Behind the
Screen More on the impact of social media and body image on pages 16-19
BLUE VALLEY NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS | VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 2
table of contents
Features 04 10 14 16
trends 2020
Health 08
dynasty welcome to room 116 behind the screens
Entertainment 06
Personality profession Quiz
26
Holiday Gift Guide
daylight savings darkness
28
a clean bill of health
Student Life 07 22 24
fashion of bvn what’s up with winter sports? home for the holidays
Opinion 13 20
Student safety first letter from the staff
HONORING 30
2| The North Star | DECEMBER 2020
Jonah the Wonderful
The Spotify Courtroom by Jack toal students reflect on protests in wake of joe biden’s win in pennsylvania by Arshiya Pant
STAFF
online
Student Voting Poll Workers by Reece Bachta
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF ellianna cierpiot yasmeen saadi
web editors angelica henson charitha lakkireddy
social media alex doege
copy editors maddie austin Caroline CLarke KARA DESKIN
staff writers
socials
reece bachta adelaide edwards caroline haines gaby kill arshiya pant ella shafer ella thomas jack toal
Twitter - @bvnnews snapchat - @bvnnews Instagram - @bvnnews website - bvnnews.com
The North Star is the official high school news publication of Blue Valley North High School, an open forum distributed to all the students five times a year. This is the December issue of volume 35. This issue of The North Star is published digitally through ISSUU. This is a student publication and may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees disclaim any responsibility for the content of this student publication; it is not an expression of School District Policy. Students and editors are solely responsible for the content of this student publication.
DECEMBER 2020 | The North Star | 3
TRENDS 2020 feature
THE MOST POPULAR AND TOP Trends OF THE YEAR 2020 BY ADELAIDE EDWARDS
TIKTOK
TikTok is the top app of 2020, so there’s no surprise there have been many trends within the popular app. •“Renegade” Believe it or not, the song Lottery by K CAMP became popular in early 2020 when used by stars like Charli D’amelio; the renegade dance was soon a popular trend among TikTok users. •Trolling Trump- Trump’s feud with TikTokthe president threatened to ban TikTok several times because he was concerned about the information that it gave China access to, as TikTok is a Chinese company
FASHION
•Shoes worn over pants •Oversized victorian sleeves •Chunky boots with feminine dresses •Maxi faux leather coats •Pastel Bucket hats •Sweatpants/joggers •White shoes/chunky shoes •Dainty jewelry •Thrifting •During 2020, thrifting has become more popular as people struggle to find affordable and fashionable clothes. This has led to less “fast fashion” leaving some large companies in need for consumers. •Doc Martens
SLANG
•Ok, boomer- a phrase used to call out out-oftouch or close minded opinions associated with the Baby Boomer generation, it was even a sound on TikTok •Cap- a lie, the phrase “no cap” means “it’s true” or “no lie” •Canceled- if something is problematic or inappropriate, society will “cancel” it, just like a movie or TV show can be canceled •Clout- The Oxford Dictionary defines clout as “power and influence over people and events,” if someone has clout, they have popularity and followers, usually on an online basis •Periodt- an extreme or intense version of the word “period” used to put emphasis on a phrase and the end of the sentence
4 | The North Star | DECEMBER 2020
•Bet- has many uses, but is mostly used in response to a challenge, it’s a shortened version of saying “let’s bet on it” •Throw shade- when someone says something slightly negative or offensive •Flex- to flaunt or show off •Go off- used to encourage a choice or support a rant •Salty- when someone is annoyed, upset or bitter, they are acting salty •Slay- to do really well or succeed at something •Stan-”Stan" can be a noun for an overzealous and obsessive fan •Simp: mostly used to describe people (generally those who identify as male) who are willing to do anything to get somebody to like them.
CLASSIC BLUE COLOR OF THE YEAR The official Pantone color of 2020 is Classic Blue. “Instilling calm, confidence, and connection, this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.” - Pantone
BABY NAMES BOYS:
•Oliver: derived from the old Norse name Áleifr, meaning “ancestor’s descendant.” •Liam: means With Gilded Helmet, of Irish origin, but it has also gained popularity since Liam Payne was a member of One Direction •Ethan: means Firm, Strong, of Hebrew origin. •Aiden: means Little Fire, of Irish origin •Gabriel: means God Is My Strength, of Hebrew origin
GIRLS:
•Charlotte: means Free and is of French origin, the most famous Charlotte is Prince William and Kate Middleton’s daughter, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge •Ava: means Like A Bird, of Latin origin •Amelia: means Work, of Latin origin •Olivia: means Ancestor’s Descendant, of English origin •Aurora: means Dawn, of Latin origin, a famous fictional Aurora is Princess Aurora from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty
SONGS
the top 10 songs of 2020
1. Blinding Lights by The Weekend 2. Dance Monkey by Tones & I 3. Roses by Saint Jhn 4. Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa 5. Before You Go by Lewis Capaldi
6. Rockstar by DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch 7. Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi 8. Own it by Stormzy/ Ed Sheeran/Burna Boy 9. The Box by Roddy Ricch 10. Say So by Doja Cat
QUARANTINE
•Painting walls- With more free time, people began to dislike staring at their plain walls, so they painted them. Paintings ranged in all sizes and content. A popular idea was geometric paintings on accent walls. •Online Shopping- When many stores closed due to COVID, people found themselves shopping online, whether it was groceries or clothes, the ease of delivery quickly gained popularity during the waves of shutdowns •Bread Making: In the early months of quarantine, people found themselves bored and began to experiment with making all sorts of breads. •Instagram fads: •“Until Tomorrow” Challenge: The challenge was on March 24th, where people posted an “embarrassing” throwback photo, captioning it “until tomorrow” and deleting it the next day. Each person that then liked the post was told to also participate in the challenge. •Bingo: Instagram stories often consisted of bingo games, with varying topics like activities at school or foods, etc. •Trendy Television: •Tiger King- A documentary series that was popular in the early stages of quarantine, it’s captivatingly strange storyline left viewers wanting more. •Outer Banks: Popular among teens, it inspired a couple of fashion lines and jewelry trends. •Room Decor: •Hanging leaves/vines •LED lights •Photo Collages • Fairy lights
2021 PREDICTIONS “I think that track suits might make a comeback next year or some other old clothing trend.” -Stephanie Hall “I think there will be a new app that will become really popular, I bet it won’t be a social media necessarily.” -Brynn Minor “Overalls, cargo pants, and flower crowns” -Jordin Mackenzie
DECEMBER 2020 | The North Star | 5
entertainment
Personality Profession An interactive way to see how personality plays into profession.
QUIZ QUESTIONS: 1. Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert? A. Extrovert B. Introvert
2. How do you typically make decisions? A. Based on facts B. Based on emotions 3. Do you think through your thoughts before you say them or say what’s on your mind? A. I think things through first B. I say what’s on my mind 4. Do you feel like you have a realistic mindset or have a big imagination? A. Realistic mindset B. Imaginative mindset 5. Do you have problems agreeing with others? A. Yes, sometimes B. No, I rarely disagree with others 6. Do you enjoy analyzing and looking deeper into many things? A. No, I like perceiving things as
they are B. Yes, I like doing further analysis 7. Do you typically plan ahead or depend on improvisation? A. Plan ahead, often in detail B. Improvisation 8. How do you spend your free time? A. Socializing with friends B. Trying to find a new hobby C. Spending time outside D. Having some alone time, maybe read for leisure 9. When working in a group project, what role would you consider yourself ? A. Driver: keeps the group on task and efficient B. Stabilizer: Keeps spirits up and smooths over disagreements among group members C. Adventurer: encourages the group to take risks D. Perfectionist: makes sure the project is done precisely
By Maddie Austin
10. How do you gain knowledge the best? A. Reading and interpreting information B. Hearing the information and then talking about it with others C. Hands-on experiences D. Processing and connecting ideas independently 11. What do you feel your strengths are? A. Strong willed and assertive B. Able to communicate with others proficiently C. Observant and keen to detail D. Logical and strategic; good at problem solving 12. How do you respond to criticism? A. Indifferent; someone has to convince me I’m wrong B. Overwhelmed; I respond better to positive reinforcement C. Hurt by it at first, but I learn to accept it D. I appreciate it and listen
*Using data from the Jung Typology Test and based on C. Jung and I. Brigg Meyer’s Personality Test
Results: *If you chose mostly A for #’s 1-7
Business Majors: - Often extroverted - Tend to have lower levels of agreeableness and openness - Know how to take control of a room and are able to craft convincing arguments - Natural leaders that enjoy organizing a group
*If you chose a mix of As and Bs for #s 1-7, and B for 8-12
Education/Social Science/Communication Majors: -Often extroverted but also enjoy their alone time - High levels of openness to everyone; enjoy working with others - Willing to step outside of their comfort zone - Overall engaging individuals
6 | The North Star | December 2020
*If you chose mostly B for #s 1-7, and C for 8-12
Art/Humanities and English Majors: - Often more introverted - Enjoy analyzing a subject for deeper meaning and seeking out patterns - Creative and enjoy originality-are in their own thoughts frequently - Able to convey thoughts effectively and passionately
*If you chose mostly B for #s 1-7, and D for 8-12
Engineering Majors:
- Often more introverted due to their trait of being independent - Don’t like feeling controlled -Logical and intuitive in their work and life in general - Enjoy analyzing complex problems and being inventive, focused on the future and thinking ahead.
