Red and Black, Winter 2023

Red and Black

Learning by teaching

Child development nurtures preschoolers and Northwood students alike

by Madison Riggs

You may have heard of the child development classes Northwood offers. Often you see preschool kids in class as you pass through the F Hallway, or even catch them doing a fun activity in the Media Center lobby.

However, you might not be aware of the extent of what these classes offer or how they work.

The overall program has multiple different goals, but generally it focuses on creating an environment that fosters the major types of development in young children. The class also gives teenagers a hands-on experience both with lesson planning and working with kids.

For those unfamiliar with child development, the program at Northwood works to create an active and functioning preschool that emphasizes social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development.

One of the mantras those in charge of the class continually reiterate is that “preschoolers learn through play.” Students in the program are tasked with creating and

See CHILD DEVELOPMENT, Page 9

The rise of podcasting

How the medium has evolved over time — for better and worse

by Teagan Nam

The medium of podcasting has seen an enormous surge of growth and notoriety over the past decade, evolving from niche hobby to common household term. Although rooted in old-school radio plays and, more recently, the work of small-time creators, one can now find a plethora of podcasts made by everyone from alt-right extremists to A-list celebrities, who discuss everything from serial killers to serial dating.

No matter your tastes, interests, or worldviews, there is guaranteed to be a podcast out there for you. But, despite the nigh universal appeal of the modern podcasting world, this growth has done more harm than good for some: namely, the small-time, mostly minority creators who kickstarted the medium’s growth in the first place.

The earliest media resembling modern podcasts, particularly audio dramas (scripted, fictional shows in an audio format), was the radio play. Emerging in the mid-1920s and continuing through the 1950s, radio plays were in many ways a predecessor to television shows, and were a far more convenient and accessible option for many even after TV became more widespread. Perhaps the most famous — and infamous — radio play from this era was Orson Welles’s “War of the Worlds,” but it’s far from the only notable example: shows like “Gunsmoke,” “Johnny Dollar,” and “Dragnet” all emerged soon after “War of the Worlds,” and spanned up to decades. Many of these shows, among others, have been preserved by WAMU’s “The Big Broadcast” on their website, and WAMU airs these nearly century-old radio episodes every Sunday evening.

Interestingly, many of these episodic radio plays were adapted into tv shows as television boomed in popularity — often while the radio shows were still running. Today, a similar, inverse phenomenon is emerging: many already-famous TV personalities, politicians, influencers, and more are turning to podcasts as a quick, lucrative, and (seemingly) easy way to bolster their notoriety and develop a more casual, convivial relationship with their audience. Cultural icons from RuPaul to See PODCASTING, Page 7

Graffiti comes home

How artists shape our local identity

by Ash Newton

If you’ve ever ridden the Red Line, especially between the Takoma Park, Fort Totten, Rhode Island and Brookland stations, you’ve probably seen one of the greatest collections of art in the DC area,

rivaling the National Museum of Art or Hirshhorn Museum in its diversity, creativity and totality: the concrete walls that line the tracks. Since the 80’s, the Red Line has been an unwilling host to what some may consider high art and others call property damage. The graffiti along the line has been celebrated and policed in equal measure, but the question remains: what made graffiti a cornerstone of the DMV’s artistic identity, and where do we go from here?

It is a necessity to state now that vandalism is a crime. Thousands of dollars of property can be ruined and destroyed

See GRAFFITI, Page 2

Northwood High School Silver Spring, Maryland School and Community

Est. 1957 Winter 2023

STUDENTS TEACHING In Northwood’s child development class, senior Karina Benítez leads her younger students in a winter-themed arts and crafts activity. // Madison Riggs

RED LINE ART Between the Silver Spring and Takoma Metro Stations, graffiti by local artists like SHAZR and SOMA greet passengers and passersby. // Red and Black staff

How graffiti is part of our artistic fabric

GRAFFITI from Page 1

in a few strokes of a paint canister, and it should be incredibly obvious that it’s not very nice to paint over someone else’s property. This is something we learn in kindergarten. However, it is just as true that graffiti is a cultural symbol of the DMV and deserves to be fostered in safe, legal, non-property damage forms. Our school’s implementation of murals and public art has continued this legacy, but the total rebuild may create a blank slate for new art or a controlled space without it.

Evidence of graffiti artists’ cultural contributions are quite literally all around us. Contemporaries like VOYER, EAST, JACK and others have achieved their statuses as mainstays of the community by finding increasingly impressive and treacherous spots to display their tags. Notably, EAST recently tagged the currently incomplete Purple Line track adjacent to the Silver Spring Metro Station from five stories in the air. However, perhaps the most well-known name of the DC scene came far earlier than these current artists; Danny Hogg, known more commonly as his ubiquitous tag: Cool “Disco” Dan. Dan’s tags began to pop up in the mid-80s adjacent to the city’s burgeoning go-go scene, another hallmark of culture — especially Black culture — in the DMV. Dan’s art became so known within the area that his life and work was subject of a 2013 documentary titled “The Legend of Cool ‘Disco’ Dan,” as well as being featured in multiple books, notably in George Pelecanos’ novel “Shame the Devil,” described as a “D.C. legend.” Attentive readers may remember that Pelecanos visited Northwood in the fall to speak about his writing career, and he himself is a notable contributor to the literary legacy of the DMV.

For those interested in consuming graffiti art in less lawbreaking forms, the work of local artists is on view in multiple museums in the area: the 14th Street Graffiti Museum, for instance, is an interactive outdoor tour through the history of street art in the city. Pieces by Cool “Disco” Dan himself were, prior to 2014, visible on display at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. After the gallery’s closure, their collection was donated to the National Gallery of Art, but Dan’s works are not currently

a word from the editors Red and Black returns for its fall edition

As the school year moves forward, the work we do as students becomes more creative, more nuanced, more in-depth.

The rites of passage change with the seasons, and we are slowly given more responsibility to decide what to make of our world, and — maybe — how to build a new one.

In this edition of the paper, you will find a special focus on creativity, both at Northwood and in the local and global communities writ large.

Our ongoing goal is to cover the issues and interests that matter to the Northwood community. If you see yourself in this paper, we have succeeded. If not, we invite you to help us make this your newspaper, too.

We hope you appreciate our work.

on display. Legal street art is also easily visible in many public spaces, such as “A Brushstroke of Discovery,” the 170-foot mural along the former Discovery building on Colesville Road in Downtown Silver Spring. But as familiar as the piece is, with its swirling galaxies and hallucinogenic underwater scenes, street art can actually be found much closer to home — or in this case, to school.

One such artwork on school property is the space mural situated in the B hallway foyer across from the Counseling Office. The mural, completed in early 2022, is somewhat reminiscent of Discovery; however whereas the latter was completed by a single artist under one cohesive vision, the former mural, painted by Northwood students, portrays instead the diversity and variation of the student body’s vision for the work. While joined by the overarching visual motif of stars and space, the work features many unique aspects: for example, “Jeff Bezos” is emblazoned over the northwest wall. In the corner of another, white text reads, “Despite everything, it’s still

you.” The former is an obvious reference to the Amazon CEO and his latent meme status, while the latter is an ominous reference to the hit 2015 indie video game “Undertale.”

These eclectic details and meme-based symbology are aspects that define the piece — and all of the art around the building — as undeniably new and steeped in youth culture. But the approaching renovation of Northwood will erase these works, and with them, some aspect of the school’s identity. However, it is important to remember that the building serves us, the students, and not the other way around. When old and new students step into the revamped building, ask yourselves: could this be improved by a giant painting of space? Or a mosaic of Tupac? Or something completely new? I will urge you now not to vandalize the school’s walls without permission, but remember your forefathers. In the words of Cool “Disco” Dan (in a 2009 skit from his website), “I want you to witness history.”

Red and Black

Northwood High School 919 University Blvd W Silver Spring, MD 20901 (240) 740-6950

Editorial Staff

Avi Berzofsky

Malisha Gunawardena

Megan Leatherwood

Aidan Lewis

Teagan Nam

Ash Newton

Madison Riggs

Zach Welch

Staff Writers

Tolulope Adegoke

Ariana Amaya

Athena Arriaza

Andrew Blakey

Charlotte Cazahuatl

Alex Edwards

Luc Girardot

Emily Gonzalez Reyes

Daniel Gray

Kenneth Gray

Angie Jurado

Łeah Le Breton

Marielyn Mejia Sandre

Omer Omer

Shyla Rincon

Graham Summers

Liam Surrusco

Kim Thai

Caroline Touhey

Derek Ventura-Ly

Luis Zelaya Barrera

Business Managers

Malisha Gunawardena

Alexandra Palencia Pineda

Special Contributors

Chinaza Amagwula

Leslie Morla Gomez

Chloe Motsebo

Faculty Advisor

Ryan Acosta-Fox

B HALLWAY GRAFFITI Designed and painted by Northwood students, this new mural greets passersby in the B Hallway. // Derek Ventura-Ly

As MCPS signals the end of snow days, here’s what we lose

by Alex Edwards

Snow days are a way for people to have fun, sleep in, or relax.

