Lion's Tale Volume 38, Issue 3

The Lion’s Tale Magazine / CESJDS / February 2021 / Volume 38 Issue 3

BEHIND THE MASK Delving into mental health during isolation, understanding how to cope

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Participant s

Chat Share Sceen Record

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Senior columns pg. 10-13 / Five seniors make athletic collegiate commitments pg. 22

Senior members of staff pictured during their last production. Photo by Jessica Nassau

— news — Applying to college in a pandemic: Seniors adjust to changes in college application process during COVID-19 pg.

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— in-depth — Behind the mask: Delving into mental health during the pandemic, understanding how to cope pg. 14-17

Tests: To adapt or maintain? High school departments reevaluate how to assess students during the pandemic pg. 5

— sports — Five seniors make athletic collegiate commitments: pg. 22 A fresh start for Washington football: Pressure and protest over allegedly racist name leads to team’s rebranding pg. 23

COVID-19 heavily impacts the Capstone Israel Trip: New safety precautions are added including a 14-day quarantine, fewer seniors attend the trip pg. 6-7

— opinion —

— features —

Editorial: The pandemic isn’t over just because you’re over it pg. 8

Going in or staying home: pg. 18-19

COVID-19 vaccine brings us hope: pg. 9

Imaginative illustrations: Math teacher works with doctor to produce a children’s book over quarantine pg. 20

Senior Columns: pg. 10-13

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Embracing identity: Putting pronouns in Zoom names to promote inclusivity pg. 21

— a&e — From song to screen: Popular artists share documentaries on streaming services pg. 24-25 How to build an epic cheese plate: pg. 26- 27 Correction: The September issue of the Lion’s Tale misstated Jenna Bortnick’s grade. She is in eighth grade, not ninth grade. We apologize for the error.

February 2021

Dear reader, We hope that each of you is doing well and staying healthy and safe. As our time as co-Editors-in-Chief comes to a close, we wanted to reflect on a few important aspects during our journey on The Lion’s Tale staff. Before we do so, we would like to thank all of you for showing an interest in our community by reading The Lion’s Tale and being informed community members. It is our profound belief that a reliable and free press is a crucial foundation of our civil society, so we thank you for your readership, engagement and support.

Our journey as editors began in Ms. Nassau’s classroom four years ago when neither of us knew much about journalism. After taking the Journalism I and II courses, we set out to positively impact our community by applying for editor positions and making our mark on the newspaper. Since then, we have learned so much about journalism, the value of leadership and hard work and what it takes to be a truly cohesive team.

Since we became co-Editors a year ago, we set out to achieve a few key priorities. They included implementing a student press rights protocol with the administration, growing our audience, strengthening relationships between editors and reporters, covering important stories facing our community and, above all, providing the facts.

Looking back, while we certainly did not accomplish our very long list of priorities, we are proud of what we did accomplish and the hard work that got us there. And we are even prouder to be placing the newspaper in the hands of such skilled and dedicated students as we graduate. We look forward to watching them take the reins and continue to improve the newspaper in the coming months and years.

On a final note, it has been a joy to work with our talented and ever-growing staff, as well as with you, our readers, and those we’ve interviewed to ensure that our stories are balanced and that all relevant perspectives of a story are covered.

We wish you all the best and hope that you enjoy our newest magazine edition.

Sincerely,

Outgoing Editors-in-Chief

Editorial and Ethics Policy As the student newspaper of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, The Lion’s Tale is a public forum for student opinion and expression. All content is determined by students. Its purpose is to inform the CESJDS community and to express the views of its staff and readers.

The staff has made every effort to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of its news.

Signed columns reflect the opinion of the writer; staff editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of The Lion’s Tale editorial board. The Lion’s Tale staff welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns, all of which must be signed.

The staff reserves the right to refuse any material and may edit letters or columns for length, clarity, libel, obscenity and/or disruptiveness. All other contents copyright of The Lion’s Tale. All rights reserved.

Submissions may be emailed to jdslionstale@gmail.com, mailed to The Lion’s Tale or brought to room 320.

The Lion’s Tale is funded by The Simon Hirshman Endowment for the Upper School Newspaper and The Kuttner-Levenson Endowment for the Upper School Cultural Arts and Student Publications and community advertisements. The Lion’s Tale reserves the right to refuse advertisement for any reason.

The staff will adhere to the ethics policies of The Society of Professional Journalists and the National Scholastic Press Association. The advisor will be held to the Journalism Education Association’s Adviser Code of Ethics.

The Lion’s Tale Staff Outgoing Editors-in-Chief Alex Landy, Oren Minsk Outgoing Managing Editor, Copy Matthew Rabinowitz Outgoing Assistant Copy Editor Rochelle Berman Outgoing Design and In-Depth Editors Daphne Kaplan (snr.), Mischa Trainor Outgoing News Editors Maya Preuss, Irit Skulnik Outgoing Opinion Editors Jessica Gallo, Eitan Malkus (asst.)

Outgoing Features Editors Sally Rogal, Jonathan Morris Outgoing Sports Editors Sophia Miller, Ivan Endelman Outgoing Arts and Entertainment Editors Eva Bard, Sophie Kaplan

Outgoing Multimedia Editor Addie Bassin Incoming Editors-in-Chief Eva Bard, Mischa Trainor Incoming Managing Editor, Copy Rochelle Berman Incoming Assistant Copy Editor Harry Davidson Incoming In-Depth Editor Maya Preuss Incoming News Editors Sophie Kaplan, Daniela Abrams Incoming Features Editors Ivan Endelman, Ella Waldman Incoming Sports Editors Matan Silverberg, Aaron Gallo Incoming Arts and Entertainment Editors

Eitan Malkus, Zara Ducker Editorial Cartoonist Ariana Ravitz Reporters Lincoln Aftergood, Jonah Beinart, Sam Berns, Elliot Bramson, Alex Burton, Lielle Coombe, Ellie Fischman, Ellie Levine, Sean Levitan, Nini Panner, Mark Polin, Eliot Rogal, Jared Schreiber, Max Schwartz, Gabe Siegel Staff Advisor Jessica Nassau Advisor Emerita Susan Zuckerman

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

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— news —

Applying to college in a pandemic Seniors adjust to changes in application process during COVID-19 Netanya Shaffin Reporter In most years, the day after a student reads an acceptance letter, they can run into the college counseling office to share their excitement and happiness with their college counselor. This year, they have to settle for an email or an organized Zoom call.

This is only one of the aspects of a new and unique college search process that is leaving students with different experiences that no other class has encountered.

The disadvantages of this new process can cause a significant amount of stress for seniors. From the inability to meet with the college counselors easily to virtual college tours and information sessions, this usually-exciting process has become more unpromising.

“It almost feels like I’m online shopping for schools,” senior Matan Rosenberg said. “There are virtual tours, but it’s not really the same.”

According to Rosenberg, it is difficult to pick a college when you are not able to physically be on campus or simply experience its feel.

BY THE NUMBERS 7/8

of Ivy Leagues schools reported an decrease in acceptance rates

3/4

of college applicants get into their top choice schools

2.5%

of college enrollments are down compared to last fall Data courtesy of IvyCoach, Inside and Princeton Review

From an administrative standpoint, the greatest missing aspect is the energy usually present throughout the office around this time of the year. No students are running into the guidance suite with joy on their faces when they get accepted into college. In contrast, administrators are not able to support students immediately if they get rejected.

“I think something we all miss is the energy that is generated when we are able to work one-on-one together,” Director of College Guidance Sue Rexford said. “There is nothing like seeing a student run down the hall saying ‘I got in, I got in, I’m going to college.’”

Despite the downsides, the concept of a remote college process presents positive aspects to help the seniors. Some of these can make the process easier or simply give the student more leeway during the stressful senior year.

“Test-optional is a big pro, especially for anyone that didn’t get to do their ACT or SATs,” senior Ruby Mendelson said.

Mendelson thinks that many colleges going test-optional, combined with colleges’ leniency

in test scores and grades presents a major advantage. Since many events, activities and camps were virtual or canceled this year, Mendelson was also given more time to focus on different aspects of the process, such as the application essays.

While the current senior class is mainly dealing with the changes regarding the college application process, the Class of 2022 is also questioning what their process will look like in the upcoming months.

Although they do not know much about what next year’s process will look like, the juniors can expect their experience to be similar to that of the Class of 2021’s.

“With COVID, I am assuming a lot of schools are going to be test-optional, I’m sure a lot of interviews will be online [and there will be] online visits, ” junior Maia Zimmers said. “... It’s still going to be pretty similar, I assume.”

Despite differing opinions, the seniors can all agree that this year’s process is unlike any other.

“I’m really proud of how they’ve handled it,” Rexford said. “I just want them to keep on keeping on.”

voices from the den

Senior Carmel Coombe

Senior Ariel Gershman

“Honestly after the happiness you finally realize that you’re going to be leaving next year and everyone is going different places, and it finally actually hit me. So it was really happy, and then sort of sad, but I’m excited all in all.”

“I was just extremely relieved to finally get done with [college applications.]You know it’s a lot of work leading up to it, but a celebration is always fun and it was sad you couldn’t really have that this year.”

4 February 2021

High school departments reevaluate how to assess students during the pandemic Jared Schreiber Reporter During distance learning, all departments have had to evaluate whether the assessments they typically administer are the best methods of assessing students’ abilities virtually. Some departments have kept with their traditional assessments while others have decided to make various modifications.

According to Math Department Chair Reuben Silberman, the Math department has mostly continued giving tests and quizzes because they believe that they are one of the best methods of gauging students’ understanding of the material.

