NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL
211 PYLESVILLE ROAD, PYLESVILLE MD 21132
410-638-3650
April 30, 2021
Boy Scouts of America become co-ed; NHHS female freshman leads troop ZOE MIKLES Features editor
Be prepared. Since 1910 the Boy Scouts of America have lived by this slogan. The institution has remained boy-only for almost 100 years, only recently has it become legally co-ed. NHHS freshman Korynn Sims challenged these long-standing standards and became a leader of her boy scout troop. On February 1, 2019, BSA officially became co-ed and Sims’ troop officially formed. Sims’ troop number is 1920 to honor, “the year women gained voting rights” and “it is an anagram for 2019, the year [the] troop was formed.” Sims first began scouting in 2011. She was a girl scout at first but dropped it “due to the lack of adventure.” Sims then began tagging along with her brother’s troop and gained a love for the BSA environment. Since the troop formed, 1920 has participated in many things. Sims loves that she gets to, “go rock climbing, caving, and camping,” things she was not able to previously do with girl scouts. Her troop has also gone to summer camp. There, they built a cardboard boat and used it in a race. Sims and her peer were in the boat when they raced it and
they placed second overall over several other boy scout troops. Sims now holds a leadership position in her troop. She is a senior patrol leader, the head scout that runs the troop. Sims is in charge of “making sure [her] troop’s council runs smoothly, planning weekly troop meetings, and guiding the rest of her troops through activities.”
Sims has big plans for the future of troop 1920. The main goal is to continue growing the number of members. She wants to “have enough members and experience so that the troop can run efficiently without any adult help.” Sims also plans to help her fellow troops achieve their personal goals of reaching eagle rank, the highest rank of boy scouts.
Boy scout troop 1920 at summer camp. Photo credit: Korryn Sims
Sims has achieved a lot and appreciates the help she has had along the way. Her scoutmaster, “an adult leader that helps guide the troop and the senior patrol leader,” has been a positive influence on sims. She was the person who, “encouraged [her] to join the troop and take on a leadership position.” Her scoutmaster was the adult who formed the group.
Sims states that her scoutmaster, “encouraged [her] to grow leadership skills and to push [herself] to accomplish [her] goals. According to Sims, scouts have had a huge impact on her life. “Following our scout oath and law has taught [her] to not only love and respect others but also love and respect [herself]. Scouts taught Sims many life lessons like how to act with honor and how to lead but above all Sims says it taught her that, “[she] is not alone.” Sims used to believe that she was different and weird simply because she was “not as girly as [her] other friends.” Scouts have shown her that there are many girls out there that are just like her and given her “strong friendships with people that [she] still has today.” Sims advocated that BSA has The troop competed in many events and competitions. “made [her] a stronger woman.”
Achievements from past NH academic scholars impact KENSINGTON BOYANICH News editor Graduating high school is a massive achievement, but some students take this even further having them graduate either valedictorian or salutatorian of their classes. Students in every class are given the ranks in which they sit. Graduating valedictorian means being at the top of your class with the highest academic achievements. While the salutatorian is the person who ranks second in their class. These people are rewarded for their placement and can perform a speech at graduation. Graduate of the class of 2016, valedictorian, Mikaela Boyanich talks about her journey to becoming valedictorian and where it has led her to now. “The hardest class I took in high school was AP physics because I’m not a visual person, so I struggled to figure
out how to change the problems The hardest classes I took in high into pictures. I went to Temple school were anything that relatUniversity after high school and ed to history/social studies. I am got a degree in chemistry. I then very science and math-oriented, transferred to Virginia Tech to so I always had to put more effort do a Ph.D. program in chemistry. into studying for those classes. Becoming valedictorian Right now, I currently really doesn’t matam a freshman at ter once you’re “For students who are theofUniversity out of high Georgia, looking to become valeschool, you and I am shouldn’t dictorian now, I want you to m a j o r w o r k ing in know that your grades are not Animal yourself too hard.” Health, the only things that describe Salutaon a your worth.” torian of pre-vet - Sara Fernandez, the class of track.” 2020, Isabella Messick alumni Messick states states, “One about her academthing that my ic journey. “One thing parents constantly that I have learned is what study reminded me was that one bad methods are successful and if I grade wouldn’t kill me. It may don’t succeed, I have learned to have hurt my grade at the time change and adapt accordingly. but, if I worked hard and contin-
ued to learn, I can always make up for it. I also tried to balance my academics with my social life which I think is super important, especially as you move on to college.” Sara Fernandez, valedictorian of the class of 2018 says, “for students who are looking to become valedictorian now, I want you to know that your grades are not the only things that describe your worth. You can still get into all the colleges you want without having to be the very best!” Fernandez also says, “Valedictorian affected my future academic journey in that it helped me to not worry about college applications and college acceptance letters because I knew I had the capability to get into all the schools I wanted. Colleges also liked seeing that I was first in my class, so all the ones that I applied to offered me money to attend their school. Currently,
I’m able to attend college without paying for my tuition or books.” Fernandez states, “After I graduated high school, I worked at Dairy Queen over the summer and then that fall I attended the University of Maryland, College Park as a math major. Now, I’m in my junior year at UMD. I changed my major to public health science and I’m also minoring in Spanish. I have 2 semesters left once this academic year is over and I’m excited to graduate and get a paying job within the public health field, ideally one where I get to work with children. Currently, I have an internship at The Arc of Prince George’s County where I’ve been delivering programs to high school students with disabilities in order to help them find a job, teach them what it is like to go to college and teach them about other post-secondary education options.”
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Cry of the Hawk
March 29, 2020
How the journalist remembers it: Five years of friendship EVAN KUZEMCHAK Column
some but for others that is just a small portion of life, for me five years is almost one-third of my life. So, Evie and I have been with each other for a good amount of our lives. And in those five years, we have gone through numerous life or death situations (maybe that's a little dramatic but you understand). So naturally, Evie and I talk a lot about our past experiences, one experience that we remember vividly is the ibuprofen story. It started out a nice late-summer morning, tryouts for fall sports were still going on because school hadn't even started yet. I was at cross-country, Evie was at soccer, and our old friend was trying out for volleyball. All three of us were super close, and we were planning to hang out. The day was going pretty okay, besides starting out my day by running. Fast forward to after practice, the three of us all gather in my father’s car as I remember and take off to hang at my house. We were all working very hard that day so we were a little sore, but that can be easily fixed with ibuprofen... right? Well, my dad gave us the medi-
When you spend an elongated period of time with someone you grow with them, you get to see this person evolve and change right in front of your eyes. Your relationship with them gets stronger each day just from having small conversations and those small conversations turn into longer deeper lectures, where you don't just know who they are, you know them and their life. In just a few days my best friend, junior Evie Heinlein, and I will be celebrating five whole years of being friends. Now, that can either be a very long time for
cine and went on his way because a few freshmen surely should be trustworthy, it's a simple medicine, nothing could go wrong. Well, we all take the recommended amount, and Evie and I are fine, yes a little sore still, the Ibuprofen helped. Well for our friend, she wanted to take more. Immediately Evie and I questioned why. We took the dose and know you shouldn't take more than the “warning: do not exceed six tablets in 24 hrs,” so why would this girl want more. Not thinking of it much after a slight “no I don't think it’s a good idea if you take more.” 30ish minutes later our friend starts complaining, her stomach hurts, her head hurts, she doesn't feel good. Earlier, we had been messing around and dropped some of the tablets on the floor, we picked them up and put them aside to be thrown away. If you haven't already put two and two together, our supposed best friend went behind our back after telling her no, took even more ibuprofen, and lied about it. Three freshmen freaking out because one of us isn't mature enough to be trusted with a simple ibuprofen bottle and some
water. Our old friend reported that her mouth was “foaming” and she felt really bad. I didn't know what to do, I’m not a freaking medical professional, I was 14 for Christ's sake! And Evie... is even more clueless than I am. After some thinking and talking we decided that it was time to call the ambulance, no one else was home besides my brother and he was about 19 so I dragged him up to help us. Actually, I made him do all the work, but I was scared, give me a break. The Ambo gets here with a police officer and Evie and I look at each other knowing this is no one's fault besides our friend’s. We get questioned, our friend gets checked up, and everything is actually fine... all of that and she was fine. Now clearly, our old friend cannot be trusted, and no that wasn't the only time she almost died from lying to us. In the end, what has happened, has happened, and Evie and I can't destroy those memories, we just know that we stuck through it together. Through the lying and manipulation of our old friend, Evie and I stayed friends, and I couldn't thank her more. Happy five years of friendship, bestie.
How the best friend remembers it: five years of friendship EVIE HEINLEIN Guest Contributer
When you think about friendship, you don’t think about how long you have been friends with that certain person, you think about the memories and experiences you share with them. Those experiences could change your relationship with that person for better or worse. You grow closer with each experience and memory you share, and they just become like family. Eventually you realize how much time has passed and how many amazing memories you both share, and you can’t see how your life without your best friend in it would be like. Soon my best friend, junior Evan Kuzemchak, and I will be
reaching our five years of friendship. Five years does not seem long to some but to others it is a good portion of your life spent with that same person. Evan and I have gone through lots of life changing experiences that have shaped our friendship to what it is today. One of those experiences that has stuck with us to this day happened our freshman year, 2018. It happened on the second day of tryouts for fall sports. Evan was at cross-country, I was at soccer, and our other friend at the time was at volleyball tryouts. At the time, all three of us were like a little trio that had been friends for a few months. We planned on hanging out after. Evan’s dad picked Evan and our other friend up and took them back to his house and I came shortly after. As I remember that day was a hard day for Evan and our friend so when we all got to Evan’s house they decided to take Aleve since they were both sore. You would think freshmen can be trusted with taking pain reliever but I guess some shoudn’t be. Evan’s dad had to leave shortly after giving them the medication so we were all alone. Shortly after he had left, our friend decid-
Cry of the Hawk 211 Pylesville Road Pylesville, MD 21132 (410) 638-3650
ed to take another Aleve pill since she thought the recommended amount she took was not enough. Evan and I told her not too and to just wait a little longer for it to kick in. She did not listen and took more. On the bottle it says not to exceed six pills in 24 hours and our friend had already taken four in a matter of hours. More time passes and she decides she wants to take more, this time me and her fight over the bottle and some pills spill on the floor. After picking the ones that dropped and setting them aside and hiding the pills from them we thought everything would be ok. Oh were we wrong. She had taken two of the pills that had fallen on the floor, she was at six pills. At this point Evan and I start freaking out a little and wondering what to do. Aleve speeds up your heart rate to help alleviate the pain you have, so after taking six pills her heart rate was sped up to a scary, unhealthy speed. The only other family member of Evan’s that was home was his older brother who also did not know what to do. After a little bit of time monitoring our friend, I decided to call 911 to be safe. When they arrived, Evan and his brother had to run down his long
driveway to make sure the ambulance knew exactly which house. While this was all going down our friend was yelling at us trying to make it seem like this was no big deal, but in my mind I was scared that it could become a big deal so I did what I thought was best. As our friend is getting checked in the ambulance, Evan and I are getting questioned on what happened and why. Our friend turned out to be just fine… all that stress for them to be fine and laughing the situation off like it's happened to them before and its nothing After this happened Evan and I lost some trust in this friend and it only went downhill from there. At the end of the day Evan and I have stayed close but the trio with that friend was no more, and that’s ok. We can’t go back and change those experiences and memories, but we sure have grown from them and grown closer because of what we went through. I couldn’t thank Evan enough for sticking with me through every crazy thing that has happened in those five years of friendship, and I hope he sticks with me for more years of making memories. Happy five years of best friendship.
Health and Science Editor: News Editors: Marissa Altenburg Caitlyn Allen, Kensington Boyanich Entertainment Editor: Opinion/Editorial Editors: Maura Chaney Hannah Krizek, Kylie Redding Sports Editor: Features Editor: Greer Strine Zoe Mikles Business Manager: IDR Editor: Kendell Schubert Rachel Keeney Reporters: Society, Students & Culture Editor: Addy Dean, Grace Feldbush, Madison Fetherston, Meghan Kalck Jake Gay, Summer Grace, Malinah Jercheid, Erica Video Managers: Otte, Annie Finholm, Ben Sersen, Jackie Bultman, SilEmily Green, Lauren Brandis via Martinez, Jessica Fannin, Kimberly Edgar, Chloe Copy Editors: Ward, Dani Becker, Alexis Haigler, Colby Criss, Paige Emily Iampieri, Lilliana Greco, Leah Hillier Webster Social Media Coordinator: Announcements Tech Evan Kuzemchak Victoria Hanna
Blatant lack of water causes issues for students VIEWPOINT Finally students have returned to the building and are restarting their school routine, only one problem, the school is grossly lacking access to water and food. Free food for everyone, sounds great right? Until you realize that means JUST the free food. No water. No snacks. No other options for people who don’t like the food or may have an allergy. A major factor of this “water crisis” is that with no sale of water bottles in the cafeteria, all water fountains are out of use and wrapped in plastic. So the usual last ditch effort for safe filtered water is out the window. While some fountains still have an operational water bottle filler at the back of the fountain, it is only some and you still need to find a bottle or cup of some sort that can only be acquired if you bring it yourself. Really the only option is to bring everything you need for the day, which is reasonable, most people do, but what about the days you are rushing out of the house? Are you just out of luck? Do they have to be dehydrated all day? Well no, there is food available, but very little and there is no hope of getting any more than the bare minimum proportions provided, no matter how hungry you are. The reason for having less options and contactless food service is sound. Covid. Less options, less confusion, less touching, less time. Go up, get food, sit down in your little plastic corner of the cafeteria and eat. Taking all of the options, including water, sandwiches, chips, pretzels, and more that would usually be provided out. But you can still have a contactless food system without striping lunch down to the bare minimum. Options can still be there and handed to us, we can say our school numbers without touching a keypad. Maybe this wouldn’t be such a problem if we were able to get some type of more food. This is a problem and it needs to be brought to the Food and Nutrition office for the gross mismanagement of the food and water in the building. You can call them at (410)-588-5282.
The Cry of the Hawk newspaper is published 10 times a year by North Harford’s Journalism II/III class. All editorials and viewpoints express the feelings of those on the staff and not necessarily those of fellow students, administrators, or teachers. Please do not hesitate to submit letters to Advisor Jen Chandler in room D207. Letters should be no longer than 300 words, must be signed, and may not contain vulgarity.
