For this Colorado teacher, the idea of not seeing her students was not going to work.

Amanda Demler teaches third grade at the Boulder Country Day School, and after schools closed across the state in March, she missed seeing the smiling faces of her students every day. The school has been working hard to keep the community connected through online learning and virtual events, but it's just not the same. 

Demler has taught at the school for 16 years and decided to do her own social-distancing house calls to check in on her third graders. She let her students know that she was going to be visiting and set off on what became an epic bike ride. Demler traveled 82 miles total, a journey that took seven hours to make—not including the five hours she spent conversing with her students and their families (all while maintaining social-distancing practices). She biked to all 13 of her students' homes.

Courtesy of Boulder Country Day School

Demler says she did it to show her students that, despite the change of life and circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic, they can still accomplish great things.

"This epic adventure was not only a way for me to see the smiles of my students and drop off a card and treats, but a way to show them that they too can do great things to inspire even in the middle of a pandemic. No matter what storm you go through you should use your talents to pitch in and make things better for someone else,” said Demler.

The students were excited to see her, making signs and cheering her on her long ride. The school appreciated her efforts as well, sharing the story on Facebook and their website. 

Demler is an endurance athlete and has shared this passion with her students. 

Have you heard of any other teachers who have gone to such great lengths to check in on their students? How are your favorite teachers reaching out right now? Give a shout out to your favorite teachers in the comments.