student life
Fashion of BVN Are the Trends worth the spend? By Ella Shafer
A
s fall is winding to an end and winter approaches, different styles are fading in and out of fashion, and BVN students are participating in today’s trends. From flannel hoodies and beanies to mom jeans and athleisure, teenagers’ styles today are reflected all over the students at BVN. With new trends popping up on social media, it gives the students at BVN the ability to showcase their personality in different ways. Sophomore Avery Ford said she is into athletics, playing volleyball, basketball and softball. However, she says she doesn’t always wear athletic clothes. “I would describe my style as more of an alternative style,” Ford said. “I mostly like darker colors.” Freshman Tatum Lockwood said they live a similar lifestyle to Ford, participating in ballet and soccer as well. “My style is very comfortable and laid back,” Lockwood said. With the different aesthetics represented in BVN’s students, social media influencers are at the center of it all. According to sophomore Sophia Baillos, social media affects her style, and she takes style inspiration from multiple ‘influencers’ online. “One of my biggest style influences is Toopoor and Phem. I don’t exactly dress
like them, but I look up to them and really like their style,” Baillos said. Sophomore Brady Fisher takes pride in his participation within the creative programs at North. He also says that he uses Instagram and other social media for style inspiration. “Social media has influenced my style a lot because I follow a lot of accounts on Instagram that help me with my fashion sense, which comes from celebrities and even random people,” Fisher said. Along with the difference in styles found in students, the new schedule has also changed their daily outfits and routines. Since Blue Valley North has transferred to the remote learning mode as of Nov. 30, several students’ daily routines differ depending on whether they are online or not. Baillos mentioned that her outfits change on a day-to-day basis depending on her mood. “My in-person routine usually consists of getting ready and doing some makeup and just putting on the clothes I want to wear for that day,” Baillos said. “Sometimes it’s a skirt day or sometimes it’s a baggy jeans day. For online I just wash my face and put on a sweatshirt.” Lockwood also described the difference in their morning routine, mentioning that they spend significantly more time getting ready for in-person classes than online. “[For] in-person, I wake up 15 minutes before we have to leave, put on the clothes that I picked out the night before, eat breakfast and leave,” Lockwood said. “For online, I wake up, put on a sweatshirt and turn on my computer.” Clothing and makeup are a few of the ways that students at BVN can express their personalities. Therefore, some students say that over the summer
lockdown, trends and styles changed. Being isolated for long fragments of time, according to these students, has allowed people to reevaluate their sense of style “The time I had to think about my clothing choices over quarantine has helped me come to terms with my style,” Ford said. Lockwood and Baillos also talked about how much they changed their styles throughout quarantine. “I’m still young. I really got into looking a certain way rather than just not caring,” Baillos said. “Last year, a regular outfit for me would’ve been shorts and a sweatshirt, but I really got into different types of clothes and hair colors and started discovering myself more as well as experimenting with makeup styles.”
december 2020 | The North Star | 7
Health and Wellness
Daylight Savings Darkness B “
How the changing of seasons and daylight savings time affects students’ mental health.
y the winter solstice on Dec. 21, daylight savings and the Earth’s tilting axis mean the sun sets nearly two and a half hours earlier than it did in August. Overcast skies, lower temperatures and shorter days are hallmarks of autumn. According to The National Institute of Mental Health, less natural light can induce an overproduction of melatonin and a lack of serotonin, key regulators of mood and energy. Without these, symptoms of depression can kick in. Senior Macy Parks says she has dealt with feelings of anxiety and sadness during the change of seasons. “It has never bothered me until this year,” Parks said. “My sleep schedule [is] so messed up… I feel like it’s harder to actually accomplish things such as actually getting [up] and going to the gym or finishing math homework.” Parks follows a daily routine at home, only occasionally broken by a
drive to Starbucks or the store between classes. “I try my hardest to not sit in my room all day… but I wake up and brush my teeth and go right back to bed doing first hour math,” Parks said. “Quarantine and cold weather make me feel so trapped in a cycle.” Without warmth keeping students in nature, and social distancing guidelines preventing visitors from coming inside, depression and loneliness can begin. Though a 2015 study from Psychology Today reports 17 million Americans struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and an estimated further 51 million experience mild SAD, the stigma surrounding mental health creates a barrier to discussing the condition. Parks, a member of Sources of Strength and a supporter of mental health awareness, wants students affected by winter weather to not feel isolated, even without the community of in-person school and activities. “My advice would be: don’t be afraid, it’s a normal thing to have,” Parks said. “You are definitely not
8 | The North Star | December 2020
Quarantine and cold weather make me feel so trapped in a cycle. - Macy Parks
“
alone on this subject.” According to research from the American Academy of Family Physicians, SAD is seven times more common in northern states due to lower temperatures and a lack of sunlight. Though junior Luke Zmijewski said he loves December’s snowy weather and the football games that come with, he understands the season’s struggle. “In myself and my peers I … have noticed every year for a long time a decline in mental health during winter months,” Zmijewski said. “When I think of winter I think of being stuck inside and just general unhappiness.” But what can BVN do to prevent it? School social worker Lisa Summers says she advocates healthy
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I think it’s so important just to have access to coping mechanisms - Lisa Summers
“
coping mechanisms on the school’s counseling Canvas page, in a “virtual calming room.” The virtual space, introduced this year, has animal live streams, yoga walkthroughs, and online art therapy plugins to create a safe space for anxious students. Activities are chosen strategically to help users slow down and appreciate their surroundings. The calming room was designed for anyone momentarily struggling with mental health — especially pertinent
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Getting outside and exercising. - MADISON DEAN
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lots of House plants.
- KATHERINE KOPLIK
during the change of seasons. “I think it’s so important just to have access to [coping mechanisms],” Summers said. “I myself love spending time in nature or using the guided meditation on the virtual page.” Though winter is a difficult time for mental health, Summers said she hopes students will keep coming back to resources like the virtual calming room and the Canvas counseling office page. “Virtual [learning] scares me because I don’t have access to
students as much … I wish I understood exactly what each child is feeling,” Summers said. “But I know we have a strong Mustang community and there’s always help for the kids who need it.” By Gabrielle Kill
Favorite Coping Strategies
“ “ “
Painting the pretty parts.
- Cara Spratlin
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Talking it out in therapy.
- Lisa Summers
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Living one day at a time. - Luke Zmijewski
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December 2020 | The North Star | 9
Feature
The No. 1-ranked player in Kansas continues his family’s football legacy with a commitment to the Ohio State University after receiving 40 offers. By Charitha Lakkireddy
10 | The North Star | December 2020
Photo by Alex Doege
S
urrounded by his family, junior Dasan McCullough put pen to paper as he signed to play football for the Ohio State University. He committed on Aug. 18, 2020, when he was 17 years old, but, according to him, that was fate since the third grade. “As far as I can remember, I knew I could be really good at [football] if I put my all into it,” McCullough said. “It clicked for me maybe in about third grade. When I was playing with my little league team, kind of like a club team...I was more advanced than most of the kids my age at that point. I could definitely see myself… playing college football and then playing at the NFL level.” This wasn’t a goal he was quiet about — McCullough made his ambitions well-known to those around him. His mom, Darnell McCullough, recalls seeing a younger Dasan running around their house clutching figurines of his favorite football players and promising his dad he’d play in the NFL. “Dasan always loved football,” Darnell McCullough said. “You always hear about kids that are in sports and then they kind of phase out of it when they get older, because they just are kind of burnt out, but it’s almost like it did the opposite for him. He became more a studier of the game as well as a player.” Dasan is the middle son in what he describes as a football family: his grandfather and dad are both former NFL players, his dad is the current running back coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, his older brother plays for Miami University in Ohio and his younger brother also plays football for BVN. Dasan credits his dad, from the connections he has to professional athletes and the advice he can offer from experience, as being a key to his success. “With my older brother, my dad and my grandpa, I have a huge IQ advantage with how much I know about football, the game, and everything like that,” Dasan said. “At 17 years old, it’s probably a lot more than most people my age, I wouldn’t
have that if it wasn’t for my dad and being around all these professional athletes and talking to them.” Determined to play for the NFL, Dasan’s journey with football began differently than his peers, he said. His mother signed Dasan up for tackle football when he was 5 years old, like she did for all of his siblings, while the family was still living in Ohio. “[Dasan’s] dad had a football background, so it made sense that all three of [my sons] started pretty young playing football in Ohio,” Darnell McCullough said. Although his family is originally from Ohio, they were relocating from California
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I knew I could be really good at [football] if I put my all into it ... I could definitely see myself … playing college football and then playing at the NFL level.