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March 29, 2020
Cry of the Hawk
Thou shalt not hurt mine ego; Grief ’s slippery slope; Self-advocacy during doctor’s office visits VIEWPOINT
with at least some medical training hold and may use false beliefs Anyone who has gone to the about biological differences bedoctor’s office after doing any tween blacks and whites to insort of research has a chance of form medical judgments, which being dismissed due to their re- may contribute to racial disparisearch, whether doctors believe ties in pain assessment and treatthey are hypochondriacs or seek- ment”, indicates this bias. ing medication, it is an all too Doctors who harbor outdatcommon occurrence for people ed views are more likely to make to be misunderstood by docless accurate treatment tors and treated poorly recommendations for a semblance of and rate black self-advocacy. patients’ pain “Self-advocacy is “Self-advocaas higher cy strategies are than white indeed an essential useful to make patients. practice in the world sure your famIn adof medicine, and yet for d i t i o n ily is understood that to bias many people, their reyour needs are against met and that search into a disease that is p e o p l e you have undrastically reducing their of color, derstood the LGBTQ quality of life is easily information people sufbrushed off by health- fer from disand advice you are being given crimination care providers.” by your care proin healthcare viders”, according as well, “LGBTQ to Sherbourne Health people often do not Centre. fit into the health care Self-advocacy is indeed an essystems easily or completely, sential practice in the world of we often encounter systems that medicine, and yet for many peo- are not designed for us”, accordple, their research into a disease ing to LGBTQ Parenting Netthat is drastically reducing their work. quality of life is easily brushed off Common health care self-adby healthcare providers because vocacy techniques including eduof outdated beliefs that still hold cating yourself about a particular strong in the medical fields. health concern may be dismissed, A 2016 study about racial bias especially when you go to a genin pain assessment whose “find- eral practitioner about someings suggest that individuals thing that should be referred to a
specialist. It is a terrible experience to have a doctor doubt your experiences because the diagnosis criteria for “Can’t Sit Still Syndrome” does not include being unable to sit still, it includes a lack of object permanence, avoiding tasks that require focusing, and being unable to infer based off vague directions, all symptoms of the same “Can’t Sit Still Syndrome”, however this time ADHD-I, formerly known as ADD. “When doctors routinely doubt your lived experiences, it can affect how you view yourself”. Says Liz Moore, a journalist at Healthline. Doctors tend to focus on what is familiar, as one anonymous Quora user put it “they have a hammer - so every patient looks like a nail”, when the hammer moves, it can easily hit a finger or the board, leaving the patient injured without a diagnosis that could allow them to improve their quality of life, either with referrals to specialists, medication, or modifying current treatment plans. Doctors need to listen to their patients, the costs for not listening are much higher than they tend to assume, coupled with outdated perceptions, it is imperative that healthcare providers are transparent with their patients and take the time to listen to them fully because nobody knows a person better than they know them self.
Honey, you aren’t really mature;
You’re actually just being groomed KENSINGTON BOYANICH Column
“If our grades don’t touch neither do we.” The saying that I’m sure many of you have heard but don’t seem to want to listen to. Before any of you get all up in arms and are trying to burn down my house, I just want to say that honey, you aren't mature. You’re being groomed. I know some of you are probably thinking, “Kensi, aren't you dating a senior?” Yes, I sure am and yes, I am a hypocrite but let me explain. Our age difference is exactly two years apart. Therefore legal. I’m talking about the 19-year-old guys and the 15-yearold girls. “The legal age of consent in
Maryland is 16,” according to Maryland criminal lawyer Seth Okin. Thus, anyone under this age is not “legally” allowed to give consent regardless of what they say or how old they look. Another big point that comes up is the, “Romeo and Juliet law.” This law protects, “consensual sex between a minor and someone who may be a certain age older than the minor. As long as the age difference between the couple is within three years of each other and the minor is over the age of 14.” This is also stated by Okin. This doesn’t make it okay. A man should not be “hooking up” with a 14-year-old. I don’t care if you are “mature for your age” and “he loves you.” News flash, he doesn’t. You are just an easy target to manipulate to get what he wants out of you. In most cases, sex. If my friend came up to me and told me she was dating a 20-yearold I would, respectfully, slap them across the face and say that they are the “dumbest person I have ever met, OMG why.” Now this can go both ways. If I was a 20-year-old and my friend came up to me saying they are dating a 15-year-old, I would also, respect-
fully, slap them across the face and call them disgusting. I know it may seem all sunshine and rainbows because they can drive you around and you feel like a cool teenager but trust me, IT ISN'T WORTH IT. They are just manipulating you for easy sex. There is a reason they don't go for people their own age. It doesn't mean you’re mature but that they aren't. Many people have the same argument for this situation and say, “but my parents are five years apart and they are fine.” Like cool so they met when they were probably 23 and 28, both adults, which makes a massive difference. They have had many of the same core experiences and are old enough to understand the age gap. At this point it isn't the difference between an adult and a child. Your 45 and 50-year-old parents are both physically the same maturity but a 10-year-old and a 15-year-old are not. It’s the same age difference, but it doesn’t make it okay. So get as mad at me as you want and call me hypocritical. But you better not come crying to me when they break your heart .
Waiting on rain
JESSICA FANNIN Column
or other people when life becomes painful, but it was Naomi’s choice to go to the city where God was not. Bitterness prevents us from seeing how He is working. Like poet Martha Snell Nicholson said, “God could not pour His riches into hands already full.” In Bethlehem, Ruth went out and gleaned in the fields of a relative to Naomi. She worked hard and took care of Naomi. A widow was taking care of another widow. Ruth experienced God’s harvest when she became close with Boaz, the relative of Naomi. He sees her loyalty to NaoI love the name Ruth. Do mi and lets her take food from you know why? Because the his fields. Through her good first Ruth I ever heard about character she attracted people changed my life. She was this in her life that would give her woman who left everything the love and support she was she knew and loved to be there giving to others. for her mother- in-law. When questioning favor for Naomi was a wife to a man Ruth he explained to her “you named Elimelech and the left your father and mother and mother of two sons. They lived your home-land and came to in Bethlehem until there was live with people you did not a famine, so they moved to know before. May the Lord Moab where there was food. repay you for what you have But not long after, Naomi lost done,” (Ruth 2: 11-12). Making her husband along with both hard decisions is a mountain her sons and she was left all that we have to repeatedly by herself in a dangerous city. climb. Ruth had a choice beIt is so easy for us to think we tween something that would are doing what is right because benefit herself and seemed easy we are doing what is easy, but and supporting someone she in moving to Moab Naomi lost loved while taking a leap of everything. faith. She wanted to return home From her leap of faith, Boaz to Bethlehem, but Ruth would developed a relationship with not let her go on her own. Ruth and they married each She explained to the hurting other. Even though she left mother “don’t urge me to leave what felt comfortable and safe, you or to turn back from you. when Ruth did not pursue Where you go I will go and the easy way out she received where you stay, I will stay. a home, food, and love. Her Your people will be my peohands were filled with blessple and your God my God,” ing when she turned to(Ruth 1: 16). Her loyalwards the Lord in ty and selflessness her grief. that she would “Jesus releave her famdeems everyily and home thing for our to be there “I love the name Ruth. good, even for Naomi the things Do you know why? Beinspires me seem to be that cause the first Ruth I ever that imposway for heard about changed my sible for people in good to life. She was this woman need. c o m e It was who left everything she from,” not just (Romans knew and loved to be Naomi who By experienced there for her mother in m8:28). arrying the pain of law.” Ruth, Boaz her loss but also restored Ruth lost someNaomi’s life as one too, yet she a mother and a would not become grandmother. From bitter. Despite the hard this, Naomi slowly started to times, Ruth did not sit home realize God’s hand that was and sulk. She got up and did on her shoulder in the form of what she could and trusted Ruth, a loyal companion that that God would show up for provided for her needs. She her. Naomi let herself become was never alone from the bedefined by her circumstancginning. es and was unfortunately too It is not always obvious to blinded by herself to see the you what He is doing but Jesus great harvest ahead. is always working whether it You may think, “why did is through a comforting hug at God let Naomi lose her famithe right moment, a song on the ly?” Many people blame God radio whose lyrics responds to your worries, or a stunning sunset after an exhausting day.
April 29, 2021
Cry of the Hawk
**TRIGGER WARNING
Time to rethink sexual assault laws EDITORIAL On May 13, 2017 a woman on a night out with a friend was taken advantage of in the act of rape. She had “consumed five shots of vodka” before, “heading to the Dinkytown neighborhood of Minneapolis with a friend,” and after getting turned away by a bar,“they met three men who invited them to a party,” stated The New York Times. There was no real party. One of these men took them to a house in North Minneapolis, and she later “woke up to Mr. Khalil sexually assaulting her,” discussed The New York Times. This was after she blacked out on the couch. This all took place about four years ago. According to The New York Times, four years after this attack, just recently, “the Minnesota Supreme Court overturned Mr. Khalil’s conviction on a third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge.” The reasoning behind the overturn of this case is absurd, and came as a heartbreak to many. “The woman, the court said in a unanimous decision, was voluntarily intoxicated at the time because she had made the decision to drink, and therefore did not meet the threshold for mental incapacitation under state law,” stated the Supreme Court. There had been a previous defi-
nition of the state law that was considered “mentally incapacitated.” This had a meaning behind it that states, according to The New York Times, “substance lacks the judgment to consent to sex only if the intoxicating substance was administered without their agreement.” “In Minnesota, it has rekindled a campaign to strengthen a statue governing sexual assault, including by expanding the definition of mental incapacitation to say that people under the influence of drugs or alcohol are incapable of consenting to sex,” according to The New York Times. This should be looked over, and changed to an extreme level, which Minnesota is looking into doing. Minnesota is not the only place though, there are also backwards laws and such in other places, but most are also being reviewed as well. As a survivor, this woman will have to testify about her rape again at trial. This is not right. She had this horrible act committed against her, but because she chose to drink alcohol- something that most young adults do on a night out- it is her fault for being unconscious. It should be flipped completely. It is disheartening to know he just gets away, and could possibly even do the same thing again, just with someone else... they then become a victim too.
Page 4- Op/Ed
Popularity is not equivalent to power BEN SERSEN Column
The ideology that a social hierarchy exists is actually a strange paradox; if we believe in the system, we become products of it. However if we believe the system does not exist or even that we are higher than it, we are predisposed to a much higher social ranking or even none at all. You have probably heard “high school is a popularity contest” at some point in your life, turns out it was right. This belief that high school is more social than educational is not very far off the truth. Believing that you are a good person and that you enjoy the high school experience personally before you try to enjoy it through the eyes of your friends can make you out to be a very confident person. And in high
school, confidence is key to happiness. High school can be stressful if you get knocked to the bottom of the totem pole however, what students fail to realize is that the totem pole is merely a figment of imagination as no one truly has power over one another. The most valued member of society is not the one that contributes the most but the one who shows themselves to be the most powerful, often through money or athletic prowess during high school however evolving more as we age. Power in school is eerily similar to the real world in the sense that power gives you control. If you have power whilst another individual does not, oftentimes this person will conform to your wishes. Popularity in school, however, creates power. If you have one disciple, you will not hold much power however having a third person, you will always beat an individual due to power in numbers, the same way a group of athletes may overpower a smaller kid who does not have the numbers (in terms of friends) to protect himself, causing a lack of power. Popularity is a factor of power in high school however it is not the only factor, many fac-
tors lead to power and how you perceive yourself is detrimental to your personal power. Power stems from personal belief. I’m sure we’ve all met the giant sweetheart or the small classmate who is very vocal, the outspoken short person almost always exercises more power due to their confidence in speech while the giant sweetheart only aims to please those around them. They do not wish to create malice, they only wish to make peace. This peace creates a gap in the power that a student holds. Although the giant could easily physically overpower the shorter person, as well as confidently knowing that they are kind individuals, the giant never looks to create conflict and this plants him lower in the totem pole of social hierarchy. Popularity creates a social power that influences kids to get more distant friends rather than a few good friends. The social power that we achieve in high school is a mere glimpse of the future, with bosses and coworkers as well as social cliques. We have all been exposed to power in some aspect of our life, every single person is given power, making yours known to yourself is the first step toward a powerful life.
Georgia legislature passes law;
Return to school is hasty endorsement given by water conservationist LILLI GRECO Column
It’s almost been an entire calendar year since the beginning of quarantine - March 13, when we thought it was just going to be a two-week break from school with that warm spring-break weather. The restrictions hadn’t quite set in yet - we could still spend time with our friends outside, masks were reserved for medical personnel, and people were busy talking about Tiger King. Now, Tiger King is a distant memory. It’s been a long time, and we’re all itching for things to get back to normal. Virtual learning is a brain drain and we’re all missing the social aspect of school just the other day I found myself thinking about the lunchroom and remembering the grating noise and constant stickiness fondly. Under any other circumstances, I would be happy to get back to school after such a long time. Unfortunately, the pandemic isn’t quite over yet. With vaccines on the way, things are looking like they could get back to normal soon. But just
from watching the news, you can see that it isn’t going to be as simple as that. It’s going to be a while before everyone gets vaccinated because of the high demand, but for some reason, we’re still pushing to go back now. Yes, there are masks and distancing precautions, but a quick visit to any public place that’s still open will show that not everyone follows these rules, even though they’re endangering everyone in the vicinity. I’m sure, if we went back, there would be people that probably don’t believe in the disease. It’s simply not the right time to go back. Knowing that mask mandates are seen as more of a political issue than a health precaution and that there would almost certainly be people that break and bend those rules, I wouldn’t feel comfortable being in the building. There’s also the logistics of going back - with the distancing rules, there would only be a certain number of people allowed in the building, meaning that we would probably only be actually going to school one or two days a week. This year, we’ve mostly settled into the virtual learning groove. It’s not great, and being online so long each day makes my brain hurt, but it’s better than possibly catching a disease. If my options are staying home like this, where it’s long laptop days but I’m safe, or going back, when some people are still debating the pandemic’s existence and don’t wear their masks over their nose, I’m staying home.
JAKE GAY Column
Georgia passed a law about voting, that’s because the legislature really didn’t like that people are doing it. Republican Governor of Georgia Brian Kemp has even unveiled a new campaign encouraging people not to vote called “voting sch-moting.” No that’s not true, but it is not far off from what’s happening in the peach state. Precipitating this change on how voting works, was the country’s voting system working normally and without much issue. However, according to some, the system is “SAD” or even “AWFUL” (Trump). Basically, there were more people who voted for other people than Trump’s people, and that made Republicans Awfully sad. To be fair, the way we vote has been largely unchanged for some time now; probably because it works pretty darn well. Things are looking up for Republicans though, they have introduced legislation that is reminiscent of the times when Thomas Jefferson was President.
In a shocking move President Biden even conceded that the Georgia law was “unprecedented.” The new law combats the growing obesity crisis and voting. So, Georgia is double dipping by fighting obesity and democracy all in one. What better way to get a tan and a little exercise then standing in line to vote, just like our for forebears. Some states are trying to decrease lines at the polls, what’s next they let you vote online? We all know the first rule of voting is that it can’t be convenient. With the new law on voting, Georgians are forbidden to give water to voters in line. Before they were having a serious problem with voters having to go to the bathroom, and then it was the whole, “you’re not allowed to save your spot in line.” It should be noted that Georgia will now save a lot of water, the amount is unknown. This unknown amount is likely because when volunteers were giving out water they were weirdly not worried about giving out too much. So, to my fellow Georgians (I visited Atlanta once), Will Smith took his movie production out of our state. That seems like we missed out on a really cool opportunity. Although, let me tell you, we lucked out. Traffic is really bad already, we do not want more traffic. Also, those Hollywood sets employ around a thousand people. This means that those thousand people will lose
their jobs. It’s the classic story of Hollywood giving the little-guy a once in a lifetime opportunity and stomping on them! Many Republicans have called for the boycott of Coca-col-a. Which is a great idea, instead we will just drink water... nope wait, water is outlawed. We could drink Pepsi, although it is hard to find Pepsi in Georgia. So maybe we should just drink Coca-Col-A and pretend it is Pepsi? Okay, you won this round soda! Additionally, The MLB has pulled their All-Star game out of Georgia. I won’t lie to you, this one hurts. Luckily, we aren’t taking this totally called for maneuver, lying down. Our friend Tucker Carlson said on his show that the MLB does not have, “...veto power over the democratic process.” As we all know, nothing influences woke Democrats more than Tucker Carlson! Truthfully when I heard Mr. Carlson’s words, immediately I had to talk to Mrs. Seigel because I could have sworn they did have the right to overall the democratic process under the “1831 Clause of MLB overruling the democratic process.” The truth of the matter is that while the MLB, Coca-Cola, Will Smith, Delta and other companies don’t have the right to (as Tucker called it) overall democracy, they do have the right to speak up. They are choosing to speak up on behalf of the nearly 40 percent of Georgia’s population who have had their democratic voices largely silenced by this law.
