The Occurrence Vol. 4, Issue 1

december 6, 2022

Letter from the editor

It’s finally come! The first issue of the 2022-2023 school year! With that being said, we wanted this one to be a special one, one that would tie into the holidays with important mental health struggles relating to the holidays and academic pressure.

Because of the seriousness we wanted to present, we decided to do a darker academia concept. Darker colors were chosen to accommodate that.

The front cover and back cover includes a student who is overwhelmed by the amount of school work they have to do. As the future generation, we wanted to present the problems that need to be fixed.

The mental and physical health of our students is definitely a big concern for our future generations. We also wanted a fun read for readers.

With the holidays just around the corner, the issue includes ways people celebrate the holidays, some yummy recipes, and an opinion on thanksgiving.

Happy Holidays everyone and we hope you enjoy this issue.

Katie Wright, Co-editor-in-chief

Academic Pressures Weigh on mental health

The mental health of Junior High students has been negatively affected by their academics, primarily due to the combination of stress from their academic responsibilities and the internal or external pressures they face.

A student’s environment may become a source of pressure and further impact their academic performance. These outside factors can include adults, peers, or their general life outside of school. All are influential towards the developing minds of students.

Many students feel that adults, such as parents and teachers, greatly impact their opinions on their grades, therefore affecting how they perform in school.

“I’m more pressured to give up a lot of my time and people expect me to be focused solely on academics,” ninth grade student, Emely Grave, said.

Studies found that parents or guardians who appear only interested in children’s grades during the developing years of their life can lead to anxiety and high stress levels due to the feeling they need to achieve good grades in order to appease their guardians’ high

standards.

“Adults in my life definitely play a role into how I handle situations, especially teachers. There are teachers who make you more enthusiastic about learning a subject,” Grave said.

Every teacher has a significant impact on the mental growth of their students. Each teaches in their own way, which might benefit some, but may be difficult or even harmful for other students. Along with teachers, the peers and the classroom environment that one is surrounded in can also affect how students perform academically.

“The classroom environment is important for being able to learn, and is heavily affected by my peers. If there is a bad classroom environment, I don’t learn as much as I would in a good classroom environment,” ninth grade student, Michaela Dixon, said.

Many of students’ external pressures are the causes for their internal pressures, such as how adults in a student’s life may impact their mindsets or how they think of their grades. These environmental factors can often inflict a lot of stress

upon a student.

Stress is a common feeling among students, whether that includes stressing over homework, exams, or relationships. Over time, however, this stress could grow into a constant state of worry, and when pressure is continuously piled on, it can lead to anxiety.

“If I’m not doing good mentally then I also show it in my work because I won’t feel the confidence to get it done when it needs to be. If I’m doing good mentally, then I’ll be pushing myself to get it done,” ninth grade student, Blaine Wood said.

The longer anxiety is allowed to fester, the more negative tendencies develop; one prime example of this is procrastination, an unhealthy coping mechanism. When a deadline becomes an overwhelming source of stress and worry, it’s often avoided through procrastination.

“It’s very easy for [students] to procrastinate and put things off instead of facing them immediately,” BJHS Counselor, Courtney Harp, said.

External pressures mold and shape adolescents’ minds in a way nothing else can, and expectations become integrated until nothing else matters. Pressures, whether it be from parents, teachers, or peers, can determine how a student functions for the

remainder of their life.

“Who we surround ourselves with, in large part, is who we become, and at this age, a huge part of human development is for us to be liked and cared for, and for people to accept us.” Harp said.

Story: Ivana Wang and Teagan Willyard

Tears of A Tiger helps

TEENS Navigate Trauma

TRIGGER WARNING: contains sensitive topics including death, suicidal thoughts and alcohol

Sharon M. Draper released Tears of a Tiger in 1994, the first book in the “Hazelwood High Trilogy.” The book focuses on the life of seventeen-year-old Andy (Andrew) Jackson, a cheerful and good-spirited boy with a bright future and possible basketball career ahead of him. A car accident leads to the death of his best friend Rob and the beginning of Andy’s descent into depression.

