Schools Maintain the Values of Adventist Education
W
hile parents are feeling the strain of the ongoing global pandemic, their children are also experiencing difficult emotions. The important issue of schooling has families weighing the options for their children during this unprecedented year. Daphne Thomas, professor of social work at La Sierra University, said that more children are currently living with high levels of stress. According to her, “Children absorb the experience of those around them. They may worry about vulnerable loved ones as well as parents who work in situations where they are exposed.” The effects are amplified as the stressful conditions persist. “Chronic stress changes the chemical and physical structure of the brain and can impair cognition, attention, concentration, memory, and creativity,” said Thomas, who adds that there can be longerlasting effects. “Mental health and academic achievement are linked. When mental health suffers, then academics start to fall behind.” Schools in Southeastern California Conference are responding to these ABOVE: La Sierra Academy’s K-6 chapel takes place outside during the 2020/21 school year. LEFT: The seventh-grade math class at La Sierra Academy meets with students in-person and online.
30 Pacific Union Recorder
Southeastern California Conference
