Newspaper: March 2020

Volume LII

Eastern Regional High School

March 2020

1401 Laurel Oak Road

Fourth Edition

Voorhees, NJ 08043

The Cotillion helps to alleviate the stress of sophomore year

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et’s be honest. Sophomore year is tough; overbearing school work. Sometimes, heavy anxiety looms over the shoulders of sophomores. However, one night that all sophomores can count on to have fun is Sophomore Cotillion. Why is cotillion such a big deal? Well, one could say that it’s because the sophomores view it as their own mini-prom. Accompanied with long, formal dresses, corsages, and a location at Paris Caterers, the sophomores had everything to make their night memorable. The conception of the cotillion originated in 18th century France and England, the predecessor of square dancing. Its purpose was to teach proper etiquette and social skills to teenagers through dinner dances in the end. In a sense, that concept of socializing and etiquette still holds true today, with sophomore cotillion being a rather formal dance than a crazy party. The sophomore girls were particularly excited for this night, as they browsed over all of the possible dresses they could wear for the big night. Finding the perfect dress is of the utmost importance for a night of socializing with friends. The dresses varied in colors and sizes, with the long skirts drifting along the floor.

However, many students chose to not attend the school dance for various reasons. The entrance fee for cotillion is $50 per person, and some feel that is too much for a dance. Another plausible reason is that the formal dresses and suits simply cost too much. A formal dress or suit for cotillion would cost somewhere between $50$500, if not more. And to add more to the budget, heels also aren’t cheap, with Sophomores make sure cameras are ready to take with them those precious memories of Go to voyager-online.org for more photos the prices soaring that first big night out as young adults. from around $30tentially view getting ready for this big Olivia Steinberg loved the cotillion. $60. In short, sophomore guys and girls night as scary. “Cotillion is a night where I can dress can spare no expense when it comes to On the positive side, many people still up and spend time with my friends,” she a formal. find sophomore cotillion to be very ensaid. “You don’t need a date to go, I just Sophomore Sharon Chen didn’t attend joyable. The spacious room at Paris Cago to have fun.” the dance. “Buying everything we needterer’s was filled with tables and chairs A misconception is that a “date” is needed for the cotillion was too expensive,” while people were just lounging around. ed. This is completely false. Students she said. “Plus getting ready for it was Some were eating and talking, dancing prioritize having fun over these social too stressful.” in the open space, or just taking pictures norms, and end up having a great time Many can understand her point of view. that they can post on social media later. at cotillion. While the cotillion can be exciting and Music was blasting from the speakers, While the cotillion might be over for eccentric for most teens, many people and a wide dance floor was laid out aside the class of 2022, a whole new party will still find these big social events stressful. from the almost endless sight of white, be waiting for the class of 2023. Someone with social anxiety could pocircular tables.

Photo by Clare Fitzpatrick ‘20

By ANTONIA ZONG ‘22 Staff Reporter

The CDC declares COVID-19 a pandemic What you should know and how to protect yourself BY FAITH MENDELSON ‘21 Staff Reporter

How does the Coronavirus spread? The first infection of Coronavirus has been linked to a live animal market, but now the chools are shut down. Online learning is the virus is spreading through person-to-person norm. Travel plans and events cancelled. Com- contact. The virus is “community-spread,” munities are self-quarantining. Stores can’t keep which the CDC explains “means people hand-sanitizer on the shelves. And toilet paper have been infected with the virus in an area, shortages . . . including some who are not sure how or It seems like the end of the world. where they became infected.” It’s easy to get lost in all of the chaos of the CoronaviWhile it is possible to get the virus through rus. It’s hard to keep up with all the information swirling touching an infected object (an object an around, and to separate fact from fiction. infected person has touched), and then What should people be doing to help themselves and their touching your mouth, eyes, or nose, it is communities? Are people overreacting or is the hysteria not thought to be the main way the virus plausible? What even is the Coronavirus? spreads. The main way the virus spreads is through What is the Coronavirus? person-to-person contact. A person who is The virus itself is called “SARS-CoV-2”; the disease sick with COVID-19 can spread it to others caused by the virus is called “coronavirus disease 2019,” that they come into contact with. Because or COVID-19 for short. of this type of spreading, the CDC recomCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is cat- mends for those who suspect they might be egorizing COVID-19 as “an outbreak of infected with the virus Voyager writers are respiratory disease,” and explains that to “be isolated either in the “novel coronavirus is a new corothe hospital or at home working remotely navirus that has not been previously (depending on how sick to cover COVID-19: identified.” Check voyager-online. they are) until they are betThe CDC warns the “virus causing ter and no longer pose a risk of infectorg for updates coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), ing others” is not the same as the coronaviruses that Currently there are no known food commonly circulate among humans. Diagnosis with coro- items related to the spread of coronavirus. The coronavinavirus 229E, NL63, OC43, or HKU1 is not the same as a rus has poor survivability on surfaces, so with food being COVID-19 diagnosis.” packaged, shipped, and then kept at refrigerated or frozen The CDC explains that treatment for COVID-19 is dif- temperatures, it is probable that the virus does not spread ferent than treatment for any other strain of coronavirus, through food. which might only cause mild illnesses. Some people think the virus will die with the increase in

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Artwork by Sara Tuddenham ‘20

temperature, like the common cold and flu usually does. However, the CDC has said that there is not enough known information about COVID-19 to say for sure if warm weather will have an effect on the virus. Symptoms of Coronavirus It is crucial that everyone looks out for the symptoms of COVID-19 to prevent the spread of the virus. The symptoms to look out for include fever, shortness of breath, and CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

News

Keeping the Coronavirus from becoming a catastrophe ANALYSIS By SASHA TUDDENHAM ‘20 Features Editor

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t started with two in Wuhan, China. Two turned into 531,000 worldwide in a matter of months. The coronavirus has instigated a mass fear of a spreading death sentence, having reached 199 countries, including the United States. The World Health Organization (WHO) hoped to avoid classifying the outbreak as a pandemic as officials struggled to recogWikipedia and contracted, how long the nize the extent of the virus’s spread as the disease’s incubation period symptoms of the coronavirus are the same seems to be, and, most worrisome, how as other respiratory illnesses. close scientists are to a vaccine. The Ebola Virus is considered to be an Although officials in the United States epidemic, meaning it was primarily found have announced a vaccine trial beginning in a specific region in Africa. The Zika within the next month, the trouble still reVirus is also classified as an epidemic, namains when the vaccine will be deemed tive to Brazil. These viruses only reached safe for mass production, generally taking the United States in isolated incidents. years to perfect. However, one company Consequently, the coronavirus is unis attempting to accelerate the process to charted territory. have a vaccine ready for use by the fall. The United States has found 81,321 “Despite the morbidity and mortality citizens in all 50 states ill with the corowith influenza, there’s a certainty … of navirus. Still, many researchers claim the seasonal flu,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, direccoronavirus is no worse than the flu. tor of the National Institute of Allergy “Pandemos is a concept where there’s a and Infectious Diseases said in a White belief that the whole world’s population House press conference. “The issue now would likely be exposed to this infecwith [COVID-19] is that there’s a lot of tion and potentially a proportion of them unknowns.” fall sick and we’ve seen People are searching that in influenza,” execufor a miracle of how to The coronavirus tive director of the World stop this virus. As Italy stands to either divide Health Organization’s faces a spike in sickened the world in fear or health emergencies procoronavirus patients, the bring people together gram, Dr. Mike Ryan, told world waits with bated to avoid the extent of CNN. breath to react. the virus’s capabilities. As the WHO worked to Italy represented a tipavoid pandemic proporping point in whether tions at all costs, panic this virus would become continued to spread despite hopes that the a pandemic, leaving the world lost in fear. coronavirus would prove less dangerous Unfortunately, despite the preparation in than the flu. The United States as the country braced The Centers for Disease Control and Prefor the impact of the virus, the virus’s arvention (CDC) reports that of the 170,000 rival has become catastrophic. coronavirus patients as of March 18, reSanitizers and alcohol are nonexistent in sulting in 7,000 deaths, the flu has infectstores. Doctors and nurses are desperate ed 26 million people, leading to 14,000 for masks. Millions around the world are deaths. now asked to stay home as governments Both the flu and coronavirus manifest perform drastic attempts to get ahead of in the same symptoms, resulting in respithe COVID-19 curve. ratory ailments, fever, and, in the worst cases, the viruses lead to pneumonia. Check out our “The The fear surrounding the coronavirus is simply due to the fact that the virus Voyager QuaranTeens” itself is a mystery. There is no concrete on Spotify! proof about how the disease is spread

March 2020 How did you feel about the Cotillion?

“Fun, energetic, beautiful” “Fun, boring, anticlimactic.” “Fun, cool, eventful” “Eh!” “Fun” “Boring, distasteful” “I want more!”

“Fancy, social, great” “Food was so bad.” “Fancy and kinda fun.” “Partially energetic, fun.” “So much fun.” “Nine of ten!” “Very boring” “Great time!” “So much fun!!!” “Festive, fun, and nice.” “It was cool.” “Fun. Music, great. Food, good.” “Fun, bad music.” “Fun, Fancy, and enjoyable.”

“Fun, entertaining, relaxing.” “Fun yet long.” “Fun and enjoyable.” “Awkward. Bad music.” “Fun, elegant, entertaining.”

What are some suggestions for 2021? “Have formal dining time” “Better music!!! Maybe a photo booth too.” “I would like some better music (less rap in particular, (they played A LOT of rap music)) but otherwise minimal changes. I didn’t eat much so I’m no sure how good the food was. It was definitely one experience I’ll hold close to my heart.” “Play more songs that get the crowd involved.” “More vegetarian/vegan options other than bread and the salad that are displayed obviously as being vegetarian/ vegan.”

“Better music not a lot of lights in main room.” “Add more activities to do.” “Keep the dance floor and the tables in the same room, the dance room became too hot and it it was in a bigger space that wouldn’t happen.” “Better location.” “Making it earlier, at six.”

Photos by Clare Fitzpatrick ‘20

2 The Voyager

“Better music; less meat for Catholics unless the day is changed.”

“Better music, photo booth.”

“Less soggy chicken fingers!”

“More food options/ a vote for what kind of food.”

“Students should receive more time to purchase tickets for Cotillion.” “Let the students choose all the songs and have more shirley temples.” “Maybe increase the walking area inside of the dining room.” “Karaoke?”

The editors conducted a survey of the sophomore class via Google forms

How to keep yourself up-to-date on the growing concerns of COVID-19 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 coughing. These symptoms can occur 2-14 days after exposure to the virus, and the virus can be spread even when a patient is asymptomatic. The CDC advises people to call a doctor if they believe they’ve been exposed to the virus and are experiencing symptoms. The CDC advises people to seek medical attention immediately if they experience emergency warning signs: shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, or bluish lips or face. What should we be doing? While there is no vaccine to prevent the illness, the CDC says: “The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus”. The CDC offers steps to take to prevent getting the virus yourself and from infecting others. To protect one’s self from COVID-19, people should wash their hands often (with soap and warm water for 20 seconds), use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol), and avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth. People should also avoid close contact with people who are sick or who are believed to be sick, especially those who are more at risk to contract the virus. Since this virus is “community spread”, people should also be taking precautions to protect others. These precautions include people staying home if they’re sick,

covering coughs and sneezes, and cleaning/disinfecting frequently touched surfaces. The CDC advises those who are sick to wear a face mask when in the vicinity of others, but asks those who are not sick to refrain from wearing face masks: they are in short supply and it is important that doctors and caregivers have access to them. By the numbers As of March 15, 2020, there have been over 165,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus. There have been upwards of 6,000 deaths from the virus; most of these fatalities are due to complications involving the immune system and respiratory tract, that are triggered by the virus, rather than death from the virus itself. However, there have been over 75,000 recoveries from the coronavirus, giving COVID-19 a 93% recovery rate. China is by far the most affected country with just under 81,000 cases, followed by Italy, as the second most affected country, with a little over 24,000 cases. The United States is the eighth most affected country with about 3,300 cases. In the US alone, there have been about 60 deaths and 60 recoveries, making the majority of US cases active (almost 3,200 cases). COVID-19 Closures & Cancellations Due to the quickly spreading virus, many facilities are

closing to avoid person-to-person contact with large crowds. These closures include schools, colleges, and amusement parks. Numerous universities have switched to remote schooling, or have even ended the school year completely due to COVID-19. Disney World and DisneyLand have only closed their premises seven times in history, and COVID-19 has brought the amusement parks to their eighth closures. In line with the closures of major facilities, state governments are banning events with more than 250 people. Sporting events, concerts, and private events with large crowds such as weddings, are being cancelled. The NBA has suspended the season indefinitely, NCAA has cancelled its March Madness basketball tournaments, even the 2020 Summer Olympics are not guaranteed to commence. Bottom Line Yes, with the panicked ‘end-of-the -world’ mentality concerning COVID-19, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the worrisome, chaotic atmosphere. But the best way to remain healthy is to be informed, stay alert, and act smart. Understand the precautions that should be taken and act accordingly; listen to medical professionals and health experts; separate fact from fiction. Be smart and stay safe.

