♪ >>> WHAT IS IT LIKE GOING THROUGH YOUR SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL AND GRADUATING IN A PANDEMIC?

WE'’LL TALK WITH THREE NEBRASKA SENIORS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE THIS YEAR.

PLUS, THE LATEST ON COVID TRENDS AND VACCINATIONS AND WHAT'’S STILL LEFT TO DO IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE NEBRASKA STATE LEGISLATURE'’S SESSION?

IT'’S ALL AHEAD TONIGHT ON SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA.

♪ >> THANKS FOR JOINING US ON SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA.

I'’M NET NEWS DIRECTOR DENNIS KELLOGG.

THE PANDEMIC HAS MADE THE PAST YEAR DIFFICULT FOR ALL OF US.

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS HAVE HAD TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, JUGGLING LEARNING, SOMETIMES REMOTELY, WITH STAYING SAFE AND STILL PLANNING FOR THEIR FUTURES.

ALL OF THAT IMPACTED THESE YOUNG NEBRASKANS IN MANY WAYS, INCLUDING THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.

DR. CATHERINE JONES HAZLEDINE, A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST IN RUSHVILLE, NEBRASKA, WORKS WITH STUDENTS AND SHE SAYS SHE'’S SEEN MORE ISOLATION, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION THIS YEAR.

>> WHAT'S REALLY HARD ABOUT IT IS THAT THERE'S STILL SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY.

AND I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, OUR KIDS ARE RESILIENT.

AND THEY CAN HANDLE A LOT OF STUFF, IF IT'S TIME LIMITED, BUT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY'RE HAVING IS THAT NOBODY KNOWS EXACTLY WHEN LIFE IS GOING TO RETURN TO NORMAL.

SO IT'S HARD FOR THEM TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.

SO WE'RE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THEIR DEPRESSION, THEIR ANXIETY, AND THE MOTIVATION TO JUST KIND OF MOVE FORWARD AND CONTINUE BECAUSE IT STARTS TO FEEL AFTER A WHILE, LIKE, NOTHING'S EVER GOING TO BE ANY DIFFERENT.

AND SO STUDENTS KIND OF GIVE UP SOMETIMES.

WE'VE TRIED TO FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY LAST SEMESTER WHEN THEY WERE ALL LEARNING VIRTUALLY, AND THINGS LOOKED SO DIFFERENT, DEVELOPING A ROUTINE AND A STRUCTURE THAT WORKED FOR THEM AND INCLUDING THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE IMPORTANT TO YOUNG PEOPLE IN MENTAL HEALTH, SO INCLUDING EXERCISE AND INCLUDING SOCIAL CONNECTION, WHATEVER THAT LOOKED LIKE AND, AND INCORPORATE AND KIND OF PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.

SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE LEARNING LANGUAGES FOR THAT EVENTUAL TRIP TO EUROPE, OR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WRITING SCREENPLAYS OR THEY'RE -- THEY'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING THAT KEEPS THEM FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE.

IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, AS WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING IS THAT IT'S HARDER AND HARDER AS TIME GOES ON BECAUSE NOBODY EXPECTED THIS TO BE AS LONG AS IT HAS BEEN AND AS LONG AS IT MIGHT BE.

♪ >> JOINING US NOW ARE ANDREA OROZCO LOPEZ FROM LINCOLN EAST HIGH SCHOOL, OSCAR MURCIA FROM GRAND ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND ELLIE HIGGINS FROM NEBRASKA CITY HIGH SCHOOL.

THANK YOU, ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN MOST OF THE WORLD SEEMED TO SHUT DOWN, ALL OF YOU WERE FINISHING YOUR JUNIOR YEAR AT THAT POINT, AND YOU WERE DOING IT REMOTELY AND ONLINE.

I WANT TO ASK YOU, AND ANDREA, I'LL START YOU WITH, WHAT WAS THAT ABRUPT CHANGE LIKE WHERE ONE DAY THINGS ARE KIND OF NORMAL AND THE NEXT DAY YOU'RE DOING SCIENCE CLASS FROM YOUR KITCHEN TABLE?

>> IT WAS HONESTLY IT WAS REALLY CHAOTIC JUST BECAUSE YOU HAD TO FIGURE OUT WITH YOUR TEACHERS, WITH E-MAIL, AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT DOING YOU KNOW TEACHING YOUR CLASS, THE TEACHERS TEACHING THEIR CLASS VIA ONLINE, WITH ZOOM, AND TRYING TO FIGURE THINGS OUT.

IT WAS CONFUSING MOSTLY.

JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT DAY BY DAY, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH YOUR CLASSES AND HOW THINGS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE ON.

>> AND ELLIE, HOW ABOUT YOU?

SAME QUESTION.

WAS IT REALLY ABRUPT FOR YOU?

>> YEAH, IT WAS DEFINITELY ABRUPT.

