COVID strikes again; noting my 11-year milestone


Kim Brooks
Babbling Brooks Column
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     Thanks COVID!

     How many times can we blame COVID-19 for things going wrong, things not going our way, or disruptions in our lives recently?

     Due to the public health measures put in place by the state, visitors will be restricted inside the schools this school year. That includes the media/press.

     Thanks COVID!

     Do you know how many times in a single school year the Express staff step foot inside the Monticello Community Schools and Sacred Heart? Too many times to count…

     Sports and athletics aside, I decided to make a list. I went through every single issue of the Monticello Express from 2019, what we would all now consider a “normal” year in terms of school activities and events. (We can no longer use 2020 as a benchmark year.) Here are some of the activities we covered at both the public school and Sacred Heart:

     Vocal and band concerts, holiday parties, Teacher of the Week (an honor awarded by several area radio stations), Student of the Month, Veterans Day, Sacred Heart Gala preview, school plays and speech contests, National Honor Society/Honors Night, all-state music honors, academic awards, accompanying the Rotary Club as they gave away brand new dictionaries, middle school Express subscription contest, Homecoming, Prom, Grandparents Day, teacher appreciation lunch awards, first day of school, last day of school/fun day, Back to School Bash, preschool graduation, guest speakers, class/grade-level projects, Family Fun Night, State Farm tree-giveaway for Arbor Day, career/college fairs, National Volunteer Week, D.A.R.E. graduation, Read Across America Week, Valentines Day breakfast at Shannon and Carpenter, Dance Marathon, spelling bee, geography bee, Kindness Challenge at Shannon and Carpenter, and Catholic Schools Week. (If I’m missing something, I apologize.)

     What a list!

     In an effort to showcase all the great things our schools in this community are doing on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis, it is important to the Express to continue to have coverage of any and all events that can still take place this school year.

     I don’t make it a habit of asking for favors from others, but I have a HUGE favor to ask of our teachers, school staff, school secretaries, school associates, etc… Please remember to capture these moments and share the photos with the Express. In the world of technology we live in, you can take a photo with your smart phone or tablet and simply e-mail it to us in no time! When sending that photo(s), please tell us a little about the event/occasion and help us in identifying the students in the photos.

     For me, it’s sad to think I can’t just step foot in any of our school buildings for the time being.

     Thanks COVID!

     Any time I went to Shannon or Carpenter Elementary or Sacred Heart, the little kids knew exactly why I was there, to take pictures for the paper. I even had a couple of nicknames: “Paper Lady” and “Picture/Camera Lady.” It never fails; I’d always hear a kid ask, “Are you here to take our pictures for the paper?” I sure was!

     So in light of our required absence from the schools for the time being, please don’t forget to share those school moments and memories with the Express. We pride ourselves on being a true community newspaper, and school year coverage is huge for us from August through May/June.

     Send those pictures to kbrooks@monticelloexpress.com. I look forward to seeing all that the schools are doing, even if I can’t be there in-person.

     On another note, this week marks the end of my 11th year and the start of my 12th year here at the Monticello Express! That’s 11 years of school event/activity coverage. That’s 10 Great Jones County Fairs. That’s way too many city council and board of supervisor meetings to count.

     Clearly I love and enjoy my job, working and living in Monticello, otherwise I wouldn’t have lasted this long. (Or Mark and Dan would have gotten rid of me years ago.) And not only do I stay busy with my job, but I have so many amazing friends here, not to mention the organizations I take pride in supporting through my volunteer service.

     So thanks for reading my work. Thanks for subscribing and advertising in our paper. Thanks for the positive feedback on my editorials, columns, and articles. Thanks for the critical feedback as well. (We can’t all be perfect.)

     I truly enjoy sharing stories and reporting on our wonderful community!

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