“
- Dasan Mccullough
to Kansas in 2018 when Dasan was an incoming freshman. They weren’t able to visit in person, but let the reputation Coach Andy Sims had built for BVN as a football school guide them here. “The way Coach Sims has developed that program at North speaks volumes for all those kids,” Darnell McCullough said. “He has obviously built a very strong program that he’s very passionate about. And when you’re passionate about something and positive, then kids want to play for you, and kids want to do well for you.” Dasan said he’s happy with his choice, as he considers BVN and Sims to be a significant part of the reason he was so
heavily recruited and why the process began so early for him. Apart from the connections that Coach Sims brings, Dasan said he grew mentally under his guidance and feels that was pivotal in his success in pairing with his physical abilities. Although he and his mother both believe Dasan’s physicality to be why Dasan became such a nationally soughtafter player for colleges, Dasan said he learned how to be a better player under Sims, beyond the physical aspect of the game and owes some of his success to those lessons. “[Sims] made me emotionally strong with football, even as of this year,” Dasan said. “He made me want to push through injuries and play no matter what. No excuses, just get the job done. He’s a huge reason why I can push myself so hard every day I practice in games and everything like that. It’s just because of the things he’s taught me since I was a freshman on varsity.” No excuses, just get the job done. That’s a philosophy Dasan lives by, if the workout routines, diets, and lifestyle changes he sticks to are any indications. “I didn’t take like a week off from the season, I started the Monday after football ended, and I’d work out probably 17 or 18 times a week,” Dasan said. “I was doing that for a couple of weeks. It’s either twice a day or three times a day, every day, doing different stuff. I ended up calming down from that a little bit, but it was kind of a crazy routine I had going on because I knew I wanted my body to be shaped going into my junior year, putting on weight and muscle.” Dasan has worked with professional trainers to help him with his workout and nutrition plans in every state he’s lived in. Although Darnell values the insight trainers offer her son, she said Dasan is the ultimate deciding factor in achieving his goals. “The amount of effort that is put here is determined by them, so you know he really does put in that extra time to make sure that he’s getting the results,” Darnell
December 2020 | The North Star | 11
A young Dasan well-aware of what his future held. Photo courtesy of Dasan McCullough. Dasan with his brother, Deland, and mom and dad. Photo courtesy of Darnell McCullough. Dasan playing tackle football when he was younger. Photo courtesy of Darnell McCullough.
McCullough said. Dasan adjusts his workouts and diet to accommodate every goal he’s trying to meet, which changes every few months. “Nobody motivates me to get up and do any of this besides myself,” Dasan said. “I write down goals, monthly, kind of where I want to be. It could be a goal that
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The sight of disappointment and after a loss, you never want them to feel heavy and feel like this is all on [them].
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- Darnell Mccullough
I want to get to by the end of the year. I did that exact same thing for January with lifting goals, running goals, so I set that goal for January, right on the first.” Darnell applauds her son for the work he puts in but worries that he sometimes puts too much pressure on himself. Because he puts in so much, she says, he’s always going to expect himself to get just as much out, which isn’t always the case. “The sight of disappointment and after a loss, you never want them to feel heavy and feel like this is all on [them],” Darnell McCullough said. As hard a burden it is to bear, Darnell said, it’s something that all athletes will carry with them, including Dasan as he gears up for his future spot at Ohio State starting in 2022. She believes that it’s
necessary for him to improve. “In just any part of self-analyzing, it comes back to doing that to become better,” Darnell McCullough said. That reflection, a part of the emotional strength he prides himself on, coupled with his physicality is what Dasan said made him stand out to scouts for college football programs. He got his first offer when he was in eighth grade. Although he came to BVN with this reputation that preceded him, he said he started taking the offers seriously after his freshman year when D1 football schools, like the University of Michigan and Clemson, showed interest in him. Dasan committed to the Ohio State University shortly after the end of his sophomore year, but he said he was sure of his decision much earlier. The most important part of his recruitment happened during quarantine, he said, because he was able to understand what schools were truly interested in him. “I already knew Ohio State was home,” Dasan said. “I’m from Ohio. I’m from Cincinnati. So I get to play in front of my family...that was the best option for me. [The coaching staff] did such a great job recruiting me that I never even took a visit to Ohio State, which also is an unknown thing to commit somewhere without even visiting. That’s how good of a job they did recruiting me, I felt like I already met the coaches, the relationship I had with them, and it was all virtually.” Whereas he said quarantine made the recruitment and commitment process difficult for other high school athletes because they couldn’t visit schools, it helped him narrow down his list for that same reason. “Going into quarantine I already had about 40 scholarship offers, so I kind of
12 | The North Star | December 2020
got to sit down and really look at all those schools,” Dasan said. “If I was to visit more schools I would have wanted to keep waiting...but with me not being able to go anywhere, I kind got to sit down and really think about [my decision].” From his commitment to a D1 school, to coverage on ESPN, and his ranking as the best player in Kansas, Dasan has received plenty of attention and praise. Despite that, he said the gravity of his success has yet to sink in, partly because of how continuous it has been. “I have still never really realized [my success] because it started when I was so young,” Dasan said. “I got my first offer in eighth grade, so I can’t really say there was a certain time where I had [that realization]. Maybe after I committed [to Ohio State], I realized because there was a lot of attention going on. Hall of Famers at Ohio State talking to me and things like that, so that’s when I realized like, I’m a pretty big, like big player. I knew in Kansas I was already. I was already told
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I have still never really realized [my success] because it started when I was so young.
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- Dasan Mccullough
I was one of the biggest recruits in the last decade. That was a pretty personal achievement, but I never really realized or had a moment to really sit down and think about it. I kept going with it.”
Student safety first
opinion
The priorities of the district are not focused on the primary issue at hand: student safety. Opinion By Angelica Henson
2
020 has been a year of chaos to many. Political tension and protests, a presidential election, the deaths of many beloved public figures — it’s become almost too much to keep track of. Through it all, the first year of our new decade has been punctuated by a pandemic first known as the novel coronavirus, then COVID-19. The name says it all, as this virus has taken us from 2019 to 2020 globally. Countries all over the world have taken action to fight against the virus by wearing masks, washing hands and stringent lockdowns. In March 2020, the Blue Valley School District shut down. Questions surfaced regarding news of when school would be back in session. On Oct. 5 Blue Valley schools went into hybrid learning, which was far too early when now there are more COVID-19 cases on the rise. Kansas State Health Department (KDHE) statistics show that as of October, there has been a steady and intense increase of confirmed cases of COVID-19 — from 949 cases in October to the 5,491 in December so far, making it a 479% increase in cases. This is a significant and worrying change. Clearly, this exhibits that the virus was nowhere near contained in Johnson
County when Blue Valley decided to allow students to attend school in-person. With a disease spreading and developing so quickly, schools need to take the required safety precautions to protect students and staff from the threats it may present. Necessary precautions should include staying in remote learning; not simply requiring masks, and allowing day-to-day life to continue. Safety should be the number one priority when considering the future of a student. Avoiding large groups has been substantially emphasized by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since the outbreak. Six feet apart with masks on or not, that’s still at least over a hundred people in one building. With this population, people who are at severe risk have their chances increased of catching the virus. Not only does this apply to the students and staff in the building but also the people at home who are high-risk. It’s a chain of events that affects grandparents, people who struggle with heart or respiratory diseases. The website for the CDC displays that one in six Americans struggle with chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s; these are all conditions that cause people to be at high-risk. Anyone
that may struggle with these diseases and are exposed to students going to school for seven hours a day are prone to dangerous symptoms of COVID-19. With the allowance of school, it gives people the idea to participate in fake homecomings and real, school-sanctioned football games to make up for missed moments. The number of cases rose while these events occurred, with a total of 93 new cases in the district since Nov. 25, according to Blue Valley’s COVID Dashboard. Since schools have entered Virtual Learning, these cases have lowered by 20 percent in the district. As of Dec. 9, Blue Valley made a new announcement: starting December 11, up to two spectators will be allowed per student. With the continuation of sports despite school going online, this gives the indication that safety is not the priority for the district — sports are. Since the beginning of the school year, the priorities of the Blue Valley school district have shifted from student safety to school-sanctioned events. The pandemic is still very real, and that should be the primary focus. One can only hope that the right decisions will be made as the school year continues, before conditions of the pandemic worsen.