FOR ME, IT WAS ASUPER EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE I HADN'T EXPERIENCED LIKE THAT MUCH UNCERTAINTY BEFORE, AND TO ADJUST KIND OF LIFE AS YOU KNOW IT TO DOING EVERYTHING ONLINE WAS DEFINITELY A HUGE ADJUSTMENT THAT I THINK WAS A LITTLE EXHAUSTING, TOO, BUT WE KIND OF GOT INTO THE SWING OF IT EVENTUALLY.

>> WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND, OSCAR,WHEN THEY SAID, "“HEY, WE'RE GOING TO GO REMOTE.

"” >> TO BE HONEST, I WAS KIND OF EXCITED BECAUSE WE WERE ON THE MIDDLE OF SPRING BREAK, WHICH WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO NOW.

AND WHEN WE HEARD THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE ON EXTENDED BREAK AT THE TIME, I WAS SO EXCITED.

I JUST NEEDED THAT BREAK.

BECAUSE I WAS HAVING SO MUCH THINGS TO GO THROUGH AT THE TIME.

AND WELL, THE SCHOOL WORK WAS JUST -- I DIDN'T WANT TO GET BACK INTO IT.

I WAS HAVING SO MUCH FUN WITH MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY, AND THEN WE HAD A SUDDEN CHANGE, BECAUSE GOING INTO -- WE WEREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO SCHOOL.

WE HAD THAT EXTENDED BREAK AND LATER TOLD WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT BY ONLINE AND IT HURT ME PERSONALLY, BECAUSE I WOULDN'T GET TO SEE MY FRIENDS AGAIN, AND IT JUST REALLY HURT ME, IN ALL.

>> WHEN YOU HEAR THE EXPERTS TALK ABOUT IT, THEY SAY ONE OF THE HARDEST PARTS OF REMOTE LEARNING HAS BEEN THE LACK OF THE SOCIAL INTERACTION.

ELLIE, WHAT IMPACT DID GOING TO CLASS REMOTELY AND DOING SO MANY OTHER THINGS REMOTELY HAVE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOU AND YOUR PEERS?

DID YOU SEE SOME OF THEM START TO STRUGGLE?

>> YEAH, I AM 100% A PEOPLE PERSON.

I'’M SUPER EXTROVERTED.

I GET ALL MY ENERGY FROM PEOPLE.

SO SUDDENLY HAVING TO SIT KIND OF BY MYSELF IN A ROOM ALL DAY DOING SCHOOL WORK TOOK A TOLL ON MY MENTAL HEALTH, BUT IT WAS COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT EVERYONE ELSE WAS GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING.

SO I HAD TO WORK REALLY HARD WITH MY FRIENDS TO KIND OF SAFELY HANG OUT SO WE WOULD GO PARK IN A PARKING LOT, A PARKING STALL AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, AND TALK TO EACH OTHER THROUGH THE WINDOWS OF OUR CAR AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE HAD TO GET CREATIVE, BUT I THINK THAT MADE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL SO MUCH MORE EXCITING, BECAUSE YOU KNOW NORMALLY I'M LIKE I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL BUT THIS YEAR I WAS REALLY GRATEFUL AND EXCITED TO GO BACK.

SO I THINK IT MADE US ALL MORE THANKFUL FOR THE WAY LIFE IS.

>> ANDREA, I WANT TO PICK UP A LITTLE BIT ON THAT AND TALK TO YOU-- SO MUCH OF HIGH SCHOOL ESPECIALLY YOUR SENIOR YEAR, IS ABOUT BEING SOCIAL.

THERE IS PROM, FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, THE SCHOOL PLAY.

SO WHAT DID YOU REPLACE THOSE THINGS WITH THAT WERE TAKEN AWAY BY THE PANDEMIC?

WHAT DID YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?

>> IT WAS A LOT OF FACE TIME CALLS WITH FRIENDS.

IT WAS A LOT OF, AS SHE SAID I DID THE SAME THING.

GOING TO THE PARKING LOT AND PARKING AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND SPEAKING THROUGH A CAR WITH A MASK ON.

IT WAS A LOT OF JUST PHONE CALLS AND TEXT AND TRYING TO STAY CONNECTED WITH PEOPLE, CHECK UP ON PEOPLE, MAKING SURE THEY'RE HEALTHY, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND OTHERWISE.

BEING AWAY FROM PEOPLE CAN BE REALLY HARD FOR SOME.

AND SO JUST CHECKING UP ON A LOT OF PEOPLE AND TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH WHAT WAS GOING ON.

>> OSCAR, DID SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS STRUGGLE?

DID YOU SEE THAT?

>> YES, SO I WOULD BASICALLY JUST BE WITH MY COUSINS THE WHOLE TIME.

WE WOULD HAVE WEEKENDS WHERE WE WOULD ALL BE TOGETHER, AND THAT KIND OF CHANGED ONCE THE PANDEMIC HIT.

WE WERE UNABLE TO BE TOGETHER, AND WE USUALLY HAVE A BUILDING THAT WE'RE ALWAYS IN.