News

March 2020

The Voyager 3

Fire rips through six businesses at Short Hills

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By ADAM SALADINO ‘20 Staff Reporter

t the Short Hills Town Center, flames flared so high on the dreery Friday morning of March 6th that some claimed to see the smoke from the Eastern track two miles away. Six businesses, Classic Cake, The Hanger Boutique, Camp Bow Wow, the Make-Up Bar, Pho Huong Viet, and a Starbucks, were destroyed by the twoalarmed fire. Luckily, there were no people or animals harmed since the shops were closed that day with work being done in the complex. “It was a great blessing for a lot of reasons.” Cherry Hill Fire Department Chief Chris Callan mentioned when explaining how the empty shops played a role in containing the fire. “One, no one was there. Two, there were no pets in the store. Three, if you look at the parking lot, there aren’t a whole lot of vehicles here.” The relatively empty complex aided in the effective mobility of the trucks and equipment into the area. Officials say that the fire was reported at 10:49am with responders arriving at the scene five minutes later. With the help of surrounding fire departments, the flames were able to be contained abotan hour later at 11:49am. Callen described the fire as “incredibly fast moving”. He explained how “It started out in the center, then when the roof collapsed, it spread throughout the entire building”. The businesses affected have had to adapt to the catastrophe, including Classic Cake, a community favorite for bakery goods. The store announced in a Facebook post that they will be moving into the Short Hills Deli while they decide their next course of action.

The baked goods still remain in the display cases at Classic Cake. The fire demolished six businesses at Short Hills. See more photographs of the damage at voyager-online.org Photo by W. Bowne “I proudly announce we have accepted the generosity from the Short Hills Deli and want to thank the amazing offer of Jerry Kaplan to house our team and begin to rebuild,” Barry Kratchman, the president of Classic Cake,

Montclair defeats Mock Trial team in state semifinals, but these lawyers see nothing but positive outcomes, including no more stuttering By JOSEPH LOVERDI ‘22 Staff Reporter

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hhhh . . . Mr. Farrow is having a love affair. Well, a love affair with Mock Trial. The math teacher wasn’t an advisor for any club. “The activities coordinator asked me if I was interested,” he said, “and I said ‘sure.’” He began advising with Mr. Colton in 2008 before Colton became the advisor for Team Theater. It was something that always interested Farrow. He didn’t participate in Mock Trial as a student, but his mother was a teacher at Camden Catholic. “They had it there,” he said, “so I was familiar with it.” It’s a novel concept: students dress in suits for a day as pretend lawyers, yet, it’s an actual extracurricular activity; and they’re pretty good at it too. A mock trial consists of two sides: the prosecution and the defense (one mock trial team has both a prosecution and defense team). Early in the year, both sides are given workbooks containing witness statements, evidence, and other important details. The workbooks allow the lawyers to prepare questions for witnesses to ensure credibility of their testimonies. The trial starts with a four minute opening statement, followed by a direct and cross examination of six witnesses, and ends with an eight minute closing argument. Then, judges review the case and the evidence presented, rewarding the side they deemed presented the best argument. This season, the Eastern Mock Trial team romped undefeated to the South Jersey finals, and earned a victory there as well. However, they lost in the state semifinals against Central Jersey champs, Bordentown, and North Jersey champs, Montclair. It was the best season Eastern Mock Tri-

al has ever had. “The previous best was one time when we got to the South Jersey finals and lost in the final,” said Mr. Farrow. Senior co-captain Avi Patel’s favorite memory of his mock trial career was how close the team was. “The team has become really close and like a close friend group, being together so much,” he said. “We all get sick together.” Senior Marissa Nissley agreed. “The team bond is really something that’s special. I’ve never done sports, so I’ve never had that team experience. It was great. Your success depends on how everyone else does as well.” Patel also recalls a humorous moment from state semis as his favorite of the season. “One of our witnesses, Bryce Dershem, had to fill in for our other witness, who was at DECA. Bryce was speaking in haikus, and the Bordentown attorney was getting annoyed and asked him to stop. He said, ‘I can’t control the coping mechanism. The coping mechanism controls me.’” Nissley’s favorite moment was after every win. “My co-counsel, Hannah Kates, would hug me so hard I’d almost fall out of my seat.” Patel also said that it’s hard to go into a case thinking you’ve already won. “Honestly, you don’t know what the other team is going to say, so you have to memorize the entire case,” he said. The three agree that besides learning about the legal system, Mock Trial offers so much more. “You can learn so many different skills, like working well with others, how to present yourself professionally, poise, and confidence,” said Nissley. Mr. Farrow also said that critical thinking and public speaking are other attributes one can learn from mock trial. Patel agreed. “It fixed my stutter,” he said. “I stopped stuttering and learned public speaking skills.”

wrote in the post. Kratchman ended the post with optimism: “Though many tears were shed, our future is bright. On behalf of the ownership group and our amazing team… Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!”

Postponed indefinitely, the school musical “Aida” waits in the wings By FAITH SIRDASHNEY ‘20 Staff Reporter

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this show does get scheduled for another time. It’s too good not to be shown.” However, the memory of the show will live on. Senior Luke Magette, with video footage from vocal director Mrs. Akinskas, edited and posted a video of the final dry run on Thursday March 12th to YouTube. Though many of our hearts are still broken, we can’t do anything but wait. Fortune will favor the brave, and we’ll see if we “build another pyramid.” See PAGES 8-9 for more on the behind the scenes of “AIDA”

very story is a love story. But unfortunately, this one will not be sung just yet. Due to the concerns of COVID-19, many events and trips are being cancelled or postponed, and the musical is no exception. Originally set to open Friday, March 20th, Eastern’s spring production of “Aida,” has been postponed indefinitely. With postponement announced on Friday the 13th, a week before opening, the directors are already looking for a date to reschedule so the cast can perform this beautiful show. As a member of the cast, when I initially found out, my heart broke. Though I completely understood why, with it being my last musical, it hurt, and still does. The rest of the cast and crew feel the same way as I do. Many have taken to social media to share their thoughts and feelings. Dance Captain Carleigh Moos ‘22 shared a post on Facebook, saying, “All the time and dedication we’ve put into this and we don’t k n o w when it will h a p p e n . Nadya Anderson created hieroglyphics from the show’s songs. Hopefully

March 2020 Features While others Tik Tok to fame, junior Dillon Lamon prefers to fish 4 The Voyager

f you went around and asked students what they did during their free time, some would say that they play sports, others would say that they make Tik Toks, and one might even say that they go on nature walks to marvel what Earth has to offer. Junior Dillon Lamon admits that he spends his time doing something out of the norm: fishing. As a toddler, he fished with his grandfather, now having fished for over a decade. Lamon goes fishing every week, all across New Jersey. One day, he hopes to fish in New Zealand or Canada, because of their rare species of fish that he describes as “gnarly.” Lamon never has the same fishing trip twice, but normally fishes for around four hours. “I cannot describe a typical fishing trip outside the fact that it typically involves adventuring to new locations,” Lamon

said. Lamon sees fishing as a “fun and rewarding hobby” that he cannot imagine living without. He explained that there is a certain euphoria when he catches a fish, especially when it is of the rare species. “It’s kind of like that feeling you have when you hit a home run in baseball or you get a good grade on a test you studied hard for,” Lamon said. Lamon shares his love of fising with a wide audience on his YouTube channel, where he uses the pseudonym “Dillon L. Fishing.” Created in the summer of 2017, Dillon L. Fishing features videos about fishing excursions and fishing tips that could be of great help for any fisherman looking to learn all there is to know about fishing. He has 845 subscribers. “I am trying to appeal towards an audience that fish regularly by making videos about my fishing experience,” said Lamon. Lamon’s channel has amassed a following of around 800 subscribers, and he wants to continue with it for as long as

Interact, always moving forward By SASHA TUDDENHAM ‘20 Features Editor

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ophomore Krisha Rathore never expected to enjoy spending her time with Interact. “After initially joining Interact because a few people told me that joining a volunteering club would benefit me in the future, I wasn’t sure what exactly I was up for,” she said. “Instead, it sparked my interest in community service.” After years of planning the same five events each school year, requiring members to attend at least one event per semester, the Interact club is entirely reconstructing its membership policies. This year, Interact is divided by teams based on student interest. Each team is led by a president and two team leaders who organize events and donation drives based on what organizations the students are hoping to help. Interact Advisor Mrs. Molloy explained how she hopes the club will begin to reflect the students themselves, getting even more people involved. There are six teams, each one whose primary goal is to help a different organization, including The Voorhees Animal Orphanage and Animal Welfare Association of New Jersey, Center for Family Services and LUCY Outreach, Samaritan Healthcare and Hospice in Voorhees and Cozies 4 Chemo, Habitat for Humanity and Project Freedom, Voorhees Pediatric Facility and Joshua Kahan Fund, Scott Davis Foundation and Support Our Troops and American Red Cross. After moving away from one of the organizations that Interact previously partnered with for years, the Ronald Mcdonald House and Virtua Hospital are now becoming two primary organizations for Interact planned events. Mrs. Molloy believes that after so many years of organizing the same events, “it was feeling a bit stale.” To be considered an Interact member, students must attend one event planned by their team per

semester, one event planned by another team per semester, and must donate one item to a donation drive planned by their team. Many students are embracing the membership policy changes as they enjoy being involved in so many organizations. Senior Mia Prowisor is one such team president who has embraced the policy changes, believing the new changes to be more realistic in helping more students get involved. “There’s more responsibility placed on the officers this year than last, because we’re the ones searching for events within our given “team” areas,” Prowisor said. “In the past, we’ve had set events that the advisors have planned. This definitely is a move forward in teaching high school students real responsibility.” As Interact officers remain responsible for finding organizations for their teams to partner with, they realize the difficulty and effort needed as organizations cancel or limit volunteer opportunities planned for Interact members. Officers need to keep an open mind when planning events because not everything will work out, Prowisor explained. Although most of the events from previous years are cancelled, Interact is hoping to plan events for the Spring after the coronavirus pandemic is resolved. Team leaders are meeting to discuss “hands on events” for members in late March. The senior luncheon and spring play, a mandatory event for all Interact members, was originally planned for the end of March, but due to the coronavirus spread, the event was cancelled. However, Mrs. Molloy is hoping to partner with the Health and PE department’s Bruce Jackson Day this spring to keep members involved despite the pandemic. “This year is a gigantic leap towards a brighter future for the Interact Club,” Prowisor said. “I hope that future officers embrace this change, and the club continues to move forward towards helping more and more great causes.”

Dillon Lamon holds a white perch, caught on the Great Egg Harbor River from the Sodbanks. “I’m mostly a self-taught fisherman,” he said, “learning from YouTube and the collection of fishing relationships over recent years.” possible. fishing endeavors “Not sure what’s in store for the future “I will obviously keep fishing after high of Dillon L. Fishing; just gonna keep upschool, ‘til I die, because I love it too loading and let it rip. I just plan to keep much,” Lamon said. doing the same thing. If it ain’t broke, So, while some kids will continue to do don’t fix it,” Lamon said. Tik Tok challenges, Lamon will continue Lamon offered no hesitation to his future to fish to his heart’s desire.

There’s being depressed, and then there’s clinical depression.

