this year and it was virtual. The show was a really different experience, but it was still fun and I’m glad we’re keeping theatre alive. However, I miss performing on a stage instead of a camera in my room,” Dean Bisco said.

He spoke about what has been difficult because of virtual learning.

“Staying engaged is hard. You’re in your own environment and that definitely has more distractions. It is easy to get disengaged with the material when on Zoom because you can just go on another tab,” Bisco said.

He voiced what has helped in regard to virtual learning.

“Teachers are adapting well and I think it’s really impressive. They use a lot of platforms that keep everything organized. It helps to see the due date of everything through those platforms because it keeps me on time,” he said.

Outside of SRHS, he is involved in the Chamber Bravura acapella choir.

Along with acting in the SRHS plays, Bisco is also the vice president of the theatre program board and is part of the improv team.

He hopes to attend a four-year university in California and study computer science.

Sophomores at Scripps Ranch High School (SRHS) Michael Ohayon and Anush Salaniwal started a club to help students of all levels learn about career paths.

“When I was in quarantine, I was talking to a lot of college and fellow high school students about what career they wanted to enter. For a lot of students, they found it hard to nail down one answer. Many of them didn’t know what they wanted to do and, honestly, I found myself in the same boat,” Salaniwal said.

To help his fellow peers, Salaniwal decided to start the Scripps Ranch Professional Career Club (SRPCEC) and enlisted the help of Ohayon.

“This club is aimed at students of any grade level that find themselves confused about what path they want to follow. I think choosing a career path is really daunting and I wanted to educate myself and those around me so that we are able to make the right choice for ourselves,” Salaniwal said.

Salaniwal and Ohayon set up a YouTube channel in which they interview professionals in different careers to aid those who find themselves lost.

They have interviewed a pediatric anesthesiologist and an electrical engineer who also teaches, for example.

The team planned to post interviews with these professionals about once or twice a month.

“The interviews that we post give our peers first-hand knowledge about these career paths. With these interviews, you get to see the parts of these careers that aren’t in a textbook or written. It’s the real experiences and trials of these professionals that help students who are unsure of what career they might want to go into,” Salaniwal said.

Not only does the club have a YouTube channel, but they also promote their interviews on their Instagram page @scrippsranch_careerexploration.

“On the Instagram page, we post about the interviews that we conducted. We also use the Instagram page as part of our outreach. We hope that people will see the page and watch the videos and learn, or that professionals see the page and are willing to be interviewed,” Ohayon said.

For Salaniwal and Ohayon, their main goal is to continue educating and inspiring others.

“As someone who is also trying to find the right career path, it just makes me happy to know that my word is getting out there. I want to be able to educate those around me because I know how difficult it can be to narrow down a career path,” Ohayon said.

Outside of the SRPCEC, Salaniwal plays water polo for SRHS as well as the club team Poway Valley and has also played piano for nine years.

At SRHS, Ohayon participates in Winterguard, plays sousaphone in the marching band and has been playing guitar for seven years.

“I feel like we’re all so stressed about what’s after high school or what’s coming next so, if we can just help clear that up and relieve some of that tension, that is our hope. If we get to see at least one person that is able to find their career path because of our work, then this is all worth it,” Ohayon said.

The team hopes to expand its outreach by using social media platforms.

To reach them, email srpcec@gmail.com. To keep up with the latest interviews, watch their YouTube channel at bit.ly/3sqHVNY.

Seniors at Scripps Ranch High School (SRHS) express their thoughts about going through their senior year under distance learning restrictions.

Rocco Granucci
Four-year baseball player

“The main thing I’m missing is my senior baseball season. Sophomore year we went to CIF and since last year we didn’t get the chance to go again, I was hoping that this year we would be able to go and win,” Rocco Granucci said.

He described his feelings toward missing an in-person senior year.

“I miss seeing my friends that I would make in specific classes. I miss the social environment at lunch. I was also really looking forward to going to prom with my girlfriend of three years,” he said.