“When you think about an assessment, you are trying to make sure students have mastered certain skills and … in math … the skills and the content are sort of the same thing usually, so the way you demonstrate you know math is to do math,” Silberman said.

However, this is not the case for all courses. The History department, for one, has completely removed formal exams during the pandemic as they believe it is more important to emphasize skills over content memorization and regurgitation.

“We are not doing traditional tests in distance learning,” History Department Chair Mark Buckley said. “We’ll reengage in that if the schedule shifts and if we’re ever fully back in the building, or in the context of hybrid we might think about it, but for now we figure we’d rather target writing skills, find ways to reinforce those and deemphasize things like tests and quizzes.”

Other departments, such as the Jewish History department, have taken a more moderate approach.

They are still allowing teachers to administer traditional tests and quizzes, according to Jewish History Department Chair Aaron Bregman.

However, many are also thinking of alternate methods of assessing their students.

“I think there are several ways to be creative,” Bregman said. “And I think we have, to a large extent, tried to utilize all the different assets the school provides us both in house, something like the Schoology assessment, and then within our own creative approach.”

Similarly, science teachers have still been giving traditional exams, but many of them have thought about various ways in which the assessments can be modified to emphasize skills that can be practiced virtually, along with assignments that increase social interaction among peers.

“I wouldn’t normally do group assessments,” Science Department Chair Kimberly Agzigian said. “But I’ve been doing them. I’ve been giving students more group projects, [and] I’ve been putting an emphasis on presentation skills because public speaking is a very important skill and one that we can practice over Zoom very successfully.”

Despite the modifications that teachers have made, sophomore Brooke Cohen still feels that barriers in communication between students and teachers has made it more difficult to take tests virtually. “[For virtual testing], you seem ... so disconnected and it’s as if an emotionless robot is giving you the assessment. You feel a lot less secure within these environments,” Cohen said.

Even though student stress might have increased during this time and it is easier to be dishonest while learning from home, the number of academic dishonesty cases has been relatively consistent with prior years.

“We aren’t seeing [more cases

Sophomore Jonah Gross prepares to take a test.

“I wouldn’t normally do group assessments, but I’ve been doing them. I’ve been giving students more group projects, [and] I’ve been putting an emphasis on presentation skills because public speaking is a very important skill and one that we can practice over Zoom very successfully.”

- Science

department chair Kimberly Agzigian

Photo courtesy of Jonah Gross

Tests: To adapt or maintain?

of academic dishonesty],” Dean of Academics Aileen Goldstein said.

“Which in some ways is a beautiful thing to see because sometimes in this environment you could imagine that it might be easier to do that, [especially as] there’s no teacher staring over as you are doing a lot of this work in the way that there might be in classroom.”

Whenever on-campus learning returns full-time, many departments are in agreement that their teaching style and approach to assessments will incorporate some of their old methods as well as their newly-devised ones.

“Being in distance learning has forced us to evaluate what we do in a very critical way,” Buckley said. “So, I feel there will definitely be changes that will stick, ... I think some sort of hybrid, to use that word of what came before and what came afterward and ultimately something that is really beneficial for our students.”

Similarly, Agzigian said that she will evaluate her assessments based upon student success.

“I’m going to analyze each assessment as I always do … to assess student learning outcomes,” Agzigian said. “If I think the outcomes were better, I’m going to keep it, and if I think the outcomes were not what I have hoped, I will try something different. It might mean returning to something I’ve done before; it might be finding something different to do.”

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

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The Class of 2020 and their counselors in Israel last year before they got sent home due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Photo courtesy of Naomi Jaray (‘20)

COVID-19 heavily impacts the Capstone New safety precautions are added including a 14-day Israel Trip quarantine, fewer seniors attend the trip Rochelle Berman Incoming Managing Editor, Copy

A

mid the coronavirus pandemic, the senior Class of 2021 is preparing to go on their Irene and Daniel Simpkins Israel Capstone Trip in a different manner than ever before. After the Class of 2020 was sent home prematurely from the trip last year during the onset of the pandemic, CESJDS was determined to continue this culminating aspect of the curriculum.

At the time of publication, Israel is in the middle of its third lockdown over the course of the pandemic. Its borders are closed to anyone who is not an Israeli citizen or Israeli resident but are widely expected to reopen in the next few weeks.

Many health and safety precautions are being taken by JDS and Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI) to limit possible exposure to COVID-19.

The most significant change will be the absence of the visit to Poland and Prague, where students in the past have had the chance to visit important Jewish sites such as Auschwitz.

When the students arrive in Israel on Feb. 22, they will immediately begin a 14-day

BY THE NUMBERS 63

percent of the class of 2021 plan on attending the trip

14

days of quarantine are mandated once the students arrive in Israel

Feb. 22

is the date students are set to arrive

quarantine period on the Almog Kibbutz in the West Bank before traveling to the Hod HaSharon campus, their home base for the duration of the trip. The trip will still include multiple overnight stays across the country that are in line with current Israeli and AMHSI COVID-19 guidelines.

Senior Sophie Shrock will be the third child in her family to attend the Israel Capstone Trip.

“It was never a question whether or not I would go,” Shrock said. “My brothers went and loved it, and I can’t wait.”

Despite the 14-day quarantine and other safety measures, some families continue to be uncomfortable with the idea of their children traveling to a foreign country and being away from home during a pandemic.

Senior Judah Teitelbaum decided not to attend the trip in part due to his upcoming gap year program in Israel, but his primary concern surrounding the trip was traveling and touring during the pandemic. “[I am not comfortable attending the Israel trip with] the uncertainty of it all. They couldn’t really give a definite itinerary, and no one really knows what’s happening with the virus,” Teitelbaum said.

In order to maximize the safety of those attending the trip, middle

school history teacher and Israel Engagement Coordinator Eytan Apter’s job is twofold: to logistically coordinate with AMHSI and ensure sufficient health precautions will be enforced. Apter is working to create a memorable, fun and safe Israel Capstone Trip during the pandemic.

“There are things in the past that haven’t worked out well,” Apter said, referring to the concerns about the proper management of students during the trip after several were expelled from the program in 2019.

“Muss has changed those policies. … I’ve been working to liaise with Muss to make sure our needs and the students’ needs are met from our end.”

This year, not only did Apter have to do the usual coordination with AMHSI to ensure the students get to and from Israel safely, but he had to address health precautions due to the pandemic. Dean of Students and Interim High School Principal Roslyn Landy is confident in AMHSI’s health and safety guidelines.

“I think they (AMHSI) will be on top of it,” Landy said. “I just hope our kids will follow the rules.”

Israel, being a small country, has been able to enforce all three of its lockdowns successfully enough to bring down their cases of COVID-19 to a manageable number.

Additionally, its vaccine distribution

6 February 2021

has been extremely successful, with 30% of its population already vaccinated (as of Jan. 19).

One drawback for some students and parents is the political implications of staying on a Kibbutz in a disputed region. Senior Eilah Goldberg finds the school’s decision to allow the students in the West Bank unsettling.

“I was very shocked to find out how deep into the West Bank [the Kibbutz] was,” Goldberg said. “...

Also, [the] moral issues that arise with the settlement being close to the border, I find that very unusual for us.”

AMHSI made the decision to hold the quarantine on the Almog Kibbutz, and after researching the location, JDS did not oppose this choice.

“The decision to hold the quarantine on the Kibbutz Almog was made by AMHSI. When the question of safety was raised, we, and AMHSI, checked with the [Israeli] Embassy, our Israeli faculty and I was in touch with family in Israel; everyone assured us that it is perfectly safe,” Landy said. “It is a wonderful place for the seniors to quarantine.”

In previous years, students have had the opportunity to visit friends and family while in Israel on several weekends. There was also an option for students to spend time with their families during Passover either in or outside the country.

While this year does not present the opportunity to be with family on Passover, AMHSI amended their

voices from the den

policy to allow visitors outside on the Hod HaSharon campus and students to visit family within walking distance of the campus.

Masks and social distancing will be enforced for visitors.

Nonetheless, about 63% of the grade is still planning to attend due to the opportunity the trip presents as a closing point to a strange high school experience.

While Goldberg is upset by the location of the Almog Kibbutz, she is still planning to go on the trip and looks forward to the parts of the trip following the 14-day quarantine.

Despite the differences in this year’s trip, students and administrators alike recognize that it will still serve as the capstone to a JDS education.

“The capstone trip is really important to me, and I’ve been planning on going for a long time,” Goldberg said. “Even though things are slightly changed and it’s not the same as it has been previous years, it’s still going to be really fun and enjoyable and I’m excited for it anyways.”

Because of the trip’s history and importance to the school, the administration put in their fullest efforts to continue offering it despite the difficult circumstances.

“We very much want the trip to go forward because we believe it is such an invaluable experience,” Landy said. “Our seniors look forward to it from when they start kindergarten, and we want to be able to provide the opportunity for them.”

Senior Ella Messler

Photo courtesy of Ella Messler

“I was concerned because it’s a lot of money, and there is still the chance that we could get there and be on our computers the whole time. I’m a little bit disappointed because the Israel trip is something I have been looking forward to since kindergarten, but I know that it’s not the last time I will be able to go to Israel.”

Senior Ben Schreiber

The AMHSI campus in Hod Hasharon where the Class of 2021 will be staying once their quarantine period is complete.

Photo courtesy of Ben Schreiber

“Being here [since] kindergarten, this trip is something I have always looked forward to. I understand there are risks but it seems like the program is doing everything they can to keep us as safe as possible.”