Cry of the Hawk
April 30, 2021
Page 5 - News
NH alumna opens up shop at local restaurant EVAN KUZEMCHAK Social Media Coordinator “It started with working at Jo-Ann fabrics,” says Sophia Sturgill, North Harford aluma about the start of her jewelry-making journey. As Sturgill “worked there more [she] got so inspired by what people were making” that she went on to “try something of [her] own, which was jewelry” making. Not only has Sturgill put herself in the craft-making area before at JoAnn’s but she previously has done “a lot of other crafty art as well.” Sturgill says that jewelry making is different, “jewelry speaks out to [her] more” due to the fact that “people can express themselves through the jewelry they wear” and or create. According to Sturgill “jewelry will make any person stand out,” and she likes not only doing business but “giving that opportunity to express your emotions and stand out to my costumers.” This year Sturgill is leaning towards taking her “business slow” and enjoying the small business how it is. Recently Sturgill has brought up the idea of storing a display in local restaurant Eats and Sweets. “The display will be at the front counter” and “it will be up until April 10th,” necklaces, earrings, and rings will be for sale according to Sturgill. Stur-
gill is confident in the aspect that her “business will grow a lot” due to her recent decision, her plans are to “just put up a display
and sell as much as possible.” Sturgill says that once she is ready she would “love for jewelry making to be a full-time job”
Sophia Sturgill showcases her newly opened handmade jewelry shop at local restaurant Eats and \Sweets. Some of her jewelry is pictured. Photo credit: Trenton Beyer
and she is “fully open to that.” On a personal side, Sturgill finds that “it really calms [her] down,” when she makes jewelry and she “loves when she makes sales”. Sturgill tries “to keep the prices for each about 1-5 dollars below the price [she] thinks its worth,” Sturgill thinks that it is important to do so because she wants “the jewelry to be cheap” for her customers. Sturgill says she is really excited that her shop in opening up and that she “hopes she makes some sales on her first night.” “There are 30,748,033 small businesses in the United States,” according to the Small Business Administration. Out of those 30 million, 24,813,048 small businesses just like Sturgill have no employees, the official name of these businesses are nonemployer-businesses according to the U.S. Government. From 2000 to 2018 the small businesses of America racked up 9.6 million net new jobs while large businesses followed not so far behind creating 5.2 million. 64.9% of net new jobs in the United States fall into account for small businesses. “In April 2020, the unemployment rate was 14.7%, up from 3.6% in April 2019.” Sturgill can be reached from her business email, crystalmoonbyss@gmail. com or purchases can be made on her Instagram @crystal.moon.ss
Graduation looks different from previous years;
Trying to get back to “normalcy” CAITLYN ALLEN News editor
have graduation, we must follow the restrictions by the governor, health department, and CDC. Pawlicki adds that some of these rules include that “all graduates and guests must wear protective face coverings consistent with CDC guidelines. Guests are to be seated in pod areas where open seats are available. Pod seating is “grouped in varied numbers and family groups may need to be seated in separate pods. Seating will be available in additional spaces around the concourse. Do NOT
use seats that are secured to allow spacing for social distancing. There are other requirements students must follow too regarding attire, financial obligations, rehearsals, and final exams. According to Pawlicki, some of the dressing requirements are “dress shirt with tie or pants, school appropriate dress, shirt, skirt, etc, dress shoes that are not flip flops, thong sandals, tennis shoes, cowboy boots, or work boots.” The principal adds “The surface of the Leidos Field is ar-
North Harford’s planned graduation date is Tuesday, May 25 at 6:00 p.m. at the Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen Maryland. North Harford’s leaders and staff want to assure that they are “dedicating much time and effort to ensure that all the events of the final days of the Class of 2021 are exciting, memorable, and joyous occasions.” In the past, graduation was up in the air about whether we were doing it virtually, in person, or even at all. Later on in the year, the word was that graduation was going to take place at the APGFCU arena which was going to be one senior with their family at a time, like seniors last year. Now, graduation will be taking place in person at Ripken Stadium to honor all our senior graduates. Seniors are allowed five tickets for seating All Harford County Public Schools will hold their graduations in the stadium area. North Harford’s at Ripken Stadium. North Harford is scheduled for 6pm on Tuesprincipal, Bryan day, May 25. Pawlicki, states that Photo credit: Trip Advisor “if we are going to
tificial turf, so the venue asks that students not wear spiked heels as they pose a tripping hazard in the uneven surface.” Other requirements need to be met as well. Pawlicki states that “all computers, textbooks, library books/magazines, athletic equipment/uniforms, band uniforms, choral robes, and music, etc. must be returned. Fines must be paid for all lost or damaged books, equipment, and any other senior expenses.” He adds that students must take all their final exams, and “a senior who misses an exam for an excused absence is to take the exam on the following day. The senior must make arrangements with the teacher.” He politely asks that students “keep their parents up to date on their academic status” because of kids’ GPAs or individual class grades are too low, they will not be eligible to graduate. Graduates are excited that we are getting somewhat of a “normal” graduation but upset about the rest of the year. Senior Emily Johnson states that she is “really excited for graduation, but I do kind of wish I could redo my senior year and it is somewhat normal. I feel like we missed out on a lot of stuff, but I am excited that we’re having graduation at Ripken because I think it will be nice, sort of normal to a strange year.”
Students share favorite hiking spots GRACE FELDBUSH Reporter There are many places near us to hike, walk, and explore. Junior Kaitlyn Mulholland says, “One of my favorite places to go is Pretty Boy Reservoir.” According to Mulholland, it is in northern Baltimore County, and the surrounding land is a forested watershed. She says there is water, and lots of trees, and it is a beautiful place to take photos. Junior Caleb Erdman says his favorite place to go is Loch Raven. “I like Loch Raven because It is a nice peaceful place to clear your head and is also pretty to look at,” Erdman says. According to Erdman, this reservoir provides drinking water for the city of Baltimore and is also beautiful. Gunpowder falls river into this huge body of water. Freshman William Dodds says his favorite place to go hiking is the King and Queen seat, also known as Rocks State Park. He says, “I like exploring with my friends there and I love the thrill of being so high up on the rocks, I like the adrenaline rush it gives me to be up so high.” The King and Queen seat sits 190 feet above Deer Creek, which provides a scary but breathtaking view. Senior Jackson Miller says, “My favorite place to go is Eden Mill.” He says he likes Eden Mill because there are multiple different paths you can choose from, and he likes to go fishing there with his family, or friends. “I like taking my dog there too because it is a very dog-friendly place, so I feel comfortable taking them there,” Miller states. Freshman Lexi Lewis says, “I like going to Perryville Community Park because there are multiple things to do there and it is good for all ages.” She explains you can walk, fish, go on your boat, go on the playground, or have a picnic. “Opportunities are endless there and it is my absolute favorite place to go during the spring and summer,” Lewis states. Senior Daniel Beichler says his favorite place to go is Annapolis Rock. “I enjoy camping and hiking, which is why I like this place so much since it has plenty of space to do both of those,” Beichler says. According to Beichler, it has a beautiful view and is the perfect trip for him and his friends to take to have their guy time. He thinks more people should have quality time with their friends there while camping and just being outside. From beautiful views to fishing and camping, Maryland has countless places to get outside and enjoy some time in the sun. Students have shared their favorite places, and you can check them out. According to Health Harvard, being outside improves your health in multiple ways. including stress and lowering blood pressure.
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Cry of the Hawk
April 30, 2021
Smith works as monster mechanic; L o c a l t r u c k e n g i n e e r i n g i n t e rn s h i p
Burman cooks up small bakery
BEN IAMPIERI Reporter
BEN IAMPIERI Reporter
time,” Smith explains. According to Smith, A car engine is used to turn linear motion into rotational motion through the use of fuel and air mixture. “What’s different about monster trucks is that
torque. This strength allows for the 12,000-pound machine to go Sean Smith, sophomore, is in 50 feet in the air and spin the the pit crew for Monster Jam. 1,000-pound tires up to 35 miles He does mechanical work for per hour in less than 2.5 seconds. monster trucks. Smith’s favorite part of the For the typical mechanic job, job is working on the trucks. ” Smith has to change He also “dreams of the thousand-pound driving and being tires, check the air the racer signing pressure in the tires, autographs,” just fix things when they like “everyone in break and drive the the sport.” trucks to the starting Smith says that line. There is even a he “dreams of drivchance that he gets to ing and being the race the truck. racer signing autoHe got into megraphs,” just like chanical work after he “everyone in the rode a dirtbike for the sport.” first time. He learned “Being a racer everything he could is more appealing, about it, then worked that being said I am Smith changes the shifting linkage for his way up into propersonally content the truck Master of Disaster. The truck is a ride fessional mechanics. doing all mechantruck for little kids to be put in the back and driv“Normally, a mechanic ical work,” Smith en around. Photo Credit: Andrew Webster [would] be changing says. “I love worktires and doing basic ing with my hands fluid or part changes. and I love mechan[However], I have a very specialthey don’t run on fuel like what ics, so it’s the perfect job.” ized job,” Smith starts. “So I get goes into [cars],” Smith starts. According to Smith, in a monto switch out 66-inch tall tires, “They run on [a] 120 octane ster truck show, racers show up build engines from the ground mixture of nitrogen dioxide and about six hours early to their up, work on electronics, and I’m methanol, which actually runs shows to help unload and set learning to weld to be able to recleaner [and] is more powerful up for the event. When fans get pair broken metal parts.” than your average fuel.” there, you sign autographs and Smith got his internship Normal cars make around talk. Before the show starts, you through his uncle, who works 200-300 horsepower. The most get into a full-body fireproof suit with him. Smith plans to stick powerful car, the 2020 Bugat- and get strapped into your truck. with the job as long as he is ti Chiron, runs at about 1,500 Then you would do donuts, physically capable of doing it. horsepower. The monster jumps, or whatever tricks you “I have to show dedication to it trucks that Smith works on run can do. “You can work a full-time and skill before I get paid for my at 2,500 horsepower and 3,500 job on the side,” Smith elaborates.
New Harford County rescue drug dog; Labrador retriever Bolt has superpowers SUMMER GRACE Reporter
through several test programs to see if he had the drive needed for him to become a police dog. WBAL says Bolt “excelled there and in the K-9 training, despite planned distractions from heavy machinery or a friendly trainer meant to throw him off the
“took a chance on Bolt.” He also explains that typically, police Bolt, a Labrador retriever, dogs come from specialized was recently rescued from Loubreeders. isiana and has found a home as Cristie Hopkins, a spokespera drug-sniffing K-9 for the Harson for the sheriff’s office, said ford County Sheriff’s departthe agency has not had a rescue ment. K-9 in years because of the large After originally expense. According being found tied to a to WBAL, Bolt’s tree during the huradoption cost less ricanes happening than $400. halfway across the Bolt is now hancountry, Bolt bedled by the senior came the first rescue deputy Andrew dog to be working at Sampson. Accordthe agency in over 30 ing to Sampson, years. Bolt is the “same as According to any family pooch, WBAL, a neighbor though one that saw Bolt and took has been through him to a shelter, a lot.” Bolt and his handler/partner Senior Depwhere he was then “Reading the uty Andrew Sampson training at the Sheriff’s Offound by They Ressignals a K-9 gives fice. Photo Credit: Matt Button cue Us Inc. (TRU) off requires a lot of This Maryland training,” Sampson nonprofit group reexplains. When moves dogs from Bolt smells any high-kill shelters. scent.” type of contraband, he stops and “TRU brought Bolt, (then In an interview with WBAL, focuses on the spot. However, called Bolton) to Maryland and Hoppa explains that “not all dogs Sampson says there are other placed him with a foster, the are good [police dogs] because signs a K-9 handler has to interdaughter of a sheriff’s deputy, they do not have that desire.” He pret during a “sweep.” who thought he had the right says he was looking for the dog’s Junior Bella Silvesteri heard stuff to become a police dog,” ability to work his nose, such as Bolt’s story and thinks all poOur Community Now reports. how much he wants to hunt and lice K-9’s should be rescued, “as The K-9 unit supervisor, Cor- how excited he is to find it. long as they meet the set requireporal Marty Hoppa, ran Bolt Hoppa shares that the office ments.”
When making her cakes, she needs to think far ahead about Over quarantine, local home- all the materials and ingredients school sophomore Ava Burman that will be needed, including wanted to improve her baking decoration and packaging. “I skills. She started to make more need to think how I want to deccakes, eventually leading to the orate it, and buy accordingly,” she explains. “I make the cakes creation of Ava BakerGirl. Burman practiced baking and by scratch, make the frosting decorating cakes all summer in while they cool, [then] decorate.” The GRADE has enjoyed the order to meet her goal to open experience of learning how to the business by November, berun a small business. She hopes fore the holidays. By October, to continue to grow and expand she was able to open the official her company in the future. “A farFacebook page. “I put out some out goal of mine is to evenvague options for people tually have my own to order but was also real bakery shop.” open to making Her business is whatever they mostly run via requested,” the “It takes plenty of Facebook. “I young baker focusing to get each like to post ofsays. cake how I want it, ten about new Burman’s items to keep business is perbut it’s also fun and interest up.” sonal, though creative.” “One thing her family I didn’t expect helps her get -Ava Burman, was how long ingredients. “It’s Sophomore it actually takes definitely been to make and deca learning experiorate a cake,” Burence, seeing how to man says. run a small business.” One time in November, “Oftentimes, when I have an Burman was asked to give baking order for a birthday cake it’s lessons to someone as a Christa two-day project,” Burman mas present. “For each of those starts, “Cake layers one day, lessons I figured out what to then decorating and delivery bake, and timing and all that.” the next. Splitting it up gives me Burman’s Facebook page, “Ava more time for school each day.” BakerGirl,” contains contact in“It takes plenty of focusing to formation and updates about get each cake how I want it, but it’s also fun and creative,” Bur- new cakes and bakery items. You man says. “I see ideas on the in- can reach her at avabakergirl@ ternet or one of the cookbooks. yahoo.com, or at her phone numA lot of new things I’ve tried or ber at 443-987-7125. “Rememmade [are] because people come ber to contact Ava BakerGirl for up with all sorts of either, either dessert on the next special occasion,” Burman finishes. for orders or just suggestions.”
