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May 2020, Issue 5
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The abrupt end of the class of 2020 pg.04
Photo by Lela Rasmussen
INSIDE
Letter from the editor Saylor Cuzzort Editor-In-Chief
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News -Abrupt end of the 2020 school year
Opinion -Pandemic through the eyes of a student
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Lifestyles -Student uses voice to uplift during pandemic
Lifestyles -Student’s media broadcast brings joy to locals
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hroughout senior year the first question seniors were asked was “What are your plans after high school?” Now we are bombarded with questions involving how we feel about our senior year being cut short. Heartbroken is the only word that can come close to describing how we all felt. Heartbroken that nearly three months ago we walked into our high school for the last time, not knowing it was our last. We sat in classrooms where we knew everyone’s name, cracked jokes about having senioritis, pitched a no-hitter, or putted for par, and left knowing we would do it all again come Monday. Monday is never going to come for the Class of 2020 and yet there is an overwhelming amount of grief and selfishness that comes in saying that. Every year, a senior’s final year is cut short by fatal car crashes and discovered brain tumors, both of which this class has encountered, and yet we all continue to take our most memorable year for granted. There is no doubt our ability to raise thousands of dollars for charities at the drop of a hat will be missed. Dressing up as elves for kindergartens will be missed. Granting wishes for Make-A-Wish will be missed. Screaming 2-0 will be missed. Even complaining about dress up days and student section themes just to dress up anyway will be missed. Most of all, being surrounded by classmates who put just as much into school as they took out will be missed.
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-Senior’s Lost Last Season
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A&E -What students could spend their stimulus money on
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We are so lucky to have something so difficult in which to say goodbye. We did not get the finale we hoped for, but let us assure the world, we are not a group of stereotypical, selfish teenagers. We understand the sacrifice of our senior year was for the well being of everything else we love. The truth is the Class of 2020 is made up of some of the most resilient people I have ever encountered. Our encouraging spirits, dedicated hearts and ability to do anything when we really want to have been the motivation behind many of our high school successes. In life when we don’t get our way, I hope we remember the countless hours we spent on Group Me complaining and discussing until we found a solution that satisfied everyone. When it seems the world is divided, I hope we remember how painless it was to get along with anyone and everyone in the front row of the student section. If there comes a time when everything we know is uncertain, I hope we remember the disappointment that the last months have brought us and how on July 15 we will all be standing shoulder to shoulder, even if it is 6-feet apart, certain that we at least have each other. From the time we were born, we have faced tragedy and unprecedented times, neither of which has stopped or hindered us from having kind hearts, loving others and continuing to try and change the world around us for the better. We did not need the end of a senior year to define our high school career. Instead, we have the rest of our lives to live out the trials and tribulations we concurred and the lessons we learned throughout our precious years as Senators.
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The Crimson Crier will report objectively on issues directly and indirectly affecting the student body and the school community. As student journalists, we understand our role in a global society to abide by the ethics of professional journalism in order to ensure a more informed student body.
Letters to the Editor The Crimson Crier will print all letters to the editor as long as space will allow, and may edit letters for grammatical mistakes. All letters to the editor must be signed and include contact information of the writer. Letters can be dropped off at the Sparkman High School newsroom (127) one week after publication.