Finding experts who know the difference is the first step toward helping yourself recover

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By ABBY LOVE ‘21 Staff Reporter

Artwork by Abby Love ‘21

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By ETHAN MACK ‘21 Staff Reporter

unior Ethan Vogin does not believe that true clinical depression is rampant on social media. He sees it more as a plea for attention: “It’s ‘give me attention’ depression,” he said. Real depression is the chronic feeling of “hopelessness, emptiness . . . loneliness. It’s something more than just being sad over one thing, it’s a long term illness.” Over the course of the last couple years, a light has shined on the difficulties of living with mental illness. The United States has seen a rise in the discussion of mental illness, leading to a sense of normalcy. However, with widespread attention comes widespread miscommunication. Despite becoming normalized, the true potency and importance of mental illness has become diluted; words like depression or anxiety are thrown Wolf believes that people who pretend to be dearound like they are just feelings. In reality, deprespressed ironically do so to fit in. sion and anxiety are truly debilitating disorders. “They feel like it’s kind of like a bandwagon, esThe National Institute of Mental Health defines pecially with so many people having it nowadays depression as “a common but serious mood disand they want to make it normalized, which it’s order. It causes severe symptoms that affect how not, and people who don’t have depression don’t you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as understand,” Wolf said. “The way it feels to strugsleeping, eating, or working.” gle getting up everyday, to struggle getting out of Thanks to the media, most are aware of the implibed, doing basic kind of activities like doing launcations and symptoms of depression. dry, cleaning something, like evJunior Mackenzie Robinson said The National Institute erything and everything becomes depression is “a chemical imbal- of Mental Health defines a challenge.” ance in the brain that causes a lack depression as “a comEthan Vogin agreed with this of happiness, feelings of sadness, mon but serious mood “fake depression.” Like it’s a part unworthiness.” disorder. It causes severe of society to be “depressed.” Junior Celeste LeBold believes symptoms that affect “People are like ‘Oh I’m sad, I depression causes someone to lose how you feel, think, and must be depressed,’” he said. “No interest in things they once found handle daily activities, you’re just sad. If you go to sleep important. “And feeling sad or such as sleeping, eating, sad and wake up happy you’re not alone even when with people who or working.” depressed.” care about you,” she said. Dr. Monopoli agreed when he Senior Amanda Khalil defines said, “People don’t really realize the distinction depression as chronic sadness or numbness and the between sadness and clinical depression because lack of motivation to do basic tasks. it’s so much of a vernacular now. It’s a distinct Despite knowing the symptoms of depression, set of conditions and characteristics that someone people still need to learn to view depression with needs to actually be depressed.” the serious attention it requires. To simply express feelings of distress, people say Clinical psychologist Dr. John Monopoli specialthey have depression, anxiety, or panic attacks. izes in the study of depression. “Depression is asLeBold said a lot of people say they have panic sociated with sadness, it’s a sadness that is so deep attacks, “but it doesn’t seem like an actual dethat it’s debilitating. It affects self esteem, appetite, fined, like, shaking and stuff, they just look a little people overeat or undereat, it affects sleep, you stressed.” oversleep or undersleep,” he said. “It has physical Although sadness and depression may manifest consequences and obviously psychological conin similar symptoms, Dr. Monopoli explained how sequences. People get slowed down. It’s hard to depression is “when the fabric of their life is disprocess, it’s hard to comprehend difficult problems rupted. In other words, when going to work or to sometimes.” school is no longer possible. They no longer can Although knowing the difficulties of living with be efficient with their life anymore. The greater the depression, people still ignore the seriousness of impact, what you are looking at is no longer sadthe matter. ness, but actually clinical depression.” Diagnosed with depression himself, Junior Eric

Features

March 2020

The Voyager 5

Remote schooling: disaster or dream come true? or the first time ever on a Monday morning, I didn’t feel anxious. In fact, I felt excited. I slept in late and turned off my alarm at 6:30 a.m. My eyes greeted the comfortable darkness outside the window nearly persuading me back to sleep once more. However, I resisted the temptation and gathered just enough motivation to quickly do my hair, wash my face and brush my teeth. I found this routine much easier than usual, but still battled for energy nonetheless. This is a major opportunity to catch up on sleep and hang out with my family. School starts late and ends early: it’s a dream come true. I enjoyed my large bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal for once. While still in my pajamas, I looked at my drooping bookbag and a wave of relief came over me as I realized it was the first day of remote schooling. Fast forward a few days, I’m starting to grasp the pros and the cons of online schooling. One major con to not having in-person schooling is losing the ability to see my friends and teachers. Yes, school can really stress me out sometimes, but seeing my favorite people every day really helped me cope. They remind me that stress, like many other challenges in life,

is temporary. Although, I’m glad I can still contact my friends via text, nothing can match the power of face-toface conversation. On a more positive note, as a sophomore, I won’t miss out on significant school events. Cotillion came and went, which was an absolute blast. I don’t have to worry about senior trips, senior prom, or graduation being canceled. However, it doesn’t negate the sympathy I feel for the devastated juniors and seniors who looked forward to fun events like these for the entire year, maybe even longer. An additional flaw of remote learn ing is the lack of connectivity with the teacher. I’m grateful the teacher is available if I should have any problems, but if I’m learning a new lesson, I don’t want to rely on Internet Teachers. It loses a level of intimacy that can cripple comprehension due to students’ lack of experience with online learning. Furthermore, the lack of a teacher’s pres-

Would a hybrid form of in-school and remote learning be a valuable alternative for the future? No. Because the face to face action in schools is one of the useful skills students can gain for the future. This goes along with learning to be on time and making relationship. With remote learning, students don’t have face to face action, can’t learn to be on time, and can’t make relationships on remote learning which is a con. Some pros are not having to worry about time, sleeping in, doing work in bed, and having the whole afternoon to yourself. - JOSHUA MEYERS ‘21 No. A hybrid form of in-school and remote learning wouldn’t be a valuable alternative for the future. There are pros, like the fact that it gives you the ability to do work in the comfort of your own home and for kids that have social issues or deal with bullying, they won’t have to, because they are at home. However, students are missing social interaction, extracurricular programs, such as sports and clubs, and not everyone has a comfortable home environment conducive to learning. - ETHAN MACK ‘21

Yes. As someone that works better on their own time, I find it very beneficial to be able to do my schoolwork on my own time and set my own schedule for myself. Pros for this are that it will help this generation use technology more, since that is the way of the future. Cons are that it minimizes social interaction. I enjoy it, I think it has the potential to be a valuable option for busy or sick teens. - FAITH MENDELSON ‘20

Perhaps. In dire situations, remote learning is a valuable alternative for the future, but it could never replace physically attending school in a classroom. It is easier going to school online as all tests and projects have been cancelled; however, going to an actual school not only increases focus, but I believe increases the amount of information retained. - SASHA TUDDENHAM ‘20

No. It is much more valuable to be in school learning rather than online. However, there are improvements they could make. For example, video chat could be utilized. - MATT STEINSALTZ ‘20 Perhaps. I guess it could be valuable to use during snow days and other events where school needs to be cancelled. It counts for the 180 days of school we need

and lets students complete work at home when they can’t be in school physically. However, I don’t think this should be a regular occurrence for reasons I will relay in my other answers. - AVA HANCOCK ‘20

No. I value the in-person style of teaching that being at school requires and I feel like I learn more that way. The pros of it are more personal teacher interaction if you’re at school, and that you get to see your friends, whilst the cons are you’re more susceptible to bullying. - JOSEPH LOVERDI ‘22

No. I don’t think a hybrid would be a valuable alternative for the future as I can see a lot of stress, confusion, and disconnect. The constant back-and-forth could be confusing, and may prevent a true understanding of lessons that would be easily understood by a teachers explanation - FAITH SIRDASHNEY ‘20

No. Severe communication barrier if students have a confusing question. Another con: not making close friends. Another con: no routine since going back and forth from one learning setting to another.

ence leads to a rise of online distractions. The structure school created allowed me to focus and excel on my work. Over the past few days, I’m noticing that I feel more lethargic than usual and feel my self-motivation slipping. Remote schooling does provide some resemblance of an in-person schooling structure. My teachers have the same expectations of students as if we were still in class. Additionally, they reassure their students and ensure their wellbeing. These expectations even extend to my extracurriculars. About an hour after school, I run in my neighborhood based on the workouts my track coach provided for me and my teammates to complete this week. These workouts force me to go outside and experience the beautiful weather: Bright sunshine that follows me as I race across the perfect, flat sidewalk, with my braids bouncing with every stride. Ironically, I see more families walking together in my neighborhood outside than I’ve ever seen since I moved to Jersey four years ago. All in all, I know remote schooling is not designed to last indefinitely. When that day comes, which I hope is sooner than later, part of me will dread it, but part of me will feel happy to know that the world has recovered Artwork by Laura Silenzio ‘23 from the pandemic.

What online lessons have been effective so far with remote learning?

For my first Spanish class, my teacher uploaded a personal Q & A test, so she could get to know all of the students better. When we finished and submitted it online, all of the answers we’re available for us to see and observe. After that, she had us write a paragraph in Spanish describing how the test went and if we had the same answers as other classmates. It was a great activity because not only did I get to learn stuff about other classmates, but it was also concise, which is what I believe every lesson for any class should be. - ETHAN MACK ‘21

Mr. D’Antonio, my English teacher, recorded himself reading a short story, uploaded the recording as well as a pdf of the story, and had us read along with him and answer questions. - FAITH MENDELSON ‘20

For my AP Psychology class, Mrs. Molloy is trying to replicate what we do in class by posting video lectures and having students apply the concepts to their own lives. - SASHA TUDDENHAM ‘20 The best lesson I’ve had was a voice over lecture from Mr. Hering (AP Gov). I just

felt that was the closest to real learning I’ve had at home. - MATT STEINSALTZ ‘20

Even though it was SO MUCH WORK, Isshak today had us watch a video and read two articles and gave us questions to go with them. He specified which questions went with which material and the questions were really open ended so they gave us room to express our opinion. - AVA HANCOCK ‘20

A great online lesson I’ve had is my Prob Stat class. My teacher sent out a Nearpod with all his notes for his lesson, and had us complete the Nearpod. We answered questions, read notes, and there were examples for us to see what the problems look like. - FAITH SIRDASHNEY ‘20 My history teacher has been very good with continuing lessons. He usually posts a slides presentation with a voice over lecture thats about 6 or more minutes and then assigns a secondary source for us to read. To sign out, we answer a question about what we discussed that day. - LEAH SNYDERMAN ‘22

Perhaps. I think it would make a good alternative, but I don’t think it’s a permanent solution. Remote learning is a good way for kids that are unable to attend school for health or other reasons to stay engaged in their classes, but technology also allows students to be easily distracted. - AARON ARNSTEIN ‘20 Perhaps. I’d argue that with the use of iPads and google classroom, we already have a solid hybrid of both. - ADAM SALADINO ‘20

Perhaps. It could be a way better alternative maybe if it was optional...Pros: less stress, less tardies, more time for extracurricular, more sleep Cons: less in class experience/less interaction, ability to slack off and not get reprimanded the same, etc. - LEAH SNYDERMAN ‘22 Yes. A hybrid form of in-school and remote learning would be valuable. Inschool learning gives you interaction between you, your friends, and the teacher, but school isn’t always the most comfortable environment. Remote learning gives you that comfort, but work isn’t as enforceable and instruction is not available. - ANDREW SHINKLE ‘22

Cartoon by Adam Saladino ‘20

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By ARIANNA MORALES ‘22 News Editor

Features

6 The Voyager

March 2020

COVID-19 stops for no one: virus suffocates businesses across U.S.

