Inklings Back to School 2020 Issue

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Sept. 8, 2020

Volume 89, Issue 1

Westport Public Schools reopen with hybrid model Claire Redmer ’21 Editor-in-Chief

W

estport Public Schools opted to reopen with a hybrid model, combining learning in school and at home, for the start of the 2020-21 school year.

Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr. explained the reasoning behind the district’s choice to take a hybrid approach.

“Health and safety would be the main reasons as social distancing would be extremely hard to achieve and certainly not with regularity with our high school and middle school populations being what they are,” Thomas said. “Based on the unchanging guidelines around health and safety, this was the only decision.”

Staples students are split into two cohorts, with last names A-K attending school on Monday and Tuesday and last names L-Z learning in-person on Thursday and Friday. Wednesday is a virtual day for all high schoolers, allowing time to clean and ventilate the building between cohorts.

During the days when students are not in school, they will participate in Distance Learning by watching class through a live stream and completing assignments through S c h o o l o g y.

Given

COHORT TWO

Inside the Issue Coleytown Middle School delays reopening

health and safety concerns, students may also opt to participate in Distance Learning entirely and access all classes online.

“I’ve decided to do full online learning because I think it’s safer for my family,” Mira Mahendru ’21 said. “My mom is recovering from stage four cancer and therefore has a compromised immune system. I’m sad to be missing out on the normal senior traditions and being able to be in school with my friends but I know that it’s best that I minimize any risk of getting my mom or family sick.”

The daily schedule includes four 80-minute classes, 30 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes of flex time at the end of the day on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Periods one through four are taught on Monday and Thursday and periods five through eight take place on Tuesday and Friday. Flex time gives teachers the chance to conference with students, particularly students learning online, who they won’t see in class. This schedule’s classes are 30 minutes longer than the 50 minute periods used in the 2019-20 schedule.

“I think there is an opportunity here,” Superintendent Thomas Scarice said during the Board of Education meeting on Aug. 13. “We have the chance to rethink how we teach certain concepts [and] the tasks we give kids because the need to really draw student engagement, less so because of who the teacher is and more so because of what the task is, is going to be really important. No matter how interesting you are, you are not interesting for 80 minutes.”

He went on to add, “[Utilizing] student choice can really play a central role here because that is the number one internal motivator.”

On Wednesday, there are four 50-minute periods, switching between periods one through four and five through eight every week, a 20-minute Connections block and flex time from 12:30 to 2:45. A weekly Connections period was added in order to build community within a split-up school.

“There is so much we have had to process and it helps in times like to process with your

“Givpeers,” en very Thomlow transas said. “We mission rates in knew this was a our community and surneed when we started it last rounding areas, why are we not trusting year and it was unfortunately not able high school students to wear masks [at all to run during much of the distance times] to enable them to be in school full learning time but now that we are comtime, if those high school students and ing back, it was never in question.” parents are comfortable with this,” Robert

Other Westport schools will also Harrington wrote in as a public comment follow a hybrid model, with last names during the Board of Education meeting on A-K in cohort one and last names L-Z in Aug. 17. “Does anyone on the Board or the cohort two. As of Sep. 1, middle schools Superintendent truly think that a sophowill have cohort one in person on Monmore or junior coming in just two days and Thursdays, while cohort days a week is appropriate two will be in school on given where they are Tuesdays and Fridays. in the life cycle of All students will be education and betaught remotely ing so close to on Wednesdays. college? [...]

Instead of alThere simply ternating isn’t enough cohorts for s c h o o l in-school for older learning c h i l d r e n .” every other While some day, elemenbelieve the tary schools DISTANCE LEARNING hybrid model have split is flawed, otheach day into ers appreciate morning and afthe ability to have ternoon sessions. at least some days Elementary students of in-person schoolin cohort A will attend ing and social interaction. school in person in the morn“Although I am nervous to go back ings on Monday and Tuesday and in the and be around a lot of people, I am also exafternoons on Thursday and Friday. Elecited due to the fact that I have not been in mentary students in cohort B will attend school since March,” Stella Beck ’23 said. “I during the opposite time slots. Wednesam excited to see many friends and have a days will alternate between in person learnsomewhat normal day like pre-covid. It’s going and remote learning every other week. ing to be weird and challenging but being in The new schedules received some criticism school will give me a little bit of normality.” from members of the Westport community.