Photo courtesy of Josie Stein (‘20)

The Lion’s Tale Magazine 7

Editorial cartoon by Ariana Ravitz

— opinion —

Editorial: The pandemic isn’t over just because you’re over it People all over the country have slowly been relaxing how they follow COVID-19 regulations, and CESJDS students are not excluded from this. The harsh truth is that we are still in a global pandemic; we need to continue wearing masks, social distancing and doing our part to stop the spread of COVID-19.

In the past two weeks, we have seen a 17% increase in COVID-19 cases and a 3% increase in deaths in the state of Maryland, as of January 17. Before choosing to hang out with people outside your household proper social distancing, you need to keep in mind that people are continuing to die from COVID-19 at alarming rates.

Additionally, rising cases could threaten our chances of attending school in person. Distance learning has not been ideal for many students, and we all want to have the opportunity to continue safely learning in the school building. The only way we can ensure that is by continuing to social distance and wear our masks so that the cases

within our community remain low.

According to the JDS COVID-19 Testing dashboard, our test positivity rate is 7.7% lower than that of Montgomery County’s. In order to keep our test positivity rate low, we need to continue being careful.

While it may seem as though the situation is improving, we are still in a crisis. Many people in the Greater Washington area have access to health insurance and have no pre-existing conditions. While this is relieving to many of us, we must remember that millions of people around the country do not have the same privileges.

Those begging people to wear a mask and help stop the spread on social media platforms need to remember that this advice applies to them too. We all must follow the same advice we were giving to others on how to stop the spread earlier in the pandemic.

There is also proof that social distancing and other safety measures work. New Zealand had a stricter lockdown when the spread

“The good news is that there is an end in sight.

People have already started receiving the vaccine, and the country is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

of COVID-19 first began almost a year ago and is now almost back to normal. They were able to go from cases rising at a fast pace to successfully eliminating COVID-19 only 103 days after their first case, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. If we were to follow in New Zealand’s footsteps, we could see a large decrease in cases and deaths.

The good news is that there is an end in sight. People have already started receiving the vaccine, and the country is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The JDS administration is also planning for in-person learning next fall.

Let’s finish strong. Let’s prevent as many cases and deaths as we can in the next coming months and look forward to getting together with friends and family once it is safe to do so.

-The Lion’s Tale

8 February 2021

COVID-19 vaccine brings us hope

Miriam Goldel Reporter

L

ike everyone else in the country, when I heard the news that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use authorization, I breathed a sigh of relief that life could begin to go back to normal. And life at CESJDS will get back to normal even more quickly, thanks to the administration’s decision to make the vaccine mandatory for faculty and staff.

The vaccine is our path to getting out of this pandemic, and it will only work if enough people get vaccinated and we reach a level of herd immunity. Herd immunity is when most or all of a community is immune to a virus and the virus is not as present in the community.

There are a couple of COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved by the FDA to be safe and effective.

Vaccines for other diseases are required for students at JDS unless the student has a pre-existing medical condition certified by a doctor that prevents the student from receiving the vaccine. This year, JDS required the flu shot for the first time after getting recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“If we had a child who had any flu-like illness in our building, there is no way for me to know the difference between COVID and the flu,” Upper School nurse Heather Greenblum said. “We needed to try to decrease the number of flu-like

symptoms that are in our community and in our school, simply so we can decrease the chance we are having to quarantine and panic and send people to get COVID tests.”

According to Greenblum, just like all other required vaccines, if JDS decides to require the COVID-19 vaccine for students, there will only be exemptions for anyone who cannot get the vaccine for medical reasons.

On Jan. 10, JDS decided that when phase 1B of the vaccine begins, all faculty and staff will be required to get the vaccine unless they have a medical reason or they have a sincerely-held religious belief. According to the New York Times, the federal government issued new guidelines advising that employers can require workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine or otherwise not allow them in the workplace.

President of the American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten told The Guardian that the Federation, “supports schools requiring teachers to get vaccinated. Just like we have vaccines we require kids to take to be in school in normal times.”

Our school’s values of kehillah (community), v’ahavta l’reacha (love your neighbor) and tikkun olam (repairing the world) encourage the action of getting vaccinated for both our school community but also the greater community that we live in. These values should lead the school to require the vaccine for all of us to do our part to keep everyone safe.

This feels like the first glimmer of hope of how we can escape this COVID-19 nightmare and begin to get back to life and school as normal. It is imperative that the school require everyone to get the vaccine so we can fully continue our education after this much too long interruption.

voices from the den Sophomore Seth Pearce

“I feel as if the vaccine is safe until proven otherwise. As of now, I feel as if there are solid results from the people who have taken it already. I personally would want to get and in the future I think JDS should mandate it to help school go back to normal.”

Junior Zoe Claywell

“I definitely plan on getting the COVID-19 vaccine because ... the vaccine will let us go out and return to a more normal life that we all miss. The only way to do that is to get the vaccine to be able to protect not only our friends and family but also the strangers that you pass in public. I’m not 100% sure whether JDS should mandate the vaccine, but I’m leaning towards yes.”

Sophomore Lindsay Shell

“I would 100% get the COVID vaccine. JDS should definitely mandate it for everyone to make our school a safer place for everyone.”

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

9

Avoid stress by getting ahead

Alex Landy Outgoing Editor-in-Chief Planning, getting things done early and scheduling activities in advance are not common skills of most high school students today. But throughout the past four years of my high school experience, getting –– and staying –– ahead in school and in extracurricular activities like The Lion’s Tale has undoubtedly made me more productive and a better communicator. This work ethic is also preparing me for future endeavors, especially as our lives only become more complicated after high school.

“No student should go days without sleeping a full night or eating proper meals simply because they waited until the last minute (or second) to turn in an important essay, project or presentation.”

Since CESJDS has such a fastpaced academic environment with a rigorous curriculum, accomplishing work early is critical. Since freshman year, I’ve strived to take difficult classes, immersed myself in a wide range of extracurricular clubs and activities and managed to carve out some time to chill –– and not because I possess some elite superpower. Rather, I attribute that juggling act to completing assignments as they’re assigned, instead of pushing them off. With a lot of school work and responsibilities as a Lion’s Tale editor, that work ethic has come in handy.

Take the situation of a junior as an example. From the landmark history research essay to the Arab-Israeli conflict resolution paper, every junior has their hands full with school and college preparation work. Many friends of mine will tell you they did just fine during junior year by completing assignments right before they were due, but what they won’t tell you is that while they were able to finish every assignment, the process they endured was

miserable. No student should go days without sleeping a full night or eating proper meals simply because they waited until the last minute (or second) to turn in an important essay, project or presentation.

While some view procrastination as a way of evenly dividing their workload and de-stressing, doing so only creates greater challenges, especially in the tense junior year atmosphere when work is incessantly assigned. Truthfully, procrastination only inhibits students from being fully productive and putting their best foot forward, even if it gets the job done in the short-term.

To help avoid work overloads and end-of-semester breakdowns, the path of least resistance is simply to complete every assignment the day or day after it is assigned, particularly smaller ones.

Looking back on my high school career, my advice is to turn this time into an opportunity to strengthen just a few important life skills that will undoubtedly help you later on as you move on to a more difficult chapter of your life.

When it snows, we need to preserve snow days

Oren Minsk Outgoing Editor-in-Chief The anticipation of a snow day is a key aspect of every student’s childhood. Everyone has their own tradition, whether it’s staying up all night, doing a snow dance or throwing ice cubes onto the street (or maybe that was just me), and the prospect of sleeping in, not going to school and playing in the snow is unparalleled. Plus, constantly checking for updated Pencil Predictions keeps MoCoSnow in business.

By this point, almost every student in the country has experienced

a good amount of distance learning.

While not as effective as in-person classes, the pandemic has shown us that virtual classes are indeed possible when on campus learning is deemed unsafe. And although snow days (and the Upper School pipe bursts that happen every few years) could be replaced with Zoom classes, they ought to be preserved for the memories they bring and lessons they teach.

The short break snow days provide are always a pleasant surprise.

During a dark pandemic winter, everyone needs a bit of time to relax and decompress. But even in future years, school will still be stressful, and students should be able to enjoy the snowy winter weather with their friends, family and pets. Enjoying the snow with neighborhood friends has resulted in some of my all time favorite memories.

Thus, as middle and high school students continue to have work assigned on snow days, the days of become great time management ex-

“The short break from school snow days provide are always a pleasant surprise.

During a dark pandemic winter, everyone needs a bit of time to relax and decompress.”

ercises. Students must balance their sleep, school work and socialization.

(Hint: sleep in an extra hour, start your schoolwork before 10 a.m. and save the entire afternoon for going outside.)

And just for the record, if we wanted to get rid of snow days in exchange for virtual classes, we would have already done so. Contrary to popular belief, Zoom was founded in 2011, not 2020.

10 February 2021

Invest: Stocks only go up

Matthew Rabinowitz Outgoing Managing Editor, Copy Many of you probably have money sitting in your savings accounts accumulated over the years from jobs, snow shoveling, birthdays, Hanukkah celebrations and b’nai mitzvah. I have about $1,000 in mine. And guess how much interest I made over the past year?

Less than a quarter. As a young adult, now is the best time to invest, and to invest with risk. You likely don’t have mouths to feed or rent to pay, and much of your money is going into a low-interest college savings account rather than invest-

ments that could earn you higher dividends or have the potential for extreme growth. Even if you lose a bit of money, you will have an overall net gain.

So take a look at your most basic options (no pun intended).

