Given the past year, Arianna Doykos sees plenty of reason to celebrate.

"I personally didn't set up my room as much then, when we came back in the spring, and now it's really exciting to sort of move everything I've been storing in my apartment," said the kindergarten teacher.

Doykos recently decorated her classroom at Van Deene Elementary in Torrance for the nearly two dozen students who will finally fill classroom seats once again. She thought she would put decorations up on the first day.

"When you see balloons, you know something fun's about to happen," she said.

Not only did the pandemic shut down Doykos' school, but it also interfered with her first year as a teacher. She was finishing up her credential when everything shut down in March of 2020.

"It was very nerve-wracking," she said. "I remember crying just thinking, 'I just want to become teacher.'"

Doykos explained that many districts implemented hiring freezes at that time, so she was just grateful to get a teaching job with the Los Angeles Unified School District.

"This will be my first year of fully being in person, so I consider this round two of my first year of teaching."

Doykos prepares for what could be an emotional year for her young students. The pandemic has played out over a good portion of their lives, and because it's kindergarten, this will be their first time in any classroom for some.

"For our kindergarteners, this longer school day or a school day in general for some of them is going to be quite an adjustment, quite a long time away from their families," she said.

Doykos' teaching career is already off to a tremendous start, however. She was one of 18 teachers in the district who received a "Rookie of the Year" award for going above and beyond to help her students.

"When the district asked us to pilot a one-on-one tutoring for our kids before we brought them back, she was one of the first teachers who signed up and did that," said Edith Urzua, principal at Van Deene Elementary School.

Urzua noted that while the kids are currently too young to be vaccinated against COVID-19, most of her teachers got the shot. When the school briefly reopened in the spring, they had zero transmission cases between students. 

"I do believe that the parents have more anxiety than the kids," she said.

Therefore, Urzua set up a meeting just for kindergarten parents to help answer any questions and alleviate their fears.

"A lot of these kids have been socially isolated for so long, and students really thrive when they're with their peers," she said.

With Doykos' classroom dressed for the occasion, all she is missing now are the young minds.

"It's going to be really rewarding to see them having fun together in person," she said.