Andalusian Volume 21 Issue 2

LETTER FROM THE Editor

After weeks of preparation and decision making, the Andalusian staff and I are very excited to share our second issue of the 2021-22 school year! Here at the Andalusian, we are determined to always improve, which is why we built upon what we learned from our first issue this year and why we are overjoyed to show you how much this publication has grown in just a short few months.

This issue, the Andalusian staff set out to accomplish several things. First, we wanted to fulfill our promise from the last issue that we would continue to evolve this publication. In order to do so, we decided to cover a wide range of topics and students, which is why I am proud to say this issue of the Andalusian is one of the lengthiest publications to date. More importantly, however, we wanted to celebrate the coming together of the Maclay community for its 2021 homecoming.

While Maclay did have a homecoming week last year, there was always the dark cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic looming above us. There was no homecoming dance or very involved activities, but the Maclay community pulled through as always. This year, however, the Marauders were able to truly celebrate and show their school

spirit. This excitement to return to a normal homecoming, one bigger and better than before, is the emotion we sought to capture with this issue. From playing powderpuff to getting pied in the face, the Andalusian staff wanted to remind the students of the fun times they had this homecoming season and why it is so great to be a Maclay Marauder.

The Andalusian staff is extremely thankful to our adviser Ms. Cailyn Callaway for her exceptional guidance, support and faith in us. We would also like to thank Mr. Norment and the English department for their continuous help in the improvement of our staff. Naturally, we are very appreciative of Mrs. Mayer, who helped make this newspaper happen in the first place. Finally, we would like to give many thanks to Mr. Charles Beamer, who continues to give endless support and encouragement to this publication. For my incredible staff, the work you have put into this issue has not gone unnoticed, and you truly make the Andalusian the best that it can be. I am beyond proud and thankful for all of you!

Sincerely,

Shelby Watson EDITOR IN CHIEF

STAFF LIST

ADVISER

Cailyn Callaway

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Shelby Watson

GENERAL EDITORS

Gaby Emenike

Taylor Hamilton

SPORTS EDITOR

RJ Hosay

MARKETING

Taylor Hamilton

BUSINESS

RJ Hosay

EDITORIAL POLICY

STAFF WRITERS

Jolie Baus

Kate Bulloch

Meghan Goletz

Amelia Haggins

Julia Luck

Ella Porcher

Merrell Webster

SPORTS WRITERS

Sawyer Davis

Evan Nguyen

Jaclyn Summers

DESIGN

Kate Bulloch

Meghan Goletz

Merrell Webster

Articles published as an editorial reflect the opinions of the Andalusian staff. Each editorial is approved by the standing editorial board and must receive a majority vote before it can be published as reflecting the views of the publication. The 2021-22 Editorial Board consists of Editor-In-Chief Shelby Watson, General Editor Taylor Hamilton, General Editor, Gaby Emenike, Sports Editor RJ Hosay and Adviser Cailyn Callaway.

SCAN HERE TO READ THE LATEST ANDLAUISAN ARTICLES. UPDATED DAILY.

PIE TO THE FACE. Sophomore cheerleader Anna Brannen pies senior class president Kate Smith during the Oct. 15 homecoming pep-rally. Smith failed to guess the right lyric in Brooks and Dunn “Neon Moon” resulting in a whip cream mess. Students and faculty watched in awe hopeful not to be called next.

PHOTO BY SHELBY WATSON

SPOTLIGHT

BY: RJ HOSAY

ON MARAUDER PALOOZA HOMECOMING WEEK

UPCOMING EVENTS

DRESS UP

Students who had just rolled out of bed filled Maclay’s campus with colorful pajamas to start Maclay’s annual homecoming. On Monday, Oct. 11, the entire school came to campus in their pajamas. This was one of many dress-up themes. The next day students slapped on a jersey from their favorite sports team or athlete. The crowd favorite in the upper school was football jerseys, but there were the occasional basketball and baseball jerseys as well. On Wednesday, Oct. 13, upper school students had to take the PSAT and SAT, but Maclay was lit up through the rest of the school, who got to enjoy Neon day. After the PSAT and SAT, students rocked and rolled through Thursday dressed up as their favorite music band or artist, as the theme was “Marauder Palooza.” The last day of Homecoming week was themed blue and white, which allowed students to celebrate and show their school spirit.

OCTOBER 29: HALLOWEEN DRESS-UP DAY

OCTOBER 31: HALLOWEEN

NOVEMBER 4: DM DUDES

NOVEMBER 11: VETERANS DAY

BREAK GAMES

Along with the festivities of dressing up came games and challenges during homeroom and break. On Monday, homerooms were supposed to face off in “Guess the Song,” but due to technical difficulties, it did not happen. The next day during homeroom, students were able to enjoy four square, as well as compete in a sports trivia hosted by academic advisor Matthew Cave. There was no game on Wednesday due to the PSAT and SAT. Thursday, however, students and teachers gathered in the courtyard and participated in Karaoke. The last day of homecoming festivities before the dance was Friday, and there were no games or challenges because of the parade and pep rally.

NOVEMBER 18: NHS INDUCTIONS

NOVEMBER 18: FALL MUSIC FESTIVAL

NOVEMBER 22-26: THANKSGIVING BREAK

DECEMBER 3: CAREER DAY

POWDERPUFF

Each grade in the upper school formed a girls’ flag football team to compete in a Powderpuff tournament on Tuesday, Oct. 12. First, the senior class faced off against the freshmen and the juniors faced off against the sophomores. Both the sophomores and freshmen got crushed in their respective games, with the seniors winning 28 to 0 and the juniors winning 42 to 0. As a result, the championship game was seniors versus juniors. The juniors demolished the seniors, with the juniors already winning 16 to 0 at halftime. The juniors ended up winning 32 to 0.

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

HOCO DAYS

KARAOKE

To go with the “Marauder Palooza” homecoming theme, Maclay hosted a Karaoke night. Students and faculty gathered in the Langford Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. to sing their favorite songs. Around 30 people participated in the night, with the majority being freshmen students. A few songs that were sung were “Eye of the Tiger,” “Can’t Touch This” and “Call Me Maybe.”

The last day of homecoming week ended with sirens and loud cheering. On Friday, Oct. 15, Maclay had its homecoming parade at 2 p.m. The parade started off with two cop cars and a loud fire truck leading followed by the cheerleaders and football team. After the football team came various clubs, such as the Key Club, Jr. Beta, French Club and Multicultural Awareness Club (MAC). The parade ended with the homecoming court, who drove by two-by-two. As soon as the parade ended, students headed over to Frank Shaw Field for the pep rally. At the pep rally, there was a game of trivia and a challenge of “finish the lyrics.” If the student failed to finish the lyrics, they were slapped with a pie full of whip cream. The pep rally also featured performances by the varsity cheer and middle school cheer team as well. Once the pep rally was over, students were dismissed for the end of the day and the end of the Maclay’s 2021 Homecoming week.

PEP RALLY/PARADE

Photos by Shelby Watson

POWDERPUFF FOOTBALL:

JUNIORS ARE THE 2021 HOMECOMING POWDERPUFF CHAMPIONS

KEEPS RUNNIN’ RUNNIN’. JUNIOR GRACE REICHELDERFER RUNS THE BALL IN THE JUNIOR VS SENIOR GAME. REICHELDERFER PLAYED MULTIPLE POSITIONS IN THE POWDERPUFF GAMES BUT STOOD OUT AS RUNNING BACK SCORING MULTIPLE TOUCHDOWNS. REICHELDERFER’S EFFORTS HELPED THE JUNIORS LEAD OVER BOTH THE FRESHMAN AND SENIORS.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS. JUNIOR PLAYERS AND COACHES POSE FOR THE MANY CAMERAS TRYING TO CAPTURE THE WINNING SHOT. BOTH THE FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE TEAMS WERE UNPREPARED FOR THE FIRE THE JUNIORS BROUGHT TO THEIR GAMES. WITH THE JUNIORS ONLY HOSTING ONE PRACTICE A WEEK BEFORE THE BIG NIGHT, MANY WERE SURPRISED AT THEIR PERFORMANCE ON THE FIELD. THE JUNIORS LOOK TO BUILD ON THIS WIN AND RETURN NEXT YEAR FOR THE 2022 WIN.

EYE OF THE TIGER. SENIOR GABRIELLE ROLLE CATCHES THE BALL IN THE FRESHMAN VS SENIOR GAME. ROLLE WAS SPEEDY ON THE FIELD AND PLAYED IMPRESSIVE DEFENSE. ROLLE’S EFFORTS HELPED THE TEAM WIN THIS GAME TAKING THEM TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

EVERYBODY’S HANDS GO UP. JUNIOR CAPTAIN LILLY PHIPPS CARRIES THE BALL OVER THE GOAL LINE FOR ANOTHER JUNIOR TOUCHDOWN AGAINST THEIR FRESHMAN OPPONENTS. PHIPPS’ TEAMMATES IN THE BACKGROUND CELEBRATE THE TOUCHDOWN. ALONG WITH REICHELDERFER, PHIPPS SCORED MULTIPLE TOUCHDOWNS IN BOTH GAMES SECURING THE VICTORY.

WE GOT SPIRIT. THE SOPHOMORE POWDERPUFF TEAM DID NOT PULL OUT THE WIN, BUT THEIR CHEERLEADERS DID. THE SOPHOMORE BOYS SHOWCASED THEIR PRIDE DURING THEIR HALFTIME PERFORMANCE PULLING OFF NUMEROUS CHEERLEADING STUNTS AND MOVES. DURING THE GAME, THE BOYS ALSO SUPPORTED THEIR TEAM FROM THE SIDELINES.

BY MEGHAN GOLETZ

CLEAN SWEEP. JUNIOR COACH MICHAEL GRANT SHOWS HIS EXCITMENT FOR THE JUNIOR VICTORY OVER THE SENIORS IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. GRANT SPENT BOTH GAMES ON THE SIDELINE ANOUNCING PLAYS ON THE WHITEBOARD AND YELLING CALLS TO PLAYERS ON THE FIELD. GRANT INTENDS TO RETURN AS A COACH NEXT YEAR.

