C ommon Sense Millard South High School • 14905 Q St. • Omaha, Neb., 68137
November 20, 2020
Volume 21 Issue 2
District adds inclusive language to non-discrimination policy Lane Howard cerns about homophobic slurs being used against LGBT Not everyone agrees that this discrimination was Online Editor students in schools and an overall unsafe atmosphere at covered previously, though. schools due to bullying. The school board did not change “Some of my friends have been called the T-slur, the The Millard Public School Board will be updating the policy at that time. F-slur in the hallways before. Teachers are refusing to use its anti-discrimination and harrassment policies to add Jenny Schnaidt, ‘00, who wrote for Common Sense their preferred name and pronouns,” Hawkins said. “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” as protected about the GSA lobby in 2000, said she is pleased to see The reason for the change in policy now is a recent classes. They will vote on this change of policy at the Nov. the policy finally updated now. decision by the US Supreme Court. In June, the Supreme 16 board meeting. “I am happy that the board decided to add the lanCourt ruled on Bostock v. Clayton County that the 1964 Other school districts have had similar policies in guage to the policy, but I am disappointed it took so long Civil Rights ct includes protections for LGBT Americans place for years. Omaha Public Schools addagainst discrimination based on sex. This means ed the language to their nondiscriminathat employers cannot fire employees just for tion policy in 2016. Lincoln Public Schools The District does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. and Westside Public schools also included Still, some disagree with the landmark race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, these protections previously. Supreme Court ruling. Justice Samuel Alito and Currently, Millard Public Schools’ notice Brett Kavanaugh each wrote dissents disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender iden- Justice of nondiscrimination states, “The Millard against the decision, claiming that gender School District does not discriminate on tity, or on any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local identity and sexual orientation are not included the basis of race, color, religion, national in the term sex. Although Millard Public School laws, in admission or access to or treatment of employment, Board member Mike Pate said he was not origin, gender, marital status, disability, or age, or on any other basis prohibited by against anti-discrimination policies, he said he or in its programs and activities. federal, state, or local laws, in admission or also disagreed with the Supreme Court decision access to or treatment of employment, in in an interview with the Omaha World Herald. proposed language change to policy 5010 from board packet Nov. 2, 2020 its programs and activities.” With this historic decision, the school This update to the anti-discrimination board felt the need to comply with the new and harassment policy has been a long federal policy. “We can’t go against the law,” time coming for some. Millard South Gay Straight Alfor this change to happen since the GSA was actively Board President Linda Poole said in an interview with the liance (GSA) Co-President Irene Hawkins noticed its working on this back when I was in high school writing Omaha World Herald. “It’s not forcing us to do anything absence in her freshman year. for the paper,” Schnaidt said. different from what we’ve always done. That’s just basi “I know a lot of my peers have been very upset In 2015, the anti-discrimination and harassment cally our normal practice anyway,” Poole said. about things that have happened to them, and the policies were reviewed as part of a routine reaffirmation Normal practice or not, enforcement will be key in school board is technically not doing anything because it of policies by the school board. There was no change making sure discrimination against LGBT people will be isn’t a part of that policy,” Hawkins said. then, either, as the school board felt the policies already dealt with in the district. Over 20 years ago, in March 2000, the Omaha GSA covered everyone and complied with state and federal “My only fear is that it [protections for LGBT people] and student GSA from Millard North lobbied the school guidelines. The board said that their goal was to be broad will be added to the policy but it won’t be acted upon,” board to add “sexual orientation” to the nondiscriminaand over arching, so that all forms of discrimination Hawkins said. tion clause of the student handbook. The GSA cited conwould be included.
Teacher to TikTok fame: The story of Mr. Monroe and Nala Carah Jones Entertainment Editor
When the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools in March, students and teachers were forced to “do” school from their homes. At the time, TikTok had been on the App Store in the US for two years, and kids, teens, and adults turned to it while they were self-isolating. For Bryan Elementary’s fifth grade teacher Josh Monroe, he turned to TikTok to keep his students attending and engaged in Zoom lessons. With the help of his fellow fifth grade teachers, Mr. Henry and Mrs. Rogers, and his adorable dog, Nala, Monroe created fun videos to show students when they logged in. “Especially after COVID, I didn’t realise how much I took for granted about just coming into the classroom every day,” Monroe said. Now, Monroe’s TikTok account, @ mrmonroeandnala, which was originally private and only intended for his class,
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Lit Fly magazine still printing during pandemic. Photo by Keely King
now reaches more than just his students and so then I was like ‘I’ll keep doing this,’ He now has 628.4K followers. and it’s just gone from there.” Monroe’s dog Nala is a six year old While scrolling through TikTok one Westie. She is a certified therapy dog, and day, Monroe came across a point-of-view she spends three days (POV) video of a teacher a week in the classcoming up to a sleeping room with students. student, tapping on the During his plan peridesk and saying, “I’m tired, ods, Monroe takes Nala you’re tired, it’s time to to visit other students wake up and work,” then in different classrooms. walking away. “I go to the re “You know, I get where source room, and if a he’s coming from, but at the kid’s having a hard day, same time, that’s not how they come to my class your initial response should and hang out with Nala be to a student who’s sleepfor a while,” Monroe ing.” said. Monroe decided to cre “One day I was ate a POV video in response thinking, ‘I should 5th grade teacher Josh Monroe to the video previously make my account pub- and Nala mentioned. In it, he comes lic.’ So I did, and I made up to the student’s desk, some stupid dancing video where I was asks them what’s going on, and then just thanking teachers for all that they do, takes them aside to take a short nap with and it got up around 100 thousand views, Nala. The video blew up almost imme-
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Pages 8-9
Applying to colleges despite changes to ACT, GPA and Senior Abbie Smith runs in the Class A Girls State Cross Race. Photo courtesy of PrepRunningNerd AP testing. Photo by Olivia Palmer
diately. As his most popular, the video currently has 9.5M views, 2.7M likes, and 21.6K shares. Making TikToks hasn’t been easy for Monroe, however. His account has been banned a couple of times. “At that point I was kind of embarrassed, because it popped up and said that I had violated community guidelines,” he said. “For about four days, I contemplated making a video that said, ‘I don’t know why I was banned, you can go through all of my content, I haven’t done anything wrong, but I’m done with TikTok, because this is embarrassing to me, and I’m not going to do it again.’” When asked whether he had a purpose for his TikTok, Monroe responded, “I don’t think it started out with a mission or a goal. It just started out as a way to get kids on Zoom… But I guess, yeah, my mission kind of did develop into showing people how much teachers care.”