2019-2020
Crier Staff Editor-In Chief Saylor Cuzzort
Opinion Editor Anna Herren
In-Depth Editor
Grace Moore
News Editor Julia Helms
Lifestyles Editor
Madison Duboise
Sports Editor
Ethan King Brody Wallace
A&E Editor Sarah Chase
Reporters
Daniel Blaisdell Matthew Brown Maya Cable Katlyn Dickey Easton Elizer Kameron Glenn Myles Gollop Emma Headrick Sarah Helms Cherish Hollie Candace Isbell Haleigh Manning Mia Martinez Azlyn Miller Pederson Anh Nguyen Lela Rasmussen Amelia Stevens Amy Stuchlik
Adviser
Erin Coggins, MJE
EDITORIAL | 03
Abrupt end of the 2020 school year stirs emotions Madison Duboise
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Sitting Still Senior Amelia Stevens sits alone outside on the steps of her school in her cap gown. Stevens wanted one last memory on the steps she walked almost everyday of her high school life. Photo by Madison Duboise
04 | NEWS
The Crimson Crier || May 2020
Editor
ne day they were sitting in class the next their lives were changed forever. COVID-19 has changed the lives of the class of ’20 and they will forever live on as the class with the abrupt end. Last year, the year before that and all the years before those, the end of May signifies something for seniors all across Alabama and around the U.S. — Graduation. Seniors put on their caps and gowns to walk across the stage. It is only 20 seconds yet, those twenty seconds mean everything to each of the students walking across the stage, it represents more than just twenty seconds. It represents over 63 million seconds of hard work and dedication, time spent eating lunch with friends and time spent endlessly waking up at six a.m. to get ready for each day ahead. Every year for 13 or 14 years until that last 20 seconds when it all feels complete. Now, for seniors all across the U.S. this monumental moment has been postponed or canceled just like many other cherished moments that were taken from the class of ’20. Their final sport seasons, their final proms, their final moments walking the halls, was just torn from each and every one of them at moments they least suspected. Students left school that March 13 expecting to return that Monday having to sit through their boring science class or returning weeks later after a prolonged spring break, but what they would learn later on crushed their spirits and broke their hearts. There was no return. Seniors had to move on without their good-byes. Without realizing it they sat in their cars waiting for school to start for the last time. They spent one last day walking through the halls covered with the double S. They took one last walk to their car after the bell rang and will never do that again. Deprived of what was the real end, their final goodbye
COVID-19 has had its fair share of drastic effects on not just the class of ’20 but on the entire world. January 21 was the date that reality set in that this was bad for Americans, it was the day of the first confirmed U.S. case. “After it was announced about how bad COVID really was in China, I knew it was bound to make it to the U.S.,” senior Drew Whitt said. “When I heard about the first case in the U.S., I became worried because of the way it spread so fast, but wasn’t nearly as worried about the safety of my family and others as I am now.” Taking lives, taking jobs, taking it all, COVID-19 has had a major toll on almost every person across the globe. Many seniors amongst this pandemic have strived to find any positive amid what seems to be a never ending amount of negative news. “COVID has definitely taught me not to take advantage of the time I have on this earth. Before all of this I feel we were so greedy and selfish and we took everything for granted. It almost feels like corona is the brakes of a car on our lives telling us to slow down and open our eyes to the world around us,” senior Abigail Walker said. “During this stay at home order, I’ve spent a lot more time with my family and my neighbors, I’ve taught myself several new things, I’ve been able to go outside more and help around the house and the most exciting is opening our pool because it is beginning to feel like summer. I just miss being able to actually get in my car and drive to go see my friends, I miss seeing my grandparents, and I miss going to dance every night for late night practices.” Seniors were stripped of last sport seasons, last dance recitals and many other big events that come in hand with senior year. They “The main thing that was taken away from me was my internship through Sparkman’s Medical academy. I spent three years in that class to get an internship and it stinks that I didn’t even really get to experience it,” Walker said. ”The first months of that class
are full of paperwork and having to make sure you are updated on all your vaccines before we can actually step foot into the hospital. I was excited about seeing all of the various fields in healthcare because it would help me decide on what path to take in college. But because I was only able to see about six different places, I wasn’t able to fully make up my mind as to what type of nurse or doctor I want to be.” Also missing out on part of her last dance season at the North Alabama Dance Center Walker has experienced many loses from COVID-19. There are many measures that have been put in place trying to get others to stay inside and away from others but some are still not yet adhering to the rules and regulations resulting in the loss of more events and lives. “The people that are getting out to go places, like to the beach, and not doing things to prevent the spread of the virus are making me angry. They are the reason that we are still stuck in this mess and if it continues then our summer will be taken,” Walker said. “Yes staying at home may stink, but I feel we should take advantage of it. Especially with us seniors who are about to move off to college. Spend this time with your parents and siblings. In a couple of months we aren’t going to be able to see them as much as we’d like.” With having to say such a sudden and harsh goodbye, seniors feel they still aren’t done with their high school years. Finding themselves wishing they could take just one more walk past the attendance office seeing Mrs. Robinson’s sitting behind her desk or to see Mrs. Kat walking the halls with a broom in hand and a smile on her face. “All the upcoming seniors and juniors should cherish every moment because it is not something you can just get back. Enjoy every moment. Although school can be hard, always remain positive,” Whitt said. “Go to every school event and ball game you can. I will forever be grateful for Sparkman High School for the education, friends, and memories it has provided me.”