Remarkable Theater lives up to its name

Students turn quarantine passions into summer businesses

COHORT ONE

Fall sports adapt to COVID-19 precautions

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Page 6

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Coleytown Middle School delayed reopening until Nov. 18. Late shipments were cited as the primary cause.

Remarkable Theater brings drive-in movie experience, focuses on employing community members with disabilities.

Jillian Levin ’21, Annagrace McManus ’21 and Arden Scherer ’21 used extra time this summer to turn art into businesses.

Fall athletes return to their sports, following guidelines laid out in order to ensure safety during COVID-19.

Staples High School • inklingsnews.com

2 inklingsnews STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER www.inklingsnews.com inklingsnews@westportps.org (203) 341-1499 or (203) 341-5192 ...........................

Editors-in-Chief Poppy Livingstone & Claire Redmer Managing Editors Lys Goldman & Remy Teltser Web Managing Editors Lucy Arrow & Rachel Suggs Creative Director Molly Gold Business Managers Brooke Dembin, Margot Stack & Theresa Vandis Associate Managing Editors Chelsea Strober & Carly Kaplowitz Photography Director Eliza Barr Social Media Directors Grace Livecchi & Charlotte Smith Assistant Creative Directors Rachel Greenberg & Claire Hanley Simon Sandrew & Lily Weisz Broadcast Directors Jack Dennison & Ella Stoler Assistant Business Managers Shira Zeiberg & Lucy Zuckerman Breaking News Editor Andreas Lolis Outreach Manager Rebecca Kanfer News Editors Natalie Bandura & Tierney Kugel Finnegan Courtney & Katie Simons Opinions Editors Madeleine Casey & Prasaus Yeager Maya Hruskar & Chloe Murray Features Editors Abbie Goldstein & Betti Kobak Samantha Felner & Karina Murray Arts Editors Lucy Dockter & Tallula Stvan Aidan Rogers & Emma Smith Sports Editors Mishael Gill & Jared Leonard Lily Caplan & Charley Guthartz Web News Editors Giselle Oldani & Anastasia Thumser Web Opinions Editors Allison Gillman & Maria Krug Web Features Editors Ella Alpert & Lyah Muktavaram Web Arts Editors Lauren Hassell & Lea Rivel Web Sports Editors Lexie Moskovit & Maya Reiner Web Photostory Editor Amanda Rowan Advisers Joseph DelGobbo & Mary Elizabeth Fulco ...............................

Editorials and letters to the editor All opinions in this paper are those of Staples High School students. The editorial board determines editorial opinions that are authored by the editors-in-chief. Send signed letters to inklingsnews@ westportps.org. Submissions will not be edited prior to publication.

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Inklings News serves as an open forum for the public and welcomes letters to the editor and other submissions. The decisions of Inklings News and Westport Public Schools are made without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or any other discriminating basis prohibited by local, state or federal law.

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Staples High School

Sept. 8, 2020

Coleytown Middle School delays reopening until November Lucy Arrow ’21

Bedford Middle School (BMS) principal Adam Rosen believes these deWeb Managing Editor lays could cause scheduling changes when CMS students return to their school later in the year. This could result oleytown Middle School (CMS) in classes being switched around and delayed reopening until at least teaching schedules being overlapped.

Nov. 18, with plans for students Brooke Lawrence ’25, a CMS stuto return following Thanksgiving break. dent, believes that since the students

Building Committee Chair Don will be divided by school, the tranO’Day said large shipping delays are a ma- sition back will not be that difficult. jor reason for why the opening date was “If anything, it will be better to be in a pushed back, according to Westport Now. new school with more space,” Lawrence “Required structural repairs on the said. “I doubt we will be interacting with roof were frankly more time con- the [BMS] students very much due to suming than expected,” O’Day said. corona… so in a way it will be easier.”