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Among Us game. Art by KJ Ellison
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News 11 • 20 • 2020
Lit Fl
Cadence Russell Staff Reporter Do you like to create poetry? Or do you like to create artistic pieces? In Lit Fly you can do either or both! But what do you do in Lit Fly? Sponsored by English teacher Holly Hartel, Lit Fly is a great way to show off your artistic talents and/or your poetic prowess. Led by club president Jessica Hua, Lit Fly organizes and publishes art, both literary and visual, thematically. The club members start by choosing a theme. They’re currently working on an “autumn-esque” themed flyer. Submissions are to surround the fall season, feelings of hope, and warmth. “Creating and consuming art become especially important in difficult times, because it normalizes struggle,” Hartel said. “Students are finding an outlet in writing and drawing right now, and our submissions reflect that,” she said. Members submit their work either through email (hehartel@mpsomaha.org), by dropping it off in room 124, or even by handing work directly to a club member. “We are seeing more submissions than ever this year,” Hartel said. “The writing and artwork we’re receiving reflects the current climate– coping with loss and isolation, struggling to stay involved and connected to the community, embracing change, and challenging political or ethical beliefs,” she said.
art by Keely King
A student publication of art and literature Once enough pieces of work are submitted, club artists create the layout for a single “flyer.” When finalized, the flyers are hand-delivered door-to-door in the English department and library. The club debated whether they should continue that tradition. Digitally sharing through a Google site link or something similar is the likely solution to COVID concerns. Jessica Hua describes her leadership role, “In general, the president is the overall leader for club discussions / decision agreement, supervising the execution of said decisions and the progress of flyer making, and LitFly sponsor and member junior Anna Aesoph examine a completed LitFly publication. Photo taking care of comby Keely King munications, unless it happens to be more complete with a table of contents and all. appropriate under Mrs. Hartel’s name. In routine, I give Anyone and everyone is welcome to join. every meeting a goal and a direction, and continuously, Like many after-school clubs in the COVID climate, Mrs. Hartel and I consult one another for more major the number of members is less than expected. Lit Fly decision contemplation and such.” meets every Thursday in room 124 from 3:25-4. Addition “My favorite part of the process is watching the acal meetings are added when nearing publication. tual flier come together,” Hartel said. “Putting the art and the writing together is as important as the work itself, and I love seeing the thought and passion that goes into designing it,” she said. When asked about considering color use in their flyers, Hartel told of days Lit Fly had a budget before she was the sponsor. Due to the cutting of the Lit Fly budget, the group had to transition from publishing yearly fully colored and printed magazines to the black and white, one-page flyers they create today. Lit Fly magazines were art by Keely King a conglomerate of great poetry and art collected throughout the year put into a beautiful multi-page template
Patriot Pets
The flyer, known as the Lit-Fly Magazine, is printed in black and white and filled with submissions from students. Photo by Cadence Russell
Gus is a 2 year old golden doodle who loves going to work on the gold course and often receives treats from the residents
Black Friday in a black plague Paige Winchester Staff Reporter With Thanksgiving coming up, stores are planning and preparing for the day after to come, Black Friday. This year, with COVID, Kohl’s managers say they are preparing for the worst. As a major department store, with a selection of clothes, shoes, games, toys, electronics, decor, and home appliances Kohl’s is busy during the regular seasons, and especially on the weekends. “We’re trying to plan on opening the men’s side just for Black Friday, to hopefully get people in and out as fast as possible,” said Cameron, one of the store’s managers. Due to COVID-19 Kohl’s currently has the mens side entrance closed as well as the registers that are over there. The only entrance and registers that are open is on the misses side. Each side has six resisters and Kohl’s plans to have all 12 available for Black Friday to keep the lines moving. “During Black Friday, and even the holiday season in general, we’re going to schedule as many people as we can and hope that no one calls in sick,” said Carah, anohter of the store’s managers.
As the holiday season gets closer and closer everyone’s hours have increased to keep everything running smoothly during the hectic season, managers say they are hoping to have enough people to keep every department clean and keep the customers happy when shopping this year, “I’ve worked at Kohl’s for three years now, so this will be my fourth time going through it,” employee Callie said. “You just have to make sure you are always on your feet moving around and always paying attention to your surroundings, whether that’s picking up something from off the floor or noticing that a customer is lost and helping them find their way,” she said. Kohl’s is planning on having a lot of people on the recovery team and the sales floor to help with any messes that may occur and any questions the customer may have. Along with in store shopping, Kohl’s also expecting a lot of online shopping as well as curbside pick up and picking it up in the store. On a normal day, the store usually only has one person working in customer service and curbside pickup, but during Black Friday they are going to make sure to have as many people as they can doing it to prevent the lines from getting too long.
Belongs to Librarian Jennifer Prasch
Milo is a special needs dog who absolutely
loves squeaky toys and loves his other furry siblings
Belongs to junior Grace Hill
By Paige Winchester. Want to see your pet here? Email pwinchester180@millardps.org
News 11• 20 • 2020
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Diversifying New council aims to deepen understanding diversity issues in school
Courtney Stroebele Staff Reporter Over the summer, the Millard School District decided it was time to deepen their understanding of discrimination in the school by creating the Diversity Council. Implied by its name, the Diversity Council is diverse and different. While students do not need to be involved in the club to be part of the council, they cannot join the club in anticipation of being a Council member. “The council is a group, hand selected from teacher recommendation over the summer, who have a strong awareness of the differences they experience,” Principal Heidi Weaver said. The students had to be committed to sticking to the council long term and actively thinking about solutions to improve lives for the people that are person of color. The other leader of the Council, Diversity Club sponsor Sarah Martin said, “This group aids administration to help better understand what life is like in the hallways to rectify the imbalances or to provide opportunities that currently do not exist.” Grace Prucha, a sophomore in the council, said, “The Diversity Council will give people a chance to educate themselves and learn more about some of the issues that go on in our buildings.” The council goes over current issues and tries to find a way to fix it. “The group is currently trying to find how many kids are suspended and how many of those students
our narrative
are minority students and does that number reflect created. Everyone from the sponsors to the student are what the actual population looks like,” Martin said. thrilled to be part of this Council because the students The first few meetings of the council were to gain are able to provide a voice that is not always heard. trust and get to be comfortable around each other. The students are provided hope and a place to create Martin said she was shocked and proud of how quickly change on a small scale. the students opened up to her and Mrs.. Weaver. Each high school in the Millard district has a CounA good metaphor Mrs.... cil. Each of these Councils go Martin said, “It was like the over different topics and issues. The Diversity Council will give gold and white dress and Millard South, West, and North people a chance to educated how some people saw blue Councils all selected four stuand black instead. They were dents to represent their school, themselves and learn more not wrong, their viewpoints to create a bigger Council about some of the issues that were just different.” called the District Council. This There are 12 students Council zooms with Superingo on in our buildings. on the Council. These tendent Dr.. Sutfin to let him students are distributed by know how the issues are being –Sophomore Grace Prucha grade level. They wanted addressed, looked at, and to keep it small to begin to thought about in each building. understand what the true This gives him the opportunity issues are, and discuss issues in and out of school, and to hear from students and how the discussion of race in the district. Martin said she wanted to “keep the limit is going in each building. Prucha is also part of the on adults so students didn’t feel guarded and could District Council. have real conversations.” “it is really neat because we get to meet other They are defining the different types of racism to Millard Schools and just listen to their ideas and share give knowledge. some of our ideas on how we could improve Millard for “I’ve never had the chance to be a part of somethe better.” thing like this,” Prucha said. “So knowing that I am able This Council has only met once but Prucha said to do so is truly amazing.” she believes it will make a lot of progress to help en Martin said she hopes to eventually open the sure all the voices are heard. Council to more students and teachers who want to be involved, while still keeping the safe space that was
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Features 11• 20 •2020