Fighting stereotypes with books KIMBERLY EDGAR Reporter “I’ve been on a nonfiction and history kick because there’s something about hearing a good story and learning at the same time that I enjoy,” states technology teacher Timothy Pistel. The book club has decided to stay virtual for the remaining bit of the school year. According to the media specialist, Robert Ott, it’s easier virtually for students to attend each book club meeting. “Going virtual has actually helped because it is easier for students & teachers to attend.” Ott also explains that, “Reading is simply vital to our development. It allows us to travel to far away worlds, root on heroes, boo villains, share ideas, exercise your brain and eyes, and become educated.” Pistel believes that men are less passionate about reading but he isn’t sure why. He also said that “We are evolved to be captivated by good stories. You don’t necessarily have to like reading to be in a book club. You can listen to an audiobook and get a different experience.”
According to Eric Weiner of NPR, “British author Ian McEwan conducted an admittedly unscientific experiment. He and his son waded into the lunch-time crowds at a London park and began handing out free books. Within a few minutes, they had given away 30 novels. Nearly all of the takers were women, who were “eager and grateful” for the freebies while the men “frowned in suspicion, or distaste.” The inevitable conclusion, wrote McEwan in The Guardian newspaper: “When women stop reading, the novel will be dead.” Pistel confirms this idea with the following, “I enjoy reading, especially with my kids, but usually I fill my free time with other activities.” Pistel also mentions he is not as passionate as women generally are when it comes to reading. “Among avid readers surveyed by the Associated Press, the typical woman read nine books in a year, compared with only five for men. Women read more than men in all categories except for history and biographies,” states Weiner. The Guardian mentions how reading is stereotypically a women domain.
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Cry of the Hawk
Royal Caribbean to begin cruises Hawks ponder plans post-pandemic JAKE GAY Reporter As the vaccination rollout continues it was announced in March that Royal Caribbean will restart launching cruises to the Bahamas and their private Island CoCo-Cay. These trips will be entirely for adults who show documentation of full vaccination, and children who have received a recent negative Covid-19 test. The re-launch of cruises was announced this past March, there had been broad speculation due to this and some doctors are saying it may be a mistake. Even with some reservations regarding their plan, Royal Caribbean CEO Richard Fain told Fox News that he was “optimistic” about the summer cruises noting the rollout of vaccinations. Francis Suarez, the Mayor of Miami (a frequent launch-spot for cruises) announced his wishes for cruises to begin as soon as May 1st. With vaccinations beginning for children and teenagers just this month, potential cruise goers would need to schedule their first vaccination appointment a month and a half before their intended cruise launch. In a poll of North Harford students on April 19th, a staggering 20% of Hawks had at least got their first dosage of the Covid-19 vaccine (210 polled). Of those 210
polled, roughly 10% of students have no intention of getting vaccinated — they will not be able to go on cruises with Royal Caribbean this Summer. Many doctors are saying that those who have recovered from the virus will likely be immune for at least three months. However, Royal Caribbean is still requiring recovered passengers to receive a vaccine and be fully vaccinated. North Harford Drama teacher Nancy Green contracted Covid-19 this winter. When asked if she would go on an outof-country vacation during her period of immunity, Green jokes, ”I would not go on a cruise. That is just because I hate cruises.” Green later said, “ I have immunity from having covid and I am fully vaccinated. I would definitely go on a vacation, Including getting on a plane.” Vaccinations have been happening at an exceeding rate, and some islands in the Caribbean have been largely unaffected by the pandemic. Due to many islands being territories of various countries, there has been no official stance made by them. Royal Carribean has not addressed a possible surge or any circumstance where cruises would be canceled. Although, many doctors have said that it could be too early for such activities as cruises
Women fight for equality;
Females focus on future KIMBERLY EDGAR Reporter
“Few government terrorism databases break down data by gender and hardly any security analyses dig into gender-related questions, which creates a gap in terrorism-fighting efforts,” Rachel Vogelstein, the director of the Women and Foreign Policy program at the Council on Foreign Relations told ABC News. One of the most recent terrorist attacks took place at the U.S capitol, a pro-Trump mob went straight through. Two women in particular, were able to pause and record a selfie video, according to Olivia Rubin and Will Steakin from ABC News. “We broke into the Capitol … we got inside, we did our part,” Dawn Bancroft said into her cell phone camera while standing next to Diana Santos-Smith.” “Although authorities have charged hundreds of suspected rioters with participating in the violent insurrection, Bancroft and Santos-Smith are part of a specific, sometimes overlooked demographic that is attracting the attention of experts and lawmakers alike: women,” also states Rubin and Steakin. French teacher, Larissa Arist, says that she doesn’t label herself as a feminist but that she believes in women empowerment. Arist also explained that she
had no idea about any of the overlooked women rioters and that she personally doesn’t see it as a big issue. Like Arist, music teacher Katelyn Hemling says, “This is not a topic (women role in riots) I would say I am well versed in at all!” Although Hemling believes she is a strong feminist, “I believe in equality, across the board, and feminism is advocating for equality of the sexes, which I agree with.” “In 2019, a bipartisan group of House members introduced legislation aimed at improving U.S. counterterrorism and peacebuilding efforts by “focusing on women’s roles as victims, perpetrators, and preventers of violent extremism.” The bill would have funded women-led groups countering terrorism efforts, helped train state and Defense Department officials in how to help women counter terrorism in their communities, and supported research into the intersection of women and violent extremism,” says Rubin and Steakin. This bill, however, was never passed. Although the women’s threat seems to be not that high, women are still fighting for equality. But look at the Amazon Women- way stronger than men….so I do think it’s a cultural thing – the patriarchy.” And Hemling states “equality with closing the pay gap and career recognition and advancement.”
April 30, 2021
Student pursues animation career BEN IAMPIERI Reporter
when drawing. ple seconds of animation,” “I’m hoping to get a career in Johnson says. Sophomore Sanaa Johnson has animation or illustration, either For developing characters, been animating since the sum- Johnson will draw random things animating on my own, [for] video mer of 2019 and is now thinking on the paper, and if it is somegame companies or for Cartoon about how Network,” she to make a starts. “If I endcareer in the ed up working scene. for video game Johnson companies, it has been would most interested likely be the in drawing idle sprite ansince Kinimations (ex. dergarten, Street Fighter, which is Undertale, Caslikely what tlevania). The led to startdrawings I try ing to work to do are more on animacartoon-like. tion. The So that’s why first animaif I ended up tion she has working for ever done Cartoon Netwas for a work instead, it school projwould probably ect, and that be children’s is when she animations or Johnson draws an image on her art tablet. realized how shows like SteShe has used it to help with the creation of her anifun it could ven Universe.” mations. Photo Credit: Sanaa Johnson be. “You can Johnson bring any has been most characters interested in you have to YouTube anilive, so I liked the idea of making thing she likes, she’ll keep the mation. “I’m inspired by basicalup my own stories with it,” she design and build a character off ly every YouTube animator I’ve explains. of it. She also references popular watched,” she says. “It would be As of now, Johnson has been cartoons. She will sometimes re- me being my boss and working at animating with “random/goofy ceive some help from her siblings. a pace that I choose, and it’s way videos of clips from gameplays or “My sister usually helps me come easier to interact with fans than memes. I’ve been practicing ani- up with backstories,” she says. with working for a bigger profesmating lip-syncing too since it’s a As someone relatively new to sional company.” lot more difficult,” she says. Johnson has developed a plan the hobby, Johnson is still figurJohnson gets her ideas for an- ing things out and gathering what for how to figure out her animaimation from watching shows she needs to effectively draw and tion career. “I think I want to she likes, such as Gravity Falls, animate. According to Johnson, start with trying to animate on Pokémon, or Saiki K. She also art tablets are the best option YouTube to figure out what kind takes heavy inspiration from for animation. That is why she I want to do. If I end up liking story-time animation YouTu- is practicing on it. ”It’s difficult to animate characters and their bers like Jaiden Animations and since the screen is only shown on stories, then I’ll know if I want SomethingElseYT. When she a laptop, not the tablet itself,” she to work with Cartoon Network,” gets ideas she writes them down explains. she explains. “If I end up animatto practice them later. “If there She uses Inshot and Capcut to ing sprites instead, then I’ll know are any ideas I get from these I edit the videos she makes. There if video games are better for me to take notes of them and practice are also art gloves she uses to work with. And if anything, I can animating, even if it’s only a cou- prevent smudging on the screen just stick with YouTube.”
Festival on The Farm event held in May ALEXA FALLS Reporter On May 22, the third annual Festival on The Farm event will be hosted at Fawn View Farm in Pylesville, Maryland. This event is a free community event available to anyone who wants to attend and is family friendly. The event is hosted by Amy Boegner and Mason-Dixon Country. The event will be going on from 11-4 PM. There will be an open-air market with many local artisans and farmers market vendors. Music will be played live and there will be food served regularly. Some of the food options include food served from food trucks, funnel cakes, ice cream and more. The food trucks selling at this event include, “the DoughSlingers funnel cakes, Fawn View Farms brand new
ice cream truck, [and] Smithsons Pit Beef,” Boegner mentions. Some of the local farms will be selling their produce at this event are Apocalypse farm, Fawn View, Crooked Creek, Spore and Seed, according to Boegner. There are also going to be many vendors selling “jewelry, cakes, sea glass, home decor, sweets, and snacks,” she says. Due to covid, Boegner claims, “The total [number of] vendors I have at the moment is 35, I plan to close this out today in order to keep numbers lower than normal.” As for NHHS students attending, Boegner says, “There will be NHHS students in attendance through the FFA alumni, unfortunately, the school can not participate directly at this time due to covid restrictions.” Eats and Sweets will also be presenting a live farm-to-table cooking demo using local ingre-
dients, according to Boegner. For children, there will be a designated kids area with crafts and animal balloons. She says that the children’s area is, “geared towards farm education of animal care and farm-to-table food. Free wagon tours of a local dairy farm will be offered as well to children or anyone. The activities at this event cater to all ages. Boegner mentions, “I have met a lot of great people through Mason-Dixon Country.” She says, “I can’t take credit for the start of Festival on The Farm, my predecessor began the festival, I took over the position and kept the event going with more focus on farming and shopping local as opposed to flea market style.” She wants to bring attention to “the benefits of shopping local- keeping funds within the community and cutting down on transportation.”
Cry of the Hawk
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High school EMT shares passion; Volunteer work creates opportunities ERICA OTTE Reporter
Health care workers in emergencies, most notably Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and paramedics, have several key differences between their lines of work. EMS workers are usually volunteers. In this case, a high schooler named Faith House went through medical training through a class. With her local fire company, Jarrettsville Fire Company, she enrolled into a sixmonth course where classes were only once a week. However, her instructor took a much longer time to complete the class than originally intended, so her class ended up being around two months longer. Along with that class, she had to study nightly, and still does, to learn the material necessary to ride an ambulance and help the people inside it in any way she can. Within her EMS course, there were also many tests. Three were in the class and to get a certification, she needed to take and pass a “very difficult” national exam. She has several reasons for choosing this career path, motivating her to continue working hard. House stated, “I chose this career path because I have family in the medical field and I’ve always wanted to be in the medical field for as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved trauma and medicine. I want to be in shock trauma, so this is perfect while I wait for college.”
As she is preparing for her future in medicine, she has gained a lot of knowledge to help her in the future. For instance, “I have learned how to not only properly care for people physically, but also provide emotional support without getting emotionally involved. I have learned that every person you come across is not always nice, and that is okay. That is on them,” House explained. When riding the ambulance, House has come across many moving stories. “My most impactful event was being there for my partner after a traumatic call. While watching my partner go through that, there is not much you can do besides be thankful for the life that you have been given,” House said. Even though becoming an EMT requires a great deal of work, a paramedic is a much longer commitment that requires more complex skills. More importantly, “being an EMT differs from being a paramedic in the sense of skill. EMT’s are BLS (basic life support), and paramedics are ALS (advanced life support),” House explained. Paramedics usually are paid employees instead of volunteers, though EMTs can get paid depending on the place and firehouse. They differ on mainly an experience basis, but that also means that a paramedic is able to do more medical procedures, especially since they are in charge of and the superior of EMTs.
One of Jarrettsville Fire Company (JVFC)’s ambulances that EMS volunteers and paramedics ride in. EMTs rode to a house on this call. Photo credit: Faith House
10-11 - Features
the Hawk
Reporter strategy: rookie mistake or veteran move? GHOST STATES Reporter The students in journalism work hard to write stories for this school newspaper. But a good story can be hard to write sometimes, especially if the topic is out of that journalist’s field of expertise. This problem is why some students in journalism tend to write articles about classes and clubs that they’re in. But there’s a bit of a debate with that sort of situation, which is what brings up this question: is a journalism student writing about a subject that they’re interested in a rookie mistake or a veteran move? For beginner reporters, this tends to be their go-to thing to do, especially if they are new to the class. This isn’t recommended in journalism because the goal is to allow people to learn about things that they otherwise may not have any knowledge about outside of journalism. Plus, if the student writing the article is involved in the topic that the article is about,
the piece runs a risk of becoming very opinionated. Beginner reporters are encouraged to branch out and write about people and subjects just a touch outside of their comfort zone, if they stay stuck writing about the same people every issue, it’s not going to be a very good article. On the other hand, veteran reporters tend to use this tactic as a sort of last-minute resort. If they cannot find any other subject to write an article about, then they turn to something that they’re more familiar with. Something easy that they can just write a few words down about with barely any thought because the subject comes so naturally to them. This is where this method of writing can be seen as a “veteran move.” People who write about a subject that they’re passionate about often do well when writing about that subject. For example, if a journalism student who is also a part of the lacrosse team decides to write an article about that sport
or someone involved in that sport, it can be seen one of two ways - it can be seen as a rookie mistake that should not be repeated ever again or it can be seen as a veteran move that receives high praise. It seems to entirely depend on your level of knowledge in journalism. If you know what you’re doing and are able to write an article about that subject without making it sound opinion-based, then yes, it is a recommended move. But if you don’t have a lot of experience and wind up making the piece sound like a ramble or rant, then no, it is not a recommended move. “That’s probably a veteran move.” Says journalism student Maura Chaney. “If they know enough about it they should be able to write about it.” “I think it’s a veteran move because you know the people that are in that club the best.” Says reporter Marissa Altenburg. “You know the people in that class the best and you know who can give you the best answers.”
Veteran actor mistakes kept in movies
In the 2014 film, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) drops the infinity stone. Pratt pulls the orb out and fumbles it on the ground. He played it off so well the directors kept it in the movie.
The Outsiders has a movie theater scene where Dallas hits on Sherry then leans back to put his feet up and falls out of his chair! Ponyboy laughs and looks directly off towards the crew expecting the director to cut.
