March 2020 Issue by Melanie Huynh-Duc

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HORIZONS

the End of an era: Principal Ralph Kitley retires

Read the story on page 2 Northwest Guilford High School

Greensboro, NC

Volume 56, Issue 3

March 2020

FRONT PAGE FEED

WHAT’S INSIDE

News Op-Ed Spread

3-5 6-9 10-11

Sports 12-14 Features 15-17 Arts & Entertainment 18-19

6 3

Impeachment creates controversy

Mental health affects students

13 Cheer team welcomes new member

1616

Cycling Club ﬁghts for biker rights

Staff reflects on Kitley’s retirement

Principal Ralph Kitley says goodbye to Northwest Kimberly Brown Arts & entertainment editor

s of March 1, Ralph Kitley’s tenure as principal came to an end. As the school’s sixth principal, Kitley worked tirelessly to improve Northwest for 11 years. His journey didn’t start in administration. A graduate of Wake Forest University, Kitley taught social studies for many years in Forsyth County. However, wanting his influence to expand beyond the four walls of a classroom, he sought to move up in administration. Kitley came to Northwest in August 1998 as an assistant principal. In 2004, he left to become principal of the Middle College at GTCC-High Point and then he went on to serve as Southeast High School’s principal. He returned to Northwest as principal in 2009. “(I really wanted to work at the high school level) because of the connections you make with the students,” Kitley said. “High school students are really becoming more

and more independent. It’s a fun level to work with because you get to build relationships with students.” Kitley has built these relationships with students in a variety of ways. From walking through the hallways to greeting and joking with students, Kitley has left his mark on Northwest. “I have never seen a principal that gets along with the students, that walks down the hallways looking all happy and saying ‘hi’ to all the students who walk by,” junior Katya Luna said. However, being a principal can make it difficult to have a relationship with most students. “Now, as a principal, it’s a little different (than being an assistant principal). You don’t handle (students’ problems) as much. So you have to really make an effort to interact with students, and that’s why I tried hard to be in the cafeteria every day,” Kitley said. His dedication to interacting with students does not go unnoticed by his colleagues.

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“I think that people are intimidated (by Kitley at first). (But) he’s approachable, and he’s very observant. He just has conversations with kids,” assistant principal Tanya Hiller said. Assistant principal Kimberly Gilyard agreed with this sentiment. “Mr. Kitley has a great way of building relationships, not only with students, but also the staff as well,” Gilyard said. “He’s straightforward and honest. I love the fact that he’s very visible. He has an open-door policy. He invites whoever needs to talk to come in.” In January, Kitley announced that his retirement. While this transition means changes at Northwest, staff will remember Kitley’s impact on the culture of Northwest. “I cried immediately. He will have a lasting effect. He (was) a leader here,” Hiller said. As a leader, Kitley has helped Northwest improve its achievement and graduation rate each year he has been principal, despite losing teachers and resources due to budget cuts.

“This (school) is a total team effort,” Kitley said. “I think our students here are just tremendous.” In addition to being a leader, while at Northwest, Kitley has also made many great memories. “Watching the girls (basketball team) win the championship in 2017 after being so close so many times (was very memorable),” Kitley said. “That would be my most memorable moment, especially because my daughter (was on the team).” Hiller also said that she will have many great memories of how Kitley handled difficult situations. “I think my favorite moments with him are not things that students typically see. I watch him have difficult conversations with students and have difficult conversations with teachers that I would not want to have,” Hiller said. “In the middle of it, you realize, ‘Wow, he made it okay.’” However, many students are still confused by his decision to leave Northwest in March rather

Continued on page 16

Front page photo by Kaylen Ayres

March 2020

Impeachment follow-up follow up

NEWS

The issue and what exactly happened Jhenesis Hines, Val Orozco staff writers

n Dec. 18, 2019, Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States of America, became the third president to be impeached and the first president to be impeached while concurrently running for a second term. He was charged for Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress. “If you are president and you obstruct justice, try to bribe a foreign leader and threaten national security, you’re going to get impeached. End of story,” U.S. Representative Susan Davis said during the House debate. The term “impeachment” is the process by which a legislative body charges against a government official. Although Trump was impeached, he will not be removed from office. There are a number of significant steps that lead to the expulsion of a president--which has never happened before. The situation started with a whistleblower who revealed that Trump threatened to withhold military aid to Ukraine via phone call on July 25, 2019--unless Ukraine provided information about Joe Biden, one of Trump’s competitors in the 2020 presidential race. The whistleblower did not take the stand. “Technically, we will never know who he is,” AP government teacher Jim Jiles said. The call between the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, and Trump was disclosed by the White House last August, and its contents enabled Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to open the impeachment inquiry. After the Democratic-majority

March 2020

House of Representatives--through a 230-197 vote--opened the articles, it went to the Senate for a trial. Because the Senate is Republican-dominated, it was assumed beforehand that Trump would be acquitted, just as Andrew Johnson (1868) and Bill Clinton (1998) were before.

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guilty. For Article II: Obstruction of Justice, 47 senators voted guilty; 53 voted not guilty. A 67-vote threshold was necessary for Trump’s removal. The vote took place Thursday, Feb. 6, and ultimately, as predicted, Trump was acquited.

The hope (was) that we wouldn’t use divisive politics, that we would stop seeing the opponent as the enemy.

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social studies teacher Jim Jiles The second trial to convict or acquit Trump began in the Senate on Jan. 22. This trial was overseen by Chief Justice John Roberts. The second trial took two weeks, during which the Senate voted 51-49 not to call witnesses in response to the Republican concern that witnesses would slow down the proceedings. The trial entailed opening and closing statements; there was little to no cross-examination. Republican Mitt Romney from Utah was the only senator to break from his party to vote to remove Trump. All others voted along party lines. For Article I: Abuse of Power, 48 senators voted guilty; 52 voted not

“The hope (was) that we wouldn’t use divisive politics,” Jiles said, “that we would stop seeing the opponent as the enemy. This (divisiveness) has been going on for decades.” This divisiveness was seen on both sides. Trump’s tweets during the trial claimed that the media used unreliable sources to slander and misinform ballots. “In the end here, nothing happened,” Trump tweeted the day of the impeachment. “We don’t approach anything like the egregious conduct that should be necessary before a President should be removed from office. I believe that a President can’t be removed from office if there is no reasonable possibility that the

Senate (won’t vote to remove him).” However, others disagree, claiming that the facts were incriminating. Even if acquittal was inevitable, Trump should still be held accountable. “His actions are in defiance of the vision of our founders—and the oath of office that he takes—to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” Pelosi said in her remarks on the articles of impeachment in December. Some at Northwest agree with Pelosi. “I believe that regardless of political parties, our citizens, Congress and the rest of the government should keep the President accountable for his actions,” civics and economics teacher Autumn Martin said. However, many at Northwest found the impeachment proceedings to be a waste of time and tax dollars with its inevitable outcome. “I believe that it is redundant to (try to remove) a president when his term will be over by the end of this year,” senior Alidaycia Saunders said. With the conclusion of the third presidential impeachment trial in American history, the final judgment will be in nine months when voters cast their ballots for his reelection. “The brilliance of America is that we compromise,” social studies teacher William Satterfield said. Drawings by Christy Ma

(From left to right) A phone, president Donald Trump and a voter box. These are key images of the impeachment issue where the solution may lie in dialogue and voting.

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NEWS

Timeline of protest culture: Autumn Dixon spread editor

Boston Tea Party

1773

Organized by the Sons of Liberty. colonists in America protested British taxes by throwing tea into the Boston Harbor.

The March On Washington for Jobs and Freedom

1963

An estimated 250,000 people attended the march from across the country. It was the largest civil rights gathering of its time. The march, created by A. Phillip Randolph, was focused on civil rights abuses against people of color, employment discrimination and support for a Civil Rights Act that the Kennedy Administration was attempting to pass through Congress. This peaceful protest was where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream Speech.” After the march, civil rights leaders met with Kennedy and vice president Linden B. Johnson to discuss the need for bipartisan support of civil rights legislation. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed.

March for Life

1974

Walking on Washington was the first March for Life that lobbied Congressional leaders to find a legislative solution to the Supreme Court’s decision of Roe v. Wade. After realizing the protection of the unborn was not going to get any congressional support, the marches creator, Nellie Gray, decided to hold a march every year until the Supreme Court decision is overturned. The march’s mission is to end abortion so in the future, “the beauty and dignity of every human life are valued and protected,” according to its website.

Million Man March

1995

Aimed to unite the black community, the Million Man March was used as a campaign to combating negative racial stereotypes in American media and in popular culture. Organized by Louis Farrakhan, the march had a varying number of attendees estimated to be around 400,000 to one million people.

Women’s March

2017

On Jan. 21, following the inauguration of President Donald Trump, people gathered in many large cities across the nation to protest Trump’s inauguration and bring light to issues such as reproductive rights, immigration and civil rights. It is currently the largest single-day protest in United States history, estimated to have between 3,267,134 and 5,246,670 attendees.

Fridays for Future

now

Created by environmental activists Greta Thunberg after protesting in front of the Swedish parliament for three weeks in order to change the lack of action on the climate crisis. On Sept. 8, Thunberg vowed to protest every Friday until a plan was created by the Swedish government that would include a safe pathway well under the 2-degree celsius Paris Agreement. Her protest spread across the world; students and adults have also taken action to protest against climate change.

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1894

A few major protests in United States history The March of Coxey’s Army

In 1894, a large group of unemployed Americans marched to Washington D.C.; it was led by an Ohio businessman, Jacob S. Coxey. The protest goal was to convince Congress to create a program for public roadbuilding in order to provide jobs for the unemployed following an economic collapse. The group received large amounts of publicity, but the proposal had no impact on public policy. The protest inspired other marches.

1965-69

Vietnam War Protest

Anti-war protests grew from small gatherings on college campuses to large protests following the US bombing of North Vietnam. Critics began questioning the government’s assertion of fighting other countries’ democratic war to liberate South Vietnam from communist aggression.

