NEWS

Established 2010 in Aspen,CO SKIER THE ASPEN HIGH SCHOOL SCRIBBLER September 2021 Local chef Mawa McQueen’s recipe for empowering the youth of Aspen

Hannah Smith, Editor-in-Chief Mawa McQueen is a renowned character in the Aspen community. According to the Aspen Times, Mawa’s Kitchen holds notoriety for its bright and beautiful display of cuisine. At AHS, local chef Mawa McQueen is known for her empowerment of high school students. Mawa McQueen does not just fuel others through her food, but also through her “bright and beautiful” display of wisdom. In past years, McQueen has educated AHS IB Business students on real-life business procedures and decision-making through Mawa’s kitchen. On August 27th, McQueen attended an AHS women empowerment group, Shakti power paddle boarding, hosted by technology specialist Kim Zimmer. McQueen shared her unique story of resiliency with the high school students. “She [Mawa McQueen] presented herself as a very confdent and outgoing woman and she was super charismatic in a way of telling us her personal story,” AHS sophomore and attendee of the empowerment group, Maddie McAllister, a Skier Scribbler Staff Writer said. McQueen spent over 12 years defying diffcult odds to craft her business. Like many entrepreneurs, she did not fnd success with her frst business endeavor, and spent over a decade rebuilding her business foundation. McQueen is now thriving doing what she loves: cooking, and spreading love and human connection through her food. According to McQueen, the intention behind sharing her story of resiliency among youth is to empower them. “I think it [sharing a story] helps people to be more resilient, and girls to be more resilient, to be more powerful. Sometimes it only takes one word to empower someone for life. Be kind and see good in people, see that [you] are the future generation. You guys can create a better world for everybody,” said McQueen. According to McAllister, McQueen’s intended effect to instill resiliency in youth was achieved within the women’s empowerment group. “One of my biggest takeaways was how she [Mawa McQueen] never gave up,” McAllister said Mawa McQueen has reserved a nook of her generous heart for high school students, as she sees the potential and power in younger generations. “What gravitates me [to high school students is] because I think they are the future, and they have a voice, and they need to be heard. I think they don’t know how powerful they are for the future,” McQueen said . McQueen continued by addressing high schoolers as a whole. “You guys have no idea how powerful you are, or how you make things happen, and how change can happen. If only you knew your power, then, you can fulfll your destiny. You can bring more change.” As stated by McQueen, younger generations, such as high schoolers, are seemingly unaware of the power they hold towards creating change and innovation in the world around them. The “recipe” for youth to grasp this sense of power, according to McQueen, is to promote resiliency, determination, and self-value. “Never underestimate your power. Never ever underestimate your power. The day you don’t want to do something even more so you should do it, whether it’s something to empower or something that’s good for you. Never underestimate your power,” McQueen said.

Photo by Kim Zimmer

Mawa McQueen and Kim Zimmer’s women empowerment group, “Shakti Power”, pose .

News Dress Code

With more than 120 books on the way, Caroline Cares is breathing new life into the Aspen High School library as AHS’ first librarian in four years. The library is now open from 8:00am to 3:45 pm, and Cares has already begun to transform the space with a plethora of new titles. New arrivals include

Opinion Editorial

Senate Bill 8, the Texas law which bans nearly all abortions, went into effect September 1st after the Supreme Court’s decision to let it stand. Most states have protected abortion rights until 20-24 weeks of pregnancy, when fetusues are considered viable or most likely to survive. However, SB-8 now bans abortions in Texas after six weeks

A&E Decrypting m.A.A.d City. by Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar is one of the most iconic west coast rappers of the modern day. Kendrick’s second studio album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. These stories are based around Kendrick’s home city, Compton, California.