ALL PHOTOS PROVIDED BY KAITLYN DRESSEL

BRINGING PHOTOS TO LIFE

SENIOR SARAH CAULLEY SOTO OPENS INTERACTIVE ART GALLERY

BY TAYLOR HAMILTON

Many know senior Sarah Caulley Soto for her pole vaulting skills on Maclay’s track and field team, but what some may not know is her passion for photography. In December of 2019, Soto and her family visited Africa for two weeks for her parent’s 20th anniversary. Soto got the opportunity to visit Botswana and Zimbabwe, as well as take photos of magnificent creatures. Through the Beck Family Innovation Center (BFIC), students can take a look at Soto’s eight beautiful photos of various animals and bring each photo to life through her Interactive Art Gallery.

“I had been used to seeing [animals] in a zoo behind cages and glass windows, so it was just really strange and surreal to be able to see them up close and personal,” Soto said. “We were at times no more than a few feet away from these animals.”

Prior to the development of Soto’s Interactive Gallery, she enrolled in a photography class during her sophomore year with upper school art teacher Kaitlyn Dressel, which began her passion for taking pictures. Last year, she took AP Art to focus on photography, and this year she is in a Directed Independent Study (DIS) centered around photo and graphic design. Soto is also the secretary of the National Art Honors Society.

Now, Soto is publicly showing off her skills with her gallery focused on the animals. Whether she was

watching a lion hide behind a bush or seeing a water buffalo grazing in the sunlight near tall grass, Soto took many opportunities to capture each animal’s beauty.

“I really just saw an opportunity and snapped a few pictures and hoped a few came out because the animals were just so comfortable around us,” Soto said. “They were moving around; they didn’t even notice that we were there. I was just taking whatever opportunity I got. I did mess around with the angles and the lightning to try to get cool shots.”

Soto took photos of several animals, including lions, leopards, giraffes, water buffalo, hippos, prairie dogs, wild cats and a few hyenas. She also took a lot of landscape photos on her phone.

“The favorite animal that I took pictures of was probably the cheetah because it was during golden hour on the Savannah, so it was perfect, and the sun was staying in the background,” Soto said. “We had been chasing around these cheetahs, and we saw them sitting by the tree, so it was like the perfect opportunity.”

As far as her interactive photo gallery goes, Dressel helped Soto design and animate the gallery. Dressel also taught Soto how to create the gallery, but it was Soto who chose different elements of each photo to animate in order to bring the photos to life. Soto used programs such as Lightroom for lighting and

color, and the digital animation was done in Adobe Photoshop. Through some of the QR codes, Soto captured a lion silently looking off into the distance with its glorious mane. As well as another lion staring right at the camera with its beautiful brown eyes.

“I thought it was really cool; I was very proud of Sarah Caulley,” senior and friend McKenzie Jackson said. “I loved the little touches of movement, and I thought about how beautiful the pictures were.”

Soto wanted to do the interactive gallery because she wanted people to see her vision and bring a piece of the Savannah to Maclay. Although all of the videos are less than ten seconds, they provideviews for Maclay student to admire.

Last year, Dressel had mentioned to Soto that she wanted to do an art show for her, so her DIS used a lot of time for setting up the art show. Soto’s gallery was put on display on Oct. 1, where Dressel had gathered her friends and family to view the gallery and enjoy some vanilla, chocolate and red velvet cupcakes.

“Ms. Dressel completely surprised me for [the reveal], she got my entire family and friends to come down, and I don’t really like surprises, but this was a good surprise,” Soto said. “She was like ‘Soto, please don’t hate me for doing this.’ It’s definitely a little scary. I’ve never had my work on public display like that before, but it’s really encouraging and motivating.”

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, while somewhat at a tamer point due to the release of vaccines, certain social events and interactions are starting to be reintroduced.

People are finally able to once again enjoy things like concerts and restaurants after a full year of staying indoors. However, even as many people are getting back on their feet, society is still feeling the harmful effects from the sheer number of those who lost their jobs during the height of the pandemic. As businesses are opening up again, the empty roles once filled by employees are becoming increasingly noticeable, and in some cases, detrimental to stores, offices and restaurants. This issue is leading to national and world-wide labor shortages.

Driving around Tallahassee, it’s hard not to see big signs advertising open applications in the windows of stores. Whether you go into a restaurant or drive-thru, you may notice longer wait times than usual. According to the commonwealth fund,

by the end of June 2020, nearly 50 million people had to apply for unemployment benefits. For the Tallahassee community around the same time, residents were struck with a 9.3% unemployment rate. With the city’s population close to 198,000 residents, that meant that over 18,000 people were jobless. Furthermore, even with the reopening of stores and restaurants, those who lost their jobs are simply not filling up all of the available positions.

The jobs that are being refilled are not those of service. Fast food, retail and serving jobs are all at a full time time low when it comes to their number of employees. As a result, the minority of people who do work in those industries are having to make up for the lack of employees, causing them to become stressed and extremely overworked. And with the massive waves of people getting back into the routine of going out again, many workers are beginning to hit their breaking points.

Whether it be managers or workers, many people in service related jobs are feeling the pressure. Within the Tallahassee community, many local businesses are trying to keep up despite the difficulty that comes with having so few employees.

“I’m always at some level of stress,” Donut Kingdom

UNDERSTAFFEED AND OVERWORKED

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC LEADS TO LOCAL AND NATION WIDE LABOR SHORTAGES

BY GABY EMENIKE

manager Kie ButlerHill said. “Most days I’m worried that someone is unhappy and will quit there on the spot and put me in a position. I try to be a fair manager, but I’m also still learning to be firm.”

A large percentage of restaurants took mainly online and pick-up orders during the pandemic to ensure the safety of their customers and workers. Having such large yields of customers now returning to their businesses makes it not only difficult for them to be able to handle the work, but also challenging to train new employees due to the rushes.

Local clothing shops and boutiques are also having to once again settle into the new normal.

“There definitely has been a very big impact on this boutique because of covid,” a Gypsy Rose boutique employee said. “We have basically recovered now, but when Covid first hit we weren’t open for a little bit. We were trying to open our other location in Market Square, but that got postponed and we had to close down for a bit. I think now we have fully opened, but for a while people weren’t coming in because they weren’t really going to leave their homes.”

But with all of the open jobs, many teenagers have found an opportunity to join the workforce. Although these younger employees

have taken the initiative to fill the roles left by the older workers, they have been met with a somewhat warped version of the working world. With unbelievable hours and numerous tasks per shift, it makes it extremely difficult for teens to balance their education and job.

“We are so short staffed now, and it was the same issue at my previous job before I came to Subway,” senior De’Yanni Stephens said. “It’s just so hard finding people who are willing to work. It’s physically draining because I have to work longer hours, and Subway is a pretty fast paced job, so it’s always busy and I’m on my feet for six hours straight.”

Accompanied by local and national communities finally taking notice of the stress service workers are being put under, the discussion of how to solve the issue must emerge. Companies like Zaxby’s have raised wages to $11 per hour to lure in more workers, but with minimal success. So, until a solution is reached, either more people are going to have to take one for the team and join the service industry, or patrons will have to become accustomed to longer wait times.

PROUD & POSITIVE

SPECTRUM CLUB COMMEMORATES LGBTQ+ HISTORY MONTH WITH NUMEROUS COURTYARD DISPLAYS PROMOTING SELF-PRIDE

BY AMELIA HAGGINS

Among a sea of pink shirts, flashes of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple were sprinkled around the upper school courtyard. Displayed on saran wrap, teacher’s windows, people’s shirts and the sidewalk, the colors represent a sense of diversity and solidarity associetd with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) communities. To commemorate the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community and further educate Maclay students on the contributions made by its members, Spectrum Club held an all-inclusive celebration for LGBTQ+ History Month in the courtyard on Friday, Oct. 22 2021.

Nearly 30 years since its adoption as a national month, LGBTQ+ History Month was created by Missouri teacher Rodney Wilson. Aiming to highlight the achievements made by members of the LGBTQ+ community, Wilson led a campaign to include LGBTQ+ history and education in schools. The efforts made by Wilson and his colleagues were successful, for the General Assembly of the National Education Association passed a resolution to include LGBTQ+ History Month within a list of commemorative months. Since National Coming Out Day (Oct. 11) and the anniversary of

the first march on Washington for gay and lesbian rights both fall in October, the month of October was selected to host and honor the history made by LGBTQ+ individuals.

The celebration of this year’s LGBTQ+ History Month fell in the hands of Spectrum Club members. Spectrum Club, which focuses and is led around a message of spreading inclusivity and expressing individuality, hosted this year’s LGBTQ+ festivities to shed light on members of the community who may feel overlooked.

“Our club focuses on diversity issues, and we find it important to make sure that everyone feels welcome at Maclay,” English teacher and Spectrum Club cosponsor Lee Norment said. “While I do want people to open their minds and their eyes, I cannot control that. I think it is important that we also acknowledge the fact that our club members are able to celebrate themselves and feel validated.”

Student involvement from both upper and underclassmen in the recent celebration has served as one of the key aspects of the event’s organization. Spectrum Club members brainstormed and eventually implemented numerous ideas to help educate their peers on LGBTQ+ history.

These ideas included the creation of a curated playlist containing LGBTQ+ singers, two interactive “Proud and Positive” boards and numerous posters that displayed the names of influential LGBTQ+ members.

“[LGBTQ+ History Month] is for one, not over the summer like PRIDE Month,” senior and Spectrum Club co-leader Maddie Lillie said. “This way, we can talk about the history and how things have changed and developed, while also being proud of the history.”

