By Elli Hendrickson
On October 4, 2021, Visalia, California reached an Air Quality Index (AQI) rating above 300, which is the top tier designated as “hazardous,” due to the wildfires throughout California.
The AQI is used by local governments to communicate about air quality with the public. At the “hazardous” tier, everyone can experience health effects, not just members of sensitive groups.
Redwood students and staff continue to push through the hazardous Central Valley air quality.
Even with the hazardous air quality, students at Redwood are still expected to attend school.
Students on Redwood’s campus see this air quality affecting them by interfering with their ability to properly focus throughout the day.
Jailey Stagg ‘23, says that due to the air quality “everyone is not feeling good and is in a bad mood. Everyone just wants to go home, so it doesn’t bring a positive vibe to school.”
Laura Allen ‘23, says that the bad air quality affects her ability to learn because “it gives [her] a headache, and [she’s] having a hard time paying attention in class because of it.”
This bad air quality doesn’t just harm students’ ability to learn, but it also complicates outdoor physical activities.
Mr. Roebuck, a P.E. teacher at Redwood, said that the bad air quality affects being able to teach his students, saying it “changes [their] lessons dramatically… instead of being able to work on cardiovascular endurance or swimming… [they] are kind of stuck in the cafeteria.”
Mr. Roebuck also said that “It’s very difficult to do any movement activities with the air quality the way it is.”
Not only are P.E. classes affected, but most school sports and activities are unable to continue safely.
Varsity football player, PJ Myers ‘23, says the bad air quality affects football practices.
He said, “if the air quality is too extreme, then [the] team watches [a] film or [they] are sent home.”
Reagan Richard ‘23 played in a Redwood golf match on October 4, 2021, when, at the time, the air quality was above 200.
She said, “It was quite hard to breathe, and by the end of it, my allergies went through the roof because we spent the whole day breathing in smoke.”
Throughout campus, some members of Redwood’s administration drive around on golf carts watching over the students, such as Campus Supervisor, Mr. Silvas.
Mr. Silvas said he is “pretty much outside all day,” and wears an N-95 mask to try to reduce the impact of the hazardous air. He also summed up the feelings of many on campus.
“I feel the effects when I get home; I have a headache [and] my throat is a little rough. It affects me in a negative way.”
Elli Hendrickson
Tags: airquality, aqi, elli hendrickson, fires, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood sports, visalia ca