1982

Anti-Nuclear March

On June 12, 1982, an estimated one million people gathered in New York City to demand the end of nuclear weapons. The march was planned to line up with the United Nations Second Special Session on Disarmament. Although the march’s main focus was to disarm nuclear weapons, many attending the march believed nuclear weapons were also linked to other social justice issues.

2003

Iraq War Protest

2018

March for Our Lives

Multiple marches took place across the United States in more than 600 cities to protest President George Bush’s decision to invade Iraq. The largest protest took place in New York City, Los Angeles and Seattle. This protest movement is known to be the largest in the world.

Following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, students vowed to make sure the gun violence they experienced would never happen again. At the first march organized by students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, millions protested gun violence and political leaders’ inaction to gun violence. The group toured the country to expand their knowledge on gun violence while helping over 50,000 registers to vote.

March 2020

NEWS

Custodian shortage affects school cleanliness Sarah Arteaga contributing writer

eachers and students have had to deal with a new issue within the past couple of months: the shortage of custodians throughout the entire school. More specifically, this shortage has affected the New Building the most. “It’s a big job. It’s a big campus and the buildings are large,” Spanish teacher Gwen Stencler said. Since custodian Jan Carter left in November, his vacancy has remained unfilled. The school has had difficulty finding people to take the job and have them stay in that position. Although it has been difficult to find someone for this job, those custodians who are currently working are doing the best that they can in terms of cleaning as much as possible in the time frame that they are required to work. “Our custodian gets our trash done every day and is cleaning the hallways as well as the bathrooms,” Stencler said. “Sometimes our rooms don’t get swept, but I understand that because it’s a time crunch and she is pulled away to other areas of the campus to work.” Custodians are designated specific areas, like the top floor of the New Building, that they are responsible for keeping it clean. However, their job becomes more difficult when they are pulled out of these designated areas into others. They

are responsible for getting both cleaned in the time that they would normally clean one area well. “Whenever we’re missing a person, we have to do all of theirs and all of ours. And if we are missing another person, so we must do all of theirs and the other man’s,” custodian Leroy Prather said. “It’s kind of rough.” The custodian shortages, along with being assigned to more areas to clean than the usual amount, explains why they sometimes cannot clean every room every day or why the bathrooms may not have soap. In order to help maintain the school clean, calculus teacher Rhonda Hudson and Stencler award service opportunities to National Honor Society members for cleaning the school grounds. “I think we’ve had NHS try to help out cleaning by dumping trash cans, cleaning rooms, cleaning the stairwells and cleaning doors on the New Building and the Old Building,” Hudson said. Recently, National Honor Society has been focused on cleaning mostly inside the school buildings in order to more directly provide aid to the custodians. “I use my NHS people to help me out and clean my room and help her out as well,” Stencler said. The custodians appreciate any help that they receive in an attempt to keep the school as clean as possible.

“They are trying to cover spaces that they didn’t have to before,” Hudson said. “Our custodian who normally just cleans the downstairs of the new building might have to go do something over in the gym area or the cafeteria area, so it’s not their fault.”

Photo by Sarah Arteaga

Custodian Leroy Prather sweeps a room. There is a shortage of custodians at Northwest, which means each custodian has to do more than he or she is supposed to.

OCS track prepares for future readiness Christy Ma news editor

west classes and preparational classes. Students are also aided with creating resumes, filling out applications and mock tudents who are a part of the interviews. Occupational Course of Study track “Many students who have graduated can often be seen on recycling runs from the OCS program have a regular payfor Northwest High. While their check from the job site they were placed at work was always appreciated, in high school,” Skordahl said. “I love seenot everyone knows why they are ing them graduate and go on tasked with some custodial duties. to be successful in full-time, “The courses were picked for steady jobs.” me,” senior Kelsey Cheney said. With the resources, sup“I’m happy though because it’s a port and preparation of the great course to go through, and it program, students are well helps people like me to have a betequipped for the real world. ter future.” “I feel supported and The students taking the Occuprepared, thanks to the lespational Course of Study prepare sons from my teachers and for work after graduation instead the community,” Cheney said. of preparing for continued stud“Try to support these people Photos contributed by Kristin Skordahl ies. There are opportunities--like because they do a lot of work the Special Olympics, the Employ- Students and staﬀ from the Occupational Course of Study track go bowling for team bonding. every day; we do the coffee ability Duel and regular job club runs, popcorn, and recycling. The OCS track prepares students with the support and experience for life outside of school. meetings--that OCS students get Support the program and help to enjoy. us out a little bit.” The students and staff in the OCS program Overall, the track and program is received a feel for what the job would involve. It teaches also give back to the community through funpositively by students and staff. teenagers that giving back is important.” draisers and community service. The custodial “I wouldn’t change anything about the Students agree about the importance of tasks--like sorting mail, organizing athletic program,” Skordahl said, “but I wish I could hands-on experience. laundry, cleaning, recycling and managing change how people viewed it. There’s a stigma “My favorite part (of the program) is that we coffee sales--also help meet required in-school among certain people who feel like the students get to go out to work,” Cheney said. “My work work credits and develop job skills. in the OCS program are different (in a bad way); from the nursing home has taught me a great “No matter what type of job a person is dopeople refer to them as ‘those kids.’ Keep in deal about respect, especially for my elders and ing, hands-on training is one of the best ways mind, ‘those kids’ still follow the general curmy supervisors.” to gain practical skills,” exceptional children’s riculum and take the same final exams as their To complete the course, students must comteacher Kristin Skordahl said. “(It) teaches realpeers on the Future Ready Course of Study; they plete several content and educational credits world skills like responsibility, reliability and just have different goals after high school. All along with hours of training and paid employcare for your environment, (and) students get ment. Classes can be a mix of traditional North- students are students first.”

March 2020

www.northwesthorizons.com

OPINION

Kitley leaves an impact as big as he F Staff Editorial

or 11 years, principal Ralph Kitley has been a highly respected head of administration at Northwest. His support for the school and our Northwest Horizons paper has helped us grow to new heights in journalism. His dedication to the students, as well as the faculty, is unmatched and greatly appreciated by all. Kitley’s retirement will not only be upsetting for those at Northwest, but also alumni and the community. With his experience in education as well as athletics, students were able to rely on him in all aspects of their high school careers. He was also known for making close relationships with students, especially since his daughter, Elizabeth Kitley, attended the school and participated in many athletic events and activities around the school. Being both an administrator and a parent allowed him to better understand the students’ needs and struggles, which

“Mr. Kitley gives teacher autonomy in the classroom and allows them room to grow and develop leadership skills.” --English teacher Alex Wertz

he tended to on a daily basis. In journalism, he was always available to us for interviews and enabled us to write on difficult or taxing topics. As a result of his unwavering support, he won the Southern Interscholastic Press Association’s Administrator of the year award in 2017. Being able to have a voice no matter how intense the topic is crucial for any journalist, Kitley allowed us to espouse our First Amendment right to free speech and supported us every step of the way. He has touched the lives of many students and faculty members here at Northwest and will continue to have a large impact, both through his height and presence, on the school even after he is gone. After such promising years as a Viking, we are sure he will continue to inspire and influence people to be the best that they can be.

“I have known Mr. Kitley for 18 years. He was assistant principal when I was hired. I enjoyed working with him and of course, was excited to see him return to Northwest as our principal.” --Math teacher Rhonda Hudson

“Mr. Kitley constantly reminded us as staff members that the key to getting kids to learn and be successful in the classroom is to build relationships with the students.” --History teacher Dana Hilliard

“I will always be grateful for all the time he has committed to help new teachers, like I was 15 years ago, become the best they can be. (He) has always made me want to be a better teacher and advocate for my students.” --History teacher Kim Deyton

Photos by Hinal Patel and Lily Hughes

Social media and youth: What age should you get verified? Jhenesis Hines, Kelby Shouse staff writers

ocial media is an ever-changing way of sharing your life with other people. On some apps such as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, when you reach a certain number of followers, you can become verified, which makes users famous and more likely to be seen on the explore page of those apps. It can be conflicting when you add up the fact that young people are still maturing, and often fame can lead to self-image issues. “Especially in high school, you should be allowed to have social media, but when you’re younger, like in middle school, it should be regulated,” junior Savannah Lawson said. “When you’re younger, you need to be able to make better decisions.” More middle and high school age minors are verified on social media apps per day.

“I don’t like that young people are verified because it puts a lot of pressure on them, especially when they have to put up a facade for social media of what everyone expects,” Lawson said. That doesn’t mean that social media is bad and everyone should delete it, because there are positive effects, too. The ability to build up a profile is one of many positive effects. “If young people become verified on social media, they can start to build up their profile if they want to act or model,” sophomore Olivia Dubas said. “It can help (young people) get the recognition they are looking for.” Many young people see social media as a pathway for their future. It can be a breath of fresh air from the stagnance of everyday life. “If you have a finsta (fake Instagram) or private Snapchat story, it’s just for the fun of it, but if you have a lot of followers, it does have an effect on self-image because you have to hide all of your emotions and feelings,” Lawson said. Photo by Melanie Huynh-Duc

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Eight-year-old Timothy Huynh-Duc surfs social media on a phone. `While he enjoys playing games, in reality, he is too young for Twitter.