He shared the difficulties he has experienced due to virtual learning.

“It’s just hard to stay motivated. Staring at a screen really sucks and I find it really hard to stay motivated when you’re not physically going somewhere,” Granucci said.

At SRHS, Granucci is part of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program.

Outside of school, he volunteers for the organization Lion’s heart.

Granucci plans to go to a four-year university to study business and play Division III baseball.

Sanjana Ganti
Captain of the varsity
tennis team

“I really miss the face-to-face interaction. I was really looking forward to my last tennis season, rallies and school spirit,” Sanjana Ganti said.

She explained her thoughts on this virtual school year.

“The lack of face-to-face interaction makes it feel less like school. It doesn’t feel like senior year. We haven’t had any dances or any sporting events,” Ganti said.

Ganti shared the benefits she has seen with virtual learning.

“Three classes have helped to decrease the workload and helped when I was applying to colleges. I’ve noticed that when you’re taking more APs, you’re not as overwhelmed because it’s more split up now. I have more time to focus on other things now,” she said.

Along with varsity tennis at SRHS, Ganti is the manager for the boys tennis team and is part of the Model United Nations club.

Outside of SRHS, she is the president of the South Asian Culture Show (SACS) and plays guitar.

She has plans to go to an in state four-year university and study computer science.

Makenzie Kensel
Four-year field
hockey player

“I’m really missing not having a senior field hockey season. We probably would have gone to playoffs and played in CIF again. I just miss being able to hang out with my second family,” Mackenzie Kensel said.

She conveyed her struggles and positive experiences with online learning.

“It’s kind of harder with teachers that don’t understand technology as much. It’s also hard to stay motivated because you’re not in a physical classroom. There are way more distractions when you’re at home. I also miss seeing my friends that I usually wouldn’t see outside of school,” Kensel said. “Being at home though has led me to have more time outside of school work. I am able to do things that I enjoy more now.”

Kensel shared her final wishes for the school year.

“I really hope that we are able to have prom,” she said.

Outside of school, Kensel coaches field hockey for middle schoolers for the club team Mystix.

She is committed to Hartwick College for Division III field hockey where she hopes to study psychology.

Alanna Reyes
Four-year volleyball player

“I miss the little things like seeing friends during lunch and passing period, and sitting in my car in the morning listening to music,” Alanna Reyes said. “I definitely miss high school volleyball. This would have been my senior season, which is a really special time for dedicated athletes.”

She described how online learning has benefitted her.

“I have a little more independent time for homework and extracurriculars, which is much needed since our classes are moving at a much faster pace with more independent work. It is also nice to wear comfy pajamas to class every day too,” she said.

Reyes explained how virtual learning can be challenging as well.

“No one is really stopping us from lazily lying in bed and not paying attention, so we have to motivate ourselves to stay proactive and engaged. It is also really hard for me, as a visual and social learner, to fully grasp concepts through a screen,” Reyes said.

At SRHS, she is part of Associated Student Body and the Letters of Light club.

Outside of school, she plays for Wave Volleyball Club and volunteers at Feeding San Diego.

She plans to attend a four-year university and study kinesiology/exercise science.

Garner Saguil, a fourth-grade seminar teacher and the choir director at Dingeman Elementary School, has been teaching his class ukulele since last year after teaching himself how to play during a vacation.

“I started researchingukuleles for the kids, and I found the prices for all of that,” Saguil said. “I started researching grants, and I put together a grant with donorschoose.org. But the only thing with donorschoose.org is you can only put in for 25 ukuleles, and I teach fourth grade, and our numbers can go up to 35 students.”

Seniors at Scripps Ranch High School (SRHS) provide their thoughts about missing "Friday night lights" as well as other traditional activities – and describe how they are coping with distance learning. 