Instances of being proud of both LGBTQ+ history and personal individuality were apparent on Friday as countless students returned to the “Proud and Positive” boards to add sticky notes that contained what they were proud of in their lives. Spectrum Club’s commemoration of the LGBTQ+ community in American history ultimately served as both a testament to the inclusive nature of the LGBTQ+ community and an embracement of the unique and diverse personalities of Maclay upper school students.

“LGBTQ+ awareness is really important to me,” freshman Emily Hawken said. “I thought it would be good to put some positivity out here today and spread both awareness and love.”

PHOTOS BY AMELIA HAGGINS

OPINION SPOTLIGHT

STUDENT OPINIONS ON FALL OPINIONS

WHAT IS YOUR FALL TRADITION AND WHY?

COOLER WEATHER. I LOVE WALKING TO MY CAR IN THE AFTERNOONS WITHOUT SWEATING.”

STUDENT POLLS

117 students surveyed

WHO HAS THE BEST FALL DRINKS?

DUNKIN DONUTS (19 STUDENTS)

CARVING PUMPKINS BECAUSE MY DAD AND I STARTED DOING IT WHEN I WAS YOUNG.”

LINDSAY GARRETT “

THANKSGIVING. I LOVE GOING TO THE BEACH AND SPENDING TIME WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY.”

EFREM ROSENBERG “

HALLOWEEN, BECAUSE I GET TO EAT LOTS OF CANDY AND HANG WITH MY FRIENDS

BRADLEY CARNES

LUCKY GOAT (23 STUDENTS)

STARBUCKS (75 STUDENTS)

FALL OR SUMMER WEATHER?

SUMMER (27 STUDENTS)

FALL (90 STUDENTS )

FAVORITE FALL ACTIVITY?

MS. GIMBEL

SUPERHERO COSTUMES

STICK TO SUPERHERO COSTUMES

CULTURAL APPROPRIATION HAS NO PLACE IN HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

EDITORIAL

Native American warrior. Arabian princess. Latino musician. Without context, these titles have little meaning. If these titles were grouped together in the category of Halloween costumes, however, you might just have a case of cultural appropriation.

For those who are unaware of what “cultural appropriation” is, Arizona State University Professor Neal Lester tells USA Today that the action is “taking elements of someone else’s culture without permission.”

No other time of the year is this term heard more than around Halloween. For years, people have been able to get away with wearing offensive Halloween costumes that are caricatures of marginalized cultures. Within the past decade, however, people are calling others out for perpetuating stereotypes through Halloween costumes. Using the fun, candy-filled holiday of Halloween as an excuse to partake in cultural appropriation needs to be stopped because of the racial stereotypes, harmful messages and degradation these costumes encourage. The past decade has brought much progress for discussions on hurtful and offensive stereotypes, but it is acts like cultural appropriation that halt these conversations and continue to encourage racist or prejudiced views. The costumes that take

cultural aspects from Native Americans often depict them as primitive, brutish warriors, instead of showcasing the diverse and beautiful culture that truly exists amongst tribes. In the same boat, costumes exaggerating parts of Latino culture bolster harmful stereotypes, such as loving parties. Not only are these views outdated, but they continue to hinder discussions on how to better the future for minorities.

On Halloween, kids flock to the streets to get candy. During this time, they look around to see the different costumes that people are wearing, including those of cultural appropriation. Children are more absorbent than many people give them credit for, and as a result, can mentally take in misinformation about cultures. If kids think these kinds of costumes are acceptable, they can develop expectations of racial or offensive stereotypes. Perhaps the biggest offense costumes that culturally appropriate commit is the mockery they make of cultures that have already suffered throughout history. Making a costume out of Native American tribal wear and deeming it “sexy” is demeaning and humilating to a culture that has been oppressed longer than the United States has existed. This also applies to Latino culture,

as the exaggerated depictions of sombreros and ponchos belittle the rich Latino culture that actually exists.

In response to the recent callouts against cultural appropriation, several people have claimed that offensive costumes are simply that: costumes. They claim that wearing these types of costumes is simply a fun game of dress-up and shouldn’t be taken seriously because it’s harmless. While these types of people may be right that wearing a costume is physically harmless, they don’t take into account the mental and social harm cultural appropriation can do. Not only do these types of costumes encourage dangerous mindsets and prejudices, but they can also ruin people’s pride for their own culture.

Many people can fall into the trap of cultural appropriation, so the best course of action this Halloween is to be more diligent when it comes to picking out your costume. If you want to be sure you stay respectful this spooky season, doing research or asking knowledgeable people is a great way to stay informed. To be extra careful, however, there is nothing wrong with wearing a simple and silly costume. You can never go wrong with Batman or the red M&M!

ADD TO CART:

PRO ONLINE SHOPPING

BY MERRELL WEBSTER

Whether buying a variety of clothes or looking for personal items, shopping is an activity most people enjoy. Shopping online or shopping in person both allow people to purchase different materials and items they love. However, with the Covid-19 virus, online shopping has become more popular than ever. Many people are scared to go back to shopping in person, so as a result, the trend to shop online has increased. As things are moving in more of a virtual direction, the process for shopping online is more convenient, has more variety and offers better prices.

For a majority of people, the most beneficial reason for online shopping is convenience. People can enjoy the comfort of shopping from any place and any time they choose. It allows people to shop in a matter of minutes and not have to worry about the long lines and crowds of people outside of a store. Shopping online also gives people the opportunity to browse the latest sales all at once rather than

pushing through racks. The hassle of driving to a store can be saved by simply logging into a website or brand on any electronic device.

As most people know, many stores are only open during the day for a set amount of hours each week. When shopping online, everyone has the ability to access those websites at any time for however long they desire. Most people have plans or prior commitments during the day, so having the use of an online website 24/7 saves time and is easier for almost everyone.

As well as being convenient, online shopping offers more variety. When looking at a website, there are thousands of products and different manufacturers included for people to purchase. Finding any brand or item immediately becomes easier and provides hundreds of options to choose from. Shopping in stores does not automatically mean that a specific product will always be there, so having the choice to look for it online puts people at a

higher chance of finding it.

While there are only certain products in stock at a store, online shopping offers almost every choice of brand, color and size. According to AccountLearning, buyers are able to choose from a variety of models after comparing the finish, features and price of the products on display. Because online websites do not have to deal with the problems of warehouses and space constraints, it is not a surprise that online stores have a larger stock of products versus physical locations.

While online and in-person shopping offer the same products, most online shopping websites offer better prices. Many of the websites have numerous coupon and reward opportunities for each item people wish to purchase. Cheaper deals and discounts are almost always available, making it more likely for people to buy their products. As stated by Balance, saving money online is even more true when people combine it with no tax charges, coupons, special

deals and free shipping.

When people think of online shopping, it is most often perceived as unreliable websites with risks of scams and shipping delays. However, the advantages of online shopping outweigh the disadvantages. Shopping online allows people to purchase things from the comfort of their own home at their own leisure. The constant time of standing in line and being surrounded by crowds of people are saved by shopping virtually. With the rapid growth of technology over the past few years, the process of doing things online has become much more widespread. Because the internet offers a wider and more plentiful range of products, the advantages of shopping in an online setting are much more enjoyable for customers. With all of the numerous benefits, more and more people are starting to shop online and prefer this convenient process versus shopping in stores.

OFF THE RACK:

CON ONLINE SHOPPING

BY MEGHAN GOLETZ

which means the shopper is forced to keep the wrong item and is not granted a full refund.

Everyone has their own way of unwinding and avoiding the uniformity of an ordinary life, and when most individuals need a break, are stressed out or are simply bored, they go shopping. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, people had no other option than to shop online since all indoor store facilities were forced to close worldwide. While it may seem like shopping online was less of a hassle at the time, people found that they missed going inside stores and shopping with friends. People also started to realize that online shopping brings higher chances of fraud, more fees and gives no opportunity to try on new clothes, none of which is ever an issue when it comes to in-

person shopping.

While shopping online, one of the highest concerns people face is the risk of fraud. There are multiple ways an online seller can scam a shopper, including getting someone’s payment information stolen. Once an individual enters in their credit card information, the seller has full access to their bank account if the website and payment is not secure. Most people take the risk thinking this will not happen to them, but it is something that people should be aware of. Another issue that is faced while online shopping is that the seller can take a person’s money then send them incorrect items or no items at all. With that, the seller might not offer returns,

When people order from a company that is not located near them, the shopper has to pay for delivery fees. This fee can range from any amount of dollars and can be expensive depending on where the company selling these items is located. Once the shopper receives their package, the item might not succeed their expectations, causing them to return it. If complications with an order do occur and the seller offers the shopper to return the item, there are still fee issues that can arise. If the company does not offer a free shipping label and free returns, that means the shopper has to spend even more money. As a result, the shopper could potentially have to pay for both the delivery fee and the return fee which could be more expensive than the original item purchased.

Another struggle shoppers face is that they can not try items on until they arrive at their house. The item someone orders can easily arrive and not be what they anticipated. Material, sizing and texture are all factors which cannot be determined until they are in the shopper’s hands. This can be an issue when the picture

of the item shown on the website is not an actual representation of what the company sends. Not to mention, there is no guarantee when an item will arrive. For example, if someone has an event that they need a specific item for, they have to check the delivery date and give the package enough leeway to arrive before the event.

Although lovers of online shopping can shop at any hour of the day, it becomes a problem when people disperse an absurd amount of money and spend too much time online. The preposterous prices are not good for someone’s bank account. While shopping in person, most people set a limit and stop themselves from buying when they have spent too much. While online, people tend to forget what they have already bought and do not pay as much attention to prices.

Online shopping is not worth the risk of someone’s credit card information possibly getting stolen, having to pay for delivery and return fees or even the wrong items arriving at someone’s house. All these problems can be avoided if people choose to shop in-person. Online shopping is such a hassle and it does not deserve all the hype that it gets.

DO YOU PREFER IN-PERSON OR ONLINE SHOPPING?

117 STUDENTS SURVEYED

MY MOM BUYS MY CLOTHES ONLINE (46 people)

people)

WAIT, THEY’RE HOW OLD?

