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Governor Greg Abbott lifts stay at home order
Abbott announces plan to gradually reopen Texas economy amidst pandemic
luke mccabe story by
OINITIATIVES LIKE OPENING UP RESTAURANTS TO 25 PERCENT CAPACITY WILL NOT REAP GAINS DRAMATIC ENOUGH TO ADEQUATELY PAY WORKERS AND RENT AND STIMULATE THE TEXAS ECONOMY, BUT THEY WILL ADEQUATELY PUT WORKER’S LIVES AT RISK
Ava Thompson, junior
n April 27, Governor Greg Abbott announced the expiration of the Shelterin-Place on April 30 and his ‘Open Texas’ plan to reopen and stimulate the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only around 9 percent of jobs with low earnings can be continued over the internet. With this data in mind, Abbott controversially saw saving Texans from unemployment and poverty as a greater threat than COVID-19.
Abbott plans to further open Texas in the coming weeks with extreme care despite rising concerns over growing reported cases.
“It is a good thing that Texas is starting to open up its shops and restaurants,” junior Henry Hobson said. “Those who still have the opportunity to shelter in place can now support local businesses and the economy by ordering takeout and dining in restaurants, and those who need to work to feed their families in these hard times now have the choice.”
Abbott claims to have made plans to safely execute this shift. He, along with the Texas Department of State Health Services, has implemented minimum standard health protocols, including a 25 percent capacity cap for most businesses and special guidelines
for individuals and facilities with citizens above 65 years of age. With precautions in place and testing programs improving, Abbott felt it was time to open up. He announced this in a tweet on April 27.
“Now it’s time to set a new course,” Abbott tweeted. “A course that responsibly opens up business in Texas.”
With malls, movie theaters, restaurants and retailers opening up in Texas, citizens are permitted to leave their houses and return to some jobs. In addition, hair salons and other beauty services reopened on May 8, and gyms, offices and nonessential manufacturers are allowed to reopen on May 18.
dramatic enough to adequately pay workers and rent and stimulate the Texas economy, but they will adequately put workers’ lives at risk. Texas should not become complacent in preventable mass death in the name of dubious economic benefits.”
“NOW IT’S TIME TO SET A NEW COURSE. A COURSE THAT RESPONSIBLY OPENS UP BUSINESS IN TEXAS.”
Greg
Abbott, Texas Governor
“I don’t think opening prematurely will help the economy,” junior Ava Thompson said.
“This past week—the week after Governor Abbot’s decision—Dallas experienced more positive cases than ever before. Initiatives like opening up restaurants to 25 percent capacity will not reap gains
Around the world is a compilation of significant global events selected by news editor Gina Montagna
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The Texas government and medical response teams have realized that flare ups due to this announcement would ensue, and they are working toward creating surge teams to tackle outbreaks and keep the Shelter-inPlace order suspended and Texans working for wages.
“I think that Abbott sees the economy as the number one priority when it really should be the at risk citizens who could lose their lives by this pandemic,” junior Jake Griffin said. “I think this order should be seen as a continuation of the shelter in place orders for those who can without economic hardship. People still need to continue washing hands, social distancing, and making an effort to flatten the curve.”
However, the economy truly
Around the world
Kim Jong-un health confusion
Over the past few weeks, many articles published contradicting reports regarding the North Korean leader’s health, which even sparked rumors of Jong-un’s death. Chinese and South Korean reporters claimed that he underwent heart surgery. However, there is still no confirmed evidence in regard to Jong-un’s health.
does pose a large problem for the future. Chairman of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell stated that as the federal government and state governments argue about how to go about transitioning back into a normal economy, unemployment and investor confidence will dip.
“While the economic response has been both timely and appropriately large, it may not be the final chapter, given that the path ahead is both highly uncertain and subject to significant downside risks,” Powell said in a recent interview with the New York Times. “Since the answers are currently unknowable, policies will need to be ready to address a range of possible outcomes.”
Whatever the outcome of this pandemic, Texas and the entire U.S. are committed to aiding citizens in economic times of need and health needs.
“The state of Texas is strong; our people, resilient,” Abbott said in a recent twitter post. “As we have seen in years past, when tested by fire, flood, or hurricane, Texans respond with resilience and calm resolve. Just as we overcame those challenges, we will overcome this one...I have no doubt that Texans will continue to work together in that spirit over the coming days and weeks.”
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3 Chemical gas leak in India
An LG factory in Visakhapatnam faced a gas leak overnight that left 11 dead and 340 injured. Despite the factory being shut since March, a gas fog, now known to be styrene, infiltrated the nearby village. The locals were evacuated and sought medical care to treat the inhalation of the toxic gas.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Chosen Mustafa-al-Kadhimi was chosen as Iraq’s next prime minister after having an absent government since the last prime minister’s resignation in November 2019. Both the U.S. and Iran seem to support al-Kadhimi and are beginning to discuss issues like COVID-19 and U.S.’s military presence in Iraq.
OUT AND ABOUT Citizens line up outside of Home Depot in Dallas after the expiration of the Shelter-in-Place order in a socially distanced line. Home Depot and other retail stores are required to operate at 25 percent of their normal capacity in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.
photo by Lauren Weber
Students create COVID-19 fundraisers to help local nonprofits
katherine mote story by
Students have found new ways to help local nonprofits and global organizations while social distancing by increasing involvement through online or virtual events and starting their own fundraisers within the community.
Community Service Director Courtney Phelps said that students have done a lot for the community and that they are still continuing to serve.
“It hasn’t been a big shift as far as what our students are willing to do because of the stay at home order,” Phelps said. “It just limits their interaction a bit. The willingness to still go out and help people is still there.”
“IT’S
Junior Laura Gillies, an avid rower, started a fundraiser on April 11 to benefit the North Texas Food Bank called Row Away Corona. She has been a member of the crew team for three years and gained inspiration from the local need for accessible food and the rising unemployment rates, leaving many North Texans facing financial struggles.
The participants raised money by asking friends and family to sponsor them and totaled $1,900, which equates to over 5,700 meals provided by the North Texas Food Bank. With food becoming difficult to obtain because of financial issues, this donation helps thousands of locals in need of food.
“Although we have not been physically able to serve the community since spring break, a lot of the students have taken the opportunity to get creative and find ways to support organizations they’ve always supported or found new organizations to help,” Phelps said. “[We have] tried our best to use ourselves and what we can physically do from still being safe in our homes to be able to still support the community.”
REALLY NO SURPRISE THAT OUR COMMUNITY WAS READY TO JUMP RIGHT IN AND SERVE EVEN THOUGH IT WASN’T IN THE WAY THEY ANTICIPATED.”
Courtney Phelps, Community Service Director
“I’m a part of the North Texas Food Bank Young Advocates Council, so I already do a lot with them,” Gillies said. “I love rowing, [so] I decided to create a fundraiser to raise money for the food bank while also social distancing and staying active.”
The crew team and their parents participated in a 12-hour rowing challenge where each participant worked out for 30-minute increments by either running, biking, or rowing before the next member would pick up at the time they left off.
“I came up with the 12-hour [rowing challenge] so we could encourage each other and also get exercise,” Gillies said. “I have seen a lot of other people create their own fundraisers, or at least try to, and I wanted to help because it’s really important right now.”
Fundraising campaigns are popular because students can promote them remotely.
Junior Lily Yandell joined in by starting a fundraiser called Lily’s COVID Relief. To raise money, she makes photo edits, poems, and drawings for others. She has received support from her classmates and friends through social media and word of mouth.
“[The written pieces are] simple things that people would want to buy, so I made an Instagram account to market these things and so people can see what their options are,” Yandell said. “It’s a small way that I can do my part, and since most of my followers have been from the ESD community, it’s made it a good way to donate in a fun setting.”
She personally curates poems and written work in exchange for proof of a donation to the World Health Organization. She chose to donate to the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund because of their greater worldwide impact, emphasis on a cure and their assistance in third world countries.
The community and students have been able to uphold the founding tenet of community service even through this difficult time.
“The students, staff, and faculty are always ready to help in times of crisis,” Phelps said. “It’s really no surprise that our community was ready to jump right in and serve even though it wasn’t in the way they anticipated.”
End-of-year traditions modified due to COVID-19
Annual celebrations such as Pass it On become virtual or postponed to preserve traditions through the pandemic
story by
alexandra warner & grace worsham
With the coronavirus pandemic forcing school to remain online for the remainder of the year, traditions such as graduation, Pass it On and Prom have been modified.
“We want to stay positive about what we can do,” Head of Upper School Henry Heil said. “We also want to make sure that we are trying to pick out what is most important and what is doable and trying to focus on that.”
A graduation week for the seniors has been arranged to take place from July 11-18. In a poll, the administration asked them which traditions they would like to incorporate to this week. Now, Prom is scheduled to take place on July 11 followed by graduation rehearsal at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center and a Rally Day on the 15. The senior parent dinner is on the calendar for July 16, Baccalaureate on the 17 and the week will culminate with graduation on Saturday the 18.
“We polled the seniors because we didn’t want to assume that we felt something was more important than something else...,” Heil said. “We are trying to be realistic about what’s important to the school and trying to align that with what’s important to students.”
Senior members of the Student Council and eighth grade leaders have partnered with the administration to work on Pass it On. It has been planned to be virtual, but they hope to be able to gather in small groups of seniors and eighth graders to have the lighting and passing of the candle.
“We are moving forward with Pass it On while honoring the tradition of [it],” Associate Head of School Ruth Burke said. “We are being creative on how we can deliver that.”
The Junior Blue and Yellow Shirt Day could occur on several
different dates. The options are to have it during the senior breakfast on the first day of school or to fit it into graduation week, since the juniors will be going to Prom. The juniors were also delivered rings and ring cards on April 24 by faculty and parents, who were each assigned an area to deliver to. This helped to uphold the ring ceremony tradition and keep the community connected.
“The feeling of community and connectivity… has really driven me and inspired me because that is what’s so special about ESD,” Burke said. “My goal… is to make sure that kids are having the best possible experience given the circumstances.”
Milestone Mondays is a virtual series that has been made to mimic ceremonies and events that were traditionally planned to occur at the end of the school year. This series has been a helpful tool to honor students for their achievements in academics, the arts, athletics, leadership and service.
because the beginning of the year is so busy. It would be really hard to move some of these to the beginning.”
Even though the administration is working to preserve these traditions, seniors are struggling with the unexpected ending of the school year.
“I remember I signed out the last day before Spring break,” senior Annie Walker said. “If we would’ve known it was our last time [at the school], we probably all would’ve soaked it up more...There are a lot of traditions that happen in May and April for seniors, so it’s really sad we don’t get to have [these traditions], but we’ll definitely be remembered for that. I think we are all trying to come together and find different ways to do those things.”
“MY GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS ARE HAVING THE BEST POSSIBLE EXPERIENCE GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES.”
Ruth Burke, Associate Head
of School
“I love Milestone Mondays because it is a community event that people can watch as a family,” Heil said.
“It is important to celebrate our successes...in the classroom, on the athletic fields, in the arts and in the community. We do a nice job of recognizing students who do all those things well.”
Deciding what to do while honoring the values of the community has not been easy. The communications department and administration are trying to listen to everyone’s feedback; however, some of these can not be met.
“Some folks have suggestions about delaying the ceremony or tradition until next year,” Burke said. “We really have not been able to honor that suggestion just
The whole community has been affected by the pandemic, and many members are trying to stay positive. Although these traditions are being altered, seniors and other students have more to look forward to in their future years of school.
“There is a silver lining at the end of the day that they are going to college and that’s super fun,” alumni Hattie Browning said. “They will make so many good friends, and it will be even more exciting to come back for holidays and have reunions. But, you have grown up with these people for 10-15 years, and it was all just kind of halted. I hope they are able to rectify and knowing ESD, I don’t doubt they will do something special for the seniors.”
CELEBRATING FROM A DISTANCE On May 8, senior Isabella Phister and her dad drive through a celebration for the seniors. With most senior traditions either delayed or modified, this was a way to safely honor the seniors. “The parade was so much fun because I loved seeing everyone’s decorated cars with their colleges and seeing my teachers who I missed,” Phister said. photo courtesy of Caryn Rossiter
School-wide drug tests completed
Testing process and results create questions for administrators
emily lichty story by
T“ THE OVERALL ORGANIZATION OF THE TESTING WAS WELL DONE BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANY MAJOR CHAOS....THE PERSON WHO CUT MY HAIR WAS VERY NICE, WHICH MADE THE SITUATION BETTER BECAUSE I HAD SOMEONE TO TALK TO.