Shea Richardson-Pepper
Four-year lacrosse player  

"I miss the dances and I'm nervous about not being able to have Prom. I really miss the football games too. It's not so much about the game, but the people you're with and the memories being made," Shea Richardson-Pepper said. 

She explained her experiences and struggles with virtual learning. 

"It's crazy to think that I'm a senior this year because it doesn't feel like we're in school anymore. I move from my bed to my desk to do work. Right now, it's hard to make friends … because we're not really interacting with anyone anymore," she said. 

As a member of the varsity lacrosse team since sophomore year, she shared her disappointment in losing her season. 

"Last year our season was cut short, so we only got to play like four or five games. Lacrosse is a big aspect of my life and most of my closest friends play it. Not having my senior season with my team hurts," Richardson-Pepper said. 

Despite her struggles, she remains optimistic about these trying times. 

"As unfortunate as the situation is, I'm still really grateful to have what I have. I think it's easy to focus on what we can't do, but you really have to think of the bigger picture and that is that we're a part of something historical now," Richardson-Pepper said.

She is also a part of the SRHS yearbook staff.

Outside of school, she plays for San Diego Wave lacrosse and works at Chili's. 

She plans to attend a four-year university and play Division III lacrosse. 

"I miss watching the games. Some of my friends are on the football team, so it's kind of a bummer that I can't watch them play and cheer them on," Steven Lancia said.

He shared his differing experiences regarding virtual learning. 

"I like having only three classes now and not going to every class every day. The quarter system feels more efficient to me," Lancia said. "However, I feel like it's super hard to communicate now with teachers. It feels like everything is hidden behind a screen. You just can't substitute the in-person experience because we can't just talk to our friends in the halls anymore."

He hopes to have his senior baseball season this year. 

"I want to win Western League again. We did that two years ago and I'm sure we would've done it again last year if our season didn't get cut short," he said. "I'm hoping to just practice and see the team again. They really become like your family."

Outside of SRHS, Lancia plays for Trosky Baseball. 

He hopes to commit to the University of California, San Diego to play Division I baseball.

Olivia Mann
Four-year cheerleader
and pole vaulter 

"I miss cheering at the games and rallies. The whole team is really close and I miss just meeting up with them and getting to practice and prepare," Olivia Mann said. 

She conveyed the positives and negatives of virtual learning. 

"Just staying interested is hard because you're not in a classroom and there are a lot of distractions around you at home. It's hard because of the lack of interaction as well. I feel like it's less stressful virtually though, so that's nice," Mann said. 

As part of the pole vault team, she explained her feelings of missing her season. 

"It's sad that I'm going to be missing both of my senior seasons. I've been a part of both teams for all of my four years and I was really looking forward to having this last season. I'm hoping that we can have somewhat of a season, but we just don't know yet," Mann said.

At SRHS, she is involved in the clubs Letters of Life and Pioneer Women. 

Outside of school, she dances at SoCal - Dance. 

Mann plans to attend a four-year university. 

"It's definitely a big bummer that we aren't having football games this year. It's definitely hard for the seniors on the football team who were looking forward to their last season. I feel bad for the freshmen because they aren't able to experience those games," Grady Pond said. 

He shared his struggles about online learning. 

"I miss the social interaction between students and teachers. Not having that face-to-face interaction makes it hard looking at it from a student's perspective," he said. 

But, he described the benefits of virtual learning. 

"I like how I can set my schedule. It makes it easier to get things done when you have more control over the day," Pond said.

He explained how the teachers have been helping.

"I think the teachers are trying really hard to make everything really inclusive and they've been very comforting. They're doing their best to keep us interacting with them," Pond said.

Outside of school, Pond participates in the volunteer organization Lion's Heart and plays for the Rotten Cheeseburgers club lacrosse team. 

Pond hopes to attend San Diego State University and study political science.

"What I miss most is just seeing my friends. It's just hard to interact with anyone right now," Melina Dimitropoulou said. "I'm missing interacting with my teachers more directly. Virtual learning has been pretty hard to get accustomed to," 

As president of Peer Tutoring, Dimitropoulou shared her challenges and experiences of running a club virtually.