HEAD HEAD 2 When are teenagers considered adults? HEAD TO HEAD

18 year olds are old enough to be adults

any high school seniors are turning 18 this year: but what are the benefits? They don’t get more freedom, as the majority stay with their parents until graduation, they are not able to purchase alcohol or nicotine products (which have been very popular in the generation) nor are they even able to rent a hotel or purchase a car at most reputable places/dealers. Why is the adult age suddenly becoming 21 in every aspect--except for serving in the military? Northwest alumni of 2019 Cielo Esquivel shares that her boyfriend, Aidan Prendergast, went to the military upon graduation. While an honorable service and career path to follow, she states her concerns regarding this age problem. “Many times when I travel to his base to see him, I have to get a hotel through the military or my mom has to get it, they won’t let me stay even for a night because they think I’m some kid trying to run away from

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when they suddenly raise the legal age to buy tobacco products, it directly affects me because I can’t suddenly just stop smoking,” Esquivel said. Even still, more responsibility is thrown upon young adults as many times seniors are balancing high school, a job, and college preparation. Yet, the government and even private sectors seem to be forgetting that people are maturing much faster due to the society that we are living in. A few months ago, after my eighteenth birthday, I was attempting to test drive a new car. Upon arrival, I learned that the dealership was “unable to allow a minor to test drive a vehicle,” yet being a young adult is just that--an adult. The inability to do something as simple as test drive a car demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt the distrust of 18-year-olds, and even up through 19 and 20-year-olds who have undergone similar frustrations. Young adults who experience this type of distrust are left scrambling, as not all of them are still with their parents or may have circumstances that are not as fortunate as

It’s ironic how the army goes to high schools to recruit 18-year-olds to join the army but they can’t buy a pack of cigarettes,

home; even though I’m 20,” Esquivel said, “I also think it’s ironic how the army goes to high schools to recruit 18-year-olds to join the army but they can’t buy a pack of cigarettes; if someone is old enough to join the army, they should be able to buy tobacco products.” If you are eligible to vote, go to a club at 1 in the morning and serve in the military, one would think that you ought to be allowed to rent a room from a hotel for a night or test drive a car. This simply is not the case and is completely backwards as our society does not seem to realize that kids are growing up faster, not slower. “It’s so frustrating having to ask an ‘adult’ to book it for us, and it’s ironic because once you’re 18 you are considered an adult--or at least used to be,” Esquivel said. The new law of having to be 21 years of age to purchase nicotine/tobacco products has directly affected many people in this age range as well. Those who have been smoking for longer periods of time (legally) yet are still under 21 are now expected to suddenly quit smoking, as if it is as easy as switching off a light to a room. “I have been smoking for over a year, and

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Northwest alumna, Cielo Esquivel

others. If one must provide for themselves but cannot even purchase a vehicle--a necessity in the society we live in today--where do they go for support? “Society expects so much from 18-yearolds and up; they expect us to manage a budget, go to high school or college, have a part time job in order to pay bills and do all these things but when we want to rent a hotel or buy tobacco products we are denied it,” Esquivel said. Whether hotels, car dealerships, or even the government with the new nicotine age raise, entities seem to be forgetting that many times students have busier lives than even most adults and balance it much better. Why are we trying to halt student success, their achievements, or their adulthood as a whole? “I think it’s absolutely disgusting that the government has raised the legal age from 18 to 21 to purchase tobacco products yet they go to high schools and talk to 18-year-olds about joining the army,” Esquivel said, “It’s like ‘Oh, you’re 18? You can’t buy cigarettes, but you can join the army and kill people!’ It’s just not right.”

Angela Lam staff writer

was lowered to 18. As a direct result of this act, advocating for the voting age to be raised increased significantly. “Old enough to fight, old enough to hen you turn 18, you can vote, go to vote” became a widespread slogan at this time. war and pay taxes. You can buy a house, go into States govern most of the age restriction laws. debt and enter legally binding contracts. You can Aft er Prohibition, the legal drinking age was set even buy a gun. However, you can’t drink alcohol at 21, consistent to the voting age at the time. So, or smoke tobacco until age 21. Why is that? when the voting age was changed to 18, the drinkThe answer is that 18-year-olds were considing age was changed in turn. ered too young to make the important decision of In 1984, president Ronald Reagan began whether or not to smoke and drink. The time we advocating for states to raise their drinking age, should truly consider people as adults should be claiming that it contributed to the problem of 21, despite the U.S. legal age of adulthood. drinking and driving among teenagers. This “Part of it is on what you are expected to do resulted in most states raising their legal drinking as a 15-17 year old,” social studies teacher Scott age to 21 years. Bennett said. “Do you have a job? Do you have a “I think that if the age for being drafted into driver’s licsense? What kind of responsibilities do you have? Because that is going to help you learn the military is 18 then yes, people should have the rights of adults,” Latin teacher Parker Jackson said. how to function as an adult.” “However, I do not think that 18 year olds are typiStudies show that a human brain isn’t fully developed until age 25. Adult and teen brains work cally ready to be adults mentally.” You graduate from high school as an adult differently. Teenagers think with the two amygat 18 years of age. However, some people might dalae located on the side of their brain, and adults feel that they are unprepared for adulthood, as think with the prefrontal cortex, which isn’t fully developed until one had passed their teenage years. the complete 180 from rigid school schedules and dependence on adults to the sudden independence

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I feel like there are a lot of things about adulthood and life in general that I do not understand because they do not teach these things in school, Northwest junior, Benjamin Ramsey

The amygdala is most well-known for its role in fear responses. It can send signals to the hippocampus, which activates the ‘fight or flight’ response. It’s also important for forming memories that are associated with both positive or negative memories. It also has a role in arousal and hormonal secretions. The prefrontal cortex is most well-known for its role in one’s executive functions. Executive functions include the ability to focus, prediction of consequences of actions, anticipation of events, impulse control, planning for the future and adjusting complex responses to stimuli. It also contributes to personality development. It is the last part of the brain to fully develop, maturing at around 25 years old. “If you look at it neuroscientifically, once you reach the age of 25 you actually reach full maturity. Your brain is still developing (at 18), so you’re still going through a lot of changes,” junior Ysantis McKenzie said. “Experience -- failure, relationships, college-- and actual chemical changes in our brain shape us into being adults.” Originally, the voting and conscription age was set at 21. Then in 1942, the conscription age

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Morgan DelFava staff writer

Only 21 year olds are developed enough to be considered adults

of adulthood and jobs is daunting. “I think that is (because) a lot of times, they are not the ones making their full decisions in high school, and sometimes that’s a shock to them when they go to college or choose a different path, so I think that is stressful, especially if you haven’t been trained for that,” Marshall said. “What would help that was if parents and students would work more collaboratively while they’re in high school to make those decisions, with the student having the ultimate choice, and the parents being hopefully on board with that choice. Eighteen might be the current legal adult age, but 21 is by far the better choice. Twenty-one in fact, used to be the legal adult age, but was changed so that the government could draft more people during wartime. Teens aren’t adults right when they get out of high school, from a psychological and physical standpoint. They should be given more time to mature and develop after high school. “Personally, no (I’m not sure I’ll be an adult at 18) I feel like there are a lot of things about adulthood and life in general that I do not understand because they do not teach these things in school,” Ramsey said.

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OPINION

Is Northwest getting better or worse?

Sarah Teague, Morgan DelFava op/ed editor, staff writer

Three teachers provide their perspective

Do you feel Northwest has changed over the years you’ve been here? It’s definitely changed. The environment around school and the climate have all definitely changed. It’s hard to explain what it was like when I started in ‘95. There were a handful of teachers here, Mr. Parrish, Mrs. Little, but not many remain. I think I’m the third or fourth oldest teacher still here. I didn’t have a working computer yet; there was no email for anyone. There was a different culture, and you knew other teachers better across departments because the staff was smaller. There were a lot more faculty meetings that would last a number of hours.

If you were principal/superintendent for the day, what would you change?

If anything, I would opt to give the schools more control over their policies and over their students. Schools are very different, even from different parts of the county, they differ one from another. And I think that administrations need to have more authority when it comes to control over the aspects of day-to-day and the overall school.

How has the student body differed year to year?

We were a lot more rural in those days. In fact we still had remnants of some students that you needed to look the other way when they would be out at certain times of the year. They’d be helping the family bring in the crop. It sounds crazy but they would say, ‘I’m going to be out the next couple days because it’s that time of year.

Do you feel that Northwest has changed to better or worse?

Better. I know that our scores have gone up, but I think that overall the principals have done a pretty good job. Mr. Kitley has done a great job in terms of helping our schools improve not only their scores but also the overall climate. There’s a lot of cohesion among students and teachers.

COLEY

Photo contributed by Phil Coley

Do you feel Northwest has changed over the years you’ve been here? Somewhat. The staff has had a lot of changes. There are still staff who have been here a long time, but there are a lot of new faces in the last few years.

If you were principal/superintendent for the day, what would you change? I would have even later start times. Teenagers need more sleep than adults, and biologically their rhythm is off from the current school schedule. I think it would help a lot with attendance issues.

How has the student body differed year to year?

It is getting more diverse. While it still is not what it should be, I think overall we are seeing more diversity. The fact that as a staff we are trying to address those changes and make all students feel welcome is a really good thing.

SKAGG S

Do you feel that Northwest has changed to better or worse? Neither. With any school, it has its pluses and minuses, and I think we are very fortunate as a school community to be where we are.

Photo contributed by Julia Skaggs

Do you feel Northwest has changed over the years you’ve been here? I think everything changes with the times. New attitudes, perspectives, styles. I think it’s a more nurturing environment. There’s been more of an effort to make connections between teachers, students and administration. You can really see that in the open house this year. It was a teambuild as a department and brought the community out.

JULIAN

If you were principal/superintendent for the day, what would you change?

If I could change the day to day, I would figure out how to extend the lunch or add a study hall. I feel that the student body has gotten busier and I think it would help with that.

How has the student body differed year to year?

I think you still have the same attitudes as far as apathy or when someone has something going on at home; it’s just a part of growing up that is common to everyone.

Do you feel that Northwest has changed to better or worse?

Better. I think they’re working toward making it better, but just like in society, you’ll always have people who push back or work against the system. Any good that we try will always have pushback. I think as long as we’re trying to make the school a more welcoming place for everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, we'll be fine.

www.northwesthorizons.com

Photo contributed by Andrea Julian

Teachers Phil Coley (upper right), Julia Skaggs (middle left) and Andrea Julian (lower right) pose with former stduents. These teachers have been at Northwest many years and have a rich perspective about the progress of this school.