Students adjust to college campus life in a covid world While seniors shift their focus to college applications, countless Millard South alumni are making their way through one of the most abnormal college semesters in history. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges have been scrambling to adapt their policies in order to protect student safety while keeping a strong learning environment. Maddie Rynes, class of 2019, is a sophomore attending the University of Nebraska-Omaha. “I have five classes all online,” Rynes said, “One is in person but only for exams.” One way universities have tried to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is through almost fully online classes. This has stood in sharp contrast to public schools in the Omaha metro, who have worked tirelessly to keep students attending in person. “It’s very frustrating without in-person instruction,” Rynes said. Many alumni attending college have become frustrated with fully online classes. “It’s very draining to stare at a screen all day,” Rynes said. Another issue caused by fully online classes is computer errors interrupting learning. “There’s a lot of technological problems that occur,” said Florida State University sophomore Morgan Geiss, who also has primarily online classes, Internet connectivity and other tech problems can keep college students from Joseph Kaipust Staff Reporter
attending their classes and prevent them allowed them opportunities to focus on from learning. “It’s definitely frustrating,” other things. Geiss said. Another significant annoyance col Group work has also been signifilege students are facing is a loss of social cantly interrupted by online classes, says connection. University of Nebraska - Lincoln freshman “It’s definitely harder to build up Isabel Robb. social interactions,” Robb said. Especially “Online classes make it a lot harder to for students going through their first year collaborate with others, especially since of college, it has been hard to meet new some of my online classes are structured people and form friendships.” around col Even though College has been a pretty laboration they face difficulwith peers,” ties forming social positive experience. I love Robb said. bonds, college being able to experience “Group freshmen have projects are still found ways to independence, even if it’s really hard to build friendships. limited by COVID restrictions. complete over “I’m friends zoom and outwith a lot of peoside of class ple on my floor,” –UNL Freshman Isabel Robb hours,” Geiss Pelster said. “We said. hang out often in Despite the study rooms the downsides of online classes, college and watch sports games together.” While students have been able to remain posiZoom classes have prevented college tive and see the good in the bad. One freshmen from meeting other students in silver lining college students have seen their classes, they have been able to meet is not needing to travel across campus to the people living in the same dorm. get from class to class. “I get along really well with my “One way being online is nice is roommate and I am lucky enough to have because I’m not running around campus some of my high school friends a couple struggling to get to my classes,” Robb floors away,” Robb said. said. Besides connecting with other Another way online classes have students, Millard South alumni in college been an upside is through a reduced have also faced difficulties with getting to workload. know their professors. “Classes have been easier,” UNL fresh- “The connections that have been difman Dillon Pelster said. This has gaven ficult is making connections with profescollege students more free time and also sors,” Pelster said. Attending most of their
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classes over Zoom, college students have been prevented from getting to know their professors well and are stuck in a basic working relationship. “You don’t get the same connection with the professor,” Rynes said. Considering all of these factors, different groups of students have different outlooks on college this semester. For freshmen, the good outweighs the bad. “Overall this semester has been a positive experience,” Pelster said. “Meeting new people and living on my own with my own responsibilities has been a nice change.” Despite the restriction imposed by COVID-19, to these students the new, independent lifestyle college offers has made it worth it. “For me personally, college has been a pretty positive experience,” Robb said. “I love being able to experience independence, even if it’s limited by COVID restrictions.” For college students who experienced a year of normal college before the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s a very different story. “The good parts about college more or less no longer exist,” Rynes said. “I would say as an experience, it has been more negative than positive,” she said. While they can still see some of the positives, these returning students can’t help but be a little disappointed. “It definitely hasn’t been ideal, but I guess it’s what you make it,” Geiss said.
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Opinion 11 • 20 • 2020
Staff Editorial:
Art by Keely King
Video pep rally opens door for activity recognition Sports at Millard South get a lot of coverage. They are celebrated every year at pep rallies, and we even broadcast them to students. Activities on the other hand, fall under the radar. Many activities such as forensics, debate, show choir, and marching band compete just like sports. They practice multiple hours a week and go to day long competitions against other schools. Since students in activities put in just as much time and effort as those in sports, they should be equally recognized. In the past, multiple activities have expressed interest in participating in pep rallies but have been denied. Whether it be because most activities are not recognized by NSAA or because we simply don’t have enough time in a pep rally to recognize activities, this leaves students in activities feeling like the school prioritizes sports. Traditionally, Millard South holds pep rallies in person in the main gym during the school day. However, Covid has pulled the plug on large, in-person events, so our pep rallies this year will be filmed and sent out to
students. This provides a great opportunity to showcase activities alongside athletics. Since the pep rally will be on a video, there are no longer time constraints. We can recognize as many extracurriculars as we want. Of course, no one wants to watch an hour long pep rally video, but many students are already uninterested in pep rallies. If we make one video showcasing athletics and another showcasing activities, students can choose to watch or not watch whatever they like, and everyone gets recognized for their hard work. Students can also skip ahead to activities and sports they are interested in because the pep rally is a video. Millard South values all extracurriculars, but by spotlighting athletics more than activities, some students go under appreciated. By creating a video that celebrates both sports and activities, Millard South could show that sports and activities are equally important. With Covid forcing pep rallies to go virtual, now is the perfect time to push for inclusion of activities.
Staff Editorial:
District makes the right decision to add inclusive language to policy After years of inaction, the Millard Public School Board has decided to add the language “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” to their antidiscrimination and harassment policies. This comes over 20 years after Millard North’s Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) lobbied the school board for these protections in 2000, and after a fruitless routine revisit of discrimination policies in 2015. The Millard Public School Board had previously said that the language would not be necessary, since they felt that discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation was already covered. The board has now elected to make this change in response to a June US Supreme Court ruling that protects gay, lesbian, and transgender employees from workplace discrimination. Millard Public Schools will finally be joining other districts such as Omaha Public Schools, Lincoln Public Schools, and Westside Public Schools in including these protections in its anti-discrimination policies. The change in policy comes as a breath of fresh air, after four years of rolling back protections for LGBT Americans by the Trump Administration. The president and his staff have previously banned transgender people from military service, withdrew guidance to public schools regarding the treatment of transgender students, and eliminated protections for gender identity and sexual orientation in healthcare, among other things. With so many policies negatively affecting the LGBT community at the federal level, the Supreme Court decision and the Millard Public School Board’s updated policies are a welcome change of pace. Schools everywhere have long had issues with bullying, and discrimination against LGBT students often makes them feel unsafe. The school board’s decision is a step in the right direction to providing concrete protections and making Millard schools a better, safer place. The inclusion of these words, although it seems small, will hopefully push the district to take gender and sexuality based bullying even more seriously in the future.
The Daze of Our Lives
Skatedaze closed March 30 , 2019. Since then, the roller skating crowd has become severely disappointed with the fact that the only remaining skating rink near West Omaha is in Bellevue. Owned by Scott Cernik and his wife, Pam Cernik, Skatedaze was like a home to everyone who went. Regulars would gather every Tuesday night for adult skate night, and they would host a multitude of school parties, as well as birthday parties and other celebrations. Since COVID-19 struck us in April of 2020, there has been a large swell in roller skate sales, not only are people spending time in quarantine, but also the fact that the app, TikTok, has been a host of many viral roller skating videos and accounts. I am addressing this because I used to be a worker at Skatedaze. I applied before they announced that they had planned to close, and I decided to stay until the end. It was a great starting job and the friends that I made working there will forever be my best friends. My most favorite memories from my childhood were created at Skatedaze and my most favorite memories of being a young woman entering the working world were also created there. That being said, this is a call to action. If and when there is a vaccine to the virus, and if the pandemic ever comes to a formal ending, there needs to be a new skating rink opened in Omaha. It doesn't have to have the same bells and whistles as Skatedaze, a laser-tag arena, while cool, isn’t necessary to the business, and neither is a large jungle gym for kids, although, they were both super fun, it wasn’t what was so popular about Skatedaze. Roller skating is notorious for creating lifelong relationships. That was what it was about. It was a place of connections, families could connect, couples connected, best friends connected. It was like the brain of West Omaha. Roller Skating has a ton of benefits, it is one of the best exercises that you can do because it works out your entire body. Hailee Wakefield With a divided population and a stressful climate, I Features Editor truly believe that a roller skating rink is exactly what is needed.