"It was hard at first to get people to sign up for peer tutoring and send out the right links. It was new for us to be tutoring through Zoom," she said. "Things have worked themselves out though and we're able to tutor more people as well now since we don't have to physically be at school."

Dimitropoulou, a four-year member of Science Olympiad, explained her concerns for this season. Their competition will be in March and held virtually. 

"Right now, we've been studying alone. I'm a little nervous to see how the competition will play out because a big part of the competition is being able to communicate with your partner directly," she said. "I think there will be a way for us to message our partners during the competition, but it's not the same." 

Outside of school, Dimitropoulou ice skates at the San Diego Ice Arena. 

She plans to attend a four-year university to study computer science.

The year 2020 has undoubtedly left a lasting impression upon the nation's psyche in many ways, while at the same time, becoming a call to action for some. Among those making a difference are Scripps Ranch High School (SRHS) students who recently announced the creation of a Social Justice Club.

"The killing of George Floyd and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement made me realize that, although I may not be white, I am still privileged," said club President Victoria Denosta. "My eyes opened to the covert racism plaguing my high school and my community, ultimately sparking my interest in activism."

The club's main objective is to promote social justice in order to achieve a more united community. Club members hold discussions regularly to help raise awareness to achieve this objective while spreading information about resources and opportunities within the community.

"Since we started this club, there has been an overwhelming amount of support from the Scripps Ranch community," said club Vice President Alexis Sarabia. "We were lucky enough to start this organization with the help of some of our close friends and our teacher, Heather Francisco. Teachers, students, parents and friends have all expressed their interest and willingness to help our cause."

The club has 70 members and is growing, along with hundreds of followers on Instagram: @socialjusticescrippsranch.

Denosta, a senior, is verbally committed to play softball at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and plans on majoring in political science, as well as double majoring or minoring in a STEM discipline such as environmental science and engineering.

"I needed to accomplish something meaningful in the fight against oppression," she said.

"I want to clarify that the Social Justice Club at SRHS only holds discussions and raises awareness for different opportunities to make a difference," she added.

There is a community organization called Social Justice Scripps Ranch that was created as an outlet for the members of the SRHS Social Justice Club so they can hold events like fundraisers and donation drives that are completely separate from the high school in order to comply with the guidelines of the school district and school administration. Next, the club is planning a donation drive for Father Joe's Villages in January. 

As San Diego County experiences rising case numbers of COVID-19, public schools will continue distance learning as 2020 begins. 

"We are concerned by the continued spread of the virus in San Diego County but encouraged by the work of our educators and other employees to keep students safe at this difficult time," said John Lee Evans, board president of District A for San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD).

While the SDUSD Board of Education is worried about the virus, some students have trouble with these transitions, both back in-person and over Zoom. There has been a trend of students failing classes and becoming disengaged in classes held over Zoom.

Teachers are worried about students' mental health during this time and have noticed some not adjusting well to the new system.

"I have identified some mental health issues, and I have had to refer some students to counselors," said Judy Hillegas, a psychology teacher at Scripps Ranch High School (SRHS). "I do notice more depression through 'blank faces' and minimal body language.  However, it is very challenging. Students have tech issues and don't have a camera on. Is it a tech issue or something else?"

Classes on Zoom miss the connection for both the teacher and the student. It is harder for teachers to help students when there are issues.

"I have noticed more of my students are wanting more time on Zoom than we have to offer," said Julia McKane, a special education teacher for moderate to severe students at SRHS. "My students ask if we can Zoom on the weekends and days off. It has proven difficult for me to implement the same boundaries during the pandemic, so I have created additional clubs for students to be engaged in."

McKane, like many other teachers, is trying to keep students engaged and have some sense of normalcy in an online setting.