OPINION Sophia Carson staff writer

The growth of veganism

ith a new age of environmental consciousness has come a spike in the interest of veganism. From 2014 to 2017, the number of vegans in America grew by 600 percent from roughly 4 million to 19.6 million. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, approximately a quarter of global greenhouse gas emission come from food, with 58 percent being solely from animal products. Becoming vegan is a suitable choice for some. They feel, rightly so, that they are affecting the environment in a small, but impactful way. Sophomore Lina Aboghalyoun switched over to veganism around eight months ago, and she feels the choice, although difficult at times, is worth it in the long run. “It comes with its fair bit of challenges like many other things that go ‘against the norm,’” Aboghalyoun said. “My family isn’t vegan, so I am constantly surrounded by foods that I grew up eating and loved at one point. Even to this day it can be challenging for me because it’s so disconnected from the animal. I just get used to always choosing to do ‘the right thing’—in my view—that daily temptations (and) cravings aren’t worth it.” Although making the choice to become vegan is easy for some, this is not an option for those in lower socioeconomic classes. Imagine living paycheck to paycheck, as many Americans are, and having to turn down a meal because the products used to make it aren’t vegan. The main difference Aboghalyoun made was in regards to cooking. “The only drastic changes for me were that I had to cook more often. Eating out was less likely because most fast food restaurants didn’t have substantial vegan options,” Aboghalyoun said. “I did end up (becoming) more informed about nutrition. Learning to cook, while at the start was a hassle, actually became a creative outlet and something really fun for me.” Sophomore Maddie Galyon reflected

on her time being vegan for the first month of school, and came to a similar conclusion. “It was my dinners that I got the most creative (with),” Galyon said. “It was actually sort of fun, but it was also hard because I don’t have a very good concept of time. I didn’t realize how long some of the meals would take. I wouldn’t start cooking until I was hungry, but it took a long time to cook. I wouldn’t get hungry until six, but I wouldn’t be eating until eight.” The main difficulty these two shared was an increased amount of time dedicated to preparing food. This may seem easy for some, but for others working multiple jobs, they don’t have the time to dedicate to spending hours preparing meals for themselves, or their entire families. This is in no way an advocation for everyone to become vegan, nor is this an argument the other way around. This is simply an attempt to try to see both sides of veganism. Because this lifestyle is not an option for everyone, we shouldn’t push

it onto others. “I think there are good things to take away from being vegan, there are still some vegan items that I use in my daily life,” Galyon said. “But I also feel like people obsess over being completely vegan, that they’re making choices that aren’t as smart for the environment. Even though they aren’t using animal products, there are some plants where harvesting them is really bad (for the environment). People need to take that into consideration and worry about the balance.” When it comes down to it, there needs to be balance in every choice that we make. To make the smartest choice for ourselves, others, and our environment, that takes time, and research. As opposed to changing your entire lifestyle, maybe try implementing some aspects of veganism into your life. Try meatless Mondays, or maybe just drink almond milk in your coffee. In order to come together to tackle climate change, we don’t need divisions, we need to unite and work together to make the smartest decisions we can.

Photo by Sophia Carson

Sophomores Garret Eichlin and Maddie Galyon are shown eating lunch together. While a healthy choice, veganism can be isolating to communitites that can’t afford the extra cost.

NORTHWEST HORIZONS STAFF Editors in Chief Megan Harkey Nathan Vescio News Editor Christy Ma Op/Ed Editor Sarah Teague Spread Editor Autumn Dixon Sports Editor Kaylen Ayres Features Editor Madison Magyar

March 2020

Arts & Entertainment Editor Kimberly Brown

Adviser Melanie Huynh-Duc

Webmaster Nathan Vescio

Principal Ralph Kitley

Staff Writers Adam Sasser, Jacob Teague, Morgan DelFava, Lily Hughes, Val Orozco, Kaitlyn Sumner, Kelby Shouse, Laina McCoy, Mycheal Warner, Sophia Carson, Ava Rickelton, Jhenesis Hines, Angela Lam

Northwest Horizons

Contributing Writers Hinal Patel Sarah Arteaga

@nw.horizons

@nwhorizons

Chicken Salad Chick delivers retro experience to Greensboro Sarah Teague op/ed editor

estled between a sports bar and a gym on Wendover Avenue, Chicken Salad Chick supplies Greensboro with good food and a welcoming atmosphere. Pastel pink and green line the walls and tables of this restaurant, giving the place a retro vibe with modern amenities. While it’s only open from 8-3, Chicken Salad Chick is the perfect destination year round. An outdoor patio makes it a great way to eat during warm weather, placed in the shade to shield you from the sun. However, the environment isn’t the only thing that draws customers in. Chicken Salad Chick offers a wide and unique array of chicken salads -- available in sandwich or scoop form -- and pimento cheese. Their jalapeno chicken salad combines the sweet jalapeno flavor without the overwhelming bite that can sometimes accompany that kind of spice. The chicken salad is also delicious, a classic flavor without the grapes and nuts that can ruin a perfectly good sandwich. Their sides also pair very nicely with the main chicken salad -soups, pimento cheese and pasta salad are just a few of the options available. Their potato soup comes out piping hot and is a nice play on the classic flavor. Quick service, great meals and a retro atmosphere are all things that define Chicken Salad Chick and are all things you will be able to enjoy your next visit.

Statement of Policy Serving as a primary printed and online forum for student opinion, Northwest Horizons publishes four times each year published by the staff at Northwest Guilford High School. The paper is supported through community advisers. Staff Editorials are unsigned. The stance of each editorial is voted upon in staff meetings, but requires the approval of the majority of the editorial board. All members of the school community are encouraged to express their views. Letters to the editor must be signed when submitted.

www.northwesthorizons.com

SPREAD

Mental health in the modern world

Madison Magyar, Mycheal Warner features editor, staff writer

n recent years, mental health has become a more prevalent topic of conversation, especially among students in high school and college. An increase in stress and the amount expected has contributed to these developments. Whether having ADD or Bipolar disorder, talk on mental illnesses has become more open over the years. A lot of mental illnesses remain overlooked and unaccepted. Many students and people around you struggle daily to overcome personal challenges they face. “It’s always been kind of a stigma for people to be diagnosed with a mental disorder, but it seems that now the mold is being broken for people to make it more understandable,” school nurse Livy Shepherd-Gray said. Stress has existed longer than humanity, whether being the process to form coal or in a mental stasis of the mind. While stress is well documented, many other mental based disabilities are unrecognized. ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) “It’s not considered an extreme disability, so teachers forget or are not told I have severe ADHD; it affects my school work,” senior Catey Engel said. ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, often arises at a young age. There are currently more than three million cases in the United States. “When I don’t take my medicine, I forget things,” Engel said. “I fidget too much and ramble a lot.” For many students, medication as well as seeking help from a therapist regularly can help. “I take a really heavy dose of medicine and rarely show up without it,” an student who wished to remain anonymous said. “I do a lot of extra work in my classes and have to work harder to keep up my grades.” This being said, ADHD can be managed and doesn’t make them less intelligent than any other student. “It doesn’t define your intelligence because I thought it did; it just means you need to work a little harder (than others),” anonymous said. Bipolar Disorder “At first, I was going to therapy

because of my parents’ divorce,” senior Jason Ellington said. “(My therapist) then recommended me to see a psychiatrist who diagnosed me.” Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs. “(Having) bipolar (disorder), I’m not up and down. I'm not going to be happy one second and throwing books the next,” sophomore Rachel Skara said. “It's a controlled thing.” This can be achieved through a variety of methods, some being therapy, medication and even a good support system. “I didn't change because it was something, I've dealt with for such a long time that the only difference was medication,” Ellington said. “I have a tight group of friends that I share a lot with, and I have been able to open up more to my family recently.” For many with this disorder, people tend to be judgmental and assume things they have heard from unreliable sources. “You don’t have to dance around it. If you want to ask me anything about mental health, 90 percent of the time, I’ll be happy to answer it,” Skara said. “It’s not some untouched subject that you can't talk about. We should be talking about it. We should be more open about it.” OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) “(When I first learned) I had OCD was a very confusing situation. Not knowing anything about it whatsoever, I kind of went off when they told me, and then went to look it up more,” Skara said. “I started to realize this is me; this is who I am,; I’m going to have to learn to live with it; I’m going to have to fight through it.” O CD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is characterized by repeated unwanted thoughts or sensations and compulsions. “I get distracted easily through my OCD thoughts, so I bounce around a lot,” Skara said. “I have to add in extra time for everything to account for the ‘what could happen?’” Although there are many stereotypes about OCD, everyone is affected differently. “OCD does not mean I’m going to sit there and line all my books up in alphabetical order and use hand sanitizer every five minutes,” Skara said. “I can live my life as a person without it affecting me.”

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A girl shields her face to stop the release of her emotions. Many people with mental illnesses feel tra

Depression and Anxiety Depression has become more recognized over the years, and it is believed that 10 percent of young people will experience a bout of depression. “I probably would’ve ended up dealing with (depression) since depression runs in my family,” a student who wished to remain anonymous said. Anxiety has also become more understood over the years and is twice as likely to affect women than it affects men. Anxiety is known to affect 40 million adults in the US each year, or rather 18.1 percent of the population. Furthermore, stress and anxiety have a direct link as anxiety is a reaction to stress. “Stressful situations like school

(cause anxiety attacks); school stresses me out.” anonymous said. School is considered a very stressful place, as 1 in 5 college students consider suicide as a result of stress. “I take medicine and go to counseling when needed,” another anonymous student said. “I also try to focus on my breathing and do this thing to try and stay grounded by finding and focusing on different things when I am anxious.” While there are many diseases that plague the mind, not all are heavily recognized and are still taking time to be understood. “You could probably find a diagnosis on almost anyone even if its OCD or depression,” Shepherd-Gray said.

