JUDY WOODRUFF: The pandemic have
been difficult for all of us,
but particularly for students,

who have experienced major
disruptions to both their
education and their social lives.

In a special program, our
Student Reporting Labs team

explores how young people are
dealing with this new normal.

Here's a slice of their reporting,
a look at one teacher taking an

unconventional approach to learning.

SKATEBOARDER: Go do some tricks.

KENDALL VANVALKENBURG, Teacher,
Red Canyon High School: During
the pandemic, I noticed that a lot

of students were skateboarding.
I can see the skate park from
my house. So, when I see kids

interested in something, I'm
going to figure out a way to
brick that into the classroom.

NARRATOR: Ms. V. is a teacher at
Red Canyon High School in Gypsum,

Colorado, trying to solve a problem
that students know all too well.

KENDALL VANVALKENBURG: There is
something missing in the education

system. Kids find themselves not wanting
to go to school and at the skate park.

Why can't we take that something
else that makes school a part of it?

NARRATOR: While the class may
just look like students fooling
around at the skate park,

they're actually learning about
urban planning, design and how
to build a stronger community.

KENDALL VANVALKENBURG: We talked
about barriers that stand in the

way of kids being able to skate.
And then we came up with solutions

to those barriers to make
skateboarding more accessible
to all kids in our community.

CLAIRE EVANS, Student: Mostly,
what we're doing right now is
trying to get a skate park in Avon

to make things a little more
accessible to kids there and
also help reduce the crowding.

We are working on getting funding
from Tony Hawk Foundation to

revamp this place that we're
standing at right here. And

we -- my group specifically has
been working on a design that
we think could be really cool.

DAVID CARRILLO, Student: I'm
actually, like, doing work for my
community. And it's not really like

just a class anymore. I'm part of
something bigger than just this class.

NARRATOR: With each new trick,
students understand more about
themselves, as well as how to connect,

how to teach, and how to
learn from one another.

KENDALL VANVALKENBURG: It's
hard. If you're learning to
do from the most basic skill

to a really difficult skill,
it takes a lot of resilience
to get back up and try again.

CLAIRE EVANS: It's one of those
things where, if you could
put your mind to something and

just kind of get into it, you
can really prove to yourself that
you can do whatever you want.

CALVIN PARRISH, Student: I
always thought it was like super
cool. And I thought the skaters

were super cool. So it just -- it makes me
feel good. And I like learning new things.

CLAIRE EVANS: School can be
stressful for kids these days.
And I think it's really important

that we have these days to be able to just
be able to relax, because it's not like we

get recess anymore. We don't
get to go play with our friends
and use our imaginations.

If we get rid of that creativity,
by the time we're adults, we're
not going to be doing anything

useful with the world. We're not
going to be able to solve these

world problems because we're all looking
at the straight -- what's ahead of us,

just not taking time think about
things that are outside the box.

JORGE JIMENEZ-VELAZCO, Student: It
helps a lot with conquering your fears,

because it's scary to do some
things. And when you finally
own up to it, it is relieving.

I recently learned how to drop in.
It's really scary, but I did it.

NARRATOR: And while Ms. V is teaching
her students how to face their fears,

at the same time, she
had to do it herself.

KENDALL VANVALKENBURG: I
learned how to drop in. And I
was scared, because you fall.

And I'm looking at a student
who is a language learner who I
have watched take so many risks

in the classroom, and I have watched sit
there and struggle when he was younger.

And I have, like, forced him to
read and write and grow. He's got
the drop in. He totally can do it.

And he's cheering me on. And so, of
course, I'm going to take that risk.

JUDY WOODRUFF: What a great teacher.
And this program is exceptional.

You can watch Student Reporting
Labs' full program, "Our New Normal,"

tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
And that's on our YouTube channel.