Not only is distance learning making it easier for students to fall behind, but for students with special needs, it is making it harder to learn and stay engaged, especially with a lack of special education assistants and teachers in the district right now.

Individual education programs (IEPs) are made at the beginning of each school year and are set to be fulfilled throughout the year. With classes over Zoom, it is making this more complicated.

"IEPs are being met by collaborating with the Student Success Team (general education, related service, paraprofessionals, school psychologist, family)," McKane said. "Related service staff will join our Zoom class and do a full-group activity, and then continue to a breakout room for their separate setting. Accommodations are being met by having staff members in each class with students to guide and support."

Keeping in mind that each student has a set team, there are vacancies in some staffing positions. According to SRHS, there are two vacancies in the Special Education program teaching staff that have not been filled. With those vacancies come more challenges in keeping up with all the students.

Scripps Ranch public schools, like many all over the county, have been moved to only online learning platforms as San Diego remains in the purple tier. All schools are still learning how to make this work for their teachers and students.

"It has absolutely changed my perspective," said Timothy Leonard, a Scripps Ranch High School English teacher. "I've been more or less utilizing the same fundamental aspects of teaching for 13 years now: my presence, my voice and tactile engagement. Now, however, I feel like both hands are tied behind my back."

The online learning platform has not been the easiest to adjust for everyone, including the teachers who are using it to engage their students. 

According to Zoom, daily meeting participants' usage shot up from around 10 million in December 2019 to more than 300 million people in April 2020. The use of online platforms, like Zoom, to teach, has helped this number rise. However, it has cut out the connections in-person teaching can create between other students and the teachers.

"The learning environment is a lot quieter. This is not a good thing, in my mind," said Andrea Bowers, a Scripps Ranch High School English teacher. "Before, I could tell students were thinking about what we were doing because I could hear their conversations. Now when I join a breakout room, it is awkwardly quiet when I pop in."

The online platforms create solitude for the students and make it hard to retain information and pay attention during classes.

"In many ways, it is harder to keep the students'attention on the lessons," said Casey Nakanishi, a fourth-grade teacher at Ellen Browning Scripps Elementary School. "We have lots of interruptions with rogue (and not so rogue) pets, baby siblings and life at home."

For teachers and students, it has been challenging to grow used to this setting. Some students have lost the motivation to continue with school during this time because it seems hard to imagine what will happen after this time. Students' mental health has also become a concern for teachers and schools.

"Our counseling department and school psychologist has a Zoom conference with those that are struggling," Bowers said. 

"We still have a school counselor available on an appointment basis when needed," Nakanishi added. "We have also started teaching SEL (Social Emotional Learning) lessons once a week that center around acknowledging your feelings and what you can do with them."

It has been a challenge for kids in all grade levels to adapt to the new way to continue learning, some more than others. There are many steps to take before it can be back to the way it was pre-COVID.

Several Scripps Ranch High School seniors were able to continue a school tradition this fall in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic causing their campus to be closed and off-limits.

Normally, SRHS seniors are allowed to bid on parking spaces at their school as a fundraiser at the beginning of each school year. Then they are allowed to personalize their spaces with colorful artwork. This year, the seniors were allowed to create art on parking spaces at the Scripps Miramar Ranch Library instead of their high school lot.

Many Scripps Ranch High School (SRHS) students will continue a nine-year-long tradition of aiding San Diego's homeless this holiday season. With the help of the SRHS Homeless Outreach Club, students will be donating new clothing and other necessities through a network of collection boxes this holiday season. 

Blake Scurry, who is the club's president and a SRHS student, said that they are currently donating more than 800 pairs of socks to various homeless shelters.

"We are planning to donate 100 hygiene kits and hand-written messages of hope to a San Diego homeless shelter," Scurry said. 

