LOCAL STUDENT’S

LOCAL STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

For many families, going back to school is going to feel different this fall. Kendall County Magazine wanted to hear how students, regardless of format, were looking at their return to learning. What better way to contemplate the upcoming year than by hearing what a student herself has to say?

One day we were talking with our friends in the hallway, and the next we were stuck at home learning through a screen. Masks became a fashion trend, and social distancing was considered proper etiquette. We thought we would have an extra week of spring break, but very quickly things took a turn for the worse. All schools closed, prom was canceled, SAT and ACT tests were postponed and drive-thru graduations took place. The world became a completely different place than it had been six months ago. Everyone lost something important this year that cannot be given back. However, after seeing our teachers and classmates for months through a screen, it is time to go back to school. Our school shopping lists will consist of pencils, paper, proper face covering, Clorox wipes and gloves. This is uncharted territory. We have no idea what to expect. Will we continue “A” and “B” days, only seeing half our class for the year? Will we have our sports seasons, homecoming or prom night? With all of these questions come fear: fear of the unknown, fear of change. But sometimes fear is a good thing: It means there is something to lose. Ever since I was a freshman, I have been waiting for my senior year — my senior night for cheerleading, performing in front of my parents for the last time; my senior yearbook; my graduation in a hot, packed gym. The possibility of not experiencing these once-in-alifetime moments scares me. I don’t want half of senior year to be in my bedroom on a Zoom meeting with my sister right across the hall from me. Instead, I want to walk through the halls of Sandwich High School with my peers. I want to be able to cheer on the Sandwich Indians football team. I want to go to my senior homecoming and dance with my friends. I want to plan my senior yearbook with an amazing group of people and Mrs. Heilemeier, who helped me decide to become a teacher. I want to have a normal senior year. But “normal” is not going to happen. This year is going to be unlike any other, but we will overcome it together. We will wear masks, go to school with half our class and have online learning days. We may not have homecoming night, football games or club meetings. All the things that we take for granted as students may not happen. And while it is scary that we may not get these things, we have to remember we are living through history. Our generation is going to be in books that our children learn about in their history lessons. The way our grandparents talk about the Great Depression and our parents tell us about 9/11 is how we will talk to our children and grandchildren about 2020. So, every time we feel frustrated that we don’t get a “normal” school year, we need to stop and think about all the stories that we get to tell our grandchildren: “I lived through a pandemic.”

 Alicia Beckwith is a senior at Sandwich Community High School. As editor-in-chief of the school yearbook, President of Educators Rising, a member of the National Honors Society and a varsity athlete on the cheerleading team, Alicia is an active member at her school. She enjoys writing and is planning on majoring in English education to become a teacher and spread her love for reading and writing.

Like most retail stores, rare coin stores o!en sell more September through Christmas. Like most stores, we want to stock our shelves NOW-so we can sell September thru Christmas.

Even though many coin dealers, pawn shops and jewelers sell to us, our number one source for our “product” is still the collector or person that inheritedacollection. As we say, “Sure we’ll still buy a�er Christmas. But we want to buy now in time for Christmas sales.”

Unlike most shops that buy gold and silver scrap from the public, we’ll buy that too, but our emphasis is on the scarce coins and collector coins and currency.

Many people ask us, “Why do you only advertise that you are buying?” Simple - because avid coin collectors already know about us and come in to our store.

But if you aren’t a numismatist (fancy word for coin collector), you maybe don’t know where to sell that old box of coins or strange piece of paper money.

When you come to our store, we can give youafree verbal appraisal on your items. If you want to sell any, some or none, we don’t charge.

Gold and Silver prices are CRA ZY! We Buy and Sell For cash or check!

Because we are wanting to stock up now BEFORE November 1 st , we are arranging house calls

now through October. We want to limit the house calls to those that either have so much it’s too hard to bring in to the store or for people that it is just too hard to travel to our location. Also, we want to cater to the people that are inclined to sell (if the price is right for you). If you are strictly looking for an appraisal, we can do that too, but please wait till a�er the busy holidays for that.

We say:“If you have coins and enjoy them and are avidly collecting, great. We’d love to help you fill out or upgrade your collection. But if they’re just sitting in a closet or in a costly safety deposit box and you don’t remember when you even looked at them…we are always buying and assure you they will find a happy home.

Did you know that Fox Valley Coins was the high buyer of over 2,800,000 old

pennies fromanational coin marketing company? An interesting fact: if you lay 2.8 million pennies touching side by side in a line they would be 20 miles long! By the way, that penny deal launched Fox Valley Coins to also be their number 1 supplier of old coins and currency.

Did you know that Fox Valley Coins isaleading buyer AND seller of gold

and silver bullion the Midwest? We stock all major gold, silver, platinum and palladium bars and coins.

FOX

In today’s world of identity the� - why would anyone buy or sell gold, silver or coins through the mail? Fox Valley Coins is CASH and CARRY. VALLEY COINS , INC.

Fox Valley Coins, Inc. - 630-305-0100 WWW.FOXVALLEYCOINS.COM

4S100 N. Route 59, Naperville, Illinois 60563 1 Light North of I-88 at Naperville/Warrenville Border Mon-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-3, Closed Sun & Holidays