The first option is to purchase individual stocks, where you pay for a tiny ownership share of a company. Depending on how the company does and how much people are willing to spend on it, the stock price will fluctuate, and some “safer” stocks offer monthly or yearly payoffs, called dividends.

The riskiest stocks are smaller companies that have a high potential to either fail or rapidly grow. So before you invest, research a company or only invest in companies that you have prior knowledge of.

Then, there are mutual, index and exchange-traded funds, where you buy “shares” of a company’s investment portfolio composed of numerous different stocks or of a spread of stocks focused on a specific market. Funds generally have

“Even if you’re only going to put your money in safer stocks or funds and never look at them for years, you might be surprised at how much money you’ve made when you’re done with college.”

fewer risks and less rewards, but they are easier to deal with if you have less market knowledge.

There are other ways to invest, but they are much more complex and unnecessary for beginners.

Your parents might be scared of investing after having lived through the Great Recession and other big dips in the market, seeing their portfolios drop in value by tens of thousands of dollars, but unless they had invested in a few unlucky companies, their stocks have most likely soared since then. Recessions come and go, but the market, as a whole, trends upwards.

Until you are 18, you will need your parents to invest for you, but it’s worth it. Even if you’re only going to put your money in safer stocks or funds and ignore them for years, you might be surprised at how much money you’ve made by the time you graduate college. But if you have the mentality that stocks only go up, you’ll be able to put the fear of potential losses behind you and invest riskily and effectively.

I regret not auditioning for Shir Madness

Daphne Kaplan Outgoing Senior In-Depth and Design Editor I wish I auditioned for Shir Madness. Not so everyone could relish in the sounds of my voice or so I could pursue my lifelong dream of being in an a cappella group.

Instead, I wish I auditioned to do one thing in high school that was not necessarily related to serving in leadership positions or boosting my resume. Rather, to have fun and not be stressed by extracurriculars.

And as I reflect on my high school experience, my yearning to have

“JDS offers numerous opportunities beyond the classroom to let loose. So let loose, and don’t be afraid to pursue something that seemingly has no relation to your resume.”

auditioned for Shir Madness could not be more emblematic of all of the extracurriculars I wish I participated in at CESJDS. I have always been in awe of everyone in Shir Madness’ drive to sing their heart out, explore music genres in a cappella and bond with one another. I always knew I wanted to be a part of the group. Even though I assumed I would not make it, I knew it never hurt to try and audition. After years of telling myself I would audition, I never did. I always felt like I needed to preoccupy myself with other clubs — ones that I remain passionate about — that involved heavy workloads or had paths to leadership. I wish I knew that it is more than okay not to serve as a leader in everything you do. While people can take on leadership roles in Shir Madness, I saw auditioning as an outlet to be authentic, be in a community, have fun in a non-academic school extracurricular and for all of its random shenanigans.

Although easier said than done, especially in JDS’ competitive environment, seek out opportunities and extracurriculars that don’t make you overwhelmed or require you to always be in the spotlight. Do something for yourself. JDS offers numerous opportunities beyond the classroom to let loose. So let loose, and don’t be afraid to pursue something that seemingly has no relation to your resume. If you have a dream, seek it now with no regrets. While participating in JDS sports teams wasn’t my niche, I know that the coaches and teammates still provide a fun environment to grow as an athlete. In a school with impressive programs, we often forget about opportunities like the Baking Club.

Even if I had not gotten into Shir Madness, I wish I had thrown myself into something fun and different. As my time at JDS comes to a close, I urge you to do the same; if not for a new repertoire of songs to sing, do it for the yummy baked goods.

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Embrace all your weird and be different

Irit Skulnik Outgoing News Editor When I was a freshman I had one singular goal: to fit in. This goal meant everything to me; it dominated the clothes I wore, the hobbies I pursued, the makeup I put on and even the food I ate.

I had an idea in my head of exactly what I had to do to be just like everyone else. As a result, my unique personality was diminished in the face of Ugg boots, flat ironed hair and Forever 21 sweaters. If I could go back in time and look at my awkward braces-wearing, acne-ridden, rosy-cheeked self, I would have a lot to say.

I would say to be yourself. I know everyone always says that and it’s written on cliche posters all over the school, but I truly mean it. Sure, it seems fun to fit in with the “cool kids,” but it is better to find friends who embrace your true self. Everything that you push down because it’s “too weird” or different is actually beautiful and unique.

Embrace yourself now and be who you are; it will save you a lot of regret and disappointment down the road. I wish I could tell my freshman self that next time you go to school, wear that shirt you love that’s “too weird,” get that tuna from the salad bar, try out for the school play and do all the things you always wanted to do but were too scared to.

This year, the pandemic has taught me how to truly embrace myself and my own values. I started a blog, and at first, I was going to write it anonymously because I was scared of what people would think about my writing. Then, I decided to write as myself because I am proud of who I am. I took ownership of my personality and really let it shine.

“Take advantage of the next four years to figure out your identity outside of everyone else’s. Claim your own style, find hobbies, engage in what makes you happy and not what is ‘socially normal.’”

High school is the best time to figure out who you are before you eventually head off to college and begin a new chapter of your life.

Take advantage of the next four years to figure out your identity outside of everyone else’s. Claim your own style, find hobbies, engage in what makes you happy and not what is “socially normal.”

You might be scared of losing friends and being judged. That fear is valid, but it is not worth changing your values just to fit into the traditional “JDS girl” archetype. If you do lose friends because they think you’re “weird,” they were never your friends to begin with. Let people judge you and talk about you; it is a reflection of them and not you.

Let your toxic friends remove themselves from your life. Trust me, you will be better off. Be confident in who you are! Dare to defy the norm, and I assure you that you’ll be a lot happier.

“Although cliche, Shir Madness is a family and accordingly runs the gamut from some of the proudest moments of my life to incredibly difficult struggles.”

find something that is. CESJDS has a wealth of opportunities for all of us to take advantage of. I’ve been fortunate to see many sides of that through Shir Madness, working on the Lion’s Tale, Reflections magazine and the musical. As a lifer, I will forever be grateful for the experiences I’ve been afforded and all of the incredible students and faculty with whom I’ve gotten the chance to learn, sing and grow up with. Oh, and Daphne? You really should have tried out.

Find a passion to pursue

Jonathan Morris Outgoing Features Editor I never expected Shir Madness to become such a large part of my life. I really only joined it because my sister had. Funnily enough, something I joined without much thought has become a defining hallmark of my high school experience, taken on great significance in my life and has taught me valuable lessons.

Although cliche, Shir Madness is a family and accordingly runs the gamut from some of the proudest moments of my life to incredibly difficult struggles. I recall standing

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on the stage of the Kennedy Center, examining the rows of people dotting the audience and the many passersby who paused on their way to other performances. That truly was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

At other times, I’ve felt like a professional mediator dealing with the numerous issues that can arise with a group of twenty or so teenagers.

Both of these experiences are important in their own right.

COVID-19 demonstrated how important this group was to me.

Suddenly singing, something that had brought us immense joy, was now an efficient spreader of a deadly disease. For a moment I felt a bit lost. Eventually, I learned how to continue making music, albeit virtually. It has been a laborious process, but it is a labor of love that has provided this community with continuity, a common goal and has kept a group that subsists on in-person interaction from fracturing altogether.

While singing might not be your forte, it is vitally important to

February 2021

Pluralism doesn’t just apply to Judaism

Sally Rogal Outgoing Features Editor Whether we think that pluralism means Jews of different backgrounds uniting or that it is just a CESJDS buzzword, it is critical to the JDS experience and has been a vital part of my life as both a student and a young Jewish adult. At many points in my life, I viewed pluralism as something that creates division.

In theory, pluralism seems ide-

al, but in practice, it does not play out as expected. For me, growing up Modern Orthodox meant arriving two hours late to a Bat Mitzvah that had started before Shabbat ended or being unable to attend a birthday party that took place Saturday morning.

This annoyed me. How was I supposed to take part in this community if I was constantly being left out? In retrospect, it wasn’t anyone’s fault. Yes, it was unfortunate that I needed to miss these events, but at the same time, I needed to respect and deal with it. Despite not realizing it at the time, being in a pluralistic community does not mean getting what you want all the time or having other people adapt to your personal practices. It is about taking part in something bigger than your-

“If we close ourselves off from others and stay in our little bubble, how can we expect to build empathy and tolerance in the world?”

self and learning from others, which in turn allows you to grow your own identity. In my mind, this idea of pluralism is not just about coexistence; it is about getting out of your comfort zone and seeing how each person brings a unique perspective that strengthens our community.

If this year has taught us anything, it is that now, more than ever, it is important to try to engage with people of different viewpoints no matter how hard or daunting it may seem. Pluralism means taking part in a conversation with others about the impact of the pandemic, social justice or politics. If we close ourselves off from others and stay within our little bubble, how can we expect to build empathy and tolerance in the world?

Participate in extracurriculars that you enjoy

Sophia Miller Outgoing Sports Editor If you know me, you know that I’m obsessed with CESJDS sports, but it hasn’t always been that way. In ninth grade, I felt an obligation to sign up for as many clubs and extracurriculars as possible. We had been told for years that when you enter

high school, that’s when everything starts to count and that joining activities would get us into college.

So, freshman year I proceeded to join the debate team, Junior State of America, Loa Haari, Better Together, The Lion’s Tale (which everyone should join!) and four varsity sports.

Throughout the rest of freshman year, I participated in all of these clubs but really didn’t dedicate time to any of them. I attended the meetings during my Community Times and lunches, but that was about it. I quickly realized that if I ever wanted to excel at any of these, I would have to quit some, and this was OK. I was still going to get into college even though I was no longer on the debate team.