In addition to Lawrence, CMS PTA co-presidents, Parta Kanchanagom and Jill Dillon understand that change can be difficult, but are confident that the middle schoolers will be able to handle the transition successfully.

“Perhaps the silver lining is that they are experiencing this change during a year that is already atypical, and a newly renovated building could be Photos by Rebecca Kanfer ’21 one thing to feel positive about,” they said.

Health and safety precautions, such as COLEYTOWN wearing masks and CONSTRUCTION social distancing, The Board of arise with the reopenEducation has pushed Coleytown’s reopening from mid-October to at least Nov. 18 due to delays in work during the COVID-19 outbreak.

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ing of schools. Additionally, water fountains and air-blow hand dryers will be removed.

“I am confident that we will be able to open safely,” Suzanne Levassuer, supervisor of health services of Westport Public Schools said. “I think communication is key in allowing families and staff to speak to us directly or contact us easily with any concerns they have and addressing them then.”

While CMS is under construction, all students will continue to learn at BMS. However, unlike the past year with students from both schools learning in the same classrooms, students will be divided by their original school, limiting the learning time students will have together.

Although there is the possibility of Coleytown reopening, some believe that this date might be delayed even further past the estimated date in November.

“It would have been so much easier to have CMS open for the start of school in 2020, as had been planned pre-Covid, but the building is simply not ready to welcome students back yet,” the co-presidents said. “Though opening the school on time would have alleviated the pressures of having to figure out a schedule for all the middle schoolers in one building that allows for social distancing and the safety of the teachers, students and staff, the Building Committee put safety ahead of the timeline.”

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Eversource response to Tropical Storm Isaias elicits PURA investigation Natalie Bandura ’22 News Editor

The aftermath of tropical storm Isaias has elicited an investigation into Eversource’s storm preparation and response rate by the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), in light of widespread discontent with the efficiency of Eversource’s power line repairs among both private citizens and public officials.

According to PURA’s Notice in Docket Number 20-08-03, the investigation will assess whether Eversource adequately prepared for the storm and restored service to their customers. If PURA concludes that Eversource did not act prudently in its operating procedures, the investigation will determine how to adequately compensate ratepayers. As part of their investigation, PURA will host several public hearings and accept written comments as part of the record, PURA Director of Legislation, Regulations and Communications Tara O’Connor said.

Some Staples students who lost power during the storm felt dissatisfied with what they viewed as Eversource’s slow pace in restoring power.

“I didn’t like [Eversource’s] response as they took much lon-

ger than expected,” Tavan Bhatia ’23 said. “They could have prepared better for this storm as it was clear it was going to be bad.”

Isaias, which struck town on Aug. 4 and was the fourth largest storm to have ever hit Connecticut according to Eversource. It left 97% of Westport without power and prompted Governor Ned Lamont to declare a State of Emergency, according to WestportNow. News8 reported that a tornado also hit Westport at 1:20 p.m. on the same day, spanning a path of 50 yards and causing severe property damage to a house on Surf Road before dissipating.

Many Westport families, such as that of Viola Handal, encountered many challenges during the storm, such as the loss of not only power but also wifi.

“When we lose power we cannot use any electrical devices,” Handel said. “Based on the type of work we do, it is not only an inconvenience like being in the house during hot summer days without AC, but it’s also losing our chance to make more money as our office in Norwalk was without power too. Everything was shut down for a few days and we had trouble even with telephone services.”

Continued on inklingsnews.com

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information provided by Eversource

of Westport was without power

of Westport houses had power restored within a week of the storm

faster timeframe than superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Irene

Graphic by Lucy Arrow ’21

opinions Full-remote learning In-person learning Staples High School

essential for true learning Molly Gold ’21

L

Creative Director

ike many students, as September approached, I found myself itching to get back to school. Although I have yet to purchase school supplies and tackle my mountain of summer work, this feeling is exacerbated by our lack of in-person learning for nearly six months. Although virtual work provided a temporary way to continue our education during the pandemic, it is not a sustainable method of learning.