Common Sense
Common Sense is the official publication of Millard South High School 14905 Q Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. School district guidelines determine the suitability of advertising content. To place an ad or inquire about rates, call (402)-715-8363. Common Sense is a monthly publication produced in Room 130. Common Sense uses desktop publishing hardware and software: Apple computers, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Google word processing software. Printing by White Wolf Web in Sheldon, Iowa. Letters to the editor are encouraged. All letters must be signed with the student’s first and last name, grade, then submitted to Mrs. Kaldahl. Unsigned letters will not be published. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, length, and clarity. Letters of profane nature or other infractions of school or district policy will not be published.
Editors-in-Chief Halle Benson Natalie Fedde Features Editor Hailee Wakefield Sports Editor Ally Seevers Opinions Editor Joni Beauchamp
Entertainment Editor Carah Jones Staff Cartoonists Keely King KJ Ellison InDepth Editor KJ Ellison Online Editor Lane Howard Business Manager Olivia Palmer
Staff Secretary Alex Tippets Staff Reporters Cadence Russell Lauren Rayner Sam Tews Courtney Stroeble Joey Kaipust Paige Winchester Adviser Christine Kaldahl
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Focus 11 • 20 • 2020
AP tests? More like I pay tests
Who’s taking AP exams?
K.J. Ellison InDepth Editor
Students will now have to pay 40$ for every AP test they wish to take this year. In the past, students did not have to pay for AP tests, as the Millard South Public Schools Foundation was able to give them the opportunity to earn college credit by paying for the tests themselves. However, the COVID-19 measures put in place changed aspects of the AP tests. “The Millard Public Schools Foundation first started this program in the 2011-2012 school year,” Assistant Principal Andrew Pinkall said. “Recently the Millard Public Schools Foundation made the decision to pay for about half of the cost of the AP tests...so while the test is $95, students only have to pay $40 this year.” He explained that The MPS Foundation realized that many students had already been dual enrolling in either the Early College High School program or different programs with similar college-credit-earning criteria, and The MPS Foundation would have an overlap of programs to pay for. This, along with specula-
tion from Pinkall himself that the Foundation may have had to allocate some of their revenue to other programs due to COVID, may be the reason why they aren’t paying for all the AP tests in full. “Paying for the entirety of the tests costs over $100,000 a year,” Pinkall said. Hearing these news adds more stress to some students this year, especially if they are looking to go to college soon. “I feel disappointed,” senior Kaylee Snowardt said “I personally would’ve taken all the tests for all the AP classes I’m in, but I know that’s not the case for everyone.” Snowardt is in AP Literature and Composition, AP Statistics and AP Environmental Science. She said that taking all these tests would be beneficial for her and her plans for college. “Since I’m putting in the work in class for the courses, I’d rather take every opportunity I can until we are done with high school,” Snowardt said. Teachers are also understanding these new
changes. “I think students paying for the tests is a good thing, AP Environmental Science teacher Mike Edmundson said. “It gives them an incentive to do well on the tests because they paid money for it and want to do well,” he said. AP Environmental Science is not dualenrolled with any colleges or the Early College Program, so taking the exam is the only way to earn college credit for the course. In dual enrolled classes, however, college credit can be earned by passing the class itself. “I’m for the change…” AP Statistics teacher Cami Warneke said. “I do believe fewer students will sign up as a result, but the lower sign up numbers could also be due to the not requiring the exam for dual enrollment this year.”
Taking in all
Taking in so
Not takin
Not any
Giving it the o Graphic by Joey Kaipust
The early bird gets into college Olivia Palmer Business Manager Many high school seniors Overall, most students that across the country are currently worrywent through the early application ing about a plaguing issue: applying for process thought it was a really good college. While many teens are still applying decision on their part. Applying early or haven’t even started the application pro- allowed students to get done with the cess, a lot of teens went through the early stress of applying to college, and some admissions and early commitment process. students even went a step further and While the early application deadline ended went through the early commitment for most schools on November 1st, the process process. gave helpful insight for those who still haven’t Senior Lexie Corales-Thompson applied yet. explained, “I early committed to the “It was a pretty University simple process. All of of Nebraskathe college applicaLincoln, and I tions I filled out were am so excited to similar to each other, so go. I wanted to once I did my first appliget the stress out cation, it was easier to do of the way and the others.”, senior Emily knowing that I’m Christiansen said about her enrolled in college application process. “The just lifts so much off – Senior Lexie Corales-Thompson application process was not my shoulders.” difficult at all.” While applying Many students like to college can be a Chrisiansen found the apscary process, student plication process easy and not opinions on the early as complicated as they were application process show expecting. With schools also not having ACT or SAT scores that it isn’t really as challenging and frightening as required for application and many schools also waving the apexpected; If anything, it’s a relief for seniors during these plication fee due to Covid-19, it relieved some of the common already stressful times. For those who haven’t started the stress that students applying for college feel. college application process yet, or for those who won’t be “It was great that ACT scores weren’t required for application. It applying till next year or beyond, just push through it and relieved the pressure of applying to college and made me worry get it done with as soon as possible, and good luck! less about the score I received on the ACT.” said senior Sydney Mcdermott.
“Iofwanted to get the stress out the way, and knowing that I’m enrolled in college just lifts so much off my shoulders.
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Focus 11 • 20 • 2020
Colleges are ACT ing up
g
Alex Tippets Secretary As the class of 2021 was unable to take the ACT in March, colleges started taking cumulative GPA as a substitute for submitting an ACT score. However these changes to how applicants are being accepted make things easier for some, and harder for others. College application season is a time of great anxiety for many high school seniors, and thanks to Covid-19, this year has been exceptionally stressful. As a result of the lockdown earlier this year, the class of 2021 was unable to take their spring ACTs at the time they were supposed to. They were instead rescheduled and taken around midSeptember. College applications, however, opened on August 1st, a whole month before that. Many colleges require an ACT score along with an application to determine whether or not they accept students,
30% enrolled classes
29% ome enrolled classes
15% ng for any classes 26% enrolled in AP Classes
source: Common Sense poll. 69 seniors surveyed
but they were unable to afford that luxury this year. Instead, they began allowing students to apply to college using their cumulative GPA as a substitute for their ACT score. That doesn’t mean that colleges are done with ACT scores. Many colleges are still looking for students to eventually submit their scores so they are eligible for scholarship opportunities. So what does this mean? This flip of what is needed for college acceptance has shifted the balance of what students are going to focus on this year for school. It will make things easier for those who don’t do as well on standardized tests, but have a high GPA. “I am glad that some colleges aren’t requiring test scores. Test scores do not always define someone’s smartness or ability,” senior Kinser Lundt said. On the other hand, it makes
old college try Application
Anxiety plagues seniors Hailee Wakefield Features Editor
The early admissions deadlines With COVID, a lot of students have arrived, and now the regular feel lost or helpless when it comes to application period has begun. applying for college. There has been a Millard South seniors have a very disconnect between college help and unconventional year ahead of them, students because of the fact that visiting with the covid danger level at an all colleges, taking tours, and meeting with time high, an in-person 100% popula- representatives isn’t the easiest thing to tion year is not always a given, which do these days. in turn, means Senior that it is more Max Barrientos difficult now than says, “I am applyever to receive ing to colleges I help on college aphave never seen plications. before and it is While a lot of actually pretty scary. students chose to Like, what if I don’t apply early to get like the campus or the everything situated for housing I am planning the next year, a lot of on choosing is super far students decided to wait away from my classes? until they had all of the It is a huge shot in the - Senior Max Barrientos information they needed dark.” to make sure the process Don’t fret, those of would be more smooth. you who are worried about Senior Emma Mahoney says, “I waited to apply to missing the early application deadlines. there are a mulcollege through the common app after the early titude of resources here at Millard South and also online application deadline because I didn’t want to have to available to you to make sure you get the help you need. pay to send my ACT scores from before September,” she Make an appointment with your counselor to discuss your continued, “I just wanted to make sure I had everything I choices. needed and I definitely feel more prepared and confident now than I did before.”