IT'S ALWAYS THE CASUAL NIGHTS THAT WE WOULD ALWAYS BE TOGETHER, PLAY GAMES.

AND HAVE FUN.

AND THEN ONCE THE PANDEMIC HIT, IT JUST -- WE COULDN'T DO THAT ANYMORE AND ONE OF MY FRIENDS ENDED UP GETTING MENTALLY ILL FROM IT AND IT HURTS ME TO SEE HIM, AND I DID MY PART BY TRYING TO HELP HIM AS MUCH AS I CAN, TRYING TO BE THERE FOR HIM, AND AGAIN, KIND OF LIKE YOU GUYS DID, WE WOULD JUST BE FAR APART AND JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL GOOD.

>> AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S A VERY COMMON THING THAT HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

WE KNOW NEBRASKA STUDENTS STRUGGLED MORE THAN USUAL.

THE "OMAHA WORLD HERALD" COMPILED DATA FROM 43 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THEY FOUND MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS SAW FAR GREATER FAILURE RATES DURING THE PANDEMIC AND ESPECIALLY GREATER DURING REMOTE LEARNING.

ANDREA, I WANT TO ASK YOU, HOW MUCH MORE DIFFICULT WAS IT FOR YOU TO TRY AND LEARN REMOTELY?

>> IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LEARN MATH ON ZOOM.

IT WAS SO HARD JUST BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME CLASSES WHERE I KNEW I COULD SCORE AN "A" AND IT WAS A "B," OR A COUPLE POINTS FROM THAT "A."

IT WAS REALLY FRUSTRATING.

I KNOW AT LEAST MY EXPERIENCE MIGHT BE DIFFERENT FROM SOME FRESHMEN THAT ARE TAKING AP CLASSES OR IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME IN HIGH SCHOOL.

MY SISTER IS A FRESHMAN, SO I SAW HER STRUGGLE I THINK.

FOR ME IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE I'M A SENIOR, AND I'M TAKING LESS CLASSES AND THE CLASSES I'M TAKING ARE PRETTY EASY.

SO I'M BLESSED IN THAT SENSE.

BUT STILL IT WAS HARD TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR TEACHER IF YOU HAD A QUESTION AND YOU TYPED IT ON ZOOM, SOMETIMES THEY WOULD MISS IT.

OR THEY WOULD ADDRESS THE QUESTION AFTER CLASS, AND BY THEN YOU WERE ALREADY CONFUSED.

SO IT WAS HARD.

AND IT WAS HARD FOR EVERYONE, I THINK, INCLUDING THE TEACHERS THAT WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ZOOM AND IN PERSON.

IT WAS A STRUGGLE, ABSOLUTELY.

>> OSCAR, DID YOU SEE IT AS BEING TOTALLY DIFFERENT?

>> I HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH MATH, BECAUSE I WAS TAKING ALGEBRA TWO AND I WAS ACING MY TEST IN THE FIRST PART OF THE YEAR.

WHEN IT CAME TO THE SECOND PART OF THE YEAR, WE WEREN'T TAKING TESTS BECAUSE G.I.P.S.

ACTUALLY MADE US HAVE LIKE A LITTLE SORT OF SYSTEM WHERE WE'RE NOT TAKING TESTS, SO IT'S NOT HURTING US PERSONALLY.

AND OUR GRADE COULDN'T GO DOWN.

BUT STILL WITH THAT, IT JUST HURT ME ON HOW LIKE MY GRADE WAS NOT DOING TOO WELL AT THE TIME.

AND LEARNING ONLINE IS LIKE ANDREA SAID, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

YOU JUST CAN'T DO IT.

IT'S JUST REALLY HARD.

AND WHEN EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING AT SUCH LIKE A FAST PACE, IT'S SO HARD TO GET EVERYTHING SETTLED AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS PERFECT.

NOW THAT WE HAVE MORE TIME ONLINE SCHOOL IS BECOMING MORE OF A THING THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DO AND MORE OF A THING THAT WE'RE KIND OF ABLE TO ACHIEVE KIND OF THING.

SO KIDS ARE ACTUALLY LEARNING AND NOT LEARNING, BECAUSE AT THE TIME WE WERE JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE LEARNING AND WE FORGET IT.

AND WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AFTER.

>> ELLIE, YOU'RE INVOLVED IN A LOT OF ACTIVITIES INCLUDING SPEECH.

I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE A STATE CHAMPION THIS YEAR.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

THAT'S AWESOME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> EXPLAIN HOW YOUR EXPERIENCE IN AN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY LIKE SPEECH CHANGED AS WE GOT INTO THE PANDEMIC.

>> WELL, SO WHEN EVERYTHING STARTED, IT WAS THE WEEK BEFORE DISTRICTS, AND WE WERE TOLD DISTRICTS IS TEMPORARILY POSTPONED.

AND THEN IT NEVER HAPPENED.