Having a snow day become virtual will not allow the break and freedom of being able to play outside. It is also inadequate for snow days to become virtual because not everybody has Wi-Fi and won’t be able to participate.

Teachers will also struggle in teaching due to their plans being changed and affected.

Students are also most likely not to pay attention during virtual school days. According to Best Colleges, there is only a 50% rate of success for virtual learning compared to the 75% rate for in-person learning.

Senioritis: what it is, and what to do about it

by Alexandra Palencia Pineda

Every high school student has a certain amount of effort and motivation they put towards their academics. Some students experience a crash in their energy during their senior year. They experience what is known to many as “senioritis.”

If you are unfamiliar with the term, you should know that senioritis isn’t an actual disease; rather, it is a loss of motivation that leads to apathy towards studies and an increase in absences. In some ways, it is similar to an academic burnout, but it specifically applies to seniors in high school. Seniors are the eldest group of students at school and feel very close to the end of their journey.

When I was an underclassman, I thought senioritis was something completely made up, and just an excuse for seniors to be lazy, but this year, I was able to experience the snowball effect of senioritis. In simple terms, you tell yourself you’ll take a break from classwork for a day, which turns into multiple days, then weeks, and in worse cases, months!

Senior Melody Ordoñez said, “[I am] 100% sure senioritis is real. I know this because of how I’m feeling right now. Currently, I’m working and going to

Another disadvantage of virtual learning in lieu of traditional snow days is that teachers with babies or younger children will need to take care of them while teaching, making instruction time difficult and distracting for them. Their kids will of course also be at home.

While a lot of people find snow days being virtual days a disadvantage, there are some people who agree with the district’s decision to make snow days virtual learning days. Having virtual school on snow days will allow for longer summer breaks. Students who love the socializing connection they get in school won’t be able to have that if there isn’t any school. Snow days also throw off both teachers and students when returning back to school. Their memory is foggy; they have to get back into the school mindset.

The district has made the decision to make virtual learning a possibility on snow days, and this will affect both teachers and students negatively.

school everyday. I don’t even like going to school anymore because I don’t see any of my friends anymore. . . I guess senioritis is more about teens becoming young adults before high school ends. I’m hoping that this slump feeling will end as soon as I graduate.”

Another senior, Ashley Ramos, added, “I used to care about showing up to school. Now, I can barely even do that.” She mentioned that she does care about her grades, and makes sure she keeps up with assignments as much as she can on Canvas.

As a senior, I have experienced a slump in motivation and effort towards school. Having responsibilities outside of school like a part-time job tired me out even more. Before this year, I worked hard to maintain good grades, take AP classes, and participate in extracurricular activities. I did all of these things so that my college applications looked good. After applying to colleges, I had a “finish line” mindset towards school.

My message to seniors experiencing anything similar is to keep your head high and focus on your goals. We’re so close to the end of high school, but we shouldn’t feel rushed or anxious. Enjoy the last couple of months of being a kid. Don’t miss out on your entire senior year. Appreciate the people you have around you before they’re gone. Feel proud of yourself and excited for what lies ahead!

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Northwood Theatre Department heads to “Chicago”

by Madison Riggs

After its emphatic take on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” all sights are set on the riveting, award-winning “Chicago” set to be our spring musical.

For those who are unaware, “Chicago” is a Broadway musical set in the title city in the 1920s. It follows a wannabe vaudeville star, Roxie Hart, as she goes through a murder trial. The musical is a satirical comedy that mocks the benefits of celebrity status. On Broadway, it won six Tony awards, and the movie, ironically, also won

six Academy awards. This makes it clear that Northwood Theatre is taking on an opportunity to present a mind-blowing show, unlike one seen before.

What can Northwood viewers expect?

Led by Mr. Brett Harwood, Mr. Ryan Sullivan, and Dr. Brian Semos, the Theatre Department intends to do a faithful adaptation, with lots of singing and large-scale performances. Star Khadija Ndyaie (‘24) and Amanda St. Francis (‘23) will portray Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, respectively, along with so many other incredibly talented student actors.

As the performance nears, buzz has grown. With it approaching quickly on the horizon, the cast gears up for what is sure to be a spectacular performance, while the audience gets ready to witness hard work and dedication brought to the stage.

Red and Black runs on the generous support of readers like you. We offer our sincerest gratitude to those who have joined our Patron Program for 2022-2023!

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the Rayfield family

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REHEARSALS Behind the scenes shots from the Northwood Theatre Department’s upcoming production of “Chicago.” // Mr. Harwood

Your favorite artist sucks. Now what?

What to do when the musician you idolize is problematic

by Chinaza Amagwula

The concept of separating the art from the artist has been a heated topic. We all have artists that we love, whether it be for the art they create or who they are as a person.

However, we run into issues when it comes to artists who are problematic. The term ‘problematic’ could mean many different things: an artist could be like Kanye and make anti-Semitic comments, or they could be like R. Kelly and commit unspeakable acts against others.

How does Northwood feel about “separating the art from the artist”? It’s important to look at this topic through a nuanced lens.

Senior Chloe Motsebo talked about the need not to internalize art that dehumanizes. “When it comes to artists who create songs that objectify people I try not internalize it.”

Motsebo’s perspective is one that many people have when listening to artists whose values go against their own. For example many women experience cognitive dissonance when listening to songs where the lyrical content leans towards misogyny.

It can be difficult when songs such as “Back That A-- Up” come on and you’re feeling it, but hearing the lyrics refer to women as “b---es” and “h--s” can create a sense of internal conflict.

(The song is still good as hell though and I will dance to it every time.)

Junior J.J. Rodas focused not just on the lyrical content but also the beliefs behind the words.

“I enjoy Skillet’s music but their beliefs contradict my own.”

For those who don’t know, Skillet is an American Christian rock band whose members have made some sincerely questionable comments. Frontman John Cooper came under fire in 2021 for comparing Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s Grammy performance to Adolf Hitler: “If you go back and you read some of Hitler’s

Following the leaders: how much stock should we put in influencers?

by Ariana Amaya

Celebrities have ruled our pop world for decades now. With the rise of the Kardashians and other celebrities, society has changed significantly. The great influence these celebrities of these celebrities has caused many people to rely on them for their style, opinions, and overall way of life.

It may not be obvious, but this can be very damaging. But is the influencer at fault, or the audience?

Our generation’s reliance on celebrities is more common than you might think. For example, if a celebrity wears a new style, it may become a trend, and many people begin wearing that specific style as a result. This was most recently seen with the uprise of early 2000’s or “Y2K” styles. If a celebrity posts something political or heavily opinionated, it may influence their fans’ personal opinions, stopping

speeches, he’s, like, ‘I’m gonna set people free — free from the bondage of the Ten Commandments.’ In his mind, he’s a liberator. It’s always like that, you guys. All you do is you just redefine evil and you redefine good. That’s what’s happening right now at the Grammys.”

It is understandable how students like Rodas can feel a sense of cognitive dissonance when an artist they enjoy makes comments that are ignorant. The question becomes: should I continue listening to them or should I leave them behind?

Other students were more dismissive of what makes artists problematic. Senior Jamal Mayo put it simply, “I don’t [care].”

Many people are unconcerned if an artist is problematic because they believe they are supporting the music, not the person, and that is understandable. However, listening to that artist financially supports them and allows them to escape accountability. It’s easy for some people to not care about the beliefs of the artist because it does not affect them. For example, it is easier to ignore an artist’s racism if you are white or their misogyny if you are a man, because the impact of their beliefs does not affect you.

Junior Madison Scott discussed how what the person has done matters most. “It honestly depends on the person and the things they have done,” Scott said.

Ultimately, separating the art from the artist is a nuanced situation. Many questions arise: is this person still problematic? Can we really judge others when we have also made mistakes? Does it really matter?

At the end of the day, it is ultimately up to the listener. The students I interviewed all have their own opinions when it comes to the topic and I think it’s healthy to have different perspectives. Personally, I listen to artists deemed problematic, such as Nicki Minaj, and I enjoy listening to them and probably won’t stop, but her personal life and actions disappoint me and sometimes I reflect on her as a person, asking myself whether I should still support her.

Separating the art from the artist is truly a moral dilemma and ultimately it’s up to you as a consumer of music.

them from forming their own. This was especially prevalent in 2020 and 2021 with the public response to the George Floyd protests and the Black Lives Matter movement.

However, some fans got so used to seeing their favorite influencers speak out on real world issues that when they didn’t, they were seen as problematic. While celebrities and influencers make up a big part of the pop culture landscape, fans also play a big role in the media and the way it is perpetuated.

I’ll buy it.”

Is the influencer at fault, or the audience?

