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THE R O YA L NEWS FOR STUDENTS, BY STUDENTS
SOPHOMORE AVA KOLL AND HER SISTER, ELIZABETH, ATTEMPT TO SHOP AT A LOCAL GROCERY STO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WITH THEIR MANDATORY FACE MASKS (PHOTO CREDIT: AVA KOLL).
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CONTENTS 5 6 8 9 10 11 12-13 14-18 20
ABBIE BEERS
SERENA MRAZ
EMMA KOLICK
LOLA MROCZKA
DEVYN LUCAS
JUSTIN PATEL
S TA F F
Writer Writer Writer
EDITOR’S COMMENTS THE YEAR THAT DID NOT FINISH LIVING WITH THE VIRUS NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL AT HOME ESSENTIAL WORKERS LOSSES OPINION QUARANTINE ART LESSONS
Writer Writer Writer
DEAN MONTGOMERY MARY TITTERINGTON Writer
ORE IN THE MIDST OF
Writer
M A RY T I T T E R I N G T O N A N D H E R N E I G H B O R S O P H IA S I T T I N G 6 F E E T A PA R T B Y A C R E E K E N J OY I N G NAT U R E W H I L E S O C IA L D I S TA N C I N G .
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NOTE FROM THE EDI TOR
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e are all doing the right thing. We are social distancing in order to preserve lives. There is something deeply difficult in these times, being apart from one another, especially in education, where the core of our being requires face-to-face interaction. Yet, despite these hardships, there are astounding ripples that could never have been expected. For us, as educators, that is our students. Even though they are isolated in their homes, they continue to work with us on a daily basis to learn the fundamentals of instruction and perservere to become better writers, students, and people. This temporary, new form of schooling will never replace the critical need for human interaction in real time, yet I’m continuously impressed by the efforts of the students in my journalism class and the honesty of the articles they have composed. In these pages, the students have offered their own, unique experiences as they traverse this new space. Fittingly, we have been working on both features and opinion pieces this quarter. And more than ever, their
opinions matter. And by offering so much of themselves through the written word, they bring us together, as we all feel less alone knowing that although we might be physically separated at this time, we aren’t really alone because we are sharing in a common experience that can only bring us together more. I appreciate all of their efforts this semester as they exemplify journalism at its best.
MRS. LEATHERMAN, ADVISOR
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Fun finds while spring cleaning basement over Spring Break.
PHOTOS BY MARY TIT TERINGTON
Lots of extra time to read during social distancing.
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T H E Y E A R T HAT D I D N O T F I N I SH
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he North Royalton Community and schools all over Ohio and around the world have been disrupted by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic that began in December of 2019. For me specifically, my first ever softball season as a high school student was canceled. I interviewed my friends, both on the softball team as well as those who are missing their travel or club seasons of their sports. My friends also expressed a lot of worries for businesses that are going out and workers that are losing their jobs. This is also going to be a disaster
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for the economy and could even end with another depression. I know that this break has changed so many things for me, and I have to work around them and try to get myself back together. For one, it took me a few days to establish a workout since I no longer had practice every day because it was cancelled as well. My sleep routine has also been completely destroyed and one in the morning has been feeling normal, which is so bad. I also need to work on procrastination and getting my work done on time so I do not have to stay up until late
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to do it. On the plus side, this has brought me even closer to my neighbors. We have also been close and have spent nearly every day of every summer together and went sledding in the winter for as long as each of us was alive, but this year there was just a divide between us and we did not see each other as much as we usually do after school, because the majority of us were in high school and our schedules conflicted drastically. We also found out that one of the three families that always hang out with each other are moving this summer. This break has given us the opportunity to hang out every single day playing basketball and soccer-related games, and well as going on several long bike rides around our neighborhoods. We are respecting the social distancing rules and are six feet apart at all times just to be careful and protect those we come in contact with in the future.