NEWS NEWS || 5 05
Student starts media broadcast to bring joy to locals Emma Headrick
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Grace Moore
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ver since quarantine began, many people have scrambled to find a piece of good news during the COVID-19 pandemic, but this venture has proved fruitless for anyone who tuned into national news. Every other story you see is about the Coronavirus or politics. It can sometimes feel suffocating. It did not take long for sophomore Jacob Edwards to see this for himself. As the pandemic raged on, ripping across the United States and around the world, he realized that people needed to hear some good news amid everything else. This would soon lead him to forming the People’s News. “We as a family really wanted to make something to gauge our audience’s attention away from the Coronavirus,” Edwards said. “And what better way to do that than spreading positive news in the midst of this pandemic throughout our community.” Edwards has been interested in mass media and communications since he was in middle school so when he saw the chance to use his passion to help people, he did not hesitate. He quickly got his family to help him, each member taking on a special role within the staff. “Our staff consists of six amazing people. My four brothers, Rylan (CoAnchor/ Production), Isaac (Agricultural Expert), Mason (Fan-favorite Chief Meteorologist), Devin (Sports Analyst), and myself (Co-Anchor/ Production/ Director) all make the videos complete with their own segments in the newscast,” Edwards said. “We are also supported a tremendous amount by our Mother, Melissa Edwards, who not only has worked continuously as a healthcare worker but also helped the newscast by gathering local information, and taught us ways to keep the audience attentive and also help with our appearance in the videos!” While the help that Melissa Edwards offers her boys is a tremendous blessing for the People’s News, it takes more than just one person to gather stories and put them on the air. The Edwards family also finds content for the media
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Son deals with mom’s illness during quarantine
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It’s Raining The Edwards family poses for a photo for their Facebook in their new merch which 75% of proceeds going to House of Harvest. The boys decided to create their own exclusive merchandise after the influx of support they received in only a couple of weeks, they based the shirts after a quote from chief meteorologist Mason Edwards. Photo courtesy of Jacob Edwards
The newscasts are 100 % run on community support and participation.” Jacob Edwards
“ brand straight from their own community. “The newscasts are 100% run on community support and participation,” Edwards said. “Without anyone sharing important and exciting news in their lives, we just can’t make broadcasts anymore.” Staying true to the selfless nature of the media brand, the People’s News has donated all the money made selling merchandise to House of the Harvest in Madison. They find that it is important to give back to the community and what better way to do that than providing support to those who can not afford basic necessities during this time of economic recession. “We have definitely been overwhelmed, and overjoyed by the tremendous amounts of support, from being featured on a local news station, to also being able to sell our T-shirts for a huge profit to give away to House of the Harvest!” Edwards said. “We can’t thank everyone enough for everything
they have done for us and for the community.” The local community believe The People’s News are destined for greatness and the family of six certainly cannot wait to see how far they will go. They love their audience and would like them to remember that they are the reason the People’s News is able to exist. “You’re the backbone of this newscast, and without you there’d be none,” Edwards said. “Even if there are no videos put out, we still listen to you and will to our best ability, make sure your friends know and as well as the whole community know anything you think is news! You all are amazing and always know that we here at TPN and the North Alabama community are in the fight together.”