Recently, the profile of 22-year-old Alix Earle, who makes beauty and lifestyle content, has exploded on TikTok and Instagram. She gained more than a million TikTok followers in a single month and many people, understandably, love her and her content. On TikTok, her fans make videos and often say, “If Alix Earle has it,

While Alix doesn’t control the way her fans consume her content, her fans do. This adds on to the idea that fans, too, play a big role in pop culture, not just celebrities and influencers. Furthermore, fans aren’t obligated to follow everything a celebrity says, but they can feel more validated from the outside world if they do. For example, following trends and having everything new and shiny may not actually benefit someone, but only make them seem “cool.” This can cause someone to struggle in creating and finding their own identity, style, and personality — something which is so personal, and yet our generation depends on strangers behind a screen to shape.

Additionally, an important thing people may not realize is that influencers choose what they put on the internet, and may never show their “bad” side. This

creates unrealistic standards for those who base themselves off these influencers. Holding yourself to these standards can make you feel like you’re not doing enough, or you just aren’t enough at all.

On the other hand, influencers and celebrities can have positive effects on society. Some use their platform to speak out on things that are important. For example, Taylor Swift consistently uses her voice to get her fans to help with real world problems. One instance would be in 2018 when she got over one hundred thousand people to register to vote in the midterm election in just 48 hours with one post. She has also donated over $1.4 million to charities and people in need since the beginning of her career, causing DoSomething.org to deem her “most charitable celebrity” in 2012 and 2013.

Not all celebrities and influencers are necessarily good or bad, but they are powerful, and how they decide to use their influence varies by celebrity.

As a consumer, it’s important to have some real life experiences before relying on what is online. You never know what’s actually real or fake.

PROBLEMATIC ARTISTS Three artists who, for differing reasons, have made problematic statements or engaged in problematic behavior: Nicki Minaj (above), seen here in 2012; Skillet frontman John Cooper, shown here in 2018; and Ye, formerly Kanye West, wearing his signature full facemask. // Creative Commons

Monetization: how has it affected gaming positively and negatively?

by Daniel Gray

Monetization is in almost every game — after all, it is one of the most reliable ways to make money from a game. But how have monetization practices affected a game’s players?

Monetization is the way that games get money from the players. There are three main ways of monetization: free-toplay, buying the game, and paying to win.

In different game genres, it is very difficult to become successful without becoming free-to-play. Game genres like battle royales and other PVP games have become successful because of the large player-base which has been a direct effect of the fact that the game is free. Games like Fortnite and Valorant were built upon the player base at the game’s release and the idea that people would keep joining as other players left. In these free games, there are microtransactions, which are usually for in-game currency that are used to buy cosmetics for their character and other items in the game.

Pledging allegiance: examining where everyone stands

by Megan Leatherwood

A question for those of you who watch the morning announcements: do you stand or sit during the Pledge of Allegiance?

The Pledge that is recited every morning has been around since 1892 and was written by socialist minister Francis Bellamy. The words of the Pledge have changed over the years. The first version read, “I pledge allegiance to my flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Most will tell you that the real purpose of reciting the Pledge daily is to show loyalty to one’s country and to understand the values and freedom the flag symbolizes. This is why we face the flag as we stand up from our seats and place our right hand over our hearts.

Over the years, many controversies have arisen over the Pledge of Allegiance. In recent years especially, most students have stopped standing up and reciting it.

Schools are prohibited from making students participate because it’s been found that doing so violates the First Amendment.

Obviously, there are other reasons for kids not to participate today. For many, during virtual learning associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, we got out of the habit of doing this routine because we were at home.

For others, it could be just following the crowd, or the fact that in high school it’s just not something you feel like you should do. Even though on the morning announcements they say, “Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance” and recite the same five sentences, silence fills the room.

This leads to a central question: why don’t students pledge?

For me, the Pledge became like a dull routine that I had to follow, which led me to stop standing and reciting it in the fifth grade. Almost everyone in the class would stay seated, kneel, or stand up at a certain

Games that the player pays for usually won’t feature many microtransactions because the player already bought the game. However, the problem for companies is that once the game is bought, they don’t have a need to buy it again; due to this they will offer other cosmetics like sprays, emotes, and skins that are more visible in games. Overwatch, for example, was a paid-for game that had a loot box system where players could obtain emotes and other cosmetic items completely for free. Finally, there is pay-to-win. These methods usually happen in free-to-play games where players are all on an even playing field unless players spend money to buy something that will enhance their chances of winning. The pay-to-win methods can be compared to steroids or other performance-enhancing materials that will improve their performance. Some forms of pay-to-win could be spending money to unlock items that can be obtained normally but will take hundreds of hours of playtime. A big example of this is seen in the RPG known as “Diablo Immortal” where players have their own characters which they can level up by playing the game. If a player would like to spend money to max out their character and unlock powerful items and gear, it would take anywhere from $100,000 to $500,000.

part of the speech.

In that same class, we engaged in a community circle to figure out why this was happening. A few people gave logical reasons, like some parts of the Pledge they don’t believe in, so they sit down but stand up when it connects to them.

Others would just follow what their friends were doing. Since teachers are not allowed to force students to recite the Pledge, students could decide whether or not they participated.

I never felt like my First Amendment rights were being violated, but for me it just got old.

I decided to ask the students of Northwood their opinions on the Pledge. Sophomore Miles Riggs feels that he doesn’t want to pledge allegiance to a country where public parks are safer than schools.

“I stopped reciting the pledge around th fourth or fifth grade. Our elementary school made us do it, but in the sixth grade, no one did.”

Riggs talked more about the reasons for stopping. “I don’t think the Pledge is necessary. The older I get the less likely I am to ever say it. I didn’t say it at first, because I was lazy, but now I don’t because I don’t want to pledge to a country where schools are less safe.”

Sophomore Bonnie Morgan might also agree with that statement. “I stopped in middle school because it was annoying to get out of my seat,” Morgan said.

“I don’t think it’s necessary to pledge to any country you’re not devoted to, even so, keep it out of schools; it’s a learning place.”

Of course, we’ve only heard one side of the story about the unimportance of the Pledge. But we have focused less on those among us who still believe in the political aspect of pledging allegiance.

Though it may seem surprising, some people still believe that the pledge should be something still recited. Rhyder Miles (‘25) believes that saying the pledge is still a necessary thing.

“I never stopped. I want to honor the people who died for the ideals that make our republic great. I think the pledge is necessary to remind people every day of the sacrifices made and lives lost so that they may live such comfortable lives.”

Editorial: what police brutality in 2020 tells us about violence against Black Americans

by Tolulope Adegoke

In the first eight months of 2020, police in the U.S. killed 164 Black people.

164 people. 164 families lost someone in those eight months: a father, a mother, a daughter, a son.

In honor of February’s Black History Month, I’d like to honor these 164 people and talk about what their deaths mean.

Each person has a different story to tell. How they were brutally beaten or, worse, shot for minor mistakes.

Said Joquin, a 26-year-old male. Fatally shot at a traffic stop for allegedly reaching for a gun on the floors of his vehicle.

Yassin Mohamed, 47-years-old. Also fatally shot, and the officer claimed to be responding to a report of Mr. Mohammed walking in the middle of the road. The officer said they had many encounters with Mr. Mohammed that day.

Many don’t understand how difficult day-to-day life remains for African-Americans. For 158 years, African-Americans have been “free,” but we constantly have to watch our backs to be “safer,” telling our kids that “Yes we are free, but don’t slipup.” ONE MISTAKE can take your life; one slip-up and you’re dead.

“Don’t look at the officer the wrong way.”

“Don’t put your hands in your pocket when pulled over, they might think you have a gun.”

“Don’t blink the wrong way, they might see you as a threat.”

But are we really the threat?

Jamarri Daiwon, Traver Tina, Marie Davis, Tyree Davis, Brandon Roberts, Kwame Jones, Miciah Lee, Claude Washington.

Were THEY a threat when they got shot to death with no weapon found?

Today, I’d like to honor all 164 people who died in the days of January, February, March, April, May, June, July and August 2020.

Happy Black History Month.

PLEDGING ALLEGIANCE Above: a veteran, shown from behind, salutes the flag above the words “Please stand up” in the first still from WNHS’ Pledge of Allegiance segment on the morning announcements (WNHS). Below: students outside Christa McAuliffe Elementary School in Saratoga, California, pledge allegiance before school begins (National Archives).

by Angie Jurado

With the holiday season coming to an end, we have a good opportunity to consider how it can affect the feelings of others.

The holiday season brings in a lot of mixed emotions that come rushing to people in different ways and bubble up to the surface. Everyone has a different background and past that makes them unique, and some have had to face more

difficulties and challenges than others. The challenges some face may make the holidays a more difficult time.

While others consider it a time to gather with their loved ones, some could be going through the loneliest part of the year — and an awful way to begin the new year.

