ELK GROVE, Calif. — During the pandemic, it's hard for some kids to actually feel like kids. Charles Mack Elementary School teacher Angelica Solorio wanted to change that for her students.
"This year has been especially hard for my students. There are families who have been laid off, are working two jobs to get through this pandemic or have lost their homes," Solorio said.
Solorio says that she sees herself in her students. She used to be one of them, being an alumnus of Charles Mack. She wanted to teach at the school because the kids remind her of herself and she understands their struggles. Many of her students are socio-economically disadvantaged, with Charles Mack being a Title I school.
To let them forget about their struggles for a little bit, Solorio decided to do something fun for her kids.
"Our first Friday of the year, I decided to dress up and dance like a madwoman in front of them," she said. "Seeing their smiles and hearing them say I helped them forget their troubles made this become our weekly tradition."
So now every Friday on Zoom, Solorio dresses up in costume and dances with her kids.
"Even if it's just for ten minutes, I know these kids can let loose and be kids again," she said.
Solorio wants to remind her students that whatever challenges they face, they are all a family and the class is there for each other.
"I try to create a safe space for them to be themselves and for them to free their minds of their worries," she said.
The one thing Solorio hopes for is that she has enough costumes to get her through the rest of the school year.
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