These days at home have been going by quickly when you look at the bigger picture, but each day seems long and overwhelming with the task of doing school work. “On a regular basis, I have been waking up at a general time, eating more healthy than usual, but ultimately finding myself very bored,” said Olivia Safranek. “Although I have been enjoying this break, the school work from home is overwhelming and I dislike sitting on my computer for long periods of time.” This has been the general routine for most of the people I have talked to, with softball practice sprinkled in here and there for some of my friends. This pandemic has impacted and disrupted the lives of so many people all over the world. “Everyone is impacted,” said Liz White. “Mostly the elderly have a chance to catch the virus so they are probably impacted the most.” This is the reason that we are under a quarantine, to protect those that are most susceptible to contracting the virus and per-
ishing from it. When you listen to Governor Mike DeWine and Amy Acton, they share the news that we are slowing it down, but it is just inevitable that it is going to hit us hard eventually. We just need to be ready to deal with it and move on.
This has also forced many worries to arise between many Ohioans and those around the world. “My worries are about how long it is going to take to find a cure and how many more people are going to die from this virus,” said Mehak Kandola. “I am worried about me, my family, and all others staying safe and healthy. But that is not my only concern. I am also worried about school work and my sports season. And, more importantly, I’m worried about the aftermath of this shutdown and what it means for the country economically. There are so many things that are going to go wrong and already are starting to if we cannot get this under control soon.” Lastly, I asked all my friends what their advice and words of wisdom would be for this shelter in place and they came up with some really good things to live by. My advice pertains to sports, and is “You need to have fun with everything regarding your sport. Have fun at the open fields, look forward too, work your butt off, and have fun at conditioning, relax and enjoy tryouts; just don’t be cocky, LOVE practice and work to better yourself every time because at any moment that can be taken away from you, and you do not want your last memory to be you slacking off.” Other advice my friends have given pertains more to staying safe during this pandemic. “Wash your hands and stay home,” is great advice given by Criss Ann Valenti and Lilly Putnam respectively. And, one of the more important aspects is to spend time with family! Be a part of your family and take care of yourself as well. You are not doing this alone, so stop acting like you are. Bella Weatherbie put it nicely: “Stay safe, spend time with family, and take care of yourself !”
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THE EXPERIENCE UNFOLDS BY JUSTIN PATEL
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ormally, going to get food at Giant Eagle one would think is a simple task. However, in the wake of a worldwide pandemic this is no easy feat. When the shutdown began, pulling up into the parking lot and seeing the sea of cars that flooded the parking lot was a thing beyond rarity. People quickly rushed their hoard of supplies into their cars like someone was going to steal it. My brother and I thought it best to avoid this insanity. It was at this particular moment I realized that the coronavirus was a truly life-altering sickness that would inspire paranoia as well as utter boredom. Initially, waking up at eleven a.m. just felt like a long weekend. Naturally when more time has opened in my schedule I fell into a Netflix binge and started watching the hilarious show “Schitt’s Creek.” Also, paranoia is something that began to grow in the house. As my brother and I tried to decide what to eat one night, he convinced me that anyone could be a carrier of COVID-19 and cough in our food. We ended up eating mac and cheese. Apart from food problems, one activity I and many others were excited to see was this year’s spring musical “James and The Giant Peach.” While talking on the phone with a friend we discussed how sadly in the wake of coronavirus “James” was canceled. This was a great sadness for the actors as well as the crew I had spoken to. Senior Rebecca Pavelich said, “While I’m very sad we will not be able to perform our senior year show to its full capacity, I’m incredibly grateful for the memories I made during these months at rehearsal. The moments we shared will stick with us through such uncertain times.” After waking up at noon one day and going downstairs into the kitchen, it was evident that the Clorox in our house had doubled. The kitchen counter was filled with all manner of disinfectant. Hopefully with all the ocean breeze-scented sprays we now have it’ll blow any and all plague right out of the house. Meditation as of recent has become one of my ways to reset, so I would do this daily after breakfast. After reaching enlightenment I fell right back into the Netflix void. Two hours later I felt far too unproductive so I would jog. While tying my shoes in the garage, I saw four little kids across the street playing and screaming and just as I put in my earbud one of the children sneezed very loud. I thought to myself, how lovely, I need to second guess taking a jog because if I breathe in that nastiness I could spread it to my grandmother who lives with me. I ended up using the treadmill. On March 20 I made great strides. I woke up at nine a.m.. I made a cup of tea and ended up jogging outside because no one was out. After texting my friends, the worry of “will we graduate on time” and “is prom even going to happen” becomes part of my worries. My mom is constantly watching these Dr. Oz coronavirus updates on tv so due to this I was sentenced to absolute confinement. After speaking with my brother about this whole ordeal we’ve been thrown into he said, “I feel like they will inevitably shut down more places if this ends up getting out of hand.” In the coming days he would prove correct. It is sad as a senior I wanted to experience the end of my high school career to the fullest and now this pandemic has seemingly taken that away. Mike Dewine is a face that is regularly on the tv now (well, him and Doctor Oz). It seems like anytime the TV is on that picture of the spherical virus with spikes along it is the first and only thing on. So I go on Snapchat and look through stories of everyone stocking up on groceries and joking about toilet paper. Then I get to the CBC news and Daily Mail section of Snapchat and there it is, that annoying spike ball that has led