“II am applying to colleges have never seen before, and it is actually pretty scary. It is a huge shot in the dark
”
things more difficult for those who do do well on standardized tests, but have a lower GPA. “I kind of wish colleges were taking ACT into account this year since my ACT score is much better than my current GPA,” shared Senior Sammi Rockwell. Those who don’t do as well on the ACT are not as incentivised to retake it with this year’s changes, as it isn’t as important unless you’re looking into scholarships. Having a good ACT score just doesn’t give someone the same edge as it did previously. It seems that wherever those who don’t do as well on standardized tests see improvements, those who do excell at them see some downgrades.
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Sports 11• 20 • 2020
Got spare time? Join the new Millard South Bowling team Joey Kaipust Staff Reporter Bowling has been operating as a club sport for several years now, but earlier this year, the NSAA decided to make it an official state sport. This announcement allows schools to form official bowling teams and the chance to compete at the state competition. Thirty-one Nebraska high schools are forming a bowling team to compete in the first season of NSAA Bowling. Millard South is one of these schools, and as a result, they had a number of important tasks to do before the beginning of the season. The first task was to hire coaches. “We interviewed two candidates for the boys and girls head coaching positions,” Athletic Director Steve Throne said. The team would need a set of coaches with the skills and knowledge to lead the team into their first season. The athletic department ended up hiring teachers Amber Nicholson and Nathan Wragge as head coaches. “We are excited about both of our new coaches,” Throne said. Geometry teacher Amber Nicholson has been a lifelong bowler. “I have been bowling since I could walk basically,” Nicholson said. Nicholson bowled often when she was young and competed in junior leagues all throughout high school. This experience has prepared Nicholson well to take the role as head coach of the girls team.
Algebra teacher Nathan Wragge also has a history with bowling. “My background in bowling includes 6 years of league bowling,” Wragge said, “I started out just as a beginner, but progressed into someone who really loved the game.” While the coaches are confident going into the season, they are also aware of the challenges they’ll face. “The hardest part is recruiting, [...] getting bowlers and students to be involved.” Nicholson said. With bowling being an all new program, the coaches are having to work to get students to take a chance and try out for the new team. Despite the difficulties, they have been very successful in recruiting and have around 38 students planning on trying out for the team. Another problem the program faces is the restrictions imposed by COVID-19. “We’ve been able to stick with our initial plan of being no-cut, but we will have limits on how many bowlers we can take to competitions,” Nicholson said. To maintain COVID safety, the team is only allowed to bring 20 bowlers to each competition. “All of this will be new for us, but it will be something we [have to] roll with,” Wragge said, “Any time a new program gets on its feet, there are many things to overcome and think about.” Even with the challenges they face, the coaches are still very confident for the season.
Nicholson and Wragge have been looking ahead and deciding what goals they have for their teams. “Our main goal for the girls is to establish a consistent team,” Nicholson said, “With the boys, I think we can be very competitive because we have a lot of club bowlers coming over.” With this new opportunity, many athletes are making the choice to switch from the club team to the school team. Senior Ryan Manuel is one of these bowlers who has chosen to try out for the school team instead of the club team. “I thought it was a good opportunity and the obvious choice,” Manuel said. Manuel has noticed a large number of people switching from the club team to the school team along with him. “More people went out for high school than for regular club [this year].” There are a number of benefits that have convinced club bowlers to join the school team. One of these factors is the recognition of being a Millard South athlete. “It’s really cool to get recognition and a sense of legitimacy,” junior Jackson Martin said. Another thing that has encouraged athletes to move over is a more competitive practice schedule. “Something also new is that the school schedule has more practices than club,” Manuel said. With both new and experienced bowlers, knowledgeable coaches, and a new season ahead of them, the bowling team is ready to compete.
k er s
Rookies to record b r ea Seniors Talik Runge and Carter Eastridge place 8th in Doubles at State Tennis
weren’t medals, I guess. But the state ones, they’re pretty heavy; they’re nice.” Carter said, “I felt accomplished; like I did something Ally Seevers good.” Sports Editor To place 8th, the pair, who were ranked 10th, beat the unranked Grand Island doubles At the NSAA State Tennis Tournateam and the 7th ranked ment, the seniors Talik Runge and Carter Lincoln North Star team. Eastridge placed 8th in doubles #2 tennis. “I was excited,” said East “I was happy when I had realized ridge. “It was cool to beat both that me and Carter placed,” said Talik. “It’s teams, especially Lincoln North nice to have a state medal. Like, other Star, who were ranked higher medals such as the ones from the Kearny Invite, their medals were medals, but they than us. ” “Grand Island wasn’t very good, so beating them was pretty nice,” Talik said. “But then beating Lincoln North Star was nice Senior Talik Runge reaches for the ball as he serves again Bellevue West. Photo by David Church because they just my freshman year,” said Talik. “I was acturidge. “He’s a great server and he’s great at talked crap the whole time, ally going to do football, but then I chose the net.” and you had to stay mentally to play tennis instead.” Runge said, “Carter’s funny, hardtough when you play some For both Talik and Carter, “freshman working, and great at tennis. He’s a funny body like that. So when we year was reserve, sophomore year was JV, person; he has my back.” beat them, it felt good.” and junior and senior year were varsity.” Talik and Carter have made history Though, the team lost to As they have grown into the tennis this season; no tennis player from Millard the 2nd ranked Elkhorn South South has medaled at state team, who ended up placing since Ian Haakinson’s 7th 3rd. place finish in 2018. “Just like state on the And, according to head second day, I feel like me and coach Jason Rodenberger, Carter didn’t play as well,” said no doubles team has won as Runge. “So if we could have many matches as this pair in stayed focused, then we could the last 20 years, ending their have placed higher. But we still season with 26 wins! placed, so I’m not mad about “I’ll miss seeing the it.” team; just being around Eastridge also talked them,” Carter said. “It’s a lot of about staying focused, saying, fun and something I’ll defi“I wish I would have forgotten nitely miss.” about the previous points, like “I started here, and it’s next point mentality.” just going to be different,” These two seniors have said Talik. “Though I’m pretty come a long way since their players they are now, Carter and Talik have sure I’m going to play college tennis, so it freshman year; their first year also created a special bond, being one of will be nice to move on, but I’m going to Seniors Cater Eastridge and Talik Runge place 8th playing tennis, ever. the varsity doubles pairs this season. in Doubles #2 at the State Tennis Championships. miss it.” “I started playing tennis “Talik: he’s pretty good,” said EastPhoto courtesy of Coach Rodenberger.
miss seeing the “I’llteam; just being around them. It’s a lot of fun and something I’ll definitely miss.