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usinesses across the country are being devastated by the economic effects of the coronavirus as it continues to cripple the nation’s economy. Retail stores, airline companies, restaurants, and even the sports industry have been crushed by the virus. Many companies will need to file for bankruptcy. What’s worse is the initial devastation is only the beginning of a likely months-long crisis. Disneyland, which stayed open through 2008’s recession, is closed for the first time since 9/11. The NCAA men’s and women’s March Madness basketball tournaments were can-

13-15) ticket sales, its worst celed for the first time in its 82weekend since 2000, as movieyear history. goers practice social distancing. In the hospitality industry, AMC Entertainment shut down ZipRecruiter reported that job all theaters across the U.S. while listings for restaurants were Disney delayed the movie predown 26 percent during the miere of Black Widow. week of March 9, compared Prominent to the same The coronavirus crisis music festiweek in continues to rock U.S. val, Coach2019. industries, from small to ella, has Airlines have also large. Its effect will be seen been postfor months, if not years to poned while been greatly come. the largest affected folvideo game lowing travel trade show, restrictions Electronics Entertainment Expo imposed by President Trump, (E3) has been canceled as well. along with traveler anxiety over TV shows have been tempothe virus. rarily suspended, headlined by Airlines are considering government loans in response to NBC’s The Tonight Show Starlowering airline prices. ring Jimmy Fallon, while others On the entertainment side, the will continue production withdomestic box office eclipsed just out an audience. $55 million in weekend (March Many retail industries are

ness owners and employees live paycheck to paycheck. According to JPMorgan Chase Institute, fewer than 500 employees have less than a month’s worth of money stored away. Facebook has helped ease the burden on these businesses by announcing a $100 million program to help small businesses amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The virus’s effect has already hit the job market, with 70,000 Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits, the highest mark in two years. An increased number of layoffs are expected in the coming weeks. The coronavirus crisis continues to rock U.S. industries, from small to large. Its effect will be seen for months, if not years to come.

The Fed cuts interest rates to 0%, but the markets are still down; unemployment figures may hit 20%

So during the quarantine . . .

Which is better? Spotify or Apple Music BY JENNA PRESTON ‘22 Entertainment Editor

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t’s Coke vs. Pepsi. It’s the Yankees vs. the Red Sox. It’s also Spotify vs Apple Music. Both users defend the apps to the death. Both music applications offer great features, but the question remains: Who does it better? Spotify has great algorithms, daily mixes, and recommendations. Most people use it and have tons of playlists waiting to be shared. The daily playlists and new suggested music every week are based on your listening history and related artists. Plus, users can see what other listeners are listening to. People who used to use Spotify and have switched to Apple have said that the sound quality is noticeably worse on Spotify. It also destroys the phone battery, where Apple Music is much more power efficient. Even the music charts are significantly different for both apps. Apple Music is heavily dominated by hip hop listeners and the charts are usually dominated with album tracks while Pop fans chart singles on Spotify. And if a pop song is in the Top 50 on Apple Music and Top 5 in Spotify, that song is smashing. Jordan Gunter, a sophomore, said he likes Apple Music “because it gives good suggestions plus you can find friends easier… plus good playlist options.” There is a larger load of listeners on Spotify mostly because the app is available for free if you don’t want a premium account. People are able to listen without a subscription, which makes Apple Music not as widely used.

Kelsey Barratt, class of 22’, said Spotify Music “is easier to use mostly because of the price, free.” For every Apple link, there are dozens of Spotify ones. The lack of free option on Apple’s side is a big factor. “I prefer Apple Music,” said sophomore Raelyn Smith. “You can read the lyrics as the song plays.” Listeners can search a lyric and all the songs with that word show up. Spotify does not offer lyrics to every song, but some appear for artists who have worked with Spotify for their releases. This is a feature that might not phase the user or be seen as a very important factor in using the app. Sean Vankhook, a sophomore, has used both applications but enjoys the layout of Spotify Music more. “I use Apple Music currently,” he said, “but I used to use Spotify...both have good qualities especially with layout, but I prefer Spotify.” Parker Adamic said likes Apple Music because there is 3D Touch and users can access a lot of different things though it which I like. “It’s just way more simple to navigate thru rather than Spotify,” he said. Most students seem to favor of Spotify due to the pricing, but those who have purchased Apple Music would never switch to Spotify. Both offer free trials and are user friendly. You can decide for yourself which you like better and if you are willing to pay for the services

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struggling to stay afloat. Nike and Abercrombie & Fitch are closing stores nationwide for two weeks. Retail giant Walmart was forced to trim hours while Target and Kohl’s will follow suit. Apple announced that all U.S. stores will be closed “until further notice.” Grocery stores have been the exception. Grocers are hurrying to restock shelves as customers continue to load up on food and other essentials. However, as consumers stock up on goods, other sectors will soon see a drop in sales, such as fashion products. Supply-chain trouble could arise if the global pandemic continues for an extended period of time. Small businesses have also been significantly impacted by COVID-19. Many small busi-

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Check out our new podcast! Voyager QuaranTeens

Artwork by Clare Fitzpatrick ‘20

By CLARE FITZPATRICK ‘20 Staff Reporter

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ith the coronavirus continuing to spread, the impact it has left on small businesses and the economy cannot go unnoticed. As the outbreak carries on, cancelThe Fed said it is “ prepared to use its lations on vacations, reservations, and full range of tools to support the flow of large gatherings place pressure on the credit to households and businesses and economy. thereby promote its maximum employSmall businesses have begun to prement and price stability goals.” pare themselves for the impact of the If the virus continues to spread, devirus, as they close for the next month, mand will decrease, and this could lead laying off many workers. The lack of to a recession. This has left investors public life weighs on many businesses, and other businesses to prepare as if a who sell an array of items. global shutdown is not far away. Recreational sports like baseball and With so much being left unknown soccer have been put on hold in some about the coronavirus, the economic states. This leaves stores such as Dick’s decline is left unsure to the world. Sporting Goods, or Modell’s in a vulLarge companies such as Nike and nerable position forced to put a freeze Apple have admitted to feeling the imon employment. pact of the virus as China makes up a Major events, expected to bring in huge share of the economy. large amounts of revenue, have been Not only do the companies manufaccanceled. Suspended NBA, NHL, and ture their products in China but also a MLB will cause decreased revenues in significant number of their products are local bars and restaurants. sold there. Although the focus of COVID-19 O ne lasting effect of the economic should be on the health of the individuchanges is companies will begin to rely als it can impact, there are long term efless on China. Companies will diversifects of the virus even after it has been fy their supply chains to protect themcontrolled. selves against another major crisis. The U.S. financial markets have seen Initially, many investors believed the immense changes, the Dow Jones sufmarkets would see a drop due to some fered a 12% drop in five trading days. of the coronavirus fears, and then busiThe declines have been attributed to the nesses could continue on regularly. unknown the virus has introduced. This was not the case. As markets conMarkets do not tinue to be incredibly like uncertainty volatile, the Federal and now invesReserve announced tors have reached a $1.5 trillion plan to an understandable help stabilize the filevel of nervousnancial system. ness. The Federal Reserve One positive outhas also cut interest come of the panrates to zero, in an atdemic is maybe tempt to support the now the country economy. The Fed will be better prebought $700 billion pared for the next worth of Treasury emergency. Bonds and mortgageAlthough the next backed securities. crisis is impossible to The cuts are intended predict, the impact of to p rotect the marthe coronavirus will kets from disruptions leave the economy and to allow financial The job market is still up in the and companies betmarkets to function air for college grads. Fear of the ter arranged for the unknown is spooking the markets normally. next. and employers. Artwork by Jenna Preston ‘21

By AARON ARNSTEIN ‘20 Staff Reporter

The QuaranTeens

March 2020

The Voyager 7

In times like these, The Essentials are so needed By JOSH MEYERS ‘21 Associate Editor-in-Chief

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hile in quarantine, one needs the Essentials. No, I’m not talking about toilet paper. I’m talking about food, my food. In my bottom fridge drawers, we have the fruits and vegetables. Apples, oranges, carrots. You name it, we have it. Next up, we got the liquids. We have two jugs of milk and a case of Poland Spring water bottles. Strangely enough, there is also some guacamole on this shelf. Don’t ask. Then, we have the meats, cheese, and dairy products. My dad hooked us up at the grocery store with ham, turkey, and chicken breasts. Then the cheeses: sprinkle cheese, cheese cuts, and Swiss for my mom. Next to the cheese are the eggs for some breakfast, sunny side up or scrambled.

In the upper levels are the wheats. We’ve got bagels, breads, and hamburger buns. These are the essentials for sandwich making, especially during Times Like These. In the freezer, so many frozen foods. We love COVID-19 Day #4 barbecue chicken pizza at the Meyers household so we’ve got three of them. We also have frozen vegetables like edamame and peas. There’s also chocolate ice cream which I convinced my dad to get. We also have many different frozen dinners to eat for a lifetime including pizza rolls and pizza bagels. In our main side shelf, we’ve got everything. From Reeses’ Puffs and Cheerios, to pastas, to soups, to TacoKits. You say you need some ketchup, tomato sauce, coffee, and hot chocolate, too? We’ve got loads.

The World at a Standstill By SASHA TUDDENHAM ‘20 Features Editor

Grand Opening: Sanitizing Lake, WHO Approved

Quick tips for working at home

By JENNA PRESTON ‘22 Entertainment Editor

M COVID-19 Day #4 ers, but has implemented travel restrictions to specific outbreak areas of the globe. Still, it’s almost like living in a ghost town. Simply walking down the street, there is not a sole in sight. The neighborhood once full of life, now nearly silent with cars stationary in every driveway, collecting dust. “We need to give the response to the virus our full attention,” Jennifer Nuzzo, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told The New York Times. “But we’re following every rabbit that pops out of its hole, as opposed to trying to prioritize responses that have the most impact,” she said. The reason that fear has infiltrated the globe? There is no precedent. No one knows when life will stop being a long list of cancelations. What if graduation is canceled? Prom? Senior trip? Everything that once seemed so definite is now followed by a question mark. All Americans can do now is wait. Psychologist Maggie Mulqueen wrote for NBC, “Is there a need to stay aware and prepare for the spread of coronavirus? Absolutely,” she said. “Should we educate ourselves? Definitely. But anxiety does not inherently make us better prepared.” With the first day of spring in sight, hope runs as rampant as fear that the coronavirus will soon be a distant memory once the weather warms.

Artwork by Antonia Zong ‘22

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pring break in Aruba? Canceled. Mean Girls on Broadway? Canceled. Best friend’s birthday celebration? Canceled. As panic spreads faster than the coronavirus itself, life has come to a halt entirely. Students are now forced to remain home for online classroom instruction. College classes have ceased for the remaining semester, some like Penn State making the decision to have graduation ceremonies online. Companies have stopped operations, forcing their employees to work from home. After imposing an 8:00 curfew, New Jersey governor, Phil Murphy, has closed all nonessential retail establishments, including movie theaters and gyms, saying this is “no time for business as usual.” With unprecedented fear, people now feel incapable of living their lives as nearly everything in the United States has now been canceled. Ironically, it was only a few weeks ago that Americans watched as daily life in China and Italy froze entirely, as the countries banned any travel or movement within the coronavirus “red zones.” Italy is currently in a total lockdown where everything but grocery stores are now closed. All European countries have halted any international travel, France going as far as to ticket pedestrians on the street if they do not have a viable reason for being outside. Is this the future for the United States? The United States is one of the only countries that has not yet closed its borders to travel-

You want to know what else we also have? Sloppy joe sauce to go along with our meat. On Tuesday, I found out how good sloppy joes are. Luckily, my dad went to the store again to get more. Snack wise, I hooked my family up. Goldfish, Cheez-Its, veggie straws, pretzels, and gg’s Kello granola bars. Snacks are Essential in a crisis. If you are worried about my cats, don’t be. They have two Essential bags of their own food. The quarantine life is rough, but the Essentials help.

any students probably never thought they’d miss school after realizing how boring working from home really is. The situation is bad, yet there are ways to make yourself feel better and more productive at home, whether that means from your bed all day or sitting at your desk for a few classes. Make yourself an office or work area at home and try to make it as inviting and comfortable as possible. Maybe light your favorite candle, create your own study playlist, or make a nice drink that you normally wouldn’t have enough time to make on school days. In a situation like this it’s important to have a space that makes you feel calm and ready to be as focused as possible. Otherwise, time will seem forever and dreadful. Set aside specific times for different work, and try to recreate having a specific schedule like you would at school. Whether that means you create certain times to work on tasks from previous days or going through assignments that aren’t due for a couple more days. Attempt to just take some time and work at your own pace. Don’t feel overwhelmed by the workload. Teachers are just as overwhelmed by the adjustment. We are all figuring out this new schedule together. Just try to keep yourself structured and prepared! Minimizing distractions is probably the most important thing to do while working from home. If you find yourself checking notifications every few

seconds, put your phone in another room. You aren’t missing out on anything, everyone is home working on schoolwork just like you. There are also COVID-19 Day #6 good apps to use that will lock your phone for a set amount of time, disconnect you from certain sites, or block the internet completely so you cannot procrastinate doing other things. Don’t forget to reward yourself! You have to keep your own motivation going, your teacher isn’t going to be able to remind everyone to keep working, you have to be your own motivation right now. Don’t forget to take breaks, eat, hydrate, clean your surfaces, and stay safe and smart. If you find yourself bored after school, there’s plenty of things to do for fun that doesn’t require leaving the house. Clean your room, tidying up your space makes you feel better about yourself and positive. Cook/Bake your favorite meal or dessert, read a book that you haven’t had time to, binge watch your favorite tv show, or even start a new one there’s plenty of new ones, discover new artists, workout, watch tiktok, make a bullet journal, etc. Stay safe, stay inside, and take care. It’s not a time to be selfish, we should all minimise how much we go out to keep ourselves, our family, and others out of harm’s way.