While not everyone can relate to drunk driving and its consequences, they can all relate to feeling guilty about something. Whether that might be cheating on a test, missing a shot at a basketball game, or getting someone in trouble for something they didn’t do.

There are times when we observe Andy reaching out for help but giving up on it. Help is key in advancement through the dark parts of one’s life and when seeking the help of others one one must preserve and be open about their emotions.

This book is intended to showcase the consequences of drunk driving, ignored mental health, and the importance to accept, move on, and get help. This teaches readers the do’s and don’ts of life by letting them get to know Hazelwood High’s class clown, Andrew Jackson. Story by Addison Warford and Katie Wright

PSAT Guide

A guide to taking and being prepared for the PSAT

1. Know what the psat is The PSAT is a way to find out how prepared you are for your college education and career. It has three different tests, writing and language, math and reading. They’re scored by how many questions you get correct, so missing or incorrect answers won’t count against you.

PSAT is not a required

2.

Know how the test is organized

The PSAT is organized into three tests. The Writing and Language Test, the Math Test, and the Reading test. Each test has an allotted time to be completed, and a set number of questions. In total, the entire PSAT takes 145 minutes to complete and has 120 questions. The Reading Test takes 55 minutes and has 42 questions, Math takes 60 minutes and has 38 questions, and Writing and Language takes 30 minutes with 40 questions.

With the PSAT coming up on December 1st, you might be wondering what it is and how to prepare for it. The PSAT is not a required test, but it’s important if you want to know what skills you need to work on in order to stay successful throughout high school and college. Also It’s important to know the ins and outs beforehand so you aren’t confused on the day of the test. Here are 5 ways to prepare for the PSAT.

3. Know what is/isn’t allowed

You should bring a No. 2 pencil, calculator and snacks/ drinks. Snacks and drinks must be hidden under your desk during testing. They may not be consumed until testing staff tell you when and where you can have your snack. You may not bring electronic/bluetooth devices (Phones, smartwatches, AirPods, etc), any writing utensil other than a No. 2 pencil, papers of any kind, cameras, or timers.

4. Go over the official 22/23 psat guide. This guide goes over the basic things you need to know about the PSAT, but the official student guide goes into more detail. You can find the guide at satsuite. collegeboard.org. If you want to be the most prepared you can be for the PSAT, you should go over this guide as well as the official student guide. Creating an account on college board. org is also a good idea if you want to be able to access your scores as they become available.

5. Know testing guidelines

You should make sure all equipment you bring for the test is working, like sharpened pencils and calculators with working batteries. There might not be extras available if you do not have working supplies. You need a No. 2 pencil. Make sure to fill the entire test bubble completely and darkly. Erase mistakes as much as possible to avoid confusion.

Story by: Dexter Lowery

tis the HOLIDAY SEASON

Everyone celebrates the holiday season multiple ways. Some ways people celebrate are with traditions. For instance, using an item for decorations or making a certain dish every year. Some share recipes or do secret Santa.

Christmas is a season that many enjoy with grandparents, friends, significant others. They can celebrate and decorate with movies, food, singing, garland, cookie jar, ornaments, a grinch train, or an elf on the shelf.

Christmas isn’t the only thing people celebrate, New Years is another holiday among others. Friends and family’s love to stay up late and wait for the clock to hit 12 am so they can celebrate a new year.

Let’s not forget, since the cold is coming back into town people are gonna stay home and those emotions will rise again. It’s about time for seasonal depression, let’s talk about it.

About 5% of adults suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Normally most people start experiencing SAD from the ages of 18-30.