“My whole life, I had juggled so many different extra curriculars and one of my biggest regrets is not having chosen one to focus on sooner.”

I chose to focus more on basketball because this was the activity that created the most joy in my life.

I immediately saw a lot of progress in this sport and was able to become a much better player. I also was able to create friendships with so many people that I never would have before. My whole life, I had juggled so many different extracurriculars, and one of my biggest regrets is not having chosen one to focus on sooner.

Extracurriculars aren’t there to consume your time or pad your college applications; they are there to help you explore your passions, learn new skills and, most importantly, make new friends.

We need to thank our teachers

Tal Arber Outgoing Reporter While we go through high school overwhelmed by the workload, the teachers at CESJDS are always there for us. Their hard work

gives us students the best possible education. Teachers at JDS will go out of their way to help you in any way they can to ensure you understand the material you are learning.

Teachers always supported me in the right way and taught me many life lessons that I will be able to use in adulthood. During distance learning, every JDS teacher worked hard to make the best out of the situation and make sure students were able to thrive academically.

Throughout my time at JDS, I have appreciated the relationships I

“Teachers at JDS will go out of their way to help you in any way they can to ensure you understand the material you are learning.”

built with my teachers; their impact on the person I am today is astronomical. My teachers always encouraged me to follow my dreams, leading me to find my passion in journalism and a love for writing.

My message to students is that you should cherish the time you have at JDS and make sure to appreciate the teachers because they are the people shaping the future of our country by pushing us to be the best people we can be.

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—in-depth—

BEHIND THE MASK Delving into mental health during the pandemic, understanding how to cope Ella Waldman Incoming Features Editor

Aaron Gallo Incoming Sports Editor

Yaeli Greenblum Guest Contributer

Lielle Coombe Reporter

Photos and photo illustrations courtesy of Yaeli Greenblum and Creative Commons and by Ella Waldman

14 February 2021

S

ince the pandemic began, many teens have tried to maintain normalcy in their lives.

Teens can feel very anxious or depressed at times, and the pandemic has only enhanced these emotions.

This causes mental health conditions to greatly increase in teens who have diagnosed and undiagnosed conditions.

Mental illnesses are more prevalent in teens and young adults as opposed to adults. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in 2019, 29.4% of teens and young adults suffered from mental illnesses, whereas only 14.1% of adults above the age of 50 suffered from mental illnesses.

Jamie*, a CESJDS student diagnosed with depression, generalized anxiety disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has experienced more mental health struggles since the pandemic began.

Jamie said that pre-COVID-19, their depressive episodes were less frequent but more noticeable because they were more happy overall.

Jamie said their mental health has taken a huge toll on their academic performance by affecting their ability to turn in assignments, and it has also impacted their family dynamic.

“I think that my family tries to be really sympathetic and helpful, but at a certain point my parents need to make sure I’m passing my classes and make sure I’m alive, and happy and well. So, that’s definitely been a big stresser on my family,” Jamie said.

Defining Mental Health A study conducted in May by the National 4-H Council and a Harris Poll that surveyed about 1,500 teens showed that 7 out of 10 teens struggle with mental health conditions, and 55% of the teens said they suffer from anxiety. In the same study, 43% of teens admitted to struggling with depression.

Although many people are struggling due to the absence of normalcy from COVID-19, there is a clear distinction between general struggles and diagnosed mental illnesses. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), “a medical professional determines a diagnosis by interviewing you about your history of symptoms.”

“What [clinical psychologists] consider clinical depression is something that your mood is inter-

fering with your ability to function adequately everyday so being able to function in school, being able to function at work, being able to function in your family,” clinical psychologist for the San Antonio, Texas Clarity Child Guidance Center clinical psychologist Dr. Cynthia Díaz de León, said.

Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health The sudden shift into quarantine and isolation resulted in many teens experiencing depressive and anxious thoughts. Many teens are still struggling with this dramatic adjustment and are worried about loved ones being exposed to COVID-19, grades falling or maintaining relationships without being able to interact with others.

“I think for some it’s adjusting to just the change and difficult circumstances and maybe bounce back,” guidance counselor Rachel Soifer said. “For others it’s sort of sliding into some depressive or anxious symptoms that are going to need a little bit more attention and [may be] a little bit longer lasting.”

According to Díaz de León, 1 in 5 people will experience some sort of mental illness in their childhood, but since the pandemic began, 1 in 3 kids said they feel more depressed.

“Here, what we saw at the clinic the first few months, at the end of last school year, people were irritated and frustrated, but I don’t think we saw people feeling depressed like we are now,” Díaz de León said.

Repercussions of Isolation due to COVID-19 It is not surprising that teens are dealing with many more mental health issues, as their lives completely changed overnight. Almost instantly, teens went from socializing with classmates all day to only interacting on social media.

Rachel Larkin, Director of Crisis Prevention and Intervention at EveryMind and the Montgomery County Hotline, which is affiliated with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, says teens need to spend time with their peers in order to grow. Without having social interactions or being able to celebrate milestones, teens have found themselves increasingly isolated.

“This is the time young people should be developmentally with their friends and exploring their social identities, and when you can’t

Q&A on Online Mental Heath Resource “Brain Waves” Freshman Lilli Libowitz writes weekly surveys and articles on her blog “Brain Waves,” educating her readers on how to approach mental health.

Who? The journals’ demographic is mainly teens, but it also welcomes anyone interested in learning more.

What?

It as an online journal meant to be used as a resource to learn about mental health and science.

Why? “I did a project in seventh grade about eating disorders which really made me interested in the topic, so I wanted to make an outlet for other teens so they could find out stuff about that and not have to trudge through a big science journal that’s really boring,” Libowitz said.

When?

Last summer, while using Wix.com to learn how to design websites, “Brain Waves” was created.

Where?

www.brainwavesjournal.com.

*Name has been changed to protect the student’s anonymity.

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

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do that you’re missing something that’s really important in your life, and that’s hard too,” Larkin said.

Isolation has also caused unhealthy schedules, including bad sleeping patterns and a lack of exercise. Students no longer commute from class to class or go outside during lunch because everything can be done from a chair or desk at home.

“What we see though is kids kind of struggling to tolerate Zoom for so many hours, and kids getting kind of off on their sleep schedule, [and] having trouble keeping up with work,” Soifer said. “The symptom presentation has increased in a very plain and obvious way.”

Teens who suffer from loneliness and depressive thoughts find it very hard to cope and many have turned to suicide as an option.

Specifically, Montgomery County has seen a 49% increase in the number of suicide hotline calls.

Larkin encourages teens to take advantage of the hotline, regardless of their level of depression, so teens can connect with each other and have someone to talk to.

“You don’t have to be suicidal to call us. You can just be having a bad day or need to vent or be concerned about someone else,” Larkin said.

How to Help According to Jewish text and English teacher Grace McMillan, staying connected and reaching out to friends is important especially while facing isolation.

“It’s also important especially for kids who need to be more isolated, talk to your friends. … Even if you can’t be in person with them, staying connected with friends is really important,” McMillan said.

61 percent of teenagers felt increasingly lonely because of the pandemic

While friends are a good outlet, Larkin emphasizes the extreme importance for parents to pay attention to their child’s mental health.

Sometimes parents find it hard to relate to their child, but Larkin says it is still important to try and understand their point of view.

“Your generation has to be good at everything, and there is so much pressure to go to college and be well rounded and that’s an intense amount of pressure for any person, even a young person, to handle,” Larkin said. “I think parents need to be aware of that and take a step back and see how that can be affecting mental health.”

Additionally, Larkin suggests parents should strive to create an open environment at home. According to Larkin, having a parent’s support and a comfortable place to share how they’re feeling is crucial for teens at this time because it allows them to feel less alone.

“Don’t hammer it home but kind of come around and be like, ‘You know you still don’t seem yourself, what do you need? What can I do for you?’ ... It’s reflecting that you see a problem and that you care,” Larkin said.

According to Larkin, another person who can help a struggling teen is themselves. Larkin encourages teens to reach out to friends and family if they are struggling, create safe and supportive environments by surrounding themselves with supportive people and most importantly, take good care of themselves.

“People eat right and exercise and take vitamins everyday to keep their body healthy. … Mental health should be treated the same way,” Larkin said. “You can do the equivalent of exercising, eating right [and]

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“[COVID-19] will teach this generation resilience in a way that not every generation learns. And I know as an adult that resilience is a really, really, really important mental health skill.

And I hope that students are able to recognize this is really painful, and this is really hard, but in the end I will have learned… that I can get through it, and it will be okay, and things do get better.”

- Jewish text and English teacher Grace McMillan

percent of teenagers felt that the experience of the pandemic will have a lasting impact on the mental health of their generation

vitamins — by doing self care and asking for needs and finding resources.”

For people with diagnosed mental illnesses, Díaz de León recommends talking to trusted people, monitoring one’s feelings and developing effective coping strategies.

“What do I do when I start to feel like I’m going downhill? What’s my first step? Do I talk to somebody? ... Do I let my doctor know? So having a safety plan or some sort of a plan of what your next coping steps are will be important,” Díaz de León said.

For Jamie, therapy has been an important part in helping their mental health. Previously, Jamie had a private therapist, and now they participate in a more intense program, including family therapy.

“I think that I would be doing a lot worse without therapy, as much as I hate to admit it, … it definitely has made a pretty big impact on my mental health,” Jamie said.

Throughout the worry and uncertainty, McMillan says it is always good for people to surround themselves with comforting thoughts.