Quick tips for surviving your family

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By LEAH SNYDERMAN ‘22 Staff Reporter

t’s been two days since I left my house. This also means it’s been two days since my brother and parents have left the house. This is probably the most amount of time we’ve ever spent together, besides vacations. We’re normally a very busy family, especially during the week. My brother and I go to school during the day, and then at night he goes to soccer and I go to dance. My mom is usually out running errands and driving us around while taking care of our dog. When he’s not traveling, my dad’s at work and meetings. We usually try to have a family meal at night, but because of everyone’s schedules, this usually only happens one or two times a week. But now, we’re all stuck in one house. We’re two days into this thing, and I’m starting to go insane. I’ve pretty much isolated myself in my room (which seems to get smaller everyday). So far it’s been pretty productive: I’ve learned five Tik Tok dances, finished this season of “The Bachelor,” took an online yoga class (that’s how you really know I’m losing it), and started bingewatching “Love Is Blind.” Throughout this, I’ve probably yelled at my brother to shut up at least six times an hour, but he’s still alive. None of us have killed each other. Yet. Here are some ways we’re surviving:

Hang out with your friends If your friends live in the same neighborhood as you, go take a walk with them. But stay six feet apart because you know, social COVID-19 Day #2 distancing. Headphones The amount of times I’ve yelled at my brother for just walking around the house watching Netflix or FaceTiming his friends at full volume is too many to count. Do the whole house a favor and put headphones on. It’ll save a lot of arguments. Tik Tok Hear me out on this one. Tik Tok is like a time warp. I go on at 1pm and all the sudden a second later it’s 10pm. It’s crazy. My brother and I have moved to communicating through Tik Toks. All of our texts for the past two days are just Tik Toks. No words. Play a family game My brother and I call it headbonkers. One person asks the other a question about themselves, like what is my favorite color, and if they get it wrong, you hit them in the head with an empty plastic water bottle. It’s fun and you learn stuff about each other!

Opinion

10 The Voyager

March 2020

The world now needs true leaders, including the United States Trump’s labeling COVID-19 a “Chinese virus” will only hurt the country

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By LEAH SNYDERMAN ‘22 Staff Reporter

t’s times like this when the world needs leaders. Canada has one. Prime Minister Trudeau has been reassuring to his nation, offering guidance and help in these hard times. He’s been focused on keeping Canadians calm, despite the fact that his wife tested positive for Coronavirus. The United Kingdom has one. Queen Elizabeth II released a statement on the morning of March 19, saying that her and her family are ready to play their part. “At times such as these, I am reminded that our nation’s history has been forged by people and communities coming together to work as one, concentrating our combined efforts with a focus on the common goal,” she wrote. I can’t say the same about America. Donald Trump has used harsh and discriminatory words throughout the outbreak. He has been referring to the Coronavirus as the “Chinese Virus,” yet claims it is not racist because the virus “comes from China.” It has been brought to his attention by critics multiple times that as-

sociating pandemics with an ethnic group can lead to discrimination, yet he has ignored these warnings and continues to use the term “Chinese Virus.” Trump and his administration have pinpointed the blame of the outbreak on China since the beginning, causing tension between US-China relations. Trump has asserted that the Chinese “probably would agree” with the term, even though Chinese officials have made it clear that they do not. He claims he’s using this term to combat a campaign in China that claimed the American military was the source of the outbreak. “I didn’t appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them. I think saying that our military gave it to them creates a stigma,” he said. Due to his administration’s actions and past comments on immigration and issues of race, Trump’s use of this term can’t help but be interpreted as xenophobic with a hint of racist undertones. By labeling the Coronavirus as the “Chi Artwork by Sara Tuddenham ‘20 nese Virus,” Trump is encouraging the myth Blaming the Chinese for this virus will only cause divithat China is the cause of the virus. Asian-Americans sion. We need a united front to fight this pandemic, and have reported incidents of verbal and physical attacks ascribing the virus to one culture, ethnicity or country due to the perception that they are the cause of the virus. will only hinder this unification.

Unity be damned

By MATTHEW STEINSALTZ ‘20 Editor-in-Chief

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ver the past few weeks, it has been great to see citizens rally around their fellow Americans who are struggling. People have flocked to Twitter to help raise funds for those who need it and countless people have volunteered to do grocery store runs for the most at risk demographic, elderly people. It has been great to see. But in no way will this crisis mend the political divide. We are already seeing Republicans and Democrats struggling to negotiate a relief bill. Republicans want the money to be more focused on businesses and corporations, while Democrats want the money to go directly to the citizens. As of Monday morning the bill had not passed. And then there is the President. Just like it has been for the past three years, you either like the guy or you don’t. And just like every other major issue he has been involved with, both sides have dug into their positions. Many, including myself, think he has been an embarrassment throughout this crisis. First, he severely downplayed the virus at first. He has on a daily basis lied to the American people about the severity of the virus and has installed a false hope into some people. He day after day says supplies and tests are being sent to states, only to see endless pleas for help from state governors and healthcare workers. Not to mention, that when he speaks, the stock market usually falls and his advisors and experts usually end up contradicting what he has to say. Not many trust what he is saying. Then there is his demeanor. How does he carry himself in times of crisis? He calls reporters asking a question that gives the President the chance to comfort Americans, “a terrible reporter who is sensationalizing the virus.” He routinely goes on rants against the media calling various media outlets nicknames like “MSDNC”, “Fake News Network”, and “Concast”. One of the core principles of the United States is freedom of the press, and the face of that principle

in a time of crisis is using national address to bash media reporting on the crisis. Last, there is his new name of the virus. Instead of calling it “Coronavirus” or “Covid-19” like everyone has been calling it for months. He goes out of his way to call it the “Chinese Virus”. When pressed about why he calls it this, he simply said “because it originated in China”. He is correct about that, but why is it necessary to call it that. Reports have said that this has led to more hatred towards Chinese people. Unity be damned. Even while some of the country is coming together to help one another, the leaders of this country are not united. The congress isn’t right now, although they’re more united then usual. And the President sure isn’t uniting the country. There are too many defenders and detractors of both this administration and the virus itself for the country to be fully united.

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Pandemic vs. senior year By AVA HANCOCK ‘20 Managing Editor

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andemics are inconvenient. My sister has moved back into my room since her college went virtual for the rest of the semester. My dad’s office has closed, so he has moved back in full time instead of living in Maryland during the work week. My workplace has shut down indefinitely, my school is online, and I can’t leave the house. Am I going slightly insane? That would be an understatement. All I do is submit bare-minimum work, deep clean my room, and sleep. One thing that I’ve thought about a lot is the unfairness of it all. Because of some people who refused to quarantine themselves and continued to travel, the whole world is on lockdown. And it could not be happening at a worse time for me. It’s my senior year- the year I’ve waited for for the last 10 years. Not only that, but it’s the second semester, which is supposed to be the most fun 4 months of all of high school. I am not having any fun. I’m wondering if senior trip will be can-

celled, if we will have senior prom, if we will even go back to school. Will I have to attend my graduation ceremony via Skype? There’s so much uncertainty and fear. But more than anything, there’s selfishness. For some reason, people feel like they are entitled to so much, that the world owes them something. I’m as upset as anyone that we are missing out on all of the fun parts of senior year. I have been looking forward to Disney for the last four years and I already bought a prom dress. This isn’t how I thought the year would go at all. But I just can’t stand to listen to constant complaining about things we can’t control. In Italy, no one can leave their house. Somewhere, someone has had to cancel their wedding because all of their loved ones are under quarantine. Some college students’ schooling is over now without any warning; they have no jobs or housing set up. People are out of work. People are dying. It’s amusing how no one cared about the virus until it directly affected them or people like them. When it was in China, it was a joke. When it spread to Italy, it was disheartening. When it arrived in America, it was horrifying and debilitating . We have all already had four homecomings, a cotillion, and a prom. Most of us have already been to Disney World. I’ve had more than enough late night drives, sports games, and dinners with friends; I got more than most. Senior year is not the end all, be all. A virus has no feelings. A virus does not discriminate or hesitate. It does not care about your economic or social standing, your career, your family life, or your plans. A virus will wreck my senior year like it has wrecked family vacations like it has wrecked career opportunities like it has wrecked beautiful experiences like it has wrecked entire lives. This, like everything, will pass. It will destroy many things in its path, but, nevertheless, it will pass. Life is large and forgiving, so I think we can find space to be forgiving, too. https://open.spotify.com/show/1N eng9wwl5Y839dOprmxQC?si=ICH hHMFeSbqGRFG6fchBVA

By Victoria Lapinson ‘20

The Voyager 11 Opinion The quality of our mercy should decide the fate of capital punishment

March 2020

Twenty-nine states currently have capital punishment as a legal penalty. New Jersey is not one of them. From 1976 to 2019, Texas executed 566 people. The most in the country. The second f you had the choice between life or death, what highest was Virginia with 133 executions. would you pick? Most likely you would have Since 1973, more than 156 people have been answered life, but ultimately it shouldn’t be removed from the death row because of false anyone else’s choice but yours. claims and innocence. This means that across It’s your decision, and no one else has a right to the country, 10% of people on the death row end your life so why do we allow people to be sentenced are exonerated. Capital punishment is not to death? What crime could someone commit that causes only cruel from a human rights stance but them to be worthy of death? The death penalty has been also goes against the 8th amendment. debated for many centuries and is still debated today. The Bill of Rights states that any form Ever since the first death penalty laws in the Code of King of cruel and unusual punishment is illegal; Hammurabi of Babylon, we’ve been treating criminals as it is a right that all humans should have. if their life means nothing. Killing a murderer makes you Capital punishment also denies the due just as bad as them. What gives you the right to control process of law, another basic right for humans. It denies someone’s life? Is it their wealth, gender, race? individuals the chance to benefit from either new laws or We’ve had revolutions, civil wars, cultural movements, evidence which could warrant the reversal of his or her and more proving that that isn’t the case. We’ve proved conviction. that there is no “God-given” or divine right that allows This could be the difference between life and death. anyone to be above the law, which includes killing. Not only is the death penalty morally wrong, The death but economically foolish. Why waste even more penalty is a It is more likely that a person of the money of taxpayers? Since the death violation of of color will be executed in penalty has no major public safety benefit, there human rights. is no use is paying extra money if it isn’t keeping comparison to a white person. There isn’t any anyone safe. From 1930 to 1996, 4,220 way you can The FBI has found that the states where the prisoners were killed in the justify that in our death penalty is in use have the highest murder nation, the land US; about 53% of them were rates. Along with wasting money, it also wastes of the free and black. resources. The time and energy used in courts the home of the could have been used for other cases; the brave, someone attorneys, defense counsel, juries, and law enforcement doesn’t deserve their own rights. personnel could have all been involved with cases that Our society was born on the foundation that all men, no could actually save more people’s lives; and even the matter their actions, are created equal. Capital punishment courtroom itself could have been occupied by a more denies the civil liberties of our democratic society. The pressing issue. death penalty system largely depends on the race of the Choose life. It’s the right thing. As Shakespeare writes: victim, how much money they have, how good of an “The quality of mercy is not strained.” Our mercy should attorney they have, and the location of crime. fall like rain on all of us. Just because someone thought It is more likely that a person of color will be executed they should kill doesn’t mean you should think to kill in comparison to a white person. From 1930 to 1996, them. Could you be the one who injects the lethal fluid 4,220 prisoners were killed in the US; about 53% of them into the veins of the strapped prisoner? Could you throw were black.

