100 Days Smart

Karin Tramm's kindergarten class at DoDEA Vicenza Elementary School on Caserma Ederle Army Base, Italy, was counting up to a magic day—the 100th day of school—when students would be 100 days smart! "Mrs. Tramm, is that the last day of school?" a child asked. "Goodness no, there are a lot of numbers bigger than one hundred," Mrs. Tramm explained, "and we will be in school for many more days after the hundredth day." But then, on February 21, 2020, the 100th day of school, COVID-19 changed everything. From empty classrooms to kindergarten in the kitchen, teachers, parents, and students navigated uncharted waters as their world locked down in the epicenter of the Italian outbreak. For the next 100 days, residents of Vicenza learned to find joy in simplicity, country living, and community. In diary form, 100 Days Smart highlights their resilience, recognizing and remembering the fears and frustrations, humor and humanity of shared experiences on a new path forward.