SO IT STOPPED PRETTY ABRUPTLY JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.

BUT THEN THIS YEAR, WHEN THE SEASON STARTED, AND IT VARIES BASED ON WHERE YOU GO TO SCHOOL, IT WAS ALL VIRTUAL TOURNAMENTS, AND THEN LUCKY FOR ME, I GOT TO GO TO SOME IN-PERSON TOURNAMENTS TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR AND STATE WAS IN PERSON FOR MY SCHOOL SIZE.

BUT YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG ARTS KID AND WHEN YOU TAKE THE AUDIENCE AWAY FROM PERFORMING, YOU KIND OF TAKE THE ESSENCE AWAY OF WHAT PERFORMING IS.

AND FOR ME PERSONALLY, THAT KIND OF TAKES AWAY MY FAVORITE PART OF PERFORMING AND MY FAVORITE PART OF SPEECH, SO DOING EVERYTHING VIRTUAL WAS REALLY DIFFICULT.

AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT I WAS GIVEN SOME IN PERSON OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IT'S JUST LIKE THE SCHOOL WORK, IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

YOU'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE IT, AND IT'S HARD TO CONTINUE BEING AT THE SAME LEVEL YOU WERE WHEN WE WERE DOING IT IN PERSON A YEAR AGO.

>> AND OSCAR AND ANDREA, I KNOW YOU BOTH VOLUNTEER A LOT, I'M SURE YOU'RE INVOLVED IN SOME EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, AS WELL.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU?

WHAT WAS THAT CHANGE IN THAT LIKE FOR YOU?

OSCAR?

>> WELL, I DO -- I RUN A DAKTRONICS BOARD.

ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT IS, IT'S A HUGE SCREEN THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DISPLAY PICTURES ON.

AND SO BASICALLY GOING INTO THE SCHOOL WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FINISH OFF, LIKE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO A SOCCER SEASON BECAUSE THAT WAS CANCELED SOON AFTER THE PANDEMIC HIT.

SO WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS WE WOULD GET INTO THE SEASON FOR FOOTBALL, AND NOTHING WAS THE SAME.

THE STUDENT SECTION WAS MORE SPLIT APART.

THE ENERGY WAS REALLY LOW.

AND USUALLY AT A FOOTBALL GAME YOU EXPECTED THE ENERGY TO BE REALLY HIGH.

AND STUDENTS CHANTING FOR OUR TEAM.

BUT THAT WAS JUST NOT PRESENT DURING THE FOOTBALL GAMES THIS YEAR.

AND WE HAD TO MAKE SURE US AS DAKTRONIC KIT LIKE THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE GAMES, WE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE SPREAD APART, NOT -- MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE ALL COMMUNICATING, SO WE HAD TO USE KIND OF INTERCOMS AND MAKING SURE WE'RE ALL TALKING TO EACH OTHER, BUT WE COULDN'T BE TOGETHER.

>> ANDREA, HOW ABOUT YOU WITH EXTRACURRICULARS?

>> I DID TCA.

THE CAREER ACADEMY, I WAS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM.

AND SO A BIG PART OF TCA IS THIS CONCEPT OF HANDS ON LEARNING.

OF YOU KNOW DOING EVERYTHING, LEARNING ABOUT THE CAREER THAT YOU WANT TO BE IN, IN A HANDS-ON MANNER.

IT WAS REALLY HARD FOR A LOT OF STUDENTS AT TCA, INCLUDING ME, TO NOT BE PART OF THAT.

THINGS LIKE FIELD TRIPS AND PEOPLE COMING IN TO SPEAK, THOSE COULDN'T BE DONE BECAUSE OF COVID.

IT WAS REALLY HARD.

AND MY TAKE CHARGE CLASS WE DO A MOCK INTERVIEW, AND WE COULDN'T DO THAT THIS YEAR.

SO THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT CLASS, THE HANDS-ON THINGS, THE FUN THINGS, THAT JUST WEREN'T ABLE TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF COVID.

AND IT DEFINITELY AFFECTED A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THEIR LEARNING AND ALSO IN THE FUN OF THE CLASS.

>> I WANT TO ASK EACH OF YOU, DO YOU FEEL CHEATED AT ALL?

DO YOU FEEL BITTER ABOUT THIS OR IS THIS JUST THE WAY IT WAS AND YOU ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES?

OSCAR.

>> I JUST ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THERE ARE JUST THINGS IF AND ASSIGNMENT IS DUE I HAVE TO GO WITH IT.

BUT DURING LIKE IF AN ASSIGNMENT WAS DUE DURING THE -- LIKE INTERNET, WHEN WE HAD TO DO SCHOOLING ON INTERNET IT WAS KIND OF A THING WHERE WE JUST HAD TO GO WITH IT AND KIND OF LIKE -- THE THING IS ABOUT ONLINE SCHOOL IS THAT ASSIGNMENTS KEPT ON STACKING AND STACKING AND STACKING.

