As part of the “Student Reflections: Looking Back on School during COVID” series, students in each community were given disposable cameras to document their own experiences. They photographed their friends, classrooms, changing mask mandates, recess, after school activities and senior prom.
On what it was like for her students to take pictures for the project, Nevada Union High teacher Keri Kemble shared: “This was their first exposure to professional journalism and I think it opens their eyes as to how journalism works not only on our campus… We’re always learning about the best way to tell a story and thinking about how best can you tell the stories visually.”
The photographs offer a look back at the school year through the eyes of the students themselves.
Nevada City












Buttonwillow








Lockwood











Student Reflections: Looking Back on School during COVID was reported and written by photojournalists Larry Valenzuela, Salgu Wissmath and David Rodriguez for CatchLight & CalMatters.
For the record: A quote in this post was corrected to reflect that Nevada Union High teacher Keri Kemble referred to the students’ first experience with professional, not scholastic, journalism.
This project was produced by CalMatters & CatchLight as part of the CatchLight Local CA Visual Desk. Contributors include Joe Hong, Miguel Gutierrez Jr., Martin do Nascimento, Mabel Jimenez and Jenny Jacklin-Stratton. The San Antonio Elementary School project was produced through additional collaboration with the Salinas Californian.