March 2020

SPREAD

A boy (left) is surrounded by words that others describe him as. Such insults and labels can engulf someone’s every thought. Sophomore Lindsay Hash is shown (right) labeled by the mental illnesses she possesses. “Most people just think (having ADHD means) your bouncing off the walls when you really just can’t focus,” Hash said. “When I don’t take my medication it’s bad for my grades because I can’t focus and work like I’m supposed to.” Photos by Autumn Dixon

Academic pressure makes students overwork Kaitlyn Sumner staff writer

verwhelming schedules can cause more than just mental illness such as depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); it can cause physical ailments such as dehydration, fainting and even seizures. With all of the stresses of school, it is important to stay hydrated especially during the wintertime with germs and illness crawling around campus. Illnesses can become easy to catch when someone isn’t thinking about their well being. “I think there is a population of students who are performance driven, whether it be academically or physically, and take on more than they can handle,” health science teacher Pattie Bumpus said. “These students tend to forget to eat, feel like they don't

“

have enough time to eat or even to take a water break. When you have so much going on, it's easy to forget.” Bumpus thinks that there might be too much emphasis on academics and sports instead of

in sugar, and keeping hydrated, it keeps you alert, it keeps your blood flowing, so you are not tired, and it flushes germs out (of your body),” Bumpus said. Bumpus believes that having a nurse on staff at Northwest would help with the issue of students passing out and overworking themselves because a nurse would provide wellness checks to students needing them. “I definitely think that having access to a nursing staff (would help) because Northwest only has a nurse that circulates between other schools,” Bumpus said. In addition to having more nursing staff, Bumpus thinks that having vending machines with access to water would help those students who forget their water bottles.

There is a population of students who are performance driven and take on more than they can handle,

apped within their own mind.

Photo by Autumn Dixon

Mental health facts

1/2

3/4

wellness. According to the US National Library of Medicine, 46.4 percent of students are dehydrated, and 59 percent have improper hydration. “If you are drinking water, not fruit juices and other drinks high

Information sourced from web sources

of lifetime mental illness cases begin by 14

”

health science teacher Pattie Bumpus

On average,the delay between the onset of symptoms and intervention is

1 out of 5 8-10 years

What stresses you the most?

In a poll of 40 students, the majority of students said school stresses them out the most.

90%

82.5%

percent of high school percent students In survey taken in 2016, of lifetime stopped mental illchildren experience a doing their ness cases mental health condition usual activof teenagers reported in a given year begin by 24 ities after they had experienced feeling sad percent of children 8-12 experior ence a mental health condition one major depressive but do not receive treatment episode in the last year hopeless

75%

March 2020

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13 percent

60% 45% 30% 15% School

7.5%

5.0%

Family

Work

Relationship

SPORTS

NCAA considers paying student athletes Megan Harkey

editor in chief

ne of the largest nonprofits in the United States with a $1.1 billion-dollar annual revenue has never given a paycheck to their hardest workers. Since its founding, the NCAA has had a strict rule that amateur athletes cannot be paid outside of athletic scholarships. Even though a scholarship can be worth thousands of dollars, collegiate athletes believe that the revenue they bring to their school is worth more. “I am for people being able to make money in the United States of America (because) we are a capitalistic mixed economy, and if someone is willing to give you money in exchange for whatever you’re able to provide for them, you (should) be able to get that money,” social studies teacher Jim Thompson said. Thompson played football for one year at South Dakota State before realizing college football was not for him. Like others, he sees the NCAA as a company that has used the amateur athlete status to make more money. As of Sept. 30, 2019, the Fair Pay to Play Act was passed by California Gov Gavin Newsom; which was the first step towards the possible rule change in the NCAA. It allowed athletes in California to profit from their name, image and likeness, or more specifically, they can sign any kind of licensing contract that will allow them to earn money, and they can hire an agent to assist them in these processes.

After this step, on Oct. 29, 2019 the NCAA voted for the changes of the act. Therefore, each national Division (I, II, III) will have to make their own rules for the act by 2021 for it to be fully enacted. “Obviously I was pretty excited,” senior Hayden Summers said. “The NCAA is a billion-dollar industry, and they make a ton of money. For athletes to not get paid is not right.” Summers is committed to UNCChapel Hill for baseball as a pitcher. Even though this act has been well received by endorsers like NBA player Lebron James, many people are still not fond of the change in the system. The original idea of not paying athletes outside of scholarships was to ensure a divide between the rights of an amateur athlete and a professional athlete; the Fair Pay to Play Act shatters this wall. “They’re already being paid so much to play the sport, and that’s why they’re there--to be paid in tuition,” math teacher Jessica Estep said. Estep played basketball at Iona College for four years on a full ride. As an athlete, she was given a head start compared to the average student. Athletes have gear, top meal plans, tutors, overseas trips and other bonuses along with a paid education. This is all given because athletes devote all their time to their sport and school. “People don’t appreciate that stuff enough, so throwing all these other things on top of these experiences you get to have (is) pointless,” Estep said.

11% 76% 13%

Graphics by Megan Harkey

www.northwesthorizons.com

On top of that, controversy could arise out of this act. The difference now between the athletic income of a Division III sport and a Division I sport, or a female and male sport is already seen from the sidelines. Division I schools will have more incentive in recruiting since they can give more money on top of a scholarship, unlike Division III schools who cannot even give an athletic scholarship. “I feel like it could cause more problems with recruiting, and it could cause problems with team chemistry if someone is getting an extra paycheck and no one else is,” Estep said. Each athlete will most likely not be getting the same amount of pay from brands that may or may not sponsor them, however this “unfairness” can just be seen as the real world. “Capitalism isn’t fair, so it’s not always going to be equitable, but pro sports aren’t always equitable (either), meaning the best players make the most money,” Thompson said. “That’s more of a discussion of whether or not our capitalism is fair more than if this particular thing is fair.” This inequality could benefit the athletes by giving them a reason to work harder for their team in order to make more money, like any professional athlete. “I think it would be better to have more money because (with it) I would try to improve my craft and my name would be out there more, which means I would be getting better,” Summers said. Like in most businesses, the motivation of the workers is money; this is why professional athletes and coaches can move from team to team in order to capitalize on their salary. The NCAA has always believed that the motivation of the college athlete should be the money going towards their education and sports program. The only reason athletes are there in the first place is because their coach chose them out of thousands and is willing to work with them and the team to create a name for the school.

“If your coaches (choose you) and your team wasn’t there, and everyone wasn’t working together, then what are you?” Estep said. “The program should get money because your coaches found you, and your teammates are helping you get better; you aren’t the only one.” Estep believes that such money from brand deals and even jersey sales should go back to the program that coached the athlete to the top. Whether or not this act is justified--it is in place for 2021. The only thing left to change are the rules surrounding it. “(A rule that I would like to see is for) athletes to not touch that money before they graduate, so whether you go to the draft or you graduate there’s a chunk of money sitting (there) for you,” Estep said. This provides the opportunity for the athlete to think about what they can do with their money. For example, they could use it for graduate school or to fund their ability to play professionally here or overseas. A rule like this could also bring on some controversy since professional athletes don’t necessarily have to wait for their money, so why should college athletes have to? “I don’t want to see any rules whatsoever at all,” Thompson said. “I think that the same rules about paying non-athletes should be the exact same as paying athletes.” The power of the Fair Pay to Play Act will be unknown until the release of the rules for each Division. Until then, athletes and schools can only hope for the NCAA to be on their side; whatever that may be. “At the end of the day, it’s just going to have to be something everyone has to work on, like in the professional leagues,” Summers said. Infographics by Megan Harkey

The bar graph (top right) shows how many hours per week the average student athlete allots for each sport. These statistics are from a study by Business Insider.The pie graph (bottom left) illustrates the student opinion on whether athletes should be paid in college. The majority of the 87 students surveyed agreed they should be.

March 2020

SPORTS

Meet your MATCH: Freshman girl competes on wrestling team

Kaylen Ayres sports editor

or most female athletes, there are plenty of sports available to try at school: field hockey, volleyball, soccer, basketball, lacrosse—you name it. However, for one girl, she’s taking a nontraditional route. Freshman Lexi Garrett is a member of the junior varsity wrestling team. She moved here from Ohio where she started wrestling in seventh grade. Garrett picked up wrestling after competing in other sports like track, cross country, gymnastics and boxing. Wrestling was something new she wanted to try. However, not everyone was welcoming back in Ohio when she began training. “When I first started, it was really different. Everyone thought that I wouldn’t be able to do this, but I can,” Garrett said. “They

thought I was going to quit, but I didn’t.” After the initial surprise from some of the guys, they quickly adapted to having her on the team. “(Cole Vermilyea) just came up to me and picked me up and

slammed me on the ground,” Garrett said. “It was so funny. They’re all really sweet.” Head Coach Ron Bare has developed a culture of acceptance throughout his years of coaching, which has made it a welcoming program for Garrett. “We’re trying to treat everyone

lines and is now doing it with us. He adds so much character to the team and is just like any regular cheerleader,” Payne said. Logan’s interest in cheerleading came from watching videos. Although he is Northwest’s first male cheerleader, cheerleading in general often features many males as a main base for stunts “I’ve always wanted to do it from seeing it online,” Logan said. “(The team) has welcomed me, (and) I have become friends with a lot of them.” Senior varsity captain Layton Howard has enjoyed having Logan on the team as well, she agrees on his positive influence on the team. “He has definitely impacted our team in a positive way. He always has a smile on his face and has a positive attitude,” Howard said. “We always call our team a family, and he is definitely the little brother I never had.” Having multiple games a week can be very stressful when trying to balance cheer and school, but Logan has stayed on top of his responsibilities. “I balance cheer and school so easily, probably because I haven’t had much homework at all this year,” Logan said. Right now, Logan is a main base, but he would like to try being a flyer at some point because it

looks fun to him. “My favorite thing about cheer is all the friends I’ve made and definitely stunting,” Logan said. As the season goes on, Logan has been enjoying this new experience with his friends and hopes to continue this after high school. “I would totally do this in college,” Logan said. “It is very fun and you make lots of friends.” Junior school cheerleader Elizabeth George talks about how Logan is always helping the team and adding new things to it. “He is always learning new things to help the team,” George said. “He fits in per

the same,” Bare said. “Everybody that comes in our room gets treated equally.” Girls’ wrestling in high school has been growing throughout the past several years. According to wbur.org, the girls’ sport has grown 30 percent from last year alone. “There are a lot more ladies wrestling,” Bare said. “There’s a lot of girls’ only tournaments, so she has more opportunities.” Even though the sport has been on the rise, some of Garrett’s opponents have been more opposed to it than others. “Some guy forfeited because he didn’t want to wrestle a girl; it was really annoying,” Garrett said. “One time, I pinned a guy, and he started laying on the mat and crying because he lost to a girl.” Despite the adversity, Garrett hopes to continue getting better along with the support of her teammates. “I love them all,” Garrett said. “They’re like a side family now.” Photos contributed by John Edwards

Freshman Lexi Garrett (wearing black) wrestles an opponent. Garrett is a member of the junior varsity wrestling team.