ACTORS SHOULD STICK TO PLAYING AGE APPROPRIATE ROLES

BY JULIA LUCK

Have you ever had a crush on a teenage character only to find out that they’re 10 years older than you in real life? Many times, actors play roles that are significantly younger than their real age. For example, teenagers all around the country love the characters JJ and John B from the Netflix TV series “Outer Banks.” What they may not know, however, is that JJ is played by 23-year-old Rudy Pankow and John B is played by 28-yearold Chase Stokes. Characters such as these who are played by older men and women are odd because, not only does it make minors adoring these characters a bit disturbing, but decreases the believability of a young character if they are played by a 20 or 30-year-old.

In many television series, a common theme audiences love and directors thrive off of is a love interest because it makes shows more exciting and dramatic. However, this can become weird when the actors have a huge age gap. On “That 70’s Show,” two of the main characters Kelso and Jackie, played by Asher Kutcher and Mila Kunis, dated throughout the eight season series. Both of their characters were teenagers on the show, but that was not the case in real life. In

reality, Kutcher was 20 while Kunis was 14. This not only became awkward at times (not to mention illegal) but could have been resolved by hiring an actor that was a suitable and legal age.

Actors play a variety of characters in different shows and movies, but that can detract from a film or show if the actors also play a variety of ages. In 1995 for example, Gabrielle Union played a 47-year-old character named Sydney Burnett in the movie “Bad Boys.” Five years later, she played a 17-year-old character named Isis in “Bring it On.” This vast difference in age became confusing for viewers. In one movie, she is a 47-yearold DEA agent, and then five years later she’s playing a teenage cheerleader in highschool. As a result, reality in both films is shattered a bit for the viewers.

It is also not realistic when two characters who are supposed to be a mom and daughter are close in age. In the movie, “Mean Girls,” Amy Poehler and Rachel McAdams have a seven year age gap. This can come off as weird for viewers when watching the movie, creating a very distorted reality.

Occasionally, an actor can pass for a teenager, such as the case with

Jackson Stewart, who played Hannah Montana’s brother in the hit series “Hannah Montana.” Stewart’s character was 16 years old, but at the time of filming, Stewart himself was actually 29-years-old. His case is rare, however, as for every Jackson Stewart there is a Ben Platt. Platt’s performance as the high school student Evan Hansen in the recent film “Dear Evan Hansen” has earned the film a lot of criticism, simply because the 28-year-old looks too old. If they had cast a younger actor, that scandal could have been avoided.

Some may say that it is better to have an older actor play a teenager mainly because they are not enrolled in school, and they are often more attractive as well as mature. Even though this is usually true, older actors do not have the same mindset of a teenager. If the character is

a 17-year-old in high school, it would make the most sense and give the character more relatability for a 17-year-old to play that role.

The role of an actor is to play a character and make it believable. Talented actors can be capable of changing their accent, demeanor and behavior. One thing they cannot change, however, is their age. As a result, casting actors who are not the age of their characters can decrease the character’s believability, or in the case of “Dear Evan Hansen,” disastrous attempts at de-aging. A teenager should be played by a teenager, and adults should stick to the plenty of older roles offered in Hollywood.

GUESS THE AGE:

Shirley Henderson as Moaning Myrtle in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”

Rachel McAdams as Regina George in “Mean Girls”

Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones in “Riverdale”

HOW OLD WERE THE ACTORS PLAYING SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE “TEENAGE” CHARACTERS?

UNDERNEATH)

YOU MUST BE THIS YOUNG TO RECEIVE FREE CANDY

THE AGE LIMIT FOR TRICK-OR TREATING IS 13 YEARS OLD

BY JOLIE BAUS

Chilly morning air, spooky decorations and an excessive number of pumpkins can only mean one thing: it’s that time of the season again. As the year delves further into October, Halloween plans have become a prominent topic. Festive parties, haunted house visits and scary movie nights are popular choices to celebrate the frightening holiday. While the most popular option, trickor-treating is responsible for many exciting memories for this fleeting moment of the year, should the candy crazed and fun filled activity be open to all ages? In short: no. The festivity is best suited for fans of all things spooky aged 13 and younger.

paying close attention to their surroundings.

even go home all together.

TURNER BESHEARS

Trick-or-treating would become significantly more dangerous for children if it was normalized for people of all ages to participate. Allowing an older crowd to trick-or-treat alongside children jeopardizes the safety of the younger group, as it’s a common theme that adults have a tendency to help themselves to a few more drinks than usual on holidays, which doesn’t mix well in an environment teeming with children. According to statistics analyzed by the American Addiction Centers, it’s a proven fact that people do increase their alcohol consumption around holidays, especially Halloween. Specifically, drunk driving fatalities and puncture wound injuries become a more prevalent issue during the October holiday. On average, a whopping 23% of pedestrian deaths during Halloween are caused by reckless drivers under the influence of alcohol. With this in mind, encouraging people of all ages to trick-ortreat would result in more cars passing through the general area of neighborhoods designated for the Halloween festivity. This would give rise to the death of more pedestrians, many of which are younger children who wouldn’t be

For houses giving out the goods, buying candy would be considerably more costly if everyone trick-or-treated. With more trick-or-treaters comes a higher demand, and the drastic increase of people would result in either a major candy shortage before the night even hits 10 p.m. or an outrageous rise in expenses for candy supply. Considering not everyone can afford a colossal candy stash, there’s a strong chance some houses would opt-out of giving sweets away entirely. Thanks to an older crowd entering the scene, trick-or-treaters as a whole would be left with less candy than before, which almost completely defeats the purpose of the festivity.

As implied by the name, “trick-or-treating” goes hand in hand with receiving treats, so a shortage of candy would significantly detract from the appeal of the spooky celebration. Even for more affluent neighborhoods that can afford the steeper expenses for candy, the added cost would ultimately be unnecessary since older teens and adults trick-ortreating sully the experience overall regardless.

The lines to receive candy would also become outrageously long, which isn’t fun for anyone involved in the night out activity. As the number of people trickor-treating would increase if more people participated, the length of the lines would dramatically grow as well. Adults and teens are arguably equally as impatient as children on a night dedicated to fun and excitement, so no one would be enjoying themselves waiting for extended periods of time at a single house. Instead of being able to easily walk around door to door whilst admiring all of the extraordinary decorations, the average trick or treater will only be thinking about how much they’d like to sit down or

Some might argue that the younger trick-or-treaters would barely even acknowledge the more mature group alongside them, so normalizing the festivity being open to all ages wouldn’t cause serious disruption. Children wouldn’t be paying attention to anyone or anything else but the impressive house decorations and the number of candy bars accumulating in their bags. People may believe an older and younger crowd of trick-ortreaters could easily co-exist so that those who fall in the former category can have the pleasure of feeling youthful and care-free again.

It’s important to consider, however, that adult costumes tend to lean towards the scarier or more intense side, which could distract the kiddies from enjoying their time out with friends and family and make them generally uncomfortable. Trick-or-treating has been more of a designated child activity for years now, so normalizing the integration of older crowds would detract from the secure and wholesome aspects of the younger generation’s Halloween experiences and memories.

It isn’t fair to the little trickor-treaters to tarnish their fun night out simply so that older teens and adults can relive childhood memories of their own, which they themselves created without the disruption of a slew of older people. Allowing the new generation of trick-or-treaters to have an equally positive experience as the generations before them did is not only the morally correct course of action, but the most logical.

For Halloween lovers exceeding the 13 year cap, it’s time to retire the old trickor-treat bag and indulge in one of the many other, more age-appropriate alternatives to enjoying the exciting night.

WHAT AGE IS THE TRICK-OR-TREATING CUT OFF?

MUSHY MARAUDERS

THE ANDALUSIAN FOLLOWS MARAUDERS FROM HOMECOMING PROPOSALS TO DANCE

BY KATE BULLOCH

As the month of October rolled around, students on campus were beginning to think about their future plans for homecoming. This time of year always calls for new dresses, slick suits, fancy hairstyles and most importantly, fun and creative homecoming proposal signs. While homecoming may encourage people to step outside their comfort zone and ask a date to the dance, this fun experience can bring many nerves. Lots of pressure can come from making a catchy sign and finding a date. Although proposing can induce some butterflies, these students embraced the time of year and participated in the tradition of homecoming proposals.

To start off the proposals for the year, freshman Ryder Marks asked freshman Gray Burleson to homecoming, referencing one of her favorite stores, Lululemon.

“I knew I wanted to ask someone, and she was the one who came to mind,” Marks said. “We have been friends for a long time.”

While the sign was inspired from Pinterest, Marks selected the Lululemon theme because he knew it was special to Burleson and her love for the brand.

“The sign was very sweet,” Burleson said. “I was surprised and am so excited to go.”

This next homecoming proposal was a favorite around campus. Sophomore Brad Gerrish approached sophomore Aileen McAbee in the courtyard with his personal and sporty sign. Gerrish’s sign wrote, “My lax stats would be better if I weren’t always distracted by the girl keeping them, Hoco?” This sign, which referenced Gerrish’s position in lacrosse and McAbee’s role as a lacrosse stat keeper, left the sophomore girl flattered by the sign and immediately saying “yes.”

“We spent a lot of time talking on the bus to and from lacrosse games and really connected,” Gerrish said. “I knew I wanted to add something about lacrosse in there.”

Their friendship made it very easy to ask, leaving Gerrish not too nervous.

“I was so happy,” McAbee said. “I thought the sign was so cute because I did not expect it to be about lacrosse.”

Soon after the underclassmen proposed,

junior RJ Hosay asked his girlfriend, junior Peyton Crumpler, with a sign referencing her love for the beach. Hosay’s sign read “I shore can sea myself at hoco with you?” Crumpler was pleased with the sign and Hosay’s effort.

“I absolutely loved his sign because it incorporated something he knows I love: the ocean,” Crumpler said. “I also know how hard he worked on it, so it made me love it even more.”