She recommends teens realize the skills and qualities COVID-19 has taught them and how they can grow from this experience. “[COVID-19] will teach this generation resilience in a way that not every generation learns. And I know as an adult that resilience is a really, really, really important mental health skill,” McMillan said. “And I hope that students are able to recognize this is really painful, and this is really hard, but in the end, I will have learned … that I can get through it, and it will be okay.”

45 percent of teenagers have experienced excessive stress in their lifetime

Data courtesy of the National 4-H Council and The Harris Poll

16 February 2021

HOW TO HELP

Ways that teens can help themselves and others with mental health EXERCISE Studies show that exercise can help improve mood and mental health. When a person exercises the body releases endorphins, or “happy chemicals,” along with stimulating the neurotransmitter norepinephrine which improves mood. A study done on 12 young adults with depressive disorders at the University of New Castle in Australia showed that after exercising for 12 weeks, 10 out of the 12 were no longer categorized as depressed. Another study conducted in Canada found that students who play team sports in high school are less stressed and depressed as young adults.

COMMUNICATION

MINDFULNESS

Communication and maintaining an open environment with family and friends can be a great way to work through what’s happening and get help in a safe and comfortable space. “Talking about mental wellness in general and keeping it part of the conversation is really important... it’s oftentimes when somebody is struggling the first time you reach out they might say, ‘no I’m fine,’ because they might not really recognize in themselves that they are struggling or they might not be able to articulate in themselves whats really wrong,” Director of Montgomery County Hotline Rachel Larkin said.

The University of Washington’s Northwest Bulletin Family and Child Health describes the practice of mindfulness as, “a type of meditation where you take note of sensations and emotions in the present moment without judgment.” Jewish text and English teacher Grace McMillan gives students a moment at the beginning of her classes to do this. “To have a minute in the day where they can close their eyes and just take a deep breath a few times and relax is really restorative and helps people get perspective,” McMillan said.

GO OUTSIDE According to Harvard Health, a study conducted in 2015 compared people’s brains after taking a walk in either an urban or natural setting. Walking in a natural setting resulted in lower activity in the prefrontal cortex, which is a part of the brain active during rumination. Rumination is defined as repetitive thoughts focusing on negative emotion.

Furthermore, research showed that sounds found in nature can lower blood pressure and levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which calms the fight-or-flight response.

CHECK-IN

According to Larkin, checking in with others is extremely important because some people may have trouble expressing themselves and how they’re feeling. “Be like, ‘You know, you still don’t seem yourself, what do you need? What can I do for you?

What have you tried?’” Larkin said. “[This is] reflecting that you see a problem and that you care and asking the person what they need and how you can make a difference. The little things, it can really help.”

CALL THE HOTLINE The local affiliate for the National Suicide Prevention lifeline is run by Larkin. She works under the larger organization EveryMind that offers additional support options and works to spread awareness about mental health. They provide free and confidential services and are available to call 24 hours everyday.

301-738-2255 The Lion’s Tale Magazine

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— features —

Going in or staying home Photo courtesy of Tess Mendelson, Dimensions yearbook Eva Bard Incoming Editor-in-Chief

P

rojected onto a screen and connected to a speaker, Jewish text and English teacher Grace McMillan Zooms into a classroom full of socially distant students. But teaching from home with students in the building does not deter McMillan’s classroom dynamic.

“My goal is for them to be able to talk with each other as much as possible,” McMillan said. “I see my role as facilitating those conversations, and I was able to do that from the screen projected in front of them and as a voice coming out of a box.”

McMillan is one of 12 teachers teaching core classes that decided not to return to the building. She chose to stay home because her husband is immunocompromised, and she “would not be able to forgive herself” if she was exposed at school and brought the virus home.

Similarly, ESOL teacher Rebecca Reiser had health concerns about

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returning. As her mother’s primary point of conduct, she felt she could not return to the building and continue helping her mother.

“We already have limited contact as it is but I couldn’t, in good conscience, put myself in the community and also care for her at the same time,” Reiser said.

Some teachers, like Jewish history teacher Aaron Bregman, did not return initially but plan to in the future. Bregman was quarantining before winter break so he could visit family.

One of the most challenging parts of Zooming into a live class for Bregman was figuring out the logistics of the classroom setup. While lecturing students through one computer is possible in a relatively insulated and small room like the exhibition hall, that same set-up in a larger room like the cafeteria would not have worked.

Although these factors represented a new hurdle for teachers, McMillan felt that the students, moderators and teachers all worked together well.

Junior Elliot Sher participates in his English class from school, while teacher Nancy Wassner leads the class from home.

By speaking through one single device, rather than through their individual computer microphones, Sher and his classmates were able to avoid any technical difficulties, and have a smoothly run class.

“We really had a strong sense of community, and everyone was cooperating with each other and everyone was patient with each other,” McMillan said.

Reiser also found technology challenges teaching from home with students in the building.

“When I’m in the building, it’s my classroom and I can manage the classroom. It’s not behavior that’s an issue, it’s the background noise or the tech issues, or maybe the internet’s not working as well or just hearing them with their mask on,” Reiser said.

However, despite these challenges, teachers were still able to find some positives in the students’ return to the building.

“Being in a quote-unquote classroom, where it felt semi-normal, is the closest we could come.

Being able to see an actual student with their hand raised and being able to interact with them that way felt like we were semi-getting back to reality,” Bregman said.

February 2021

DEN voices from the

As hybrid learning continues, students and teachers choose whether they are comfortable with going into the building or prefer to remain online

Compiled by reporter Lincoln Aftergood

“Most of my teachers are pretty good about getting input from people in school and people at home. There were a couple of teachers who were clearly just focusing on people in school, not really paying attention to people on Zoom which makes sense because it’s easier to interact with people in person. There definitely were situations where I felt that the people in school were having a better experience than I was because they were able to participate and ask questions.”

- Junior Nathan Gershengorn

“I was excited but also nervous because I didn’t know what it would be like. But I was mostly excited to see everyone again. It was nice to talk to [friends] face to face but sad that I couldn’t go up to them and hug them.”

-Junior Naomi Stillman

“I was pretty happy to know that we could go back in. I was a bit hesitant that we would ever even be able to reach the hybrid point in the near future because it was a few weeks until we would go in, but I was very happy that we would have the opportunity. I was also a bit stressed because I felt like it was going to be very confusing and chaotic.”

-Freshman Darya Dayanim

“The transition to hybrid learning was much smoother for me than I expected. There have been a couple of hiccups with the technology, specifically audio transmission in some of the larger spaces like the cafeteria and the theater, but otherwise it has been business as usual. The hardest part of hybrid learning for me has been the emotional aspect; I really miss seeing students and colleagues in person. I miss the energy of a classroom. I certainly feel more isolated on days when other folks are at school and I am not.”

-English teacher Nancy Wassner

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Imaginative Illustrations

Math teacher works with doctor to publish a children’s book over quarantine Elliot Bramson Reporter A dodo bird, a hawk, a dog and a turtle go on a journey to learn about diversity, friendship, resilience and how to embrace their strengths instead of worrying about their weaknesses. In the beginning of the pandemic, high school math teacher John Watkins-Chow illustrated a book about these animals called “Raph’s Tale” authored by Dr. Dan Shapiro, father of CESJDS alumni Ben, AJ, Aaron and Barry Shapiro.

“It is about developmental differences and needing some friends and getting a little help along the way. It’s a story about courage and resilience even when you’re different,” Shapiro said. “The dodo has small wings and can’t fly, but he has to learn to get along and he knows he has strong legs and learns to ride a unicycle. It’s about what you can do and not what you can’t do.”

Shapiro works with young people with disabilities such as autism and ADHD and anxiety. Shapiro and Watkins-Chow collaborated on two books for parents which came out in November of 2016 and 2019. When Shapiro was looking for someone to illustrate his books, his children remembered that Wat-

Photos courtesy of John Watkins-Chow

kins-Chow was an artist, so Shapiro followed his kids’ recommendation and asked Watkins-Chow to illustrate.

“The parents loved it and said I should make it into a children’s book. The third book, ‘Raph’s Tale,’ is a children’s book extracted from the first two books,” Shapiro said.

Watkins-Chow, although a math teacher, also has a background in art. He used to post drawings on his website, “The John Watkins-Chow Gallery - Angelfire.” Watkins-Chow typically draws only in black and white or pencil; however, he used water color for the first time in his art for this book.

“Over COVID, I decided to try and learn a new skill. … I was really proud about how my colored illustrations came out,” Watkins-Chow said.

Watkins-Chow said that he is “good at starting things but not finishing.” He learned that taking on too much responsibility can end in failure and that he should take everything one step at a time.

“There were times where I had trouble and couldn’t keep working and others where it just came easy and my work was moving quickly,” Watkins-Chow said.

According to Shapiro, the book

“It is about developmental differences and needing some friends and getting a little help along the way. It is a story about courage and resilience even when you’re different.”

- Dr. Dan Shapiro

provides insight to parents, teaching them how their kids feel and how they can take better care of them.

The book is also enjoyable for kids with disabilities to read.

In the story, a dodo bird, Raph, who cannot fly and a hawk named Hawk build a boat and go on a journey up-river. When they get to shore, they make two friends named Dog and Turtle who are fast and slow, respectively. Raph, on a unicycle, decides to go on a journey with his friends, but they have to figure out how to get past a mountain that is in their path.

“Since ‘Raph’s Tale’ came out, I’ve gotten some nice emails from parents saying that they left the book out and they found their kids bringing the book wherever they go and reading it,” Shapiro said. “People have even sent me pictures of their kids reading the book and enjoying it, and it felt really good.”