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my life to this boredom. So it was back to Netflix for a temporary escape from all this bad news. The weather was continually cold and when driving with my brother in the morning through the metro parks barely anyone was out. It just looked like the world was devoid of life, like something out of an apocalyptic novel, but primarily because it was cold no one was outside and all the trees were bare of leaves. In other news, using Google Classroom had taken some getting used to. Especially some classes one must log in before a certain time which can be tedious. When talking to a cousin on the phone he said, “I actually miss doing the work in school because it forced me to be in an actual classroom and like, ask questions.” On the bright side of all this I have never been more well rested and as a person who REALLY values sleep I’m thriving. However the monotony of each day is getting a tad old, and I found it necessary to find a new project to work on or I would go crazy. So I ended up reorganizing my room, and asking people I knew what they thought of all this. While sitting at my desk and staring at my little smiling chubby Buddha statue I decided to call my friend Emily Gaborick and she said, ‘’I’m not going to like staying home for so long. I want to be able to go out and do things again.” This was a common response amongst my peers. This virus has made me grateful for everyday life. I miss the normalcy of everyday life like being able to go hang out with friends and go to school. When asking my uncle what his thoughts were he said, “Sure, this is not ideal but this is the perfect time to reflect, be grateful and witness this crazy moment in history unfold.”
COVID-19 in the North Royalton Community By Dean Montgomery
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rant Montgomery was having a great school year. Being blindsided by an epidemic would show to drastically change his mood during a quarantine. “I was shocked,” he said, in response to how he felt about the outbreak. “How could it spread so quickly?” He now has an entertainment diet of video games, online schooling, and movies. “I miss my friends,” he said. Most students and teenagers can agree with this sentiment. “Man, I’ve been playing so much ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s,’” says Logan Greer, another student at NRHS. “I want to go back to school, to be totally honest.” Millions of Americans are now unemployed as the government tries to contain the COVID-19 virus. Fortunately, Nicole Montgomery still goes to work every day. “I was worried my boss was going to close the doors,” she said. The government will grant every unemployed American with 1200 USD which is approximately three months worth of minimum wage pay. Unfortunately, most people can’t live on that. Local businesses might be permanently going out of business because of this outbreak. The stock market has been drastically dropping, and “our economy will be destroyed,” says Jacob Brewer, a connoisseur of politics. “The 3 Spot is closed, and now I can’t get my hot wings!” says Arpit Shergil, a lover of local restaurants. Taking everything into consideration, most people would agree, North Royalton and others, we want everything to just go back to normal.
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COVID’S IMPA C T
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BY ABBIE BEERS
he Covid-19 has impacted our daily lives. We are no longer at school, but we are at school from home. It’s fun, but scary when you realize the risks of leaving your house. Currently to appease my boredom, I’ve been binging some shows on Hulu and Netflix, rearranging my room, doing school work, and calling mostly my close friends, who seem to be doing alright. Adjusting to online school is interesting, but it feels like you have unlimited time (which you don’t). I have became quite the chef in the mornings, though. One morning it’s pancakes, another it’s waffles,or maybe just toast. A person who’s totally social can get quite stir crazy, though, so it’s tough, definitely. If you look on my road, you will see people walking, because when it’s nice outside, everyone wants to get sunlight. We ordered Nico’s last Saturday, and while we would usually go inside to eat, we waited in our car. My mother is a teacher and is trying to figure out online teaching with kids who may not have Internet or computers so that is a challenge to create lessons. My father is considered essential since he stocks a grocery store, but we make sure he takes appropriate measures. I am used to being around my grandparents, aunt and uncle, and cousins. Instead of dinner each week at their houses, we stay in contact through Zoom calls. I’ve recently started listening to an old radio station from Charlotte, North Carolina, and it soothes me and makes me forget about every bad thought or scare. My household has definitely stayed as safe as can be. Knowing we are being safe about things makes all the social anguish go away. It’s not so bad being on lockdown.