Hosay did not have a lot of trouble coming up with the idea, and was happy to add in something he knew was special to her.

“She really loves the beach,” Hosay said. “I knew I wanted to make it beachthemed.”

For the final stand-out proposal of the season, senior Eli Paddack asked his girlfriend, senior Turner Beshears, to homecoming by baking her favorite banana bread dessert. He officially asked her by spelling out “HOCO?” in chocolate chips within the dessert. Beshears was pleasantly surprised by the proposal.

“I was really shocked and flattered when he asked me,” Beshears said. “Since we are dating, I felt like it was a mutual agreement that we would go together. Eli knows me well and knows that I secretly really wanted to get asked. It was really sweet and I felt very thankful for him.”

After two years since the last homecoming dance, these couples and attendees to the Marauder Palooza dance on Oct. 16 were once again able to finish off the homecoming festivities spending Saturday night with their friends and dates. At the dance in Cartee Gym, students were able to party with glow sticks, enjoy the music and food and celebrate the end of Maclay’s 2021 Homecoming.

“The dance was really fun,” Beshears said. “Eli got in town late from an interview, but once he got there, we had a good time dancing.”

Although the seniors had a great time at their final homecoming, the dance was full of students of all ages enjoying the night. “It went amazing,” Hosay said. “Everyone seemed to have fun at the dance, but I wish they had a slow dance.”

junior referencing read you?” and because it love: know me trouble happy special Hosay beachof asked Beshears, favorite asked chocolate was flattered “Since mutual Eli secretly really last and dance finish spending dates. were the end of Beshears an had a time at full night. “Everyone

PROPOSAL PRESSURE

UNPOPULAR OPINION: PROPOSALS ARE NOT ORIGINAL AND CAUSE UNNECESSARY PEER PRESSURE

BY TAYLOR HAMILTON

Whether it be dress-up days or attending Friday pep rallies, October is the beginning of many cherished high school memories. However, October is also a month of public proposals where girls obsess over if and when they will be asked to homecoming. Although one can agree that homecoming is a week filled with school bonding and spirit, homecoming proposals seem like an unnecessary tradition to add onto everything else.

After prom proposals became a trend, tedious homecoming proposals followed. Although it is hard to say how this trend became as grand as a marriage proposal, homecoming proposals have generally become tacky. One will often find a homecoming sign saying something like “You will brighten my day if you say yes to Homecoming?” Not only are these proposals more on the basic side, but they don’t show off any creativity as well. With billions of websites, like Pinterest, to give teenagers ideas, it becomes quite easy to copy someone else’s proposal, making many simply unoriginal and not special.

Back in the 90s, people just asked someone else to a dance without anything special, but that seems to be rather unheard of in the current generation.

for guys to put on a show for others. Social media is also one of the main things to blame for the pressures of homecoming and prom proposals. People will post pictures and videos of these proposals and cute signs, which in turn pressures guys into doing something extravagant as well.

One of the most harmful aspects of homecoming proposals is the public eye. Although some people might enjoy receiving the attention, others might be afraid to reject someone if others are watching. Because these proposals are often done in front of an audience, a girl inevitably feels the pressure to say “yes” despite a guy’s good intentions. This is likely because being rejected in public is simply embarrassing, which makes the girls feel pressured to say “yes” so the boy doesn’t get hurt. Occasionally, the girl will say “yes” but then say “no” to the guy later, which is an extra blow. The worst part, however, is that girls who decide to say “no” could be labelled as disrespectful. “Yes” can’t always be the answer. Rejection is, unfortunately, a part of life, and no one should fall under the illusion of saying “yes” just because they were presented with a poster board and given flowers or candy. Although homecoming

touching moment. Whether the proposal is coming from a significant other, secret crush or good friend, a thought-out proposal with a cute poster board, flowers and candy can truly make someone’s day. When homecoming proposals are done with someone’s heart and feelings in mind, they can turn out beautifully, even if the phrase on the poster is somewhat cheesy. As long as someone makes their proposal personal and authentic, the proposal can be a truly special moment. Despite the fact that some proposals can be sweet and beautiful, homecoming proposals have overall become an obligation rather than a nice gesture. Although homecoming proposals can be creative and thoughtful when executed well, the rose petals, cheesy poster boards and flowers can be a waste when someone could just simply ask the question. These proposals would be better if they all truly came from the heart and didn’t add unnecessary pressure. Something that should be wholesome is currently a mess of cut-up poster boards, colorful sharpies and unconventional stress.

MUSIC

A RT WOR L D OF THE

BY MERRELL WEBSTER

From drawing animals to painting oil portraits in the art room, it's no surprise that Maclay junior Logan Albritton’s life is driven around her passion for art. Albritton played sports and had hobbies as a child, but she has been surrounded by art her whole life, and thus has a specific calling towards it. While creating her many art pieces, she also lets her enjoyment for music shine through in much of her artwork. As her love for the arts expanded, she combined music and artistry to create a portrait of the American rapper Mac Miller for her AP art portfolio.

“I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t doing art; it's always been my thing,” Albritton said. “I think growing up with a creative older brother helped me a lot. He’s a musician and he’s done a lot of art in his life, so I kind of fed off of what he was doing.”

Listening to and understanding Miller’s music is what ultimately inspired Albritton to paint his self portrait. Using only oil paint and spray paint for the first time, she brought his lyrics and persona to life on a white canvas. In the background of her portrait, Albritton spray painted different lyrics and the names of his songs from his albums. She incorporated a variety of colors along the lines of red, blue, green, purple and yellow to merge all of the album lyrics together. Using different colors and character styles to represent the emotional and physical features of Miller also brought attention to the smaller details that most people overlook. She found a unique way to bring the art of music into a different point of view for people to experience.

“The technical skill is fabulous, she is a really intuitive painter and knows how to make skin tones really well, which a lot of students struggle with, '' AP Art teacher Sarah Painter said. “ I really like that she did spray paint for the background because that was a new material for her, so I appreciate her trying new things and pushing the boundary of what she is capable of.”

Albritton was specific with the songs and albums she chose because she wanted them to represent what Miller went through as an artist and the legacy he left behind for people who enjoy his music. Using her painting as inspiration, Albritton focused on the musician's purpose behind his music, what each song was trying to say and how it reflected his life.

“I’ve always liked Mac Miller, and I’ve listened to him a lot,” Albritton said. “And honestly, I was listening to him, and hearing his lyrics inspired me. I just wanted to bring that into an image and show people a different way to view songs. Some songs might go over your head because a lot of Mac’s lyrics went over my head at first until I really listened to it. So, I guess [I’m] just drawing more attention to that. By listening to what he had to say, I knew I could make art out of it.”

Usually, every artist faces challenges or roadblocks when they are designing their creative pieces, and Albritton is no different. She did not have a plan per say, but just worked on things as she went along with the project. During her process, Albritton chose songs that she was naturally drawn to so she would be able to listen to it and think about it more while coming up with her own perspective.

“I think one of the biggest challenges was to figure out where and how to make the portrait transparent so I could see-through and look at the words,” Albritton said. “The words are a big part of it and I didn't want that to be washed out.”

As for her career in art, Albritton hopes to continue being an artist, but is not exactly sure what she wants to do. She has an interest in tattooing and has a desire to sell her own artwork in the upcoming future. Away from making artwork for her class portfolio, Albritton enjoys sketching on the balcony of New Orleans, one of her favorite places to create artwork. Albritton will continue to create more pieces, and she hopes to represent a new painting of the song “Dark Red” by Steve Lacy.

On Oct. 1, Railroad Square hosted another First Friday festival. The festival occurs on the first Friday of every month while providing an experience with shops, galleries, live music and food. Albritton’s Miller piece, along with 9 other artists, was featured in the Soho Art Gallery for many people to walk by and enjoy while participating in such a lively event.

“I know for sure I want to do something in art,” Albritton said. “ I’ve always known that and it's always been the number one thing in my life.”

MACLAY AP ART STUDENT LOGAN ALBRITTON PAINTS A SELF PORTRAIT OF FAMOUS RAPPER MAC MILLER.

PHOTOS BY MERRELL WEBSTER

BY MEGHAN GOLETZ

While most high school students are involved in clubs, very few step up to lead them. Maclay senior Danielle Collins is one of those rare few who found herself intrigued with the thought of directing a club on her own. This year, Collins is the Executive Director of Maclay Dance Marathon (DM). Collins organizes the main event in February and plans out everything that will happen leading up to it. She’s in charge of making sure all of the dancers, captains and members on the Executive Board are all doing their jobs so that the event in February will be spectacular.

DM is a student-led association that benefits the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Hundreds of schools and thousands of students are involved in this movement. At Maclay, students work together throughout the school year to raise funds and awareness to help improve sick children’s health. In February, the participants of Maclay DM reunite and have a surprise reveal to see the final amount of money raised, along with the accomplishments the members have achieved over the year for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

“Being Executive Director is so much more stressful than I anticipated,” Collins said. “Over the summer I spent over 50 hours preparing for the start of this year, but it is so rewarding to know that all of this effort is going to a good cause.”

Although Collins is feeling pressured, she is taking new measures to get students involved. For example,

Collins has decided to start a new tradition in the upper school called Miracle Mondays. On the last Monday of every month leading up to the marathon, students can dress down if they pay six dollars. These days were originally designed in the middle school, but since they went so well, Collins decided to bring the idea up to the upper school. The first Miracle Monday in August was a success, and Collins cannot wait to see how the rest play out.

“I want students to understand that they are dressing down to help the kids,” Collins said.

When Collins first started participating in Maclay DM her freshman year, she never pictured herself in the position she is in today. In fact, Collins did not register until a week before her first marathon.

“When I first signed up for Maclay DM, I had no idea what I was walking into,” Collins said. “My initial plan was to go be social and hang out with friends.”

