Thank You Essential Workers

to our
essential
workers!

Interviews conducted by Olentangy High School Journalism students
Covid-19 Global Pandemic May 2020

Sara Doran

Family Nurse Practitioner at The Little Clinic
“I became a nurse to help people feel safe, improve health
and educate. I feel blessed to be here for patients when
they are scared or concerned that they are sick and help
them by directing them to local health departments, for
testing, providing medications and just an ear to listen.”

-Interviewed by Ainsley Scott

Makenzi McNett

category manager for Kellogg Breakfast

“My job is essential as Kellogg has the ability to provide
necessary breakfast, lunch, and dinner options for
families to eat while at home. Many of our products are
kid focused, which is particularly important as children
are at home 24 hours a day.”
-Interviewed by Ava Burkett

Jennifer Lear

HCR Manor Care
“Typically I am not part of patient care in our skilled
nursing facilities, but during these crazy times I have
helped provide Facetime calls to families or just talk to
patients since they are not allowed to have visitors.”

-Interviewed by Malea Wells

Allie McCarter

nursing assistant at The Inn at Olentangy Trail

“Over time my relationship with the residents has really
grown. Even though they may not remember exactly who
I am, they feel safe knowing that I take care of them and
protect them. I’ve made very strong connections with all
of them and at this point they’ve become like family to
me.”
-Interviewed by Carlye Condon

Albert Amalraj

Principal EMS/SCADA Analyst
“My work is making sure to avoid an unreliable power
situation, which is highly preferred during this pandemic
crisis. Because it is an essential job and impacts millions
of people, I am motivated to be precise with the data I
receive in order to keep this country going. Thanks for
the selfless work. In times like this it is important to be
safe, and if we all do our part for a couple months we can
fight this together!”

-Interviewed by Ritika Harish

Dresdan Stephens

SOCIAL WORKER
“The pandemic has changed everything I do. The
guidelines and how I meet mandates, and it’s overall harder
and more stressful. Transparency and communication
are probably my biggest strengths as a social worker.”

-Interviewed by Mya McCoy

Leslie Yoder

Pharmacist at walgreens

“Being an essential worker has definitely changed my
perspective on the virus. As a healthcare worker, I was
terrified of the unknown in the beginning. Knowing that
if Ohio was unprepared for the peak, I would likely have
had to help treat those patients and then risk bringing
the virus home to my family. Now that the peak has
passed, and more data is coming out about who is most
susceptible and the outcomes, I’m not nearly as scared
coming to work. I am still very cautious about who I am
around at work, am wearing my mask and washing my
hands more frequently.”
-Interviewed by Morgan Davis

Russel Malcolm

Home Depot Sales Associate
“I don’t always feel essential but just seeing that I’m helping
in even just a small way makes those long hours worth it.”

-Interviewed by Jaylynn Brownlee

Trucking industry
“Our company was deemed by the CDC essential because
we repair trucks and service the trucking industry. I don’t
know for sure what is in store for us, but it is safe to say
we have to make more careful interactions and take less
risks. It has made me value friendships, family and home
more than ever.”
-Interviewed by Parker Lawrence

Sherri Damron

Hospital

“It feels very eerie almost because everyone who works at
the hospital knows that they are at risk of catching it. It
concerns me about how many new things we are finding
about this virus and how many different things this virus
does especially with how it is giving children a type of
inflammatory syndrome now. I’m thankful that my family
is safe and that I have not contracted it yet.”

-Interviewed by Bailey Rogers

Tracy Hansel

Ohio State Wexner Medical Center

¨Wash your hands, follow good hygiene and stay healthy.”
-Interviewed by Dani Snopik

Sarah Andrews

Chick-fil-a Team member
“It is difficult to follow all the rules because we have to wear
a mask, we have to change our gloves every hour, we have
to make sure we’re not coming into contact with people,
and we have to stand six feet apart. It is just difficult to do
our job properly while following all the guidelines from
the CDC.”

-Interviewed by Elena Robinson

Rachel Ridgway

Physicians assistant
“This disease is real, and it is deadly—maybe not to you,
but to those you may come in contact with. I come into
contact with at least 30 new faces a day; I have no idea
what I may have been exposed to and may have carried
home to my family. I worry about my parents and their
health. I worry about how this will affect how we live
in the years to come. This is not a short-term issue; this
disease will be with us for a very long time.

-Interviewed by Ava Huffman

Eddie Umphires

Administrative nurse manager

“[I want to] support my team and make sure that they
have all of the necessities to care for the patients. [We
should] listen to scientists, and don’t allow this to separate
our country even more politically.”
-Interviewed by Caitlin Kravitz

“This too shall pass. Stay positive. Find something good
in each day and do something for yourself every now and
then.”
-Interviewed by Sophia Flowers

William D. Hall

paramedic

“It is always in the back of your mind that you don’t want
to expose anyone and you [still] want to kiss and hug
your kids. My family has been very supportive. Testing
will help a lot and a vaccine will definitely be key for the
future. The nurses and doctors are the real heroes right
now.”
-Interviewed by Isabel Bubnick

Jeanne-Marie Young

nurse at Grant Medical Center postpartum
“I’m ready to take care of these patients. I signed up to
work the ICU/CCU in an instant because I felt called to
help. I use the proper PPE when I am around them. My
bigger fear is that I would accidentally bring it home to
my family or have to be in quarantine for 2 weeks from
my family. I take all the precautions I need to so that I can
avoid these situations.”
-Interviewed by Giana Volpe

Jennifer Rooney

Social worker
“Part of me felt very proud to work in a hospital. I saw
the unwavering dedication of everyone at work to care for
all who came through our doors. Another part of me felt
scared and responsible. I wanted to keep caring for my
cancer patients, but I was equally worried about bringing
this illness home to my family. Finally, another part of
me felt uncomfortable and weird. All of a sudden I was
walking into work with masks and gloves on and couldn’t
get into the building without going through a medical
screening. It felt like my work had turned into entering
a foreign country or some high-security military facility.”

-Interviewed by Karly Batta

Benjamin Kraft

Chiropractor
“I think normal is gone. People will always be a little bit
wary of contagious diseases. At least awareness to things
like working while sick, social pressure to attend events
when not feeling well, attitude towards people coughing/
sneezing/etc in public.”
-Interviewed by Liz Bell

Brent Fisher

Math Teacher Olentangy High School
“By no means do I consider myself on the frontlines of
battling this disease like doctors, nurses, firefighters,
police officers and all healthcare workers, but I do feel
that our positions as educators are essential to help guide
students through this process.”
-Interviewed by Ava Sopraseuth

Bethany Kravitz

Administrative Nurse Manager at Grant Hospital
“I sanitize everything before I leave work-badge, phone,
coffee cup, bag, keys. I change my shoes before getting
in the car, placing my work shoes in a plastic bin and
changing into crocs. I change out of my work clothes
in my garage and put on a robe to enter my house, but
not before sanitizing everything one more time! Phone,
coffee cup, etc. Then I immediately shower. Then I feel
safe to hug my family!”
-Interviewed by Lauren Hughes

Tiffany Ames

Trauma Nurse Educator at Grant Medical Center

“My takeaway is that people are so incredibly resilient.
Every day our nurses, doctors and aides show up and take
care of others. Everyone has been so adaptable and I am
so proud to be a nurse.”
-Interviewed by Billy Byers

James Mox

Sheriff's deputy

“With school being closed, time is spent serving court
papers instead. I created a call center for nonviolent calls,
and I take these calls. There is more restriction because
of Corona. Also the hours are now 10-6 instead of school
hours. Our job changes on a daily basis.”
-Interviewed by Anneliese Hanes