Differences lead to friendships that last a lifetime. In March of 2020, our school announced that we would not return to class for two weeks. Covid was spreading like wildfire, and our community had no idea how to handle it. Many of my classmates were excited to have time off, but I complained, “We’re not going to go back ever?! This is going to be terrible.” We jumped straight into online learning on Zoom. It wasn’t so bad rolling out of bed and logging on while my mom brought me breakfast, but I missed my friends. Before we realized it, those two weeks turned into the rest of the school year.

The following year, students had the option to return to school under strict rules like masks, distancing, and constant testing. My mom came to me and my younger brother with an idea. She explained how we could be homeschooled at our house with a small group of friends. Yes, I knew these kids and wasn’t afraid to talk to them, but we were not close. We came from different families, played different sports, and saw the world through different lenses. Even so, it felt better than traditional school. I agreed, and soon I was walking downstairs each morning, as my house transformed into a classroom.

It didn’t take long before we were laughing and running around our basement together in our new schoolhouse. Our parents hired a PE teacher, art teachers, and a retired science teacher who looked like he had stepped straight out of a Sir Isaac Newton comic book. Our days were a good mix of work and fun, from playing “Among Us” on our iPads to basketball in the driveway. We read books like Milkweed, A Night Divided, and Animal Farm, stories that had themes of division and connection that were common with our new friends.

My mom also taught us how to write essays, and we wrote argumentative, expository, personal narrative, and opinion pieces. To get “off campus,” we worked with a local tutor who continued our algebra education and introduced us to architecture. We ended the year with several field trips, the most memorable being a visit to the Seattle Holocaust Center for Humanity.

Although we were all different, those differences quickly became irrelevant. What had once made us different had now become our connection. We became best friends, building relationships that will last a lifetime. I am forever grateful for my friends and for the year we spent together in my basement. That space became more than a classroom; it was a place of connection even through the separation of covid.

This experience taught me something important about what it means to be American. Being American means embracing diversity, asking questions, and creating relationships. I learned to listen to others and realize that I don’t know their experiences, beliefs, or the reasons behind them. Curiosity was a bridge between us.

Our families come from different parts of the world, yet we are connected by choosing America as our home and believing in the opportunities it offers. My friends and I are a small example of the “We Are America” idea. Individuals with differences brought together by experiences, kindness, and fun. Differences didn’t divide us, they created friendships that will last a lifetime.

© Izaiah. All rights reserved. If you are interested in quoting this story, contact the national team and we can put you in touch with the author’s teacher.