A person affected could be someone you encounter daily without knowing, maybe even the person who sits next to you in your math class. You might never guess that based on the time you spend with them in class or because of the fact that you’ve never spoken to them.

I always thought of the holiday season as the most perfect time of the year. It wasn’t until I lost someone special that I realized how difficult the holiday season could still be. Even if I can still enjoy time

with my family on Christmas morning and New Year’s Eve, there will always be an empty spot in my heart that aches a little more during the holiday season.

Moreover, when thinking about the holiday seasons it’s important to remember it’s not just Christmas and New Year’s. There are many other cultures and religions that also have sacred days over the winter months, from December through February: Hanukkah, Chinese New Year, Bodhi Day, Yule, Kwanzaa, Tết, Zarathosht, and others.

Part of what makes the holiday season so special is the fact that different cultures and groups of people come together to celebrate with each other.

There are records of the term “holiday season” being used that date all the way back to the 19th century. In those 200

years as a society we have expanded and opened our arms to different cultures and backgrounds, and this has allowed us to become more diverse than ever.

For this reason, another part of what makes the holiday season so special is that everyone has something to look forward to instead of feeling left out.

Next holiday season, please keep in mind for the next holiday season that the happiest time of the year might be the worst time of the year for others, and work with others to make an environment where everyone can feel — and be — included.

ACROSS

2 A kind of morning sandwich?

4 Molly Ringwald was Pretty in this color

6 ___ Park; everything came from amber

8 Has blue creatures (taller than Smurfs)

11 Jets v. Sharks

14 ___blanca

15 Shrek’s love

16 An American in ____

17 This kind of mind had Eter nal Sunshine

19 Good weather for Singin’

20 “Sweep the leg!”

21 It’s everywhere all at once

23 Humans have these, but so do sharks

25 -face; “Say hello to my little friend!”

26 Made an offer that couldn’t be refused

29 Stop-motion dark fantasy from 2009

30 Tom Cruise on a jet in the 80s

32 “Good morning Baltimore!”

33 In this, “redrum” reflects something important

35 Michael Myers’ debut

37 Don’t say his name three times

41 About a demonic possession

42 “You’re killing me, Smalls!”

43 Folks in black coats killing aliens (abbr.)

44 “We’re not in Kansas any more.”

46 “KEVIN!”

47 A clownfish in need of finding

48 Glacial period home to Sid the sloth

49 Jason Voorhees’ debuted on this day?

DOWN

1 “As you wish.”

3 Famous for having a Day Off

4 What the Devil wore in a 2006 flick

5 Musical at Rydell High

7

38 “There’s

24

31

36

The winter months feature holidays for many. Let’s think about how to be inclusive.

The evolution of the podcasting medium

PODCASTING from Page 1

Gwyneth Paltrow to Shaquille O’Neal now host their own podcasts; even political figures like Michelle Obama have entered the mix. Nearly all podcasts hosted by celebrities, politicians, and influencers fall under the category of unscripted shows: essentially, recordings of off-the-cuff conversations, mimicking the formats of radio and TV talk shows that many of these figures were already familiar with.

However, not all podcasts hosted by notable cultural figures consist of lighthearted celebrity chatter. A particular genre of political commentary talk shows has arisen in the past decade, especially those hosted by conservative and altright figures. Joe Rogan, whose podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience” has topped podcast charts for the past three years, frequently repeats racist, queerphobic, and anti-vax rhetoric, including casual use of the N-word and other slurs. This aggression towards marginalized groups and repeated misinformation not only implicitly contributes to harmful systems, but directly leads to violence, danger, and disruption: for example, when Rogan encouraged his audience to take Ivermectin, an anti-heartworm medication for horses, to treat COVID-19; and when he ignited a conspiracy theory that leftists intentionally caused west-coast forest fires, leading to hundreds of false reports from his listeners which seriously disrupted emergency response efforts. Another example is An-

People or platform: which one are YouTubers changing for?

by Avi Berzofsky

In early September 2022, YouTube influencer Sean McLoughlin (aka JackSepticEye) was interviewed by other famed influencer Anthony Padilla. The talk show episode is just a normal conversation with casual jokes and interesting opinions, until Sean stares directly at the camera and goes into a monologue, saying:

“You want to know something really mind-blowing? Everybody who’s like ‘I miss the old Anthony, or I miss the old Sean,’ it’s like, no you don’t. You miss how you felt back when you were watching those videos at that time, [because] you were probably in school. You probably just came home from school and just watched videos all day and had a great time. But now you’re grown up, and now you have responsibilities and now you’re in college and you have a job… and you’re probably stressed out a lot, but you think it’s the change in the channel. It probably was a lot of me as well. I’m not putting all the blame on you.”

Although Sean says he doesn’t blame us while also saying we’re wrong for missing the “old” version of him, he does partially address the reason why we miss our digital childhoods: the channels we’ve grown up watching have changed the way they make content. Or have they? It may seem like there’s no clear answer, since there have been small, unnoticeable adjustments made over the past few years. But are they for the better or the worse?

For Northwood students, there is one genre of videos that stands out in terms

drew Tate, a notorious racist, misogynist, and homophobe who has appeared as a guest on a wide variety of podcasts as well as hosting his own, and is currently under investigation for human trafficking and sexual assault. Because of the significant lack of regulation on podcast platforms, and the ease with which people can produce and distribute them, the genre has become a breeding ground for hate speech, misinformation, and dangerous rhetoric that pose serious threats to marginalized commu nities and efforts to protect the public from harm.

This current mutation of podcasting is a far cry from its humble origins in the 2000s and early 2010s. Mainstream radio shows had already existed for decades, of course, but these were produced by and played on longstanding radio stations, which favored privileged hosts and generic, popular subjects such as sports and pop culture. This trend stayed consistent throughout most of the 20th century; however, the rise of the internet would bring significant challenges to traditional radio. With the sudden popularity and availability of on-demand audio entertainment, such as podcasts and audiobooks made accessible online, came a significant drop in radio listeners. Many

of who watches what: gamers and walkthroughs of new games, such as Minecraft or Fortnite. Minecraft, especially: YouTubers such as DanTDM, Stampy Longhead, and PewDiePie helped shaped our childhoods. Unfortunately we got older and changed, and so did our favorite internet people. DanTDM has abandoned his infamous Desert Lab and started playing other games. Stampy went on to star in some TV shows, only to quickly be cancelled after his association with abusive peers. And PewDiePie? Well, if you watched a lot of YouTube back in 2018, you’ll probably remember one of the craziest battles in internet history: PewDiePie vs. T-Series. Long story short, T-Series has Most Views, while PewDiePie has Most Subs and the ownership of “B---- Lasagna,” the greatest diss track of all time. Since then, PewDiePie hasn’t really made any modifications to his channel, other than making an occasional vlog. Other than that, he still plays video games and reviews memes. Other channels have also stolen the spotlight and passed PewDiePie’s Sub count (like, most recently, Mr. Beast), while PewDiePie keeps sinking lower and even losing subscribers.

This is where the people take over the change. In the words of freshman Nicholas Carter, the channels “still have the same aspects of themselves, and still make the videos the same. . . if something is good, why stop?” Other Northwood students such as John Aguero (‘24), Illailah Johnson (‘26), and Sophie Preira (‘25) are on the same side as Nicholas and still watch their childhood “heroes” from time to time. They say that the content of the videos isn’t as interesting, and the quality is poorer than it used to be.

It’s not only the gamers of YouTube who are changing their content — there are also lots of other categories of YouTube that are changing for the people, and it’s for the worse.

found that they favored the personal control on-demand podcasts offered, as well as the growing variety of the new medium, which was rapidly expanding to cover virtually every possible topic and interest. Most of the creators of these early online podcasts and audio dramas were not professionals, but simply hobbyists with a love for the new medium — and many were minority creators: queer people, people of color, and middle- and working-class people who were thrilled to find this new space that, at the time, was easy to enter and free from the stifling moderation of more privileged higher-ups.

Podcasting is far from the first — or last — instance that the rich, famous, and/ or powerful have pushed small minority hobbyists out of the genres they created in the first place. Of course, Oprah Winfrey’s spiritual talk show and Conan O’Brien’s somewhat concerningly-titled podcast are not inherently harmful or malicious; even the most transparent of celebrity cashgrabs are, at worst, frustrating. Like many shifts in society and the entertainment industry, the commercialization and oversaturation of podcasting is not the fault of a single person or company, but rather, the culmination of a great number of seem-

This doesn’t mean that it’s not entirely bad, though; there are some channels that are slowly changing for the viewers, but in a good way. For example, Wednesday enthusiast JimmyHere has been making content since we still had Vine. Until the meme app died and got replaced by TikTok, he continued to make hundreds of videos with original memes, often referencing his well-known videos and jokes. For the past three years, however, he’s been reacting to other people’s memes and upgrading everything along the way. For episode 69, he listened to the internet and did a livestream while “dripped out the wazoo.” A few episodes later, he listened to the overwhelming desire by his fans and bought a maid outfit for episode 100 (he even filmed a music video about it). It’s difficult to say what he has planned for the future, but his content never gets old, and he’s been changing for the pure goodness of the people.