Baking With Grandma: A Photo Essay
B Y J U S T I N PAT E L
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CONCERNS FROM Q UA R A N T I N E B Y S E R E NA M R A Z
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s clear as it is to everyone dealing with the pandemic, many people are dealing with many hardships. It is scary to think about all of the people that have tested positive, not knowing what their outcome will be. As an outsider, it is scary to think that one of your family members could get this. My Nona just turned 94, and the thought of her getting it is heartbreaking. The fact that if someone you know gets it, you cannot even go see them. If a family member is dying in the hospital from COVID, they are dying alone, by themselves in a random scary hospital room. If we are to think about all of the schools that have been shut down and closed until further notice, I think of all of the seniors that are missing out on their last few high school experiences. Many seniors are missing out on their last season of a sport. They will not be able to experience their last senior season. All of their hard work for years and years is being thrown away. It is heartbreaking hearing from other seniors, and other students in general. My family is struggling with the challenges related to COVID-19 as well. Both of my parents are still working because their jobs are considered “essential businesses.” It is scary to think that myself or my brother could be carriers and not even know. If either of my parents were to get it, their lives could be at stake. The fact that you could lose a family
member or friend due to the virus is unbelievable and heartbreaking to think about. Of all the tragedies you could lose people to, but their life was taken sooner than expected, all because of a virus. I know that my parents’ friend, who used to live in our development, moved to Las Vegas a few years ago, and just died the other day due to the virus. Lastly, not only do younger kids have to worry about the virus, but they also worried about whether they would get to step on the field one last time, or whether they would get to walk across the stage after years of hard work. Whether they would get to experience their senior prom, or say hello to their friends in the hallway one last time. Now we know the answer since school will not resume this year. No one knew that COVID-19 could take away so much from someone.
Support, prevention and intervention. The path begins here. www.OhioGuidestone.org | 440.260.8300
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BY DEVYN LUCAS
RECOGNIZING THE SERIOUSNESS OF COVID-19
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OVID-19 has a fatality rate of only 1.4%. However, that number does seem to rise for people who are older. The entire world is at war but not with each other; we’re at war to fight against this disease. When the virus first began in China I did not think it was a big deal at all. I thought it was another flu. I simply thought the media was blowing the whole thing out of proportion, and I also thought countries were overreacting. Once the virus hit the United States I had some concern because usually when a new virus appears it usually won’t hit the United States. A few weeks went by and there were rumors spiraling that school might be canceled. I thought that seemed excessive and that would be strange, especially because none of the students or staff have seen anything like this. A few weeks went by and I was watching some basketball on T.V., and they had to cancel a game because of this virus. That is exactly when I realized this was getting scary. A few days later our school announced we would have a day off on the following Tuesday due to the virus, so the teachers can talk about what to do going forward if a school closure was to take place. On that day, not even thirty minutes after the school day ended, they called it. The school was to be closed for three weeks because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now we won’t return to school this year at all. I asked my cousin Cara who is a junior here at North Royalton High School about how this has affected her schooling, and she said that it hadn’t really affected her schooling in general though she does believe the online school has been a little bit easier. In regards to the virus itself,
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Cara is scared especially because she can’t work and she can’t pay for anything now as a result. Cara did say there was some good that can come out of this because “I can see my mom more often than I did before because neither of us is as busy as we were before this virus.” I also asked my own mother about the virus and how it is affecting her work. My mom is an STNA, which is a state-tested nursing assistant, and she said “The virus has not really affected us because we are one of the few facilities that don’t actually have a case of the virus.” She explained that her work is taking extreme measures as they have ordered a lot of protective equipment and they continue to bleach the facility. She also talked about how she believes this virus is very serious by saying “in all my forty-five years of life I have never seen the entire country shut down.”