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Cry of the Hawk
Concerts beginning to reschedule;
Sense of normalcy draws near ERICA OTTE Reporter
First Hawk’s Handmade Film Festival JESSICA FANNIN Reporter
On April 22nd North Harford hosted its first Hawks Handmade Film Festival made up of a variety of different productions that captured the cinematic skills of students. It was put together by Team Film Festival, ITS, and Drama Club. The festival was a chance for students to put their creative minds and filming skills to use and tell a unique story. Many students created their films around topics like music, cultural diversity, animation, and more. The many submissions were judged by teachers at NH such as science teacher Mr. Green, Misentity Literary Magazine Advisor Mr. James, and Journalism teacher Mrs. Chandler. Not only were the judges teachers from NH, but there was a special guest judging the videos, Peter Matthew Smith! He is a Broadway actor who played King George the third in Hamilton during the Angelica tour. He felt that the films were “so creative and talented,” and he was, “so proud of all the students.” During his talk in the film festival Smith sang an encouraging song for the audience on
his ukulele. The song was about hope and positivity when it came to dealing with the pandemic. The generous prize of a sweet beeswax and goodies basket went to “the most inspiring film” called “The Girl Behind the Smile” by Courtney Dongarra, a senior. She shared a personal side to herself in the video about her journey with Epilepsy and how she perseveres through its challenges. Awards such as “most suspenseful, best editing, and best cinematography,” were received by sophomore Abby Saltzer and senior Tim Saltzer. They created a film that kept the audience on the edge of their seats called “The Return of Teddy.” The film depicted the story, “about a man who finds a teddy bear in his attic and goes through many trials to destroy it.” They explained how they both came up with the story and both worked through a “very lengthy,” film process. After “months of ideas,” they put the story together over “three days of filming before editing.” It took Abbey, “about a week to finalize the movie.” As the main character of the film Tim felt, “blessed with getting the lead role by being told that there was no say in the mat-
ter.” Despite having no choice of whether he was in the film or not, “at the end of the day we had fun and accomplished something pretty cool!” A tricky shot they had to pay special attention to was how they made, “it seemed as though the bear was being destroyed without harming it.” They accomplished this clip, “through very specific camera angles.” At one point in the video it looked like blood was dripping from the ceiling! Tim called it, “simple movie magic.” He confessed the dramatic shot was achieved through, “a new sheet of drywall and red food dye that was bled through the back.” In the end Abbey and Tim’s commitment to the video quality paid off when they received all their awards. Abbey claimed, “it was rewarding to be recognized for the hard work.” It was also a great experience for her because she, “enjoyed working with Tim to make a film that people seemed to enjoy.” Glady, Abbey promised “to buy ice cream,”for Tim for his contributions to the video. Overall, the festival was a success and many people discovered just how cinematically inclined the students at NH are.
Lana Del Rey releases new studio album;
‘Chemtrails Over The Country Club’ gains popularity ALEXA FALLS Reporter American singer, songwriter, and record producer, Lana Del Rey recently released her seventh studio album called Chemtrails Over The Country Club during mid-March. North Harford students share their thoughts on her older music and the new album. Del Rey is a popular singer/ songwriter who went gained recognitions from her first debut single Video Games which was released in 2011. Logan Chapman, sophomore, says that Video Games is his favorite song by Del Rey. Born to Die and Born to Die: The Paradise Edition are also Chapman’s favorite Lana Del Rey albums. The Paradise Edition has many more songs that aren’t on the original Born to Die album, along with the same songs on the first Born to Die album. Chapman says, “There are so many songs on that album that
were chart toppers when they were released, and they are very relatable.” He adds, “I also feel like Lana Del Rey is a very relatable artist in general.” Chapman mentions that on Del Rey’s new album Chemtrails Over The Country Club, “there are a few good songs that I have added to my playlist but I’m not fond of the whole album.” His favorite song on that album is the title track, Chemtrails Over The Country Club. Although he enjoys the new album, Chapman states that he prefers her older music, since “a lot of her songs back then were very relatable now they’re kind of just about her and her life.” He adds, “Personally, I like a song with a good upbeat vibe and a lot of them [Del Rey’s songs] are very slow, but don’t get me wrong I love a good slow Lana Del Rey song, it’s just my preference for music I guess.” Dahlia Neiser, sophomore, also listens to Del Rey’s music. Neis-
er’s favorite song by her is Brooklyn Baby from the Ultraviolence album released in 2014. Going along with Chapman’s response, her favorite album is also Born to Die: The Paradise Edition. She says, “I like the paradise edition, and this is the album I grew up listening to.” Neiser explains how this album is nostalgic to her, “when I was younger, it was one of the newer ones [albums] and my aunt would play it in the car all the time.” Neiser has not yet listened to Del Rey’s new album Chemtrails Over The Country Club and explains, “I don’t think any album can top the Born to Die album[s].” She says that she still will listen to the new album eventually, “I would try it just to see if I would like her new music almost as much as her old music.” Neiser adds, “I doubt they [Del Rey’s new albums] could top her old albums.”
Many concerts and tours have started to be scheduled, again, bringing with them a lot of excitement and anticipation for what this could mean in terms of gaining back a sense of normalcy. While the majority of confirmed tour dates are far in the future or do not have a tour in the United States, this is still a step in the right direction. Girl in Red is one of those artists: her “Make it Go Quiet” tour is confirmed for the U.K. and Europe in 2022. Many fans all over the U.S. bought tickets for 2020 shows and were never able to get refunded or have a rescheduled show. So this recent development shines a light onto a possibility of a new United States tour. However, unlike Girl in Red, other artists have been able to reschedule their past cancelled shows, especially their U.S. tours. Some of these artists include Maroon 5, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Green Day, Fall Out Boy, Tame Impala, and Weezer. All of these popular singers and bands bring to light that normalcy is beginning to come back into our lives- starting with the entertainment industry. Junior, Alyssa Sparacco “was vaguely familiar with the concept of artists rescheduling things after covid.” However, they state, “even though I am really happy that some of them can get back to doing what they love I feel like they should wait at least another few months. It could be irresponsible if rules aren’t followed prop-
erly, which has a very high chance of happening at a concert.” In addition, they“also feel as though despite the toxic positivity about the pandemic being spewed out by corporations and celebrities, we need to realize that we aren’t out of the woods yet. We still need to be safe. And like I said before, the chances of that happening in a concert are very low.” However is “toxic positivity” the problem surrounding our current society’s views of the pandemic or is it just an increased responsibility in one’s own health? That also begs the question that if someone gets the COVID-19 vaccine, does that give them the authority on their own to gauge whether or not it is safe to attend these social gatherings? Grace Herron, Junior, answers this question. “People should be able to gauge their safety. At this point we should try to go out and make things normal but with safety measures of course,” comments Herron. Herron did know about the recent increase in concerts, adding that because of that “things are starting to get bad again so I’m not surprised” due to the apparent lack of safety measures. She is” super excited to go to a Tyler the Creator concert and a Kendrick concert! Those are two artists who I’ve listened to for years and it would make me so happy to see them.” These tours are “a good step in the right direction,” according to Herron, “we need to open everything eventually.”
Bots rule market after console shortage
CHLOE WARD Reporter
It’s no surprise that the new PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X are in extremely high demand, happening every time there is a new console for people to pour their money into. However, this generation has a darker reasoning behind the scenes, one may keep the market corrupted until 2022. There are several reasons behind the infamous shortage that’s plagued gamers for the past year. The first and most alarming is the scalpers buying and reselling the supply every time sites like Amazon and Best Buy restock. Scalpers are people that seek quick and easy profit, and they consist surprisingly of teens and young adults. One of the people doing this is a girl (last name unknown) from the United Kingdom who earns about £2,000 ($2,750) per month. She uses bots to buy up the stocks as soon as they are announced, and resell for “easy pocket money” as she says. While it may sound like a simple way to earn money, it’s still preventing loyal console lovers from getting the systems for a decent price. The only available options for buying right now can range from $800 to over $1,500, whereas the original price is a mere $400. Since many aren’t aware of the situation, they can easily fall victim to these scams. Of course, that is not the only
reason why the supply is so low. The pandemic is undeniably the biggest reason, since manufacturing is difficult with a shorter supply of silicon chips. The demand for personal computers has risen because of the pandemic, since people want to work from home, play online games, and mine for cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum. Without as many chips, the restocks of the PlayStation and Xbox are small, worsening the scamming and price inflation. The shortage of these chips is going to carry into 2022 according to gtplanet.net, so unless buyers can work around scammers, the problem will likely persist until then. However, there are available work-arounds for people who want to get their hands on consoles now. Using Amazon is not the best option for buying, due to the lack of bot protection. However, Best Buy has sustainable protection that makes it so you have to verify your purchase, destroying the cycle of automatic “out of stock” messages on their site after restocks. You can also be put on lists to reserve a system when they are available. While the lists are very long and it may take months to get a hold of one, you are not limited to giving scammers three times the market value of these systems.
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Cry of the Hawk
Psychology behind comfort films MADISON FETHERSTON Reporter Rather seeking a new show or film to indulge in, you may be one of many who find themselves rewatching old favorites; and there is a likely scientific explanation. Psychologists have suggested that those who are especially prone to illness such as anxiety and/or depression find comfort in rewatching a film, rather than processing new information while watching something new. Whether it’s a childhood classic, a cheesy rom-com, or an action packed adventure, the comfort and control found in watching a “comfort film” is therapeutic to the busy mind. Psychologist Neel Burton explains that the nostalgia that stems from rewatching a favorite film or show is a form of consolation and it provides an “escape”. He claims that, “For a low effort act, this provides a high reward, as the human mind loves predictability.” Researches along with Neel have suggested that the sense of nostalgia that stems from this source of entertainment may help one idealise a time when they were in a positive state of mind. Along with this, research has shown that nostalgia can create a sense of optimism to take into the future and aid with unfavorable emotions. This act of self care allows the viewer to distract their mind in a healthy way, similar to other methods such as reading, hiking, or exercising. After relaxing with an old favorite, a variety of benefits have been gained. After watching a comedy, a sense of well-being may be enhanced as stress hor-
mones levels decrease. Romance films offer a similar benefit as they aid the viewer in coping with external issues. Meanwhile, the adrenaline produced during a horror film viewing leaves the viewer with a similar feeling that they would get after riding a rollercoaster. Even fast-paced classics such as a select film from Harry Potter, Star Wars, or a Marvel movie can be calming when the viewer has seen it multiple times in the past. The comfort in knowing what’s going to happen next relaxes an anxious mind. This was seen during the beginning months of quarantine, as streaming service subscriptions skyrocketed as entertainment and a source of distraction during isolation was desirable. Some indulged in old favorites, some found new favorites, and many of us somehow ended up watching Tiger King. Melissa Winter, social studies educator at North Harford agrees with these studies, “We love them and can watch them every time they come on TV. From a psychological perspective, they bring back a sense of nostalgia. For whatever reason, those movies resonate with us in some way, so whenever we rewatch them they can revert us back to a time of safety, reassurance, or just happy memories, in other words, similar times.” When responding to a poll, student’s favorite comfort genres ranged from comedy to horror. Despite the diverse events that take place in each genre, people simply find comfort in knowing how the film ends. The guy gets the girl, the hero beats the bad guy, and Ferris Bueller successfully plays hooky.
April 30, 2021
‘Cause I don’t know how it gets better than this; Taylor Swift drops ‘Fearless’ re recorded album EMILY IAMPIERI Copy Editor After Scooter Braun gained ownership of Taylor Swift’s first six studio albums and refused to sell her back the rights, Swift took things into her own hands and announced that she would be re-recording and releasing her first six albums. On April 9, she dropped Fearless (Taylor’s Version). Self proclaimed die-hard Swifie and senior, Lina Goetz, was very excited for the album drop. Goetz says there were two songs she was particularly looking forward to hearing. “I was really excited for Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and The Way I Loved You (Taylor’s Version).” She then goes on to explain that despite looking forward to those the most, she’s “been listening to Fifteen (Taylor’s Version) and White Horse (Taylor’s Version) on repeat.” Since Fearless was originally released in 2008, Swift’s voice has matured in the past 13 years. Most noticeably, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) doesn’t have the same country twang in Swift’s voice. Goetz says that the song she heard the most difference was in Forever and Always (Piano Version) (Taylor’s Version). “Her voice has grown so much throughout the years,” Goetz starts, “in a slow song like that, that focuses on her voice instead of the music, it’s easier to hear how much her voice has changed from when she
was younger.” Along with the original 13 songs on the Fearless tracklist, Taylor’s Version included the six bonus tracks from Fearless (Platinum Edition), the song Today was a Fairytale from Valentine’s Day (2010), and six “from the vault” songs. This brings Fearless (Taylor’s Version) to a total of 26 tracks, a multiple of 13. Goetz says that her favorite vault song is Mr. Perfectly Fine “because it’s so upbeat and catchy and just a great song to scream cry to.” Despite the love she has for the song. Goetz says she doesn’t think Mr. Perfectly Fine, or any other vault songs, should’ve been included on the original Fearless. “They [the Fearless songs] are all so iconic.” Leading up to the release of Fearless (Taylor’s Version), Swift dropped three full songs and on April 8, she dropped a few clips. Artists Conan Gray and Olivia Rodrigo posted clips of You Belong With Me (Taylor’s Version) and White Horse (Taylor’s Version) using reels on Instagram, a snippet of Fearless (Taylor’s Version) was played on Good Morning America, Tumblr was given a clip from Breathe (Taylor’s Version), and Twitter heard 20 seconds of Hey Stephen (Taylor’s Version). Goetz shares her opinion on these sneak peaks. “Her releasing the little snip was nice because it got me excited for the album,”
she starts, “but she released so many it was almost spoiling it.” Fearless was Swift’s second studio album, but it was the first to be re-recorded. This left fans speculating the order albums would be released. The most popular theory is that she’s dropping her Album of the Year winning albums first, so that they don’t compete with Evermore at the 2022 Grammy’s. This theory suggests that 1989 (Taylor’s Version) will be the next album to be dropped, and fans on TikTok have wasted no time diving into conspiracies. Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version) was featured in the trailer for the animated movie Spirit Untamed, getting fans extra excited for the release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version). The most popular theory regarding the release date is that it will be dropped on August 5. This is because 8+5=13 (Swift’s favorite number which she uses for most easter eggs), the fact that she performed August at the 2021 Grammy’s, and Swift’s Grammy caption was eight words followed by a comma and five more words (8/5). That being said, Swift is known for making her fans do the work to decode her plans and can throw a curveball at any time.Until Swift shares any new information regarding her re-releases, fans can listen to Fearless (Taylor’s Version) on all platforms.
The sounds of the time;
Students opinions on types of tunes BEN IAMPIERI Reporter
The three most listened to music genres [as polled by over 100 people] are rap, country, and pop. “I started listening [to rap] when I would drive in the car with my brother. He went to Aberdeen and that’s the music he listened to,” Noa Blanken, sophomore, explains about how she started listening to rap. Country was another popular genre. “I started listening to country music when I was a kid through my grandparents and my dad,” Emilie Moore, sophomore, says. “It releases stress and makes me feel calm and relaxed.” “I listen to a lot of modern country,” Katie Kinheart ,sophomore, starts. “I like that it’s actual singing and not just rapping. The type of instrumentals used in the background is better than digital [sounds] used in rap.” Will Arminger, junior, prefers to listen to old country, such as Johnny Cash or Hank WIlliams. “It’s not serious and isn’t trying to sell a message,” he explains. “Just a man and his guitar making music for people.” Pop is one of the more popular types of music, as that is what pop is short for.
Jenna Amrhein describes pop as “very peppy and gives me summer vibes.” There are many other music genres, including rock, metal, and many more. Elijah Brown, sophomore, listens to these genres. “I listened to [rock and metal] as a kid with my dad and got introduced that way. I have a strong connection with it, and I listen to it all the time every day,” he explains. “I like how real and fun the music is. It’s whatever the artist wants and feels and they put it in a unique way. No autotune, no computers, just sheer talent and fun.” “I always have music playing. I sleep with music every night. I like slow calm pop and crazy screaming rap. It creates a nice balance,” Blanken says. “I listen to music almost all the time and [it] helps me calm down if I start to stress or [it] just makes me happy,” Joshua Woods, junior explains. “Music means everything to me, I constantly surround myself [with] it,” Herron says. “I listen to rap or hip hop when I’m angry or feeling conflicted. I try to replicate the music too by playing my instruments. I like playing covers a lot. I’m inspired a lot by music.”