How did the algorithm change? That’s a separate but parallel story. Back in 2018 there was something forcing content creators to change their format, and even became a meme itself — demonetization, or taking away the ability to make money off of videos. To be more specific, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki and other important managers of YouTube made the video guidelines so strict, most channels found it hard to make money while making videos worth watching. They redefined what was meant by “violent and dangerous content, sensetivity, and spam or deceptive practices” and started handing out yellow cards to anyone and everyone, causing channels like Markiplier and JackSepticEye to eventually give in and make appropriate content while saying what they could and could not do in the videos “from now on”.

Other channels were immediately terminated for spam or even banned from all of YouTube. In this case, it was the algorithm that made influencers change.

ingly small decisions made by many individuals and corporations. Though these decisions appear far from revolutionary — or destructive — at the time, the avalanche triggered by the desperation of so many celebrities, politicians, and extremists has ultimately begun to chase more innovative, less privileged creators out of the medium they themselves created.

Ultimately, these shifts — not only in the realm of podcasting, but across many fields — rob not only artists of their platforms and credit, but also the small, earnest communities that first came together around them; moreover, all of those would-be adoring listeners who will now never be reached by these stories. There is a natural charm to lesser-known, tighter-knit communities, particularly when they surround creativity and the art of the marginalized or otherwise invisible. To an extent, this charm, this genuine passion for storytelling, removed from any promise of fame or profit, is impossible to preserve with the success of a hot new genre. But the extent to which the rich, privileged, and at times hateful have shoehorned themselves into this world, and the corporate hollowness they have left in their wake, reflects an issue larger than even the most popular, well-branded individual: the powerful adopting the innovations of the underdog, and repackaging them with nothing more than their own power. Though podcasting may be a minor example, it follows in the footsteps of a much older, and more destructive, tradition. Perhaps, like true crime podcasts and Hollywood talk shows themselves, this trend is just so overdone.

Northwood’s Anj Cosby (‘23) put it best: “Since the algorithm has changed, people ask viewers to be more giving and stuff before videos… [I] feel bad for YouTubers because the algorithm makes it hard for them to get on platform.”

These hardships of the algorithm are still happening in today’s times. In early September 2022, gamer CoryxKenshin made a video calling out the bugs in the system, saying, “You guys either play favorites, you are racist, or it’s a mix of the two.” Apparently, he alone was reported by the algorithm due to a certain scene of a video game. No one else who played the same game had their videos taken down — he was the only African-American YouTuber being targeted for content featuring self-harm. He did nothing wrong, and was only playing a horror game most others at the time were also playing. Eventually the algorithm age-restricted the same videos of other YouTubers who have more fame, but the time period between them and Cory’s was long enough to make fair assumptions and accusations. Friends of Cory also made exposé videos about the algorithm taking down videos left and right. As JackSepticEye put it, “It’s this imbalance between the system flagging stuff versus a manual viewer flagging it, and a lot of times I don’t know which is doing it. I don’t know which is which. I don’t know who’s actually checking the stuff or what’s checking the stuff, and that, I think, is the biggest issue with all of this, is that lack of communication and transparency and willingness to know what we’re getting flagged for.”

So who’s to blame for all this change? It’s hard to say, but all we can really do is help our favorite content creators by telling them what we do and don’t like, and having their back when the computers take over.

WE’RE GETTING OLD

COMMERCIAL BREAK

ASH NEWTON

COMMERCIAL BREAK

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AVI BERZOFSKY

HIJINK DEREK VENTURA-LY

Nurturing young learners in child development class

CHILD DEVELOPMENT from Page 1 fostering an environment that encourages these elements.

The program also offers direct experience in both working with kids and planning lessons, as well as giving Northwood students the opportunity for certificates that can help lead to future careers. Sophomore Millie Lach, a two-year student in the child development class, considers it a stepping stone toward the career she wishes to pursue.

“My goal is to help my college resume and get hands-on experience to prepare for [both] college and career, and to get my child-care certification,” she said. Of course, she added, you might also enjoy the class if you “just like kids.”

Lach made clear that the program can be taken just for fun, or to gain experience in other life skills.

“It’s really good for fostering and encouraging independence and self-sufficiency, especially when it comes to classwork.”

Ms. Maureen McEneaney, the child development teacher and facilitator of the program, appreciates the way the class allows her to “share experiences with high school students, and watch as they take what they are learning and implement it.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Preschool students practice their numbers; Northwood security team leader Ms. Molesworth chats with a young student; preschool students build their own snowmen; a preschooler smiles at the camera; Stephanie Quintanilla (‘24) guides preschoolers in a group activity; Jazmine Jalloh (‘25), Karina Benitez (‘23), and Kenia Ramirez Flores (‘26) help students with their snowmen; and Ms. McEneaney helps fit a paper crown. // Madison Riggs

The one unofficial requirement, as Lach puts it, is to enjoy working with children.

“Only [take the class] if you’re interested in kids. I wouldn’t tell a bunch of people who don’t like kids to get involved.”

Ms. McEneaney agrees. “Because we’re dealing with real life human beings, students should be responsible, respectful, and committed to doing the best they can, [and] collaborative because other people are relying on you, both your high school team and the little kids.”

Even if you don’t plan to pursue it as a career, the program works to create an environment of people who are dedicated to the class and its goals.

Another reason people frequently mentioned getting involved was the fact that the program offered a breath of fresh air. If you’ve ever walked past the classroom on the F Hallway, you will surely have noticed its bright-colored walls,

decorations, and toys. Mix these with the bright spirits of the kids, and it can be a completely different world inside the preschool.

Ms. Jessica Molesworth, Northwood’s security team leader, makes a point of visiting the kids everyday. “What I like about it here is it’s kind of like a de-stress, to go in there and be around them, because they’re always in bright spirits and always so loving.”

Lach agrees, adding, “Not many people except [child development] students can come into the preschool, so it’s a good place to decompress and let stuff go from your day.”

Overall, the class is one that nurtures an independent experience and an exciting atmosphere. Whether you are looking at it as the start of a possible career, or just as a fun elective, the class is sure to bring some excitement to your day.

Red and Black

At New York Fashion Week 2023, new names and fresh styles forge new directions

by Ash Newton

New York Fashion Week, much like the city it calls home, has been the site of constant reshaping and reordering — both

Revisiting Earl Sweatshirt, while fans hope for a new album in 2023

by Luis Zelaya Barrera

Earl Sweatshirt, born Thebe Neruda Kgositsile, is a rapper, producer, and songwriter. Earl was born in 1994 in Chicago, Illinois and began rapping in 2008.

In 2009, Tyler, the Creator reached out on MySpace, where Earl was posting his music, and asked if he wanted to join his rap collective, Odd Future. In 2009 Earl released his first mixtape, “Earl,” which received positive reviews, but it also led in part to his mother sending him to boarding school in Samoa.

During this time, he couldn’t make any music. This caused the “Free Earl” movement where fans called for him to be brought back to make more music.

Earl would eventually return in 2012 and would be featured on the song “Oldie” by Odd Future. In November 2012, Earl started his rollout for his debut album “Doris,” releasing singles from the album and teasing who would be on it. “Doris” was released in August 2012 and received very positive reviews.

The album features depressing aspects that Earl would later become known for and embrace. Some standouts on the album include “Chum,” “Knight,” and “Molasses.” In March 2015, Earl released his second album titled “I Don’t Like S–––, I Don’t Go Outside.” An album title like this would make you think it would be pretty sad — and it is. One song that really encapsulates this album is track nine, “DNA,” featuring Na-Kel Smith of Mid90s fame. The story goes that while in the studio Smith got a call saying a close friend of his has passed away; Na-Kel then decided to record his verse there, and you can really hear his emotion in the song.

in pioneering new and revolutionary ideas in broad design culture, and in restructuring its own codes and functions. The old guard of New York Fashion Week included such entrenched incumbents as Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, names that were not-so-surprisingly absent from the headlines following February 2023’s five-day festival of artistic passion.

Instead, names such as AREA prevailed with their eye-catching and subtly surrealist silhouettes. The US-based brand celebrated their tenth anniversary

with a collection of bold, fruity garments constructed with their signature flair for dramatic architecture. Possibly the most spoken-about look was their opening one, a psychedelic minidress made of tiered layers of synthetic bananas.

Also wowing was independent Australian designer Dion Lee, who showed an eclectic gathering of skin-tight sheer club gowns juxtaposed against thick shearling, leather and puffer jackets. With a futuristic eye for clashing materials, the collection presents a New Cool in which skin is

Winter 2023

covered and bared, sold, re-appropriated and reworn.