Some students at Maclay have been directly influenced by DM, such as Maclay sophomore Kenley

Robinson. Robinson has been a part of Maclay DM for five years now. Throughout middle school she was a dancer, her freshman year she was a part of the Morale committee and this year she is a hospitality captain. Robinson herself was helped by DM, as when she was born, she had holes in her heart and meningitis, in addition to other medical conditions. She received open-heart surgery, and her two week recovery process in the hospital was made easier by DM funds.

“Dance Marathon helped make my family feel comfortable and informed about my surgery and the healing process,” Robinson said. “Without Dance Marathon, I would not be where I am today, and I want to give back to the organization that has helped me and my family so much.”

Students like Robinson drive Collins to want to succeed and continue to raise awareness.

“I am so excited to see the great things that Danielle will do for Dance Marathon this year,” Robinson said. “I am so proud of her and how hard she works!”

Anyone who talks with Collins about DM can see her passion for the cause. Through her commitment and position, Collins has helped improve many sick kids’ lives throughout her journey with DM and continues to put others before herself, both inside and outside of the school community.

ANYONE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MACLAY SCHOOL

SENIOR DANIELLE COLLINS SHARES HER JOURNEY WITH MACLAY DANCE MARATHON

YOUR VOICE

matters

STUDENT PUBLICATION NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND SHOWCASES STUDENTS’ CREATIVITY

BY JOLIE BAUS

Marauders have a variety of opportunities to share their voice, whether it’s through student council or joining high school journalism. One opportunity unique to the Maclay community, however, is the Notes from the Underground (NFTU). NFTU provides students with a chance to convey their thoughts and feelings through literature and art, which is then published to the Maclay community. These art forms can express a variety of emotions and ideas, as the NFTU emphasizes the value in expressing oneself.

Acting as one of the three student-based publications for Maclay, NFTU is fundamentally literature oriented, but also includes various classifications of art. Since the creation of NFTU in 2016, the range of entry types allows students’ passion for writing or art to shine through the creative freedom that the publication has designed.

“[Notes from the Underground] integrates everyone in the community,” senior Kate Krizner said. “I’ve gotten submissions from people I didn’t even realize wrote, and [I] saw how talented they are. Everyone has a story to tell, so getting to experience that and read that and put it together in a written form means a lot to me.”

All Maclay upper school students can submit their work to NFTU, but the opening for entries doesn’t stop there. As of this year, new voices from around the world have been submitted to NFTU.

“With the advent of our website, high school students from all over the world can submit now,” class sponsor Craig Beaven said. “Last year we had a submission from Texas that was excellent, and this year we have submissions from Australia, Africa and all over America. We’re able to draw from the best students not just in Maclay, but in the world.”

With so many fresh and insightful pieces of work being submitted, the editing process is crucial to ensure the author’s thoughts and avidity are best conveyed. During this school year, senior Eli Mears holds NFTU’s managing editor position, which

entails reviewing all submissions first via the publication’s e-mail, underground@maclay.org, and dispersing them amongst other editors for a secondary assessment.

“I’ve become a better editor of my own writing and other people’s,” Mears said. “When you first start editing work, it’s frankly easy to be overly critical, but you become more humble, a better writer and more self-aware.”

Working hand-in-hand with Mears and her fellow NTFU members, Krizner is the Editorin Chief of the publication. Along with her duties of overseeing and aiding the staff, organizing meetings and compiling the submissions into a meaningful order, Krizner is a professional and enthusiastic reflection of the entirety of NFTU’s staff.

“Leadership has been a big one [skill] for me,” Krizner said. “I’ve been making sure everyone has everything they need and [are] being organized. I’ve also gotten to work with a lot of people, so that’s refined my personal connection skills.”

While Mears and Krizner have significant responsibilities for the class, their fellow members also make major contributions. Sponsored by English and Creative Writing teacher Dr. Beaven, NFTU’s remaining staff positions include the poetry editor, fiction editor, art editor and copy editor.

“I love working with the students who are so enthusiastic about literature and art,” Beaven said. “I love publishing and showing [the submissions] to everyone.”

After a great extent of time and effort on both the publication’s staff and the writers’ end, an issue, or compilation of submissions, will be finalized. This year’s issue is expected to be released towards the end of the first semester and correlates with an evocative theme: literature’s ability to heal.

“The female staff this year became deeply involved this summer by working at a shelter for battered women,” Beaven said. “They became super inspired by those stories, so the theme this issue has to do with literature’s power, necessity and ability to expose tragic circumstances

that would otherwise be ignored.”Marauders have found that sharing their input on such important topics is a fantastic way to become comfortable with expressing themselves. Contributing to the publication with pieces because of pride or enthusiasm for their work is strongly encouraged.

“I joined the club freshman year, because my senior friend, Anna Kate Daunt, enthusiastically told me about the literary magazine,” Mears said. “I wrote some terrible poetry, but [NFTU] were like ‘oh, a freshman submitted it and they care,’ so they published it. From that point on, I was pretty enthralled about [the publication].”

There’s also a special twist to submitting to the publication: a contest. The staff members of NFTU select the best submissions of poetry, art and fiction, and provide a prize as well as a gift card to Midtown Reader. To become a candidate, students must submit to the publication by either emailing their pieces to underground@ maclay.org or entering them on the official website.

For Marauders who want to join the class, NFTU is relatively selective when choosing new staff members. The majority of its staff members are upperclassmen who

applied a year prior to becoming an official addition to the team of literature lovers. A great way to start your NFTU journey, however, is simply taking the helpful steps of submitting entries to the journal and contacting the staff or sponsor regarding the application process for staff positions.

2.

3.

4. The Addams Family (1964-1966)

1. Night Stalker

2. Tiger King

3. American Murder: The Family Next Door

4. The Disappearance of Madeline McCann

5. The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel

TOP FIVE HALLOWEEN SONGS TOP FIVE SPOOKY SHOWS

ELLA’S TOP FIVE TRUE CRIME

1. Thriller - Michael Jackson

2. Somebody’s Watching MeRockwell

3. This is Halloween - Nightmare Before Christmas

4. Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr.

5. Monster Mash - Borris Pickett

1. Stranger Things (2016-)

Goosebumps (1995-1998)

American Horror Story (2011-)

5. The Haunting of Bly Manor

SING US A SONG

Piano Man

VINTAGE MUSIC IS BETTER THAN MODERN MUSIC

BY SHELBY WATSON

As Cher once sang in 1989, “If I could turn back time…”

RECOMMENDED

TUNES Vintage

It’s the complaint that nearly everyone has heard: music from several decades ago is better than the music of today. Music, like most entertainment, is a very subjective kind of media. People enjoy and detest many different genres of music based on their personal preferences. One of the biggest debates regarding music, especially between many generations, is whether music from decades such as the 70s and 80s is better than modern music. Often, older generations complain that today’s music is not as good as the music that was created and listened to by many in past decades. While it may be nostalgic, these complaints have merit. Vintage music is better than modern music because older music had more talented musical artists, iconic songs and meaningful lyrics.

There is no doubt that the music industry has changed since the 70s and 80s, especially in regards to the musical artists that inhabit it. What was once a form of entertainment filled with talented singers and songwriters is now a mixing pot of the hard-working talented and the rich untalented. In today’s society, social media dominates pop culture. With the right amount of money, time and looks, people can become major influencers just by having a social media presence. As of late, these social media stars have tried to join the music industry including TikTok stars Dixie D’Amelio and Addison Rae and YouTube sensations Jake Paul and Dream with less than desirable results. Due to their devoted modern fan bases however, they are able to create popular yet, horrendous songs. Additionally, many modern musical “artists,” who grew through social media first, utilize the function of auto-tune to cover their lack of experience or poor training. Back in the 70s and 80s, there was no way to hide imperfections in singing, as auto-tune was not invented until 1997. Back then, artists had to be authentic with their singing in order to grow a fan base, as there was no social media nor auto-tune to help. With the lack of technology and pureness of singing, older popular singers are much more talented in comparison to some of the popular “singers” of today’s music.

If you’ve ever been to a football game or any kind of public event, you’ll notice that many of the famous songs being played are not from the music of today, but from the 70s and 80s. This is because vintage music is so superb that it has transcended the limitations of time. Songs such as “Uptown

Girl,” “Billie Jean” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” are so expertly crafted, they have never gone out of style. When the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie soundtrack was released, the songs were all from the 70s, and it hit number one on the Billboard Top 100, beating out modern music and showing people still adore 70s and 80s hits.

As times have changed, music has shifted to reflect the more open and accepting modern society. Songs of today are much more inclined to discuss taboo topics than the music of the 70s and 80s, but that isn’t necessarily a good thing. For example, by comparing one of the top songs for the week of Sep. 13, “STAY” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber, and one of the top songs from 40 years ago, “Bette Davis Eyes” by Kim Carnes, anyone can see the shift in tone and emotion. In “STAY” Kid LAROI sings “I get drunk, wake up, I’m wasted still / I realize the time that I wasted here / I feel like you can't feel the way I feel / Oh, I'll be f**** up if you can't be right here.” Compared to “Bette Davis Eyes” where Kim Carnes sings “Her hair is Harlow gold / Her lips a sweet surprise / Her hands are never cold / She's got Bette Davis eyes,” and there is clearly a difference. Vintage songs had lyrics that were meaningful and deep, while many newer, recent songs are raunchy and explicit. It is hard to find a hit song that doesn’t drop a major expletive. In fact, when comparing the All Out 80s playlist and the Today’s Top Hits playlist on Spotify, none of the songs from the 80s are considered explicit, while half of the top 10 songs from today fall in that category. Vintage songs did not need to use a plethora of swear words to get their emotions across because their lyrics were complex and sincere.

However, there are several music artists of today that write beautiful music. Singers and songwriters such as Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and Doja Cat are popular because they are legitimately talented and their music connects with people. On the other hand, there is music from the 70s and 80s that is less than pleasurable to listen to and has simply been buried with time. Both time periods of music have positive and negative characteristics. In comparison, however, there is no doubt that good music from the 70s and 80s is much easier to find and listen to than music from today.