Fearless (Taylor’s Version) was released on April 9. Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) is currently (April 20) number two on the Billboard “Hot Country Song” chart. Photo Credit: Republic Records
Page 14- Student, Society, and Culture
Cry of the Hawk
April 29, 2021
Fantastic Mrs. Fox: Mrs. Dallam reins in the foxes KENDALL SCHUBERT Business Manager
Students cope with stress; Taking time for themselves KYLIE REDDING Op/ed editor
Everyone experiences some sort of stress, which is why experts advise taking some time away from life’s responsibilities and finding relaxing ways to cope. Teenagers are no exception to this, so students at North Harford deal with their stressful schedules in various ways. According to helpguide.org, “If you’re living with high levels of stress, you’re putting your entire well-being at risk. Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium [or balance], as well as your physical health.” But on a more positive note, the website mentions that “effective stress management helps you break the hold stress has on your life, so you can be happier, healthier, and more productive.” For most students, the largest stressor seems to be school and homework. Juniors Julia Harris, Dominic Liudvinaitis, Haley Shoemaker, and Onie Woodward all reported this to be what they stress out over the most; Liudvinaitis even called the amount of work he has “overwhelming.” Woodward and Liudvinaitis both also reported chores to be an additional stressor; and in particular for Woodward, keeping her room cleaned. However, all four of these students have their own ways to destress and take time for themselves which makes these concerns easier to manage. Harris stated, “I do competitive cheer which is an outlet for me to forget everything else that has happened throughout the day and helps make things seem normal again.” She also pointed out that cheer is the thing that makes
her feel the most relaxed. She explained that at cheer she needs to “worry about the safety of others instead of thinking about [her] own problems” and that the “intense workout releases endorphins” which boosts Harris’ mood. On the other hand, Liudvinaitis is able to cope best when he’s “reconnecting with [his] roots” in nature. He pointed out how calming it is for him to watch the “beauty and gracefulness” of animals like birds and squirrels. Aside from this, he copes by working out, taking hot baths and listening to music. Shoemaker has found that picking up the hobby of crocheting has helped her to destress. She explained “I’ve been crocheting for about 4 months and I got into it because I needed a new hobby.” She continued on to say, “it helps me because it gives me something to do for hours, and it shows a finished product!” Shoemaker even plans to sell her work on Instagram under the handle @ hales_crocht. Last but not least, Woodward is helped the most by “music, hiking, kayaking, meditating, reading, and working out.” She explained that she can channel all of her “frustrations and stress” into these activities and “focus on something” other than her struggles. Woodward’s closing statement is that “if you don’t take the time for yourself, it’s just so much harder, mentally and physically, to get through days of school or just to do everyday, regular things. That’s why it is so important to find even as little as five minutes for yourself.”
Joanna Dallam, english teacher, has grown up riding horses. Dallam’s father got her into riding horses at a very young age. Those horses led her to a hobby she’s then since kept up with for most of her life. Foxhunting. The foxhunters don’t kill the fox, it is more like a chase. They collect roadkill to feed the foxes and do things to help care for them. Dallam says the foxes “give a lot of game and really try to ‘outfox’ you.” The goal is to get the fox into its hole, and when they do the hounds that accompany them get excited. They then recast and go again. There are only three foxes in a hunt. Only ever putting a fox to rest when it is injured beyond repair. She has been consistently foxhunting for about 15 years. She showed ponies her entire childhood. When she was about 13 or 14 years old, she was still showing ponies because of how small she was. This gave her a lot of experience with ponies due to handling them for about 10 years. This allowed her to campaign ponies for other people, which Dallam says was a privilege. Those she campaigned and showed for offered her the opportunity to foxhunt with the ponies. She was able to hunt for free
at clubs because of being young, eventually she got her own horse and joined the Elkridge Harford Hunt Club. Dallam explains that a suitable horse must have the right mindset and temperament to be successful, along with being forward with a good stamina. They could ride for 15 miles without realizing. Horses should be quiet and have the ability to control themselves. The horse she got wasn’t suitable for foxhunting. She explains that “the horse decides what you are able to do.” If the horse isn’t well behaved, has the right mindset or mindset it can impact the ability to do well during the hunt. There can be a very large group in the hunt, on holidays nearing up to 200 people. With them hounds come along as well, there could be 30 running around underneath the feet of the horses. Dallam brings up this is why the horse's behavior is important, bucking and kicking could put others in danger. Dallam clarifies that there are a lot of rules and etiquette to protect the riders, hounds and passerbyers. They perform ‘checkups’ where they stand up and the master shouts ‘hark two’ which means “be quiet” so they can locate the hounds and first field. The hunters ride in fields in Monkton, Whitehall and Jar-
rettsville. As well as riding on the road and farms that are preserved. The fields they ride in go by level of difficulty, as well as invitation. First field is by invitation by the master of the field only. The riders invited “need to have a horse that can jump over high line fences,” explains Dallam. It’s a hard ride for a horse, they move quickly and over more difficult paths. Dallam rides in the second field, she says this is where most ride. It’s optional and isn’t as intense as the first field. There are some jumps but not many. Dallam has two mayors, she rides the thoroughbreds because they love to run and stay fit. Her horse doesn’t have breaks which allows her to ride in the front of the second field. For the younger riders, injured, inexperienced or older rides who need a slower pace have the third field. The third field is slower and more secure for those who need it. Due to her teaching, Dallam is only able to go on Saturdays and holidays. The season of foxhunting is from September to late March. She says they just finished up this season. Over the summer she lets her horses rest and doesn’t ride as much. Dallam emphasizes that “it’s a big game and escape, but it is so much fun.”
Joanna Dallam is fox hunting with her daughters. Her daughters are the two up front and Dallam is just behind them. Photo Credit: Lina Ramm-Schmidt
April 29, 2021
Cry of the Hawk
Page 15- Student, Society, and Culture
People or things that inspire students EVAN KUZEMCHAK Social Media Coordinator
Online class prepares kids for rules of the road
MEGHAN KALCK SSC Editor
Maggie Sadiq, junior “Music and art inspire me a lot, as well as people who have the courage to stay true to themselves even when society says it’s
Sharalyn Gardener, senior “Well, my dog, Shivers, has fallen down my stairs like four times and hasn't died. Also, she makes me wanna get up everyday to take her out, or else she'd sit and die. She's a very good dog to have if you are not mentally well because if you don't take care of her, who will, she inspires me to live when her chubby body runs out the door every morning because if she can do it, so can I.”
Teagan Flaherty, junior My parents inspire me because of how strong they are and how much they love me. My mom has struggled with illness since I was born, especially when she had breast cancer. My dad and I have to take on a lot of challenges and as for my dad I can’t imagine facing them while also raising me. I hope that I grow to be as strong as them and be just as loving towards my family in the future.
Cara Chaney, senior Kylie Jenner is my inspiration because she created her own multi million dollar business and changed the beauty standard. Also, she does what she wants and doesn't listen to the haters.
NHHS Earth Day canceled; Exploring the gems of Harford County Ways you can still support this movement PAIGE WEBSTER Reporter Spring is a time where the earth comes back to life in full bloom. It is, in every sense of the phrase, a breath of fresh air after the long, dark, and cold months of winter. Where the days grow longer, and a plethora of outdoor events and activities ensue. One such event is Earth day: a national day for demonstrating support and protection for the environment. And this year, April 22 is the official day to celebrate. In the 1960s, environmental laws were limited in the protection of our air and waters. However, on April 22, 1970 the very first Earth Day was held in San Francisco. Led and encouraged by John McConnell and Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson, 20 million Americans— about 10% of the population— ventured outdoors and protested together; demonstrating and actively speaking out against toxic air pollution, drinking water and the dangers of pesticides. Every year during the month of April, NHHS holds an event where the school comes together to celebrate this national day. Mrs. O’leary, earth science and Magnet teacher, describes the annual event as “It's a whole big assignment in my classes...on my end my magnet students make up a majority of the booths and present their research. But my Chesapeake science class coordinates the whole thing. Mrs. Densmore coordinates the barn and students’ animals and also the tractors.” For about 23 years NHHS has held its annual earth day event sometime in the middle of April, so as to avoid testing days in May. Though this school year earth day has been canceled for
the second year in a row, it does not have to deter others from participating. Mrs. O’leary is among some of those active in the scheduling of the popular event, and though she is sad about missing another earth day, she still remains optimistic about springtime. “My favorite thing is that every year on my commute...in deer creek on the railroad trestle, there’s a little goose lady...and she just sits there, and she sits on eggs and I look for her every single year.” Despite the massive inconvenience that COVID brings, there are still many safe things people can do to celebrate. According to the online blog constilation.com, some activities include planting a tree or starting a garden that benefits local wildlife such as bees and birds, unplugging unused devices for the day/week and joining a cleanup or creating one yourself. Many people take this time of year to participate in spring cleaning, however this is also a good way to support the earth. Donating craft supplies, old clothes from your closet or any extra items like tables or kitchenware is an effective way to promote recycling. Another effective way to support is to patronize local sustainable businesses and any trusted organizations. Going on a hike to respectfully appreciate nature and analyze your personal impact on the planet is often the first step to becoming environmentally aware. As always, the best thing to do is educate ourselves and others around us. In the end we only have one planet, one home; and it is a home worth fighting for, no matter what the circumstances are .
MALINAH JERSCHEID Reporter
As spring is approaching, so is the chance to take a break from technology and explore places in Harford County you may have not known even existed. According to Marissa Gallo of The Aegis “Like [she] explained to one gentleman last week, there’s Bel Air and then there’s the rest of Harford County.” Gallo goes on to later say in her article how as she traveled for article assignments, she realized there was more to Harford County than what she thought existed. After having to visit the northern end of the county, she states “When we arrived at Eden Mill, I kept asking myself how I never knew existed.” Many students, like Gallo, claim that they haven’t ventured past the comforts of their communities. Here are five “hidden gem” locations in Harford County that some may or may not know exist and reviews from students who have visited the sites. First stop on the list is the Havre De Grace Promenade located in Havre De Grace, Maryland. Also known as the Havre De Grace Boardwalk, the promenade is located at the top of the Chesapeake Bay, and allows for a stroll from Tydings Park, to the Concord Point Lighthouse. According to Visit Harford the Havre De Grace Promenade is “a great location to relax and enjoy the scenery.” The article goes on to explain how it isn’t just the water that makes the experience enjoyable, stating that “Along the boardwalk, signage has been erected that enhances your experience. You may encounter ducks, geese, osprey, and bald eagles during your stroll.” Senior Gwyneth McDougall
stated in an interview about her experience, “I’ve been a bunch of times and I loved every single time! I definitely recommend going in the Spring when the weather is beautiful.”. In a poll of 130 students, 66% say that they have visited the Promenade at some point in time. The second stop on the list of locations is The King and Queen’s Seat in Jarrettsville, Maryland. The “seat” is located within Rocks State Park and rises 190 feet above Deer Creek. According to The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, “The soaring natural rock outcrop provides a breathtaking view, as well as a challenge to the skilled climber.” This site, along with Kilgore Falls were featured in the Disney’s Tuck Everlasting and according to legend, was a ceremonial place of gathering for Susquehannock Indians. Freshman Sarah Wiseman stated in an interview that she, along with her parents “hiked to the King and Queen’s Seat as a family and it was very fun.” She went on to say that they “went in late May and it was a very warm hike.” She continued to say that she would recommend visiting the King and Queen’s Seat because “it is a fun outdoor thing to do in warm weather with a stunning view.” Senior Megan Thomas stated that she also enjoyed visiting the spot, saying in an interview “we hiked up to the King and Queen’s Seat, coming up one of the side trails and walked down to the seat itself. We went in October or November. It was so cool, super clean, and great views of the fall leaves changing. I would definitely recommend it if you want to get outdoors.” A group of 130 students were polled with 74% saying that they have visited the site.
Things have changed in the world because of this virus but one thing that is not mentioned all that much is driver’s education. This used to be taught in the classroom but now that is not able to happen. Kaitlyn Schueler, sophomore, is one of the people who had to adapt to this change of going through driving school virtually. She says that she feels she is going just fine with the learning online, the only thing she has a problem with is the “home distractions.”. “If I kept in mind what is said in class and if […it is] applied with an adult in the car should keep myself and others safe as well, [ while she is learning to physically drive behind the wheel]” she said. When questioned about if she feels prepared to drive on the road, she stated that it is “half and half.” Schueler stated that online driving lessons is just like any other online class that she has been taking this year and driving can be seen as any other test like one you would take at school, but not for her future. “If I get in a traffic jam or have to drive in fog especially with a vehicle without fog lights,” Schueler stated as she was talking about how it is not preparing her for her future. Some of the pros she stated about doing the classes online were that you can complete the classes from the comfort of your home and (for the most part) work at your own pace. Some of the cons she mentioned were that you don’t really get the “hands on” experience, really only straight knowledge that you are expected to know for your future. Emilie Moore, sophomore, is also one of many that had to take these online drivers ed lessons, she feels that even with the virtual lessons, she is prepared to do some driving on the road. “I feel like I know more about roads,” Moore states when questioned if she felt prepared. She also stated how she feels prepared about what to do at the traffic lights and what to do if there is an accident or emergency vehicle. Moore got her permit before she started to take drivers ed and she has felt ready to drive by herself for a while now. “I am taking drivers ed now and I feel ready,” Moore states. Some of the pros that Moore had listed when questioned were that It is easier to understand and “people don’t judge me if I don’t know the answer.” A con she listed was she cant ask questions to the teacher directly.
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Cry of the Hawk
Spring into April Changes
April 29, 2021
Spring bringing change to year KENDALL SCHUBERT Business Manager
• The first day of spring fluctuates from March 20 to the 21, depending on arrival of the spring equinox. Farmers Almanac explains that vernal (spring) is translated to “fresh” and “new” and equinox is from the Latin word aequus (equal) and nox (night). The meaning behind this is that the daylight hours are starting to overtake the nighttime hours of winter. Instead of the day consisting mostly of the dark, daylight savings has evened it out so that there is equal day to night, meaning the sun is out later in the night instead of slipping below the horizon by 5 p.m. • Spring in the Northern Hemisphere is Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. • According to Scientific American, spring fever is a real phenomenon. • On the first day of spring, the North Pole starts its six months of uninterrupted daylight while the South Pole starts its six months of uninterrupted darkness. This is because Earth is at the Sun’s horizon due to the tilt of the axis so the sun never “sets” for that time period. The South Pole experiences the opposite, the sun never “rises” for the six months that the Earth is below the sun’s horizon, explains Target Kicker. • According to Mental Floss, the change in seasons is never the exact same date every year because Earth doesn’t take exactly 365 days to rotate around the sun. The closeness of the hemisphere to the sun is what depicts the change in seasons, which is why spring can range from March 20-21 every year and the same for other seasons. • Easter Sunday is decided by the full moon! Easter always falls on the first sunday following the full moon on or after spring equinox, states Almanac. • Some holidays celebrated in spring are Easter, Passover, April Fools Day, Earth Day, Arbor Day, Mothers and Fathers Day, Cinco De Mayo, and Memorial Day (despite being seen as the first day of summer, the season actually doesn’t start until June 20-21.) • Spring time allergies start to pick back up with the blooming of flowers, plants, and leaves! Pollen is released from trees, grasses, and weeds to help fertilize other plants. The pollen gets into people’s systems and the body mistakes it as dangerous and releases histamine which causes bodies to react with runny noses, itchy eyes, and other things according to Webmd.