The Crimson Crier || May 2020
Editor
he graduating class of 2020 was suddenly slammed with cancellations left and right as the COVID-19 pandemic made its way across the world. There are even some who have had to entirely rearrange their lives for it. Senior Thomas Borders is just like many others his age. He does theatre, band and intends on going to Auburn this fall. However, unlike the majority of his peers, Borders and his family have had to shoulder even more responsibilities during the quarantine due to his mother’s debilitating heart condition. “It’s completely changed our outlook on life, Borders said. “We take all of the physical distancing very seriously. I’m the one designated to go grocery shopping, and I try to make as “ little trips as possible. When I have to do so, I immediately come home, take a shower, wash my clothes on the sanitary setting and dry them on the antibacterial setting. After I go out, I try not to get close to her for about four dayswhich is the most common incubation period for the virus- to see if I get any symptoms. My step-dad is an essential worker and he does the same measures to ensure we are doing everything we can to shield her from the virus.” Borders also goes through several extra precautions to constantly keep their home environment sanitized during these times in order to keep his entire family safe. Keeping his distance from his mom has proven to be very
difficult for Borders since they have been through a lot together. “I am extremely worried about her because I’ve already lost my Dad, so when I learned my Mom was at high risk for the virus, I immediately knew I was going to take it all very seriously, her health is my number one priority at the moment,” Borders said. Borders has maintained mental wellbeing by keeping in contact with friends through social media and facetime. He urges everyone he can to maintain the guidelines of staying away from each other. “It’s pretty hard to keep social distance from my own mom because she still wants to do all of the ‘mom things’ for me while I’m still here before I move to Auburn in the fall,” Borders said. “She still wants to cook, so she makes the plates, then goes out to the patio while we go into the kitchen and get our plates. The best advice I could give to anyone going through something similar would be to just try to relax and realize this will pass given time. People also need to continue social distancing, because it will ultimately be the most helpful thing anyone can do to help this whole thing be over with.” While Borders has continued to see
It’s completely changed our outlook on life. We take all the physical distancing very seriously.” Thomas Borders
Strong Smiles Senior Thomas Borders and and his mother have to both be very cautious when it comes to following guidelines regarding Coronavrius. With Border’s mother’s heart condition Borders had to maintain a sterile household along with taking extra precautions when it came to leaving the house. Photo courtesy of Thomas Borders
the bright side wherever he can, and social distancing is especially important to him, even though it can be even more difficult when it is his own family. “My grandfather passed away a week and a half ago and I couldn’t really get close to my mom or my grandmother, who is also high risk, at the funeral and afterwards to be a shoulder to cry on,” Borders said. “I had to give my support and love from six feet away.”
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Student copes with quarantine through music within the church as well as the heavy influence her family had on her. She started singing with her family in church from a very young age, quickly finding her passion in service of God. From there, singing became her drug. Mears simply could not get enough of it.
Emma Headrick Editor
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or as long as senior Skyler Mears has been able to talk, she has been singing. Everywhere from the choir at church to her own living room, Mears has been using her talent in service of God. She has been sure to share her talent with the world as she goes through quarantine in hopes of inspiring others with her voice. As Mears has furthered her passion for singing, she has remembered who gifted her this talent in the first place. God is a very important factor in her life so Mears has been sure to keep Christ in some of the songs she writes. “It’s very important for me to remember who blessed me with the gift of music,” Mears said. “Therefore, I want to keep Christ in some of the songs I write and the things I sing. I have actually started writing a few worship songs, which has been a dream of mine for years. They are still in the works but I’m just trying to be patient and make sure I don’t rush something like that!” Practicing social distancing while also practicing her faith has proven to be interesting but Mears and her family have yet to stray away from their faith in God. Not only has Mears continually read her Bible on a daily basis and tuned into online church services but her family also held their own church service just a couple weeks ago. She feels that it is important for Christians to maintain their relationship with God during these trying times. “My faith is the most important thing in my life,” Mears said, “It’s so important to me because of what Jesus did for me on the cross. He gave His life so that I could live. For that, I will spend my life serving Him.” When Mears prepares herself to write a song, she often finds her inspiration in not only her faith but also real things that she herself has experienced on a personal level. For example, her song “February” is based on a real person and her feelings toward them. “My inspiration for writing music comes from what I have experienced,” Mears said. “First, I jot my feelings down. Then, I just piece them together into a song!” If Mears were to search for where her passion began, she would likely find its root in her childhood
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“It’s always been a huge part of my life,” Mears said. “I started singing in church when I was very young. It was probably mainly because my family members sing a lot, as well. I love it. It’s my passion.” Mears would like to remind other Christians that you can worship in places that aren’t church. A church is a building for Christians to get together and worship God but worship is not confined to just that building. She cannot stress enough the importance of maintaining your relationship with God while in quarantine. “Make sure you’re maintaining your relationship with Him while at home,” Mears said. “This is the perfect time to grow closer to Christ and spend time with Him!”