Bridget Wang, freshman
he results of the Upper School-wide mandatory drug tests of both students and faculty in March were released, while the announcement of the statistics have been postponed due to COVID-19.
The new drug testing program, announced in November, was implemented to help protect the safety and well-being of students by reducing drug abuse.
Hair samples from upper school students and faculty were collected from March 9-11 by Psychemedics Corporation for analysis. According to a May 4 poll of 143 students, 55 percent of students found the testing to be a positive experience.
“I didn’t really know what to expect so my [drug testing] experience wasn’t too bad,” freshman Bridget Wang said. “The overall organization of the testing was well done because there wasn’t any major chaos… the person who cut my hair was very nice, which made the situation better because I had someone to talk to throughout.”
Students and faculty were each assigned 15-minute time slots during their free time to visit the weight room for testing and samples of approximately 1.5 inches of hair were cut by trained hair stylists. When hair couldn’t be taken from a student’s head, body hair was collected. Sophomore Nia Bethea had her arm hair shaved for testing to protect her braids and hopes that a different method for testing will be used in the future for a more positive experience.
“The only option was to dry shave my arms because I didn’t have hair anywhere else, and I got pretty bad razor burns on both arms,” Bethea said. “I normally have my hair up, so hair testing is going to continue to be a struggle for me...I hope they find a more effective way to do this in the future, because I know a lot of people weren’t happy with how it went.”
For the first round of drug testing, student results were released only to their parents.
Junior student parent Julie Bagley supports student and faculty drug testing, and found it to be a positive experience for her family.
were replaced with anonymous numbers. Due to the situation surrounding COVID-19, the release of the statistics has been postponed.
“I just don't feel like, considering the current circumstances, now is the right time to release [the drug testing] information,” Head of Upper School Henry Heil said. “The results were very good and I am incredibly pleased with our low positive rate.
“OUR GOAL, OF COURSE, IS THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A ROBUST EDUCATION PROGRAM, WE ARE ABLE TO HELP STUDENTS BETTER MANAGE STRESS AND ANXIETY AND AVOID USING SUBSTANCES."
Henry Heil, Head of Upper School
“While I think it is sad that there is a problem [surrounding drugs] that rose to the level of school involvement, I appreciate [the school’s] efforts to address such a complex issue,” Bagley said. “I think it is a strong deterrent for those who would use [drugs] and possibly an easy excuse for kids who may be on the fence or feel pressured to participate. Also, it has provided opportunities to have honest discussions with my children regarding privacy, drug use and other issues.”
The school received the results of the tests, but students' names
It is clear that a large majority of our community are taking good care of themselves and our efforts to increase awareness about health and wellbeing seem to resonate.”
According to a May 4 poll of 143 students, 76 percent of students think that releasing the overall statistics from the testing is important. Junior Gina Wilson believes that the release of individual results from the testing is more impactful for students than the release of the overall results and is not in a hurry for them to be announced.
“I don’t think that the release of the statistics is too important because we were already aware that there may be some students doing [the drugs] that we were being tested for,” Wilson said. “The statistics won’t affect [student] life
much and the people who ran the drug tests are the ones who should decide when they want to release the statistics.”
Sophomore Paco Gomez does not think that the statistics should be released at all, as he believes actions taken based off of the statistics will not benefit students.
“The school shouldn’t have the statistics in the first place,” Gomez said. “Once the [individual] results are released to students, the school should [end involvement] as they do not have the names of the students who tested positive. There is no further course of action that should be taken.”
Bagley is ready for the release of the overall statistics so that further steps can be taken in order to educate the community.
“It is important that the school releases the statistics,” Bagley said. “The more transparent, the better. Only if we know the extent of the problem, can we really address it.”
Further testing will occur monthly next school year, but will be taken from students and faculty selected at random. The school will be alerted when any student tests positive for drugs a second time.
“I am eager to continue with our testing program in the fall as planned,” Heil said. “New students will all be tested and a small number of Upper School students will be tested randomly each month. Our goal, of course, is that, in conjunction with a robust education program, we are able to help students better manage stress and anxiety and avoid using substances.”
luke mccabe graphic by
in Brief
Milestone
Mondays continue the school’s
spring traditions remotely
To make up for the ceremonies honoring student accomplishments that have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the school has adopted Milestone Mondays.
Each Monday at 7 p.m., an email is sent to the school community with a video presenting the students who are getting honored.
“[Milestone Monday] is for all the students to make sure they feel the gratitude and are able to value and appreciate everything that they have done as students over the year,”
Associate Head of School Ruth Burke said.
One upside of Milestone Monday is that there is a much broader group of people able to see these events. During school, these events would be limited to just the Upper School or specific grades, whereas now all of the school community can see what the students accomplished during the year.
“I think it’s so fun just for the younger students to see what’s possible and to know what those older kids have done and accomplished,” Burke said. “They can start thinking about their goals and imagining what it might be like for them as seniors.”
by raleigh toledo
Student Council continues to provide activities during distance learning
Student Council has organized activities such as Community Night and the pet bracket during distance learning.
“We certainly had to be more creative to think about activities that would encourage unity throughout the upper school, but we had a great time carrying out such activities and seeing the students’ response to them,” Student Council Vice President and senior Ned Dockery said.
For the pet bracket, students submitted photos of their pets, and then voted on which pet they thought was the cutest. Sophomore Grace Herberger’s dog, Teddy, won the pet bracket.
“It felt pretty cool to have the cutest pet in the ESD community, and my family was almost more excited than I was,” Herberger said. “Every day, even if there wasn’t a around, they would [ask] ‘is Teddy still in? Is Teddy still in?’ It was fun keeping up with it and every time seeing him [still in] and then voting for him [and] getting my friends to vote for him.”
by blair batson
Chaplain Kennedy continues daily worship through online chapel
One of the founding tenets of the school is daily chapel. To keep the community engaged in chapel on a daily basis, The Rev. Tim Kennedy has provided the community with a chapel video each day.
“At ESD we really believe in the whole person, so we want everyone to excel academically and athletically and artistically and spiritually,” Kennedy said. “Chapel is one of the ways that we grow spiritually and as a community, so even though we’re distant, this is still an opportunity for folks to remember their spiritual side.”
Although chapel is on a new platform, Kennedy is trying his best to keep it similar to inschool chapel. In his videos to the community there are still
special guest speakers, birthday announcements and the Lord’s Prayer. Guests speakers that have been featured include Crew Program Director Adam Jones and senior Daniel Kaplan. However, Kennedy has faced some difficulties without help from the vestry.
“Our goal is to replicate as much as we can of what we would normally do in All Saints Chapel without the main component: the people and the students,” Kennedy said. “I’m hoping that people are taking the time to take care of themselves and take care of each other, and sometimes religion is one of the things we take for granted, but it’s also one of the things that can be very comforting.”
by raleigh toledo
GRADUATION CELEBRATION
Chaplain Tim Kennedy presents his daily chapel presentation via Schoology. Kennedy posted a chapel video honoring the graduating seniors on May 7. “The last eight weeks of distance learning have been very hard for me as the worship leader not being able to plan together, worship together, sing together or simply be together in person,” Kennedy said. “This year has ended differently than any of us could have predicted, and I remain very thankful that our community remains connected despite the physical distance among us.”
photo screenshotted by Gina Montagna
TRADITION TIME Associate Head of School Ruth Burke sends weekly Milestone Monday videos to the school community. These videos commemorated special end of year traditions for the students. “The Milestone Monday series was created to help preserve the culminating traditions and experiences for students during this unsettling time,” Burke said. “The opportunity to present these ceremonies virtually has allowed our community to connect and rally around one another in support of student accomplishments and their years of work and dedication.” photo screenshotted by Gina Montagna 1
VIRTUE DEBUT Chaplain Tim Kennedy announces May’s Virtue of the Month on May 4. Kennedy encouraged speakers to talk about the specific virtue for each month during chapel speeches. “In a month when our Virtue of the Month is Generosity, I am very
Conflicting information on virus spreads
News sources contradict each other on pandemic’s severity, affects opinions
lauren weber story by
I“
I DO NOT BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE PROTESTING. WE HAVE TO TAKE ONE FOR THE COUNTRY; WE HAVE TO STAY INDOORS; IT’S OUR DUTY. I DON’T BELIEVE THE PROTESTERS SHOULD BE OUT THEIR RISKING THEIR LIVES AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS.
t’s a typical day, and junior Micheal Bagley opens his computer after eating dinner. He creates two tabs on his computer— he pulls up Fox News on one and CNN on the other. Bagley knows that the two sources tend to differ in their political stances; that is why he chose them. He knows the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
Since January—when COVID-19 first became a global concern—news sources publicized their contrasting views on the virus’ severity. Scientists warned of as many as half a million deaths and trillions of dollars in economic damage. Simultaneously, a Fox News host announced that it was “the safest time to fly;” New York’s Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio claimed that it posed “very little threat;” and Rush Limbaugh incorrectly claimed that “this is the 19th coronavirus—they’re not uncommon.”
conflicting opinions are largely a result of the partisanship of the news. Bagley attempts to find the objective facts by scanning both the conservative Fox News and liberal CNN, then reading the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. He looks for common threads between articles and often checks that their sources are reliable.
“I kind of go to the extremes and then work [my] way in because neither [side] is [normally] telling the whole truth,” Bagley said. “Both are trying to paint the other in the worst light possible, which is one of the biggest problems. The people who don’t read both sides end up with this extreme version [of the news] that may be partially true but hiding some of the truth.”
each interaction [that] they have with an outside person. Until the number of new cases goes down, I don’t think it’s responsible [for] anyone to hangout or not social distance.”
State governors are all faced with the same dilemma—to proceed with caution or to lift restrictions.
The majority of states have begun opening their economies in some way. On April 27, Governor Greg Abbott announced that the stay-athome order would expire on April 30, limiting most malls, retail stores and restaurants around the state to 25 percent capacity.
“It’s a serious threat, and the government is being careless by trying to open the country as soon as they are,”
Minnesota, Virginia and other states have seen protests to re-open the economy, many expressing their views that the virus is being exaggerated.
Natalie Parker, sophomore
As the number of confirmed worldwide cases passed 4 million on May 11, views of the virus have continued to diverge. In early April, nine Republican state governors refused to implement stay-at-home orders despite pressure from Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. And according to a national poll taken by the Knight Foundation from March 17-29, 40 percent of Americans believed that COVID-19 was less or equally as deadly as the flu. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 12,000 to 61,000 people die annually from the flu, while the number of confirmed deaths from COVID-19 increased to 278, 892 on May 11, according to the World Health Organization.
Bagley thinks that such
As Bagley noted, CNN has frequently blamed President Trump for a lack of initial action against the virus, while Fox News has accused Democrats of “weaponizing an infectious disease” against the president.
“IT IS REALLY UNFORTUNATE. ESPECIALLY IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES, YOU WOULD HOPE THIS WOULD BRING BIPARTISANSHIP TO OUR GOVERNMENT, BUT IT JUST REALLY HASN’T.”
Michael Bagley, junior
“It is really unfortunate,” Bagley said. “Especially in these uncertain times, you would hope this would bring bipartisanship to our government, but it just really hasn’t.”
Bagley advocates for only those at risk to social distance while freshman Ella Sjrogen believes that restrictions should not be as lax.
“The coronavirus is a lot more serious than people think,” Sjogren said. “Many [people] are taking the [shelter-in-place] too lightly, putting more people at risk with
senior Sofia Weinstein said. “Yes, the strength of the economy is important, but it puts a lot of people’s lives at risk. [The virus] doesn’t only endanger immunocompromised and old people— it has proven to be dangerous to everyone.”
Freshman Blake Scheinberg believes that the economy is a more important concern while making decisions regarding the virus. National GDP has declined 4.8 percent since February, and since mid-March, 30 million Americans have filed initial unemployment claims.
“The hole [that] this will put our county in will lead to another depression, creating more deaths than the virus [would],” Scheinberg said.
Scheinberg has a parent in the medical field and believes that the government should slowly lift restrictions to prevent overcrowding in the hospitals. Michigan,
“Freedom is definitely something people feel [is] being threatened right now,” sophomore Natalie Parker said. “While I am a constitutionalist, the constitution had no idea about a global pandemic, and yes, it is our freedom, but I do not believe we should be protesting. Right now, we have to take one for the country; we have to stay indoors; it’s our duty at this point. I don’t believe that the protestors should be out there risking their lives and the lives of others. It’s disrespectful.”