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Cry of the Hawk
April 29, 2021
Spring’s changes across milky way CHLOE WARD Reporter
Change around the corner: how climate affects your mood LILLI GRECO Reporter Everyone has a favorite season, and all for different reasons. It all comes down to preference hot or cold, windy or stagnant, humid or dry. There are other factors as well of course, things like what you can wear during each season and holidays and things, but in the end, it all comes down to what kind of climate puts you in a good mood. With spring coming into full effect now, people’s moods are about to change too. “People are easily affected by change in the weather. There is a little range in temperatures that people appreciate, higher or lower temperatures will quickly affect the mood negatively. Not only heat or cold impacts our mood, but (heavy) rain, cloud cover and humidity as well.” (expecteverything. eu). Weather and mood are tied together to an extent - you can see it in common art and media. If an artist wants to portray a sad or depressed mood, they might use a misty or rainy weather. A happy mood would be portrayed with bright and sunny weather and a summery climate. Because weather is so closely tied in with mood, it’s become a universal piece of imagery and metaphor in the media. Climate affects mood related illnesses as well. “For example: seasonal affective disorder, also called winter depression. Winter depression is caused by the lack of daylight and the darkness causes negative vibes. It’s cold as well, so people tend to stay inside more often than in the summer, this will also make people unhappy. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a disorder which is real, people actually suffer from it.” (expecteverything.eu). Maria Fetter, senior, has seasonal depression. “It starts when the weather gets colder and the sun lasts during the day shorter than normal.” She said. “It really drains my energy, and I get irritable and lose motivation.” “COVID made things worse this year.” Fetter said. “Since I’ve been inside more anyway because of it, this winter just added on top of that.”
Spring on Earth is a short, sweet period, known for its delicate blooming flowers, mentality of change, and pollen allergies. How is it we are the only ones to experience such a season? Well, the truth is, planets all around the solar system experience these changes too, just in slightly different ways. First, there is certain criteria a planet must fill in order to experience the effect of seasons. According to Dr. Sylvia Night, head of education at the Royal Meteorological Society, planets need to have a tilted axis to experience this phenomenon (bbc.co.uk). Based on this tilt, the severity of the seasons may be different. Earth is only tilted 23.5 degrees currently, however, this changes slightly over time, altering the intensity of our seasons. Some planets do not experience the season at all because of their lack of tilt, including Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury. The latter two instead experience constant heat, with daylight on Venus reaching 870 degrees Fahrenheit all year round! On the other side of the spectrum, Uranus is essentially spinning on its side at a shocking 98 degrees. Of all the planets in the Milky Way, it experiences the most drastic changes. Winter lasts for 21 earth years and causes half of the planet to be “plunged in darkness” (worldatlas. com). Since the seasons last for several decades, not many discoveries have been made about the change in climate during spring. However, Spring does include an actual daylight cycle instead of constant light or constant darkness. Also, a white cap appears on the north pole, contrasting the usual blue surface of Uranus. It is suspected that it’s just a byproduct of the drastically warmer climate. Some planets have similar tilts, so the Springtime will also have a similar effect on the environment there. Mars has a 25-degree tilt, but the seasons also last longer, with spring occupying seven months of the Martian year. Dust storms invade the surface, but like Earth, it is a period where the north heats up and the south cools. Also, with the recent landing of NASA’s Perseverance Rover, humanity will be able to witness the change into spring on mars with the most recent technology. This may allow for more discoveries on the change seasons bring on the foreign planet. Saturn follows suit in the temperature change, but the atmosphere shifts to more golden hues, as opposed to the bluish ones present in the winter. Spring here gives scientists the best visibility to the mysterious hexagonal storm lingering on the planet’s north pole (theatlantic.com). Scientists are still learning about extraterrestrial springtime, and there are still unanswered questions. For example, according to Anne Verbiscer, planetary scientist at the University of Virginia, they still do not know how spring changes the planet Neptune, if at all. Neptune’s axis is at 28 degrees, so it is likely to bring strong changes, based on the results from other planets.
April 30, 202 1
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Return of Brood X; Dementia, effects on different genders Just some noisy bunch of bugs JACKIE BULTMAN Video Editor
We’ve been in quarantine for over a year now, but that is nothing for a bunch of bugs who have been underground since 2004. These bugs have been living down in the soil for most or maybe all of our lives. Since then, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, the iPhone was invented, the U.S has seen four presidents, the economy entered a Great Recession, and countless other major events occurred in history. According to USA Today, “this year’s group, known as Brood X, is the largest of the 17-yearbroods in both density and geographical area.” Fifteen states and Washington, D.C. will be impacted by the arrival of billions of periodical cicadas. The states that will be substantially hit are the southeast corner of Pennsylvania and almost all of Maryland. When the soil temperature eight inches down hits 64 degrees, the cicadas will begin to appear. Typically for the Delmarva area, this could be as early as lateApril or the first week of May. And once they emerge, the cicadas will live for about four to six weeks, as stated by USA Today. One of cicadas most notable features is being outrageously loud. “Sounds up to 90 decibels could be measured standing directly under a tree filled with cicadas,” the New York Times reports. In comparison, a motorcycle can produce 95 decibels, which can damage hearing after about 50 minutes of continuous exposure. Being in the generation that has not seen the phenomenon yet, only stories could be passed down about the millions that return only so often. Freshman Emily Johnson explained that everyone has told her, “that they are big and can be very loud!” According to National Geographic, cicadas can vary in size from .75 to 2.25 inches in length. Johnson also admitted, “Their return doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable, but they may make it harder to fall asleep at night with their loud
chirping and may also get annoying throughout the day.” The noise is it just their life goal to annoy the rest of us? Turns out their chirping, is their trademark catcall. USA Today states that, “male cicadas have a special ribbed organ called a timbal. When they flex their muscles, the ribs rub together and produce sound.” Besides their trademarked annoyance, fear is common among most Delmarva residents surrounding these bugs and their militaristic name. But there is no reason to be afraid because cicadas cause no harm to humans; they don’t swarm and they don’t bite. The only unpleasant gift they leave behind, is their shell of the bug they used to be. Junior Seth Jones agreed, “I am not afraid of their return because they are just bugs. If they get in the way you can just smash them.” However, cicadas can do damage to a different form of life: plants. According to the New York Times, “Because they feed off plants, cicadas can injure small trees and shrubs. Marylanders may also want to cover younger trees and other vulnerable plants with thin branches with protective netting so that females don’t cover them with eggs.” The eggs can cut off plants’ circulatory systems, commonly known as flagging. Cicadas are edible, and popular to eat among many cultures around the world. They are gluten free, high in protein, and low in fat and carbs, National Geographic revealed. Jones says that he would be adventurous enough that, “[he] probably would [try one] as long as it isn’t alive.” The Baltimore Sun explained, “at the beginning, cicada nymphs will dig to the surface, leaving behind small pockmarks in the grass. Then, the fascinating creatures will settle on perches of all kinds to do their final molt, leaving behind their adolescent shells.” The nymphs that will be born this year, will emerge as cica-
VICTORIA HANNA Reporter
Many things are different between men and women, turns out how we are affected by dementia is one of them. According to Steven Reinberg, a reporter for HealthDay, Alzheimer’s, a type of dementia, strikes later in women than it does men. However, this does not mean it’s worse for men than women. In women, dementia tends to deteriorate their memory a lot faster than it does in men. The science behind this relies on the fact that women appear to have more cognitive reserve than men, therefore they don’t get dementia until later on. However, once the reserve is gone, mental decline speeds up fast. Jacquelyn Williams, health teacher, says that although she didn’t learn about dementia in college or school too much, she has learned about it since she has a family member who experienced dementia. She also agrees with the fact that dementia is different in men and women, “I think that dementia from person to person can be vastly different.” “Women appear to have faster cognitive decline. And these sex differences in cognitive decline might be due to differences in sex hormones, structural brain development, genetic, psychosocial factors, lifestyle factors, functional con-
nectivity, and brain pathology,” researcher Dr. Deborah Levine says. Levine is an associate professor of medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School. Overall, more women are affected by dementia than men are. The ratio from men to
data is causing a disagreement in dementia research centers. In the newer research, the hormone in women called estrogen was found to possibly protect brain cells. Estrogen in women affects the brain, mental health, cardiovascular system, liver, and more. It is debated that if a woman has more estrogen throughout her life, she’s less likely to develop dementia. The difference in which men and women are affected differently by dementia starts with depression. Depression is linked to higher dementia risk, according to Gill Livingston, a professor of psychiatry of older people in the UCL Division of Psychiatry at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust. Depression is associated with a smaller hippocampus, which is a brain region important for memory formation. This association is observed in women but not in men, it’s also observed in women that depression causes a faster shrinkage of the hippocampus. Another difference that causes women to have later dementia but quicker descent is the frequency of exercise. According to Sarah J Blondell, a research fellow for the School of Public Health, people who exercise are less likely to develop dementia. This couples with the study by Alzheimer’s Dement, which showed that women exercise less than men.
“I think that dementia from person to person can be vastly different.” Jacquelyn Williams, Health teacher
women worldwide is 2:1. According to studies done by the Alzheimer’s Society, brain scans they’ve done tell us that the rate at which brain cells are dying in the brain is faster in women than in men. In past studies on animals used to understand the condition and development of new effective treatments, data from female animals have been pushed aside and ignored as it was seen as too odd and inconvenient. However, in more recent studies the newfound use of female
Doctors explain new migraine treaments;
Chronic migraine suffer responds SUMMER GRACE Reporter
Throbbing headache pain, sensitivity to light, dizziness, nausea: these are just some of the common symptoms associated with migraines. “Migraines are probably more than one disease,” says neurologist Richard Lipton of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, N.Y. As a result, migraine treatments have had limited success in the past. The over 40 identified genes that contribute to the risk of migraine is what makes treating them so difficult. “What that means is that there are multiple pathways that lead to migraine, and as a consequence of that, migraine is not a one-size-fits-all condition,” explains Lipton. Amaal Starling, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona says a migraine is caused by abnormal activity in multiple parts of the brain. Senior Abby Merson has suffered with migraines for about six months. “I had bad headaches over the summer which led me to go see a doctor about it,” Merson says. After her anxiety spiked last summer, her migraines have gotten worse.
“Ibuprofen never really helped me but I’ve started using essential oils and they work wonders,” she shares. Ibuprofen would only help Merson for about an hour or two but the essential oils help all day as long as she “re-applies” it around lunchtime. Doctors have recognized the need for more effective migraine medications. Erenumab, sold as Aimovig, is a newer drug on the market to relieve migraines. It is “one of four monoclonal antibodies that have been approved since 2018 by the FDA” according to MigraineAgain. Doctors are encouraging patients to use the new antibody drugs because they can “work better and generally have much fewer side effects than other options,” says neurologist Nina Riggins, a headache specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. “It’s really beneficial for improving quality of life in our patients with migraines. [The new drugs] don’t cause weight gain, sleepiness, brain fog,” explains Riggins. According to MigraineAgain, the monoclonal antibodies work by “inhibiting the action of a neurotransmitter called calcitonin gene-related pep-
tide, or CGRP by changing the peptide’s shape or attaching to its receptors in the brain.” These antibodies work to block a brain chemical that leads to migraine headaches. Studies have shown this to be an effective migraine treatment. Almost half of patients who have tried one of the four new antibodies saw a significant reduction in the number of migraines per month explains MigraineAgain. Merson says she would definitely try new migraine treatments. “My doctor recommended me to start out with “natural” ways to help migraines, such as essential oils,” she shares. She thinks that if it is necessary, then she would try something else such as these new medications. Sophomore Cameron Nall is another student who suffers from chronic migraines. “I don’t take any medication at the moment but I do get really bad migraines,” she explains. Nall says she usually just takes Ibuprofen or Advil to alleviate her pain. Along with many others, her migraines are hereditary, with both sister and grandma also suffering from them. Nall is open to trying the new treatments because “most of the time [she] can’t sleep because of [the pain].”
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Cry of the Hawk
New softball coach ‘slides in’, Getting used to team atmosphere GRACE FELDBUSH Reporter New softball coach Christine Mullin is juggling changes with the team. “We plan to play as much as and as safely as we can,” Mullin states. She explains that they have been given protocols to follow to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. According to Mullin, all coaches are required to wear masks, and players must wear masks as well when not physically exerting themselves. They also must stay six feet apart whenever possible. “My goal this season is to put forth a highly competitive team,” Mullin says. She also explains that because of the isolation this past year, it is equally important to get players out and moving and support them emotionally as well. “On Mar. 17, we finished tryouts, and have decided on our JV and Varsity teams,” Mullin states. She says everyone is looking forward to starting practice. According to Mullin they have limited the number of students allowed on the bus and are also allowing students to take their
car to away games. “We can no longer allow high fives, fist bumps, and hugging. Players are also not allowed to have sunflower seeds at games,” Mullin states. Mullin says games start April ninth and will only be playing Harford and Cecil County. “Practices are held at NH high and the field at NH elementary school, and we are not allowed inside the school at all,” Mullin says. She says this creates problems because normally when the weather is bad, they can move practice into the gym to condition and to avoid the day off, but they are unable to do that this year so practice has to get canceled. “I have always wanted to coach full time but was unable to due to my responsibilities and fluctuating schedule as a Maryland State Trooper,” Mullin says. She says right when she retired, she contacted Mr. Larrimore and offered to help. Mullin has played softball her entire life and says it kept her on the right path since she grew up in Baltimore City. She says it also helped her get into a good college, and she wants to help other
players do the same as she did. Mullin explains that coaching softball and juggling other responsibilities can be hard at times. Although retired from the Maryland State Police, she still works part-time for the Harford County Sheriff’s Office. She also has two high school kids and is thankful she has a husband who is willing to pick up the slack around the house once softball season starts. “Softball keeps me and my daughter busy and together all of the time, which is cool. However, I often feel like I abandon my son. It is important but not always easy to find the time to do fun things to do with him,” Mullin says. The coach thinks it is important for young people to get out and do fun team-oriented things to enhance the bond between the girls. “I think high school sports are a great way to branch out, meet like-minded people and grow as an individual,” Mullin says. She says she is so happy that Harford County found a way to let athletes that lost their season last year a chance to play now.