Artwork by Madeline Bowne

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By IVANA ALBERT ‘21 Special to The Voyager

the switch? The guilty and convicted will have such guilt may eat at them in the years. There is no reason why they should die for. Perhaps this is a more suitable punishment: to do penance. The land of the free means everyone has their rights and freedom and that everyone should have the bravery to do the right thing even when everything says not to. If you’re brave enough to stand up against corporal punishment, you could end the killing of hundreds of people in the upcoming years. It takes courage to sentence someone to death, but it takes even more to know that a murderer is locked up in a jail still breathing. Capital crimes don’t deserve capital punishment.

More opinion essays can be found: Voyager-online.org. Want to write? Send us work at ehsvoyager@gmail.com

Read this on a treadmill, and then drop and do some crunches By DILLON LAMON ‘21 Special to The Voyager “What a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” Socrates, 469-369 B.C.

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veryone should exercise. Everybody can. No matter the age, exercising for nearly any amount of time will greatly improve one’s life. It doesn’t matter what physical activity you choose: just move. Today, thanks to our modern advancements in transportation and nutrition, physical labor is at an all-time low. The majority of citizens live a lazy life, sitting in rows, standing and texting, or sitting within a bubble or a cubicle for hours at a time. Long gone are the days of walking miles for a meal or constructing massive structures with just your hands and feet. Now more than ever, it is necessary to get up and exercise. Rates of obesity and depression are skyrocketing. Enough studies have proven that exercise improves one’s health and physique as well as improve mood and mental state. Exercising, whether weight training at the gym to gain strength and build muscle or jogging around your neighborhood or walking your lovely dog to improve endurance and lose weight, has obvious health effects. This has been proven throughout the centuries of human evolution. Those who were the most active, ancient warriors, farmers, physical laborers, and hunters, reaped the physical benefits; stronger, muscular, and overall healthier

than their sedentary counterparts. Today, the same truth remains: those who exercise on a regular basis enjoy a healthier and richer life. Those who exercise regularly reduce their chances of getting many diseases such as diabetes, certain cancers, and cardiovascular illnesses. For example, the Canadian Medical Association Journal states that “both aerobic and resistance types of exercise have been shown to be associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes. In a large prospective study, each increase of 500 kcal (2100 kJ) in energy expenditure per week was associated with a decreased incidence of type 2 diabetes of 6%.” Not only will exercise aid your body in defending against certain illnesses but it will also lengthen your life altogether. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “People who are physically active for about 150 minutes a week have a 33% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who are physically inactive.” And this is not a difficult task to manage. The Center for Disease Control states that “you don’t have to do high amounts of activity or vigorous-intensity activity to reduce your risk of premature death. Benefits start to accumulate with any amount of moderate- or vigorousintensity physical activity.” Simple activities such as walking will greatly increase the chances of living a longer life as well as your quality of life as a whole. In addition to internal health benefits, exercise will also improve your physique, whether it be weight loss or muscle growth. There is no shortcut or way around it, every person idolized on the cover of fitness and wellness magazines, in Gatorade commercials, or modeling your favorite clothes engages in exercise. Exercise provides a direct route

to good health and a healthy physique. Exercise is attributed with many positive characteristics such as determination and perseverance, attributes correlated with a hard work ethic. Exercising releases numerous chemicals in your brain which improve mood and cognitive skills, that act as natural drugs to aid against mental issues, including depression and anxiety— the most common mental illnesses. Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry claims that “aerobic exercises, including jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, and dancing, have been proved to reduce anxiety and depression. Perhaps so much t e e n anxiety a n d depression can be attributed to a lack of movement. These improvements in mood are proposed to be caused by exercise-induced increase in blood circulation to the brain and by an influence on the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal (HPA) axis and, thus, on the physiologic reactivity to stress.” In addition to combating mental ailments, exercise also promotes positive attributes; according to the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes for Health: “Substantial evidence indicates that physical activity enhances learning and memory for people of all ages, including individuals that suffer from cognitive impairment.”

Artwork by Madeline Bowne

Exercising improve general mental health. How many of us could use help like that? It improves overall mood and cognitive functions. There are no excuses to not exercise. Just thirty minutes a day can improve one’s quality of living. As I finish this essay, I’m walking on the treadmill with a smile on my face at 3.4 miles per hour to burn off the last two hundred sixtyeight calories that I refuse to let turn into undesirable fat. So, stop reading this and start exercising. Drop right now and crunch some sit-ups and push-ups.

March 2020 Entertainment 70 year old’s first novel deserves Broadway dims its lights amid coronavirus concerns to be a NY Times bestseller 12 The Voyager

By ARIANNA MORALES ‘22 News Editor

By FAITH SIRDASHNEY ‘20 Staff Reporter

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In the words of Hamilton, “the world turned upside down.” That was the song the British played as they marched defeated in front of Washington’s army after the Battle of Yorktown. Up is down. Left is right. And life as we know it? Halted before our eyes. COVID-19, better known as the CoronaFAITH ON THEATRE virus, has taken the world by hurricane. people off guard. Some Broadway perStores are being ransacked of hand saniformers found out about the dimming tizer, the affected are being quarantined, from articles, before their managers told and any and every public establishment is them anything. “Frankenstein” performer shutting its doors. Marc Christopher said on Facebook that Unfortunately, the same can now be “the moment when your career of uncersaid for Broadway. As two tain work becomes almost Broadway ushers tested definite uncertain work.” positive for the virus, Many actors are now out the Great White Way has By order of of jobs for the next month. dimmed its lights. Not only has this caught Governor Andrew This is the first time actors off guard, the Broadway theatres closed Cuomo, Broadway shows and attendees were since the stagehand strike closed its doors on caught off guard as well. of 2007, when theatres March 12th “Six,” the concert-style were shuttered for 19 musical sharing the stories days. Other times include of Henry VIII’s six wives, the musicians strike in was scheduled to open 1975, after the 9/11 terMarch 12th. rorist attacks, as well as Now, like many other Broadway shows, after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The curmost postpone all performances. Addirent dimming will be the longest ever in tionally, any ticket holders during this Broadway history. dark period now have to contact their By order of Governor Andrew Cuomo, point of purchase in regards to refunds or Broadway closed its doors on March 12, purchases. with performances resuming the week Despite the darkening of the Broadway of April 13th. He announced in a press lights due to COVID-19, the Broadway conference, due to rising concerns about spirit still sings on. Charlotte St. Marthe global pandemic, that no gatherings tin continued her statement saying that of more than 500 people will be allowed. “Broadway has the power to inspire, enPresident of the Broadway League, Charrich and entertain, and together we are lotte St. Martin, said in a statement, “Our committed to making that vital spirit a top priority has been and will continue to reality.” be the health and well-being of BroadOnce our stages are lit again, we will way theatre-goers and the thousands of welcome fans back with open arms so people who work in the theatre industry that they can continue to experience the every day, including actors, musicians, joy, heart, and goodwill that our shows so stagehands, ushers and many other dedipassionately express every night.” cated professionals.” But for now, give my regards to BroadThis announcement has caught many way!

Black is here to stay

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elia Owens written her novel Where the Crawdads Sing at 70 years old and has not maintained the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller list for three consecutive weeks but was included in the bestseller list for six months preceding that. Where the Crawdads Sing is Delia Owens’ first novel but is not the first book she has written. According to her website, she is a wildlife scientist who has traveled to Africa along with her then husband--now ex-husband-- and has co-authored three nonfiction books with him based on their experiences there. Owens lives in a remote location in Idaho in which she is surrounded by miles of beautiful nature that she has grown ments so masterfully within the plot that to love and appreciate. However, she it’s nearly impossible to call Owens a says in a CBS interview. “I get so lonely newbie author. sometimes I feel like I can’t breathe.” yet Kya uses the marsh as a guide for her even that feeling she has grown to like in life: she studied, observed, and noted all a way--which is why she has decided to that she could with all the live subjects write a novel exploring her available to her at the conflict with nature. From the first page marsh. Owens descripThe inspiration behind tion of the marsh on evOwens’ story is Where the Crawdads Sing ery page is so detailed was a phrase Owens’ moth- compelling, imagiand specific that it’s no native, and exer used to describe the conwonder that she is a wildnection that one can form tremely ambitious life scientist and this is between nature--a sense of for a first novel. what her life revolves limbo between insanity and around: and it naturally peace. becomes Kya’s too. On the same CBS interFrom the first page Owens’ story is comview Owens said: “I would watch the lipelling, imaginative, and extremely amons in the late afternoon, the sun setting bitious for a first novel. Furthermore, behind the dunes, and they’d be playing Owens’ story focuses on the importance and tumbling with their cubs and each of nature as well as its beauty: “On the others’ cubs,” she said. “And it made me morning of October 30, 1969, the body of think about my girlfriends back home. It Chase Andrews lay in the swamp, which made me realize how isolated I was not would have absorbed it silently, routineto have a group. And that was one thing ly… A swamp knows all about death, and I wanted to write about in my novel, was doesn’t necessarily define it as a tragedy, the effect that isolation and loneliness can certainly not a sin. But this morning two have on a person.” boys… spotted his denim jacket.” Owens transforms the loneliness within This novel encourages the preservation her own life into an entertaining story of nature, and the motives of perseverabout Kya as she battles loneliness, reance, faith, hope, and love all wrapped up lationships, and survival on a Carolina into a beautiful story. Owens’ concluding marsh in the 1950s after she was abanwords: “Kya had been of this land and of doned by her family. Owens doesn’t hesithis water; and now they would take her tate to not only include a muder mystery, back… way out yonder, where the crawa love story, to further develop Kya’s dads sing.” character, but also interweaves these ele-

The New York Fall/Winter 2020 collections proved black was never gone

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By LEAH SNYDERMAN ‘22 Staff Reporter

lack is back. Who couldn’t be happier? As always, New York City opened up Fashion Month for the Fall/Winter 2020 collections. Show after show, a pattern of black was recognized, and this pattern continued throughout London, Milan, and Paris, giving the season the title, “the return of black.” Like every season, I lived vicariously through Eva Chen and Derek Blasberg’s Instagram stories. It was almost like I was with them, sitting in the front row as they documented every show. Well, not really, but I still got to see the view from the top on a tiny screen. That’s basically the same, right? Brandon Maxwell’s collection earned my vote as the best show of the season. Everything about it was perfect: the runway, the clothes, the tailoring, the accessories. I’m still not over it. The show was held at the Natural History Museum and models walked along the runway in between wooly mammoths and saber-tooth tigers, all while being cheered along by Netflix’s Cheer stars Lexi Brumback and Gabi Butler. I have no words; it was pure perfection. Across the pond in London, Victoria Beckham kept it simple and stunning as always. Opening and closing in all black, she is the definition of chic. Her clothes are always practical and wearable - it’s just elegant pieces that

don’t conform to the complication and over-the-top fashion. For the past two seasons, Versace has broken the internet with the return of the original supermodels and recreating JLO’s iconic jungle dress. How do you top that? Donatella Versace adopted a glam yet casual stance, but her main focus is always evening wear. Worn by Kendall Jenner, the closing piece was my favorite of the season. The hourglass dress was lined with crystals and a curved neckline. I sent it to my mom and she immediately replied no, as in no, you are not buying that for your brother’s Bar Mitzvah. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. That dress would even make JLO proud. I’m still not sure if I loved or hated Gucci. The concept was genius: to show the effort and time everyone puts into the show. The stage revolved, giving the audience a glimpse into the backstage and showing the hair and makeup teams and the model dressers at work - a show in the round. “You were our show, and we were your show,” head designer Alessandro Michele said. However, I didn’t get the clothes. Michele looked back on the clothing that surrounded him in his childhood, but to me it just looked like bag ladies and thrift-shop finds.