December 2020 | The North Star | 13
Feature
Welcome to
Room 116 W
alking into room 116 the first thing a student might notice is the colors — bright, primary paint on three of the four brick walls that are covered with diagrams and posters of animals, cell models and types of plants. The next things that stand out are the smell of coffee and the voices of students learning, reviewing or simply chatting in the few minutes before the bell rings to start class. A passing student might observe the snake being held and passed around, the redeared slider turtle (simply named “Turtle”) walking circles on the tile floor or the various fish tanks that bubble and hum gently on the sides of the room, evidence of the learning process in Field Biology— as science teacher Chris Ollig calls them, “the critters.” For 10 years, Ollig has been teaching at BVN. With a family background in education (his mother was a preschool teacher for 45 years), he says it had been his plan to go into teaching, but it didn’t turn out exactly the way he’d intended. “I took one college class in elementary education and decided that wasn’t going to happen, so then I ... went into biology and loved it and worked in the field for quite a while,” Ollig said. “But that ‘teaching bug’ never went away.” So, Ollig took a job teaching biology at BVN 10 years ago — his first and only teaching job. He teaches three classes — Zoology, Field Biology and AP Biology. That’s three chances a BVN student has to get a science credit (or a half) in room 116 — and some go back for seconds, according to Ollig, who says he often gets students who take more than one of his classes. One of the most important parts of teaching, he says, is creating the right classroom environment. For Ollig, that
means finding the right mix of fun and focus, and that students can expect to be in a classroom where asking questions is easy, and students feel comfortable tackling even the most complex of concepts. “That’s my main goal,” Ollig said. “Even if we are doing something that’s really difficult and challenging, I like the classroom environment to be comfortable and welcoming.”
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When I think about favorite moments or favorite things that have happened, it’s always centered around the relationships that I’ve been able to build with the students. - Chris Ollig
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He enjoys bringing enthusiasm into learning, and showing new perspectives to students in all his classes, opening them up to new concepts and even new life forms they didn’t know much about before, like the humble sea sponge. “A lot of people don’t think of a sponge as an animal… [but] I’ve had several students come to me when we talk about what was their favorite part of the semester, and they’ll come to me and say ‘the thing that fascinated me more than anything was a sponge.” Of course, there isn’t a classroom without students, and Ollig says that building connections with the students in his classes — connections that can last beyond just a semester or two — is one of
14 | The North Star | December 2020
Science department teacher Chris Ollig creates lasting connections with his students through an engaging classroom environment By Ellianna Cierpiot
his favorite parts of his job. “When I think about favorite moments or favorite things that have happened, it’s always centered around the relationships that I’ve been able to build with the students and getting to know the students,” Ollig said. Important memories are also built when he takes groups of students to extracurricular biology activities, like Eco Meet and the annual snake trip. Eco Meet is a team competition based around different aspects of biology and ecology— last year, BVN’s Eco Meet team placed first overall at the state competition. BVN has also been participating in the annual snake trip for about nine years, but the trips have been going for more than 40 years, through the Kansas Herpetological Society (KHS), in order to collect data on Kansas’ many reptiles and amphibians (herpetology is known as the study of snakes and other reptiles). Ollig says that the snake trip has ballooned into a much larger venture than it was when the tradition started— the very first trip only had five students, and now BVN brings multiple vans of participants, driving for hours to a location in Kansas decided upon by the KHS to look for snakes, frogs and other small animals. A hallmark of Ollig’s classes, and something that students all across BVN say they know him for, are the animals. Ollig says he enjoys the things that these animals can teach students, and the encouragement to leave one’s own comfort zone and interact with something new. One such creature is the Great Plains Ratsnake, which tagged along back to BVN after the very first snake trip. Ollig says that he’s extremely friendly, and students enjoy holding him during class — even those who are apprehensive at first.
“I can’t tell you how many students I’ve had come in that are just… scared to death of snakes and don’t want anything to do with [him], but if we’re able to get the students… to handle the snakes and hold them, they’re almost always the ones that end up holding the snake every day.” Besides the snake, students have the chance to meet a red-eared slider turtle, various types of fish, a hermit crab, and Maddy, a tortoise who is currently living with a student during the period of remote learning. Maddy has a shell deformity, causing him to walk with his front legs mainly, and he loves to be held. Ollig’s classes can look like many things— from AP Biology students carefully studying pillbugs, to students in Field Biology looking for fish in the creek and Zoology students studying sponges. This year, however, room 116 looks a bit different. Visually, the colors, posters, and even the critters remain in the same spots. However, there are fewer students to talk, to hold the snakes, and to do in-class activities. Before Thanksgiving break, the part of the class that stayed home connected on Zoom with the handful of masked students that were in the classroom. Now, the room is empty — Ollig teaches to the students on the computer, and, of course, to the glass tanks along the walls. According to Ollig, moving to hybrid or remote learning poses challenges for all of his classes. Field Biology is rooted in the concept of leaving the classroom and traveling as a class around the area to learn the practices of biology in nature. AP Biology, on the other hand, has many activities within the classroom that are high-contact, like an exercise that Ollig has done in previous years to teach the concept of photosynthesis. So, he says, the difficulty is transitioning those activities into the virtual format. “I’m trying to think about what I could do instead of that this year,” Ollig said. “So, taking things that I’ve done in the past and trying to figure out ways to make them work this year.” Overall, Ollig says, he’s making do. It might be more difficult to find ways for students to interact with nature, do lab work and have that full experience, but his classes are finding ways to overcome that barrier and immerse themselves in learning while still complying with COVID-19 safety protocols. “Getting into a creek and doing some sampling with a mask on has added a little level of challenge,” Ollig said. “But the main thing that has made it easier than I anticipated… the one thing that has been really impressive, is how the students have handled this situation.”
Top: Ollig and two science department teachers with a mink. Bottom: Ollig poses with the group from BVN on the annual snake trip.
CLASSROOM CRITTERS A look at two animals that can be found in room Ollig’s classroom right now.
Great Plains RatSnake A passenger back from the very first snake trip, his brown markings would help him camouflage in the wild. As a nocturnal predator, the Great Plains Ratsnake also has a strong sense of smell.
Red-Eared Slider Turtle According to Ollig, “Turtle” has a lot of personality, and can be easily identified by the distinctive red marks on her face. The name “slider” comes from their habit of quickly sliding into the water. (Graphic by Yasmeen Saadi) (Source: Missouri Department of Conservation)
December 2020 | The North Star | 15
Feature
Behind the Screens How has the rise of social media affected BVN students and their perception of themselves? By Ella Thomas
J
ust before the start of this school year, Sophomore Riley McConnell was at the mall waiting for a boba tea when her phone started blowing up. She started to get angry DMs from another BVN student about a comment that they thought she made on Instagram. The messages accused McConnell of making rude comments on others’ body size and appearance. Later that night, a screenshot was posted on Instagram showing McConnell attacking someone’s weight and another screenshot of her criticizing someone’s eyebrows. One screenshot that was posted showed an Instagram story reply with McConnell saying, “That one sophomore is a fat ***.” A similar screenshot was posted later that week saying, “[A student] is ugly and has bad eyebrows.” Here’s the truth that McConnell knew, but no one believed: the screenshots were photoshopped. On Aug. 29 the Instagram account Blue Valley Tea was created to spread misinformation about BVN students. The account had a logo of the Blue Valley School District and was under the username “_bluevalleytea_.” The word “tea,” as used in the username refers to gossip or information that would be spread about other students. The account started by spreading rumors about other students that did not go to BVN, or may not even be in the Blue Valley district. This has led people
to believe that the account was started because of a TikTok trend this summer where high schoolers would start similar mis-informative accounts about schools that they had no connection to. The drama that spread on the account focused on others’ appearances. This type of hate that high schoolers receive on the internet can contribute to body image
“
“I have seen a massive spike in [low mental health] around covid because all of us are anxious… all of us are traumatized by everything going on.
- Lisa summers
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issues. Accounts like this on Instagram are common along with attacks on people’s body image and self-esteem. Instagram also has been proven to lower the confidence levels of teens by targeting
16 | The North Star | December 2020
their appearance. A 2017 study titled “I don’t need people to tell me I’m pretty on social media” found that 92 percent of teens use social media daily. With more time spent on the internet, students are exposed to hurtful comments that call others names or attack appearance. These comments, combined with more time alone due to COVID-19 restrictions, have led to an increase in social media-related mental health issues. BVN social worker Lisa Summers observes what students experience through her job. Summers has seen not only mental health-related issues, but also more body positivity issues in her past few years at BVN. “I have seen a massive spike in [low mental health] around COVID because all of us are anxious… all of us are traumatized by everything going on.” Summers said. Summers said several issues with social media come from when students feel excluded or hurt after seeing peoples’ posts. This could be because the photo does not include them or the caption and comments are targeted towards them. In her experience, Summers said that the authors of the post often do not mean to hurt others and don’t realize that they are. Summers explains the feeling of being excluded can be transferred into real life. For example, if a student sees that all of their friends went to the movies but
“
I think if you’re photoshopping a picture to fit social standards then you should stop. I believe that people need to stand out from one another and embrace their differences
day” videos that show what she thinks is the perfect standard and is unrealistic. Sher thinks that there needs to be more relatable videos on the internet to replace
“ It depends because it gives you all these unrealistic expectations of what you should look like.
BVN students answer:
“
-Nora carlsen
“
“ It’s a balance like all
things - I know plenty of body positive accounts, but sadly there are a lot more negative ones. -Addison Brandau
“ It’s a breeding
[It] gives impressionable teens an ‘ideal’ body image.
ground for toxic comparisons and habits.
“
Does social media have a positive or negative impact on body image?