In both shows, arguments about “wearability” are thrown to the wayside; anything is wearable in the post-pandemic era. Perhaps miniskirts weren’t appropriate for a Fall/Winter collection twenty years ago, but it’s seventy degrees in December now. Anything is possible in a simulated vision of glamour. The times are a-changing.

Some standouts include “Huey,” “AM // Radio,” and “Wool.”

About a month later, a YouTube video entitled “Solace” appeared. This 10-minute video includes some of the most depressing songs Earl has ever done. It became something of a meme online; many memes focus on the intro to the video. This also isn’t anything new for Earl. He is known to drop secret projects on random accounts on SoundCloud or YouTube. There are rumors about a secret album, which many fans are still looking for.

“Some Rap Songs” was released in November 2018. This album is considered by many to be Earl’s best, and some consider it one of the best rap albums of all time. The album released to overwhelming positive reception, and some standout songs include “The Mint,” “Azucar,” “Playing Possum,” and “Riot!”

If you are unsure whether you want to listen to the album, you should definitely check out “Riot!” It’s such a simple song but it accomplishes a lot. It’s an instrumental and only about a minute long.

A year later, Earl released “Feet of Clay,” and in my estimation this album was overshadowed by the hilariously bad song “East.” The main point of mockery is the beat. It’s difficult to explain, but it’s better to listen to it to see how much you think it derails the album.

Earl’s latest album, “Sick!,” was released in January 2022. This album is very good and diverges from the usual sound he has established. It doesn’t feature his usual sad sounds, instead taking a different approach. In his older albums, especially “Solace,” Earl sounds forlorn and empty. Now he sounds more stable and happier. You can also see this in his stride if you look at before and after photographs. Some standouts in this album include, “2010,” “Sick!,” and “Vision.”

Earl Sweatshirt has been one of the best and most consistent rappers of this generation. If you haven’t yet, I hope you listen to him now.

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK Left to right: two models showcase the vivid colors and bright styles AREA brought to New York Fashion Week, including a dress composed ot synthetic bananas (Paper), while models for Australian fashion designer Dion Lee wear the futuristic designs that mix skin-tight with thick layers (fashionotography).

EARL Earl Sweatshirt performs a set at the 2015 South by Southwest Festival. // Creative Commons

Name and pronouns: Joseph Bostic, Jr., he/him

Graduation year: 2022

Zodiac sign: Virgo

Describe your style using only adjectives: Relentless, passionate

Biggest style inspo: My grandmother

Fashion pet peeves: Patterned tie on a patterned shirt

Favorite hobby: Jazz, audiobooks, jogging (all at the same time)

Favorite niche color: Egyptian brown

If you could cast someone to play you in a movie, who would you choose? Eddie Tucker (NHS ‘23)

Dream job as a kid: Engineer

What do you want to see more of at NHS? Student engagement, inter-grade collaboration

Tell us a secret: I graduate in May

Name and pronouns: Oliver Llewellyn, he/him

Graduation year: 2007

Zodiac sign: Sagittarius

Describe your style using only adjectives: Western, country

Biggest style inspo: Kevin Costner in “Yellowstone”

Fashion pet peeves: Jeans tucked in boots

Favorite hobby: Horse riding

Favorite niche color: Charcoal

If you could cast someone to play you in a movie, who would you choose? Heath Ledger

Dream job as a kid: Doctor

What do you want to see more of at NHS? Academic standards

Name and pronouns: Laura Albert, she/her

Graduation year: College - 1990

Zodiac sign: Leo

Describe your style using only adjectives: Simple, minimalist, classic

Biggest style inspo: Audrey Hepburn

Favorite hobby: Reading

Favorite niche color: Cream

If you could cast someone to play you in a movie, who would you choose? Katherine Hepburn

Dream job as a kid: Teacher

What do you want to see more of at NHS? Student responsibility, better attendance

Tell us a secret: I’m a big prankster

Anime Corner: revisiting the intricate plot of Tite Kubo’s “Bleach”

by Omer Omer

A town in Japan called Karakura and a boy named Ichigo Kurosaki.

A 15-year-old high school student that can see spirits and protects a girl spirit from a Hollow, a monstrous lost soul that can harm both humans and spirits.

A female Soul Reaper clashes with the hollow and easily defeats him, and she then introduces herself — Rukia Kuchiki — and explains to him the duties of Soul Reapers.

This is the setup for “Bleach,” a Japanese anime TV series based on a manga bearing the same title, authored by artist Tite Kubo.

Since its inception, “Bleach” has been one of the top-selling anime programs, and it has consistently enjoyed popularity among critics and the public alike. The plot focuses on the journeys of Ichigo Kurosaki. A few years after he acquires the powers of Soul Reapers, the powers that be select new guards to watch over Karakura since Ichigo is a substitute Soul Reaper and needs to “retire” since he’s human.

Ichigo Kurosaki meets a person named Asguiaro Ebern, a member of the Wandenreich — the human world. In Soul Society, the head captain Yamatomo hears

about it and finds out who the group of people are and they then get invaded by the Wandereich.

All the rookie guards get eliminated at the capitol and some captains receive major injuries. Ichigo comes last second before the Wandereich leaves and tries to duel the Founder of Quincies Yhwach. They fight and Yhwach easily breaks Ichigo’s sword, leaving him in despair. They leave, departing for the Soul King Palace to heal themselves as they have pushed their limit and are fatigued. After leaving, they then go to Nimaiya, the “God of the Sword,” who tests him and the selected few by showing them bokkens — wooden swords — but then they become mannequins and they have to find out which one is their actual sword.

Ichigo touches the wooden mannequin and lapses into a state of unconsciousness. He speaks with a man named “Zangetsu” who tells Ichigo he has been supressing his energy and weakening his true powers. Ichigo realises it’s Yhwach and Yhwach tells him the other person in his power is the real Zangetsu. He disappears and a Quincy sword appears. Ichigo realizes his mother was a Quincy as well, and that’s what was supressing his true powers since Quincies are meant to eliminate hollows as Soul Reapers and kill them. Once dead, they go to Soul Society as purified souls.

The latest season of “Bleach” is mostly about Quincies. Kubo has taken inspiration from German military uniform design when creating some of the Wandenreich, and the results are striking.

Netflix Playlist: shows to watch — or rewatch

by Megan Leatherwood

BLEACH In Tite Kubo’s anime series “Bleach,” protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki quests with the powers of a Soul Reaper. // Dubbing Wikia

by Andrew Blakey

For decades now, video games have been a touchy subject, especially for parents of teenagers. With the abundance of violent video games already out on store shelves like “Call of Duty,” with more violent video games being released, a lot of parents see video games as addictive outlets for their children to become violent in their actual lives. While some studies have shown some connections between gaming and violence, dumbing down all video games based on this precept isn’t fair to others with enriching stories and well-developed characters.

Enter “God of War.” With a name like that, of course you might think, “Wow this game must be super violent,” and while this is correct, there’s much more to this story than meets the eye.

Let’s first get some context. “God of War” is a series of games following the story of Kratos and mainly inspired by Greek mythology. In the 2018 release of the game, the story shifted to Norse mythology. The mighty god-killer Kratos has now become a single dad to his son Atreus, after the death of Faye, his wife. Prior to her death, Kratos and Atreus were estranged in a way. He never really spent time with Atreus during his younger years, and because of this, they don’t really know how to interact with each other. Kratos doesn’t even address Atreus by his actual name, calling him “boy” for the majority of the game. But everything changes when a god from Asgard attacks Kratos, forcing him and Atreus to go on a long, grueling, and violent journey to fulfill Faye’s wish and spread her ashes at the tallest peak in all the realms before Atreus is ready.

On the surface, this all seems like hours and hours of just constant violence caused at the hands of a violent murderer who’s doing what he needs to do for his own benefit. Mix that with a sizable dose

February’s Nintendo Direct: what promises the gaming company has on the horizon

by Avi Berzofsky

Space hunter, pink gumball, and Italian plumber creators Nintendo had another press live stream in February. The main focus was on small, indie games, but there was also a common theme throughout the expo: Nostalgia.

Here’s a rundown of the upcoming games that are getting a comeback, continuation, or additional content.

This Direct started with footage of what we saw last time: “Pikmin 4.” It looks like a happy, beautiful combination of “Super Mario Odyssey” and “It Takes Two.” I’ve never played “Pikmin” (unless you count the terrible mobile game), but this trailer sparked my interest.

Next up is a new Professor Layton game: “New World of Steam.” Anyone who’s a sucker for logic/puzzle games will love Professor Layton. These games are super fun for everyone and full of story, conflict, and adventure. There hasn’t been a new game for six years, and yet no one

of profanity and you have a bunch of people outraged about how video games are “ruining” their children and are nothing more than just over-the-top violence meant to rot your brain. But that’s simply not always the case. “God of War” — and many other video games — have a deeper meaning to them that can be beautiful if you immerse yourself in these worlds.