First male cheerleader makes school history

Ava Rickelton staff writer

orthwest cheer is now cheering with a new member who is going against the gender gradient of the sport and the school’s cheer history. Sophomore Dylan Logan was the cheer manager for the football season this year, then he tried out to cheer for the basketball season and made Varsity. Being a male cheerleader--who has never cheered before--has proven difficult. “It was a little difficult to learn the cheers, but after you do it three or four times, you have them down. I got most of them down after the third practice,” Logan said. Sophomore and Varsity cheerleader Avery Payne has enjoyed having Logan on the team. “He started out as a manager for football season and was such a delight to everyone. He’s made everyone feel comfortable and taken care of,” Payne said. “He joined us for basketball, and it’s almost like he’s known how to cheer his whole life.” Payne talks about how much Logan has learned from watching practices and games and how much character he adds. “He knows all of us and has watched us cheer from the side-

March 2020

fectly with everyone. We all love him.”

Photo by Ava Rickelton

Sophomore Dylan Logan strikes a pose. Logan is the ﬁrst male cheerleader in Northwest history.

Photo on page 2 by Wayne Phillips

www.northwesthorizons.com

SPORTS

March is MAD: National basketball tournament is underway Hinal Patel contributing writer

he NCAA men’s basketball tournament is underway, as 68 teams are projected to compete to see who this year’s national champion will be. Many from all around the country will be tuning in to watch this crazed past time during the month of March. “I watch March Madness for the hype, especially because games are usually one and done, meaning, once you lose, you’re done,” senior Gabrielle Kim said. Kim isn’t the only one around school participating in the excitement. “I like basketball and the overall atmosphere,” sophomore Jed Hampton said. Students don’t just watch the games; many prefer to participate in brackets, making the tournament more of a competition between friends. Brackets are opportunities for the viewers to interact and create how they envision the

tournament going. Viewers from everywhere in the United States create brackets, but the chances of correctly predicting 68 games are extremely low. “With how many people who do it with the national bracket, you don’t really have a high chance of winning, but it’s still fun to see how well you can do,” Hampton said. Every year, this tournament produces wins and losses that shock the nation. This year doesn’t appear to be any different, but here are some of the top predictions for this year’s national championship: Villanova: Currently second in the Big East with an 18-6 overall record, Villanova seems like a contender for the coveted title of National Champion. “Villanova will win the championship because of their talent and past success,” Kim said. Gonzaga: With a 25-1 overall record and first in the West Coast,

Gonzaga is starting to be seen as the team to beat. “This year, I think Gonzaga will win it due to their team depth and overall talent,” junior Agustin Orozco said. “The team is great from top to bottom, and they know how to win.”

University of North Carolina: Despite a history of success, the Tar Heels have faced a tough season with an overall 10-14 record. Many doubt UNC will even qualify for the tournament, but some still hope they will pull out a win and emerge champions. “The one I want to win, UNC, is not doing too well this year,” Hampton said. “I still like the school, and I really like the coach.” Logos taken from school websites

The logos shown right represent students’ top picks for the March Madness tournament. Villanova (top) currently has an 18-6 record. Gonzaga (middle) currently has a 25-1 record, and UNC (bottom) currently has a 10-14 record. These statistics were last updated on Feb. 14.

Sports profiles

Kaylen Ayres, Lily Hughes sports editor, staff writer

Name: Anna Sechrist (below on left) Grade: 10th Sport: varsity swim Position: breaststroke, 50 freestyle, and 100 freestyle Hype song: “Motorsport” by Migos Pregame ritual: “My friends and I either go to Chick-fil-a or Salsaritas.” After game: “My best friends’ and my families go to eat somewhere, and we always have a fun time together.”

Name: Shaena Riddles (right) Grade: 11th Sport: varsity girls’ basketball Position: shooting guard Hype song: “Toes” by DaBaby Pregame ritual: “Reagan Kargo and I stretch together.” After game: “I go out to eat with my parents.”

Name: Sheldon Ulmer (left) Grade: 9th Sport: junior varsity basketball Position: forward Hype song: “Dreams and Nightmares” by Meek Mill Pregame ritual: “I listen to coach’s pregame speech, stretch and pray right before I go out.” After game: “I listen to coach’s after game speech, go talk to everyone who came to watch, go out to dinner, go home and do homework.”

Name: Devin Bradshaw (above) Grade: 12th Sport: varsity indoor track and field Position: pole vault Hype song: “Rockstar” by Nickelback Pregame ritual: “I listen to music during stretches and warm-ups.” After game: “I get a burrito and a Twinkie from Sheetz.” Photos contributed by Shaena Riddles, Devin Bradshaw, Anna Sechrist and Sheldon Ulmer

www.northwesthorizons.com

March 2020

FEATURES

Unveiling the value of censored materials Literary works and student publications have been subject to censorship in the past. Here is a brief history and a current look at how censorship is treated here at Northwest and nationally. Val Orozco, Kimberly Brown staff writer, arts and entertainment editor

hat crosses the line in terms of appropriate literature in a school environment? For many years, the English department at Northwest has grappled with this question. Teachers have used various genres and pieces of literature to encourage students to dive deep into a wide variety of themes. But what if those literary works also contain controversial content? 1997- “The Color Purple” and “Native Son” In 1997, a parent raised the challenge that Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” and Richard Wright’s “Native Son” were inappropriate for her son. Rather than accepting alternate titles, she insisted that the literary works be completely removed from Northwest’s English core curriculum. “Those were some tough times,” retired Latin teacher Sarah Wright recalled, who was Northwest’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. “What a headache.”

HB 2044 provides for much greater parental oversight of public libraries. It creates restrictions for sexual materials and any content deemed inappropriate. Although it has good intentions, the bill raises concerns when it creates a parental library review board as the ones who decide what material stays and what material goes. This board’s selection of materials directly affects the funding that would go towards the library. It raises the questions: What kinds of people are going to be making these executive decisions? What kind of preparation and training will be provided? The answer is simple: the board members will be chosen based on parents’ ability to come to a meeting rather than merit. 2018- “Perks of Being a Wallflower” and “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” The most recent book to be challenged at Northwest was “Perks of Being a Wallflower.” Like many other novels that are dissected and analyzed in high school, “Perks of Being a Wallflower” tackles the heavy topic of rape, which can be hard to digest for some students. “The student and parent were very religious and thought that some of the content, including language and sexual content, was blasphemous,” English teacher Jason Allred said. This was an independent reading assignment, so

the student could change their book, but there is a much larger issue surrounding the negligence toward reading certain materials; students aren’t exposed to deeper topics. Parents also recently voiced their opinions about “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.” Despite being a National Awardwinning book, this memoir by Sherman Alexie has been removed from reading lists around the country. The book was required as a summer reading assignment in 2018, put in place of “Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie.” Although the challenge never went as far as the school board, Northwest parents still argued that it be taken off the reading list. “It is vulgar, obscene, overly-sexual and has no place in the curriculum,” one parent wrote in an email to the English teachers. Despite their complaints, the book remained on the summer reading list, but with an alternative--the previous summer reading novel, “Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie.” Ultimately, in 2019, summer reading was canceled altogether by the School Based Leadership Team as part of a blanket decision to eliminate all summer assignments. Freedom of Speech in Public Schools Not all parents are against their children being exposed to controversial content. “As I told my neighbor, great literature tackles the thorny, complex issues of human-

2012- “The Handmaid’s Tale” In 2012, Grimsley and Page High School parents presented a petition with more than 2,000 signatures challenging Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.” The petition asked district leaders to “make sure that our school assignments do not denigrate anyone’s religion” and to “promote rather than tear down traditional values.” In each instance, the Guilford County School Board upheld the literary works, reminding parents that they can always request alternative titles for their child. HB 2044- Public Library Censorship in Missouri Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, the ability to censor is being put into law. HB 2044, a bill introduced Jn. 15 by representative Ben Baker in Missouri, could potentially create a new precedent for how titles are chosen to be in public libraries. “The current bill notes in detail how libraries receive state funding, and it indicates where and how the libraries shall work with the State Librarian for further funding,” author Kelly Jensen said.