”
– Senior Carter Eastridge
9
Sports 11 • 20 • 2020
Runners pull off upset Ally Seevers Sports Editor
qualified for state,” junior Madeline Kunz said. “Qualifying for state is always an amazing feeling. It’s something I’ll never forget.” The Millard South girls varsity Cross Country team Unfortunately, the guys team fell short of a state pulled off an upset at districts, leading to a 10th place spot by just 2 points, but freshman Dalton Heller and finish at the NSAA State Cross Country Championships. sophomore Isaiah Rasmussen placed 5th and 14th at Although the guys team did not qualify, freshman districts, earning themselves a spot. Dalton Heller and sophomore Isaiah Rasmussen both “On the guys side, we had 2 guys running at state quallifed for the state meet. for the first time ever,” Fuglestad said. “Both ran really “Our runners did very well,” said head coach, well, but it was really just a test for next year or years to Jordan Fuglestad. “The girls team: their top 7 average come for them.” was faster than last year, “When I heard that I and the top 5 average was qualified, I was so hapThe state cross country meet took place at Kearalmost exactly as fast as py,” said Rasmussen. ney Country Club in Kearney, Nebraska. The athletes ran last year, even after Hanalong the rolling hills and fairways of the course for the 3.1 “Though, I was pretty nah, Maddie, and Lorelei sad when I heard that mile race. graduated last spring. our guys team missed “I personally think the Kearney course is one of Which when you lose 3 of it by a few points. But I the easier courses you’ll run for cross country,” said Kunz. your top 5, if you can run know we will get it next “It’s really fun and it’s really not as difficult as everyone just as fast next year, that’s makes it out to be. Even when it’s cold, it’s just a good time year because they’re a a success right there.” bunch of elites.” and an easy course.” This year, the girls Although state was very different from years past, When asked about varsity team comprised of this years’ team, Fuglesit was something to be remembered. Julia Mclain, Abbie Smith, tad said, “On the guys “My favorite memory from state this year has Madeline Kunz, Ally Seevside, their raw, their to be the girls I run with that I get to call my team,” said ers, Sienna McKeighan, Izzy Smith. “They were always there to tell me that I did good very young. Although Escobar, Delaney Catron, the guys team missed at the finished line and to help me up when I got done.” and the two alternates, state by two points, Rasmussen said, “Running at state was a ton of Amanda Davis and Kaia all of the scorers are unfun. It was nice to be around people that care about this Kohles, placed 10th at the derclassmen. And our state meet after qualifying sport as much as I do.” top JV kids are also unwith a 3rd place finish at districts, beating out the 11th ranked team, Gretna. “When I heard our team had qualified for state, all I could think of was that I get to have my last year of cross country end on the state course with my amazing team,” said senior Abbie Smith. “I was really excited when I found out my team had
derclassman. For girls, Freshman Dalton Heller and sophomore Isaiah Rasmussen it was a team that was definitely developed all year. If get ready to start their race. Photo courtesy of Coach you look at our times, the girls team got faster every Fuglestad. race, with our fastest race being at the end of the year. Our top 7, our average time between our #1 runner and have big meets,” said Fuglestad. “For most of our races, our 7th got smaller throughout the year, which is alwe raced pretty much the same teams every time, so ways a good thing; you want that gap to be as small as it was kind of hard to get a gauge of how we would do possible. The gap between against everybody. We weren’t really ranked most of the our 1 and 5 was right about season, yet we finished tenth for the girls.” a minute, which you want At state, Dalton Heller placed 32nd while Isaiah to be under 70 seconds, so Rasmussen was 54th out of the 95 Class A boys. to be able to get that to a “For Dalton and Isaiah, it was really hard to get a minute, that’s always good.” gauge just cause you The go off of their district girls team had performances and a great finish they finished just to the season about where they with their 10th should have been at place finish. state,” said Fuglestad. While it’s no He also said, “Everyfirst place, one ran really well in they were less than ideal condiseeded 14th at tions. I know that it districts, meanwas kind of a Midwest ing that they fall day, but it was – Coach Fuglestad had to beat very cold out there. To the 11th seed run your fastest meet Gretna to earn of the year in those their spot at state. conditions says a lot about you guys [the team]. And if The girls varsity cross country team stand with their state corn, which is a “It was hard to say how it you can make it through this year in that, then next we varsity girls tradition, and their Squishmallows: Pete, Ishmael, Gilbert, Skye, was going to go with how should be able to get back there and do even better.” Doris, Roni, Curly Fry, Ashley and DD, Amanda Davis’ Squishmallow, who is not this year was since we didn’t
fastest “Tomeetrunofyour the year in those conditions says a lot about you guys [the team].
”
pictured. Photo courtesy of Ally Seevers.
Pandemic unifies Patriot bowlers Natalie Fedde Co-Editor In Cheif The Millard South Unified Bowling team, like many other sports and activities, has had their season impacted by COVID-19, leaving the team with only 20 bowlers. “Last year we had 43, so our team has been significantly impacted due to our numbers limit,” said Unified Bowling coach Jane Elam. Despite the restraint on the number of athletes, Unified Bowling is having a great season, which started on October 19 and will end in early December. Unified Bowling competes in bowling tournaments on Tuesdays. “Trying to win,’ said sophomore Rylee Schroeder when asked what her favorite part of competing is. Competitions are also great places for bowlers to make friends. “I know some people from other schools,” said sophomore Rachel Armour. Unified Bowling is a sport where students with
intellectual disabilities compete alongside students at Millard South. Unified Bowling is doing a great job without intellectual disabilities. Traditionally, this has of representing The Patriot Way as the end of fall sports been the only bowling team at Millard South. However, nears. a standard bowling team has been added to the winter sports options this year. Some bowlers are now joining both teams, “Their first meetings were during our practices, so that didn’t work out great, but we will share some bowlers,” said Elam. Unified Bowling and Bowling will be working together to make sure all bowlers get shared equally. It is important to recognize inclusive sports like Unified Bowling. “I love the fact that it has made an individual sport in bowling into a team sport. Three bowlers bowl the same game at the same time,” said Elam. The Millard South unified bowling team places 2nd at the Millard West Invite. Photo Teamwork is greatly valued courtesy of Mr. Throne.
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Entertainment 11 • 20 • 2020
Not Completely Terrible 2020 Newest album from k-pop group, NCT, excites fans around the world Joni Beauchamp Opinions Editor
The second most popular k-pop group in the world, NCT has recently released its sophomore album, NCT 2020 Resonance Pt.1. Originally consisting of 16 members during their 2016 debut, the k-pop group has significantly expanded since then and now has 23 members. Using their unique concept of infinite members, the group has continued to grow, introducing new members every so often and using it to their advantage. The large number of artists they have at their disposal allows NCT to not only explore many genres, but also to create more in a shorter time frame, which can help to move the concepts along and bring in new fans. This is also shown in their several sub-units, which are smaller groups that consist of certain members of NCT, which retain their own concepts and style. NCT Dream is a wonderful example of this, as the group consists of the younger members within NCT, which have their own more youthful sound compared to the Chinese sub-unit, WayV, which is much more mature as a result of having older members. Many fans tend to gravitate more towards one group than the other, and
bringing them all together for an album such as this is a nice way to bring unity to the fandom or to the group itself. Their new album introduces two new members, Sungchan and Shotaro, who bring a new presence to the group. Their newest album begins with the track ‘Make a Wish (Birthday Song)’, a more energetic type track that makes a vibrant introduction into a new and improved sound. ‘Make a Wish (Birthday Song)’ consists of members from the unit NCT U, which is a sub-unit, or component of NCT in general. The last song on the album is the English version of this song which is significantly different in lyrical content, but generally the same in it’s message and tone. I think that this song was a wonderful introduction to the album as it contains most of the members of the whole of NCT and is genuinely a fun song with a lot of influence from hip-hop and
R&B. Similarly the album continues with ‘Misfit’ and ‘Volcano’, which are also quite energetic, but slowly bring the tone down for ‘Light Bulb,’ which is a ballad consisting only of the more vocal members, such as Doyoung and Jaehyun. All in all, the songs somewhat maintain a happy, but chill beat that seems to be a common theme amongst all of NCT and its sub-units. The album ends more like it started, with the English version of ‘Make a Wish (Birthday Song),’ but before that is the ballad, ‘From Home,’ which may be one of the most emotional on the album as the non-Korean NCT members sing about being in this foreign place, and this sort of loneliness that comes with it. This ending brings the album to a close in one of their most meaningful tracks. Compared with their last full length album, NCT Empathy 2018, NCT 2020 Resonance Pt.1 is a much more calm
and organized album. I believe that this album had a much different feeling than their first album, Empathy. While it was a big step for them, and definitely a leap from most of their original concepts, I believe that they can still find room for improvement, as most of the songs are similar in their makeup and only contain members from certain groups, of which tend to stick to certain genres. The album has performed wonderfully in an international sense, while NCT may not be as popular of a group back in their home country, they still have managed to do well in general, even performing during the 2019 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Although, they have not necessarily been able to reach the same popularity in the West that groups such as BTS have found, they have found their own path and found a loyal fanbase abroad.