This is why we call everyone to start putting up their lights, their trees, their reefs, or even your candles and start singing. It is time to celebrate the happy holiday. Bake gingerbread cookies, sing with family, watch Christmas movies, and be with your family. Let’s snuggle up to the fire together and help one another with stuff, it is time to show our love.

Art by: Ayana Meyers

Story by: Annabel Odom

Family traditions and Seasonal Depression

Reducing required classes

Editorial Students are stressed with required class updates every year

Over the past two decades, students going into high school may have noticed an increase in required classes; Bryant currently requires 23 credits to graduate. Arkansas’s Department of Education requires schools to enforce a 22-credit graduation requirement.

According to the CDC, “more than a third (37%) of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44% reported they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the past year.” With the pandemic causing an increase in teens’ anxiety and depression, the last thing they need is more classes that are going to cause panic and or stress among the student population.

Looking at the other states across the country, Arkansas ranks 41st in education according to US News, yet we have one of the highest credit graduation requirements. Illinois, Iowa, California, Wyoming and Maine all have much lower graduation requirements than we do, but rank higher than we do in education.

Maine, for example, requires

only 11 credits but ranks 28th in education. Specifically, Maine only requires two math credits as opposed to our four. The reason behind requiring four math credits is to help prepare students for college. However, college enrollment is down 7 percent since 2019 according to the Washington Post, and according to Statista, less than 40 percent of Americans are college-educated.

More and more students are choosing to go to vocational school or enter into trades. Algebra II and other upper level math is not necessary for these ventures.

There is also the question of the newly required computer science credit; coding is important, but

should it be necessary for those who are uninterested in that career path?

The world is evolving. We have access to this information within search engines and can collaborate in real time using technology with people with different skill sets. Do we need to all have the same skills?

Other states are looking at requiring classes for mental health, and there is a call for mental health awareness classes to be required for college entrance. If we are going to increase requirements, let us respond to the issues of the modern world. Let us let students pick paths that fit their lives and future plans.

While some required classes are beneficial we feel making some of them optional would actually help students more mentally. This generation is the future and it is important that school boards and state administration remember that education is not the only thing needed for a successful future, but also a developed self awareness and a healthy mental state.

Editorial

Divergence AOccurrence in The

YES YES

People know the history of Thanksgiving to be the story of the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag natives sharing a feast together and giving their thanks. Despite this being the most popular retelling of the story, it is filled with many myths and inaccuracies that hide the true nature of the holiday’s dark history.

The holiday is celebrated in many other countries globally, each nation having its own traditions. It’s most popularly celebrated in North America.

According to what’s been passed down through centuries, the pilgrims arrived to the new land and were “welcomed” by the Wampanoag who taught them how to grow crops to survive in the environment; but have we ever considered that the natives were not as pleased to see Europeans arrive on their land as stories may say?

In fact, there was no reason for the natives to be welcoming or hospitable, as the Europeans themselves had lacked respect for the natives’ rights they held to the land and as human beings.

Europeans had come to the “new world” and focused heavily on expanding their territory which led them to dismiss all concerns for the natives, who arguably, owned the land before them as the original inhabitants.

The colonists brought with them items and phenomena that the natives hadn’t seen or experienced before, and while some may have been beneficial to them, they brought more harm than aid to the natives. One of the more prominent consequences of the Europeans arriving to the new land were the diseases they brought that the native tribes had not previously been exposed to. They had no former immunities to this illness, so an epidemic inevitably occurred.

The reason behind their alliance was not out of the tribe’s kindness, but rather out of their desire for survival.

The Wampanoag had been exposed to the diseases that the Europeans had spread and lost an estimated two-thirds of their population, making them vulnerable to rival tribes. The chief leader, Ousamequin, realized that an alliance, even a temporary one, with the colonists could be beneficial towards protecting his people.

The peace treaty between these two groups was maintained for at least 40 years until Ousamequin’s passing, where his first son, Wamsutta, took over. However, Wamsutta died during negotiations with colonists over land, leading to his younger brother, Metacomet, succeeding him. His succession led to war breaking out between the two peoples known as “King Philip’s War.”

