((PKG))  COVID / DISTANCE  LEARNING   
((Banner:  Distance Learning))  
((Reporter/Producer:  Lisa Vohra)) 
((Camera:  Rajan Agarwal, Dia White, Mohit Gupta, Maryah 
Roberts, Priya Agarwal, Bimal Prakash)) 
((Map:  Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Washington, DC))    
((Main characters:  1 female;  3 males))  
((NATS)) 
 All right, let’s get started.    
((Nour Roberts, 8th Grader, Cooper Middle School))   
Hi, I’m Nour Roberts.  I’m 14 and I go to Cooper Middle.   
((Rajan Agarwal, Freshman, University of Maryland))  
My name is Rajan Agarwal and I’m currently a student at the 
University of Maryland.    
((Justin White, Social Studies Teacher, Rossville Middle 
School)) 
My name is Justin White.  I teach 7th grade Social Studies.     
((Mohit Gupta, MBA Student, Georgetown University))  
My name is Mohit Gupta and I’m 28 years old.  And I’m an MBA 
student at Georgetown University, McDonough School of 
Business.    
((NATS))  
((Nour Roberts, 8th Grader, Cooper Middle School))  
I am on class with my Civics teacher and she’s reviewing last 
week’s assignments. 
((NATS)) 
((Nour Roberts, 8th Grader, Cooper Middle School))  
My distance learning experience so far has been kind of lame.  
And that is because we’re doing online school at our homes by 
ourselves.  And you don’t get to see your friends and your whole 
entire social life is missing.  And teachers just assign work for you 
to do on your computer. 
((NATS)) 
((Rajan Agarwal, Freshman, University of Maryland)) 
I think for the most part, The University of Maryland has done a 
good job with getting everything kind of settled in and getting 
students to perform the best they can in an online environment. 
((NATS)) 
((Mohit Gupta, MBA Student, Georgetown University)) 
My experience so far has been pretty interesting.  It has made it 
easier because when you have everything going on online and 
you can see your professor’s screen, then everything becomes 
crystal clear and it’s easier to learn, from my perspective. 
((NATS)) 
((Justin White, Social Studies Teacher, Rossville Middle 
School)) 
In a regular classroom setting, I have four classes, about an hour 
and 15 minutes in length for each class.  We have about 25 
students per class.   So in a normal year, for this particular 
setting, you know, it can be a difficult challenge, meeting the 
needs of each of those students, but that's something as a 
teacher that you’re used to. 
((NATS/MUSIC)) 
((Justin White, Social Studies Teacher, Rossville Middle 
School)) 
This is Coach White.  I was just calling to check on your student.  
They’ve got a little bit behind this week on their assignments and 
so I was just calling to see if I can be of any help, maybe, maybe 
encourage your child or answering questions you might have? 
((Nour Roberts, 8th Grader, Cooper Middle School))  
Distance learning is quite the buzz kill, if you ask me.  Testing is 
definitely hard.  I had a math test the other day and I’m almost 
positive I failed. 
((Mohit Gupta, MBA Student, Georgetown University)) 
I think distance learning is a pretty good arrangement where 
people can switch over to the online version whenever possible 
and whenever it is required. 
((Rajan Agarwal, Freshman, University of Maryland)) 
Sometimes being at home, it’s not always easy to focus.  It’s 
easier to get distracted at home because it is so much more 
comfortable. 
((Nour Roberts, 8th Grader, Cooper Middle School))  
So as far as communicating with my classmates, it’s not really like 
it was and nobody really shows their faces or talks because it’s 
just not as easy.  It’s more awkward. 
((NATS)) 
You can be in it.  You can include your parents or not. 
((NATS)) 
Yeah, she’s on the list for a Chromebook pickup. 
((NATS)) 
((Justin White, Social Studies Teacher, Rossville Middle 
School))  
It’s a real struggle for many parents in this era that we’re dealing 
with.  It’s really trying times for all of us.    
((Justin White, Social Studies Teacher, Rossville Middle 
School))  
Homeschooling while teaching is certainly a challenge.  I can 
understand how some parents are struggling with it.   
((Rajan Agarwal, Freshman, University of Maryland)) 
This whole quarantine and online learning has made it easier for 
me to have a little bit more time because a lot of my time is spent 
walking between classes or going different places in the day 
whenever I’m at school.   
But at home, I don’t really have that.  Going to the next class is 
just opening a new tab.  
((Nour Roberts, 8th Grader, Cooper Middle School))  
Hi, I’m back and at first, distance learning was like, not really 
easy, but now it’s kind of got up and rolling.  I usually just have 
school in the morning and then I work out because my swim team 
has Zoom calls on Tuesday and Thursdays but sometimes I just 
work out by myself. 
((NATS))  
((Courtesy:  Georgetown University))  
((Robert M. Groves, Provost, Georgetown University)) 
Welcome to the 2020 Conferral of Degrees in Course by 
Georgetown University. 
((Courtesy;  Zoom)) 
((Mohit Gupta, MBA Student, Georgetown University)) 
I have my parents and my sister back in India.  They were 
supposed to come to my graduation ceremony which is now an e-
ceremony.  So, I miss them.  But it’s okay.  It’s a part of the whole 
promise that we’re making for a safer society in general. 
((NATS)) 
((Mohit Gupta, MBA Student, Georgetown University)) 
Do the honors of throwing my tassel on the air.  So...one, two, 
three.  Cheers! 
((NATS))