Bright Talent Senior Skyler Mears was looking forward to her senior year with high hopes when she found it was all torn away from her too soon. Mears hoped to bring both herself and those around her by using her voice for praising God and just for fun. Photos courtesy of Skyler Mears
The Crimson Crier || Sept. 2019 The Crimson Crier || Oct. 2019 The Crimson Crier || May 2020
LIFESTYLES | 09
COVID-19 through
even if it was just for three weeks. It wasn’t until the following day that it would hit me just how serious things upperclassmen friends of their were getting. My prom. I didn’t know it held such grandma and I went a grudge against the world that grocery shopping it would deprive the class of 2020 after leaving my of the moment they had been cousin’s birthday working for their entire lives. party because we And I definitely didn’t know were running low on that it would find its way to toilet paper and milk my very own county, worming and bread and... itself into every dinner table well, everything. As conversation across Toney, soon as we entered Alabama. the store, I noticed For me, it was simply an something that I interesting opinion piece to be never thought I posted on the Crimson Crier would see in my website. It was a meme filling my lifetime. Walmart’s chest with unprecedented giggles shelves were empty when it crossed my For You Page and yet the entire at 2 a.m. It was just a foreign county seemed to virus that couldn’t possibly be filling its aisles, find its way to Madison County desperate for because, “What’s so special about anything they could Huntsville anyway?” fit into their tiny But then the cases began shopping carts. It felt rolling in. News article after like the beginning news article. Press conference of an end of times after press conference. CNN movie and I didn’t notification after CNN like it at all. notification. It was a little scary We ended up but only the kind of scary that having to go to three invoked questions. What if it different grocery comes to Alabama? What if it stores just to get half infects someone I care about? Closures A sign a Madison Cross Roads Elementary School lets students know Madison County School System campuses are closed until further notice. of our grocery list The decision to close schools for the remainder of the year was one that was effected by many factors in the community. Photo by Madison Duboise What about school? The Crimson and even then we Crier? What am I supposed were missing a few to do if I can’t see my friends items. When we got everyday? allowing my friend’s words from just could possibly come out of this whole home, I connected to Then the unthinkable happened. two months before to overtake the idea. situation. Rumors spread like wildfire. our WiFi and learned that the World Montgomery announced its first case of It’s just an over hyped flu. Nothing to Jokes were made. Everyone was ready Health Organization had declared COVID-19 and an announcement made worry about. But I had a feeling that I for an extended spring break and Dr. COVID-19 a global pandemic. by Gov. Kay Ivey would be released had everything to worry about. Mackey would definitely pull through. From there, I watched the news as later that week. Everyone was excited Just as everyone thought, Gov. But on Friday, March 13, as everyone closely as humanly possible. Every at first. We were probably going to get Ivey announced that school would be sat huddled over their phones, anxious morning, before I even got out of bed, out of school for at least two weeks. cancelled through April 6. My friends for the news to cross their screen, a I opened CNN and checked to see the And because of the State of Emergency, were ecstatic and if I’m being completely terrifying thought crossed my mind. infection rate and the death toll and we wouldn’t have to do any work. honest, it felt nice to have the stress of What if things only get worse from every morning, it left me speechless. It sounded like the best thing that high school taken from my shoulders, here? I shook the thought immediately, I saw article after article, detailing
the eyes of a student Emma Headrick
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Editor
he first time I heard about the Coronavirus, I was sitting in my school cafeteria. It was early January and the second semester had just begun. My friends and I were huddled around our little booth, cracking jokes about everything and nothing at all. I remember it was my turn to pull up a chair and sit on the outside and I was not happy about it. I made sure my friends knew it, too. When I got the CNN notification, I got a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. Two cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Wuhan, China. It wasn’t of any concern to me. Up until then, I didn’t even know there was a place called Wuhan. If I’m being completely honest, the first thing that crossed my mind was Han Solo from Star Wars wearing a protective face mask. Looking back, I probably should have taken the situation more seriously. I announced to the table that there was a new virus in China and that it had only infected one or two people. Most of my friends were fairly unconcerned. “It’s just an over hyped flu,” Matt had reassured us. “You have nothing to worry about.” At the time, I still had a strange feeling but I pushed it to the back of my mind until it was nothing but the vague memory of an anxiety that I could no longer make reasonable with logic. I mean, how could I? I didn’t know what I know now. I didn’t know that in just one short month, the virus would have a death toll topping thousands. I didn’t know that over 600,000 people would be infected worldwide. I didn’t know that it had the power to steal the remainder of my sophomore year and rob my
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The Crimson Crier || Sept. 2019 The Crimson Crier || ||Oct. 2019 The Crimson Crier || May 2020 The Crimson Crier Sept. 2019
not only lack of hospital supplies and quarantine but also countless stories about people being targeted and killed over simple suspicions. A man getting stabbed in Australia over a pack of toilet paper. A Singaporean man getting beaten to the point of a fractured skull in the United Kingdom because a group of men thought he looked Chinese. A Chinese man being left to die in a public square because passersby were too afraid to touch him. As I read these stories, I tried my best to remember the good but as the days went by, I slowly started to come up short with excuses. Simple reassurances to keep me from going insane. To keep me from being plagued with fear. I did just as many people around the world had been doing for weeks but I still had a bad feeling. Then, as I watched Gov. Kay Ivey give a press conference, hoping that she would say we were in the clear and we could go back to school next week, she said the one thing I had hoped would never happen. School was cancelled indefinitely and online courses would begin April 6. She also warned everyone to practice social distancing. To take COVID-19 as seriously as possible. To remember that we have never seen anything like this before in any of our lifetimes. Her words felt more like a warning, a reminder that things are about to get bad, worse than any pandemic we’ve seen in nearly a century. And that’s when it hit me. We are witnessing history. The decisions we make now will determine how we are remembered by history books. When future generations learn about this pandemic 50 years from now, do we want to be remembered for irrational fear? For inaction? For hostility? Or do we want them to remember us for our compassion and strength? For our ability to have faith in each other? Our descendants are watching us through the eye of history. Is this what we want them to see?