I like to say that “God of War” is made up of a plot and a story. The plot focuses on the journey to spread Faye’s ashes, and the story deals with how Kratos learns to be a loving and caring father to Atreus — and how their relationship grows and gets stronger as you progress through the game. It also makes a lot of sense, given the fact that Kratos and Atreus are constantly put in life-or-death situations and have to learn to work together and trust each other if they want to get through their journey alive. Kratos at the start of the game is a very stoic and tight-lipped person. He never talks about himself or his past with Atreus, which makes Atreus feel like Kratos doesn’t care about him, causing him to resent Kratos as a father. Kratos has a very brutal and violent past, a past so awful he traveled to an entirely different realm to leave it behind.

It makes sense, then, that he would never want to talk about it. He grew up training to be a soldier. He didn’t have a typical childhood. He didn’t make the best choices and as a result, there were consequences. Costly ones. Consequences that would make a person not want to bring them up in any capacity. There are short scenes of Kratos trying to comfort Atreus but ultimately failing, because he doesn’t know how to. He doesn’t know how to be there for Atreus because that would mean letting his guard down, and that’s very hard for him to do. How can you let yourself be vulnerable with your son about your past when you don’t even know how to deal with the trauma and consequences of your and other people’s actions? Why would you want to get close to your son knowing there’s a chance your past could come back to haunt you and him, the only family you have left? You wouldn’t. Kratos doesn’t. So he keeps his distance, and that’s a very sad way to live.

has complained about a series this good. I am looking forward to when this comes out!

The next wave of the “Mario Kart Booster Course” DLC was announced, and it’s not as much as we’ve been getting in the past; as of right now, gamers will get a new Yoshi’s Island course, along with his counterpart, Birdetta, becoming an extra character on the roster.

Then viewers were treated with news about “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.” There has been plenty of hype for this game, and with that hype, most information has already been revealed and made known to all gamers.When “Breath of the Wild” came out, one of these bits of info shared was a “flying car” glitch that players could make to travel places faster. Nintendo’s response is similar to all of the mods of “Smash Brothers”: put it in the real game. In the new game, you will be able to create your own vehicles, from boats to cars to helicopters and hybrids of all of them.

I’m not a big fan of Zelda, but I know that players worldwide are happy.

Lastly, it was revealed that the Gameboy and Gameboy Advance will be added to Nintendo Switch Online (NSO).

Nintendo, we love you. We’ve loved everything you’ve done since you started your business in 1889. We will continue

And then there’s Atreus, the eager young warrior thinking he’s ready to take on this grueling journey with his father, but not getting the validation or acknowledgement he needs from his father. He feels like Kratos never cared for Faye. Or him for that matter. For that reason, Atreus has a sort of animosity towards Kratos. How can you possibly try to prove yourself when you feel like your own father, the only family you have left in the world, doesn’t believe in you? Feelings like that aren’t easy to deal with in the real world, let alone a world filled with undead monsters, orges, and dragons.

Both Kratos and Atreus have a lot of walls they keep up, and dealing with such a recent loss, let alone someone so important to them, doesn’t make it any better. This is where the beauty of the game really shines. Because Faye’s unfortunate death is what ultimately brings these two closer. Faye’s death was the catalyst for their entire roller-coaster journey, a journey that slowly allows them to open up to one another instead of shutting each other out. A journey that brought them closer and made their relationship stronger. Because of Faye, Kratos and Atreus were able to grow as individuals, as a team, but most importantly, as father and son,.

To me this game is the exact reason

to support your company and all of the masterpieces it makes, but at the same time, we can’t help but feel a little bit of sorrow when you desecrate retro consoles by adding them to NSO and immediately jack up the price on subscriptions so you get more stacks on top of your net worth of $52 Billion. We understand that the consoles of yesterday wear down and are

why people should stop dumbing down video games to just being about violence. Just like books, movies, and TV shows, video games have stories to tell. There’s a point to be made. Just because there’s violence doesn’t mean it’s rotting your brain. If we give video games a chance, maybe we can learn to appreciate the beauty of the amazing narratives they have to offer. There’s a reason why “God of War” won Game of the Year in 2018. Sure the combat was fun and the boss fights were amazing, but the reason why a lot of people love this game is because at its core, it’s a story about a broken man and a young boy trying to form a relationship under the worst of circumstances. It’s about a father and son coming together to mourn one of the closest people to them. That’s what God Of War is. A story about a family trying to find their way in a harsh and scary world. God Of War proved that video games can have deep and rich stories that can be as impactful as a book, along with the violence. If we can stop looking at things with already established biases, then maybe we can start to find the good parts. If people stop looking at video games in such a negative light, then it’ll be possible to start to understand them. Just like how the God of War had to learn how to be a dad so he could understand his boy.

hard to find in today’s economy, but that doesn’t mean you can put a price tag on history, let alone our childhoods. Please do NOT release any more consoles for NSO.

If you put the infamous Wii on there, then I, a mere 17-year-old, will put myself in a retirement home because of how old you’ll make me feel. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to tend to my Nintendogs.

“God of War” turned dad of boy: how video games are more than just violence

GAMING Members of Northwood’s new eSports team meets in Ms. Minneman’s room at lunch to play “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.” // Ms. Minneman

FATHER AND SON Atreus looks on angrily at his father Kratos in “God of War.” // Creative Commons

Perspective: what separates indoor track from other sports

by Kenneth Gray

When the fall season of high school athletics ends, a new season for athletes begins.

One of these sports, indoor track, features players from the cross country, soccer, and football teams, all training in one place.

Those unfamiliar with the sport might wonder how indoor track differs from its fall and spring variations.

Why do we do indoor track?

For professional athletes, indoor track can be an incredibly important part of their athletic careers.

Despite the name, the sport hosts much of its training outdoors. The weather conditions are tough, and training is hard. Many coaches spend the indoor season training their athletes for the outdoor season.

Indoor track is very different from other winter sports, as it is the only winter sport that trains outside. Running in these conditions can be very challenging for inexperienced athletes, and training gets harder as the season progresses.

Indoor track meets are hosted on an indoor track, which is half the size of a track used during the outdoor season. These smaller tracks allow athletes to focus on different aspects of their running.

For example, in the 55-meter race, runners and coaches have to focus more on how the athlete starts the race, as a bad start typically means a bad race when considering a race this short.

Indoor track meets are also very different when compared to outdoor track meets, as the indoor version can get cramped during warm-ups and during some races.

The indoor track season can be challenging for new runners and experienced runners alike, but the training athletes get from running during the indoor season can prove to be very useful in the outdoor season.

In the end, track athletes should run during the indoor season, as it provides useful experience and training that could help them during the rest of their athletic career.

For high school athletes, there are more opportunities than playing D1

by Luc Girardot

The average high school athlete will shares the same dream: to play Division 1 (D1) collegiately. Whether it’s UNC for basketball, Arkansas for baseball, or Alabama for football, everyone aspires to play for these schools.

In reality very few are that good or talented to play for these top teams or D1 writ large. In a study done by the NCAA in 2020, only 7.3% of athletes played college football and only 2% played D1 football.

For this reason, it is more realistic for any high school athlete to keep a wider range of options open to play in college. Division 2 (D2) or Division 3 (D3) teams are also an option and are still very competitive.

Finally, one of the least commonly

considered options of them all is junior college (JUCO). Many athletes do not choose this route because they think of it as inferior for various reasons, believing that student athletes at this level are a tier below others. But JUCO has some of the best athletic schools in the country for athletes, even if they are not all powerhouses.

Chipola College in Florida is the best baseball school for JUCO athletes. Chipola has produced some great Major League Baseball players, like Silver Slugger José Bautista and World Series winner Patrick Corbin.

Just because it bears the JUCO title doesn’t mean the team is unworthy.

Junior college is also a good way for athletes that want to play college baseball but can’t play right away due to skill. After the two years of playing JUCO, they can

transfer to a four-year college. Many college coaches look for JUCO athletes as they already have two years of experience at a high level. Eddie Hacopian, a baseball player and infielder, attended Cypress Community College for two years before transferring to play for the University of Maryland, a top school in the Big Ten conference.

JUCO also gives players who injured themselves during their high school careers the opportunity to rehab and showcase their talent again to other schools.

The opportunity to go to JUCO is also a good way to rebuild your value as a student, not just an athlete. Many athletes struggle in school and don’t have the grades to go to the schools they aspire to, so choosing the JUCO route can give them a chance to fix that and then possibly go to the school

they dreamed of.

Off-the-field issues also prevent top players from being recruited to top schools in the country, but once again another way to fix that and prove yourself as a capable team player is going JUCO.