While I enjoyed the flexibility, I found that the lack of structure resulted in unhealthy sleeping habits and a general lack of motivation to learn. Without direct contact with my teachers, my goal became finishing my work as quickly as possible, rather than actually learning and retaining the material. Knowing that I wouldn’t have to face a class discussion or pop quiz, I often completed my work, turned it in and then promptly forgot everything I had done. By going back to school, even two days a week, students will be held accountable for the work they are doing, reinstating the value of learning.

Additionally, without having a schedule that was set in stone last spring, collaboration among classmates was nearly impossible. Students were often working on our own time, so sharing ideas and helping each other with assignments turned into a thing of the pre-coronavirus past. With a return to school, however, we will be able to work alongside our classmates collaboratively, even from a distance.

Throughout high school, I have always taken advantage of the opportunity to meet with my teachers one-onone either before or after class. Although communication was possible via email or optional Google Meet sessions, the convenience of being able to clarify a simple confusion is completely lost online.

Additionally, since we are entering a new school year, establishing relationships with teachers is extremely important. If we were to start the year completely remote, building these relationships would be extremely difficult and would

most likely result in students not taking advantage of the flex time that is built into our schedule from 2:15 to2:45 on hybrid days, and 12:30 to 2:45 on Wednesdays.

If utilized correctly, this flex time will be able to bridge the gap between both in-person students and those who opted to learn completely virtually. Even if students choose to not attend school in person, because their teachers have worked closely with other students, teachers will be able to see which concepts many students are struggling with. This will allow them to anticipate what will need to be reinforced during flex time. Because in-person classes will ensure a structured school day, students who have opted to learn completely online will benefit, as they will be provided with the same structure as a result.

While I do understand the risk that comes with reentering school, I feel that the precautions taken will allow students to safely learn in person. The establishment of cohorts will ensure that desks will be spread out, lunch waves are significantly reduced in size and that contact with other students is lessened. I also feel that Staples students who opt for in-person learning are eager to stay in school, and therefore will comply with the safety measures in place.

As I finish up my summer work and add a mask to my school supply shopping list, I look forward to reentering Staples, knowing that I will be reunited with the high quality education that is only possible in person.

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ensures a safe community Prasaus Yeager ’22

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Opinions Editor

t’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused mass disruption in multiple facets of what was considered “normal life.” This was especially true for Westport students who felt the abrupt change as they were hurriedly sent off to their homes in March as the virus approached.

However, amid all of this chaos, students still had a long summer vacation to look forward to that would ultimately ease their concerns about the following school year.

But now, on the first day of school, there are still many uncertainties and questions that are not only on the minds of anxious students, but of worried parents and fearful teachers. Considering these uncertainties, it’s risky to return, which is why I’ve opted for full-time Distance Learning.

The reopening in and of itself is a reflection of the naivety within our district’s representatives. In theory, the plan should work if, and only if, people come together and do their part. The Board of Education (BOE) has made the mistake of putting too much trust in our community when in reality there is an intense divide on when to wear masks and follow guidelines. While students and faculty will be expected to adhere to safety guidelines inside the school buildings, there is no guarantee they will follow safety measures outside of the classroom. How can the Board expect the reopening to work when their own community won’t allow it to?

According to The New York Times, the United States (U.S.) has had an exceptionally hard time controlling the spread of the coronavirus. Currently, in Connecticut, the only consequence related to the coronavirus is a $1,000 fine to those who have traveled without quarantining upon their return. However, West-

porters still have the option of whether or not to wear masks when out in public.

Abroad, countries have adopted methods to contain COVID-19, including intense contact tracing, requiring everyone to follow guidelines (even fining those who don’t) and prioritizing vulnerable students. I am not advocating for the U.S. to adopt these same restrictions. In fact, many of the methods used elsewhere cannot be applied. But at the same time, the strict policies used abroad have been effective, so the United States cannot expect to experience the same results if we do not adhere to the same level of protection.