A NEW REALIT Y
BY LOLA MROCZKA
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aking up in the morning was hard. Going to school for eight hours a day at North Royalton High School to doing online classes on Google Classroom in my bedroom has been one of the most mind-altering experiences in my seventeen years of living. Not because of the change between in-person class and online class, but the weight that switch carries behind it and the path it is taking. Suddenly, waking up isn’t the hardest part of our daily routines anymore. I miss the smell of freshly sharpened pencils and the different colors of pastel lockers while walking to our favorite, friend-filled classes. What we see now are newly released movies on our televisions, our siblings home from college, and lots and lots of toilet paper in our bathrooms. A typical day in the life for me is to wake up, get my online school work completed, eat breakfast, and on some nice days go on a jog to get some crisp fresh air. Unfortunately for me, I work in a grocery store, so I still have to attend work. My experience at work is something very new. Necessities are gone, and if we have them in stock they are limited to one per
person. Human interactions are mildly different as well. There seems to be some sort of barrier between myself and strangers. Whether it is the gloves, or even the face mask setting us aside, it is very different than how it used to be, and the world may never go back to that state. With having nothing to do besides hang out with my siblings home from college, and my parents, listening to their experiences are eye opening. Although we are all in the same situation in the end, the changes from going to our normal routines to all being quarantined at home are very different. My oldest sister, Alexis, 23, said, “Going from being in law school and working a part-time job at a law firm, to having class on a Zoom call and working from home on my laptop is a big, big change.” She added, “The change is different, but not something I couldn’t get used to.” Inevitably, it is something that all of us have to get used to, but in our own different ways. Throughout this time, I have had more than enough time on my hands to gather my family’s opinions about this Covid-19 pandemic. “It is something we need to take seriously, and we need to stay home,” said Keith, 49, my father. “And staying home does not mean going to your friend’s house,” he added. Although this statement is something a teenager would not like to hear, it is true. The more of us who stay home will better our chances of overcoming this pandemic together. It will not be easy, but staying home is everybody’s best option. In my household, everyone pretty much has the same routine: wake up, eat breakfast, do school or work, and so on. For my other sister, Savannah, 21, her routine is quite similar to Alexis’s. I asked her what are some things she does to not make her mornings feel so limited. She said, “Sometimes I like to do my work outside on the deck with the fireplace because the change in scenery definitely adds something to my routine.” As a result of the school and work going on, the morning until about 4-5 p.m. is pretty quiet. However, once everybody is done doing their tasks for the day, it gets pretty fun. Making dinner as a family, and going on jogs with a few of my siblings have turned into another part of our daily routines. While interviewing my brother, Carson, 18, about his personal experience with Covid-19, he said, “The jogs are something fun to do, they keep us outside and occupied, not to mention that they also keep us all positive, for the most part.” For me, personally, something that occupies my mind is painting or sewing. I think it is important and necessary for individuals stuck at home to find something they enjoy doing. Although the circumstances we are all under are not ideal, I believe that it is safe to say that it is important to keep a positive attitude during these trying times. My stepmom, Brenda, 54, said, “I have to say, a positive within all of this chaos is having all of our family together. It is really one of the most important things right now. Keeping the family close and healthy is our top priority.” THE ROYA L NEWS
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Stay busy with these fun activities while sheltering at home
BY ABBIE BEERS
From a Senior: Underclassmen U
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efore this pandemic took ahold of our lives, we hated getting up and going to school, despised grocery shopping, and other routines. We took our family and friends for granted. Now we wish to be with our friends and outside family. We now want to go to school to be social with teachers and peers. It’s a bleak world without our hugest supporters, but here are the ways we can make meaning now… During Covid-19, there are many ways to stay busy. For instance, you can create a free Zoom meeting with family and friends. My personal experience with Zoom with family and friends is really fun because you can create a screen game and play some card games. Personally we created some games using Google docs. It gets crazy when you play games with the fam. Play imessage games with friends or family who have iphones. You can also play Minecraft and other time-consuming games. Or, to catch a break from technology, if you have a walkable pet, take it on a lengthy walk around your street or neighboorhood. The parks are usually open for hiking and walking. Baking during quarantine can get your mind off of world problems for 15 minutes while you’re whipping up some banana bread batter. Yard chores can also keep you busy in our new lives, as well. Just order a truck-full of mulch and you’re good for a week or two. Go for long car rides to relax and forget worries for a couple of hours, and there’s always car games.
