Q: What has been the greatest impact of the coronavirus on Rising Stars Youth Foundation?
Paul Savramis: The most obvious is that we’ve had to shut our doors and suspend all basketball and tutoring programs. Each of these requires both contact and close quarters, which spread the virus. Unfortunately, the implications of these closures go well beyond missed basketball and educational opportunities.
Q: How is that?
Paul Savramis: When children are put into a quarantine situation, they are at a greater risk of depression. This virus has triggered a domino effect of job loss, illness, and death throughout the state and the entire world. Children and teenagers suffer perhaps the most and have felt the effects of the pandemic in ways adults can’t even begin to fathom.
Q: What is Rising Stars Youth Foundation doing to offset isolation?
Paul Savramis: We’re keeping in contact as much as possible, using telephone, text messaging, and videoconferencing. We are encouraging our students to remain physically active and to spend time with their family and, as restrictions began to ease, their extended family and closest friends.
Q: How will Rising Stars Youth Foundation move forward?
Paul Savramis: Like many things in our world today, this is an unknown that changes with each passing moment. As the number of viral infections begins to decline, we keep putting our heads together and strategizing on how to transition in a world where this virus is not going to go away anytime soon.