“
-Caroline Tullis
the ones that form unhealthy habits. “A big thing has been posting [“What I eat in a day” videos]. And a lot of these [videos] have promoted eating disorders towards other teenage girls and some guys,” said Sher. “Especially, I think a lot of people with quarantine saw other people working out a ton and dieting. And if you weren’t doing that, you may have felt bad about yourself and [thought], “ I’m wasting this time,” which just isn’t true.” Sher also has recognized that the wording on most workout videos or routines is targeted toward losing weight quickly or looking “better.” Several fitness influencers posted workout videos on YouTube that went viral over the first few weeks of quarantine. The video titles include words like “hourglass,” “lose weight,” “burn calories” and have a strong focus on quick results. “When you go on YouTube and you look up workout videos, you’ll [see [creators’] ‘do this every day to lose weight’ [videos] and using those words [like] ‘do this for two weeks to get abs’ is very toxic and just not how it works,” Sher said. Sher follows accounts that promote
“
Q&A
media promotes unhealthy habits and unrealistic standards. Sher reports seeing daily routine videos or “What I eat in a
“
excluded them, the student could feel left out. This could make the student feel unwelcome in the group and feel like they could no longer hang out with them. Summers said that many students feel like they do not fit in even if it looks like they do from the outside. Along with social media spreading gossip and directly putting others down, some struggle with their body image. A study published in the last year at the California State University Fullerton by Oriana Macias investigated how the time spent on the computer can affect body image. The study relied on earlier research that showed that lower body image stems from social media enforcing a standard and ideal physical body type that is not realistic for most adolescents and teens. The study showed that the participants who were never on the computer had a significantly more positive body image than the participants who spent three or more hours on the computer. “We’re trying to get the mental health attitudes here changed. ” Summers said. “That includes the whole array of things, eating disorders included in that bubble, social media included in that bubble.” Senior Zoe Sher believes that social
-Maddy Phillips
- Annabelle Muller
December 2020 | The North Star | 17
feature
healthy habits for eating and exercising, and has started her own account that promotes healthy, happy habits. Sher also
“
It was people who didn’t even know me, so they just assumed I was this horrible person, so it really made me ticked off because I didn’t want people to think that of me - Riley McConnell
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hopes to make Instagram more casual by posting photos that don’t have to be perfect and by posting ones that make her happy.
Another aspect of social media is how the images posted can vary from real life. The term “Instagram vs. reality” is used to show the comparison between edited pictures posted on Instagram and the original photos. “I think if you’re photoshopping a picture to fit social standards then you should stop. I believe that people need to stand out from one another and embrace their differences,” said Tullis. Some say that social media can spread positivity and is a great way to connect, where others say that it holds unrealistic standards. Sher says that she keeps off of social media but still uses sites like YouTube to find fun or positive workout and meal ideas. Senior Max Wolf also uses social media but keeps it positive by incorporating comedy. Wolf likes to use sites like Twitter because, according to Wolf, it is where people are most themselves and TikTok because he can make others laugh. Because Wolf has a following on TikTok, he feels like he can make others laugh and feel better about themselves. When McConnell saw the posts, she immediately contacted the owners of the
Blue Valley Tea account. She explained that she never said what they had posted and asked them to take the posts down. Instead of taking the posts down, the owner(s) fought with McConnell and started attacking her body/appearance. “I DM’ed the account [Blue Valley Tea] and they were like, ‘its not photoshopped, I don’t know why you would think that, you are just a horrible person’ then they were cursing people out and using horrible words,” said McConnell. “They kept calling me fat so I thought they [were] a hypocrite, but they stopped responded.” Once the account stopped posting as much gossip, they admitted that they used Photoshop for their content. “I had a full on panic attack… and I was thinking, “people think badly of me, it was how I was remembered by,’’ said McConnell. “It was people who didn’t even know me so they just assumed I was this horrible person, so it really made me ticked off because I didn’t want people to think that of me.”
BVN Poll Does social media have an impact on people’s body image? Survey results from BVN News Instagram
18 | The North Star | December 2020
82%
18%
No Yes
Instagram VS. Reality Instagram VS. reality is the term used to describe the difference between the photos posted on Instagram and what the photos looked like before they were altered. As it becomes more popular it is more likely that teens will see the ‘perfect’ pictures instead of the original. Experts predict that this is a large factor in why teens struggle with body positivity. The Behavioral Science Institute in the Netherlands took a closer look into how Instagram VS. reality can affect social media.
Study
Background Sample:
144 adolescent girls between the age of 14 and 18 located in the Netherlands
Material:
The girls were exposed to ten selfies of Caucasian girls where the faces and bodies were visible in the photos.
Editing techniques:
To edit the photos, researchers would increase brightness or color intensity and remove eye bags, wrinkles and skin imperfections or reshape legs and waists to be thinner.
Results “The girls’ level of body image after viewing the photos.”
“The Instagram photos viewed are manipulated by using filters”
Girls who viewed the manipulated photos:
Girls who viewed the manipulated photos:
1
5 1
Girls who viewed the original photos:
1
Girls who viewed the original photos:
5 1
The results were recorded on a scale of one to five, one being the lowest possible body image and five being the highest possible body image.
5 5
The results were recorded on a scale of one to five, one being totally disagree and five being totally agree.
December 2020 | The North Star | 19
Letter from the staff
Logging On
The stress of a virtual world has been exacerbated by the pandemic, and it’s easy to feel alone.
A
s we spend our days stuck in a constant cycle of screen after screen, it is easy to feel disconnected from reality. We wake up for school, only to log on and view our teachers and classmates from behind the screen — the option of turning off our cameras and mentally logging off is always present. When the school day ends, our computer screens are replaced by our phones where we absorb algorithms that present images of perfection — influencers advertising workouts with edited photos, celebrities shilling diet supplements, companies advertising body types like they’re trends we can change in and out of when the world tells us to. Scrolling for hours through social media, we see people’s best moments; the ones they are proud to share. Through pictures, we end up criticizing our own bodies, achievements and lives when they don’t line up with the tiny glimpses of others that we see on our end. We see certain physical features being praised by followers and more likes, often dragging us into a state of constant comparison where our unique and equally beautiful features feel ugly and being healthy does not feel like enough. However, these glimpses into a person’s life do not encompass their moments of imperfection, sadness, frustration and confusion, which are left to be experienced in solitude. The pandemic has increased the time we spend with ourselves, leading many to focus on self-improvement through hobbies or new habits. This summer brought a wave of workout and health videos to the forefront of social media, with promises of “quarantine glow ups.” While for some, these videos became motivating daily routines, for others, the broken promises advertised were discouraging. We all adapt differently to situations thrown at us, and in these confusing times, it is important to be kind — both to others and to ourselves. It is okay to not have completely transformed over the course of the pandemic. It’s okay to feel apathy, to be
20 | The North Star | December 2020
unmotivated. It’s okay to struggle — because almost everyone is. In this climate of turmoil and unease, it’s okay to be just barely getting by. You don’t need to use every waking moment in the journey of selfimprovement, or productivity. Our school environment imposes the same workload, expects the same results despite the overbearing, tiring presence of the pandemic, despite the isolation and fear and anxiety many students are feeling. Without breaks between classes to meet with friends, or North Time to receive help and socialize, the days often blend and online classes can become monotonous. Therefore, it is important to set aside a few minutes each day to get away from the screen and focus on an activity that brings happiness and excitement. It is difficult to feel hope when we are unaware of the destination, but we are all on the ride together, and as a community it is important to unite through the challenges. Now, more than ever, it is important to reach out to friends and family. It is important to communicate to others what they mean to us and to reach out when we feel tired or unmotivated. Even if we don’t always recognize it, we are surrounded by people that care about us. In the span of our lives, through daily interactions, each of us has made an impact on countless individuals — friends, family members, teachers and even strangers. As we carry on through this year, we should understand that past our differences, we are human beings. We have to respect ourselves and respect others, allowing for mistakes and forgiving them. With so much out of our control, this is a time to focus on ourselves and our actions. Although we may be separated for the time being, we are not alone. Behind the screen is an individual that is powerful, loved, cared for and appreciated. - The North Star Staff
# | The North Star | month 2020
student life
What’s up with Winter Sports? How will Winter sports get through the season while battling COVID-19 complications?
A
s fall sports are wrapping up, tryouts and practices are beginning for the winter. With high contact, the continuation of winter athletics may be up in the air.