AND IT'S SO HARD TO GET ALL THAT DONE WHEN YOU'RE AT SCHOOL, WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME, AND YOUR FAMILY IS AROUND, AND YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT IN YOUR HOUSE, AND IT'S JUST SO COMPLICATED.

BUT YEAH, KIND OF FEEL CHEATED.

>> HOW ABOUT YOU, ELLIE?

>> I WOULD SAY YOU KNOW THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SOME FEELINGS OF BITTERNESS, BUT I THINK MY CLASS AND MY SCHOOL HAS IMPRESSED ME SO MUCH.

MY TEACHERS, AS WELL.

THAT WE'RE ALL KIND OF JUST LIKE OKAY, THIS IS THE WAY IT IS.

LET'S REALLY EXCEL IN THAT.

VIRTUAL SPEECH TOURNAMENTS, LET'S BE THE BEST VIRTUAL TEAM WE CAN BE.

WE ONLY GET TEN PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE FOR OUR ONE-ACT, LET'S MAKE THOSE TEN PEOPLE LAUGH REALLY HARD, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND MY PEERS AND TEACHERS HAVE IMPRESSED ME THIS YEAR IN THAT KIND OF ATTITUDE THAT THEY'VE TAKEN ON.

I'M GRATEFUL FOR MY COMMUNITY AND THAT'S KIND OF THE ATTITUDE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ON.

>> ANDREA, HOW ABOUT YOU?

>> I WOULDN'T CALL IT BITTER.

I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE BITTER BUT I'’D SAY IT WAS MORE FRUSTRATING ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING WHEN I WAS STILL A JUNIOR, JUST TRYING TO WORK AROUND, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON IN THE NEWS, AND AROUND MY COMMUNITY WHILE STILL TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH MY CLASSES.

IT WAS REALLY FRUSTRATING AND STILL NOW IT'S FRUSTRATING.

WE STILL DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO GET A PROM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY WHAT MATTERS THE MOST IS THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT WE CAN END THE PANDEMIC AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO PEOPLE WEAR YOUR MASKS.

AND JUST TO GET THIS OVER WITH I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.

SO IF IT HAS TO LIKE THIS, THEN I'M OKAY WITH IT.

I'LL ROLL WITH IT.

>> MAY I ADD ONTO THAT?

>> SURE.

>> BASICALLY IF -- THE THING IS WITH ALL THIS HAPPENING, LIKE THE FEAR OF NOT HAVING PROM.

I ALWAYS HAD A FEAR OF NOT HAVING OUR GRADUATION, NOT BEING ABLE TO STEP ON THAT STAGE.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> AND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONSTANTLY IN MY MIND THIS WHOLE YEAR.

I'M JUST REALLY SCARED THAT IF WE WERE NOT ABLE TO HAVE THAT GRADUATION AND STEP ON THE STAGE AND HAVING YOUR FAMILY BE LOOKING AT YOU, AND WITH MY FAMILY WE'RE HISPANIC AND I'M GOING TO BE THE FIRST GENERATION GOING INTO COLLEGE.

I REALLY WANT THEM TO SEE ME WALK THAT STAGE.

AND MORE THROUGH THE HALF OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WE WERE TOLD WE ARE GOING TO HAVE GRADUATION, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF MORE COVID FRIENDLY GRADUATION.

>> WE JUST HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT HERE.

I WANT TO QUICKLY GET FROM YOU.

ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC AS YOU HEAD INTO COLLEGE?

OBVIOUSLY, IT SEEMS LIKE THINGS HAVE TO BE GETTING BETTER.

>> I AM.

I FEEL LIKE THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER.

AND I ALSO KNOW THAT EVEN IF THEY DON'T, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT IN THE PAST YEAR.

AND IF WE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT AND WE'RE STILL HERE AND WE'RE STILL -- I KNOW ALL OF US ARE GOING ON TO COLLEGE, WHICH IS A SUPER EXCITING EXPERIENCE NO MATTER WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, SO I'M EXCITED BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THE HARD STUFF ALREADY AND IF WE HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN WE'RE PREPARED.

>> GOOD.

ANDREA.

>> I REALLY LIKE WHAT SHE SAID.

I'’M VERY OPTIMISTIC.

>> YEAH?

YOU'’RE GOOD ON THAT?

>> YEAH, I'M GOOD ON THAT.

>> AWESOME.

YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO SUCCEED WITHOUT A DOUBT AND YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH AND HISTORY IS GOING TO REMEMBER YOU FOR IT.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN AND SHARING THAT EXPERIENCE WITH US.

ELLIE HIGGINS FROM NEBRASKA CITY HIGH SCHOOL AND ANDREA OROZCO LOPEZ, FROM LINCOLN EAST HIGH SCHOOL AND OSCAR MURCIA FROM GRAND ISLAND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

>> THERE ARE TEENAGERS AND REALLY PEOPLE OF ALL AGE WHO ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW.