While Parker normally watches One American Nation with her family, she is currently refraining from watching the news because she does not trust the sources and dislikes their negativity.
False information has circulated throughout the world. A man named Gregory Rigano claimed to be a Stanford University Medical School advisor and appeared on Fox News, confirming hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 cure. Stanford immediately revealed that Rigano has no affiliation with their university and that no such tests have been conducted. The drug’s efficacy has not been scientifically proven, and the Food and Drug Administration has recently advised against using the drug because of potentially life threatening side effects.
“There are people who if they hear something they will believe it,” Bagley said. “It’s a little disappointing in Americans and humanity as a whole, but there gets to a point where it’s your life—you have to take some sort of responsibility for it.”
Students try to avoid forming unhealthy habits in quarantine Increased screentime, poor diets and staying inside cause students to make changes
carolyn langford story by
During a recent daily walk with her dog, history and religion teacher Kimberly Rogers spotted a falcon soaring above her, which brought a smile to her face. Her neighborhood strolls help her to find beauty in a time of crisis.
Quarantine has forced many to make lifestyle changes and try to avoid the long-term effects that could potentially occur from a sedentary lifestyle, looking at screens for too long and snacking excessively.
“This pandemic has significantly disrupted my life, especially my relationships with friends, family, my students and my colleagues,” Rogers said. “[However,] what is interesting about what is going on right now is that everyone is in the same boat. If I find myself feeling lonely, I know that I am experiencing what a large percentage of the world is also experiencing. This has the potential to crack us all open to our common humanity.”
Online schooling has given way to unhealthy practices. Students are spending a considerably larger amount of time looking at screens for online classes and entertainment purposes. According to a May 11 poll of 143 students, 73 percent of students are worried about eye strain from looking at screens too much as a result of online school.
“Switching to online school due to the global pandemic has certainly not been ideal for a person like me who suffers from chronic migraines,” sophomore Natalie Parker said. “The classes I take force me to participate by staring at screens, which strains my eyes for hours on end.”
To address eye strain, some students have purchased glasses that block or filter the blue light that is emitted from digital screens.
Several high-end companies began offering the glasses after they gained popularity in the past few years. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, blue light can increase the risk of macular degeneration as well as other vision complications.
“I like to wear blue light glasses to prevent the long-term effects screens have on my health,” Parker said. “I feel more comfortable when I wear them during distance learning knowing that the hours I’m spending on my computer aren’t significantly damaging my vision.”
Additionally, quarantine can make finding ways to exercise difficult with gyms closed and school sports canceled. Freshmen Layne Scheinberg has found ways to prepare for her upcoming volleyball season.
“I’ll try to run or lift every day and attend online practices twice a week,” Scheinberg said. “It’s important to me because I want to stay in shape and not come back to volleyball season not having the skills I used to have.”
While some are occupied with at-home workouts provided by their coaches, others have found ways to stay active and connect with nature on their own.
“Getting fresh air is crucial, and I have found that running, biking, meditating or simply studying outside is very beneficial to my mental health,” Parker said. “I feel I have spent more time outside during quarantine than I ever did before. Spending more time outside is definitely something I would like to continue doing when quarantine is over.”
Another issue that seems to be
with studio Kate Flanagan
From pieces done while studying in New York to those completed in the AP Drawing studio, senior Kate Flanagan has done it all during her career as an artist.
Flanagan has been in AP Drawing and Design for two years but has been drawing since she was little. Encouraged early on by her mother who also has a passion for art, Flanagan started drawing at a young age and hasn’t stopped since.
“My mom has always loved art and really encouraged me to draw as a kid,” Flanagan said. “She wanted to become an artist but her parents didn’t believe it was a legitimate career, so she keeps that passion in her life in other ways. Her passion rubbed off on me and I’ve never really looked back.”
Drawing inspiration from poetry
and other written works, Flanagan enjoys working on abstract pieces outside of her AP assignments.
“I write often in my free time and I enjoy reading poetry as well,” Flanagan said. “The visuals provided by words on a page inspire my imagination and help me think of a piece. Alternatively, if I am struggling with describing something abstract, like a feeling, in my own writing, I can always try and paint an abstract visual of that feeling.”
Holding many titles within the school, such as yearbook editor and secretary of the Student Council Executive Board, Flanagan uses her art as a way to step back and take a deep breath if school gets to be too much.
“I enjoy drawing because it helps me organize my mind,” Flanagan
occurring globally is overeating as a result of boredom and an overabundance of food in the house.
Excessive snacking has led many to watch their eating and experiment with dieting. The same poll showed 55 percent of students have been excessively snacking and 64 percent are worried about finding ways to stay active during quarantine.
“I'm eating more than I should, but I try to eat healthy foods like homemade soups and salads,” Rogers said. “I am trying to avoid stress eating sweets, but am a great believer in the medicinal value of dark chocolate.”
In these uncertain and stressful times, Rogers advises focusing on self-compassion. After listening to a podcast by Dr. Kristen Neff, an associate professor at the University of Texas, she learned that it is important to check in with yourself several times a day to see how you’re feeling.
boredom, etc. [Alternatively,] by being mindful of what we are actually feeling, we can keep from getting swept away by the negative feelings.”
Parker agrees, but she recommends to care for yourself by making an effort to maintain relationships. She believes it is critical for our mental health during this time to keep in touch using methods such as the video communication platform Zoom or spending time together outside from distance.
“THIS PANDEMIC HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DISRUPTED MY LIFE, ESPECIALLY MY RELATIONSHIPS WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, MY STUDENTS AND MY COLLEAGUES."
Kimberly Rogers, history and religion teacher
“These are stressful times, so if you find yourself feeling anxious, give yourself a break,” Rogers said. “It’s really not good to ignore or suppress our stress, loneliness,
“I am a firm believer that 55 percent of communication is visual, even if you are 6 feet apart or on Zoom,” Parker said. “Whether I’m doing distance yoga with my friends, setting up a picnic in one of our backyards, or watching movies on lawn chairs, spending time outside is such fun.”
School Nurse Marcia Biggs offers a professional standpoint as to why she is concerned for teenagers’ health during quarantine.
“My concerns would be the obvious,” Biggs said. “Too much screen time is hard on eyes, brain, and body mechanics, [along with] not enough physical activity and too
much snacking.”
The advice Biggs has for students is to take frequent breaks from screens. She recommends staying active in between classes and refraining from buying junk food.
“When not online for class, do something away from screens,” Biggs said. “No TV, computer, video games, etc. Interact with your family or furry friends. Try a puzzle. Listen to music. Take a nap in the shade. Rest your weary eyes and body. Try riding a bike. Walking in the neighborhood. Mow the yard. Plant a garden. Color in a coloring book. Have a tea party with a younger sibling or your favorite stuffed animals. No really, be a kid. Who is watching? No one. Enjoy the simple things. Your body will thank you for it.”
Through trying to make better eating choices, staying active and preventing spending too much time staring at screens, the community is combating the negative effects quarantine has on our well-being.
“In a global moment like this, there are millions of things that we can choose to worry about, yet the most intelligent and most powerful decision is to simply surrender,” Parker said. “It is to accept life and our current situation and adapt. We must realize that our fear is not serving us. At this time we must trust life and trust God and the plan He has for us.”
said. “Whenever I feel like my thoughts are moving too fast, or if class is stressful, I can paint or doodle and it helps me get myself calm and balanced again. It’s like its own form of meditation because it allows me to lose track of my thoughts while also self-reflecting.” Flanagan also enjoys experimenting with different textures, sizes and emotions in her work, noting that her notebook usually contains more free drawings than actual assignments.
“I have been focusing on trying to have a realistic style, but I am open to everything,” Flanagan said. “If you look inside my sketchbook ... you’ll find a bunch of different styles and mediums. This year started out with a large painting, then moved on to a sewn piece, and now I’m doing colored pencil portraits. Over the past year, however, I have been working to put more emotion into my pieces. I guess all I want is for my work to show that there is more than what meets the eye.”
sloane hope story by
PAINTING POSSIBILITY
courtesy of Kate Flanagan
emily lichty graphic by
What’s BUZZ the
“This quarantine, I’ve been very bored and [have] a lot of free time on my hands. I’ve recently started cooking a lot. I help my mom cook dinner and sometimes I make it by myself. I’ve made a lot of different meals for my family and they seem to like them. I probably would have never started cooking if it wasn’t for quarantine.”
“During quarantine, I got very bored of looking at my phone and feeling like I was doing nothing, so I picked up candle making. I ordered all the supplies on Amazon and started making candles for my family. It was surprisingly therapeutic and I found the outcome to be even more amazing.”
Major Parsons, sophomore Dagan Geier, freshman
Beating boredom
From reading to making candles for friends and family, students and faculty pick up new hobbies to pass time during quarantine
satori griffith story by
“Stick figures have been the extent of my artistic capabilities for as long as I can remember, but I decided to give painting a shot during quarantine. To my surprise, I have gotten a lot better as the weeks have passed, and it is very calming for me in the midst of so much chaos”
Susanna Newsom, junior
“When I get bored of being on technology, I usually read a book or work out. I never thought reading would become a hobby of mine, but since it feels like there is nothing else to do, I’ve grown to really like it. I’ve read two books so far and hope to continue. It is nice to focus on something else for a little while and to unplug. Reading helps me slow down when I’m feeling stressed. I plan on reading more even when the quarantine is over.”
Lily Baughman, senior
“I’ve recently rediscovered my love of reading. This is the first time in a long time that I have been able to read all of the books I’ve been wanting to start but never had time to sit down and finish. I’ve read over 30 books so far. I also have started doing activities that can keep me entertained but don’t involve the use of screens. 1000+ piece puzzles and adult coloring books have helped me have a creative outlet that distracts me from what’s going on.”
Katherine Montgomery, college guidance
Good COVID-19 Habits
gardiner voss story & graphic by
As COVID-19 continues to infect people globally, it is important to practice good hygiene to contribute to slowing the spread of the virus; many people have used these practices for years, but they are more important now than ever.
One of the best ways that you can protect yourself from contracting the disease, and any other illness for that matter, is making sure to limit the amount of times that you touch your mouth, nose and eyes without clean hands. According to the New York Times, “Eyes, nose, mouth — all those mucous membranes are the portal into the body for a virus like Covid-19 or SARS,” and avoiding contact with these areas is crucial.
According to the Center for Disease Control, if you or a person in your household feels sick, you should have “clean disposable face masks to wear at home, if available, to help prevent spreading COVID-19 to others.” It is also suggested that you wear these masks in public to make sure that you are putting those around you at a reduced risk of contracting the virus from you if you happen to have it.
According to the CDC, everyone should “wash [their] hands often with soap and water; and clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily.” When you go out in public, it is important that you try not to touch an unnecessary amount of surfaces. In public, you should be applying hand sanitizer regularly and wash your hands as soon as you get home. While sanitary measures such as these do not eliminate the risk of infection, according to the CDC, if you have clean hands and resist the urge to touch your face, you make it more difficult for the virus to spread.
One of the most effective methods of reducing the spread of the virus is keeping social distance in public. CDC guidelines suggest that you should practice social distancing because “keeping space between you and others is one of the best tools we have to avoid being exposed to this virus and slowing its spread locally and across the country and world.”
Adopting these precautionary measures is critical. We are responsible for slowing the spread of the virus. If we cooperate, we can do it.
culture CRASH
CULTURE CRASH is a compilation of significant pop culture events made by life editors Emily Lichty and Luke McCabe that highlight tech news & other short snippets of info regarding important people and events from around the globe.
1Return to Pawnee
The cast of “Parks and Recreation” reunited for a special episode that aired April 30. Featuring Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones and other stars, the episode features the characters videochatting during quarantine. All profits from the show will go towards Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund.
AP Biology shares COVID-19 knowledge
2 3 4 5 6
@somegoodnews
John Krasinski created “Some Good News,” a web series dedicated to sharing good news during the COVID-19 pandemic. Featuring guest appearances, such as Oprah Winfrey, Steve Carell and Billie Ellish, it focuses on uplifting viewers during this time.
Soapy situation
During a press briefing on April 23, President Trump suggested the possibility of ingesting disinfectant as a cure for COVID-19, a statement rejected by health experts. After a lot of criticism on social media, Trump took back the remarks and claimed they were intended to be sarcastic.
Close encounter
On April 27, the Department of Defense released videos containing footage of UFOs. Taken in November 2004 and January 2015, the videos depict objects moving in the sky. Whether these UFOs are related to aliens still remains unknown.