Dior is one of my favorite brands. The brand has always stood for feminism, especially under the current designer Maria Grazia Chiuri. This show was more poignant than usual since it coincided with the guilt verdict of Harvey Weinstein’s rape trial. The runway was lined with newspapers from the last few weeks and neon signs reading “Consent” and “When Women Strike the World Stops” hung throughout the room. The clothes were an homage to the Dior designs of the 1970s by Marc Bohan. They were a relaxed throwback while staying on the trend of black. Another fashion month has come and gone, but there’s no need to worry because there will be another next week. Not technically, but that’s what it feels like. The Fall/Winter 2020 collections proved black was never gone and is here to stay. Women’s Wear Daily. WWD.

March 2020

Entertainment

The Voyager 13

Sequel to the “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” franchise leaves fans hopeful for a third film

Unfortunately, I was right. In the first movie, the main idea was that Lara Jean’s love letters had been sent out to all the boys she had loved before. In ased on the novels by Jenny relation to the first movie, the letter had Han and adapted into films by been sent to John Ambrose McClaren Netflix, the “To All the Boys (Jordan Fisher) had some repercussions. I’ve Loved Before” franchise After meeting John Ambrose at Model has just released their second UN, Lara Jean had written a letter for him, movie, “To All the Boys: P.S I Still Love with no intention of it getting out, but it You”. Since the first film had hooked so did. many fans, the second film had already Once John Ambrose had received the built a following, leaving many awaiting letter he, unlike any other letter recipiits release. Like the first film, the release ent, wrote Lara Jean back. Normally, this of the sequel caused an uproar amongst would not be a problem, but since Lara rom-com fans everywhere. Jean’s and Peter’s relationship was goThe film was released on February 12, ing so well, this added a tiny conflict. To 2020, just two days before Valentines add to the conflict, Lara Jean’s partner Day. The timeline of the movie matched for her community service project is (you up with the timeline of the release: the guessed it), John Amsequel picked up right brose. around Valentines Day As a fan of every romEntangled in the with Lara Jean Covey’s classic rom-com love com to ever exist, it’s (Lana Candor) and Peter triangle, Lara Jean is Kavinsky’s (Noah Censafe to say that I tineo) relationship in thoroughly enjoyed the forced to choose between Peter and John full swing. entirety of “To All the Ambrose. At the first movie’s end, Boys: P.S I Still Love Avoiding any spoilLara Jean and Peter had ers, Lara Jean goes You.” just confessed their true through many infeelings toward each stances to make her other, leaving viewers choice. My personal favorite being the wondering what would be in store for scene where Lara Jean, Peter, John Amthem. With the fate of the couple up in the brose and a few others go to dig up a time air, many viewers were relieved to see the capsule they had made when they were second film open with a montage of their younger. This scene shows the awkwardhappy, healthy relationship. ness of the love triangle, because John However, I had seen far too many romAmbrose doesn’t know that Lara Jean and coms to believe their happiness would Peter are together. last; there was still an entire movie left Through many other trials and tribulato add trials and tribulations. After I saw tions, the film follows Lara Jean in making the blooming relationship going well, her decision, choosing between her childI instantly realized that the director was hood crush and her current love. Without probably building up their relationship giving anything away, or releasing any so much because something that would spoilers, I will say I was very happy with jeopardize their relationship was about to how the movie ended, and naturally was happen. BY FAITH MENDELSON ‘21 Staff Reporter

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left wondering if there would be a third movie. I was thrilled to find out that there will be a third and final film to complete the franchise! After looking for any information regarding the production and release of the film, I found that the filming of the third movie had wrapped in September of 2019 and the franchise is currently working on production. While there is not a release date set yet, it gives avid fans of the movie something to look forward to after watching the sequel. As a fan of every rom-com to ever exist, it’s safe to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the entirety of “To All the Boys: P.S I Still Love You.” However, the biggest factor that separates it from other movies of it’s kind is the undeniable on-screen chemistry of Candor and Centineo (who play Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky). The two actors so easily convey their characters’ The films are based on Jenny Han’s bestselling stories that it makes the audi- books. Amazon.com ence really invest in the charthat this theory rings true in the “To All acters and forget that they are watching a the Boys” franchise. While I still love the movie. second movie, the first film, in my opinWhile the first film was more lightheartion, is unmatched. ed and heartwarming, the second film To any rom-com fans in search of a new was more realistic and showed the more favorite, I highly recommend watching practical side of dating, while still holdboth “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” ing onto the fanciful and romantic romand “To All the Boys: P.S I Still Love com traits. Many viewers will like the first You” on Netflix, and keeping an eye out movie because of its lightheartedness, and for the release of the third film in the franothers will like the second film more due chise. to its realism. For more entertainment Many people believe that sequels are articles, go to: never as good as the originals in book voyager-online.org or movie franchises, and I have to agree

BTS’s “Map of the Soul: 7” hits with emotional power pre-chorus expressing that they are no longer afraid of facing their future head on. Their entire album, Map of the Soul: 7, dropped on February 21 with the completion of 15 new tracks for s 2020 kicked off, many music artists made their fans to enjoy. The title track, ‘ON’, features BTS’s their own start to the new year with new munew rendition of an old song of theirs, ‘N.O’. Paired with sic albums and singles. A group that certainly mesmerising choreography, the song addresses how the made a permanent mark beginning this decade group has learned to accept their shadows. Not afraid was BTS, the global phenomenon from South anymore, the lyrics showcase BTS’s new found strength Korea. in dealing with future challenges. In addition to this verDebuting in 2013, this boy group including RM, Jin, sion, they also made another adaptation of ‘ON’ that Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, has largely grown features Sia. She also adds her own creative twist to the in popularity within the U.S for the past four years. vocals of this song. The international superstars kicked off the year with the And this is just the beginning; BTS reveals even more release of their new single, ‘Black raw emotion with the songs, Swan’, in January. Accompanied “We Are Bulletproof: The with an art film performed by MN Eternal,” “Zero O’Clock,” Dance Co., the song began with People who are “Moon,” and “Louder Than melodramatic orchestral melostruggling to find Bombs.” dies, featuring heavy string instruThese tracks all share one mentals to add an eerie effect. themselves can often thing: reassuring their fans As the song progressed, the true take comfort in the that they’ll always be there to message that BTS wanted to conlyrics within provide support through their vey through this song began to music. emerge within their lyrics. Suga their songs. ‘Zero O’ Clock’ relays the and RM begin their powerful rap message that everyday, when addressing their fear of losing the clock strikes 12 a.m, you their passions. These passions inget another chance to become a better version of yourself. clude their love for dancing, and performing overall. On the more emotional side, “We Are Bulletproof: The Martha Graham’s quote inspired this concept: “A Eternal,” “Louder Than Bombs,” and “Moon” expresses dancer twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first BTS’s gratitude and passion towards their fanbase. Some death is the more painful.” lyrics from the first song state, “We were only seven / As one delves deeper into the song, the focus shifts But we have you all now / We are, we are together, bulfrom their fear of succumbing to the pain and pressure, letproof”. To add to this, Jungkook closes the song by to revealing that they’ve started to learn how to accept singing, “Yeah we are not seven with you”. their shadows. Suga raps more verses saying that he’s Map of the Soul: 7 also includes solo tracks from all finally seen himself instead of wandering around in the of the members, adding their own voice or aspect to the dark. Accompanying this, Jungkook and Jin sings in the

Wikipedia.com

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BY ANTONIA ZONG ‘22 Staff Reporter

overall message of the album: that BTS and their fans have each other to face their shadows now. Two solo tracks, sung by V & Jungkook, are called ‘My Time’ and ‘Inner Child’. Both of these songs reveal the hardships that they had to endure as they grew up in the spotlight. Other solo tracks including ‘Interlude: Shadow’, ‘Filter’, and ‘Outro: Ego’ talk about the hardships and sometimes the dangers of being celebrities. While ‘Filter’ contains components mirroring latin melodies, the other two tracks heavily feature rap. The appeal of BTS, for me, is simply because of their passion for what they do. People who are struggling to find themselves can often take comfort in the lyrics within their songs. It’s rare for people and artists now to relate to and to comfort each other without interacting much. But BTS definitely finds ways to connect to their fans through their lyrics and melodies.

Sports

14 The Voyager

March 2020

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By CALEB HELLER ‘21 Special to The Voyager

aseball has created the very popular Next-Gen Stats. This technology lets fans know details that would be impossible to figure out with the blind eye. These stats include: home run distance, speed of the baseball off the bat, and hitting power. Next-Gen Stats have also reached football. Such stats can show how unlikely a play is to occur. This program has spread as fast as a wildfire. Unlike this technology, soccer’s Video Assistant Referee has only garnered controversy. Because of its lack of success, VAR should be removed and redeveloped in order to fix the injustices it provides to the game. Soccer is a ninety-minute sport played without stoppages, except for halftime. However, soccer can stop other things. Pele, the most famous soccer player ever to play the sport, once stopped a war for one day because the warring nations chose to watch him play. Now, with the addition of VAR, there are breaks in the action after every cry for a handball or offsides. Without VAR, referees would still get most calls right, and the athletes could continue to run around and entertain. This is the biggest problem associated with the virtual device. The main reason people fall in love with soccer is that they do not have to watch three and a half minutes of radio silence for every five minutes of gameplay. Soccer is the only sport to not subject their viewers to constant commercials. Commercials ruin the enjoyment. Nobody enjoys watching stoppages. VAR is supposed to be used for penalty kick decisions, goals, and hard fouls. However, VAR is an insect that has infested the whole sport. Instead of making the decisions that are close, they pick situations that are way too close to be determined by artificial intelligence.

One example of a too close call was during a Liverpool versus Wolves game. Liverpool is the league leader of the Premier League, who have only not been victorious on one occasion. They are one pace for a record one hundred and twelve points, which is great. Everyone loves Liverpool. In this game, which the Wolves could have beaten Liverpool, the Wolves scored a goal and were given a disallowed point. VAR was used to check if the player was offsides. VAR determined that the player was less than a millimeter offside, which should never be called if one is offside by a margin that no person could see. Another example of VAR treachery was during a Champions league quarter final match between Tottenham and Manchester City. The Champions League is composed of the best of the best teams from across the top leagues. Manchester City was making a historic comeback and were one goal away when it happened. In the final minute of the game, City crossed the ball in and scored the winning goal. What would VAR say? VAR claimed that the ball touched a player’s arm, and therefore could not count. It was an outrage, as I have been a City fan for my whole life. The rule is that the ball is good to be played if the arm is at the player’s side and does not take up additional space, which was the case. VAR has made horrific calls, and it needs to be removed or at least stick to the calls that it gets right: goal line decisions, fouls, and penalties in the box. Video Assistant Referees’ have caused many problems. They must either be removed or used less. VAR has disrupted the flow of the game. Stoppages plague entertainment. Some extreme situations, which have only increased since the technological addition, are major failures. Fans from across the leagues and even the players themselves have protested the VAR issue for a while

Waiting for baseball

now. In one poll, ninety-four percent of people expect VAR to be problematic on the daily. This technology was a massive failure, but that should not stop the creators from trying to fix it. VAR must be protested. VAR must be stopped. Join the fight against VAR. Do not stop until victory has been reached like the Americans in the American Revolution.