IF YOU'’RE STRUGGLING, IT'’S IMPORTANT YOU KNOW YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND THERE IS HELP AVAILABLE IT'’S JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY.

IF YOU NEED TO TALK, THERE IS SOMEONE AT THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE AT 1-800-273-8255 THAT YOU CAN TALK TO 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

A REMINDER, THIS INTERVIEW AND TONIGHT'’S PROGRAM ARE ON OUR WEBSITE, NETNEBRASKA.ORG/ SPEAKINGOFNEBRASKA.

♪ LET'S TAKE A MOMENT AND CATCH EVERYBODY UP ON THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

DR. ALISSA CLOUGH, PRESIDENT OF INPATIENT PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATES IN LINCOLN IS HERE TO DO THAT.

DR. CLOUGH, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS, DENNIS.

>> LET'S START OFF BY TALKING ABOUT COVID RATES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS, WHICH FOR THE MOST PART SEEMS TO BE A PRETTY GOOD TREND AND YOU'RE SAYING EVEN AT BRYAN YOU'RE SEEING FEWER NUMBER OF PATIENTS.

>> YEAH, DENNIS.

WE ARE VERY ENCOURAGED BY WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH HOSPITALIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE, IN PARTICULARLY AT BRYAN.

TODAY WE HAVE 11 INDIVIDUALS HOSPITALIZED FOR COVID OR RELATED ILLNESSES, DOWN FROM A PEAK OF 160 BACK IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, SO VERY ENCOURAGING.

>> YEAH, IT IS AND PART OF THAT MAY OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO DO WITH VACCINATIONS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

ON AVERAGE, NEBRASKA IS VACCINATING MORE THAN 14,000 PEOPLE PER DAY.

THE STATE HAS MOVED ONTO THOSE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 50 AND 64.

WE'RE SEEING SOME LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICTS OPEN UP VACCINATIONS TO EVEN MUCH YOUNGER AGE GROUPS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE VACCINATION PROCESS?

IS IT GOING FASTER THAN WE ANTICIPATED AND IS IT GOING SMOOTHLY?

>> RIGHT, I THINK EARLY ON THERE WAS CONCERN THAT MAYBE WE WEREN'T VACCINATING FAST ENOUGH AND THAT CERTAINLY HAS INCREASED HERE OVER THE LAST MONTH.

INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE EFFORTS STATEWIDE THAT ARE ONGOING RIGHT NOW FOR THE VACCINATION EFFORTS.

I THINK NATIONWIDE 2.5 MILLION A DAY AND AS YOU SAID I THINK IN NEBRASKA 20% OF INDIVIDUALS ARE VACCINATED.

>> THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REPORTS THAT VARIANTS OF THE COVID-19 VIRUS FROM BRAZIL, THE U.K., AND CALIFORNIA ARE ALL NOW HERE IN NEBRASKA.

THERE IS SOME QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THE VACCINES WILL WORK AGAINST THESE PARTICULAR VARIANTS.

SO HOW ARE THE VARIANTS PLAYING INTO THE BIGGER PICTURE OF FIGHTING THIS PANDEMIC?

>> RIGHT, I THINK THE VARIANTS ARE THE NORMAL EVOLUTION OF VIRUSES, AND SO IT'S NOT UNHEARD OF, BUT FORTUNATELY, IT APPEARS OUR VACCINES ARE CURRENTLY EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE COMMON VARIANTS WE ARE SEEING, THE U.K., THE CALIFORNIA, ET CETERA.

>> AND WHEN IT COMES TO VACCINATIONS WE HEARD ABOUT SOME VACCINE HESITANCY.

MAYBE THAT'S IN MINORITY COMMUNITIES, MAYBE IT'S NOT.

THERE IS OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE ALSO HESITANT TO GET THE VACCINE.

WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE TO THOSE PEOPLE?

>> RIGHT.

I THINK THE MESSAGE IS TO GET INFORMATION, CORRECT INFORMATION, FROM YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS FROM SCIENCE, ET CETERA.

ALL THE DATA RIGHT NOW HAS SHOWED EXTREME GREAT EFFICACY, LOW PROFILE RISK FOR SIDE EFFECTS, ET CETERA.

SO YOU KNOW, REALLY THE MESSAGE IS PLEASE GO TELL YOUR LOVED ONES ABOUT THE VACCINE, GO REGISTER, GO GET THE VACCINE WHEN AVAILABLE.

REALLY THAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR US TO END THIS PANDEMIC.

>> WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME EVENTS, ATHLETIC EVENTS AND OTHER EVENTS START TO OPEN UP A LITTLE BIT.

PEOPLE ARE BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF ABOUT THAT.

IS THERE SOME DANGER IN BECOMING TOO COMPLACENT AT THIS POINT?

>> I THINK WE STILL NEED TO TAKE CAUTION AND DO WHAT WE KNOW IS RIGHT AND WHAT WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC, NOT TO LET UP ON THE BRAKE TOO SOON.