Regulations
According to Kelli Kurle, the Associate Principal and Athletic director at BVN, winter sports are going through the district’s regulations to prevent COVID-19 as best they can so sports can keep the green light. Activities and athletics began in-person competitions beginning the week of Dec. 7. “As of right now [winter sports] are a go. KSHSAA [had] a proposal to delay sports until Jan. 15 where only practices would be allowed to be held until Jan. 15, where games [would] resume,” Kurle said. Proposals from KSHSAA changed rapidly during November and December. According to KSHSAA, as of Dec. 9, up to two parents/guardians per student will be allowed at interscholastic activities starting Dec. 11, to minimize the risk of exposure while still providing opportunities for students and spectators. The Blue Valley district has partnered with the NFHS network to livestream events. Mandatory universal masking will be enforced, with the exception of athletes during the time they are competing and officials during live action. When the presence of a mask poses a risk to the student athlete’s safety, during activities of physical exertion, the mask may be removed. “We are washing equipment, using Tersano spray for balls, wrestlers are using special masks, masks for basketball players during practice, no out-of-town tournaments, only doing six team wrestling tournaments as well as smaller swim practices and meets,” Kurle said. “There’s a proposal to remove fans, but right now there can be two fans per player for each
sport.” Restrictions are being placed on the reliance of science and studies that are coming out. Kurle is working with the District Board’s nurse and the Johnson County Health Department to administer quarantines and execute decisions on the path for sports.
Basketball
Girls and Boys Basketball is already preparing for their season with tryouts occurring Nov. 16. Senior Andrew Orr, who was on the varsity team last year, was intent on playing this season despite the issues with the coronavirus pandemic, citing that he played over the summer and was expecting a similar type of game play. “During my games we would have to get screened every time we entered and left the building, but now the boys and girls [teams] have to wear masks during conditioning and practice,” Orr said. “We also were not allowed to go inside, and we always had to wear masks during our workout.” Orr believes there is a likely chance that winter basketball season will be canceled. “I think it’ll go well for the first couple of weeks, but I think as soon as there’s one case, it’ll go downhill pretty fast from there,” Orr said. Junior Mary Crossland, varsity,
22 | The North Star | December 2020
By Jack Toal believed the girls basketball team will perform well this year as far as the season goes, but also said she expected winter sports to be shut down with one or two positive tests of COVID-19. “It’ll make me a little sad because I won’t be able to hear my friends cheering, but as long as we get to play, I’ll be happy.” Crossland said. Orr, however, thought that this limitation wouldn’t affect the players. “It’ll be like AAU and club basketball, which is like playing for your own respective teams in tournaments, so it won’t be too different,” Orr said. Last year the boys team was fairly successful making it to the Semi-Finals before the season was canceled. “Last year we went 20-3 and were about to play Hayesville Campus in the semis. If we won that we were probably going to play Blue Valley Northwest in the Finals,” Orr said. “I think we can win a state chip this year — we have a majority of our starting line-up returning.” Crossland also thinks the team will do well this year since only five seniors graduated last year, meaning they will likely already be familiar with the members on the team. “Making it to the sub-state game and winning this time ... would be our goal for this year,” she said. “We are looking to win sub-state this year since we lost in the substate game last year.”
Swim and Dive
Swim and Dive began their season Nov. 16 among the other sports. Since water nullifies masks, they have a different design for practices. Junior Spencer Eyen, who was on the Varsity dive team last year, went into some of the difficulties swimmers have to face versus divers. “Masks are on anytime we can, but during swim we divide out lane lines and socially distance. If someone is to get COVID-19 in one of those groups, that line would be quarantined,” Eyen said. “As a diver, it’s less of an issue for me because I’m only around people in line, but now they have marked lines so we can stand far away from each other.” Eyen also said there is a likely chance
for Swim to get canceled, but he thinks those dedicated to their sports will do everything they can outside of their sport to avoid COVID-19. They are also
putting in counter measures, similar to football, especially with fans, such as only household members being allowed to attend and required masks at the meet. According to Eyen, the bleachers this year will look far different from normal — mainly, the crowds filling them, or lack thereof. He said only parents will be able to attend due to COVID-19 regulations to try to cut down on the chance of being exposed, and those in the pool area will be required to wear masks at all times, similar to football. “If people remain safe and careful I think we could have sports,” Eyen said. According to Eyen, he intends to still make the most of the year and what comes of it. He and the rest of the swim team aim to win state this year since they fell short last year. “For the last two years at state we’ve gotten close to first, and I know there are a lot of people who think we can make a run, so that is the goal this year,” Eyen said.
Wrestling
The wrestling season is set to start with the rest of the winter athletics, but junior Ty Farrington, who made state last year, is sure that this season will end up working out. Farrington also plays football, and since they made it through their season, he believes they will have some sort of season for Wrestling. “I think one way or another we will have some sort of season especially after football,” Farrington said. Wrestling is taking on a similar layout to swim since they practice in groups of three with masks on. “We have to wear ski masks in practice, and we are only in groups of three at a time, and it’s going to stay like that the whole season,” Farrington said. The “ski masks” more specifically are gator masks with headgear on top to keep the mask in place. Farrington also thinks that the
circumstances of this year may affect the amount of people that join wrestling because of respiratory issues, high-risk family members or other common situations that may put one at risk.
“I think it is a possibility that less people will come out,” Farrington said. “For some people it’ll be harder to breathe with masks, and I realize many people may have high-risk people around them that they are in contact with.” Farrington still thinks that they should focus on their goals while the sport is around. With the chance of COVID-19 limiting the season, Farrington still set his goals with the idea of being able to make it through the season. “I want to make state again and place on the podium this year either by myself or with the team depending on how we do,” Farrington said. “We’re looking to get as many people as we can to get to state and get ranked as a team at state as long as the sport is around.” With the large obstacle of COVID-19 around, there is no way to predict how winter sports may go. “The masks are made to prevent the spread of COVID-19, so there’s really no reason not to wear them around others,” Eyen said. Many players are relying on the safety of others to continue their sport and reminding others to wear their mask to make it through the season.
Will winter sports get canceled?
70% Yes
30% No
Survey results from a poll taken on the @BVNNews Instagram
December 2020 | The North Star | 23
for the Home Holidays
student life
I
Winter holiday celebrations for North students are celebrated differently this year.
n past years, families would gather together from different locations and commemorate their unique winter holiday. But this year, will celebrations look different? From Christmas to Lunar New Year, there are an assortment of traditions and sacrifices families plan to make during the winter holidays for 2020-2021. A deeper look into the experiences of several families’ winter traditions is included in each of the features below.
Diwali
Also known as The Festival of Lights, the holiday Diwali signifies how good prevails over evil, according to senior Madhu Parthasarathy. Diwali took place Nov. 14 and is a five-day festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the world. There are many different versions of the holiday, but for the Parthasarathys, Diwali is a celebration of light. The light is used to represent the good lighting up the darkness, Parthasarathy said. In this abnormal time of a world pandemic, the celebrations of Diwali looked somewhat different from past years. This year, families across the United States celebrated by sending positive social media messages to one another instead of meeting in large gatherings, and also by having Zoom calls. The Parthasarathys usually don’t celebrate with the whole family, so COVID-19 did not have a major effect on the celebration this year, allowing them to still have a glimpse of light during this isolating time. Some of their traditions include the lighting of lamps and cooking traditional dishes. “We lit lamps, and there is a tradition where you wear new clothes on the day,” Parthasarathy said. “And it varies between North and South India because the cuisines are so different, but for us we make fried lentil cakes, and we make some sweets, too.” The celebrations for Diwali this year looked many ways around the world, but for the Parthasarathys, the holiday was almost the same for 2020.
Thanksgiving
The aroma of croissant rolls and turkey flood through the Patterson household as they prepare for their annual Thanksgiving meal. They mingle with their extended family as
The Pattersons Junior Abby Patterson poses with her dog, Buster. "We bought a costume for Buster five years ago and put it on him every year to celebrate," Patterson said.
24 | The North Star | December 2020
By Kara Deskin
the dinner is cooking and enjoy each other’s presence during the holiday, according to sophomore Abi Patterson. “It’s really upsetting because I love seeing my family,” Abi Patterson said. “But I probably won’t get to see them this year because of COVID. We don’t want to expose my grandpa.” The Pattersons usually spend Thanksgiving putting up Christmas decorations, cooking their favorite meals and having everyone in the family watch senior Isaac Patterson’s basketball games, including the extended family. “This year was a lot different because usually I have games or early 8 a.m. practices,” Isaac Patterson said. “But this year we didn’t do much. I felt fortunate to be around my family, and we did our best to stay safe.” Despite the challenge of not getting to celebrate with the extended family this year, the Pattersons planned to celebrate with their immediate family by cooking meals and reminiscing about what they are thankful for in 2020. “We eat turkey and my brother usually eats like 15 croissant rolls,” Abi Patterson said. “But this year, we ate mac and cheese, stuffing, turkey, pumpkin pie cheesecake, and lots of other sides.” Abi Patterson also used the holiday to give thanks to those she was thankful for. “I am thankful for my family because they have all been so positive during this time,” Abi Patterson said. “I am also thankful that the teachers have been so flexible, too.”
Hanukkah
For freshman Jaden Jacobson, Hanukkah signifies the union of her family. The holiday is also celebrated to remember the miracle of candles that lasted eight days, instead of just one. But according to Jacobson, Hanukkah is not the most important holiday celebrated by Jewish people. “Yom Kippur and Passover are more important,” Jacobson said. “But Hanukkah usually brings us all together, more than just my immediate family.” The origin of the holiday derives from a miracle that occurred during the second century B.C. when the Jews rose up against their Greek-Syrian tyrants.