Even with the extensive amounts of cleaning that will be done, there are a million areas that could be missed during the cleaning process, so it’s not foolproof.

Schools across the South that had prepared to use methods such as basic hygiene, wearing masks and keeping a social distance were forced to shut down after only a week. In Indiana, a high school s hut down after only two days of reopening after positive tests for COVID-19. Due to these shutdowns in southern schools, many have had to send students into quarantines and resort to online learning, and this has caused a massive disruption in schools that were supposed to execute the hybrid learning environment.

Just because our coronavirus numbers in Fairfield County are around 1,000, which is relatively low, the virus is still very much among us. This was made clear when a staff member contracted the virus and stepped into Coleytown’s doors in August resulting in a 14 day quarantine for numerous administrators, including the superintendent.

Thus, while it may seem like the right decision to reopen, it is not appropriate to send students back to school at the expense of our lives when there are many uncertainties.

Graphic by Poppy Livingstone ’21

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features

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Staples High School

Westport rallies behind Bla

Chloe Murray ’22 Opinions Editor

Katie Simons ’22 News Editor

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owntown Westport was unlike anything the town had ever seen on June 5. A sea of people dressed in dark clothing crossed the bridge, moving, swaying and chanting as one. Protest signs pierced the air, unique in look but alike in spirit. The crowd’s volume ebbed and flowed, from the loudest chant to the stillest silence, to a hushed, expectant quiet, as long-ignored voices spoke.

The large crowd had gathered in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The death of George Floyd in May 2020 spurred many in Westport to join in the fight for racial justice through protest, social media and education.

“With the George Floyd incident, a lot of the Black community and minority community came together and we created a group chat,” Nicole Holmes ’21 said. “We all decided we needed to have a protest in Westport.”

The protest allowed for minority students to share their stories of racism with the community. The protest was largely organized through social media, and drew a crowd of nearly 1,500 Westporters, according to Dan Woog’s blog, 06880.

inklingsnews.com

“We just contacted a lot her to create “Black at SHS,” an of our friends and put it on Ins- Instagram page where students tagram,” Holmes said. “We espe- anonymously send in their excially have been posting how can periences with racism at Staples. you have Black friends and talk “I thought it would be important about Black deaths, but never talk to give a place where POC [Peoabout when someone’s murdered?” ple of Color] students could be

The speakers from the heard,” Fernandez said, “even if protest shared their stories in they wanted to be anonymous.” hopes that people would begin After Hunter and Fernanto understand the microaggres- dez posted their experiences on sions that they have experienced. Instagram, they received large “ I knew that if I spoke, other ly positive feedback from their people would speak because there’s peers. Hunter believes that sounity and power in numbers,” An- cial media is a powerful tool that naMaria Fernandez ’20 said. “The can help educate people in the support I felt after was so amazing.” community about Black history.

In addition to protesting and using “This [social media] movement their voices in person, many stu- has helped white people within our dents of color took to social media to community and all over the country share their experiences with racism educate themselves,” Hunter said. in Westport schools. Emorej Hunter “It has been such a huge learning ’22 was one such student. process for peo“It has been such “I just felt as an Afriple of color and a huge learning can-American and a fewhite Americans.” process for people male in this community, While stuof color and white it was time to speak out dents have been Americans.” about how being a stuable to share their -Emorej Hunter ’22 dent at Staples had made stories of racme not proud of being an ism in Westport African-American due to the micro- schools, they also believe that it aggressions spoken against me and is necessary that Black history is mistreatment of Black people in this being taught in the classroom as school system overall,” Hunter said. well. Lauren Francese, social studHunter expressed how she felt Sta- ies coordinator for grades 6-12, ples inadequately addresses rac- also believes that it is essential that ism within the school, and creates students are provided with adean “othering” of black students. quate coverage of current events Fernandez felt similarly, leading and Black history in the classroom.