OPINION | 11
LIFESTYLES NEWS | 59
Senators Forever Taken prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, members of the softball team gather with some of the senior members to celebrate the season. All spring sports seasons were ended when school was officially closed on March 13. Photo courtesy of Cassidy Duskin
Students process the abrupt ending of spring sports Ethan King
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Editor
thletes put in hundreds of hours of work to prepare for their season. Their preparation all goes into being able to take the floor and being the best player out. Sadly however, some players did not get to experience their senior send off due to the complications concerning COVID-19 which ended all sports for the remainder of the year. “Losing out on my senior season was soul crushing,” senior Kamryn Warman said. “This was the season that some of us had been looking forward to since we were six years old.” Not only did these players lose out on the opportunity to play their final games, they will never be able to experience the high school atmosphere for themselves again. They are missing
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out on the celebrations, laughs and moments that were being made for as long as they could remember. “You really have to cherish every moment you have with your team, it can be taken away at any moment,” senior Cassidy Duskin said. “We never expected our senior year to just be thrown away out of nowhere.” Not only are they losing relationships formed on the field over the last three and four years, many athletes won’t get one last opportunity to fight for a state championship. The potential for broken records and school titles looms over every player’s head with the thought that this was their year. “Not getting the chance to compete towards state this year probably hurt the most,” Duskin said. “It would have been one more shot for us to get a ring.” The high school journey may be over but the next level is waiting for these
players. Despite being locked up in quarantine, finding a way to stay in shape and keep their bodies ready for the next time they take the field has become a new priority. “Mentally, I’ve been telling myself that everything happens for a reason and that this is all going to play out on its own,” Duskin said. “Physically, I am staying prepared and working out every week.” The shutdown may have taken away the chance at one last play but it gave the upperclassmen a chance to reflect on their favorite moments of the season and realize what was most important at the end of the day. “I regret not forming closer relationships with my teammates, especially the underclassman,” Warman said. “I didn’t think this would get so serious, let alone cost us our entire season.”
Crimson || Sept. TheThe Crimson CrierCrier || May 2020 2019
Many things can be learned from the pandemic Amelia Stevens
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Editor
n the wake of COVID-19, commonly known as the Coronavirus, there are many matters in the world being analyzed every day. As I watch the news, I continuously see the negative sides being broadcast so much more than the positives. Especially while everyone is stuck at home watching the news more than ever, I believe it is important to shed some light on the situation. However, the negatives must also be shared to keep viewers informed. A big negative of the Coronavirus is that thousands of people are losing loved ones every day. Despite what some reports say, no one is completely immune to the virus. That is why social distancing is so important. At the start of the virus, people were sure it would have no effect on the majority of people but as months have gone by, we now know that teens, adults, babies, and the elderly can pass due to corona.