Shout it to the Rooftops
The film of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical “Hamilton” will now be released on July 3, over a year before it’s initial release date. Available to stream on Disney Plus, the film is a performance of the musical with the original cast in June 2016. This gives fans access to the musical while theaters remain closed.
What’s in a Name?
Elon Musk and his girlfriend Claire Grimes announced the name of their newborn son, X Æ A-12. Each letter of the name has its own meaning. Musk clarified the name’s pronunciation to be “X Ash A 12” during a podcast with comedian Joe Rogan.
Students research fields of interest such as economic impact and immunology in relation to the virus, present to Medical Club and Honors Biology
jiaying fu story by
Inspired by discussions AP Biology students were having regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, biology teacher Max Auge strove to bring real-life experiences into the classroom by assigning a project that allowed students to research information about COVID-19, analyze the effects of this virus and present this information to the community.
“These are unprecedented times—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn along with scientists, historians and economists about COVID-19’s effect on our planet,” Auge said. “So much information is coming out aroundthe-clock from our experts, it’s dizzying. I wondered how we might make sense of it all...I ran this by [my students,] and they were very eager to have the opportunity to focus their energy in research to try to make sense of the constant stream of information.”
AP Biology students were given the opportunity to choose between five different fields of interest: 1) molecular biology, 2) epidemiology, 3) immunology, 4) pathophysiology and treatment, and 5) impact on society, environment and economics. When choosing a topic, Auge urged his students to pick an area that they were passionate or curious about.
human cells is at the core of the problem,” Dayal said. “By understanding these complex pathways, one can begin to come up with solutions or approaches to solving the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Each of these groups were asked to come up with an outline of their research topics, which they divided among the members. Dayal, specifically, researched the proteins created by the virus.
“The research process was definitely very interesting and insightful as it showed just how complex the virus truly is,” Dayal said. “The research process also allowed me to apply what I had learned in AP Biology in understanding the [molecular biology of] COVID-19. I also really liked the feeling of being ‘in the know’ of what COVID-19 actually does to the human body and how it causes [these effects.]”
“THESE ARE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES—A ONCEIN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ALONG WITH SCIENTISTS, HISTORIANS AND ECONOMISTS ABOUT COVID-19’S EFFECT ON OUR PLANET.”
Max
Auge, biology teacher
After choosing a topic, the class split into five groups of five students to begin research on their specific fields. Senior Yash Dayal chose to research molecular biology, a topic that has always been fascinating to him.
“Understanding the complex interactions between the inner workings of COVID-19 and
Dayal was the team leader of the molecular biology group, an experience he believes has been very rewarding.
“One thing I really do love about being a team leader is seeing all of the pieces of the project come together to give a comprehensive overview of COVID-19,” Dayal said. “My teammates [and I] were able to create a comprehensive overview of the...molecularbiology-related fields. Managing the connection of one piece to another and seeing everything come together has definitely been the most rewarding part of being the team leader.”
Each team presented their COVID-19 findings via information sessions over Zoom.
On April 29, several AP Biology students presented their research
over a Medical Club Zoom Conference, and on May 12 to May 13, AP Biology students presented their research to honors biology students. These presentations were around 10-minutes-long and accompanied by a PowerPoint.
“It’s nice that Honors Biology and AP Biology were able to have a joint class as it keeps...our big biology family [together],” freshman Harper Knight said. “It was fun to have this learning opportunity to be taken out of quarantine...[and] get a taste of what we’ll experience in AP Biology.”
The aforementioned information sessions were recorded and shared with the upper school community for education purposes.
“The largest benefit of presenting this project to the community will be the spread of knowledge in the community,” Dayal said. “People should be armed with the knowledge necessary to at least understand the characteristics of this pandemic. Personally, whenever I get sick with something, I always try to understand what exactly is happening to my body during the process, so I can feel less scared of what is going on. After all, we are scared of things that are unknown to us. I believe the saying ‘armed with knowledge’ applies best here. The more people understand the virus, the better chance we have at finding a fix, and the less we fear COVID-19.”
Auge hopes to inspire his students to use their knowledge for the benefit of world kind.
“Our responsibility, in this case, is to package our understanding of biology and current events in a way that can inform and help others make informed decisions,” Auge said. “This global pandemic has affected all of our lives in big and small ways. I hoped to build a platform so that my students could focus their abilities, energy and curiosity into something productive.”
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
AP Biology presents information about COVID-19 to Honors Biology on May 12 over Zoom. “The AP Biology class did a great job of tying COVID-19 to biology, and it was so helpful to know what was being done to stop the virus,” freshman Bridget Wang said. “It was cool to see the AP Biology class in action.”
photo by Jiaying Fu
VIRTUALLY ALONE
After a long night of watching Netflix and scrolling through social media, junior Francesca Brown* crawls out of bed and drags herself to her desk just two feet away. Still in her pajamas, she logs on to her first class with her eyes fluttering to stay awake. It’s 8:25 a.m. Before the pandemic struck Dallas, Brown would have to leave her house 45 minutes before school started to make it to class on time. Now, she just turns her camera off on live meetings to avoid getting ready for the day.
The Emotional Effect
With the COVID-19 pandemic causing nationwide school closures, ESD began online classes on March 24 to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff. Due to the shelter-in-place order, which was partially lifted on May 1, families have been cooped up in their houses, unable to see others, unless they are six feet away and wearing a mask. Fear of getting the coronavirus now plagues the minds of millions. And students now bear constant pressure from two worlds: the outside world and the “classroom” world.
“I spend my day at my desk in my bedroom,” Brown said. “I do homework at my desk and then when I sleep, I go to my bed. Now that we’ve been doing online school for so long, it just feels like everything I’m doing is for school. I never feel like I have time to myself; my brain is always on school mode in some form.”
Throughout the school year, Brown was able to walk to classes and eat lunch with her friends. Now, she now stays up late into the night scrolling Tiktok to find relief from constant isolation and online school stress.
“I was going to sleep at 3 a.m. every single day last week,” Brown said. “This week, I’ve been trying to like to get in bed by 12 and pass out by one, but my sleep schedule is horrible.”
Being stuck in his house with only his family members has made sophomore Harry Martin* feel incredibly alone during this time, as he is a member of many clubs and activities at school.
“I get my energy from being around other people—that’s always been where I feel like I thrive,” Martin said. “It’s definitely been difficult—I feel like you don’t realize how good you got it until it’s gone, or when it’s gone. I’m realizing how much of an impact human interaction has on happiness and well being.”
The pandemic has been particularly rough for seniors. The end of the school year includes many cherished traditions such as Pass It On, decorating uniforms and the senior prank. Now, seniors, including Melissa Graves*, are cooped up in their houses, graduation and prom are postponed and they are unaware if their colleges will be open in the fall.
“There is this trend where you post the last picture you took at school and a lot of them were just pictures of the hair drug testing,” Graves said. “What a lame last memory at ESD. We don’t get to make our final memories at school. I know a bunch of people who cried, and I was pretty sad too. It’s my last semester with my friends before we spread out across the country, so I want to hang out with them when I can like the last time”
Martin has constantly kept in contact with his friends throughout this time to continue to maintain the communication he once had during the school day.
grace knudson & victoria willox
story and graphics by
ALONE
Like Martin, 92 percent of the student body has maintained communication with their friends during this time according to a May 11 poll of 143 students.
“I have a group of friends at some other schools and we have a weekly Zoom every Friday just to make sure we’re all doing [well],” Martin said. “I felt awkward reaching out to people at first because on text you just say ‘Hi… hello… what’s up,’ but I realized everyone is feeling alone in this situation. This definitely isn’t as good as the whole human interaction thing, but it is the best people can do.”
The Academic Impact
On April 20, the administration announced that ESD would still have final exams, and the grading scale would not change. The new exam policy consists of two 10 percent exams, one being project-based and the other a test. Academic Dean Dr. Eric Boberg sent out a poll to gather student input on the new policies, which students appreciated, but the administration’s decision came as a shock to many.
“[The email] made me mad because it said, grades are the motivating factor, so ESD is going to keep them so students [will continue to] learn,” Martin said. “That’s reality, but that’s also a very twisted thing to say. There’s nothing to look forward to and I’m thinking ‘at least there won’t be exams.’ Oh wait, psych, they’re still going to give exams and regardless of all of this.”
Martin is enrolled in eight courses at ESD, including one class before school. He will take one AP exam and five non-AP exams, therefore, he will have 10, 10 percent exams to take. The online school process has made Martin feel overwhelmed, often leading him to avoid the work and procrastinate.
“I’ll be taking breaks during the breaks in the day and then it’ll be the evening, like nighttime when I’m about to go to sleep I’ll be like, ‘Oh wait, I have so much work to do,’” Martin said. “I’m so tired at the end of each day now; I’m definitely a chronically tired person. I’m getting like zeros here and there in the new gradebook, and I’m kind of freaking out because I was working hard and I was getting decent grades and now I’m just not.”
Some seniors have not found the new school policies to impact their stress. One possibility for this is that most colleges have notified seniors that their application cannot be rescinded if there is a grade drop due to COVID-19. While this eases stress, it has also led to a lack of attending classes or submitting work with full effort.
“I’m a second semester senior, so I have not been stressed,” Graves said. “For the most part I just say I’m already into college and then don’t do things. My anxiety as far as school hasn’t really gone up because I don’t have to take the exams. I think for anyone it’s so hard to find motivation when you are at home all day, but then when you’re a senior and they say, ‘we’re not going to take back your offer for bad grades,’ you’re just like, ‘I don’t have to try.’ Then you sink into a hole of not wanting to do any of it. Plus, The teachers know we’re so checked out at this point.”
Brown, who is enrolled in three AP courses and one honors course, is now worried about how to balance studying for all of her exams that collide with each other. Traditionally, AP exams would be the week before school exams, but now with digital learning, this has been altered. The College Board, the platform in charge of AP testing, has made AP exams shorter this year and added an additional testing date to help accommodate students.
“I have AP exams to worry about; I’m going to be stressed enough,” Brown said. “It felt like a kick in the teeth to be like, ‘we heard what you had to say [in the poll] but we’re going to give you two exams now.’ Now I have one of my AP exams the same day as another exam.”
In addition to the challenges brought on by the new exam policy, Brown now struggles with time management and her work is piling up due to having both assigned in-class work and homework for all six of her courses. In comparison, 87 percent of the student body believes school work increased due to online learning from a May 11 poll of 143 students.
“So far I’ve been really, really anxious; I woke up this morning [and] was frantic,” Brown said. “It is really hard for me, especially during my first two classes, to pay attention and listen to what everybody is saying. I had a class writing assignment and I felt so scatterbrained. I could not get my thoughts straight.”
Getting the hang of spending the day at home has been very difficult for Martin who fights to stay focused throughout the day. He has felt pressure to manipulate the new online applications, so he can work on other class work or have more free time.
“I’m definitely guilty of doing the thing where you type in ‘reconnecting…’ and [teachers] will think, ‘oh wait, someone’s reconnecting their Wi-Fi is bad,’” Martin said. “What I’ll do is I’ll stay in the group and I’ll be listening, but I’ll be doing some other assignment without the camera on or I’ll be online watching YouTube.”
The Wellness Initiative
To ease students’ stress, English teacher Antonia Moran, Upper School Librarian Mary Jo Lyons, Physical Education Department Chair Mike Schiender and Upper School Emotional Wellness Counselor Merredith Stuelpe have created weekly videos informing students about the importance of mindfulness and meditation during this time.
“We all sort of had some energy around it and decided that even if two or three students look at it, that’s at least two or three students that might benefit from it,” Stuelpe said. “Anything that we can do to help kids manage their stress, stay positive or give them something else to connect with is worth it. We are looking for all [of this information] to push out there.”
During this time, Stuelpe has been reminding faculty and staff members to
check in on their students and communicating with parents during this time. Stuelpe has continued to meet with previously scheduled students virtually and encourages other student body members to contact her if they are struggling.
“Meeting with [students], virtually, has been really interesting because [I’ve found that] some students who felt overwhelmed or felt like they were having difficulty juggling everything and the intensity of ESD, have actually felt like this gives them like a little bit of a breather,” Stuelpe said.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Matthew Housson has a practice in the Dallas area and tests adolescents and adults who may have learning disabilities, attention problems, autism spectrum disorders, depression or anxiety. During this pandemic, Housson has been able to work with his clients and see the effects of this situation on them.
“High schoolers are really crawling the walls,” Housson said. “They can’t see their friends, they feel very frustrated and lonely, and there’s a lot of stress. What [my practice] really has been recommending for people is that they stick to the fundamentals; make sure that everybody stays on a good sleep routine and certainly that everybody gets good exercise.”