A failed haunting comes to Netflix The Haunting of Bly Manor frightens but falls flat Lauren Rayner Staff Reporter Following a separate acclaimed season, The Haunting of Hill House, Mike Flanagan, and several other directors returned to create a new thrilling followup series to its predecessor, this time following an au pair’s journey in caring for a distant uncle’s niece and nephew that inhabit a sketchy manor. Throughout the nine episodes, you learn that the manor is not exactly what it seems, as romance arises and centuries of mystery and secrets emanate. After former au pair Mrs. Jessel passes away, an American nanny named Dani Clayton, played by the incredible Victoria Pedretti, steps in to take care of the children that live in Bly Manor. There she is introduced to Owen, the cook (Rahul Kohli); Jamie, the grounds keeper (Amelia Eve); and Hannah Grose, the housekeeper (T’Nia Miller). A definite highlight of the series is the amazing performances given by the cast, specifically Victoria and T’Nia’s parts in the show. Victoria Pedretti gave a great performance in the Netflix series You and continues to prove herself to be a phenomenal actress, with her anxiety-inducing, captivating act in both the first and second installments of the Haunting anthology series. The cast works great together
emotionally, although they can be a bit melodramatic and blatant at times. It becomes more and more obvious that the show isn’t very good at being subtle, and consequently gets slowed down in overexplaining itself. The children are played by actors Amelie Bea Smith and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, who are perfectly fine at playing possessed and creepy kids. In addition, the love subplot between Dani and Jamie was done beautifully and was just as compelling as the multitude of other plots involving ghosts and family drama throughout the show. Besides some memorable performances, the cinematography also proved to be excellent. Every shot is meaningful and pretty to the eye. The way the show looks adds so much to how the show feels, moody, gloomy, and grim. There were so many interesting shots that even added to the horror of the show, (although The Haunting of Bly Manor generally isn’t that scary), like sudden zooms and minor jumpscares that were laced throughout episodes. For dedicated viewers and fans, there were plenty of creepy easter eggs and details for them to analyze and try to make sense of, like ghosts and elements of foreshadowing to future events.
However, as I was watching the show, it began to feel very tedious. It took a few episodes for me to really become interested in what was going on because the slow pace and somber attitude weren’t that engaging to me. The characterization was often weak, as I wasn’t really attached to any of the characters, at least not until the final episodes. The series absolutely could have been shortened a few episodes. Scenes were frequently dragged out, or entire episodes were wasted on exposition. The message of the show was present and becomes more than well-known in the last episode, showcasing a tragic, painful love story. Owen puts it nicely: “To truly love another person is to accept the work of loving them is worth the pain of losing them.” The Haunting of Bly Manor does a fantastic job tackling death and the
Follow us on Twitter @mshscommonsense on Instagram @commonsensenp and check out our website at wearemillardsouth.com
afterlife, and how it may not be a good thing to live eternally.
11
Entertainment 11• 20 • 2020
A new game is Olivia Palmer Business Manager
9.4% prefer Crewmate
While you have probably heard or played about this new online game, teens across the country and the world are obsessed with it. That game is Among Us. Among Us is an online multiplayer game where you are workers, or “crewmates”, on a spaceship or base. Within the group of crewmates is a predetermined number of imposters. The crewmates job throughout the game is to get certain tasks, examples being doing wiring on the ship and swiping a card in the admin room, on the ship and help get the ship it’s fully functioning state. The imposter’s job is to sabotage the ship, fake crewmate tasks, and kill off the crewmates to take over the spaceship. “It’s a fun, appropriate game where you and your friends can interact with each other”, explained junior Brayden Bode. Bode additionally commented, “Orange is sus.” Common Sense polled the student body of MSHS to get some of the thoughts they have on Among Us. 98% of the students that filled out the survey said that they play Among Us in some form, which was an overwhelming majority of the student body. In Among Us, there are customization features, including hats, skin color, and pets. 76% of students use a hat, with popular hats being the plague doctor mask and a sticky note saying “dum”. About 67% of students don’t use pets or extra skins, likely being attributed to them being an extra cost. Overall, most students rate Among Us at least a 7 on a 10-point scale and say that the game is a cool, new favorite of theirs.
20.9% have no preference
65.2% prefer Impostor
Source: Commen Sense poll. 139 surveyed
MONG US Art and Graphics by KJ Ellison
Lime 2.9% Brown 5% Orange 5% Dark Blue 5%
Purple 7.2% Dark Green 7.2% Cyan 10.1% Pink 10.1%
Yellow 8.6% Red 10.1% White 10.8% Black 18%
Source: Commen Sense poll. 139 surveyed
Console Wars Sam Tews Staff Reporter
Every few years tech giants Microsoft and Sony divide the internet with the release of the new Xbox and Playstation gaming consoles. This year is a bit different however, with the new interactions of the consoles leaping over the technological boundaries of the past few years and becoming the next generation. Boasting features such as 8k resolution, integrated SSD’s, and high frame-rates, these machines are more comparable with high end PC’s rather than their older console counterparts. Here I will be comparing the impressive new devices along with talking about how they could change the gaming industry. Let’s begin by taking a look back at what we came from. Specs for the current gen consoles (Xbox one, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch) include being capable of up to 60 frames per second, about 1 terabyte of storage, and up to 4k resolution. These consoles are still quite good with a good amount of storage and games having great graphics and smooth game play, but it is when you start comparing them to gaming computers that they are falling noticeably behind. Currently, your average PC will be able to reliably play games at 100 frames per second at resolutions at or near 4k. They are also very easily upgraded and customizable to what you want and that’s what really sets PC’s apart from at least the current consoles. For example, say your computer didn’t have enough storage, well you could probably just buy a new hard drive for a couple hundred dollars and bam, problem solved. Doing something like that with a current gen console isn’t as practical. So it seems to compensate for the lack of upgradability, Microsoft and Sony have decided to push the next gen to a new level. Although the consoles themselves have not been released yet, full lists of specifications are available. As
Sony and Microsoft go head to head for the fourth time
stated earlier, these machines are going to perform more like high end gaming PC’s with up to 120 frames per second, a custom SSD for faster loading times, and resolutions of up to 8k; but hold on, let’s talk about 8k for a second. The truth is that while both the new Xbox and Playstation say that they can play games at 8k resolution, they technically won’t. Most games on these consoles will actually be at 4k and the titles that say have 8k will most likely only have it at certain points. The reason for this is that the technology for 8k gaming is not good enough yet. For example, one of the best gaming computers was only able to play at resolutions that high with issues such as choppy lower framerates and less optimized graphics. For now at least, 8k is going to be limited to those expensive tv’s, but don’t be disappointed, because the new consoles have been extensively optimized to play games at 4k with high frame rates of up to 120 without problems, plus some of the fastest loading times yet because of the custom SSD’s that Microsoft and Sony developed. What’s even more impressive than the specs is how small both consoles are. Somehow both companies managed to cram the performance of a $900+ PC in a package that is both half the size and half the price. For example, the Xbox is significantly smaller overall than the said PC’s; if you stand it up it will be only a bit shorter but noticeably thinner. It is about the same for the Playstation, the only differences are that it is a bit taller than the Xbox and is slim in a longer way,
unlike the more cubical nature of the Xbox. As you could probably gather by now, this is going to be a big departure from the past as the gaming and computing industries rapidly advance, with both new consoles packing insane power for their size and value. It’s pretty crazy how much things have advanced in the last 10 years. Before, the line between reality and fiction was very defined, but now, it has become much more blurry.