A positive for quarantines that many people are using this time away from regular life to become more productive than ever before. People are making new companies, trying new hobbies and growing closer to their religion. Although quarantine is not the ideal place to be right now, it definitely is a good time for growth and change so that when it is all over, people can say they learned something new. Especially with businesses closing down due to Corona, the economy has begun to fall. According to the New York Times, the unemployment rate is at almost 15 percent after almost 20 million people have lost jobs. Many airline companies are seeing a huge drop in numbers for the first time in almost a decade after travel measures are cut off. After quarantine is over, companies and especially small businesses will have a lot to make up for in the economic world. Following Earth Day on April 22, pictures from around the country have
shown how the planet has physically reacted to little to no people out everyday. In big cities like New York and Los Angeles, the stars can now be seen at night, no longer covered in gas and other toxins created by man. In places like Italy, waters are clear enough where fish and other animals are seen more than ever before. While we as people have been sheltered, the earth and its animals are using this time to heal and flourish in their environment. This is something new for everyone, an experience that will live on in history books. We can not change much about the virus itself however we are responsible for how we react to this situation. This pandemic is important because the future will judge us on how we reacted in a changed world and how we will come out of it. Just like anything else, there are positives and negatives to this situation. More than ever, it is important for the world to work together.
OPINION | 13
Seniors share their excitement about the future 7449-A Hwy 72 West in Madison Mon-Fri 9am-8pm Sat 9am-6pm 256-325-8746 HUNTSVILLE’S PREMIER MEN’S HAIR CARE CENTER
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Sarah Chase
Editor he class of 2020 was cut short of their senior year, but there are big things coming their way. Some seniors shared their future plans with The Crimson Crier.
“I am mostly looking forward to learning about college traditions and joining student organizations. There are so many organizations and clubs that are offered in college but aren’t in high school. So being able to participate in things I’m passionate about and make friends through these organizations is exciting to look forward to!” -Dasia Betts “I am excited for a new chapter in my life and what is in store for me these upcoming years. I plan on becoming an ultrasound tech because the medical field has always interested me.” -Brooke Pugh
51 Nance Road, #101 Madison AL 35758 (256) 430-4053 madisonal@mathnasium.com Mon 2:45 PM - 7:00 PM Tues 2:45 PM - 7:00 PM Wed 2:45 PM - 7:00 PM Thurs 2:45 PM - 7:00 PM Sat 9 AM - NOON
“I am excited to have a new environment that will consist of new people, new adventures, and new ways to be the best person I could possibly be. The independence is scary and exciting, but I know God is going to help every step of the way.” -China Green “Football games!!” -Amelia Stevens “I am looking forward to meeting new people and becoming independent!” -Mackenzie Pressnell “The memories and the experience of an HBCU.” -Kamaryn Robinson “One thing I think I am most excited for this upcoming school year is being able to meet so many new amazing people that I am going to have the chance to call my family for the next 4 years.” -Sarah Schomburg
Jerry Damson Honda Sales 888-787-2271
(256) 970-4100
Service 888-568-0776
2200 Bob Wallace Ave SW Huntsville, AL 35805
26| 14 | SPORTS ADS LIFESTYLES
12181 County Line Rd, Madison, AL
Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Crimson || Sept. TheThe Crimson CrierCrier || Feb. 2020 May 2020 2019
“I am looking forward to dancing on the football field and basketball court wearing purple and gold!” -Riley Patterson “I’m really looking forward to starting a new chapter at UNA. I’m excited to meet new people, make new friends, and make new memories!” -Bette Shallbetter “I cannot wait to move out of the house, get some freedom, meet new people and further my education to get closer to my career. -Sara Watson
A&E || 15 15 IN-DEPTH
Guide to Spending your Stimulus Check Grace Moore
A NETFLIX SUBSCRIPTION TO BINGE ALL THE LATEST SHOWS-
Editor
Several waves of stimulus checks have been sent out to millions of Americans as a part of a plan to keep the economy running during the COVID-19 crisis. Many teenagers and even college students were unable to receive these checks due to being claimed as dependents. However, for students that did receive the $1200 check, here are some things you can purchase:
A RING LIGHT TO FILM TIK TOKS
A DRONE TO GO ALL OF THE PLACES YOU CAN’T
A ROOMBA TO DO ALL THE CHORES YOUR MOM ASKS YOU TO DO
AIRPODS TO WATCH THE TIK TOKS YOU MAKE
TONS OF BABY DUCKS
14 LIFESTYLES 16 | A&E
A LIFETIME SUPPLY OF GUSHERS
The Crimson Crier || Feb. May 2020 2020