Housson has been helping teenagers respond to stress by teaching coping mechanisms.
“Stay-at-home student statistics
Amount of sleep students are getting while in quarantine of students’ stress levels of students feel like they have more school work
A: 29% get 8 hours
B:
Source: May 11 poll of 143 students
“I think that the first piece of advice is know yourself and know what changes your mood,” Housson said. “I know if I meditate I feel better. I know if I pray I feel better. I know if a friend comes over and stands six plus feet away from me and we just talk I feel better. We’re also encouraging people to do things that they never had time before.”
As the school year comes to an end, Housson hopes adolescents continue to keep a positive outlook and maintain positive coping skills.
“Some form of mindfulness exercises or prayer is really helpful,” Housson said. “A lot of people rely on their faith during uncertain times and that’s really helpful. If you’re not sure about what helps you try some of the apps like the Calm app, Insight Timer or Headspace. Try some new things and see if that works for you.”
Because Housson is a cognitive psychologist, he is focused on helping others maintain a positive approach to problems. When having a positive approach, it will prevent motivation problems which lead to depression or anxiety issues.
“Once someone experiences hopelessness then you have to work to get out of that negative mindset,” Housson said. “The seniors have had it very hard, but they are going to graduate, they are going to go to college, there is going to be a vaccine and we are going to get on the other side of this. It’s just hard right now and there’s a lot of uncertainty about when the end is. It is discombobulating a lot of people psychologically.”
*Names have been changed to protect students’ identities
Escape with a book
gina montagna reviews by
Illuminae
by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
From old classics to sci-fi dystopias, I have chosen a range of books that give everyone an option to read during the summer. I try to push my limits and read books that are out of my comfort zone. These books break out of my usual genre, but I ended up loving what I read. Each of these books allowed me to experience a different style of writing that I am not necessarily accustomed to.
I originally grabbed this bright orange book off of the shelf expecting it to be just another dystopian sci-fi story. However, as I flipped through it, I was surprised to find that it is set up as the various files of an investigation. The story is pieced together through transcripts, text messages and computer data to create a unique sci-fi book. It tells the story of two teenagers, Katy and Ezra, whose planet is attacked during a battle between two economic powerhouses. While escaping their planet on aircrafts, they must prevent a strange plague from infecting the humans on their ship. On top of that, the spaceship’s computer systems are going haywire and threaten to kill everyone on board. I was pleasantly surprised by how well this format blended with the story, and it made it easier to follow the plot. Additionally, the attention to detail in this book is incredible, visible into individual page designs and the varying character perspectives. With the characters amidst a fast spreading plague, this is an interesting sci-fi read that relates to what the world is going through now in a real life global pandemic. This book seems a little hectic at first, but the storyline is unique because of the investigation format that it is written in.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
If you have read “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” then I would highly recommend picking up this sequel. This book is all about Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer’s lovable best friend. This book tackles racial discrimination present before the Civil War through the character Jim, an escaped slave. During this journey, Jim and Huck encounter many different obstacles until they arrive at a safe home where they are reconnected with their friends and family. Overall, Huck Finn is a charming character that grasps the reader’s heart. I recommend reading this book over the summer, not only because it might just be on the summer reading list, but also because this adventure has a lot more depth than what is on the story’s surface. This novel definitely earns its position as one of the most classic pieces of American literature.
Emma by Jane Austen
Immediately after watching the trailer for the new “Emma” movie, I ran to Barnes and Noble to pick up this book before the start of quarantine. I am a big believer in reading the book before watching the movie, so I was set on reading the book beforehand. I struggled to get through the last Jane Austen Book I read, and couldn’t finish it. However, “Emma” is truly an amazing piece of literature that paints a picture of European life and social hierarchies during the 18th century. Playing matchmaker, Emma tries to set up her newfound friend Harriet with various men that live in Highbury, London; however, Emma finds herself in a mess of relationships between the ladies and their various suitors. Austen’s narration of this story is truly hilarious and displays a more defiant view of societal expectations during this time period. Overall, it’s a comedic love story that leaves the reader satisfied with a happy ending. This book completely changed my mind over Austen’s writing and made me even more excited to see the movie. I truly admire Emma’s bravery and rebellious actions throughout the story and it proved to be a more entertaining love story with many twists and turns.
People Like Us by Dana Mele
Perfect for a quick read during a road trip or at the beach, this teen mystery is hard to put down. Similar to “One of Us is Lying” or “Seven Ways We Lie,” the story is about a murder at a boarding school, and the battle between the police and the characters to accuse the right person. The main character, Kay, finds herself thrown into the midst of the investigation where she is one of the main suspects. Throughout the book, she must complete tasks that slowly destroy her friend group and social life alongside her only remaining friend, Nola. Despite it being a common storyline for teen mysteries, the characters were well developed, and I couldn’t figure out who the murderer was until the end. I can’t say I wasn’t intrigued by this book; however, the storyline was repetitive and didn’t have any depth outside of the mystery. Also, the murder situation escalated too quickly and left the story with the same two characters for over half of the book.
EE
editors-in-chief
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life editors
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views editor Gardiner Vose
sports editor
Smith Cochran
business manager
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photo editor
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asst. photo editor
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communications director
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staff writers
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Hawkins, Grace Meaux, Katherine Mote, Elliot McCabe, Christian Rockamore, Elisabeth Siegel, Raleigh
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Sumner Wooldridge
adviser
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with the exception of the Staff Stance, which is the official, collective voice of the Eagle Edition Eagle Edition | vol. 37, issue 4
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Views
Students should stop going outside their homes for non-essential reasons
Texas governor, Greg Abbott, put a quarantine in place that lasted until April 30, that required all citizens to stay home unless an outside activity was considered “essential.” The only reason people should have been going out was to get groceries or medications. Now that the ban has been lifted, teenagers are spending time with other people, causing medical experts to worry about an increase in the amount of cases.
Medical experts and hospitals recommend people to continue to practice social distancing and only go out unless truly necessary.
The COVID-19 case and death count has continued to increase since the lift of the ban. As of May 14, Dallas faced 6,837 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 159 deaths, according to Dallas County Health and Human Services. The Eagle Edition staff believes that staying inside is crucial to maintaining a healthy population.
Less contact with others reduces the possibility of spreading the virus, but this can be difficult for teenagers as they are not able to see their friends on a daily basis.
According to the Washington Post and Harvard Medical School, parents have expressed discomfort in trying to provide their kids with alternatives to contact with friends.
It is a great time for teenagers to use social media or other technologies to remain in contact with friends and family. Many students have been able to find comfort in large group Zoom meetings or Facetime with their
StaffStance
friends on a frequent basis. Others are also able to communicate with their friends through video games, or they will go on walks while remaining six feet apart.
With schools cancelled for the rest of the year, students do not have the opportunity to participate in sports or fine arts activities. Many are disappointed that their sports season or art shows were cut short. However, teens have been able to develop new hobbies or continue their activities while at home. Also, breaks during school hours have given students more
55
percent of students have been strictly social distancing*
46
percent of students have not been strictly social distancing
It was just another Monday worknight for our staff—edited pages scattered, dinner plates sitting on desks, noise from the journalism room filling Senior Hall—except it wasn’t. Feb. 10 was our last worknight for V37, and we didn’t even know it at the time. For seniors, it was the last worknight we were ever going to have. After 19 issues, approximately 86 worknights and countless hours spent in the journalism room, our time on staff has come to an end.
Although this year has been filled with change for us all—from getting a new adviser to working from home and publishing our fifth and sixth issue online instead of in print—it isn’t the way we will remember our time on staff. Instead, we will remember it in the moments.
We will remember our version of staff Secret Santa known as Secret Sources and our after school dinners. We will remember our annual cookie decorating contests
and how nerve-wracking each turnover issue was.
We will remember the moment our publication name was called at the Columbia Scholastic Press Association ceremony and how it felt when we were handed our Gold Crown award. We will
available time to fill in with things they are passionate about.
As quarantine continues, teens should realize how much hardship they could cause by not refraining contact with friends. It is crucial to continue to maintain as little contact with others as possible. The lack of social interaction with others truly affects a teen’s stability; however, the use of social media or other platforms allows students to continue to participate in community activities and maintain friendships virtually.
*according to a
remember our first interview and how confusing InDesign used to seem. We will remember the feeling of passing out the newspaper on Friday mornings.
But most importantly, we will remember how much we’ve grown since the first time we set foot in the journalism room. After three years on staff, we had the responsibility of educating the public through our research, interviews and experiences, and along the way, we were able to learn about ourselves as well.
So if we could travel back in time to Feb. 10, maybe we would have cherished that Monday worknight more, but we can’t. After three years, the countless moments that defined our time on the Eagle Edition staff are more than enough, and because of that, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Former Editor-in-Chief, Emily Delgado
blair batson graphic by
Letter to the Editors
Dear Eagle Edition staff,
I am writing you this letter from my virtual classroom, also known as my bedroom, the place where I sleep, work the entire day, then sleep again. It is day 54 in “the Q,” the name my friends and I endearingly use for quarantine, and all I can think about is how much I want to be back at ESD.
The 2019-2020 school year did not play out in the way I had pictured. For one, I was convinced that at this point in the school year I would be laughing the school nights away watching High School Musical with my friends; instead, we have had the occasional Zoom to catch up on what isn’t new in our lives. But in the midst of what I didn’t expect came something I did expect, just not quite yet… It was an overwhelming wave of gratitude for ESD.
For the past eight years, I have formed friendships that will last a lifetime, learned from teachers who will inspire me forever, and laughed so much that I, alone, could be the laugh track for a ten season sit-com. It is this year that really sealed the deal though. In the midst of the chaos, I see what makes ESD the most special: the people.
In August, the Lower School opened for classes along with the Middle and Upper School—all on one campus. We had to learn the ins and outs of sharing a campus, but in the end I can see that it is about sharing something bigger: the ESD spirit. Seniors greeted lower schoolers in the morning carpools and lower and middle schoolers cheered on the highschoolers on Friday nights.
We were One Campus, One Community. In October, we were stuck at home due to the EF3 tornado. Our community responded with fundraising for tornado victims at our St. Marks rivalry football game and an overwhelming show of resilience.
In March, school was cancelled, but our community was not. The teachers have put in so much effort into making this the best learning experience it can be, and there is a continued push to execute our traditions in one way or another. So when I think back on this year and my time at ESD, I will remember a determined community and a forever family. I love you all dearly.
Abby Brand senior
It’s no longer a question: Joe Biden is the presumptive Democratic nominee. To some, this is exciting; to others, this is disappointing. Nevertheless, staying home or voting third party is not the answer. This election is too critical.
According to the Washington Post, about 43 percent of eligible voters stayed home in 2016. That election also saw high, though not record-breaking, numbers of people voting third party with Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson receiving 3.3 percent of the popular vote and Green Party candidate Jill Stein receiving one percent. It is impossible to determine whether these votes would have changed the results, but these votes were a significant fraction—votes that cannot be lost in 2020.
The two choices may seem dismal, but to equate Biden with Donald Trump is a mistake. We must pick the lesser of two evils.
Trump has demonstrated that he is undeserving of the presidency countless times. He has fiercely rejected immigrants in a way that has bread intense racism. He has encouraged foreign intervention in our elections. He has labeled honest journalism the enemy of the people. He has acted ignorantly and unreliably during this
Latinos in the United States believe in the existence of one priceless word: opportunity. If it weren’t true, then Latino immigrants would not attempt to do the impossible by coming here for a better life. Walking up to 3,000 miles just to reach the U.S. border is certainly not a game that immigrants play light-heartedly, and it is not something to criticize them for. After all, they have proven to impact the lives of their families and contribute to the growth of vibrant Latino communities.
Living in Dallas, I feel that the number of Latinos has certainly increased, but other times, I feel that there are more of them than the numbers listed on the internet or even on our own national census. Then, I remember that, unfortunately, not every Latino has been doing their part in filling out the U.S. Census. I do not blame them though, I understand that their lack of participation comes
Joe Biden is the better presidential candidate
Voting third party does not impact the election, Trump’s presidency has been catastrophic
pandemic. He has appointed people to his cabinet and the Supreme Court that have absolutely no qualifications for the position.
I could go on, but the bottom line is that Trump’s presidency has been destructive. And the most effective way to prevent another four years of this utter mayhem is to vote, not for a third party, but for Biden.
