Steven Mayer is a teacher at four colleges around the tri-state area. Teaching is very important to Mayer, and that is why he decided to take the COVID vaccine. He wanted to ensure that he was healthy enough so he could teach students, face to face.
Educators are calling for vaccinations around the country. They want the government to come up with enough supplies for all teachers to take the shot. They were recently added to the list of priority people for the vaccine in New York and New Jersey. Teachers have been clamoring to get vaccinated under the label of essential workers and New York did just that.
It was 10:15 P.M. on a Saturday night when Mayer went all the way to the middle of New York City to get the vaccine.
“My health and the health of everyone is in my hands”, Mayer said. “I’m not going to risk the lives of my students.”
COVID-19 has upended education with teachers having to teach virtually or in a hybrid model- partly in person and partly online. This was done because when teachers teach in person, they are putting themselves at risk. Due to this, students learn in uncomfortable conditions, and that makes teachers want the vaccine even more, so they can teach their classes in person. Mayer wants to teach but also, wants to be protected.
Those We Have Lost
Those teachers who have taught in-person were at risk of getting COVID, and some of them have died. Demetria Bannister, a 28-year-old music teacher in South Carolina died within days of being diagnosed with COVID. Two teachers that were married to each other for 30 years died from the Corona Virus. Paul Blackwell, 62, and Rose Maxwell, 65, passed away on the same day after being held in intensive care. Witnesses of their deaths say they were holding each other’s hands and the hands of their children when their plug was pulled. They were both very beloved teachers at the school they taught at.
How Many People are Vaccinated in New York and New Jersey So Far
There have been well over one million doses administered in New Jersey; approximately 1,349,327. Also, in New York, there have been approximately 2,925,186 doses administered. That is a big number, although, there is a long way to go because of the number of the population in NJ and NY.
Importance of the Vaccine
Carly Friedenberg is an on-call nurse at a hospital in Philadelphia, and she is there hours on end saving lives and can attest to the importance of getting the COVID vaccine. She is a front-line worker who was one of the first to get the vaccine last year.
“Teachers and people who educate, they make a difference, and they need to keep on doing what they are doing for our children,” Friedeneberg said. “Let’s make sure they are one of the first priorities to get the vaccine.”
Steven Mayer is still teaching to this day. He is very committed to his job, and he makes time for all of his students. Whether it’s for study and class questions or for life advice, he is there for them. When he teaches, he is light-hearted and cracks a lot of jokes, which makes being a student a nice gig. Mayer is a retired accountant and thoroughly enjoys teaching accounting to undergraduate and graduate students at the colleges he teaches at.
Steven has received his second dose of the vaccine in order for him to be healthy, so he can thrive in the classroom.
Mayer hopes that many teachers like him receive the vaccine so education can go back to normal in order for teachers to prepare students for college, jobs, and life.
“My students need me, and there is no way I’m going to let them down,” Mayer said. “I’ll make sure that teachers and colleagues know the importance of the vaccine.”
In 24 hours, about 17,000 educators responded to a United Federation of Teachers survey saying they want the vaccine. https://t.co/Ad3Yce1QLR
— Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) January 12, 2021
I liked the format of the story. I also liked that you interviewed front line workers (teachers and healthcare workers) to get their perspective. The direct quotes really emphasized the need for a vaccine. I also liked that you included a tweet.
The placements of the pictures and tweets were very well done and effective in complementing the story. The use of the multimedia elements exemplify what an online news story should look like, especially on a mobile device.
I thought you did a great job getting quality quotes from your sources that express the importance of the Covid vaccine. Also great use of multimedia as well.
It is good to see how educators want the vaccine. Hearing from a teacher and hearing how he feels about the vaccine is a very good aspect of this story because it gives you an inside look at schools.
I think the subheads work nicely in this story, and the lead is well suited for the article. I really appreciate how the story goes from one story to reading it in a much broader, macroscopic lens.
I thought this was really well organized and written out. It had the feel of a feature profile type of story while also being informative and encouraging citizens to get the vaccine. Relating the issue to the members of the community around us is a form of persuasion that I feel is effective, and I think it is well-utilized here.
I like this piece. Your sources were well picked, having both a teacher and healthcare worker, providing both sides of the dynamic. I also liked your subheads, they were well placed and made the piece very scannable. Your block quotes were also nice, adding weight to these already heavy quotes. Well done.