Staples High School

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Sept. 8, 2020

ack Lives Matter movement

by D tos Pho ylan Go 1

’2 an odm

“When slavery or segregation is brought up in history classes, it’s treated like some sort of fairy tale and something that is too sensitive to talk about,” Hunter said. A c cording to Francese, changes will be made in the future in terms of social studies classes. To start, the course Contemporary World Studies will be changed to Human Rights I, and a Human Rights II course will also be offered. Additionally, the state of Connecticut is mandating that a course teaching African-American, Latinx and Puerto Rican studies be offered in public schools. Staples hopes to be a pilot school for these classes starting in the 2021-22 school year. Additionally, a task force of teachers was created this summer in order to investigate bias in books used in history class.

Francese hopes that the incorporated changes will better educate future Staples students and that telling these stories will make Staples a more inclusive environment for all.

“Every student will leave Staples with a course in multicultural or global studies […] that’s a big change that’s going to be rolling over the next two years,” Francese said. “Systems-wise and curriculum-wise that’s going to be a big feature in how we’re looking at our curriculum and how our course work represents a lot of these pieces that are really at the forefront of our national conversation.”

STUDENT-LED MOVEMENT Many Staples students attended protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Nicole Holmes ’21 (top right) spoke at the event, alongside many other students.

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Sept. 8, 2020

Staples High School

Remarkable Theater lives up to its name Poppy Livingstone ’21 Editor-in-Chief

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t’s 8:20 on a Saturday night and the Imperial Avenue parking lot is abuzz with activity. 70s hits play over a loudspeaker and car radios. Toyota Siennas pull into spots next to vintage BMWs. Teenagers settle into cozy trunks with pizza, ice cream and CVS snacks. Parents boost kids onto minivan roofs, keeping a watchful eye as they set up foldable lawn chairs. It’s a vibrant, friendly scene, each group its own self-contained ecosystem. Suddenly, the music cuts off, and the towering screen flicks on. There’s a scramble to turn off headlights, hush rowdy children and tune into 90.9 FM. After months of media consumed on phone screens, iPads and home TVs, the moviegoing experience has been restored. The Remarkable Drive-In is open for business, projecting fan-favorite films straight to the heart of downtown Westport.

The Remarkable Drive-In’s story and mission is, in short, remarkable.

“[The Remarkable Theater] is a group formed to build an art house movie theater in downtown Westport that will employ people with disabilities,” Marina Derman, non-profit director and drive-in manager, said.

This mission is made apparent in both the theater’s presentation and its inner-workings. Before each film, a short video plays, highlighting disabled members of the community, many of whom volunteer at the drive-in itself. Disabled and abled volunteers work alongside each other, fulfilling a number of tasks required to keep the theater running smoothly.

“We give a stipend to our volunteers with disabilities who we’ve had working since day one,” Derman said.

“We wanted to make sure we had that sup-

in-

port for the disability community from the very beginning.”

Dylan Curran ’20, who has been volunteering since the first showing, was both featured in the video and present at the screening, greeting incoming cars with a smile on his face.

“I help with greeting people, I do the check-ins, I help with directing people to exits,” Curran said. “It’s a fun time here.

You meet new people, you hang out together and you get to watch awesome movies.”

Volunteering is open to all who are interested, attracting a diverse crowd. Teens, young adults and parents donning Remarkable Theater t-shirts and reflective vests mingle before the show, discussing strategies for directing cars and enforcing social distancing.

“I was drawn to the Remarkable Drive-in because they stood out in terms of their mission and end goal,” Danny Graziano, a junior at Ludlowe, said. “Their employment of disabled people is fantastic, and on top of that we’re really lacking in an art house movie theater around here. Both parts of their mission are just really good for the community.”