It is impossible, even ignorant, to deny that Biden is not perfect. At all. His actions during the War on Drugs were reprehensible. His treatment of Anita Hill during Clarence Thomas’ confirmation was wrong. Tara Reade’s allegation that Biden sexually assaulted her and other women’s claims that he has disrespectfully invaded their personal space are sickening.
And yes, that Biden is the presumptive Democratic nominee proves how easy it is for men to
OtherDonaldJoeBidenTrump
VOTE 2020
get away with sexual misconduct. So does the fact that Trump is president. Trump has at least 25 allegations of sexual misconduct. I cannot in good conscience vote in a way that benefits him. Voters are presented with two poor choices this election, but unless Biden steps down, it’s what we’re stuck with.
Another source of concern when it comes to Biden is his mental state—that he stumbles to get a point across when he speaks and is forgetful. This is a valid concern; being president is a demanding role. However, when put up against the man who suggested injecting disinfectants as a cure for the coronavirus, I would have to choose Biden over Trump.
Biden has years of political experience that suggest he actually understands the role of the president. He has expressed his belief in climate change and a willingness to develop a plan to combat it. He doesn’t express the same harmful disdain for journalists that Trump does. He doesn’t fervently oppose immigration like Trump does. The list goes on, but ultimately, I would rather Biden handle our next crisis than Trump. I would rather Biden nominate our next Supreme Court justice than Trump. I would rather Biden be president than Trump.
A common justification from those who plan to vote third party is that it is an act of protest—a
way of telling the Democratic party they want a better candidate next time. However, this only lowers the standard for candidates. By voting third party, writing someone in or staying home, voters are implying that they don’t care about the election, that they are fine with Trump winning. This does not raise the bar for future candidates, it lowers it by expressing approval for an extremely low-bar candidate— Trump.
Biden may not be as progressive, innovative or young as your first choice, but he does stand for the same causes. He might be more moderate, but this isn’t an excuse to pass on voting for him. This is an opportunity to hold him and those around him accountable—to continue pushing them to take a stand. Voting for Biden might seem like an abandonment of progressive ideals, but at least it’s not an abandonment of democratic ideals. Letting Trump win is. Your candidate of choice doesn’t always get picked: that’s how elections work. The nominating process is flawed, but a protest vote won’t change that; it will perpetuate it. It will ensure another four years of irresponsible lawmaking, irrational diplomacy, secrecy and condoned racism. The phrase “every vote counts” may seem hopeless. Trump’s defeat may seem like a long shot, but we won’t know unless we try. By Blair Batson
Filling out 2020 Census is critical
Fears of deportation prevent many Latinos from filling it out, they deserve to be represented for their contributions in the U.S.
from fear, but I still encourage them to partake in this responsibility.
Fear develops in foreign-born Latinos who think that the census is going to ask a citizenship question, which is false, and discover that they’re undocumented. Some news media has also created fear by reporting on the possibility of deporting every undocumented individual. According to the United States Census Bureau, by law, the Bureau cannot share respondents’ answers with anyone because their main goal is to include every person regardless of citizenship or immigration status.
In 2010, the Pew Research Center confirmed that census participation rates among Hispanics were traditionally lower than those of other groups. It tears me apart to hear people of my culture say “nothing would change even if I did fill it out.” These Latinos are missing the bigger picture––there are benefits. The USCB states that
communities get their fair share of more than $675 billion per year in federal funds spent on critical resources such as schools, hospitals and other vital programs. Therefore, undercounting can result in the loss of federal funding, which only affects them worse.
If all the Latinos in the country took advantage of this opportunity, then other citizens would begin to recognize the crucial and rigorous work Latinos do every day to enrich the U.S. economy. For instance, according to Crain’s Chicago Business, a Latino neighborhood in Chicago called La Villita, “Little Village,” is home to 26th Street, which generates an average of $900 million dollars in sales per year, making it the second-highestgrossing shopping district in the city after Michigan Avenue.
Furthermore, local Dallas attorney and League of United Latin American Citizens National President, Domingo García, wrote
a letter to Members of Congress on April 22 that expressed several issues regarding the treatment of Latinos. In 2017, undocumented immigrants paid $27.2 billion in taxes, and in 2016, they contributed $13 billion to Social Security funds and $3 billion to Medicare. Currently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, 83.8 percent of Latino workers are unable to work from home and essential industries, such as food production, construction, custodial service and leisure sectors, are heavily dominated by Latinos. This goes to show that the Latinos mentioned in García’s stats, undocumented or not, were represented because they took the initiative to fill out the census 10 years ago. Now that it’s time for the 2020 Census, I urge my fellow Latinos to take action because they deserve to be counted. This is our opportunity to ensure that we will all have a chance to shape our bright futures.
blair batson graphic by
Virtual learning raises concerns regarding quality of students’ education, classroom experience
Pro: Online school teaches self-discipline Con: Virtual school limits quality learning
According to Education Week, 70 percent of American students have found themselves managing their education from home due to COVID-19 school closures.
Many schools have taken the approach of online school, consisting of lectures on platforms like Zoom and Google Meets, long term self-paced projects and daily homework. Although it would seem like losing the traditional classroom environment might negatively affect learning, online school poses many new benefits.
On one hand, students have more flexibility with their schedules and schoolwork and are able to choose when and where they watch lectures or work on projects. It allows for full-time access to schoolwork and the ability to take extra courses with the time gained from online classes. Without defined start and end times for many school classes, students can create their own schedules and fit in work or classes in time that is usually wasted. Additionally, it gives students with learning disabilities the time and comfortable environment to best suit their needs. With fewer distractions seen in traditional classrooms, less wasted time, online school provides a more balanced environment and a more personal and flexible curriculum; it gives the students who excel the opportunity to further themselves and work quickly while also giving the students who struggle the time and attention they need.
Online school also helps students learn time management and self discipline by forcing them to take care of their work alone on their own volition, rather than have teachers and school strictures pushing students around. This allows for a more positive learning experience and helps students develop responsibility needed later in life with occupations. The independence of online school benefits students more than the rigidness of traditional school because the management skills acquired are more important than learning a concept, for example geometry, a little more thoroughly.
Online school poses almost as many benefits as traditional school and is arguably helping students learn more about life skills and responsibility than traditional school. Although there is a reason why traditional school is convenient and effective, continuing online school could be a possibility in the future. With more flexible schedules, personalized curriculums, less rigid structures and fewer distractions, online school is something that should be seen as a temporary benefit and a concept that should be explored more as technology and the world changes over time.
17
percent of students like online school more than in-person school, according to a May 11 poll of 143 students
For the past two months, news anchors and TV show hosts have been recording themselves from bedrooms and home offices, bringing audiences into their personal lives and creating a more intimate environment. Americans have been told to stay home and to avoid contact with others from a distance of at least six feet. This has resulted in many Americans working from home. And celebrities are no exception.
In a CNN interview with Nobel Prize-
On April 17, Governor Greg Abbott ordered the closure of all K-12 Texas schools for the remainder of the school year. With no hope of returning, I dreaded the thought of learning through virtual school for the next few weeks; Zoom and Schoology conferences could never replace an in-person learning environment. Although it is imperative that schools transition to virtual learning for the safety of students and faculty given the growing pandemic of COVID-19, I believe online school itself is flawed and prevents an effective learning experience for students.
Without an actual school building, online classes have been conducted on conference call platforms such as Zoom and Google Hangouts, where student-teacher interactions are very limited. With such a short time for teachers to cover subject material and answer students’ questions, students are often forced to spend more time outside of class consulting learning resources such as Khan Academy and YouTube videos to help them learn the subject matter; this in no way resembles a real classroom experience. Eighty-three percent of students have had to self teach themselves in one or more subjects according to a May 11 poll of 143 students. Furthermore, according to an April 8 survey of 1,720 educators across the nation conducted by the EdWeek Research Center, 52 percent are very concerned that students will fall behind in math, and 46 percent are very concerned that students will fall behind in English.
In addition, online learning has caused students to pay less attention and participate less in class, most likely due to technological distractions such as video games, phones and instant messages. Ninety-four percent of students feel that it’s difficult to focus during online classes.
Online learning inevitably increases the amount of time students spend on their devices; an eight-hour school day would mean eight hours of staring at a computer screen, which also contributes to a decrease in physical activities. According to Jennifer Katzenstein, director of psychology and neuropsychology at the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, increasing screen usage is linked with depression, anxiety and problems with attention spans.
However, without the sophistication of our world and modern-day technology, online school would not be possible; students would not be able to continue their education. But in the future, schools should always be fully prepared in the event that another global catastrophe calls for the closure of schools. This was merely a test run. Schools across the U.S. will be better prepared next time.
83
percent of students prefer in-person school more than online school, according to a May 11 poll of 143 students
Celebrities set precedent for American citizens to remain at home during COVID-19 quarantine
winning scientist, Paul Rommer, viewers were invited into his house. While he spoke about the projection for the re-opening of the U.S., viewers could clearly see his sloppily made bed in the background. This change in setting made it feel as though a Nobel Prize-winning scientist was just like everyone else.
“Saturday Night Live” has also begun recording episodes from the comedians’ homes.
Special guest star Tom Hanks even recorded his monologue from his home kitchen and cracked jokes about his personal quarantine experience after contracting COVID-19. He described his quarantine in a way that was relatable to audiences and created the feeling that no one is alone in these tense times. Hanks was able to set an example for viewers.
On the Ellen Show, Pink spoke out about her experience having contracted the virus in an intimate video filmed in her bedroom. She talked about the struggles she and her family faced while having the virus. At one point in the show, she got emotional while talking about the lack of testing and how it was difficult for people to get the medical attention they need.
But my favorite celebrity to watch this quarantine would definitely be John Krasinsky. In the beginning of April, Krasinski began a show on youtube called “Some Good News” in which he invites audiences into his home to share happier news stories. Krasinski reports on these stories from his home office which can be
seen in the background of all of the episodes. In the first episode, Krasinski video called his colleague Steve Carrell from the show “The Office.” Carell recounted memories from the show, also broadcasting from his home, and created an intimate environment for the viewers.
Because celebrities are working from home and are sharing their stories, Americans are able to see how vital it is during this time to stay home and follow the regulations set in place. By doing so, celebrities are being a crucial example for audiences. If a viewer sees their favorite SNL actor doing sketches in their bedroom, they will feel the need to follow their example and take the necessary precautions.
mccabe life editor
evelyn zhao editor-in-chief
maddie hammett staff writer
evelyn zhao graphic by
V Vvose’s voice
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Joe Biden’s mental, physical health should concern voters
Sexual assault allegations against Biden should be handled like those against Trump
As November approaches this election year, I continue to follow the Democratic Primaries and debates, and I am shocked by the incompetence shown by the Democratic candidates.
Since the beginning of the election cycle, the two front runners, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, have astonished me by some of the things they have said in debates, rallies and other events. Joe Biden, who will be the Democratic candidate running against Trump this year, is especially gifted in saying things that are completely insane and make me question whether he is mentally capable of doing anything, let alone run a country.
I understand that Biden is older and that some of the things that he says may be excused by his age, but a person who seems to not know where he is or what he is talking about at times should not be allowed to represent a major political party, let alone even have a chance at one of the most powerful positions in the world.
During one of Biden’s speeches he said, “I got hairy legs that turn blonde in the sun, and the kids used to come up and reach in the pool and rub my leg down and watch the hair come back up again. They’d look at it. So I’ve learned about roaches, and I learned about kids jumping on my lap, and I love kids jumping on my lap.”
as elections come closer because left wing news sources are trying to make Biden look as presentable as possible, as hard as it may be, in their last ditch effort to remove Donald Trump from office. This kind of bias is insulting to the women who are making the allegations as they are not being heard or reported by media outlets, and Biden’s past with these women is not being addressed.
"Since the beginning of the election cycle, the two front runners, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, have astonished me by some of the things they have said in debates, rallies and other events."
Although I am sure that Biden must have been confused about what he was supposed to be talking about during this speech, there is no doubt that this is a creepy dialogue and shows his level of incompetence. It seems as though he is not even lucid and unable to form functional sentences in order to respond to basic questions. This theme has continued into many of his debates where sometimes I am not sure if he is even on the same planet as the rest of the people in the room.
Furthermore, Biden has recently been accused of a number of sexual assault charges from women in the past which he denies. These eight allegations have not been heavily reported on by the media
When Donald Trump faced sexual assault allegations, the media wasted no time in making sure the whole country knew about it, which may have been the right thing to do, but only if this was the standard for reporting stories such as this. Biden, however, is already such a weak candidate that it seems leftist news sources have decided he cannot afford the added negative publicity or else his entire campaign could be a loss. If we were to strip away all of the party affiliations that cause peoples’ preexisting feelings towards today’s candidates, I believe that many people, Democrat or Republican, would agree that Biden does not act like a functioning adult and surely shouldn’t be trusted with any kind of power, especially not the presidency.