“Last Chance U” is a Netflix documentary that shows the programs of JUCO schools for basketball. The show covers the many on- and off-field issues of different college players, but it also shows that these players are capable of rebuilding their college careers — and even possibly play professionally, like Dakota Allen, a linebacker for the Denver Broncos in the NFL.

Any athlete who wants to play at the collegiate level always has eyes on the top D1 schools in the nation, but a reality check is that many are not yet good enough for that type of play. D2, D3, and the junior college level are all viable and realistic choices for any athlete. Don’t overlook a college based on their label.

INDOOR TRACK Top to bottom: Senior Amaya Cummings, sophomore Jayden Apenteng, and freshman Christopher Lucks compete for the Northwood Indoor Track team. // Lifetouch

Just because it bears the JUCO title doesn’t mean the team is unworthy.

Recapping the positives and negatives of the Commanders’ 2022 season

by Liam Surrusco

The Washington Commanders had a bright future with the offseason signing of Carson Wentz. After coming off of a pretty shaky season with the Colts, the Commanders looked to get off to a good start with Wentz against a pretty easy start against the Jaguars.

The first game was a fantastic start, a solid win over the Jags, 28-22. Wentz threw for 313 yards, four touchdowns, and two picks. One touchdown went to our star receiver, Terry McLaurin, two to our first round draft pick Jahan Dotson, and one to another recent promising signing, Curtis Samuel.

Over the next four games, however, Washington went on a losing streak. Worse yet, Wentz really started to show signs confirming what some suspected: that he is washed-up.

The next game Washington played was the Bears; many thought this should be an easy win for the Commanders as the Bears were struggling at the time. Washington barely found a way to pull away a win, coming down to the wire and having our defense come up big on the one-yard line. Wentz continued his poor play, leading an offense that only put up 12 points and only passing for 99 yards.

Later that week, we found out that Wentz had broken his finger and was going to be out for five-to-seven weeks. The spotlight shifted to our back quarterback, Taylor Heinicke, whose 2021 season was considered at least decent by many. Heinicke’s first task was a tough one: a difficult Green Bay Packers team.

PWC: uncovering the road to WrestleMania

2023

by Megan Leatherwood

GET READY FOR THE ROAD TO WRESTLEMANIA! The Pro Wrestling Column (PWC) is back with the latest news in the wrestling world. Once again I’m Megan writing about the thing I love most. Follow my Instagram wrestling account @raw_smacktalk.

Here is the current wrestling schedule:

• WWE Monday Night Raw (Monday, 8 p.m., USA)

• WWE NXT (Tuesday, 8 p.m., USA)

• AEW Dynamite (Wednesday, 8 p.m., TBS)

• WWE Friday Night Smackdown (Friday, 8 p.m., Fox)

• AEW Rampage (Friday, 10 p.m., TNT)

January 24 was the 30th anniversary of Raw, and many past superstars came to celebrate while many matches were held as well. WWE announced most of the Hall of Famers who were attending, but a big surprise was in store for fans: The Undertaker made a surprise appearance as one of his old personas (and my personal favorite), “The American Badass.” He stood up to LA Knight, who was calling out anyone in the back to show people what he would do to his Royal Rumble opponent Bray Wyatt. The Undertaker shoved Knight into Bray Wyatt, who came out to surprise Knight

While Taylor Heinicke likely does not have the same sort of arm talent as Carson Wentz, it feels at times that he has a bigger will to win and more passion. It was these two factors which led us to a win over Green Bay.

This made people wonder if the Commanders should have just started with Heinicke in the first place.

Over the next five games, Heinicke really proved why he is the QB for this team. They went 4-1 over those 5 weeks. Heinicke had not only been putting up better numbers than Wentz, but everything indicates that he had been a much better leader to the teammates surrounding him.

After this stretch, their next two games were crucial: playing their division rivals, the New York Giants, back-to-back, with the bye week in between. For the first meeting, a win would have meant much for their playoff chances. The game went into overtime and ended in a tie.

In the following game, the score also remained close until Saquon Barkley, star running back for the Giants, rushed for a touchdown. The Commanders had one more drive, down only by eight, but when they reached the one-yard line, two plays caused our demise: a questionable penalty call on Terry McLaurin, followed by a questionable non-call on the play after.

The Commanders lost, 20-12.

After that loss to the Giants, things began going downhill. Heinicke started to play poorly and was benched after a loss to the 49ers. This brought the team to a game with massive playoff implications against the Cleveland Browns.

The Cleveland Browns had played poorly this season and didn’t have a chance of making the playoffs. The first half of the game was awful for the Commanders, with Carson Wentz, reestablished as the starter, unable to get the offense going. Wentz threw an interception on the first possession of the game,

as he tried to leave — when Wyatt did a Sister Abigail, knocking LA Knight out. Wyatt and The Undertaker both stared into each other’s eyes and fans relived their battle at WrestleMania 31, won by Taker.

In the main event, US champion Austin Theory defended his title against Bobby Lashley in a no disqualification match. When it seemed as though Lashley was going to prevail, Brock Lesnar made a return, F5’ing Bobby and leaving Theory on top of him. Austin Theory retained his title, and it seems the rivalry between Bobby and Brock clearly will not be over anytime soon.

The Royal Rumble aired on January 28; this was the start of the road to WrestleMania. The purpose of the Rumble is to give superstars a guaranteed spot in the main event of WrestleMania against the champion of their choice. The bout itself is a 30-man/woman match with two wrestlers starting in the ring. The way to win is by throwing people over the top rope with both feet hitting the ground until there is one person remaining.

Seventeen Royal Rumble winners have gone on to win a title at WrestleMania. Many records have been set as well, with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin winning the Rumble three times, Rey Mysterio winning the match as a first entry, lasting 1:02:12, Brock Lesnar having the most eliminations with 13, and Santino Marella lasting the shortest time, 1.9 seconds. You might think entering at number 30 would be the best since you’re fresh, but surprisingly no one has won the Rumble at entry number 30. In 2018 the first women’s Royal Rumble took place in Philadelphia, with Asuka

and then another at the start of the second quarter. Things didn’t improve in the the second half, where Wentz would throw another pick, and Washington ended up losing the game by a final score of 24-10.

This loss meant that the Commanders had no way of making the playoffs, a disappointment after the team’s early season success raised everyone’s hopes.

Our final game of the season didn’t matter in the standings. We played another bitter rival from our division: the Dallas Cowboys. But for this, Washington head coach Ron Rivera chose to start rookie quarterback Sam Howell out of the University of North Carolina. He was drafted late in the 5th round in 2022, and he was

not expected to get any playing time coming into the season.

The Commanders would destroy the Cowboys, 26-6, and Sam Howell had a great game as well, throwing a couple of touchdowns against one interception.

This left Washington with a difficult offseason decision again: to draft a quarterback, try to sign another quarterback like we did with Carson Wentz, or just stick with Sam Howell.

Overall, the 2022 season was satisfactory for Washington. They really struggled at the quarterback position, but if they can find a good quarterback who can become a solid starter, they have the makings of good playoff contenders.

being the winner.

Rhea Ripley and Cody Rhodes won the 2023 Royal Rumble match. Rhea Ripley entered number 1 in the match and overcame 29 other women, and became the first woman to win the Royal Rumble from the number 1 entry. Cody Rhodes entered number 30 in the match, eliminating Gunter who entered number 1 to win. (I would argue the number 30 spot should have been saved for a surprise appearance, because we already knew Cody would feature in the match.)

Another shocking thing during the men’s Rumble match occurred when Rey Mysterio’s music played as he was supposed to come out, only for him never to show. The next entry was his son Dominick of The Judgement Day, wearing his

mask. We later learned that Rey Mysterio was injured on Friday Night Smackdown but they had to play it off, making it seem as though Dom attacked him backstage since he wore his Luchador mask. In the main event of the Royal Rumble, Roman Reigns defeated Kevin Owens and retained his title. After the match Roman and the Bloodline (except Sami Zayn) attacked Owens, brutally beating him. They took notice that Sami was standing to the side not wanting to get involved, but Reigns handed him a chair telling him to hit Kevin. When Roman turned his back, Zayn hit him with the chair, which made everyone in the Bloodline attack Zayn, except for Jey Uso. Jey refused to attack Sami and left the ring, walking out of the arena.

THE UNDERTAKER RETURNS At the 30th anniversary of Raw, The Undertaker revives one of his most famous personas. // UPROXX

HOWELL Though they failed to make the playoffs, rookie quarterback Sam Howell’s late-season success offered a possible bright spot for Commanders fans. // Creative Commons

Kicking in Color

Expression can take a variety of forms. For a long time, sneakers were an uncommon item in most Americans’ closets, but in the late 20th century, the shoes underwent a color rush thanks to icons like Michael Jordan. Today sneakers are now a quintessential aspect of street style. With color at its peak, we are happy to spotlight these Gladiators.

Zach Welch

Malisha Gunawardena

Alexandra Palencia Pineda