The school system in rural New Mexico is sending school buses to students' far-flung homes to bring them assignments, meals and a little human contact. — Cedar Attanasio/AP
CUBA, New Mexico: The midday arrival of a school bus at Cyliss Castillo's home on the remote edge of a mesa breaks up the long days of boredom and isolation for the high school senior.
The driver hands over food in white plastic bags, collects Castillo's school assignments and offers some welcome conversation before setting out for another home.
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School bus driver Kelly Maestas with social worker Victoria Dominguez onboard, in Cuba, New Mexico Oct 19. — Cedar Attanasio/AP
School bus driver by Kelly Maestas travels along a dirt road, with social worker Victoria Dominguez, outside Cuba, N.M., Oct. 19, 2020. The switch to remote learning in rural New Mexico has left some students profoundly isolated - cut off from others and the grid by sheer distance. The school system is sending school buses to students’ far-flung homes to bring them assignments, meals and a little human contact. (AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio)
High School senior Cyliss Castillo shows off his slap bracelet USB drive loaded with assignments that was delivered by school bus driver Maeastas, on Oct 19. — Cedar Attanasio/AP
In this Oct. 19, 2020 photo, Cuba High School senior Cyliss Castillo shows off his slap bracelet USB drive loaded with assignments that was delivered by school bus driver Kelly Maeastas, outside Cuba, New Mexico. The closing of classrooms and the switch to remote learning because of the coronavirus outbreak have left Castillo and other students in this school district on the sparsely populated fringe of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico profoundly isolated, cut off from other people - and, in many cases, the grid - by sheer distance. (AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio)
A slap bracelet USB drive loaded with assignments, seen in Cuba High School on Oct. 19. — Cedar Attanasio/AP
Veronica Madrid, administrative assistant at Cuba High School shows a slap bracelet USB drive loaded with assignments Oct. 19, 2020, outside Cuba, New Mexico. The closing of classrooms and the switch to remote learning because of the coronavirus outbreak have left Castillo and other students in this school district on the sparsely populated fringe of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico profoundly isolated, cut off from other people - and, in many cases, the grid - by sheer distance. (AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio)
The school bus arrives at one of the rural destinations. The switch to remote learning in rural New Mexico has left some students profoundly isolated, cut off from others and the grid by sheer distance. — Cedar Attanasio/AP
A school bus driven by Kelly Maestas arrives at his one of his rural destinations outside Cuba, N.M., Oct. 19, 2020. The switch to remote learning in rural New Mexico has left some students profoundly isolated - cut off from others and the grid by sheer distance. The school system is sending school buses to students' far-flung homes to bring them assignments, meals and a little human contact. (AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio)
Social worker Dominguez (background right) delivers supplies she collected at Cuba High School. — Cedar Attanasio/AP
Social worker Victoria Dominguez, background right, delivers supplies she collected at Cuba High School, to deliver along a rural school bus route outside Cuba, N.M., Oct. 19, 2020. The switch to remote learning in rural New Mexico has left some students profoundly isolated - cut off from others and the grid by sheer distance. The school system is sending school buses to students’ far-flung homes to bring them assignments, meals and a little human contact. (AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio)