This community-centered mission is apparent once the gates open. As cars pile into the lot, an overwhelming feeling of excitement among patrons builds. Masked moviegoers lean out of car windows to wave at friends they haven’t seen in months due to the coronavirus and strangers strike up conversation from designated parking spots. “The audience makes it,” Doug Tirola, Vice President and

Creative Director of the non-profit, said. “Honking your horn is our way of doing applause. When the movie’s ended, we have some messaging about the individuals with disabilities who work here, and you hear this big cacophony of honking. It’s the sound of people coming together.”

This environment, along with popular movie choices such as ‘Scream,’ ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ’ and ‘Jaws’ is appreciated by moviegoers young and old. Maizy Boosin ’21 first attended the drive-in’s singalong screening of ‘Mamma Mia.’ This screening was popular with Staples Players, who had performed the musical at Staples last fall.

“It was super fun to hear the music and see everyone dancing, more so than an actual movie theater,” Boosin said. “Everyone was dancing even if they weren’t in the show.”

The Remarkable Theater’s team has high hopes for the future.

In the long term, they plan to build a culturally rich, community focused movie theater that provides employment and maximum accessibility to disabled community members. In the short term, they plan to continue doing what they do best: providing a safe, fun night of entertainment to viewers of all ages.

HERE TO HELP: Joshua Kingston, Eli Mitchell and Hunter Altis (bottom) direct cars to their designated spots as Dylan Curran ’20 (top) greets moviegoers.

JAW DROPPING: Left to right: Jake McGeean, Owen Potek, Drew Hill and Will Sadenburg enjoy a sold out showing of

arts

Staples High School

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Students turn quarantine passions into summer businesses Molly Gold ’21 Creative Director

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fter being forced out of school and usual activities due to COVID-19, months of free time and cabin fever pushed many students to turn to the arts for entertainment, expression or even monetary gain.

Like many other Staples students, Jillian Levin ’21 rediscovered her love of painting over quarantine. She then turned this love into a business, selling custom painted canvases. Levin’s paintings range from college logos, to inspirational quotes to general designs.

“Selling my art has been something I have wanted to do for a while but with school itself and extra curricular activities I’ve just never had the time,” Levin said. “In the past, I had made art on occasion as gifts for my friends, but it was never something I had the time to do consistently. Over the quarantine, I found myself with a less loaded schedule which prompted the start to my business.”

Photos contributed by Jillian Levin ’21

CANVAS CREATIONS During quarantine, Jillian Levin ’21 created a social media platform to promote her custom canvas designs. She decided to donate a portion of her proceeds to charity. This summer, a percentage of earnings were donated to The Loveland Foundation’s Therapy Fund to make therapy more accessible to women of color.

An n a g r a c e McManus ’21 has loved to bake for as long as she can remember. After baking for friends and family and seeing how much they loved it, she realized that she could turn her passion into a business.

“I wasn’t actively trying to make money,” McManus said. “It was more about having the opportunity to bake things with a purpose instead of wasting it, which allowed me to do it more often and improve as well.”

For McManus, who also loves painting, quarantine provided her the opportunity to appreciate her hobbies that she otherwise wouldn’t have been able to devote as much time to. By constantly receiving orders, McManus has utilized her business to provide her with structure this summer.

“It’s similar to having a normal summer job and I think it’s important to have an outlet and something to keep me busy,” McManus said. “I think that quarantine would have been a lot harder on my mental health if I didn’t have this structure to my days.”

Photos contributed by Annagrace McManus ’21

nS Arde r’ chere 21

Arden Scherer ’21 seized the opportunity to dive back into a long forgotten hobby of hers: sewing. Scherer started by creating masks to donate. After this, she decided to start Goodtidez, where she makes and sells custom headbands and tiedyed apparel. For Scherer, Goodtidez has not only provided her with a creative outlet, but also serves as preparation for her future goals.

“I started my business because I needed something to focus on since sports and school had stopped, and because I want to go to business school,” Scherer said. “By combining creativity with the chance to get a background in business, I’m more prepared for college.”

ed by tribut s con Photo

COOKING FOR A CAUSE Annagrace McManus ’21 uses her website, happylivingg.com, to sell painted clothing, jewelry, canvases and baked goods. Each month, she donates 20% of her earnings to a different charity. August’s proceeds went to the Anti Defamation first L e a g u e .