To stay active, try to get outside more often and go on walks around where you live. On YouTube, there are a lot of exercise videos to watch, as well. You can also try yoga...no one’s judging you at home except your dog! Staying cooped up in your room isn’t healthy, so I recommend these options for getting active! Although staying home is not ideal for everyone, people are finding creative ways to stay in touch with family and friends, stay active, and build a castle in Minecraft. People are even taking up an old or new hobby to stay busy. 14
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BY JUSTIN
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oing to class for the last time, getting to say your final goodbyes and walking down the halls reflecting on the last four years.This is an experience one should be thankful for. I can speak from experience. These are the moments my fellow classmates and I have missed out on in the wake of the coronavirus. Underclassmen, remember to make the most of high school. There are plenty of activities you can be part of, such as clubs, plays and sports. Taking part in these activities makes lasting memories you’ll have forever. Senior Emily Gaborick said, “I only did the play my senior year, and I wished I would have done the play my freshman through junior years.¨ As someone who took part in the theater for three years, I can say it certainly was an experience that expanded my horizons as well as my friend group. The same can be said about my experiences in the art league. I urge underclassmen to try things you haven’t tried before. This will expand your circle of friends and season you as a human being.
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: Advice to the Upon Your Return
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It’s especially important to enjoy the time you have seeing friends every day. Going to lunch and talking and enjoying field trips. As someone who has had this taken away, enjoy the time you have with your friends and don’t waste a second. Though school can be stressful from time to time, it’s important not to focus on all the negatives and live in the now and especially enjoy the normalcy of it all. In one’s senior year you have a lot to look forward to. All the hard work of twelve years has finally paid off and it’s time to move on and be rewarded for all the hard work. Take advantage of seeing your friends in the hall for the last time and getting those last words of wisdom from your teachers. These are some things the class of 2020 did not get to experience to the fullest. So be sure to not take it for granted. By far the most important will be to really relish the moment you walk across the stage, and be grateful for the opportunity to have a prom and experience closure to the final chapter of high school.
B Y D E V Y N LU C A S
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ince early March, life has been different for everyone worldwide. COVID-19, aka the coronavirus, had erupted in Wuhan, China, at the beginning of the year, and since that time it has spread globally like wildfire. Life has become very different since the COVID-19 spread to the United States. On January 21, 2020, The United States had its first confirmed case of COVID-19. Since that time the virus has spread with now over 1.1 million cases just in the United States, not to mention that number continues to rise. Because the numbers were rising government and health officials required people to stay at home and they shut down businesses that were not considered essential. If a person was to go out in public that person was encouraged to wear a mask to prevent the spread of the virus. There is a vaccine that is currently being worked on, but it is in such an early stage that they don’t really know when it’s supposed to be released to the public. Everyday life has changed since people are not supposed to gather in groups of more than ten and they must stay six feet apart at all times. People aren’t even supposed to shake hands or hug each other. Personally, my life has really changed as a result of this virus. I haven’t been able to hang out with my friends. Not to mention being that I’m a senior this year, and prom was canceled. Commencement will be broken into stages with parents only in attendance. And my senior year feels like it was cut short because of the school closure that began in early March and the fact that we are not going to return. Assuming the vaccine is released at some point in early 2021, life will never be 100% normal again. It is believed that people may never shake hands ever again. Yet people may also be much more health-conscious than they were prior to the virus. COVID-19 will never be forgotten and as a result, people will try their best to prevent a second coming of the virus, so life will never be the same. The COVID-19 may actually be a blessing in disguise because it could help people become much more sanitary with everything. This pandemic can also help people know what to do if there is another pandemic that sweeps over the world. THE ROYA L NEWS
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The Eye of The Covid Hurricane B Y M A RY T I T T E R I N G T O N
he Covid-19 pandemic has affected everyone globally, but also harshly affects the students and spring sports athletes all around the world. In Ohio, the majority of schools were closed the afternoon of March 12, 2020, or within the following few days for the remainder of the year, cutting off in-person learning, clubs, band, and leading to the cancellation of 2020 spring sports seasons, as well as face-to-face contact with friends. Because of this, school has been changed to online learning and everything else has been put on hold. This change has been hard on everyone, but particularly the spring sports athletes, 8th graders moving on to high school, and mostly for seniors moving to college. Even though this is very hard and unexpected, there are still some bright sides to the situation. This is allowing teenagers to take more time to themselves to get sleep, and to spend more time with family. The constant grind of school can get to be a lot, and sometimes people just need a break. This could somehow be the break everyone needed, even if it does not look that way. Though we are in a pandemic and there is always the risk of getting sick, you are still able to enjoy yourself and just live in the present moment of calm and not have to worry about anything related to school or tests. This “coronacation” has given students more of an opportunity to get much needed sleep that they lack during the school year. Even though most of our sleep schedules are messed up, you still do not have to worry about waking up early if you do not have online classes. According to sleepfoundation.org, teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep every night, and only 15% are getting that much on nights before school. This means that the majority of students are coming to school sleep deprived and with way less energy than they could have. This is an opportunity to catch up on all of that lost sleep and to take a break from the constant work we are doing at school. At the beginning for me, I was not happy with the break and I really did not like anything about 16