I THINK WITH AS MORE VARIANTS BECOME EVIDENT THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION STILL TO BE LEARNED AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO KEEP DOING WHAT WE'VE DONE FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

WE REALIZE EVERYONE IS TIRED AND READY TO MOVE ON BUT I DO THINK THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL AND THAT LIGHT IS VACCINE.

>> AND JUST A FEW SECONDS WE HAVE REMAINING, ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC?

>> I AM OPTIMISTIC, YEAH.

I DO SEE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL AND VACCINE IS THAT MESSAGE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. ALISSA CLOUGH, PRESIDENT OF IN-PATIENT PHYSICIANS ASSOCIATES IN LINCOLN.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VACCINATION PROCESS YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE FREQUENTLY ASKED SECTION AT BRYANHEALTH.ORG/VACCINE.

THERE ARE VIDEOS THERE IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ABOUT VACCINATIONS.

YOU CAN FOLLOW THE NET NEWS TEAM'’S ONGOING COVERAGE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

YOU CAN FIND THAT AT NETNEBRASKA.ORG/CORONAVIRUS.

♪ >>> THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE HAS PASSED THE HALFWAY POINT OF THIS SESSION.

NET NEWS LEGISLATIVE REPORTER FRED KNAPP FOLLOWS THE DEBATE ON A DAILY BASIS FOR US.

FRED, LET'S BEGIN WITH WHAT WE'’VE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR IN THIS SESSION.

>> WELL, NOT ALL THAT MUCH.

IT'S KIND OF A STRANGE BACK LOADED SESSION DUE TO COVID.

INSTEAD OF HAVING FULL FLOOR DEBATE BY ALL THE SENATORS, THE FIRST HALF WAS PRETTY MUCH OCCUPIED WITH PUBLIC HEARINGS.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS THOUGH THAT ARE -- HAVE ADVANCED.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST SO FAR IS EXEMPTION FROM THE STATE INCOME TAX FOR MILITARY RETIREES, WHICH HAS SAILED THROUGH TWO ROUNDS OF DEBATE WITHOUT OPPOSITION.

THERE IS ALSO A PROPOSAL TO SPEND $5 MILLION A YEAR TO SUBSIDIZE INDUSTRIAL PARKS ALONG RAILROAD LINES, AND TO EXTEND TAX BREAKS FOR DEVELOPMENTS IN BLIGHTED URBAN AREAS WITH HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT AND HIGH POVERTY RATES.

AND THERE IS A PROPOSAL THAT IS GOING TO BE DEBATED TO PHASE OUT SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS.

BASICALLY, THE STATE REVENUES ARE COMING IN HIGHER THAN PROJECTED.

THERE IS A PROSPECT OF A WHOLE BUNCH OF FEDERAL MONEY, SO YOU KNOW, SPENDING IS MOVING ALONG.

>> THAT LEAVES THE QUESTION WHAT IS STILL TO COME.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT.

>> IT'S TRUE.

THERE IS A DEBATE UP AHEAD ON A PROPOSED 3% LID ON PROPERTY TAX INCREASES THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN ASK FOR.

THE QUESTION OF WHETHER TO BUILD A NEW PRISON IS STILL UP IN THE AIR.

MONEY HAS BEEN SET ASIDE BUT HASN'T BEEN AUTHORIZED TO BE SPENT.

THERE IS IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE GAMBLING INITIATIVE THAT VOTERS PASSED LAST YEAR, THE ISSUES ON THAT ARE WHETHER TO PERMIT ELECTRONIC KINO AND ALSO SPORTS BETTING.

THERE IS POLICE REFORM LEGISLATION PENDING, A BAN ON CHOKEHOLDS, MORE TRAINING.

THERE IS COVID LIABILITY PROTECTIONS FOR BUSINESSES WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE EXEMPT FROM LIABILITY.

THE QUESTION OF LEGALIZING MEDICAL CANNABIS, A PROPOSAL TO LET COUNTIES GIVE THEIR RESIDENTS EXEMPTIONS FROM THE STATE CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT LAW, WITHIN JUST THE COUNTY.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THEY STILL HAVE TO DO REDISTRICTING, BUT BECAUSE THE CENSUS HAS DELAYED THE RELEASE OF THE POPULATION FIGURES, THAT WILL PROBABLY TAKE PLACE LATER THIS YEAR.

>> THERE IS A CHANCE WE COULD COME BACK IN THE FALL?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THEY PROBABLY HAVE TO.

>> BECAUSE OF THE REDISTRICTING?

>> YES.

>> I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT A PROJECT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON FRED, FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS, IT'S NET NEWS SPECIAL CALLED ERNIE CHAMBERS THROUGH THE YEARS.

AND IT'S AN EXTENDED INTERVIEW YOU DID WITH SENATOR CHAMBERS WHO HAS BEEN TERM LIMITED OUT OF COURSE, FOR THE SECOND TIME.

