Back to school…online

It’s only August, but in the Bay Area that means its fall back-to-school! Like most schools around the country, classes at Menlo-Atherton High School will be fully online until at least October. Online school presents a lot of challenges for an outdoor program like MERO.
 
Fall is usually the time we really focus on providing continued support for our MERO alumni –students who were part of a previous MERO cohort but are still in high school. We usually hold at least one alumni event per month, focusing on getting outside, reconnecting with our students, and helping them reach their goals for after high school. This fall though, instead of our usual hikes and climbing trips, we’ll be focusing on how to help our students cope with the challenges presented by online school and an ongoing pandemic.
 
In our first online meeting tomorrow, we’ll be discussing what online school will look like, answering any questions students might have about school or the pandemic, and making sure that each student has internet and computer access at home to be able to do their schoolwork. 
 
If you interested in helping a MERO student or family in need,
Here are three concrete actions you can take to support students and their families during these difficult times:

1. Wear a mask and take precautions to slow the spread of coronavirus. The faster we contain the coronavirus, the sooner our kids can get back to school in-person. Let’s all do our part to help them get the education they deserve! 
2. Donate your old computer*. Many students lack a computer to do their online work or have to share a single old and slow computer with multiple siblings. We can make sure that computer you don’t use anymore gets to a kid who really needs it.
3. Donate or volunteer with a local food bank or other community-serving organization. Some groups doing great work in our area are the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula, Ecumenical Hunger Program, and Second Harvest of Silicon Valley.

 
*Please contact Tyler McFadden at tmcfadde@stanford.edu to learn more or if you are interested in donating a computer to a student.