Episode 6: Schools

Schools are central to Vermont's communities, bringing together families and other community members to ensure the promise of the next generation. They are also institutions built around the idea of putting children in classrooms together, and during COVID-19, that suddenly seemed like an incredibly dangerous idea.

Closing schools sent shockwaves across Vermont, and teachers, students, and parents found themselves in uncharted waters, trying to keep too many balls in the air at one time. In the sixth episode of our new limited-series podcast, "Life Became Very Blurry," we share the experiences of schools during COVID-19.

”Life Became Very Blurry” is a podcast sharing the voices of Vermonters as they recall the experience of COVID-19. It is based on a three year project collecting oral histories and other records of the pandemic, and released in March 2025 for the fifth anniversary of the first lockdown.

Funding for the COVID-19 collecting project was provided by the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

The Life Became Very Blurry Podcast is produced by Amanda Gustin of the Vermont Historical Society and Mary Wesley, Andy Kolovos and Will Hamilton of Vermont Folklife. Oliver Purdue mixed this episode.

Our theme music is the track “Never Mind The Forecast” from Jericho based artist “Expected Guest.” Find more from Expected Guest on Bandcamp.com