I believe that Biden was chosen as a candidate because he was vice-president to Obama, and the Democratic Party is trying to draw support from Obama voters. At some time in the past, Biden may have been deserving of a party nomination, but as of now, it seems as though the Democrats have chosen a very senile man as their frontrunning candidate as they grow more desperate to remove President Trump from office. By Gardiner Vose
I understand that it is important for each party to try to get their candidates into office, but there comes a point where, for the good of the American people and the country, we need to come together to agree that this man cannot be elected president. I understand that Trump may not be the most fitting candidate either, but if I have to choose the lesser of the two evils, I’d like to at least elect a person that knows what planet they are on. By Gardiner Vose
sumner wooldridge
comic by
count DOWN
The worst to the best of the month, ranked by Callie Hawkins
See ya sports
ESD golf was canceled soon after distance learning was announced, and on April 3, the softball and track seasons were officially canceled. Around Easter break, the tennis and baseball seasons were terminated, and finally on Monday, April 20, US Lacrosse canceled all high school and college lacrosse for the season.
Exam decisions
On Monday, April 20, Academic Dean Dr. Eric Boberg sent out an email detailing the plan for the remainder of the year. Upper school students will have a one-hour timed assessment that will count 10 percent of the semester average and a course-specific project for another 10 percent of the semester average. These terms have increased the stress exponentially on the students.
July graduation
Quarantine activities for the family
Activities such as board games offer escape from social media
Q6
5
Mr. Baad’s email, sent out on Friday, April 17, said that graduation was to be moved to July 18, This date falls in the middle of summer and bothers some seniors, but the School has a fun week planned for them. The seniors are disappointed it won't be a traditional graduation but are excited for something new.
Family time
Since the beginning of quarantine, all of us have been cooped up in our houses with our families. We all love our families, of course, but we can for sure get annoyed with them quickly, especially with siblings for those of us that have them. We just want to see our friends!
Student council craze
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On April 21, student council elections started with executive board elections. Next up came each grade’s president, class officers, representatives and honor council positions. Campaigning has allowed the students to interact with each other while campaigning for their positions. It has also gotten students excited for next year.
Climate changing
Since the beginning of quarantine, the environment has improved significantly. Carbon emissions have gone down, which is allowing the ozone layer to rebuild itself. Canals, rivers, lakes and oceans have also become a cleaner as less trash is being dumped into them.
Prime permaculture
For Upper School film teacher Bobby Weiss’ class, students were assigned to make a fun film on whatever they wanted to because of being stuck in quarantine. Senior Annie Walker decided to get people from all over the school to read excerpts from Dr. Seuss’ book, “Oh the Places You’ll Go.” The School appreciated the outreach and connection in this hard time.
Early summer
All classes and exams end on May 22. Although this is early close to the school year, it is exciting that students can start their summer off early. Seniors finished on May 8 and are concerned about what their first semester in college might look like due to the pandemic
Grace Meaux staff writer
uarantine—one word that most of us dread.
While many students are overwhelmed with online schoolwork, it can be easy to drown in the world of Netflix and social media during free time. However, it is important to take time away from technology and take advantage of the quality time with family.
According to The New York Times, usage of websites like Facebook, Netflix and Youtube increased by approximately 20 percent between Jan. 15 and March 24.
A May 12 poll of 143 students revealed that 97 percent of students said that their screen time had increased since the start of quarantine. And considering that our schoolwork is on technology, they were also asked how long they use their devices for entertainment purposes. The poll showed that 40 percent of students used their screens for entertainment about five hours a day.
Increased screen time has shown to have negative effects on the brain. CNN reported that social media may be slowing down the development
of teenagers. This means that spending more time on screens can affect memory, impulse control, academic performance and sleep quality.
So, why risk it? Sitting in the house can get boring, but logging off devices can be good. Mike Brooks, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist at Psychology Today, recommends only two hours of screen time for teenagers on school days, and up to four hours on weekends.
Obviously students are exceeding the recommended hours with school alone, so it’s important to refrain from spending extra time on screens. Playing a board game, going outside or picking up a new hobby are great ways to stray away from technology, relax after a long day of online classes and ensure you get a good night’s sleep.
Since there are a large variety of fun and time-consuming activities to choose from, making decisions about what to play or what to do can be a struggle. However, this obstacle should not prevent people in isolation from finding new ways to pass the time.
My family’s favorite game to play recently has been Monopoly. My siblings and I played it five nights in a row. A new game we’ve tried is I Dissent, an argumentative game that, in my experience, can get kind of crazy. Other family activities include a game of football in the backyard or a dance party.
There are also fun hobbies to try like learning a new language, playing an instrument or teaching a pet new tricks. I’ve been experimenting with the guitar which usually takes up hours of my day. I also taught my dog how to give me a high five, which is hard with a puppy, but rewarding in the end.
The most important thing is that these activities are engaging and keep people in quarantine away from screens. Let’s lower our screen time and hang out with family. I have a challenge and encourage everyone to participate. Once a week, take one night away from devices and play a game or try a new pastime. Since the quarantine is the best way to avoid coronavirus contagion, this will help make the most of it.
Small businesses need government support
Due to virus, many small businesses are shut down and need more government aid
emily lichty life editor
Forced to shut their doors in the midst of the coronavirus shutdown, many small businesses are struggling to pay their employees and keep up with their expenses. According to a study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 43 percent of small businesses predict that they will be unable to avoid permanent shut down within the next six months. Small businesses need more assistance and funding, and the actions that the U.S. government has taken to protect small businesses and their employees have not been sufficient, leaving many small businesses vulnerable to collapse.
In March, the Paycheck Protection Program was put into place, setting aside $349 billion to distribute forgivable loans to help small businesses during the shutdown. However, this program failed to provide enough of these loans to small businesses across the country, as only six percent of small businesses have received loans, according to Forbes. The majority of this money went to large businesses through loopholes in the program. Statistics released by the U.S. Small Business Administration show 4,400 out of the 1,661,397 approved loans were for amounts over $5 million. The funds ran out on April 3, less than two
weeks after they became available, proving that the initial $349 billion was simply not enough to assist the numerous small businesses who needed help. Stuck in an argument over how the additional funds should be distributed, the government didn’t pass a bill to add more money to the program until April 21. The additional amount of money added to the program is $310 billion, which as the original funds revealed, will only help a small number of businesses in need of assistance.
The amount of funds put into the program is only part of the problem, as the program has no restrictions to make sure that the money is distributed fairly to the small businesses in need. The PPP considers businesses with less than 500 employees at a single location eligible for a loan. This opens up the funds to large businesses, including large chains with many locations and takes away money from the small businesses for which the money was originally intended. For example, large businesses such as Potbelly Sandwich Company and Shake Shack have both received $10 million loans, despite the fact they both have over 6,000 employees across the country and millions of dollars in savings.
Some businesses have decided to return the funds that they gained through the PPP in order for the money to be redistributed to small businesses. Hotel chain Ashford Inc. returned their $70 million dollar loan after receiving criticism for taking the money. Ashford Inc. and other businesses claim that they did not expect the funds to run out before reaching other businesses that needed them. The government set May
7 as a deadline for businesses to return their loans in order for them to be redistributed, yet these actions shouldn’t be necessary in the first place.
The program has been poorly thought through, and the proper restrictions have not been put in place to move funds where they are needed. With banks distributing funds to the companies who are applying for the biggest loans, they turn away small companies that are in higher need of the funds and closer to closing. The original $349 billion has now been committed and has left many small businesses disappointed that their needs were ignored.
The additional funds added to the program will continue to go directly into the hands of big businesses with more power unless the program is reinvented. Although the money that these large businesses receive is used to benefit their employees, the money they have received should be going to help small businesses survive.
As the situation worsens for small businesses, the problem will only grow, and many businesses will permanently close. The number of jobs lost by the closing of small businesses will add up and significantly damage the economy. More funds need to be added to the program, and strict restrictions need to be put in place that ensure small businesses get the loans that they were promised or otherwise, the problem will continue. It is the government’s responsibility to make sure that the voice of every business is fairly heard, regardless of their size, so that as many businesses as possible can survive and maintain their workforce.
gardiner vose graphic by
Sports
Spring sports’ seasons cancelled, teams adapt
Seniors share their frustration, reflect on past experiences, potential victories
“ IT HAD TO HAPPEN, AND I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IT DOESN’T TAKE EMOTION OUT OF THE SITUATION. I’M GRATEFUL FOR THE FEW WEEKS WE DID HAVE TOGETHER THOUGH.
Maggie Koch, womens lacrosse coach
story by
elliot mccabe & elizabeth siegel
Coronavirus started off as small talk in the U.S. but soon turned into a widespread global pandemic.
With over 39,800 cases statewide, Texas has shut down all nonessential businesses and closed all schools. Along with these nonessential businesses closing, all school sports and activities closed as well. Students, captains and coaches were disappointed to find out about the closure and abrupt ending of their spring seasons––a season that could have won state.
“At first I did not expect what COVID-19 was capable of,” senior lacrosse captain Jack Loftus said. “I didn’t really want to accept it... [The cancellation] was heartbreaking.”
Loftus had been out of sports previously from a knee injury and was begging to get on the field at the end of the lacrosse season. He was excited to finish his last season and hopefully end the season as a Texas State Champion for the second year in a row.
“The senior class is capable of a lot,” Loftus said. “It is sad we could not prove ourselves one last time.”
Seniors, like Loftus, were frustrated upon hearing the news of
the cancellation, and even though they will never have the memory of finishing their senior year with a state victory, the entire senior lacrosse class will forever have the cheerful memories of playing lacrosse together.
“THE
“The senior class lost only three games from second to fourth grade,” Loftus said. “Throughout the 12 past years [I played] for the school, [the lacrosse team] has made many memories that we will all cherish [for] the rest of our lives.”
a pretty good team this year. We probably weren’t going to take SPC, but we could’ve done something.”
The tennis team, because it requires less close contact, has been hoping to set up matches with other teams in Dallas.
SENIOR CLASS IS CAPABLE OF A LOT. IT IS SAD WE COULD NOT PROVE OURSELVES ONE LAST TIME.”
The teammates have bonded with each other and have learned many treasured morals that they don’t want to give up playing just yet.
Jack Loftus, senior
Coaches had been trying to keep in contact with their players and encouraged them to stay active by sending weekly workouts in case the season would be able to resume.
“As a senior, it was my last season, and it didn’t end as I hoped, so it wasn’t a very good feeling when I found out,” senior track captain Humza Naseem said. “We had
“It didn’t really hit me that the season was over until it was my senior night, and I was sitting at home not playing my final match,” senior tennis captain Sarah Morrow said. “No matter how far you might be down, you can always come back up to win.”
Girls lacrosse coach Maggie Koch won’t get to see the team every day and use their interaction as an outlet to relieve stress from the pressures of school and life.
“It had to happen, and I fully
understand that, but it doesn’t take emotion out of the situation,” Koch said. “I’m grateful for the few weeks we did have together though.”
Koch has been coaching the current seniors for four years. And all four years she has gone with the team to SPC and has won twice.
“Each of them embraced whatever position and role they were given each year and did it to the best of their ability, which has made them really good teammates,” Koch said. “It’s tough every year to think about not having the senior class back... I’m really going to miss them.”
Koch believes in teaching the girls valuable lessons that can be implemented from the field into the real world and hopes that, after what we are going through, the girls will learn important values such as empathy, confidence and resilience.
“Sports are difficult emotionally and physically, and mistakes are constantly made,” she said. “Once something is done, it’s done, so harping on a mistake doesn’t change that it happened. Being able to move on makes playing sports more enjoyable, but it also makes some life situations easier.”
While the impact of the COVID-19 quarantine has greatly affected academics and learning environments, its impact on sports and potential commitments is just as significant.
Following shelter-in-place orders issued throughout Texas, the Southwest Preparatory Conference originally canceled all sporting events from March 15 through April 13, but it just recently announced the termination of the remainder of the spring season for all sports and schools within the conference. With the cut off of the season, athletes had much fewer games, tournaments and practices than in past years, which could be detrimental to those players that rely on spring and summer seasons for possible college recruitments.
Sophomore Isabella Custard has been playing tennis since she was five years old, playing at Brookhollow country club until eighth grade when she decided to join the Highland Park Elite group to further her experience and get to the next level.