TIE DYE TAKEOVER Arden Scherer ’21 (LEFT) began Goodtidez through an Instagram account and eventually expanded her platform to sell products on a website. Isabel Handa ’19 (RIGHT) models a blue hand-bleached sweatshirt.

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sports

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Staples High School

Photo contributed by Lucy Arrow ’21

ticut Media earst Connec H m o fr to o Ph

Fall sports adapt to COVID-19 precautions Lucy Arrow ’21

Web Managing Editor

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fter months of sitting at desks, staring at computers and endless hours of being confined to their houses, student athletes are finally able to grab their sneakers and equipment and return to their sports. The one difference is now they have to take a mask on the way out.

Football

The football season has been through many changes since the beginning of their training in early July. From Aug. 29 to Sept. 13, the athletes will be practicing drills in cohorts of 10 and conditioning while six feet apart. However while other sports may have up to 12 competitions, football will be limited to six games in the fall. From Sept.

13 through Sept. 20, the CIAC will monitor COVID and notify the team if it is appropriate to move

to “high risk” playing. The Department of Public Health (DPH) has approved playing 11 v 11 full contact football, and will be able to continue with this for the season.

Which would allow football to be considered a “moderate risk.” “I think the season will be played but what it looks like is still up in the air,” Captain Sam Milberg ’21 said.

“I trust the CIAC and the DPH to come up with something that football can benefit from.”

Field Hockey

The field hockey team was able to complete preseason with precautions, wearing masks when walking to and from the field and distancing when completing drills.

The team will begin tryouts Sept.

11. Coming off of four state championships, the team is eager to get back on the Ginny Parker field. “It is a little bit frustrating that we won’t get to try and get a fifth consecutive state title,” Captain Izzy Deveny ’21 said. “but we are all still very excited to be given the opportunity to play at all.” Deveny is confident that the team will

PLAYING ON Laine Ambrose ’21 (top left), Lucy Arrow ’21 (top right), Sasha Hamer ’21 (bottom left) and Miles Scarfo ’22 (bottom right), prepare for a season, moderated by CIAC regulations to prevent COVID-19.

be able to play the majority of the season, just with a few changes. “I’m sure it’s going to be an interesting adjustment to past years of play,” she said. “but everyone on our team is fully committed to making sure we abide by the protocols so that we can get as much out of our season as possible.”

Girls’ Swim and Dive

The swim and dive team began official practices on Aug. 31, with the team broken into two swim groups and one dive group. This will ensure that there are cohorts of only 10 athletes practicing at a time.

All athletes must wear masks at all times if not exercising. In addition to this, all swimmers must bring their own goggles and swim caps, as there will be no extras held to give out. Captain Megan Lynch ’21 is looking forward to the plan in place but is worried about the uncertainty of how long in person school will be held . “I am a little nervous about how the season will play out considering we are an indoor sport,” Lynch said. “If we switched to distance learning our season would be most likely cancelled and not rescheduled.”

(Right to Left) Jillian Levin ’21

Photo from Hearst Connecticut Media Photo by Dylan Goodman ’21

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Girls’ Soccer

The soccer team has been able to carry out their season with some moderation. Tryouts began Aug. 30, with more structure than in years past. The team will be split by grade for tryouts and then begin with 30 minutes of conditioning and 30 minutes of technical. The team will begin normal fitness tests on Sept. 3. For games, the FCIAC was broken up into three regions, determining the teams that Staples will end up playing throughout the season. Staples will play the same team twice in one week; one game being home and one being away. Captain Charlotte Barnes ’21 believes that if everything runs smoothly, the athletes should be able to play through the full season. “I think the season should go well as long as we stick to the plans and regulations that the CIAC DPH and our coaches have put out,” Barnes said. “Especially with soccer I think it’s a very low risk sport in terms of how easily you can transmit the disease while you’re playing so I’m hoping we get to play out the full season as planned.”