If this seems unbelievable, head to Spotify or Apple Music and listen to some 70s and 80s music on your own; you’ll surely be “Hooked on a Feeling” with some great music.

SCAN HERE FOR SHELBY’S SPOTIFY PLAYLIST!

1. Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchesta

2. American Pie - Don McLean

3. Hooked on a Feeling - Blue Swede

5. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson

6. Material Girl - Madonna

7. Jump - Van Halen

8. Bohemian Rapsody - Queen

9. Footloose - Kenny Loggins

10. Let’s Go Crazy - Prince

4. Piano Man - Billy Joel

OUT WITH THE OLD IN WITH THE NEW

NEW MUSIC IS THE NEW WAVE

BY EVAN NGUYEN

Going into the new millenia, music has completely changed for the better compared to songs from decades such as the 70s and 80s. Although music back then was adequate, music now is superior for several reasons. Songs like “Walking on a Dream,'' released by Empire of the Sun in 2008, just bring back a feeling of nostalgia and better times for several generations of people. Hearing the beginning melodies, you can’t help but start to feel the urge to get up and dance. Rap music has also aged well with new rappers, such as Eminem, emerging in the 2000s and paving the way for rap music to evolve from what it used to be.

Modern music just proves to be better melodically than vintage songs. Songs like “Tongue Tied” by GroupLove radiate the feeling of being a teenager living their best life in love. The chorus of “Take me to your best friend’s house / I loved you then and I love you now” is so amazingly catchy that you would remember it anywhere. Modern music is also more diverse, as artists have now thrown a softer tone into the mix of musical genres. Some recommendations for the pop genre are “Sports” by Beach Bunny and “Amoeba” by Clario, as these songs perfectly showcase the new, smooth nature that pop has taken on. Most music listeners would agree that modern music is more enjoyable to listen to, as Spotify’s “All Out 00s” playlist has more than nearly 691,000 followers compared to Spotify’s “All Out 80s” playlist.

Although many consider older rap as the best version of rap, it is just too out-dated in comparison to the flow and lyrics of modern rap, which has aged like fine wine. There are many more lyrical rappers, like J. Cole or Kendrick Lamar, who really incorporate their emotions and struggles into their songs compared to the superficial rappers of old. Cole’s most popular song, “No Role Modelz,” is

arguably his best song because it talks about his childhood and shouts out some of his family members, something everyone can relate to. There is also Drake, one of the most prominent rappers as of now, who has 41 songs on the US Hot Rap top 100. He has almost beaten out the Beatles, one of the most famous vintage bands, with a record of 20 songs on the Hot 100. In the next few years, it’s possible that Drake will overtake the Beatles.

Although many people consider older music more personal or more lyrical, lyrics nowadays have just as much meaning to them as vintage songs. Songs like “Prom Queen” by Beach Bunny talk about the beauty standards people have these days. The line “Wish I was like you / Blue-eyed blondie, perfect body” shows that the modern beauty standard is a slim, glammedup girl with blonde hair. In the song, she goes to say that some people starve themselves to fit into these beauty standards, which is true, and that everyone’s appearance needs to be celebrated. Compare this to vintage music, in which girls who looked like this were praised and idolized, and music today appears much more personal. Music today can also come from anywhere, including people’s struggles or their happiness. In “Out of My League” by Fitz and The Tantrums, the band sings about loving a “perfect girl” who they think is out of their league, but who still loves them for who they are. This modern love song is iconic, and its catchy tune would not be where it is without the meaning behind it.

The topic of music is so vast that it is almost hard to put an opinion on it. Lots of people have different opinions and different tastes in music. People’s tastes can differ from country to rap to alternative, but any frequent music listener can agree that music has evolved over the years, and in this case, has evolved for the better.

1. Wait a Minute! - Willow

2. Hey Ya! - Outkast

3. She Looks So Perfect5 Seconds of Summer

4. Best Friend - Rex Orange County

5. Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye, Kimbra

6. Money - The Drums

7. Walking on a Dream - Empire of the Sun

8. 3 Nights - Dominic Fike

9. Tongue Tied - Grouplove

10. Notion - The Rare Occasions

BY JOLIE BAUS

With the spooky holiday just around the corner, the release of Halloween Kills in theaters on Oct. 15 couldn’t have arrived at a better time. Even movie-goers who aren’t big on horror are somewhat familiar with the Halloween films, or at least the franchise’s infamous antagonist Michael Myers.

Halloween Kills, despite being the newest installment to an undoubtedly legendary franchise in cinema horror, was more of a disappointment than the thrilling experience it should and could have been. Directed by David Gordon Green and starring a few familiar faces, such as the franchise’s final girl Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), from preceding films, the movie at least had some potential to cultivate a formidable and climactic slasher masterpiece.

(LITERALLY)

Similar to most sequels within excessively long movie franchises, however, Halloween Kills didn’t quite live up to its predecessors. It seems as if less effort and potentially even time were put in to produce this mediocre horror flick. Once a series becomes a household name and gains a sizable following, the later movie additions tend to be of less quality. Hollywood expects for the film to profit well regardless, so the demand to change things up with fresh and unique ideas dwindles. This is a common pattern throughout all genres of cinema and evidently applies to Halloween Kills.

Not only is the dialogue cliche and difficult to take seriously in numerous scenes, but some of the actors butcher what could have been interesting or at least tolerable characters. Many of the line deliveries are over-exaggerated and frankly amateur, which isn’t a good combination with the script already being corny in itself.

While the plot was already expected to be a bit shaky, considering writers can typically only conjure up so much creativity past the fourth film, it somehow manages to be even more underwhelming. The primary settings are hardly any different from what’s appeared in the recent Halloween movies and the horror genre in general. Overall, the writing and plot feels like a

regurgitation of the past movies purely so that Michael Myers can somehow continue his laughably endless rampage.

Despite these flaws, an almost redeeming quality the movie had is its scare factor. The iconic horror franchise maintains its legacy of shocking jumpscares; however, there are moments when the suspense feels a bit cheesy and overly forced. The almost deafening heavy breathing and violent shaking of the character who’s about to meet their demise is only effective the first couple times.

While the suspense progression lost its luster earlier on in the movie, the jumpscares themselves retain an exciting kick to them. The split second right before Michael strikes always seems predictable, but somehow still manages to catch the audience off guard. All things considered, it’s relatively difficult not to be startled by a giant man sporting what looks to be a partially mangled Party City mask.

There’s only so much an intimidating antagonist can do, especially when paired with substandard death scenes. With the Halloween series including a grand total of twelve movies, it’s no shocker that there isn’t much new brought to the table in terms of the chase and kill portions. Although these particular scenes in the movie are filmed and directed fairly well, they collectively feel repetitive and almost mundane when compared to other horror franchises, like Chucky, who have done a phenomenal job with creativity for murder methods.

The most common and enduring theme throughout the movie is the chase and sneakattack segments occurring in either

a neighborhood or specifically inside a house. While this aspect definitely has a monotonous feel to it, the director’s choice to keep those locations consistent brings a sense of nostalgia for more dedicated Halloween fans, especially those biased to the earlier movies. This effect also applies to Michael’s unimaginative but arguably iconic weapon of choice: a kitchen knife. The lack of variety in the atmosphere and kill approach, however, ultimately causes the film to fall short.

While die-hard lovers of the franchise might appreciate Halloween Kills for all of its nostalgic dramatics, slasher scenes and most importantly Michael Myers, the remainder of viewers probably wouldn’t be able to overlook the awkward writing, comical acting and unremarkable character deaths.

STUDENT OPINIONS

62% = YES 38% = NO

Signature Realty

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT

JIM MURRAH

GRADE: senior

SPORT: Varsity Football

YEARS ON THE TEAM: Four

GOALS FOR THE TEAM: To not have a losing record and continue to win games.

FAVORITE PLAY: “The Dump”

FAVORITE GAME OF THE SEASON: Maclay vs. NFC

STUDENT OPINIONS

ON TEAM CAPTAINS

GRADE: senior

SPORT: Varsity Football

YEARS ON THE TEAM: Four

GOALS FOR THE TEAM: Make the playoffs and show that we belong in FHSAA division 3A.

FAVORITE PLAY: “Falcon”

FAVORITE GAME OF THE SEASON: Maclay vs. NFC

November SPORTS

FACE-OFF

MARIANNA DEFEATS MACLAY 28-7 AT FRIDAY NIGHT’S HOMECOMING GAME

BY JACLYN SUMMERS

The Maclay student section was filled with Frank Shaw Field’s biggest crowd of the year as the Marauder football team faced off against the Marianna Bulldogs for Maclay’s 2021 homecoming game. Current students and Maclay alumni alike returned for this year’s homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 15, when the Bulldogs defeated the Marauders 28 to 7. Although Maclay ended up losing, the homecoming game was filled with festivities, special appearances and school spirit.

In the first quarter, senior Tucker Hicks kicked off the ball for the Marauders, driving it down the field. Marianna had the ball first and tore through the Marauder’s defense, constantly making first downs and getting closer to the end zone. The Bulldogs scored their first touchdown within the first few minutes of the game. With a few of the varsity players for Maclay out because of injuries, the Marauders struggled in the

beginning. The first quarter ended with a score of 7 to 0, with the Bulldogs having the only touchdown and extra point on the scoreboard.

“We need to tackle better,” junior Caleb Heuchan said. “Really overall we need to just execute better.”

Throughout the second quarter, the Bulldogs succeeded in putting up some more points on the scoreboard. There were some solid tackle plays by juniors Grayson Oberste and Shane Croston, however. On offense, junior Michael Grant made some throws to Heuchan and other teammates. This quarter did see Maclay running the ball, but they mostly passed.