“I’ve played since I was so young, and it has always just been something I’ve loved doing,”
Athletes face uncertainty regarding commitments
Quarantine forces end of seasons, may impact summer tournaments
EAGLE EYE
Calvert said. “I think playing in college would be the best of both worlds. I would get to go to a great college while getting to continue what I love doing.”
Custard also hopes to continue playing in college, but rather for a division two, division three or college club team. While she likes the idea of structure provided by playing in college, she wants to maintain a healthy balance between her tennis, school and social life, which she doesn’t think would be possible if she committed to a division one school.
ranking up. I have only played in seven tournaments since the summer of last year, which is pretty much nothing compared to previous years.”
Sophomore Riley Calvert also relies on the spring and summer seasons for lacrosse, when scouting most often occurs.
“THE ENDING OF THE SCHOOL SEASON MEANS NO OPPORTUNITY TO WIN THE STATE OR SPC TOURNAMENTs.”
“I wasn’t even sure whether or not I wanted to play in college until I talked to my coach about it before I left for Swiss Semester,” Custard said. “He helped me see that I would feel a gap in my college experience without being part of a team and playing every day.”
Riley Calvert, sophomore
“The ending of the school season means no opportunity to win the State or SPC tournaments,” Calvert said. “It also means less practice for the club tournaments in the summer, which are the games most college coaches come to.”
Calvert has been playing lacrosse for 10 years, having started in first grade. He has played with Stickstar Lacrosse, an elite club, for four years and has been a varsity player since freshman year. He hopes to continue his lacrosse career at a division one school.
“I really enjoy lacrosse because of the high-intensity atmosphere and the challenge each game presents,”
While neither athlete can compete or practice with other teammates, both have found ways to practice around their houses and stay in shape.
“I workout and throw against a wall every day,” Calvert said. “I also like to go on runs and do the workouts my coach gives us, which often include speed work and passing routines.”
However, Custard is not able to access a tennis court to play oneon-one with family members; most courts are locked up and their nets have been taken away.
“I have been hitting against a wall as much as I can, but that’s really the only thing I can do under these circumstances,” Custard said. “I have mainly just been working on
my fitness by going on runs every day, doing online workouts and other things of that nature.”
Despite the cancellation of the season and inability to practice, Calvert remains cautiously optimistic about the rest of this year and next season.
“The only thing I am worried about is all of the uncertainty surrounding this summer’s tournaments,” Calvert said. “But our team has too much character
With Matthew McCoy
Q
A
When did you start playing golf?
The first time I picked up a club, I was probably three or four [years old] because my dad has always been an avid golfer and has always had clubs laying around the house. But I never really took it seriously or practiced; I only played every once in a while for fun. Starting three summers ago, I realized that I had what my dad always called “an exceptional knack.”
Q
What is your favorite part about golf?
A
For the sport itself, far and away, it would have to be just getting out there and playing. My dad has always described golf as the only sport that you can play when you are 18 and when you are 80 and always have a good time. Golf is just something I can get lost in. It just clears my head. It’s therapeutic.
Q
What’s your role on the varsity golf team as a junior?
A
It’s definitely different from sophomore year. Sophomore year, Jackson Fricke and I were the only two sophomores [on the team], and we were at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Junior year I am definitely a more experienced golfer than I was my sophomore year. My leadership role has gone up because this season, I had become third seed on varsity.
callie hawkins interview by
Professional sports put on hold amidst COVID-19 outbreak
The NBA, MLB and other sports leagues are waiting to make a decision about the future of the 2020 seasons
After warm-ups and the shootaround, the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder were in their huddles, preparing for the awaited tip-off on March 11 earlier this year. Chesapeake Arena, home of the Thunder, had almost 20,000 fans packed in to watch the showdown. As the game was delayed, loud music was turned on to distract the oblivious fans from the ominous situation.
Both teams exited the court, and delusional “boos” were thrown out by some fans. The game was announced postponed, and the exits were filled with disappointment.
On March 12, the National Basketball Association, along with many other sports leagues and organizations, announced the suspension of their season due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.
“I understand why the season was postponed,” junior and Dallas Mavericks season ticket holder Michael Bagley said. “I think Adam Silver––commissioner of the NBA––did a good job shutting things down quickly.”
Because the season was postponed, season ticket holders are left wondering what will happen to all of their game passes.
“[The Dallas Mavericks organization] has to wait for and see what happens [to the season],” Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. “Then, [the Mavericks] will work with the NBA and decide [what to do with the tickets].”
For Bagley, he has been told the rest of his tickets can now be used as vouchers for any future contests. Prices for the vouchers vary depending on how much a ticket costs a certain game.
“I’m not sure what the final deal is, but that’s what [the Mavericks] are giving us as of now,” Bagley said.
“[The credit] is the exact value of the ticket for any given game. So lets say [the Mavericks] are playing the Denver Nuggets, those tickets would not be anywhere near as much as tickets to a Lakers game [because the Lakers tickets
its plight with Major League Baseball, as the virus has negatively impacted both seasons.
“I think they did the right thing considering the circumstances,” sophomore and Texas Rangers season ticket holder Kai Robinson said. “However, it sucks that there aren’t any baseball games to watch on TV or go to.”
Earlier this month, the Texas Rangers were planning to unveil their longawaited stadium, the new Globe Life Park. Complete with air conditioning and a roof, fans could not have been more excited to watch a ballgame in it. Postponing its first game was like rubbing salt on a cut for Rangers fans.
“I was looking forward to seeing what the field was going to be like with a roof,” Robinson said. “[The roof] is a major change from the old stadium. I was also looking forward to trying some of the new food items they [were going to introduce] this season.”
The MLB and NBA are handling the situation similarly, with ticket credits to games that never played. However, the MLB never started their season, while
the NBA was in the final third of its season.
“There are still hopes that [the Texas Rangers] will play their games,” Robinson said. “It all depends on how the MLB modifies the schedule, so they have not refunded [ticket holders]. If the season gets completely cancelled or if they play less games than normal, [the tickets] would carry over credit into next season.”
The MLB originally was rumored to be planning a program that would place teams in Arizona, Texas or Florida. To reduce risk of spreading the virus, there would be no fans allowed and instead of being in the dugouts, teams would be stationed in their clubhouse.
“As a fan, I think it wouldn’t be fun because I love going to the games,” Robinson said. “If they can play the games at their spring training facilities, then fans could at least watch it on TV.”
This plan was not moved on, and a more conventional plan was proposed instead. MLB owners sent a plan to the players association outlining an 82 game season that would start in July
with “spring training” starting in mid June.
Every team would try and play in their home ballpark, unless state or federal regulations prevent it. For example, due to the restrictions in Canada, the Toronto Bluejays would have to play their games in Florida where there spring training is located.
Nothing is official, and the MLB has to see where the country is in terms of the pandemic as the summer months approach.
Whether you’re a fan of college sports, basketball, football, cricket or you aren’t a sports fan at all, everyone can agree that America could use entertainment.
“I hope [professional sports] will start back up soon,” Bagley said. “America is bored and needs sports to get through quarantine.”
smith cochran story by
UNUSED Million of jerseys sit in closets all over the country waiting for sports games to resume. On March 12, many sports leagues and organizations, announced the suspension of their season due to the outbreak of COVID-19. photo by Smith Cochran
Spring athletes and coaches make the most out of the grim situation
story by
lauren weber
It was Sunday night, and junior Samantha Whiting had been doing homework for hours. She opened her phone to a Twitter post, which announced that the mens lacrosse season had been cancelled. Tears inexorably slid down her face as she called another crying teammate and texted her coach, “is our season cancelled too?”
This year, spring sports teams are forced to adapt to unprecedented conditions––they have to communicate virtually and train individually. Lacrosse, tennis, softball, baseball and track seasons have been cancelled.
“I’d been waiting for lacrosse season,” Whiting said. “Playing lacrosse really kept me going through junior year; it kept me excited. I was motivated to work hard and defend our state title, and now it’s just gone.”
The womens lacrosse team still commemorated their senior night virtually on April 24, and the team moms delivered decorated signs and balloons to the seniors’ houses to emulate the normal experience. The team has still engaged in virtual meetings, and for the first four weeks of quarantine, each grade level led a meeting. The seniors held a game of charades, the juniors dropped off cookie dough at the players’ houses, the sophomores designed a Kahoot and the freshmen created a Jeopardy game.
“At lacrosse [practice], you talk to everyone, but with online school it’s harder to keep in touch,” Whiting said. “Zoom is a way to do that. Our team is one of the closest groups, so it’s really nice to see everyone even if it is online.”
Track and field coach Evan
smith cochran story by
The summer brings change every year; students are out of school for over two months, the days are longer and the bluebonnets have already bloomed. This year brings dozens of new, unexpected changes.
Hadrick has also prioritized the mental and emotional health of his athletes during this time.
“Intrinsic motivation is more important than ever with everyone in quarantine, so this is a great opportunity to work on that with our athletes,” Hadrick said. “We’ve been talking to our athletes about figuring out how our workouts are personally beneficial to them, whether it’s getting them ready for their fall sport or helping relieve some stress after a day spent in front of their computers.”
Head womens tennis coach Julie Schiller has gotten creative in finding ways to keep her players healthy. She created a week of challenges for the players that included physically, musically and creativity-based activities.
“We [like this system] because it is a bonding experience
CenterSmith’s
varsity sport, cutting their wrestling team. Larger division one schools most likely will not have to remove sports, yet they will lose money. For this reason, the NCAA needs to do everything possible to play a football season.
without actually being together,” junior Ally Jeter said. “It also keeps us accountable for our health because we do GroupMe posts, and everyone can see what we all are doing for workouts and activities. Our coach wants to make sure we are not only staying fit but taking time away from our screens.”
Similarly, the softball coaches have been sending their players exercise routines and links to professional softball games to study technique.
“Our team is doing its best to continue communicating whether it’s through [the] coaches posting workouts on Schoology or someone sending a funny TikTok to our team GroupMe,” junior Monse Rodriguez said.
Baseball met in early April to discuss the future of their season.
“The idea is that hopefully
we will play someone at the end of May just to put a cap on the season,” junior John Callis said. “Mr. Baad wanted all spring sports to play their rivals, such as St. Mark’s.”
According to a poll of 143 students, 52.4 percent report miss having daily practice.
“When you’re at school during the day, you sometimes feel so tired that you don’t want to go to your afternoon practice,” Whiting said. “I remember we had to do a difficult running test during lacrosse on my birthday this year. But I would honestly do that every single day to have the season back.”
Without football, colleges need to find funding elsewhere
While this erases an endless amount of opportunities and entertainment, it also may mean trouble to all college athletic directors and athletes. If the football season is postponed, large universities could lose mass amounts of money, and smaller colleges and universities could suffer even more, having to cut more staff or sports.
Old Dominion University was one of the first schools to terminate a
On a regular year, there are around 24 different university athletic departments that bring in an annual revenue of over $100 million. The money comes from donations, student fees and of course ticket sales. In total, the amount made from ticket sales by all athletic departments was around $14 billion. The profit made at a certain game, gets split between the participating schools, which helps pay expenses throughout the athletic department. Without it, many athletic departments will have to downsize.
Kate Brown, the governor of Oregon, announced there will be no
large gatherings in the state until after September. Though discouraging, in no sense does it mean there won’t be football played. The Southeastern Conference has said they will play with no fans and do any means possible to have a season, and that’s relieving due to the fact that without college football, the south would be utterly lost.
In 2015, the athletic department at the University of Oregon brought in around $196 million with about $26.6 million coming from ticket sales. The Ducks play three home games in September this season, one being against Ohio State University.
Estimating the ticket revenue of each game, Oregon will lose around $6.65 million, assuming their ticket revenue is consistent each year just from missed games in September.
Common sense would tell us that
the larger percentage of colleges and universities are not like Oregon. Most schools do not make nearly as much money or have large donations.
The athletic department at the University of Idaho was already over budget before the outbreak of the virus. The Vandals lost around 50 percent of all football revenue from ticket sales the previous season as well. The football games brought in $1.6 million from ticket sales last season and $200,000 from all other sports. Without fans at football games, it’s hard to picture how Idaho athletics will look in the future.
Saddening as it is, a fall without football may be the reality come August and September. Not only will this be deflating for the millions of football fans, but it could be detrimental to smaller college athletic departments.
ONE LAST GAME Freshman middie Amelia Sinwell runs the ball up the field against Greenhill during a JV home game on March 10, a few days before Spring Break. The team had no idea it would be their last game of the school year. photo provided by Shawn Walther