March 2020

Photo by Kaylen Ayres

Senior Zoe Simon has her mouth covered up by symbolic, censoring hands. Sometimes in an effort to protect a student’s innocence, parents and authority ﬁgures overstep their boundaries and end up limiting their access to valuable content.

ity,” a different Northwest parent wrote in an email. “This is just the kind of education I want for my daughter.” But what happens when students “tackle thorny, complex issues” in their own publications, such as tne school newspaper or yearbook? Public schools in the United States are all protected under the First Amendment as established by the 1969 Supreme Court Case Tinker v. Des Moines to have freedom of expression for students after a school banned the students from wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. “The school has to prove that the conduct or speech metrically and substantially interferes with school operations in order to justify the ban,” the Supreme Court ruled. However, sometimes this freedom is contested by the school leadership itself. Northwest Horizons’ battle with censorship in 2010 In 2010, a Northwest Horizons’ student wrote about a taboo topic new to Northwest’s halls. The story was titled, “True life: I had an abortion.” The article throws the reader into a personal account of what this student went through. The writer pours her emotions into the article; she speaks about the conflicts it brought between her and her boyfriend, and the legal trouble she endured in order to go through the process without telling her parents. She talks about her deepest regret being when she walked into that doctor’s office. The staff felt that this was an important article. Northwest Horizons prides itself on being able to tell the indidvidual stories of a diverse and large population of students. Understanding the gravity of this topic, however, adviser Melanie Huynh-Duc created a board of parents and colleagues to provide their thoughts on the article. The board, comprised of different political leanings and opinions unanimously agreed the article should be published. However, after the article was forwarded to the administration of the Central Office, its publishing was halted under the ruling that it was deemed inappropriate. This is the only example of blatant censorship Northwest Horizons has experienced. Should students and teachers have free reign when it comes to language and controversy? Probably not. However, censorship potentially removes valuable voices that could have a transformative effect on whoever’s listening. Perhaps the late author Pat Conroy said it best in 2007 when he confronted a West Virginia School Board for censoring his own books. “Book banners are invariably idiots,” Conroy wrote. “They don’t know how the world works--but writers and English teachers do.”

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FEATURES

The Cycling Club takes on city council

Madison Magyar, Kaylen Ayres features editor, sports editor

he Cycling Club is very wellknown as a service-learning club at Northwest. They sponsor many service projects such as bike rodeos and cycling events as well as other fun activities. A year before the Cycling Club at Northwest started, there was a mountain biking club which did not do service learning and quickly died out. “I was 13 years old when I started; I was quite late but when I did start cycling, I got really into it really fast,” senior Jesse Andrews, president of the club said. “I started cycling with local bike shops through their weekly group rides; after that, it just picked up.” His interest in cycling is one of the main reasons for starting the club. Experiences with other groups helped him with this decision, as well. “(In other groups) it was just me and a bunch of older men and women. There was no one I could connect to; I mean this is an eighth grader riding with a bunch of 3040-year olds,” Andrews said. “I was like, well, it’s high school just start a club.” The Cycling Club has grown to new heights doing many projects with the help of many other organizations. “With Bicycling in Greensboro, we get service-learning opportunities because we have a partnership with them,” Andrews said. “They sponsor the Ride of Silence, which is the event that honors cyclists who have been injured or killed throughout each year.” Andrews is the secretary of Bicycling in Greensboro, an organization that advocates for safer cycling and better cycling infrastructure. “This year we went to City Council with Bicycling in Greensboro and spoke to the council members

changes to better the community. and I plan on continuing the about safer streets,” Andrews said. “I know that’s going to be hard Cycling Club, and hopefully it’ll The proposal, called Safe Systo pass down (the club) to someone continue for years after I graduate tems, involves advocating for safer else, but I’m going try my hardest high school,” Dales said. roads to be built as well as adoptto get the next leader to be able His dedication as well as the help ing practices to make cycling safer to do exactly what I’ve been doing of the community and other orgaon city streets. with the same outreach opportuninizations has allowed the Cycling “It’s basically to have an extra ties to Greensboro and the DepartClub to flourish and have a lasting voice when roads are created in ment of Transportation,” Andrews impact at Northwest and Guilford Greensboro,” Andrews said. “Right said. county as a whole. now (the roads) don’t get approved Junior Ethan Dales, a member “I am starting a cycling ambasby the cyclists. The engineers are of the club for three years, hopes sadorship program where we’re creating these roads without havto carry on the club after Andrews going to get what we’ve done at ing a plan for cyclists.” Northwest, and we’re basically goAfter speaking at the Greensboro graduates. “Next year, a couple members ing to send our program to other City Council meeting, the cycling schools in the Triad,” Andrews club will said. “We have a complete list of have to what you need to do to have this wait for club at another school.” change. The Cycling Club has made big “We’re strides this year and hopes to congetting tinue to in the years to come. kind of “We are a hardworking club,” shut out Dales said. “We are proud riders of of that North Carolina. We want to do anydecisionthing we can to make it safer and making more fun for cyclists riding here.” process,” Andrews said. “We feel that for it to be a safe street, it has to have a gutter, sidewalk and a bike lane.” Although this may seem minor to some, cycling is becoming a popular and, in some cases, a necessary form of transportation for many. “I think a lot of people don’t realize that cycling is a way of transportation, and a lot of people don’t have the means,” Andrews said. “Not everyone has the ability to own a car, so cycling for a lot of people becomes their only way of transportation.” Andrews hopes that after Photo contributed by Jesse Andrews he graduates the club will The Cycling Club goes to Greensboro City Council to propose the Safe System. The club has been working on branching out in the community to make a positive and lasting impact. continue to thrive and make

Kitley’s retirement, cont. from page 2

Photos contributed by Ralph Kitley Kitley and his wife Loretta (left) pose with the school mascott. Kitley has been a principal at Northwest for 11 years. Kitley and a student (right) take a picture at a Powerderpuff game. He has made strong connections with many students over the years.

16 www.northwesthorizons.com

than in June after graduation. “The main reason (I chose March) is that once you retire, you have to have been disengaged or disconnected from the school system for at least six months,” Kitley said. “That would put me coming back Sept. 1 in time (for the beginning of the school year). And there are a lot more opportunities Sept. 1 than January.” Kitley looks forward to working with Guilford County Schools by providing guidance to other principals and administrators as

a consultant. For students and staff at Northwest, Kitley will continue to be a leader and a mentor. “He makes you feel like you have the confidence to carry things out and be able to get things done,” Hiller said. Gilyard agreed. “One thing I’ll take away from his leadership is being visible, being supportive and being honest,” Gilyard said. “He really has a great way of dealing with those difficult conversations with staff. He’s just a great guy.”

March 2020

FEATURES

Changes to curriculum gets teachers new textbooks resource; I just don’t know how to use it yet.” “I already had access to a teacher version, so Nathan Vescio Even though the absence of the book prevented they were basically saving on copies,” Brown said. webmaster/co-editor in chief Walker from making use of his texts this year, he Walker also notes that having an updated book oward the end of the first quarter, does not bare resentment for the holdup saying will be a boon to saving on copies. Saving on several Advanced Placement teachers received he “doesn’t blame the timing.” Walker also plans having to photocopy extra materials alleviates new resources and books to use in the classroom. on making use of his book in future years after he the physical workload of teachers, so it follows The books came in conjunction with changes to has had time to study it and evaluate how to best that they would enjoy having the amount needed the curriculum in their courses. These new reduced. resources came as a surprise to AP teachers; “I won’t have to make as many copies,” however, Northwest did not explicitly request Walker said. “They’re good for sustainability.” them. In some ways, it wasn’t necessarily the That is not to say the new books and books themselves that proved to be the source materials have been unappreciated by teachfor positive change, but the teaching resources ers, though. AP Statistics teacher Catherine developed alongside of them. Brown was pleased to receive the materials “Now we have additional teaching resources for her class despite being initially taken like Powerpoint and more (math) problems,” aback by the news of their arrival. Brown said. “We didn’t know we were getting new Brown’s statistics classes found thembooks until they said ‘you’re getting new selves in a particularly unusual scenario, as books,’ and we didn’t know they were coming the College Board originally only sent them until they did,” Brown said. partial textbooks that had not yet reflected the The books arrived in mid-October, after changes made. The reason for this decision bemany teachers had already made lesson ing that the books simply weren’t printed yet. plans and prepared to teach the year with The need to send partial textbooks didn’t their previous materials. The late arrival of interfere with the delivery of the rest of the Photo by Megan Harkey the materials can be attributed to the latebooks, however. The resources Brown enjoyed New textbooks were provided for some teachers of AP classes due ness of the changes made by the College Board to College Board curriculum changes. Many teachers have not been were updated efficiently once the books were to the core material of the classes. The changes able to integrate them in their classes yet. printed with the changes in mind. were first revealed late last spring, so new “They were very good at making sure they books weren’t able to be ordered to reflect these incorporate it into his teaching. sent the the teachers’ resources twice,” Brown changes until the summer at the earliest. As for why the textbooks were received by said. Further complicating matters was the difficulty Northwest at all, the school has Guilford County Additionally, the partial textbooks, which don’t of coordinating transportation of the resources at large to thank. In the interest of distributing need to be sent back, proved useful as a means of due to the sheer quantity of new items being the county’s resources fairly among all schools, easing the makeup of work when students were delivered. the county doesn’t exclude schools from receiving not in class. “The coordination between the county office is requested materials just because that particular “I’ve had a lot of kids out with the flu, so I’ve where some of the hold up happened,” curriculum school didn’t explicitly request them. been able to send them home with (the partial facilitator Susan Orr said. “County-wide, there was a need and a request,” textbooks) to stay caught up,” Brown said. “It’s This late arrival proved to be an obstacle in Orr said. “There needs to be equity in the county.” kind of like having a workbook.” immediate usage of the new materials. English A whole semester passed since receiving the Regardless of whether the new classroom teacher Scott Walker, for example, has not yet books; however, the question arises if the materiresources have fulfilled their original intentions, been able to take advantage of the books for his als have proven useful in the classroom. In some they have been positively received by teachers and AP Language class. ways, having a hard copy version of the textbook have been met with gratitude. “While already balancing six classes, it’s hard as opposed to online materials already available “We’ve wanted updated textbooks for a while, for me to read the texts,” Walker said. “It’s a good only saves on inconveniences. and now we have them,” Orr said.

