JELLICO YOUTH SPEAKS OUT

Over the past few weeks we have taken the time to speak with several Jellico youths about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected and or changed them. It warmed our hearts to hear what these young people had to say and we are more than proud to share their stories with you.

"AS ADULTS WE CAN LEARN A LOT FROM THESE KIDS!"

- No names will be printed and parental consent was given for each statement. These statements are printed exactly as they was told to us.

As you read these statements given by our own local children we hope that it touches hearts and opens eyes. These kids have a much more clear understanding of the world than we give them credit for. Maybe, we as adults should take their advice more often. If we did, the world would truly be a better place.

AGES 6-10

The pandemic scared me because I didn't want to see my friends and family get sick. It made me want to be closer to my friends and family because I love them and I want to make sure that they're safe and ok. I think that it's important that we check on each other and keep each other safe.

It bothered me when the food in the stores got empty. I was afraid wed get hungry. I tried to eat less so that we all had more. I didn't want to waste food so I ate good and I made sure that my brother had food to eat. I stopped picking on my little brother and started hugging him a lot more.

At night when I said my prayers I always asked that every one that I knew would be safe and not get sick. I saved apples to share with my best friend and she gave me canned peaches because she knew I liked them so much. We took care of each other.

When I went to the store with my mom I asked if I could buy our neighbor some stuff too. She's old and she has always been good to me. I took bread and milk and cookies and sit them next to her door. Then id go home and call her so she could go find it. Sometimes she cried. It felt good to do good things for someone.

I picked flowers for my mom every day. I started helping around the house and trying to make her happy. I love my mom and I wanted to make sure that she knew it. I thought that if she got sick I wanted her to know that I loved her. I didn't want her to be afraid either so I always talked to her more and done things to make her happy.

I was worried about homeless people. I knew that they could get sick even easier than the rest of us. I tried to watch for some of them to walk by the house and my dad would go with me and I gave then mask and sanitizer and peanut butter crackers. I think that they liked it.

I started being nice to every one, even the people that I didn't like much. I took a bunch of my clothes and toys and shared them with other kids. I made new friends and we all like each other now.

Staying home all of the time was fun because me and my mom, dad and sister started playing games together. We had movie nights and mom taught us how to cook some things. We made tents in the living room and played camp out. It was fun and we didn't get scared because we was all together.

I made pen pals with other kids from other places and we sent each other emails every day. I made new friends from far away and we liked each other. Even though I didn't see them I wanted to take care of them and make sure that they was safe. We promised to stay friends forever.

I like helping people now. I think that we all need help and it's nice to offer our help. If I see a older person in the store I ask them if I can help them. I think that people are scared and when we smile and offer to help them, they're happy and not so scared any more.

I think kids are nicer to each other than grown ups are. We like to share our stuff and play and be happy. I think that grown ups need to be more like kids and be nicer to each other. If you can be nice to somebody else then you should be. You should share and be nice.

I have a little bear dressed like a nurse and I gave it to my dad to take to work with him. If he gets sick then the bear can take care of him. I miss my bear but I want it to be with my daddy because I'm not scared and I don't want him to be scared either.

AGES 11-16

I try to be cool but the pandemic really made me see how important it is to take care of each other. It's just the right thing to do. It don't cost anything to treat other people decent. Everybody needs to know that there is someone out there who cares.

I started thinking about opening a food pantry to help people, you know, people who really need it. I can't stand to think that anyone out there is hungry or cold. Nobody deserves that. We all really need to pull together and start doing better for each other.

I made care boxes for my friends at school. I put canned food, toilet paper, snacks, hand sanitizer and a stuffed animal in each box. It wasn't much but I wanted to do the best that I could. We don't need a pandemic to be good to each other. We should make care boxes just because, and give them to people.

You know that guy that walks around town and people laugh at him and accuse him of being on drugs and stuff. Stop that! I gave him a hot breakfast and he stood and cried and thanked me. The next day I found him and gave him masks, hand cleaner, and some fruit and stuff. He tried to give me back $10 for my kindness. He pulled his pockets out and said, "it's all I have". It made me feel so good and decent to really help someone. I went home and started asking my neighbors if there was anything they needed. Be good to each other, it feels awesome and it makes you a decent human being.

The COVID pandemic taught me that no matter how much we have, we still need each other. No matter how much money you have, a kind smile can mean more. I learned that we was each put here to be one big family and we need to start acting like it.

Now I make hugs last a little bit longer. I never leave home without telling my parents that I love them. I make sure that my friends are all good and that they know I'm always here for them. Life isn't perfect and it never will be. We're all gonna get upset and mad sometimes. But it shouldn't take a global virus to make us realize that our time is limited and if I don't wake up tomorrow at least everybody knows that I cared and that my heart was good.

They say that the COVID is almost gone. I kinda hate to see it go because I don't want to see people stop caring about each other again. I don't want to see people go forever without talking to each other. One good thing that came out of this is that people started being nicer. People started checking on each other. Helping each other. Giving to each other. It should stay that way. Just because you could catch the virus and possibly die, you want to be good and kind. Don't stop when it's over. Lets use this as a reason to change and keep caring.

Instead of a Farmers Market downtown, why don't we all take the things that we don't want or need. Take our crops and goods and just share with each other. Like a giant yard sale, but it's free! I mean, it would be awesome! We need to start looking for ways to start really digging down deep and helping each other. Not just when it's scary or unsure, but every single day! My papaw always said that we can't take our money and stuff with us when we leave this world. So why not share it! Help each other!

THANK YOU! to these wonderful, amazing kids from right here in Jellico. These guys really know what the world needs and we're so very proud of them. Give them a like and a share. They truly deserve it.