Shapiro and Watkins-Chow said they worked really well together and enjoyed their partnership.

“I have some ideas about more books for the future, and I will absolutely call Mr. Watkins-Chow to help me out. We have a great partnership going,” Shapiro said.

Math teacher John Watkins-Chow works to illustrate the children’s book “Raph’s Tale.”

20 February 2021

Photo courtesy of Ellie Fischman

Embracing Identity Putting pronouns in Zoom names to promote inclusivity

Ellie Fischman Reporter After logging onto a Zoom meeting, a sea of eager faces stare back from the screen, several of them displaying preferred pronouns in their Zoom names. This practice is becoming increasingly popular as an act of inclusivity for people with diverse gender identities.

This popularity is fueled by a belief that online classrooms present a unique opportunity to normalize sharing pronouns. High school guidance counselors Melissa Gartner and Rachel Soifer believe that it is easier to share pronouns in a Zoom format than it is in person because one can simply type them in the Zoom name slot.

“Interpersonally, it’s a little bit more uncomfortable to be the only one [sharing pronouns],” Soifer said. “But if you just put it there in your name, I think it creates a really beautiful opportunity to normalize that pronouns come in all different ways for all different people.”

Many believe that the sharing of pronouns can foster a more inclusive environment, including freshman Taylor Polonsky. She said

Freshman Ellie Fischman attends her Politics in the Age of Kings class.

Common Pronouns Used She/Her/ Hers He/Him/His They/Them/ Theirs Ze/Hir/Hirs Xe/Xem/ Xyrs It/Its/Itself

putting pronouns in Zoom names does not harm anyone and instead can show respect and recognition to people with diverse gender identities. She said that cisgender people should also state pronouns because it can encourage a more welcoming environment for everyone.

“It’s not for us [cisgender people],” Polonsky said. “It’s for the people who have to go out there and awkwardly say, ‘Hey, you might think from my appearance that I’m this gender, but I’m really not.’ And so using [pronouns] makes it easier for them and it normalizes it more.”

Although many understand the importance of normalizing sharing pronouns, some do not know how to set them permanently in their Zoom names. Through a Zoom account’s settings, it is possible to change the default name display so it includes preferred pronouns by clicking the option to edit the profile then logging into the account in a browser.

In the browser, there is an option to edit the default name and add pronouns at the end of it.

Inevitably, people will make mistakes in their efforts to be inclusive, and normalizing sharing pronouns will not end all adversi-

ty that people with diverse gender identities face. However, many believe this is a positive development.

Upper School Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator and Spanish teacher Deby Kijak said that putting pronouns in Zoom names is a clear way to ensure that everyone feels welcomed in class.

“As a teacher, as a human being, as a mother, I think that when I walk around the world and when I am in the classroom, I try to look at things in the lens of diversity and I try to make sure that everybody is welcomed,” Kijak said. “And I know that I make mistakes, but that’s part of the learning process.”

In a time where the world is making an effort to become more conscious of the struggles that minorities face, JDS is trying to keep up with the spirit of change. Junior Noam Siegel said that putting pronouns in Zoom names is an effective way to accomplish that goal.

“JDS is a place that everyone is really accepting and trying their best,” Siegel said. “And I think that if everyone just takes that extra step, it’s just going to get that much more accepting and welcoming.”

voices from the den

Junior Noam Siegel

Freshman Taylor Polonsky

“When I go into a class and I see that everyone has pronouns in their Zoom names, automatically in my head it’s like: oh, this is an accepting environment, this is a place where anyone can come and be comfortable and be themselves, and I think that’s a really important message to send, especially to new students or to LGBT students.”

“I would hope it makes people who are either non-binary or gender fluid or trans or whatever, I would hope it makes them feel more comfortable. It just makes it easier. ... I think on Zoom too, people already see your name, they just say your name, they don’t say any pronouns, so I guess it’s not, I don’t think it’s as much of an issue.”

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

21

— sports —

Five seniors make athletic collegiate commitments Tal Arber Reporter

N

ext year, three students from the class of 2021 will continue their athletic careers as collegiate athletes.

Through hard work and dedication, the students have been able to pursue their goal of competing at the next level.

One of the three athletes, senior Ariel Gershman, committed to Dickinson College the moment the head coach offered him a spot on the basketball team over the phone in November.

“It felt good that I have put a lot of hours into my game, so to finally accomplish something I worked really hard for felt really good,” Gershman said. “I’m just really excited to have four more years to play.”

Boys varsity basketball team Head Coach David McCloud guided Gershman throughout the recruiting process. Since McCloud played college basketball himself, he could relate to the experience of an athlete like Gershman.

“I advise my athletes on things to look for in colleges and how to make a good decision with the school they want to play at,” McCloud said. “I also help them understand and follow NCAA recruitment guidelines to make sure they are eligible to play. It’s more of an adviser role than a coaching role.”

In the past nine years, McCloud has coached and developed six players from his basketball team to be-

come college athletes. This year, in addition to Gershman, seniors Jake Rulnick and Tyler Farkas are also potentially going to play basketball in college, and McCloud is excited to watch them grow into more developed basketball players. He hopes they utilize their hard work and the skills he taught them to be successful on the collegiate level.

The basketball team is not the only CESJDS team to have an athlete move on to the college level.

On Nov. 24, senior Nate Heller committed to play baseball at Rhodes College. He will enter as a starting pitcher in the team’s pitching rotation. Heller has been playing baseball for 11 years but started taking it more seriously in high school.

“I’ve been preparing to play in college since I was 15,” Heller said.

“That was the age when I really started to spend a lot of time in the gym and on the field, and working as hard as I can so that I can be competitive at the next level.”

The average week for Heller includes six days at the gym and throwing a baseball every day. In addition to his work ethic, Heller attributes his success to the JDS coaches who prepared him for the opportunity to play college baseball.

“Coach Forestieri and Coach West[erman] always believed in me and knew I could be a good player,” Heller said. “The support of these coaches really pushed me to become the player I am today.”

The varsity girls soccer team

“It’s an exciting process because it’s really amazing to have the opportunity to play sports at a college with a good sports program, but the work that you have to put in to make it to that level is extremely difficult and it takes a lot of effort.”

-Senior Nate Heller

also had an athlete recruited: senior Abby Alter, who committed to Bates College in early August after playing on the JDS girls soccer team in both middle and high school. Alter said that Lions soccer has played a significant role in who she has become as an athlete, as did her family and travel team.

“From a young age my dad has definitely played a big role in the athlete I’ve become today, but also the coaches at JDS and Arlington Soccer Association have allowed me to become a better player and follow my dreams of becoming a collegiate athlete,” Alter said.

Throughout this experience, Alter learned that her own actions determined the difficulty of the recruiting process. In order to make everything go smoothly, it was key for her to prioritize which coaches to contact and devise a clear plan for how to gain collegiate exposure.

As Alter embarks on a new step in her athletic career, she is grateful to everyone at JDS who helped her along the way, and is determined to succeed in college by implementing the skills JDS has taught her.

“While I start this next chapter in my life, I recognize the amazing things JDS did for me both academically and athletically. I just hope that I can make everyone at JDS proud by excelling in all my goals just like they always taught me to do,” Alter said.

Left: Senior Ariel Gershman drives to the basket during a basketball game.

He will be playing basketball at Dickinson College in the fall.

Right: Senior Abby Alter focuses as she prepares to pass the ball to her teammate. She will be playing soccer at Bates College in the fall.

Photos courtesy of Ariel Gershman and Dimensions Yearbook

22 February 2021

“Protest of Washington NFL team in Minneapolis” by Fibonacci Blue is licensed under CC

A fresh start for Washington football Pressure and protest over allegedly racist name leads to team’s rebranding Max Schwartz Reporter Amid a racial awakening in the U.S. due to the protests following the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Washington’s NFL team chose to drop the “Redskins” name.

While awaiting a complete rebranding of the team, the franchise is temporarily going under the name “Washington Football Team.”

For years, the name Redskins has come under intense scrutiny, as many consider the word to be a derogatory term towards Native Americans. In spite of this, Washington owner Daniel Snyder continually insisted that he would never change the name, as he claimed that the intention was to honor Native Americans, not demean them.

Despite attacks, few believed that Snyder would ever make this change. During his tenure as Washington’s owner, he has turned the franchise into a source of controversy on and off the field and is disliked by many of the fans.

However, as a result of increased racial sensitivity, multiple major cor-

porations began threatening to end their relationship with the team unless a name change occurred. Snyder’s hands were tied, and he was forced to change the name.

While this was a tough pill to swallow for Washington fans, many felt that it needed to be done. Sophomore Benjamin Weiss, a lifelong Washington fan, had mixed feelings towards the move.

“I felt saddened when I heard the Washington Football Team was going to drop the name Redskins,” Weiss said. “I understood why the change had to be made, but it is still sad especially for a team with so much history.”

Due to legal trademark issues and the upcoming season rapidly approaching, the team was forced to find a temporary solution. They settled on the “Washington Football Team” as their new name, keeping the same burgundy and gold colors they have historically worn. The old logo, which displayed a Native American chief, was replaced with a gold “W.” The fact that Washington does not have a true name has been a

Pictured above: Hundreds of individuals passionately protest to change the name of the Washington Football Team over the summer of 2014.

Timeline of the Rebranding July 2 FedEx, who has naming rights to their stadium, and Nike requested that the Redskins change their name

source of amusement for many in the sports world. Many famous sports personalities, such as Lebron James, laughed at the move as it was being announced. However, the fanbase seems to have rallied around the new name, including freshman Andrew Lefkowitz.