This would be the first and only time that a compromise between the colonists and the natives was successful. Many future compromises in which the natives got to keep some of their land were eventually broken or forgotten due to the colonists’ idea of manifesting destiny, otherwise known as westward expansion. Colonists even went as far as to force them out of their land by using threats and physical violence.

Thanksgiving is not as joyful of a holiday as everyone makes it appear to be. I understand why people want to express their gratitude for things in their life and spend time with their family, but must it be done on a holiday that subtly encourages colonialism and with such a dark truth behind it?

column by: Ivana Wang

Is Thanksgiving DAY A THankless Holiday?

In this busy day and age, finding time for extended family can prove difficult. With students’ schoolwork and activities plus their guardians’ packed work schedule, setting aside time for family can feel impossible, but holidays such as Thanksgiving can help alleviate the guilt from missing quality family interactions. The colonists of North America celebrated “thanksgivings” to commemorate especially bountiful harvests or even military victories during the cold autumn months. While Thanksgiving’s origins are questionable, today it represents something very different. Rather than symbolizing the colonists’

triumphs, Thanksgiving has become a time to put friends and family above all else. Thanksgiving is a time for self-expression through food and culture. It allows people to share their customs and traditions with their family and friends while they catch up or make new connections.

Thanksgiving encourages individuality and quality bonding among people who otherwise might not have seen each other in years. Despite Thanksgiving’s roots, without it, people would be less connected than ever. It joins many different people together through one simple yet mutual feeling: thankfulness.

Story by: Teagan Willyard

toxicty during the holidAYS

1 2 diSTANCE YOURSELF 3

find a support system

Surrounding yourself with negative people for days on end can be tiring, after a while you could use the support of a good hearted person. a good hearted person acts as a sheild between you and the person trying to control you

It is is okay to not interact with people you do not feel comfortable around, it is especially hard to hold your tounge when people are saying outrageous expressions. despite those things it is imporant to keep your mental health in a good place, so for your sake take some time to get away from toxic family members.

set realistic expectations

Sometimes we tend to expect more from others and ourselves, our families also tend to expect more from us. this can cause us to become stressed and angry. you should understand that everyone has different expectation, and not all expectations will be answered, including your own. no matter how hard you wish, your toxic family members will not change.

it is okay to say no

It is okay to not be around family memebrs who are toxic and abusive in any sort of way. if you do not want to go to a toxic family members house tell your parent/guardian. they will understand and hopefully figure out a plan.

stay in the neutral

Before your family dinner, try to think of a neutral conversation to have. avoid things that would cause an uproar with toxic family members. focus on the things that the two of you have in common. for example, if your cousin enjoys shopping, talk to them about a deal you saw on amazon.

Story by: Daziyah Fogle Art by: Ivana Wang

how to deAL WITH a TOXIC FAMILY

6holiday happiness is not a given

We sometimes try to force ourself to feel happy during the holidays. between all the stress of exams, annoying family members, trying to find gifts for people, school drama and many other things finding holiday happiness is hard. do not try and force yourself to be happy, let it come naturally.

The holidays are coming up, and that means spending lots of money on gifts and food. No one, kid or adult, deserves to go without these things during the holidays. If you or someone you know needs assistance, here are some great resources:

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is not just a holiday resource, they help year round. They provide homeless shelters, rent and bill assistance, the angel tree program (more on that later), and much more. Anyone can donate to help those who seek assistance in their programs. You can donate on their website or during the holiday season with their red kettles.

Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots is an assistance program dedicated to making

sure kids are able to get presents every year through donations. It started in 1947 and has been donating toys for 75 years. They’ve donated 627 million toys to 281 million children. They also take donations to make sure Santa can visit Native American reservations, and have a literacy program to make sure children have the opportunity to learn how to read and communicate properly.