Graphic by Sam Tews
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Entertainment 11• 20 •2020
Have no fear, Wallows is here Wallows’ Remote EP supplies a cheerful, quirky mix of songs for fans Lauren Rayner Staff Reporter For followers of modern indie and alternative rock, 2017 formed band Wallows have become more of a well-known name, with help from frontman Dylan Minnette’s success on the Netflix drama series 13 Reasons Why. It has been a year since the group released their successful debut album titled Nothing Happens, featuring popular songs like Are You Bored Yet? and Scrawny, so as expected, fans were excited to hear that Wallows were going to be recording their second
album following their 2019-2020 tour. The process of releasing an album was slowed after COVID-19 reached the United States, causing the band to go into isolation. Despite the pandemic, the boys continued to write and tease unreleased songs throughout the lockdown period, and on September 9th, 2020, Remote was announced. The entire EP was recorded whilst the bandmates were separately isolated, which definitely had an impact on the style and overall aesthetic of the music in the EP. Remote is a 6 song project that starts with the heartfelt, bouncy opening chords of Virtual Aerobics, the second single released from the EP. Amusing sound effects and vocals are scattered throughout the song, making it incredibly entertaining to listen to. The song undeniably feels more “classic Wallows”, but remains a highlight on the record due to the rhythmic, summery feel and catchiness of it all. It’s a sweet, happy tune that I have repeatedly come back to. Following the light-hearted opener, the EP transitions to Dig What You Dug, with main vocals from other guitarist and vocalist Braedon Lemasters. Dig What You Dug has the similar bouncy and uplifting feel of Virtual Aero-
bics, but also introduces some glitchy and electronic influence, which becomes a mainstay throughout the EP. The chorus is satisfying and anthemic, allowing some good scratchy electronic pieces to pop up occasionally within the song. The first single from Remote, called Nobody Gets Me (Like You) is another feel-good jam with immediately noticeable crispier lo-fi vocals, and a groovy bassline. This song features my favorite lyrics out of the entire EP, describing a relationship in which two people truly connect and understand each other, hence the title Nobody Gets Me (Like You). It’s a mushy but charming song that includes choppy, inventive percussion that beautifully pounds away in the background. Coastlines has an interesting eclectic chorus and has an incredible amount of danceability, with its bassline and simple yet effective guitar chords soaring throughout the instrumentation. The chorus tends to become a bit repetitive though, and the song doesn’t offer a whole lot lyrically. After Coastlines, Talk Like That is the consequent song on the EP. It is probably the most forgettable song on the project, with a continuation of the glitchy music we are used to at that point in the EP, and quick, almost rap inspired vocals with more quirky effects scattered in the mix. The closer, Wish Me Luck generally
has a boring vocal delivery compared to the upbeat riffs and overall vibes we are used to on the other tracks. It includes echoey vocals and is a bit bland and gentle. In a way, it feels a bit lost and bored with itself. The change in tone feels sudden and a bit confusing, not providing a sense of closure the EP needed. In short, Remote was a lively, shortlasting burst of excitement the world needed during these different and difficult times. The music itself wasn’t anything too groundbreaking or too experimental for the indie-pop outfit, but it was a pleasant moment in the trio’s discography that provided a few good tunes for hardcore fans. It was especially impressive they pulled this off having each band member collaborating on the ep from their own homes during the quarantine. With a heavier electronic influence, I am interested in seeing where the band goes next, as this seems to be just the beginning of a possible new Wallows era. I would love to see them go more experimental in their sound because this sounded like just the beginning of something more cutting-edge in the future. Remote was simply an ordinary yet intriguing EP for Wallows that leaves you feeling excited, as it provided a moment of musical, exhilarating bliss for fans.
Reading a ridiculous amount of Riordan books Halle Benson Co-Editor in Chief
I’ve spent the last seven months of this pandemic reading almost every single one of Rick Riordan’s books. That is 21 books, five series, and thousands upon thousands of pages full of Greek, Egyptian, Roman, and Norse mythology. I don’t regret any of it. If you don’t know, Rick Riordan wrote the Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Kane Chronicles, Heroes of Olympus, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, and Trials of Apollo. That is the order you should be reading them in, except I skipped The Kane Chronicles and read that last. (Don’t do what I did, read the books in chronological order.) Riordan has spent the last fifteen years writing these books, starting with Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. This book starts off the many adventures in the demigod universe we see throughout the series such as the Norse demigods stopping Ragnarok or a fallen Greek god trying to regain his status on Mount Olympus. The latest book Riordan wrote was for his series about the fallen Greek god, The Trials of Apollo. The Tower of Nero came out Oct. 6, 2020, as the last main series book Riordan will write in this universe. He still plans to write other spinoff books to these series, but told his fans that he wouldn’t write any more series in this universe. As someone who has barely been involved in this fandom, the last book made me incredibly emotional. These books have barely been a part of my life, and somehow, I grew very attached to many of these characters in these series. I’ve even taken the official test on Rick Riordan’s website to figure out who my godly parent is (very
similar to the Hogwarts House quiz) and got Hades multiple times. There is a lot of representation in the series Riordan has written as well. There are multiple characters a part of the LBGTQ+ series such as Nico di Angelo, Alex Fierro, and the god Apollo himself. As for characters that are people of color, we have Piper McLean (Native American descent), Leo Valdez (Hispanic), Hazel Lesvesque and Carter Kane (African American), and Frank Zhang (Chinese Canidan). While Riordan does have a lot of representation in his books, they aren’t always the correct representation. A lot of stuff in his books are stereotypes towards people of color, which can be very harmful to those groups of people. Even though it is really sad that Riordan won’t be writing any more books in this universe, there is good news! Riordan announced this past May that Disney+ picked up Percy Jackson & the Olympians to become a series. Unlike the movies, Riordan has full control over what happens in the show and is going to stick to the main plot of each book. Even better news, this past September, Netflix announced to be making The Kane Chronicles into a movie series. Reading all of these books was worth it. They helped me not go crazy during quarantine and take me into a whole different world where demigods exist to fight monsters. If given the chance, you should definitely take the time to read Percy Jackson & the Olympians and all the series after that.
art by Keely King
Happy Thanksgiving Monday, Nov. 23 Asynchronous e-learning (no zoom) B-Day Tuesday, Nov. 24 Asynchronous e-learning (no zoom) A-Day Wednesday - off Thursday - Thanksgiving Friday - off