The little,unknown secret of the WBC Conference . . Before the Astros, there were the Astericks

How to heal from a tumultuous offseason

By AARON ARNSTEIN ‘20 Sports Editor

By ANDREW SHINKLE ‘22 Sports Editor

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Cartoon by Madeline Bowne

Not The Joker or Red Skull: it’s VAR, the vile villain of soccer

veryone knows what Major League Baseball has gone through in the past four months. Oakland Athletics pitcher Mike to simply move on. It will take a while for Fiers came forward in Novemthis scab to heal, but there are some first ber 2019 with allegations that the Houssteps that the league can take in order to ton Astros, his former team, electronically accelerate the healing process. stole opposing pitchers’ signs during the First and foremost, MLB Commissioner 2017 regular season and postseason. Rob Manfred should work to set the reThis operation, later revealed to be titled cord straight. Ever since news first came “Codebreaker,” was an elaborate scheme. out about the scandal, there has been a A video camera in center field, hooked up lot of confusion and misinformation as to to a TV screen in the Astros tunnel, would what exactly transpired and how. This has zoom in on the catcher’s signs. Players caused the loss of nuand coaches would then merous jobs around the easily decipher and reIt’s easy to jump league, with some more lay these signs back to the Astros hitters by on the bandwagon innocent than others. Did former Astros means of banging on a and hate on the bench coach Alex Cora trash can; different bang Astros for what have a prominent role? sequences correspondIt won’t give him his ed to different incoming they did, and you Red Sox managing gig pitches. are certainly back, but it will at least By giving themselves entitled to do so. clear up a lot of leaguean obvious unfair adwide confusion. vantage in crucial Next, after everything games down the stretch, has been cleared up by the Houston Astros not the commissioner’s offi ce, the next step only ruined the timeline of the 2017 seashould be to stop talking about the scanson and postseason; they’ve ended careers dal altogether. This has been one of the (ex. pitcher Mike Bolsinger), changed darkest moments in baseball history, and lives, and ruined the face of a sport which nothing is ever really going to change that has been waning in popularity recently. fact. So, we should just attempt to forget It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon and (or at least come to peace with) the past, hate on the Astros for what they did, and and put our best feet forward into the fuyou are certainly entitled to do so. But ture. after a certain point, it becomes pointless This past offseason has been a tough one and obstructive to further bury their name. for baseball, and there will certainly be You just have to move on with your life. vendettas held against the Houston Astros But following the largest scandal in for years to come. baseball history besides possibly the steBut in this case, forgiveness seems to be roid era and the 1917 “Black Sox” scanthe only clear way forward. dal, it will be hard for baseball and its fans

Deep in the Pocket

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very March, Major League baseball players either travel to the Sunshine State of Florida or the Grand Canyon State of Arizona. There is one thing that players look forward to more than anything else. No, it’s not catching up with teammates, signing autographs, or simply getting back into baseball’s daily grind. It’s the annual top-secret Winning by Cheating (WBC) conference, held in Orbit the mascot’s dressing room. The WBC was started by the Cleveland Hooligans in 1899, in the midst of an MLB-record 134loss season. The Hooligans were gracious enough to invite players from around MLB to learn about the easiest path to a World Series title: by way of cheating. Only a handful of players, including two male strippers, a hitchhiker, and a circus ringleader, joined the Hooligans for the inaugural weeklong conference at a sewage plant. When the Hooligans came out of nowhere (or so we thought) by reeling off 111 wins in 1901, players became increasingly interested in undermining the integrity of the MLB by joining the WBC. The conference’s proven success had such a profound impact on Houston Asterisks star second baseman Noisy Altuve and teammate George Sprinkler that they convinced their team’s entire spring training roster to attend the 2016 conference in hopes of becoming sign-stealing experts. After 2016, several teams utilized tactics taught at the WBC conference by some of baseball’s notorious cheaters, such as gambler Pete Rose and match-fixer Shoeless Joe Jackson, who rose from the dead after hearing about the WBC conference’s recent success. The 1930 Philadelphia Un-athletics were the WBC’s first real success story, claiming their first World Series Championship. However, the Houston Asterisks quickly became the poster child of the

WBC, from a 131-loss season in 2014, to a 131-win season. The Asterisks even invented new signstealing tactics, including one method they dubbed “Operation Nosebreaker.” (Rings a bell, eh?) They developed a comprehensive nose-twitch recognition system which players in the dugout would relay to the hitter, thus notifying the batter of the upcoming pitch. The Asterisks front office recommended the installation of AI-mind reading chips on Minute Maid Park’s pitching rubber, which would help identify the pitch based on the pitcher’s thought process. The Asterisks became so confident in their ability to elude MLB rules that they went as far as designating drunk college students behind the first-base dugout to sit shirtless (only men, of course) with the opponent’s upcoming pitch type written on their chest. To this day, the Asterisks integrity-defying cheating attempts remain successful, drawing great admiration from corrupt players around the league, so much that the Asterisks will teach a brand-new three-day seminar, Sign-Stealing 101, at this year’s WBC conference. A recent leak of information regarding the WBC conference allowed the public to get a closer look into the conference. The WBC flyer distributed to Spring Training mascot dressing rooms reads: “Calling all MLB players: Don’t miss a chance to learn from some of baseball’s greatest cheaters to ever play the game, all for just the small price of a potential lifetime ban from the MLB! Seminar speakers include: Nosy Altuve, Carlos Corruption, Goofy Gurriel and many more! Proven cheaters with proven results!” The future of baseball has never been brighter. So next time you attend a Houston Asterisks game, see how many cheating tactics you can spot throughout the course of the game! Oh, one more thing: Just don’t tell the Commissioner’s Office about this sign-stealing thing.

Sports

March 2020

The Voyager 15

A stop and chat with 2019 CP ‘Coach of the Year,’ Mr. Christ Staff reporter Aaron Arnstein sat down with the 2019 Courier Post South Jersey baseball Coach of the Year, Coach Rob Christ to discuss last season’s success as well as the upcoming season. By AARON ARNSTEIN ‘20 Staff Reporter

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i coach, thanks for sitting down with me. First off, how are preseason workouts coming along?

(Coach Christ) CC: So far so good, it hasn’t been our best year of off-season workouts, but we’re always appreciative of those players who give up themselves and work towards our intended goals. With losses to key players like shortstop Jack Winsett and catcher Dylan Stezzi, do you guys feel you are one of the dark horses in South Jersey? CC: I don’t think anyone would call us a dark horse, but we don’t have the depth that we’ve had in the past years and we have a couple injuries coming into the year, so I think that it will be very challenging as it always is, but maybe even more so than previous years. After a slow start, what was the turning point of last season? CC: When we beat Shawnee, I thought they were the best team in South Jersey, but we beat them twice and I’m very proud of that. The game we played here [12-11 win at home] we had no business winning but we scratched, clawed and stayed around and ended up winning in extra innings. I think that game catapulted us throughout the rest of the season. After being one run away from the program’s second-ever Group IV State Championship, is this year’s expectation State Championship or bust? CC: I wouldn’t say state championship or bust, but I always tell my team that we have the same goals every year. The first goal is to win the conference, second goal is to win the State Championship and the third goal is to win the

Diamond Classic. In my opinion, winning the Olympic Conference is tougher than the other two because we probably play in the toughest conference on the East Coast. You look at some of the other sports, and the Olympic Conference isn’t necessarily the best conference, but in baseball, there’s no comparison. Do you feel like the club has a target on their back because of the team’s year in and year out success? CC: It’s something that I’m cognizant of but I’m not sure the players are always aware of that. When a team beats Eastern, that’s something they’re going to talk Coach Christ talks with his assistant coaches after an offseason workout. about at their end of season banPhoto by Aaron Arnstein ‘20 quet. We’ve won consistently for had another song that we used to play never underestimate the human spirit. I a number of years and anytime a team that was about Scandinavian and nature. have seen some kids that have surprised beats us, even if they are in our conferI try to make the things we do thematime in terms of their work ethic, their ence, it’s a big deal to them. In a way, cally aligned. passion, and their desire. I’m lucky that it’s very flattering, but it requires us to I’ve got to watch so many talented athbe at our best each and every game. What do you think separates letes and when my players are successful Eastern’s baseball program from and I see that unbridled joy, it makes me What does the team’s motto, the rest of the always-competivery, very happy. SISU, represent? tive Olympic Conference? Describe last year’s team in one CC: SISU is a Finnish term that repreCC: I’m old fashioned, and I believe word. sents the ability to overcome adversity in the Puritan work ethic of hard work and continue to battle and be victoribeing the formula to success. I can’t CC: Resilient. I think that is one of the ous even when the odds are against speak for other programs, but I know most important qualities that a human you. Again, it emanates from the Fins that I ask my players to work very hard, can possess. Things aren’t going to aland I’ve always tried to come up with and I think that it will eventually pay ways go our way, and we have to shake a rallying cry as coach at Eastern. The dividends. My belief is that it will pay it off and believe in ourselves. UltimateFins were wholly outnumbered by the dividends in life, but luckily it has paid ly, sometimes it’s not about being the Russians in WWII but despite that, they dividends on the baseball field as well. best, it’s about being the last. repelled the Russians. In Finland, SISU is something that a human possesses that Piggybacking off of that stateCoach, thanks for taking time to allows them to be successful despite the ment, as a coach, you are contalk with me about the upcoming odds. stantly teaching your players season in Eastern baseball. Good Where do you first learn about the term? CC: I did research, and as Vikings, I try to play on our Nordic heritage and I’ve incorporated a variety of things. Our fight song is from Led Zeppelin, which is all about the Vikings. Before that, I

valuable lessons both on and off the field. Over the years, what lessons have you learned from them?

CC: I’ve learned to always have patience, which for any human being is always a process. I’ve also learned to

luck this year.

CC: Thank you. It’s my pleasure. Editors Note: This article was completed prior to the COVID-19 emergency. May the bats swing again soon!

With new coach, the softball team had been eager to polish the diamond

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By JOSH MEYERS ‘21 Associate Editor-in-Chief

he new softball coach, Rich Gilmore, is a confident man. After many years coaching baseball at Westminster Christian School in Miami, Florida and softball at Riverside High School here in New Jersey, Gilmore makes the leap to Eastern, aiming to lead the softball program to success. Gilmore knows that coaching is a crucial aspect of any sport. “I believe each year as a coach, I have to evaluate not only my players, but myself. I try to add to my skills and continue to learn new things to help improve my practices and my players’ skills,” he said. Gilmore especially loves the journey that a season provides, where he can see how his players are growing, and personally help them reach their goals. “I am hoping to really build that teamwork here at Eastern. If they learn how to work hard, come together, and fight through the hard times, then I will have succeeded in what I am trying to build here.” Gilmore is a baseball person at heart, but learning the sport of softball has been a valuable asset for him. “The games are quick, intense and you have to be ready for anything,” he said. “Baseball can sometimes be very predictable. Softball, runs can be scored quickly and the pressure is on. I feel if we have the right group of players, we will put pressure on the other teams and force them to make mistakes that we can capitalize on.”

Hard-working players can varsity, she aims to have a make the job of a coach a bigger role on the team. whole lot easier. To contribute, Kates feels Senior Chandler Mitchell that her bat is her bigand junior Hannah Kates gest asset. Team-wise, she will spearhead an Eastern believes that the players squad ready for battle. themselves will be the main Mitchell will trot back out factor of their success. to the outfield, entering her “Some of our heavy hitfinal high school season. ters this year are Kayla As a lifetime player of the Ottaviano and D’Aaliyah sport, this season will mean Patterson, and Chandler a great deal to her. She Mitchell, leading off. hopes to translate that pas- Angel Cavallaro, Riya Nandakumar, Evelyn Steele Han- With the four of us, and of sion into production. Being nah Kates, Caitlin McGuckin (back row) Bella Lynch, course the rest of the lineup, a speed demon on the bases Chandler Mitchell, D’Aaliyah Patterson, Kayla Ottaviano, we will be very successful,” and swinging a potent bat Leah Rinne (front)” she said. certainly won’t hurt. Kates has high hopes folMitchell acknowledges that the team lost a lot of talent lowing the addition of the team’s new head coach. last year, but she is confident that the underclassmen and “Coach Gilmore brings that intensity to the team that we remaining upperclassmen, such as herself, can make up need,” she said. “With his new perspective, I feel we will for it. She is prepared to be one of the team’s leaders, and do very well.” her experience puts her in the right position. This season will be a test for Gilmore, but it’s one that “The past years have taught me that this is a family, and he can handle. that we win together and lose together,” Mitchell said. “If the team can learn how to work hard, come together, After high school, Mitchell will attend the University of fight through the hard times, then I will have succeeded Hartford to continue her athletic and academic career. But on what I am trying to build here,” Gilmore said. “The for now, she wants her fellow softball players to do their foundation starts with how we approach practices and best and prove to Eastern how good they really are. working to prepare for games. Without that foundation, Kates considers herself a utility player, someone who we will not succeed. Success isn’t always measured in can play any position. Last year, after pinch hitting for wins, but how we prepare and play.”

16 The Voyager

Cotillion

March 2020

Photos by Clare Fitzpatrick ‘20