April 30, 2021
Track getting back into action
BEN IAMPIERI Reporter
Spring sports have started, and students are excited to finally get to do something at the school. One of those sports is track and field. Track and field is a co-ed sport that consists of many different events, whether it be throwing, running, jumping, and even pole-vaulting. Sophomore Jenna Amrhein is trying pole vault for the first time this season. “[Learning to] pole vault was a very different and new thing,” she says. “It challenged me. I look forward to it every practice.” With COVID-19 restrictions, runners are required to wear masks. “When we are running and exercising, we are allowed to have [masks] off,” Am-
Talent, skill is earned, never given
The runners started from the line and started sprinting as fast as they could once the start sound was fired. The athletes are keeping their eye on the end goal. PHOTO CREDIT: Jimmy Cachola
GREER STRINE Sports Editor With a record of two and two so far this season, the Hawks men’s lacrosse team has been shooting for wins left and right. Varsity men’s lacrosse coach Richard Tabeling has his team out on a warpath. The 2021 team captains are four hard-working seniors. Derek Caiazzio, Lucas Sexton, Matt Beidermann, and Josh Etzel. According to Coach Tabeling, “The four captains are doing a great job motivating and keeping the team focused.” So far, the Hawks have played Fallston, but faced a tough game, losing to the Cougars four to six, an impressive win, here at
the Hawks Nest, against Aberdeen, winning 18 to two. Away at Havre de Grace, the Hawks took another huge win, with a score 18 to seven. Unfortunately, the boys suffered a tough loss at home, against CMW, losing 12 to seven. The coach adds his motivation tactics include telling the team to, “Trust to the process that is in place. Be accountable for yourself in order to improve. Most importantly, the ‘Earned, Never Given’ mindset.” When the team played Aberdeen, Coach Tabeling stated, “We had good team play all around. Jarrett Altenburg was outstanding at the face-off X and Owen Smith on attack led the way in
scoring with four goals and three assists. Most importantly, we had an 80 percent assisted goals in that game.” He adds, “We played unselfishly on the offense and defense. Good team play is what makes us successful.” I feel this group of players are very competitive and motivated to be successful.” He then added, “What makes me proud of this group, is how they overcome and approach all of the hurdles.” According to the lacrosse coach, “There are many athletes that play lacrosse in the summer and fall. This has enabled us to field a team of experienced players even though we didn’t have the 2020 season.”
meet against Fallston and Joppatowne on April ninth, according to Athletic.net. After that, meets will continue to be held every Friday through the month of May. O'Leary is watching out for C. Milton Wright and Bel Air as the Hawks’ biggest competition this year. Although there is not currently a meet against CMW on the schedule for this season, the Hawks will take on Bel Air on April 30. “I’m definitely happy that we’re getting a season at all,” junior Griffin Hevesy says. “More boys should do it.” The amount of people who signed up for track is less than half the number of people who have participated in previous years. Senior Andrew Patton, who de-
rhein says. “It isn’t bad at all.” Amrhein says social distancing “is not preferable when talking to others but is necessary to keep the program running and can be achieved in an easy way.” “The masks and social distancing are not ideal for running, but they’re definitely necessary to limit the spread of COVID,” senior captain Erin O’Leary says. The COVID guidelines have continued to change as the season progresses. According to Coach Jimmy Cachola, some meets will be changed from dual to tri meets, and a previous rule stating that relays will not include baton hand offs was recently lifted. The first meet will be a tri
cided not to sign up this year, says it’s because “driving to school just for track when I wouldn’t be there otherwise didn’t make much sense, and if I did track I’d have to stop working.” “I am ecstatic about still having spring sports. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to play the sport they love that we shouldn’t take for granted,” Amrhein says. “My favorite part of Track is being able to push myself and improve with such a supportive and encouraging group around me,” Amrhein says. “The team atmosphere is awesome. Everyone is really nice and supportive. We’re all going to kill it,” O’Leary says.
Rodgers hosts ‘Jeopardy’, experiencing the legacy Alex Trebek left behind KIMBERLY EDGAR Reporter “Rodgers is hosting ‘Jeopardy!’ for the next two weeks as the show goes through a series of guest hosts to replace Alex Trebek, who died of cancer,” states the Associated Press, “Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers got quite the surprise in his first episode.’” According to the Associated Press, contestant Scott Shewfelt had gotten stuck on a question, “He decided to reply by referencing a controversial Packers strategic decision in last season’s NFC championship game as he wrote, ‘Who wanted to kick that field goal?’” Some context on this decision being, “The Packers trailed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 and
had fourth-and-goal at the eight yard line with just over two minutes when they opted to kick a field goal rather than going for the touchdown. Mason Crosby made the field goal, but the Bucs took the kickoff and maintained possession the rest of the way to win 31-26,” reports the Associated Press. The Associated Press also mentioned that, “The ‘Jeopardy!’ Twitter account later posted a behind-the-scenes video in which Rodgers told Shewfelt, “I can see (your answer) out on the podium, and I was like, ‘Please put something about the field goal on there. You will always be alltime in my book, my friend.” Junior Laynie Sheahy
Green Bay Packers Quarterback, as the guest host for ‘Jeopardy’ for two weeks. Rodgers was a long-time fan of the show. PHOTO CREDIT: USA Today
watched one of the episodes with Rodgers as the host and she said, “I think Aaron did a good job with asking the questions. The job doesn’t seem hard, but Alex just did it for so long” Sheahy also mentioned that she ultimately prefers Trebek because of the legacy he left behind after so many years, but she did enjoy Rodgers as the host. “When thinking of ‘Jeopardy!’, he (Alex Trebek) will always be thought of as the host.” “Rodgers, 37, is a longtime fan, and has been on the ‘Jeopardy!’ stage before: He bested Kevin O'Leary (Shark Tank) and astronaut Mark Kelly as a contestant in 2015 to win $50,000 for charity,” states USA Today. Sheahy had also mentioned
that she, “didn’t find any serious cons with him (Rodgers) being the host. He was at some points reading the questions too slow. He also wasn’t as personable with the players like Alex was. ” In an interview done by USA Today, Rodgers said, “Of course (it was harder than I expected). I do appreciate the practice games that we went through with some of the writers and researchers. But once the game started, there were definitely some nerves standing in the side stage, hearing my introduction, and knowing I was going to walk from behind the board and have to take control of this game for the entire day. It was pretty special; nerve-wracking, but it was like an (NFL) game, almost, where you wait to run out of the tunnel.”
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Cry of the Hawk
Leaving lasting legacies; Seniors crush NH track records LILLIAN WEATHERMAN Reporter
Conquering the Cougars;
Softball grabs the lead in the sixth LAUREN BRANDIS Video Editor North Harford ran off with the lead late in the game in an eight to six victory over Fallston on April 19. The game was tied at six with NH at bat, when junior Tonya Marks went yard, reeling in two runs. The girls constructed a fiverun lead in the fourth inning and then held off Fallston's charge. The Cougars scored five runs in a failed attempt for a comeback during the top of the sixth. NH tallied four runs in the fourth. The offensive firepower by the Lady Hawks was led by sophomore Abigail Buckland and Marks, who all drove in multiple runs for the team. Leadoff, senior Lauren Brandis, took advantage of the first pitch every at bat. With Marks at the plate following Brandis, the power hitter drove in players to rack up points. NH tallied two home runs that game. Marks had a four bagger in the fourth and sixth innings. Marks laughs while describing the best feeling while hitting is “To be able to jog around the bases and not run for your life.” Sophomore Emme Brossoit
tennis ‘serves’ Overcoming ‘ad’versity: Hawks up fierce competition GREER STRINE Sports Editor
North Harford students are stepping up to the plate this year and breaking existing school records. As well as exciting thrills of the spring sports season, students are hustling and working extra hard to reach their goals for their future. Senior, Erin O’Leary broke the record or a discus by throwing 108 feet. “I’ve been interested in throwing since eighth grade and I decided I wanted to throw in college, in my freshman year,” she explained. O’Leary says that is where her training really started. The athlete had also become successful in her sophomore year with discus at a state meet. “When colleges started reaching out, I became really determined about throwing farther so I could throw for better colleges,” O’Leary stated. The senior started lifting weights five times a week for about a year and throwing with her coach to improve her throws for both shot put and discus. Just this year, she decided to commit to Lafayette, a NCAA D1 school in Pennsylvania, to throw on their track and field team. O’Leary continued with saying “My practice PR (personal record) is a 111 feet and 11 inches, so I’m hoping I’ll be able to beat the record that I had just set and hopefully beat my practice as well in the near future!” Senior Darian Hauf pole vaulted her way into breaking her own record. Hauf said she did gymnastics until the end of her middle school career, but decided to quit before coming into high school. “Gymnasts tend to be good at pole vaulting, so I wanted to try it out,” Hauf explained. The senior started pole vaulting at age 15 but broke her foot in the first week of learning and was out for the rest of the season. “My coach was very persistent in having me try it again and convinced me to try it again in the next indoor season,” Hauf said. The student picked it up quickly and was immediately committed to get better at pole vaulting. “My motivation was to break the school record,” she explained. Hauf also explains that she was glad that she gave the sport another chance, she felt very prepared for the outdoor season before COVID hit. “I was so disappointed when the season was canceled,” the senior explained. Despite the loss of her junior season at school, she found a pole-vaulting club called Sandstorm Vault and it allowed her to keep practicing and help her progress. Hauf initially did not have any goals and just wanted to do it for fun. “The end of junior year I began wanting to continue vaulting in college. My next goal is to jump 11’6”-12,” Hauf stated. The senior committed to Millersville University for pole vaulting. “I hope to continue progressing to higher heights there,” she explained. As of right now Hauf does not have any goal set for college yet. However, she adds, that her next goal is to jump ranging heights from 11 feet six inches to 12 feet, somewhere in the near future.
and Marks each collected three hits to lead NH over Fallston. On the mound, junior Maggie Mullin took the win for the Lady Hawks along with Brossoit behind the plate. Mullin lasted seven innings, allowing eight hits and six runs while striking out two. The pitcher described the game to have “high intensity because the Cougars are our rivals.” She continued to explain the importance of “The team behind [her] never gave up and powered through.” Senior captain, Dani Becker concluded “It was probably the best game of the season.” She adds, “Our minds were locked in. We need to keep this same mentality for future games.” The Hawks' only freshman varsity player, Mackenzie Dunaway, states that she was “Extremely excited to step onto the field and play against Fallston.” Coach Mullin and Coach Buckland both describe the win as “incredible.” Buckland believes the win came from having “great softball IQ’s.” He adds that the players' mindset while base running led to their strong lead.
April 30, 2021
NH won five to one at home. Countysportszone.com reported that when the Hawks were away at Patterson Mill, they fought until the end beating the Huskies six to four, with wins from Maxa (second boys singles), Herron (second girls singles), Gibbons (third boys singles), Webb, sophomore and Logan **, freshman (second boys doubles), and Manns and Dyke (first girls singles). The boys singles, “Have had a great start! The boys are all super competitive, but in a way that helps our team.
countysportszone.com reported. Playing the Bel Air Bobcats So far this season, the Hawks at home, countysportszone. have faced all seven teams, where com stated that the Hawks suftheir record stands at four to fered a tough five to four loss. three. There have been challengDue to a rain cancellation, the es, victories, and many learning home match against Fallston experiences, stated Coach Wenwas canceled, but the Hawks dy Edmonds, North Harford recently played them for the Middle School health teacher. first time, away at Fallston. The coach comments, this The Hawks defeated the Couyear the team looks smaller gars six to three, according to than normal, however with a countysportszone.com. Personal roster of 15 athletes they are wins from that day, came from still able to make headway. Strine (first girls singles), Hoyos The Hawks not only endure (second girls singles), Maxa challenges while playing and (third boys singles), Gibbons practicing, but junior Grace Her(first boys singles), Arthur (secron, had been contact-traced, ond boys singles), and Brundridge “[They] and was only able to play in one and Webb (first boys doubles). have had a of seven matches. Coach EdFor the girls, “Hoyos has great start! The boys monds states, senior Zoe been an awesome addition Mikles who faced a tough to our team this season. are all super competitive, ankle injury during winShe has had a quiet confibut in a way that helps our ter sports and has not dence that I think takes team. They push each other to made a full recovery yet her opponents by surbut will hopefully hit prise. Strine has had be and play their best. Each time the court again before amazing come from they play one another, there is a the end of the season. behind wins, where different outcome, so it’s allowed us she overtook her oppoShe adds, “I am looking forward to having nent in both Aberdeen to move the three of them around all of our players back! and Fallston matches,” between the three singles spots.” We have really missed according to coach EdMikles and Herron. monds. For girls douIt will be great to have bles, she adds that Dyke -Wendy Feight-Edmonds, them back in the line-up!” and Manns continue to NHMS Health Teacher Boys singles players inlearn daily, since they are and Varsity Tennis clude, senior Landon Arthur, first year players, but continjuniors Grant Maxa, and Sean ue to progress at a great rate. Coach Gibbons, who all rotate through AS for mixed doubles, seniors the three spots. Boys doubles Matt Hogan and Sophia Phelps push each other to are improving with every match consist of senior John Wild and They junior Andrew Clayton, as well be and play their best. Each time they play together, building the as junior Solomon Brundridge they play one another, there is a communication and knowland sophomore Jeremy Webb. different outcome, so it’s allowed edge of how their partner plays. Girls singles players include us to move the three of them “While playing three matches juniors Greer Strine, Betania around between the three singles per week it is difficult squeezHoyos, who usually stand at spots.” According to Edmonds. ing everything into practice that first and second, but with Her- Boy’s doubles teams Wild and we want and need to work on. ron and Mikles making their Clayton, and Brundridge and Footwork, playing with energy way back to the courts, the line- Webb, have had such competi- and confidence, as well as any up might change. Girl’s dou- tive matches as well,” she added. background noise that poses as Facing the toughest compe- a distraction.” Edmonds says, bles, freshmen Cara Dyke and tition in the county, the team “I like to motivate everyone in Stella Manns. Finally, mixed lost nine to zero away at CMW between sets and talk through doubles, which is senior duo said countysportszone.com. The plays while telling them that atMatt Hogan and Sophia Phelps. Mustangs brought fierce compeAt Aberdeen, the Hawks overtitude is 100 percent. Attitude took the Eagles four to two says tition, but the Hawks didn’t give is everything. It depends on the countysportszone.com, with up. The team fought until the end player, since they are all motivatwins from four juniors, Maxa and put their best foot forward ed in their own way, but honest(second boys singles), Gibbons during their entirety of their ly its exciting for me to see the (third boys singles). Strine (first matches. The same effort con- tam grow and continue to imgirls singles), and Hoyos (sec- tinued at the Hawks Nest bare- prove. This group work so hard ond girls singles). The second ly missing the cut, losing five to and is committed to developing time they took on Aberdeen, four to the Harford Tech Cobras, their skills as far as they can.”
Welcome back to Camden Yards MALINAH JERSCHEID Reporter After a year-long break, the Baltimore Orioles have welcomed fans back to Camden Yards for opening day of the season. On April 8th, 11,000 fans crowded the stands to watch the team play against the Boston Red Sox. The 11,000 fan limit was self-imposed by team officials allowing for 25% capacity of what the stadium can hold. This rule is a stricter capacity limit than what Maryland has set. Besides the capacity restriction, the team has set many new pol-
icies to adapt to the pandemic. In an interview with The Baltimore Sun, CEO John Angelos stated “The long-awaited return of fans is the result of successful nationwide and organizational efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, increase vaccination access, and strengthen our economy by bringing employees back to work.” Face coverings are required at all times with the exception of eating/drinking in the fan’s assigned seat. Additionally, new “pod seating” regulations are being implemented. Groups of two, four, or
six fans will be seated together with at least six feet of distance between them and other guests.
If you want to hear more about the opening of Canden yards, scan the QR code!