Holiday Project

The Holiday Project provides help to kids and families all over Saline County. It was initiated by the Saline County Inter-Agency Council almost 50 years ago. Non-profit organizations, churches, and individuals come together to donate and organize this program. Their goal is to

provide two gifts that are $20 or more to each child, and a box with 2 weeks of food for every family. Whole families or individuals can apply for assistance in November, and the gifts and food will be delivered during the middle of December.

Salvation Army Angel Tree

The Angel Tree is a program with the Salvation Army. They provide toys to children that were donated by citizens. You choose a child of the Angel Tree anonymously and then purchase things off of their wishlist for them. The Angel Tree has collaborated with Walmart to provide these toys for children. You can shop online or in store at Walmart, or you can drop off donations at participating Walmart stores or your local Salvation Army.

How important ARE GRades to students?

Grades. This all-to-familiar system was invented in the 1940s, and follows the letter scale. The letter scale takes your percentage on a certain assignment or class and gives it a grade of either A, B, C, D, or F. (Shown below)

Some schools will add symbols to the letter grade, depending on if it’s a higher or lower percentage in that letter’s range. Regardless of what scale is used, grades matter. Letter grades are recognized in

almost every corner of the world, and make it easy for students to set learning goals. But grades also have teachers spending hours to create a rubric that reflects the grade scale and it limits what we know about a student’s learning. Many parents take grades seriously, and colleges factor in GPAs when selecting a new group of freshmen. It’s no wonder why we think of grades when we hear school, and it’s hard to see a future in education without them.

Story by: Gabrielle Smith

Media importance

Why the media is important

Media literacy

According to medialiteracyweek. us, media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create and act. Meaning that people can find, use, make, and share information with others. So writers will do interviews, create notes and write a story for people interested.

Types of Media

While when most people think of the word media they think of social media apps such as Tik Tok and Instagram, that’s not the only kind of media. Film, radio, newspapers and books are all media as well. All of these, except for maybe books, are part of mass media. When media reaches large audiences it becomes part of mass media that many Americans hear about everyday.

The United States and Journalism

Journalism had been in America for quite some time but really was popular during times like the Civil War, Lincoln’s assassination, election times, etc. So journalists are a staple for Americans. Why the media’s important Journalism is the main source of information for most American citizens. Meaning that yes as cringy as saying America is built on journalism may seem it’s an accurate statement.

How is it abused

Although the media is seen as this incredibly important source for information, many journalists abuse it. Many people today will see fake news, this could be represented through false information. Some writers want to get a big audience, in order to do that they create fake news

to manipulate people into reading. This abuse can be bad for other journalists, so keeping a good and honest publication is key to success.

Recognizing the guilty

As said, being a publication with the best intentions is a successful one. Some journalists violate the privacy of others to get a good story, for example, TMZ. There’s videos of TMZ showing them getting into celebrities’ faces and violating their privacy.

Story by: Katie Wright

Photo by: Roe

Holiday Treats

The holidays is a time for family, friends, fun, and most importantly food!

There are many classics such as ham, dressing and apple cider. While many love these traditional blockbusters it is important to continue bringing in new family favorites and introducing new holiday musthaves.

So here we have 2 amazingdesert recipes handpicked for even the pickiest holiday lovers.

Pumpkin Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes Calories: 522 Makes: 12

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter (softened, almost melted)

• 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

• 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

• 1 Large Egg Yolk

• 1/4 Cup Pumpkin Puree (pumpkin pie filling)

• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

• 1 2/3 Cup AP Flour (sifted)

• 1/4 Tsp Salt

• 1 Tsp Baking Powder

• 3/4 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

• 1/4 Tsp Cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. Line cookie sheet with either parchment paper with excess on the edges, nonstick spray or butter

3. Cream the butter (make sure it is easily breakable for easier combination), brown sugar and granulated sugar together until smooth by hand or with a mixer