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it. I was extremely upset with the fact that my softball season was canceled, and I was not going to have a proper goodbye in any of my classes. It was also so sad to think that that was my last day of in-person school for freshman year and I did not even know to make the best of it. As it has gone on, I have come to peace with it and actually am starting to be thankful for this. It has given me the opportunity to do more things around the house and pick up on some old hobbies I used to love. One thing I have been doing is bike riding at a safe distance with my neighbors all over the areas near where I live. It is something that I have been doing multiple times a day at times because it provides a good workout and scenic view, as well as a safe activity to talk with my friends. This break has given me the chance to breathe and just really enjoy life. I have now learned and experienced why you should never take anything for granted, because it can be taken away in an instant.
Make sure that you are spending time doing things instead of just sitting around watching tv and spending time on your phones. There are so many things you can do if you just open your eyes and really try to make something good out of an unfortunate situation. Also, we need to stop thinking about all of the what-ifs: what-if school wasn’t canceled, what-if we still had sports, what-if this coronavirus pandemic never happened? These are things you need to stop asking yourself because all of these things did happen. School was cancelled, sports were cancelled, and the coronavirus pandemic did happen and will still be prominent for the next year until there is a vaccine. Take this time to find some new hobbies, go outside, spend time with family, develop an exercise routine, eat healthier, etc. This is time you are never going to get back, and this could just be a sign that we all need to slow down and take a look around us. “Be strong because things will get better. It may be stormy now, but it never rains forever” ~Unknown.
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THINGS I TO OK FOR GRANTED BEFORE COVID-19 B Y S E R E NA M R A Z
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ost teenagers, like myself, never think about all the things that we take for granted on a daily basis. We all think that there is another day, or more time. All that came to a complete stop when we were faced with the Covid-19 quarantine. Like most others, we suddenly realize that even the everyday little things, like being able to hug your family or give your grandma a kiss on the cheek, would suddenly be taken away. For myself, I always thought that there would be another softball game to play, another time we would gather on the field and throw the ball around. I never realized how much I would miss playing. Suddenly, there was a loss of freedom, no hanging out with my friends, no grabbing a bite to eat, no shopping at the mall. Even seeing your teachers and having them ask how your day is seems like a memory. Perhaps one of the biggest
“Appreciate what you have, while you have it, or you’ll learn what it meant to you after you lose it.” - Frank Sonnenberg. things I took for granted was the senior class rites of passage. No prom, no commencement, no celebrating with my friends and family. Things I had always assumed that I would get to participate in were suddenly taken away like a rug being pulled out from underneath my feet. Covid-19 has given most of us a reality check. I long for the day that I can once again hug and kiss my family, hang out with my friends, be able to play another game of softball. When that day comes, I will hug a little tighter, laugh a little louder, and swing a little harder. For now I know that I will never take anything for granted. This quarantine has made me realize how important the little things in life truly are and how there are no guarantees in life. Hopefully we can all take something away from this and learn how to appreciate what it is that we have. I know I will. THE ROYA L NEWS
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OPINION: COVID-19 DEVASTATES COUNTRY, SHOWCASES AMERICA’S UNPREPAREDNESS By: Emma Kolick
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he disastrous and cataclysmic coronavirus pandemic has devastated America for months, resulting in unprecedented measures that have left its businesses and schools empty and uninhabited. As a result, panic-stricken citizens have been left in a state of hysteria. With the vast majority of states, including Ohio, still implementing orders for residents to remain in their homes, groups of protestors have begun militant demonstrations across the country in an effort to oppose social distancing orders and various closures in order to prevent further economic damage. As death tolls continue to soar to 80,000 in the United States alone, grief has immersed itself into daily lives, allowing the ceaseless casualties to gradually desensitize countless Americans. Instead of prominent leaders offering an abundance of solutions and resources to help aid in slowing the pandemic, America has suffered from an underprepared healthcare system and an inconsistent federal response, leading to excess deaths that were undeniably avoidable. These deaths, coupled with an immense lack of material aid, symbolize the fundamental change that must be generated to ameliorate this crisis.