BUT AT 83, YOU CAN NEVER COUNT HIM OUT FROM RUNNING AGAIN.

WHAT WAS YOUR GOAL GOING INTO THAT INTERVIEW WITH HIM?

>> IT WAS TO TRY TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY PERSON'S LIFE AND CAREER.

HE'S SERVED ALMOST 50 YEARS IN THE LEGISLATURE, AND HE STARTED OUT AS A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST.

AND IT WAS ALSO AN ATTEMPT TO GET HIM TO TELL STORIES ABOUT WHAT MAKES HIM TICK, WHAT GOES INTO HIS THINKING.

>> WE KNOW THAT HE'S HAD AN ENORMOUS IMPACT THROUGHOUT HIS LONG LEGISLATIVE CAREER.

WE WANT TO SHOW YOU A SHORT CLIP FROM THE UPCOMING NET NEWS SPECIAL ERNIE CHAMBERS THROUGH THE YEARS IN WHICH SENATOR CHAMBERS TALKS ABOUT HIS LEGACY.

>> WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET.

WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE THINKS AND SAYS IS OF NO MOMENT TO ME.

I LOOK AT CRITICISM AND PRAISE THE SAME WAY.

THEY'RE LIKE PERFUME.

YOU SNIFF BUT YOU DON'T SWALLOW IT.

SO, WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO ME AT A TIME LIKE THIS, BECAUSE THEY'RE FASCINATED WITH THE BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS AND TALK ABOUT A LEGACY, I SAY, 'YOU'RE TOO HIGH ON THE ANATOMY, NOT A LEGACY, NOT AN ANKLE-ACY, MAYBE A FOOT-ACY.

BUT LEGACIES ARE FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT.

NOT ME.

>> THAT IS DEFINITELY CLASSIC ERNIE CHAMBERS, THERE.

AND IT'S ERNIE CHAMBERS THROUGH THE YEARS AIRING SUNDAY, APRIL 18TH, AT 6:00 P.M. CENTRAL TIME RIGHT HERE ON NET TELEVISION.

FRED, THIS IS A ONE HOUR SPECIAL BUT YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH HIM FOR FOUR HOURS.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT CONVERSATION?

>> THERE WERE A LOT.

THEY WERE STRUNG THROUGHOUT.

BECAUSE WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO -- I'’VE LISTENED TO HIM FOR 30 YEARS, AND HE'S TOLD A NUMBER OF STORIES OVER AND OVER, BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T FOLLOW THE LEGISLATURE ON A DRIP BY DRIP BASIS, THEY MAY HAVE MISSED SOME OF THOSE.

I WAS TRYING TO GET HIM TO SORT OF STRING THOSE TOGETHER, STARTING WITH BEING A KID IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE ONLY BLACK KID IN HIS CLASS AND HAVING THE WHITE TEACHER READ LITTLE BLACK SAMBO WITH SOME CARICATURE PICTURES AND THE IMPRESSION THAT MADE ON HIM.

AND BUT MOVING ON TO WHEN HE WOULD DEFEND A WHITE KID WHO SHOWED UP WITH OVERALLS ON AND THE OTHER KIDS MADE FUN OF HIM.

HE TOOK UP HIS ROLE AS DEFENDER OF THE DOWNTRODDEN, THROUGH GOING TO NORFOLK AND WITH A TARGET ON HIS SHIRT, SO ALL SORTS OF ANECDOTES.

>> SOUNDS LIKE IT.

IT WAS A FASCINATING INTERVIEW FROM START TO FINISH, IT'S GOING TO BE APRIL 18TH, 6:00 P.M., ON NET.

PENCIL IT IN.

YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE AND CATCH IT.

FRED KNAPP, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR UPDATE TODAY.

APPRECIATE IT.

OF COURSE, YOU CAN CATCH FRED EVERY WEEKDAY ON NET RADIO.

REPORTING ON THE LEGISLATURE, HIS UPDATES ARE AT 5:45 AND 7:45 WEEKDAY MORNINGS AND 5:45 IN THE EVENING.

YOU CAN READ HIS STORIES EACH DAY ON THE WEBSITE AT NETNEBRASKA.ORG/NEWS.

♪ >>> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS WEEK ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

THANKS TO ELLIE HIGGINS, OSCAR MURCIA, ANDREA OROZCO LOPEZ, AS WELL AS DR. ALISSA CLOUGH FOR JOINING US, AND TO FRED KNAPP FOR HIS REPORTING.

IN EARLY MAY, WE'LL BE BACK WITH A SPECIAL HOUR-LONG EDITION OF "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA" ON LOCATION.

THE TOPIC WILL BE VACCINE HESITANCY AMONG MINORITY COMMUNITIES.

UNTIL THEN, I'M NET NEWS DIRECTOR DENNIS KELLOGG.

THANKS FOR SPENDING SOME TIME WITH US.

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