With the help of the club adviser Ron Tsui, the Outreach Club is a student-run volunteer organization that raises awareness about the homelessness problem in San Diego. It was started in late 2011 by former SRHS students Nicolas Stanitsas and Daniel Miller. Stanitsas started a sock drive for the homeless in the fall of 2011. He later met Miller, who shared the same vision as his. So, they tag-teamed to promote an event called "Christmas Socks for the Homeless" that year in which they collected more than 800 pairs of athletic socks – just like the current project. 

Although the COVID-19 pandemic had set back some of the Outreach Club's events, it did not prevent people from donating for the next event.

"Luckily, we have already received donations for hygiene kits from the members of our community," Scurry
said. "Scripps Ranch has always been known for its kindness and generosity."

In April 2020, the U.S. Census reported that there were nearly 4,900 people who were homeless in the City of San Diego, a drop of 4 percent from last year, according to SanDiego.gov. Many are being temporarily sheltered inside the San Diego Convention Center.
While city officials are working on a long-term plan to address homelessness, volunteer programs like the SRHS Homeless Outreach Club offer some comfort and short-term solutions. 

"Just like the founders' goal of raising awareness of homelessness, we are hoping to provide aid to those in need and give a spark of hope in their lives," Scurry said. 

Scripps Ranch High School (SRHS) seniors share their thoughts during this time of distance learning and limited activities.

Luke Durkin
Captain of the varsity football team 

“I miss playing in front of that crowd. It’s always special running out on the field and I looked forward to that every week. I’ve looked forward to my senior football season since I was in middle school and I hope there is a chance that we are able to at least have some of the season,” Durkin said. 

The SRHS varsity football team was recently able to begin practicing. 

“We are able to go to the park and we are still socially distanced, but we have been able to practice as a team,” Durkin said. 

He is optimistic about virtual learning this year.

“Online teaching isn’t the same, but we are trying to make the most out of it. I think everyone is really trying to work together and make this year the best it can be under these circumstances,” Durkin said. 

He committed to Davidson College to play Division I football and plans to study economics.

Ben Gietzen
Four-year cross countryand track runner

“The fact that we are not able to come together as a school community for football or homecoming that would normally be around this time is really hard on us. There is just such a community at the games and now we’re all just apart,” Gietzen said. 

He shared the positives and negatives he has experienced due to virtual learning. 

“I think virtual learning helps with time management. It really comes down to you as the individual to work with the extra time we are given now. However, now that the school days are shorter, it leaves less time for instructors to teach and I really miss that because it gave more of a balanced schedule,” Gietzen said. 

Savannah Frost
Four-year marching band trombone player 

“Attending the games and playing for the student section really makes you feel like you are a part of something. Everyone at the games is always super nice and it’s just fun to be in the moment and that’s something I miss,” Frost said. 

She expressed her thoughts on the online school year. 

“Having shorter school days is really nice. Being at home allows me to have more freedom and it’s helped me out in the morning because I don’t have to rush to school. However, it’s a whole different experience in person that virtual can’t capture and I miss the social aspect of that,” Frost said. 

Not only is Frost a part of the marching band at SRHS, but is in the concert band class, played in pep band, played in jazz band and played in several musicals. 

She plans to attend a college that will have a marching and concert band, and she plans to study music.

Stevie Kreger
Four-year cheerleader and softball player 

“Last year I was captain, and I was really looking forward to this year. Leading the team was super exciting last season and it was upsetting when we got our season taken away from us,” Kreger said. 

She explained her feelings about learning virtually this year.

“With distance learning there is no community with your friends or team. Now I’m getting a chance to notice the little things like walking around campus and just being in a classroom that we took for granted,” Kreger said. 

As a part of the softball team, Kreger conveyed her loss for that season as well. 

“We won CIF last year, so I was looking forward to doing that again this year. It was my last season and I was really pumped because your senior season is something you always look forward to,” Kreger said. 

Outside of SRHS, Kreger is involved with organizations at her church, has a job at Hollister and plays travel softball. 

Kreger plans to study psychology at a four-year university.