4. Add in egg yolk, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined, the mix will have a relatively liquidy/runny appearance

5. Add in the flour, salt, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon (be generous if you like a more snickerdoodley flavor), and mix until the dry ingredients disappear

6. Roll out 10 cookie dough balls

7. Place on a baking sheet, and gently flatten them to about 1 inch in thickness, the bottom of a cup or bowl will work well for this, can be done by hand, but is not recommended if wanting a uniform look

8. Let the cookies bake for 13 to 15 minutes, sticking a toothpick in one of the middle cookies to test (if the toothpick comes out clean then the cookies are done),

9. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes

10. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool down for 3 to 5 minutes before eating

Adapted from, “Frosted Crumbl Caramel Pumpkin Cookies Copycat Recipe” by Chahinez, writer of the Lifestyle of a Foodie blog.

Earthquakes

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 11 minutes

Total time: 51 minutes

Calories: 160

Makes: 12

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/8 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

Treats

celebrate with seasonal recipes

• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 large egg yolk

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325˚F

2. Line rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside

4. In a large bowl, whisk brown sugar, egg and egg yolk, and vanilla until combined, set aside

5. Place chocolate in large, zipper-lock plastic bag and seal, removing as much air as possible

6. Use a wooden rolling pin to pound the chocolate into small pieces

7. In a small microwave safe bowl, combine pounded chocolate and butter

8. Heat chocolate and butter at 50% power for 1 - 2 minutes, stir mixture until well combined and shiny

9. Add chocolate mixture to brown sugar mixture and

use rubber spatula to stir until combined, stir in flour mixture until no dry flour is visible

10. Let dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes

11. Place granulated sugar and powdered sugar in 2 separate, shallow bowls

12. Roll dough into 12 balls, roll in sugar dishes, and place on cookie sheet, staggering, each ball should contain about 1 tbsp of dough

13. Bake for about 11 minutes, the treats should be puffed and cracked and inside looks raw in cracks

14. Cool treats for at least 30 minutes before serving

Adapted from “The Complete Baking Book For Young Chefs from America’s Test Kitchen.”

Story by: Addison Warford and Gabrielle Smith Art by: Ivana Wang

The World is Full of Cake

There are 195 countries in the world. Those 195 countries have 7.837 billion people in them! And with almost 8 billion people in the world there are millions of recipes. But one’s focus shouldn’t be wasted on main dishes or mere sides, the spotlight must be put on deserts. The spotlight must be put on… cake, one of earth’s oldest deserts with the modern version dating all the way back to the 17th century. These classic, carb packed beauties have a place at almost every gathering from birthday parties to major banquets. So no, the word is not filled with people, but with cakes and the possibility for even more.

So as the next holiday rolls around don’t go for a classic yellow, vanilla, or chocolate, make way for something new, something extravagant! Find out what types of cakes are being made across the world from you and make and bake it. While branching out and discovering these new and fantastical deserts be sure to educate yourself on the cakes history and culture, making it

Not Just For BoOks

Whenleft with nothing to do after school, take a trip to the library. The library offers many activities for teens, and the staff is always pen to new ideas.

For those who love crafts, the library offers a program called Teens Crafternoons. Teen Crafternoons is the perfect place to go for engaging arts and crafts. It opens on Mondays around 4:00 pm.

Video games are a popular way to spend time, but playing them alone can get tiring. Every Tuesday at 4:30

pm, a virtual Minecraft event is opened.

Feeding the books isn’t allowed, but being in the Teens Cook kitchen is. Regristration required. Be there by 4:00 pm. Regristration link: https:// saline.libnet.info/events

The library also offers a makerspace

The Bryant location’s makerspace is open Tuesdays from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm

For additional information, visit the Saline County Library website, or

https://www.salinecountylibrary.org

Story by: Gabrielle Smith Art by: Ivana Wang

deSIGN BY BY Gabrielle Smith