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More than a dozen warnings regarding the coronavirus outbreak were given to the Trump administration from US intelligence agencies throughout January and February, yet President Trump habitually dismissed the public health threat in favor of politicizing the virus, claiming COVID-19 was a “hoax” invented by Democrats to sabotage his reelection campaign. Given the nearly 1.5M confirmed coronavirus cases across the United States, Trump’s ignorance of the credible threat of a potential pandemic was abhorrent and impermissible. The federal government’s lack of response undoubtedly led to an avoidable loss of innumerable lives. However, President Trump has repeatedly denied responsibility and
Freshman Maddie Geschke prepares to go to Va help her younger siblings, Sidney and Oli, clean closure that ended the school year (photo credit
deflected blame onto his predecessor, Barack Obama, despite the Trump administration’s decision to eradicate the entirety of the U.S. pandemic response team previously set in place by the Obama administration. As the U.S. remained easily susceptible to a global health crisis, its poor preparedness virtually enabled the virus to spread across the country due to the absence of response at COVID’s first arrival in late January. Former President Barack Obama initiated the pandemic response team, yet unsurprisingly, the Trump administration fired the team in 2018, deeming it unnecessary in order to cut costs from the nation’s infectious disease defense infrastructure. As the team was solely dedicated to health security preparedness and response, the disbanding of the team left the nation effectively defenseless and impotent. Prior to the group’s removal, members produced a playbook that laid out explicit details that would assist in mitigating a potential outbreak, such as notifying the general public of consequential potential risk and preparing America’s already overwhelmed healthcare system for a probable public health crisis. Alternately, Trump feared he would alarm the stock market and decided to prioritize the wealth of the upper class to the loss of tens of thousands of American lives. It is unfathomable that distinguished leaders were remiss towards the outbreak and blatantly disregarded conspicuous warning signs, as the government used inadequate messaging and poor risk assessment when the crisis was presented. Declaring this pandemic was unforeseeable is severely inaccurate, and the Trump administration claiming ignorance doesn’t absolve them of responsialley Vista Elementary School to n out their lockers after the abrupt ts to Maddie Geschke).
bility; it merely showcases their unpreparedness and their willingness to dismiss America’s vulnerability. Moreover, the intrinsic flaws that create the foundation of America’s healthcare system have exacerbated themselves. Despite the U.S. ranking highest in healthcare spending among other developed nations, at least 27 million Americans lack any health insurance, with this number set to rise as the unemployment rate jumps to an astronomical 15%. Among those uninsured are innumerable people who fear to visit the doctor, even in the case of COVID-19, due to exorbitant bills that would send them into crippling debt. In a country such as the United States, it is atrocious that health insurance is tied to employment, and it is morally imperative to implement a universal health care program in order to ensure that those with deadly viruses, such as COVID, are able to receive life-saving treatment. However, early shortages of ventilators within hospitals and personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers hindered the healthcare system’s ability to provide adequate treatment, forcing healthcare workers to make the impossible decision of who gets to live based upon the resources available. As nurses and doctors resorted to wearing garbage bags as gowns, and governors, such as Governor Andrew Cuomo from New York, were left begging for ventilators, the federal government cast doubts on these claims and refused to send equipment until it was too late. This lack of urgency exposes America’s inability to be proactive, allowing countless avoidable deaths to transpire across the country. While death tolls and unemployment rates across the United States continue to soar, it has become conspicuously clear that the absence of urgency in the federal government’s response and the eradication of protective programs worsened the global health crisis within the U.S. Despite the multitude of warnings and the abundance of preparation time given to the United States, the government dismissed blatant warning signs and fixated on the idea that the virus would remain on the other side of the world. As another second wave appears inevitable, those in power must recognize the vulnerability of our country and provide ample response and materials in order to prevent another shockingly fatal spread of the virus.
THE ROYA L NEWS
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Quarantine Tutorial: How To Paint
BY LOLA MROCZKA