The Summers
Senior Grace Summers and her cousins open gifts by the Christmas tree. "We took this picture many years ago at the family farm," Summers said.
“In the story the kids learn first, the Jewish temple was burnt down by the Greeks, and so they went to go light a candle with oils, but they only had enough to last one day,” Jacobson said. “It ended up lasting eight days, so that’s why they consider Hanukkah a miracle.” The lighting of the menorah is the most important part of the Hanukkah celebration, according to Jacobson. But this year, things will look a little different for the family. The celebration will consist of Jacobson’s immediate family to avoid the spread of COVID-19 to other family members. “It’s different from past years because we won’t all be together, which is what Hanukkah does,” Jacobson said. “I will miss seeing everyone and just having that normal holiday feel.” Despite the changes, the Jacobsons are staying optimistic and look forward to meeting with the extended family on Zoom in order to make the holiday feel as normal as possible.
Christmas
Nearly 93 percent of Americans claim they celebrated Christmas in 2019, according to a Gallup poll. In Christianity, Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ on Dec. 25, but the holiday also focuses on the act of giving, selflessness and spending time with one's family, according to senior Grace Summers. “Every year, on my mom’s side of the family, we all meet at my grandma’s farm,” Summers said. “My cousins from Alabama come, and it’s really an exciting time for everyone.” At the farm, Summers and her family spend time reading different passages of the Bible, exchanging gifts and cooking traditional Christmas dishes. The family always makes a traditional feast that includes ham, green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and many desserts. The significance of the holiday for the Summers is mainly devoted to their religion. Depending on the year, a different kid in the family will take turns reading a passage from the Bible to remember the importance of the holiday. And as Baptist Christians, the family commemorates the birth of Jesus. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “celebrating virtually or with members of your household poses
The JAcobsons Freshman Jaden Jacobson and her brother practice her favorite tradition for Hanukkah. "We are lighting the menorah for the fifth night of Hanukkah," Jacobson said.
the lowest risk for spread.” Although the Summers will continue their tradition of going to the farm and celebrating with cousins, they will practice mitigation strategies before leaving, including wearing masks and social distancing to prevent the spread of the disease. “For my family, I do not think Christmas will be affected at all,” Summers said. “We are all staying safe by making sure none of us have been exposed, and practicing safe procedures, so we can all meet.”
Chinese New Year
Soon, China will be decorated in splashes of red and traditional activities that signify the Lunar New Year will begin. In Overland Park, junior Harry Wang and his family will also celebrate the Lunar New Year with many activities, festive dishes, but also social distancing. “I know in China the virus isn’t nearly as bad anymore,” Wang said. “For us, the celebration is probably going to be a lot different this year, but my parents said that China already has started some of their activities.” Wang celebrates The Lunar New Year the same night as the American celebration of the new year, and additionally he participates in some of the activities that occur in China during their celebration, which is Feb. 12, 2021. Normally, the family spends time at friends’ houses — staying up late and participating in activities like the game Mahjong and a checkers tournament. For the Wangs, the holiday will be somewhat atypical from previous years. “For us, the celebration is probably going to look a lot different this year,” Wang said. “There will be fewer gatherings and it will just be people in our circle instead of large gatherings.” Despite the changes in this year’s celebrations, the Wangs will try to continue their festivities while accounting for the safety of their family. “We will still get to eat with friends and family, so I don’t think that COVID will affect the celebrations too much,” Wang said. “We cook dumplings every year and play Chinese checkers, so that will be fun.”
The Wangs
Junior Harry Wang, his brother and his dad celebrate the new year with their traditional meal. "Some dishes we eat are spring rolls, dumplings, fish, rice cakes and noodles," Wang said.
December 2020 | The North Star | 25
entertainment
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE A gift guide for everyone in your life, featuring shops local to the Kansas City area. By Caroline Haines
The Gardener Verdant: Botanical shop with plants, ceramics and flowers. Location: Crossroads
Black-Owned Businesses Ruby Jeans Juicery: An inclusive restaurant serving healthy bites and refreshing juices. Location:: Kansas City, Missouri Location
Give the opportunity to pick out whatever they want with a gift card. Price: $-$$$
Negro League Baseball Museum: The
world’s only museum dedicated to honor the history and impact of African-Americans in baseball. A moisture meter is a Gardening gift box that includes must-have for any plant anything one might need. Price: $$$ lover. Price: $
Buy a ticket for you and someone else and immerse yourself in history. Price: $-$$
Alyissa Letters: Online Etsy shop with unique prints,
Hidden Gems Eb and Co.: Trendy jewelry and accessory boutique. Location: Brookside
A great gift for the jewelry wearers in your life! Price: $-$$
Whiskey and Bone: Handcrafted jewelry that can be found online or in Kansas City shops. Location:: Online, Made in KC, Mid Coast Modern Location
Perfect for any age and any jewelry wearers. Price: $$$
26 | The North Star | December 2020
stickers, jewelry, patches and pins. Location: Etsy Shop
Motivational stickers perfect for anyone’s journal, water bottle or laptop case. Price: $
Vintage Lovers Daisy Lee Vintage: A vintage shop curated with totally groovy pieces. Location:: Oak Park Mall and Crossroads Location
One of a kind rings for one of a kind people. Price: $$-$$$
Peaches Vintage: Curated
vintage, sustainable and handmade goodies. Location: Kansas City, Missouri and online shop Surprise gift box. Price: $$
Caffeine Addicts The Tea Market: A shop filled with every tea, scent or flavor one could imagine. Location: Kansas City, Missouri A variety of teas to pick from for anyone in your life. Price: $-$$
KC Pride Tyler Kingston Mercantile:
General store filled with home goods, apparel, accessories, apothecary and gifts. A mug to remind people that things could be worse. Price: $
The Corner Candleshop: Handcrafted K.A.D Crochets: Handmade crochets made by a BVN alumni. Location: Etsy Shop and Instagram A coffee cozy perfect for any iced or hot beverage. Price: $
Maps Coffee: Small batch coffee roasters and hadmande chocolate. Location: Lenexa Give the gift of coffee from around the world. Price: $-$$
unique fragrances and candles. Location:: Brookside Location A candle that will light up your room with KC victory. Price: $
The Bunker: A local shop that curates products from local and national retailers. Location:: Westport Location What better way to warm up than with some KC pride. Price: $$
Music Listeners The Chef The Upper Crust: A pie shop that also includes an abundance of baking accessories. Location: Downtown Overland Park A unique oven mit that any baker will appreciate. Price: $
Mills Record Company: Record store specializing in new and used vinyl. Location: Westport
A record cleaning kit for the record loving people in your life. Price: $$$
The Market at Meadowbrook: Casual dining with a
Vinyl Renaissance and Audio: Oldest and largest
The picnic knife incorporates different utensils and is perfect for on the go adventures. Price: $
Get a unique poster of your friends favorite artist or band. Price: $
selection of goodies from local retailers.
record store in the Kansas City area filled with any music related product one might need.
Savory Spice Shop: A shop that features any seasoning or flavor one can dream of. Location: Brookside
A variety of seasoning salts that even Gordon Ramsey approves. Price: $$
Price Key: $: 0-15 $$: 15-30 $$$: 30+ December 2020 | The North Star | 27
Health
A CLean bill of health
T
he fluorescent lights flicker, illuminating smooth linoleum floors and tables still damp from disinfectant. Machines hum as they spray cleaning solutions on lunch tables. Stray hand sanitizer runs down the side of a desk. A discarded mask sits next to the trash. This is the battleground. And custodians are the soldiers on the frontlines In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the Blue Valley community has faced uncertainty during the 2020-2021 school year. Beginning with a delayed start, and facing a mix of virtual and in-person learning, returning to school buildings has been a battle. Throughout this process, BVN’s custodial staff has been on the frontlines, working to manage facilities and keep our schools clean and safe. Despite increased workload and danger of infection, custodians at BVN have used new and old protocols in an attempt to limit outbreaks within the
walls of our school. Despite the risk of increased exposure to COVID-19, almost all of the Blue Valley custodial staff members have chosen to return to their jobs this school year. To limit the spread of coronavirus
Custodians at BVN navigate new protocols to keep our community safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
“
the pay is decreased. but the work has increased. - terry linz
“
among students, custodians are disinfecting “touchpoints” throughout the building, which includes any surfaces that a high volume of students and staff make contact with. This includes doorknobs, pencil sharpeners, telephones and multiple other objects within classrooms and common areas. However, this increase in workload has
28 | The North Star | December 2020
by caroline clarke
also been accompanied by decreased pay for custodians. Lead custodian Terry Linz said that this is a concern for people on his team. “But ... usually custodians make more money with permits. So anytime that somebody rents out a part of the building for say, a dinner, or something like that, we get paid extra,” Linz said. “But there’s been a lot less of that going on. So the pay is decreased. But the work has increased.” Another challenge during this school year has been acquiring adequate supplies for the school. This includes protective gear, such as masks and gloves, as well as basic supplies, such as toilet paper. Matt Brooks, the custodial coordinator for Blue Valley Schools, said that it has been difficult to anticipate which items will have shortages. “Is toilet paper going to be short? Do I need to order more paper towels?...That’s really the toughest thing,” Brooks said. “That goes with machines, too....especially the foggers. We bought some of them [that]
THE ESSENTIALS Disinfectant Custodians are cleaning more frequently, specifically focusing on “touchpoints” around BVN.