“In terms of the new name, I actually kind of like it for now. It makes us unique because we are the only team that goes by the ‘football team,’” Lefkowitz said.

Washington is now searching for a permanent replacement for the name, with the current name being a prime candidate. Many other potential names have been floating around such as red wolves, redbirds and warriors.

The cultural change that occurred in Washington has left many fans feeling hopeful about the future of this football team.

“I’m really excited about the future of this team,” Weiss said. “I hope they can continue to represent the pride and spirit of Washington, D.C.” Additional reporting by reporter Sean Levitan Data courtesy of WTOP and ESPN

July 13

July 3 Redskins announced that they will review the name Redskins

Team announced that they will retire the Redskins name and logo

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

23

— a&e —

Folklore

Ellie Levine Reporter Wanting to try something new while in quarantine is natural with the monotony that comes with staying inside. Taylor Swift took trying something new to the next level when she released her surprise album, “Folklore,” which she created with Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner.

The album explores an entirely new genre and level of storytelling and metaphor that hasn’t been seen from Swift in the past. In particular, the album demonstrates a unique way to see into the world of conceptualizing and creating music.

On Nov. 25, Disney+ released an exclusive music documentary called “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions” in which the creators of the “Folklore” album came together in person for the first time since before the pandemic to discuss and re-record each track. They met at Long Pond Studio in New York, where the album was put together.

This film gives a window into the creation of the album and the basis behind each song. This creates a deeper and more meaningful listening experience.

There are many significant choices made by the editors that contribute to the overall aesthetic of the film. However, the most noticeable creative decision was the layout. A discussion about each track is shown, directly followed

by Swift singing the re-recorded version in the studio.

This format doubled the impact of the explanation because as viewers processed the new information, they got to directly put it into the context of the track. It allowed people to see and hear the lyrics in the way they craved while keeping them in the moment of the movie. The film possessed an inviting feeling overall and maintained this energy throughout the film.

Photo courtesy of Disney+

As each conversation took place, it felt like the audience was listening in on a classified discussion. Swift and her co-creators Dessner and Antonoff divulged all of the pieces of their process in these talks and let listeners into their imaginations.

This is best shown in the discussion of track 6, “Mirrorball.”

This discussion, which took place between Swift and Dessner, allowed her to open up about the way we see celebrities. Swift explained that “Mirrorball” is a metaphor for people who are cracking and the crowds of people who stand there and laugh, finding entertainment in others’ misery.

A large part of music is interpretation, and what it means to each individual listener is just as important as what it was meant to mean. Swift left no room for this in some of her discussions, which was offputting for many people. This trait was most prominent in the discussion of track 14, “Betty.”

“Betty,” as told by Swift, is the third piece of a love triangle coming from a high school boy’s perspective after cheating on his girlfriend. But to much of the internet, “Betty” was a sapphic love story. When this speculation was brought up to Swift by Dessner in the film, he was almost mocking the interpretation made by fans.

While it is understandable to want to cement the meaning of a song, it feels immature to shut off fans’ interpretations.

The origin of this album was, at its core, quarantine, and that was not something Swift shied away from. She explained the large parts of making an album while quarantining, from setting up a studio in her home to the actual recording process.

While Swift was excited by the idea of a home studio and recording across the country, she also said that the re-recording at the Long Pond Studio made her realize that “Folklore” is a real album.

Overall, this documentary was a lot of fun to watch, especially for fans of Swift’s work. It was extremely eye-opening to the process of songwriting and what goes into making the final album we hear.

From Song Artists share documentaries

By the Numbers

17

of Swift’s songs are included in the Folklore Documentary

“Folklore”, Swift’s album, has

700

million streams

25 February 2021

In Wonder

Illustration by Eitan Malkus

Nini Panner Reporter

To Screen on popular streaming sites

Data Courtesy of New York Times and People Magazine

The number of minutes that “In Wonder” is...

Times Mendes has had a number one album on the Billboard Chart.

83 4

Windows down and radio blasting, the newest album that I won’t be playing is Shawn Mendes’ “Wonder.” It has underwhelmed fans and critics alike. The corresponding documentary, “In Wonder,” is yet another example of the shallow nature of Mendes’ newest releases.

Mendes’ album, “In Wonder”, was released on Nov. 23 and the documentary, “Wonder”, shortly after on Dec. 4.

The documentary consisted mostly of concert clips, fluff and stereotypical pop star storylines, and it feels like any major star’s name could be pasted over Shawn Mendes and it wouldn’t change much.

I was hoping this documentary would delve deeper into Mendes’ life and mindset, but it fails to capture that.

His earnest personality and deep love for his family come across strongly and are a highlight of what is otherwise a monotonous hour and a half.

A highlight of the documentary takes us on a trip to Mendes’ hometown. We get to see personal and close shots of Mendes’ quality time with family and friends.

This trip helps the audience see a softer side to a more private pop star, and the intimate quality of the scenes makes it feel like we’re right there alongside him. This doesn’t last long though and the documentary quickly switches back to the inaccessible perspective of mega fame and the privilege that comes along with it.

The unoriginal documentary is paired with a similarly disappointing album.

With no new sounds or style from what Shawn Mendes and other pop stars have been producing for years, the build-up feels as though it led up to a very anti-climatic release. Although there are catchy beats and eloquent lyrics, it’s a light-weight album which has no impact beyond a foot tap.

We have seen many artists explore something new during quarantine. However, “Wonder” does not display any risks Mendes took with his song or style.

“Call Your Friends” is a song on the album that echoes the themes revolving around dedication to family and friends in his documentary. While this song does offer an insight into the grueling schedule of a tour, it still sounds like any generic pop song and lacks any difference from other songs on the album.

One standout theme from this album is Mendes’ connection to his current girlfriend, Camilla Cabello. “Always Been You” is an example of one of the many songs which incorporates a warmhearted reference to his long-term relationship with Cabello.

Lyrics like “I swear that you’ve been meant to save me” give the listener more insight into their deep and meaningful connection.

However, the album still feels like one continuous song with no particular standouts.

I kept asking myself when the album would touch on what was for many the devastating impact of COVID-19, but that topic was completely omitted from the movie.

With flashing shots of 50,000 person stadiums and crowds of strangers hugging each other, it feels strangely disconnected from our current reality.

Take a listen to the album or watch the film, or don’t. You’ll find some catchy tunes but that’s about it. It would be great to see Mendes really advance in his work, but the album and documentary don’t show the full extent of his musical and theatrical ability, which serve to disappoint the viewer.

Photo courtesy of Netflix

The Lion’s Tale Magazine

26

Ingredients And Steps Of Plating: Step 1: Cheese

The first thing you should do is plate your cheeses in different areas on the board. You should have a variety of different cheese, some hard and some soft. I also suggest that you pick cheeses with different textures and shapes because it makes the plate very visually pleasing.

Make sure that the cheeses pair well with the other ingredients you plan to add. My personal favorites are goat cheese, cheddar and brie.

Ho

The next step is to plate your crackers. Plate them in clusters all around the board, or line them up next to each other to make it look neater. You can add plain crackers, or spice it up and add flavored cracker.

Trader Joe’s has a lot of interesting flavors of crackers like everything seasoning, fig rosemary and pumpkin cranberry. I suggest having a mix of different crackers, and maybe some bruschetta or baguette pieces for a change in texture.

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Step 2: Crackers (or Bread)

Step 3: Olives

The third step is to add olives. Olives can

be kind of messy to plate, so keep them in their plastic container or find a small bowl to place them in.

You can choose from green olives, black olives or a mix of the two. It really depends on your liking. If you do not like olives, you can skip this step; however, I suggest you add something else green and savory.

Step 4: Fresh Fruit

Next, add a variety of different kinds of fruits.

Pick colorful fruits to add some vibrancy to your board.

Have fruits of different sizes and shapes and place them in the open spaces on your board. I recommend using either strawberries, cherries, grapes or figs. They are all really pretty and pair well many different kinds of cheeses.

Although it may not seem like it, fruit is a really essential part of a good cheese board because it adds a sweetness and tartness, so don’t forget this step.

Step 5: Dried Fruits and Nuts

The next thing is to fill in all the little gaps and spaces with nuts and dried fruits. The nuts add a nice touch to the cheese plate and make it look much more complete. Macadamia nuts, almonds and walnuts pair well with soft cheeses. In addition to fresh fruit, you can also add dried fruits like apricots and cranberries.

Step 6: Jam and Honey

Next to the board, put little bowls of jam and honey for people to add on to their own individual combinations. It adds a really nice sweetness and texture to the board. Some of my personal favorite pairings are goat cheese and fig jam along with brie and cherry jam.

Compiled by Zara Ducker, Incoming Arts and Entertainment Editor

26 February 2021

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Feeling Lazy?

If you do not have the time, energy or organizational skills to build a cheese plate, do not worry! There are many ways to have an awesome cheese board without lifting a finger.

One option is to buy a pre-prepared one from a store such as Whole Foods and Balducci’s. If you want a really nice custom cheese board, I suggest ordering from Cheesemonster Studio in Washington, DC. There, you are able to select different kinds of cheeses, crackers, chocolates, nuts and more. They can be very expensive depending on what you pick, but the quality of the ingredients and the size of the board are very satisfying. Additionally, Cheesemonster Studio offers a special monthly box where 15% of its profits are donated to charity.

The Lion’s Tale Magazine 27

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Dear 2020, you were not all bad The best and worst trends of the year

Illustration created by Ariana Ravitz