During halftime, the 202122 school year’s homecoming court was announced, with two of the Marauder football varsity teammates making it onto the court. The ceremony started off with the freshmen representatives, who walked out onto the middle of the field. Then, the sophomore, junior and senior representatives

were announced as well. Halftime ended with seniors Eli Paddock and Turner Beshears being crowned Homecoming King and Queen. The Florida State Seminoles marching chiefs also made an appearance at the game and on the field at halftime.

In the next half of the football game, with a few minutes left in the third quarter, Heuchan finally put up six points on the board with a touchdown. Hicks kicked the extra point, making the score of the game 28 to 7 with the Bulldogs still ahead.

“I think we fought well, and we did not give up,” senior captain Jim Murrah said. “I think I played like a C+. I thought we were going to stick it out and it would be a better football game, but you know it wasn’t.”

In the last quarter, both teams gave a hard fight, with neither the Bulldogs nor the Marauders

putting up points on the board. The Marauders lost the game with a final score of 28 to 7.

“I think we simply lost because of the four factors we look at every game, which are explosive plays, turnovers and takeaways, tackling and 3rd down deficiency,” Coach Lance Ramer said. “We lost pretty much all of those categories and lost the game, and it was not about effort at all. The effort, I thought, was great. The execution is where we fall short.”

BULLDOGS

MARAUDERS

PICTURE PERFECT. SENIOR HOMECOMING COURT POSES FOR A PICTURE AT HALFTIME. (LEFT TO RIGHT): HAYDEN HILLIARD, SARA MASON CARDMAN, ELI PADDACK, TURNER BESHEARS, SOPHIA DALTON, AND ETHAN HOVSAPIAN.

PHOTOS BY JACLYN SUMMERS

COMMITTED CONNOR

BY EVAN NGUYEN

With seniors nearly a fourth of their way through their last year, the time for college commitments has come. On Oct. 10, senior Connor Chason

decided to continue his lacrosse career at Le Moyne, a Division II lacrosse school.

“I do think Maclay had a massive impact on where I am today,” Chason said. “If I didn’t have the program and VT [Coach VanTassel], I have no idea if I would end up where I’m at. It feels

great to be committed. It’s a huge weight off my shoulders for sure.”

Le Moyne is a private Jesuit college in Dewitt, New York. The Le Moyne Dolphins went undefeated in the 2021 season, 15 to 0. They are the number one team in their division and head into next season with the NCAA Division II Championship title. Before committing, Chason has had dreams of playing lacrosse since day one. He has already played with countless National College Association Athletes (NCAA) while in high school, and has served as an inspiration for younger teammates.

“It’s pretty cool to know and play with someone who plays DII,” sophomore Jackson Webb said. “As a person, it’s been nice to see him grow and mature.”

Chason has been playing lacrosse since the third grade, where he played midfielder,

but moved on to play defense (D-pole) in seventh grade. As for his coaching, Chason has been coached by VanTassel for several years through club and high school. In the 2020-21 season, Chason caused 77 ground balls and 26 takeaways. He also scored eight goals over the course of the season, which is an achievement for a defender. Overall, his stats support his decision to commit to a Division II team.

“Le Moyne is a great school for him,” Coach Justin VanTassel said. “He’s the perfect style player for the type of team they are, big, aggressive and plays physical lacrosse. Maclay has had a huge impact on Connor. The college prep style education has prepared him to be successful at Le Moyne, and our competitive lacrosse schedule has taken care of that side of it.”

LACROSSE COMMITS

DETERMINED DOWDY

BY SAWYER DAVIS

The Maclay Lacrosse program has been one of Maclay’s most prestigious athletic programs ever since it started. The program has sent many players to the college level, a star-studded list which now includes senior John Adams Dowdy. On Oct.19, Dowdy announced his commitment to Division II Flagler College to extend his lacrosse career.

“In his sophomore season he really started to take over games,” Head Coach Justin VanTassel (VT) said. “That year we were definitely going to win state until the season got cut short, and he was a big part of that.”

Although Dowdy has not been a part of the Maclay lacrosse team for every year he’s been in high school, his contributions to the program as a midfielder have been extremely important to the team’s success over the years.

“He’s always ready to take whatever you throw at him,” junior Percy Roopnarine said. “He’s a genuine hard worker on and off the field.”

Dowdy’s impact towards the team extends beyond the field. His overall work ethic sets the tone for the rest of his teammates.

“John Adams is a great teammate that leads by example, and he is the hardest worker we have on the team. Everyone looks up to his toughness and willingness to go the extra mile,” VanTassel said.

This connection between Dowdy and his teammates and coaches not only helped them, but also helped Dowdy himself grow as a player himself.

“My coach VT helped push me to fight through hard times during the season, and Coach Boatfield helped me grind to get better in the weight room and helped me understand how to keep my focus,” Dowdy said. “My teammates have always supported me throughout

my career.”

All of the trials and tribulations that John Adams pushed through with his teammates and coaches at Maclay ultimately helped create his opportunity to compete at the next level and make his decision to play at Flagler.

“I chose Flagler because it is close to home, it is close to the ocean and because I love the team’s attitude and the people’s personalities,” Dowdy said.

SENIORS CONNOR CHASON AND JOHN ADAMS DOWDY COMMIT TO EXTEND LACROSSE CARREERS

SHOW SOME RESPECT

ATHLETES OF COLOR ARE RETURNING TO THEIR ROOTS IN SEARCH FOR A NEWER, WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT

BY AMELIA HAGGINS

When the topic of blue blood college football teams comes to mind, the usual suspects, such as the University of Alabama or the University of Georgia, are attributed to having some of the best college football programs of all time. Although these universities have sustained dominance for the past 20 years, their well-known talent did not always stem from acquiring a large, diverse number of highlyrated student athletes. After the all-white Alabama team faced a stunning defeat at the hands of the integrated University of Southern California (USC) team in 1970, a culture of heavily recruiting individuals in African American communities who had previously only been able to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) emerged. HBCUs, which were once outlets for black players to play at competitive levels without risking their safety in Jim Crow America, became the breeding place for predominately white institutions to find and recruit talent on full-ride scholarships. This culture still remains today as black players make up 60% of the athletes in Division I (D1) football programs. However, the trend of black players committing to predominantly white institutions is shifting now as HBCUs are rapidly being included in the football landscape both athletically and financially. Despite the commonly held views surrounding football at HBCUs, their athletic programs are facing a substantial incline in national recognition and should not be overlooked by college football fans and lovers.

One reason why HBCUs are becoming just as influential as DI teams is because of a recent surge in HBCUs popularity and

involvement in the recruiting landscape. In the past, HBCU football and athletics were seen as “unsophisticated” and merely a stepping stone in a player’s journey to eventually attend a D1 program. This perception seeped into the recruiting world where students of color were lured by Power Five coaches to join new colleges and conferences. However, a recent incline in HBCU enrollment is largely attributed to the interest, consideration and ultimate commitment of star players to HBCUs. This growth in HBCU athletic commitment initially started in basketball with prospect Makur Maker, who was suspected by analysts to commit to a traditional basketball powerhouse. However, when summer of 2020 approached, Maker announced his commitment to Howard University, an HBCU in Washington D.C. Ultimately, Maker’s daring decision to have a different path in his collegiate basketball career encouraged other high profile recruits in both basketball and football to consider HBCUs. The surge of commitments by exceptional prospects to HBCUSs have added a semblance of admirability to largely black universities whose collegiate football influence had previously been ignored.

Although a recent surge in HBCU commitments is surprising certain analysts, such developments in the recruiting world did not occur overnight. Throughout the course of the past two and half years, racial and social unrest has plagued both the older and younger generations of America. Recent racially motivated incidents and protests, such as Black Lives Matter, have pushed black athletes to become more in touch with the

African American community and culture. Established to serve the educational needs of black students in higher education, HBCUs continue to play an active role in the holistic development of black students athletes while also being a epicenter for past and present black culture. As they reflect on the racial trauma which has recently stricken black communities, black athletes are beginning to realize their worth in the sports world. Power Five institutions are slowly losing a deep-rooted allure now that black athletes are expressing their interest in HBCUs and an environment with other people of color who share their same culture or interests.

To coincide with an increase of black talent reentering HBCUs, there has also been a new spike in partnerships, sponsorships and philanthropic efforts with HBCUs. In comparison to their predominantly white counterparts, HBCUs have endured years of ill funding. State underinvestment and lower endowments have placed HBCUs at an economic disadvantage. In recent years, however, HBCUs have been receiving more economic representation through partnerships and brand deals with distinguished companies and individuals. For example, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) signed a six year partnership with Nike and Lebron James. Furthermore, the highly publicized football show College Gameday aired the first episode for the 2021-2022 college football season at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge football game between North Carolina Central and Alcorn State. By forming strong athletic and social partnerships with HBCUs, companies are increasing the

work pipeline of black students into entertainment professions, while also introducing HBCUs to more areas of the public.

Although efforts of HBCU inclusion and commitments have spiked in the past year, large numbers of five star prospects and recruits continue to commit to college football powerhouses. According to 247 Sports, Alabama has signed the nation’s top ranked recruiting classes eight times in the past 10 years, with the other two years going to the University of Georgia. Although programs such as Alabama and Georgia consistently continue to sign five star classes, HBCUs are responding to such signings with notable head coach hires and active involvement with the National Football League (NFL). Jackson State, Tennessee State and Morgan State University all hired famous former NFL players to place their once losing football programs financially and athletically back on track. Moreover, the NFL has recently made multiple accommodations to include HBCUs in the scouting process. These accommodations include the creation of the HBCU Combine and the HBCU Legacy Bowl. Made to showcase talent of HBCU players entering the NFL Draft, these programs will introduce both NFL teams and football watchers to the influx of players being developed and coached at HBCUs.

As the 2021-2022 college football season reaches the halfway point of in-conference play, college football watchers should tune in to an HBCU matchup when they are not cheering for their teams. The energy of the bands, talent and stands are sure to leave a lasting impression of the HBCU experience.

CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS

To the To the MACLAY MACLAY

CLASS OF 2022! CLASS OF 2022!

MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE. TRUE.