Northwest alumna survives biking accident Kaylen Ayres sports editor

er life changed in the blink of an eye. Northwest alumna Rebecca Kefer was hit by an oncoming car when she was cycling on Bunker Hill Road on Dec. 22, 2019. Kefer graduated three years ago and was a junior marshal, cross country member, National Honor Society member and the president of the Interact Club. Due to brain bleeding and many pain medications, Kefer does not remember anything from Dec. 20 through Jan. 8 and is thankful for that. “I feel fortunate to not remember the trauma,” Kefer said. “I believe I would have been completely surprised by the car because I had ridden that route so many times. It was the middle of the day, and that road is usually very safe.” Kefer was placed on a ventilator for four days. She faced lifethreatening injuries including three

March 2020

fractured vertebrae, broken clavicle, broken jawbone, broken cheek bones, internal bleeding and more. Ron Booker is part of a 20-to-30 person cycling group with Kefer and her father, Steve. He heard about the accident through another member in the group. “Most drivers just don’t look at a cyclist as someone’s father, daughter or whatever they are,” Booker said. “They’re just trying to get around them, not paying that much attention to the fact that they’re on the road. I think it’s something all of us need to be—a little more patient.” Kefer knows how important road safety is through her experience. “This has highlighted how much power drivers have,” Rebecca said. “When you drive a car, you have tremendous power over others’ lives. One driver has altered my life and the lives of my family so much, almost taking my life. A traumatic event like what happened to me does shake the confidence of me and many cyclists in the area.”

The cycling community has come together to help pay for Rebecca’s medical and legal expenses through a “GoFundMe” page organized by Monte Brackett. They are nearing the goal of $20,000 to help the family. On the page, Brackett posts updates from Steve on Rebecca’s condition. They also provided a “Meal Train” to help the family through the rough time. Rebecca has endured plenty of struggles—multiple surgeries, feeding tubes, practicing walking and swallowing again, doing arm and hand exercises and intense pain—in the recovery process. However, she is back home from the hospital and resting. She is still getting visits from doctors including the ENT and orthopedics. They are planning for her to undrergo tracheotomy to allow her to speak better. The procedure involves creating an opening in the neck to place a tube into the windpipe. It is the “most painful and scary” part of the recovery process according to

Steve. Currently, she uses a speaking valve on her trachea tube to talk. long recovery to go, With a the Kefer family appreciates everyone who has supported them. “Everyone has been so helpful and caring,” Steve said in a message on the GoFundMe page. “It brings tears to my eyes when I think about it. Thanks so much for all the prayers and support. We’ll get her through this.” The GoFundMe page for the Kefer family can be found through this link: https://www.gofundme. com/f/kefer-family. Photo contributed by Rebecca Kefer

Kefer poses after winning ﬁrst place at a biking event. She was the number one girls’ runner for Northwest crosscountry in 2018.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ARTISTS AT NORTHWEST

Mycheal Warner staff writer

What do you like about photography? I just get to be free with the pictures I take and get to learn more about the camera than what I knew before. What are your future plans with photography? I think it’s just going to be a part time (hobby) for me, and as I learn more I will take more pictures of the world. What goals do you have this year in photography? Pretty much just do the best I can and learn to use my camera as best I can.

Senior Emily Dunn Creative Writing 2

Junior Brody Hilton What do you like about choir? I love singing, and I love getting to sing (different) parts. I love getting to sing all kinds of genres in music. What are your future plans with choir? I plan to go to school for choral music and composing. What goals do you have this year in choir? I planned to audition for NC Honor Chorus and Mars Hill Choir, and I have already made both of them.

Honors Vocal Ensemble

Sophomore Meghan Virost Theatre

Freshman Spencer Hiller Photographic design 1

What do you like about theater? (I like) being able to work with a vast group of people and having a good time doing it. What are your future plans with theater? A future plan is to go to a (drama) school and get better at acting and help teach younger kids. What goals do you have this year in theater? My goal is to be able to jump a level (skip Theater 2) and get into Theater 3 and 4.

What do you like about creative writing? I get to express myself as a writer. What are your future plans with creative writing? I want to be a writer. I like fiction a lot so like an action, fantasy (or) adventure writer. What goals do you have this year in creative writing? I want to get a concrete idea for a book to write in college and get better at writing.

Photos by Mychael Warner

Disney expands empire

Adam Sasser staff writer

n 2009, Disney had an estimated net worth of $63.12 billion; within 10 years, they managed to triple that to a net worth of $193.98 billion. It’s no secret that Disney has become one of the most powerful companies in the entertainment industry, and Disney+ is the cherry on top. On March 20, 2019, Disney gained ownership of 21st Century Fox for $71.3 billion, thereby making it the biggest media center to ever exist. With this acquisition Disney began to set in motion the creation of their own streaming service, even though since buying Fox they now owned 60 percent of Hulu. For just $7 a month, a person can have access to almost every piece of media that Disney has to offer. “I think it’s definitely a monopoly, and I think the power has gone to their head a bit,” senior Jaden Malley said. This might seem like a stretch, but Disney has already planned out its entire movie release schedule until beginning of 2023. This hurts every other entertainment company as no one is

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brave enough to have their movie go up on the same day as Disney’s. Looking at Disney+, it’s easy to see that they have become attuned to creating lucrative media. When Baby Yoda was first revealed in “The Mandalorian,” there was a huge demand for plush toys and merchandise relating to the character. Disney knows how to artificially generate emotional media like “Avengers: Endgame” or “The Mandalorian.” “Disney+ is a brilliant move on Disney’s part,” junior Mackenzie Milani-Kaufman said. “It really solidifies the hold they have on the entertainment business.” It’s also very rare that any other production company will stand up to “the Mouse.” That was until August of last year when Sony managed to strike a blow to the juggernaut in the shape of Spider-Man. The issue arrived when Disney wanted to renegotiate its deal with Sony over the use of Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The deal had been that Disney made 5 percent on all Sony Spider-Man movies and 100 percent of all Spider-Man merchandise. But Disney wasn’t satisfied after “SpiderMan: Far From Home” made more than a billion dollars at the box office. Sony threatened to pull Spider-Man from the MCU in response as they

own the movie rights to the character. The issue was eventually resolved with a new deal, but Sony was largely labeled as the bad guy. led to them getting a 25 percent share of the box office of all future Spider-Man movies. “No company should be able to have that much control over an industry,” Milani-Kaufman said.

Drawing by Adam Sasser

Mickey Mouse is portrayed as a monopoly monster. Disney has recently expanded its dominance over the entertainment industry.

Is modern art overrated?

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Christy Ma and Kelby Shouse news editor, staff writer

singular black dot, completely blank white canvases, a banana taped to a wall: all of these are famous pieces grouped under the umbrella of modern and contemporary art. Modern art is often argued as “overhyped” and “overpriced” as it requires very little technical skill, but there is also a long history and many arguments for the merits of modern art. Modern art began around the time of the Industrial Revolution; with such drastic changes to daily life, art started to mold around new depictions of individuality. This contrasts the commissioned paintings of previous years, which were often centered around religious ideas. “I think modern art is the expression of modern ideas,” junior Abby Englishman said. “It’s a different way to express a different reality.” Ideas of the subconscious, dreams and symbolism became even more prevalent, and the idea of “making it new” became popular. Visual interpretation and creative composi-

tion took hold over realistic portrayals, and later, postmodern and contemporary art wanted to push these boundaries even further. “Pieces (like the banana on a wall) are outliers of contemporary pieces, but I love them,” art teacher Beth Herrick said. “I think they’re fascinating. It’s risky; it’s pushing the boundaries.” Some people disagree, stating that those outliers are pushing on the edge of what art is. “Personally, I think that taping a banana to a wall and calling it art is testing the limits of what people will accept,” senior Austin Liebgott said. “It requires absolutely no skill, so conventionally calling it a piece of art seems questionable, but to each his own.” Others criticize the confusing or pretentious themes--due to the emphasis on individual perception--and extremely high prices. “It’s very difficult for a viewer to understand modern art just by looking at it,” junior Jeanette Wei said. “Often times, only the artists themselves know what their work is conveying. It’s not a bad thing, but it tends to make things very controversial.” The tremendous price on gallery pieces can be attributed to several factors: time, name and audience. Because gallery pieces are often marketed towards art curators and not day-to-day people, their prices can be marked a lot higher. “Once an artist sold one of their

works for a certain amount of money, it would be to their detriment to then sell something for less,” Herrick said. “So if they’re really well known and well-liked, they can slowly increase their price.” During the dada era--an avant-garde movement starting around World War I--pieces like Marcel DuChamp’s “Fountain,” which was just a urinal he found, sparked debate about artistic representation. These pieces focused on concept and used art to convey their ideas rather than having an underlying concept with a focus on the art; the technical simplicity is traded with conceptual complexity. “Modern art is supposed to be taken as is,” sophomore Melissa Hooper said. “It’s not about the skill. Don’t think about what you can do, think about (and enjoy) the art in front of you. (It) brings in a lot of new ideas to art as a whole.” Modern and contemporary art has not only been changing the dialogue, but also who has a voice in the mainstream western art world. Older western art mainly depicts upper class white men as they were often the ones commissioning pieces; however, contemporary pieces--like Kehinde Wiley’s “Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps”--serves to paint a more inclusive world. “(Modern and contemporary art) has led to inclusion,” senior Renad Alsaid said. “A lot more people have a voice and a platform, and there’s so many more beautiful artworks created by people of minority groups finally (getting a spotlight).” Regardless of personal opinion on the merits of modern art, it has certainly shaped the way this world perceives art and ideas as a whole. “It’s made people ask more questions,” Herrick said. “I think that’s a good thing. Even with the banana on the wall, people asked ‘what is that doing?’ Modern art definitely inspires topic, and it brings out strong opinions from everyone.” Drawing by Christy Ma

(Left) -A digital rendering of the famous “Banana on the Wall” art piece is shown above. Modern art has helped to shape our society but poses the question, What is art?

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