Fogger Machines These machines allow the custodians to disinfect surfaces more quickly and effectively.
Left: Custodian Maria Velazquez cleans tables after lunch. Right: A custodian disinfects using a fogger machine.
we had to wait two, three months for. And even right now, with hand soap, we’re still waiting on automatic dispensers. We’re supposed to get those in December ... I ordered those back in May. So we’re over six months to get our automated dispensers.” When Brooks began his time at the district five years ago, he implemented a cleaning protocol that includes wiping down high traffic surfaces every night. This existing practice facilitated an easier transition to the heightened disinfecting requirements of the pandemic. Additionally, custodians are implementing flu season protocol to fight the spread of the virus, a situation that staff are already familiar with. New machines have been purchased to support this increased physical workload. The district has purchased “foggers,” which are tools used to disinfect large surfaces that may carry the virus. Some benefits of the foggers are speed, fewer chemicals and thorough coverage, as opposed to simply
wiping down these surfaces. “It’s a machine that atomizes the liquid that we put in it. Now the liquid that we use is the Tersano Stabilized Aqueous Ozone, which is the Tersano water, as we call it, which has ozone in it, and the ozone is the killer,” Brooks said. “And what the ozone wants to do is it’s attracted ... to the bacteria. It kills lots of different stuff, and it kills it quickly, because instead of trying to ... poison it to death, that oxygen molecule blows a hole in the membrane, thus rendering the COVID particle or bacteria ... dead. And it won’t multiply anymore, which is exactly what we want.” This equipment will continue to disinfect our school, even when coronavirus fears subside. It could aid in cleaning during localized outbreaks of other illnesses, including flu season. “It’s nice to keep that ... tool in your arsenal. You know it’s great for when we have flu outbreaks,” Brooks said. “If we have a MRSA outbreak [it’s helpful
for] cleaning locker rooms, you know, whether there’s an outbreak or not ... it can really help us. Make sure we’re getting all the nooks and crannies, you know, the small spots where we may miss wiping or something like that spraying that helps us get those areas.” Maria Velazquez, a day custodian at BVN, is responsible for using a fogger to clean tables at lunch, among other efforts to disinfect the building. Although this machine has made cleaning more efficient, she said that making sure classrooms and common areas are trash free is crucial. “They’ve been doing well because they’ve been picking their trash [up] after themselves. So that’s a big help. Because that way when we go to disinfect the tables or the areas [it] is easier, because you don’t have to pick up trash first and then disinfect,” Velazquez said. “So it’s just sticking with it. Everybody has their trash, but we like to have more time to disinfect appropriately.”
DECEMBER 2020 | The North Star | 29
honoring
Jonah the Wonderful Friends and family remember Jonah Lynch and celebrate his life.
W
hen Jonah Lynch was two years old, he and his family took a trip to New England. Rather than staying at a hotel, the family spent 12 weeks in the wilderness, surrounded by big boulders, trickling streams, waterfalls and wildlife, sharing their surroundings with bears, turtles and chipmunks. At just two years old, Jonah’s dad, Tom Lynch, already saw Jonah’s love of nature and the outdoors begin. During high school, Jonah continued to find passion in experiencing nature and helping the environment through exploring sustainable energies and technologies. He studied the work being done in developing countries that were becoming more sustainable despite their lack of resources and researched companies such as Tesla that were involved in making more sustainable products. “He was already expanding his perspective far beyond the typical interests of people his age. He was really interested in the bigger picture,” Tom Lynch said. “He was interested in: How are we going to save the planet? How are we going to keep climate change down? How are people going to be able to not only use sustainable technology but how can they manage it themselves?” During the pandemic and the shelter in place regulations, Jonah spent his time gaining skills in technology. He gained competencies in IBM cloud technology, artificial intelligence, open-source and power time. He acquired these skills to understand how to use technology to help the conservation of the environment. By those who knew him, Jonah was described as patient, funny, understanding and loving. Whether by being the host for when the family had guests or by helping out his classmates with assignments, Jonah prioritized the well-being of those around him. “Whenever we had family gatherings with extended relatives and the families were younger, the children were always entertained and watched over by Jonah,” Tom
30 | The North Star | december 2020
photos provided by the Lynch family
Lynch said. “[If they were] ready to go climb or explore something, he was going to be right there with them to make sure they were okay. He also read them stories and played games with them ... And if you came to the house, he would be the host. He would be the one who would ask you: Do you need a glass of water? We have coffee. We have tea.” Even when guests were not present, Jonah’s care for others continued through his willingness to do chores around the house and help out whenever he could. “I always called him ‘Jonah the Wonderful’ because he was never argumentative,” Tom Lynch said. “You know, if I asked him to do anything around the house, like take out the trash, walk the dog, he never contested that. [He would never] say, ‘Oh, I can’t. I don’t want to. It’s not my turn.’ He never said anything like that.” Jonah’s mom Valerie Lynch also admired Jonah’s ability to live freely and in the present. “He lived very much in the moment, so he didn’t worry too much about things that had gone wrong in the past or something that happened that didn’t turn out the way he wanted it to,” Valerie Lynch said. “And we were making plans for his future, but he didn’t obsess about that either. So I think that’s the key thing about Jonah. He was fully present with whomever he was with.” Jonah was very close to his two brothers, Nick Lynch, 21, and Danny Lynch, 23. The three brothers would often play group games together, which was one of Jonah’s favorite activities. Tom Lynch called Jonah a “general on the battlefield” when it came to playing games, often beating his brothers with his strategic thought process. One memory Jonah had cherished with his brothers was learning how to snowboard. “The best day of his life was the day that he snowboarded when he was about 8, 9 years old, in Colorado. And he said it was the best day of his life,” Valerie Lynch said. “He preferred cold weather over warm, so he would often look forward to winter. And we tried to get out to the mountains as often as we could, because of Jonah.”
Captions for photos above (left to right): Jonah with his cat, Skimbleshanks (Jonah loved cats!), Jonah at the Renaissance Festival, top: Jonah snowboarding in Colorado (Snowboarding was his favorite sport), bottom: Jonah playing chess, one of the many games he was good at, Jonah’s most recent picture
To celebrate Jonah and provide a space to share stories and memories, Valerie and Tom Lynch hosted a webinar after his passing, and they have been grateful for the support shown by students, teachers and administrators in the Blue Valley community. They said hearing stories about Jonah has given them comfort. “A lot of kids wrote and said they had a hard time making friends, but they made friends easily with Jonah,” Tom Lynch said. “Or they would spend just a few minutes with him at the end of the day, and that was their therapy. That was the positive influence that helped them to come back the next day and go through school all over again.” In keeping with Jonah’s interest in conservation and sustainability, Tom and Valerie Lynch have started a donation to plant trees in his memory. As a family, they had often planted trees at their ranch and farm, as well as transplanted trees from their family farm to their house. Since Jonah’s passing, trees have been planted in his honor at the Mark Twain National Forest, as well as in Florida and Colorado. At BVN, students designated space to plant a tree for Jonah as well. “In the case of Jonah, there was a whole community that cared, and he didn’t know that. He had absolutely no idea,” Tom Lynch said. “And that’s the sadness and the tragedy of it all, but he’s not alone. There are others that also feel isolated and have no idea how much they do for others just by simply being who they are.” Valerie and Tom reflected on the time they spent with Jonah lovingly. Through their game nights, camping trips and silly memories, their time spent together was lived fully. “We had 17, nearly 18 years being surrounded by a beautiful, beautiful soul, who taught us a lot, and who gave us a lot, and who loved us unconditionally, and we loved him unconditionally,” Tom Lynch said. “And that was a reason to celebrate.” By Yasmeen Saadi and Ellianna Cierpiot
december 2020 | The North Star | 31
STATE FOOTBALL GAME: north v derby
Left: Equipped with two cameras, senior Alex Doege takes pictures at the state football game against Derby High School. Photo by Yasmeen Saadi Top Right: Masked up, junior Kate Jehlik fixes her cheer teammate’s bow. Photo by Yasmeen Saadi Middle Right: Ringing a bell, senior Ethan Breedlove cheers at the state football game. Photo by Yasmeen Saadi Bottom Right: Getting a drink, Junior Ty Farrington receives feedback from his coach. Photo by Yasmeen Saadi
fall fun
Left: Seniors Charlotte Ganter and Charlotte Raley study outside on an asynchronous day. Photo provided by Charlotte Ganter Center: Senior Dylan Sailors with his sister on Thanksgiving. Photo provided by Dylan Sailors Right: Sophomore Katherine Koplik with her mom and her dogs, Buddy (left) and Honey (right). Photo provided by Katherine Koplik