Table of contents

NEWS 1

OPINION 7

A&E 10

Sophia Greiper, News Editor Aspen High School is no stranger to the controversial topic of dress codes. This year, the dress code is being more strongly enforced for the frst time in 21 years. According to AHS’ student handbook, the dress code was put into place to help students concentrate, reduce disciplinary problems, and increase school order and safety. Tameira Wilson, an AHS history teacher, believes that the dress code is necessary to prepare students for the professional world. “I really, really believe that part of our job is not just preparing you for college, but preparing you for adulthood. And I think that sometimes we’re almost so casual in our relationships, in this case, in appearance, that that translates into when you’re an adult,” Wilson said. AHS has had a dress code in place for years; however, in previous years, the dress code was not enforced, leaving many students unaware that AHS had a dress code. Wilson attributes this enforcement mostly to the changes in leadership AHS had this year, including a new Principal and Assistant Principal. “I think with the change in leadership, we just have different eyes on the same issues. And one of the issues that came through was that idea of dressing for the environment that you’re in,” Wilson said. “Again, that connection to-if we’re preparing you to go off into the world where that is an expectation that you dress appropriately for whatever environment you’re in-that idea of being professional and looking professional,” Wilson continues. Many students have expressed concerns with the new dress code and the reason behind instituting and enforcing one. Elleana Bone, a junior at AHS, does not agree with the dress code. “I feel like the dress code is kind of telling women what they should be able to wear and do with their bodies,” Bone said. “It ends up just being a lot of body shaming, because it’s really hard to enforce.” In an attempt to revise the dress code and to create a more fair one, Bone created a petition that was spread around the school. Bone’s main goal was to create a more fexible dress code with less strict parameters. For example, she wanted a dress code that allowed students to wear shirts that showed some midriff, and to not have parameters on clothing items such as tank top straps or shorts. “It’s very frustrating to feel like when you fnally feel confdent, you have to be scared of other people thinking that you look too sexual. I think it’s also just kind of, instead of me feeling good about myself, it’s like other people are objectifying me that I look a certain way,” Bone said.

According to the AHS dress code, this is an “appropriate” outft for school

Photo by Sophia Greiper

The librarian who “Cares”: a new age for AHS library

Harper Axelman, News Editor With more than 120 books on the way, Caroline Cares is breathing new life into the Aspen High School library as AHS’ frst librarian in four years. The library is now open from 8:00am to 3:45 pm, and Cares has already begun to transform the space with a plethora of new titles. New arrivals include fction such as I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sánchez, non-fction like The Hill We Climb: The Inaugural Poem for the Country by Amanda C. Gorman, and graphic novels such as Mooncakes and Pumpkinheads. In addition to books, Cares brings a passion for her job, which was sparked when she met her librarian at Colorado College, who inspired her to earn a master’s degree in Library Science. “I got a job at Basalt Regional Library working with kids and I fell in love with it,” Cares said. Cares served as the head of youth

Cares is hosting a book club starting October 13th at the Pitkin County Library, with free books and snacks provided. She is also planning a remodel of the library next summer. “Right now there are plans with architects to make it [the library] kind of more cozy,” Cares said. “There’s going to be a freplace and furniture that we can move around really easily.” Cares encourages students to come by the library or visit the library Schoology page if they have feedback about the vision for the space, or if they just want to talk. “If anyone’s bored or wants to play chess or Scrabble during their free periods, you’re welcome to,” Cares said, adding that if students need an SSR reading for literature class or a specifc title, she can order books. Photo by Harper Axelman One of the displays created by Cares, who will also be showcasing new titles during Banned Book Week on Sep “I’m here for the students and teachers and I’m here for a tember 26th to October 2nd. resource. If they need anything with research or help with an essay or anything like that...this is the place to come,” Cares said.

What science says about vaccine efcacy against Delta Strain

Oceane Jones, Opinion Editor As society goes back to school and work, stress around the Delta strain of COVID spreads across the country.

MASKS & VACCINATIONS

Masks are still mandatory for many institutions, including Aspen High School, even with the majority of Americans being vaccinated. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 177.1 M Americans — 51.6% of the total population — have

received the full course of vaccinations necessary to protect against COVID-19. Even vaccinated individuals can catch, and spread, the Delta Strain. As the CDC emphasizes, “[The vaccines] are not 100% effective, and some fully vaccinated people will become infected (called a breakthrough infection) and experience illness.” The COVID-19 vaccines approved by the FDA in the United States are highly effective against the prevention of hospitalization, serve infections, and death, including against the Delta Variant.

DELTA VARIANT

The Delta Variant is currently the predominant COVID-19 variant in the United States. According to the CDC, the Delta Variant is more than twice as infectious, and spreads faster, than the early forms of SARS-Co-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), including in vaccinated individuals. Vaccinated individuals are still catching the new strain of the virus, yet it is still a relatively small percentage of individuals, meaning that vaccinated individuals that are diagnosed with COVID-19 are considered ‘breakout cases.’ Currently, we lack statistics as to what percentage of fully vaccinated have been infected with the Delta Variant. Vaccines are playing a vital role in limiting the spread of the Delta Variant. The risk of breakthrough infection of vaccinated individuals remains low, and high vaccination

coverage will reduce the spread of the Delta variant and the formation of new variants. Furthermore, when fully vaccinated people do carry the Delta variant, they spread it to others for a shorter period of time.

ANTI-VAX & ANTI-MASK

Unvaccinated individuals remain the greatest concern to the health and government offcials, as they are not protected from the new Delta Strain and can spread the virus for a longer period of time. According to major health organizations, anti-Vaxers and anti-maskers threaten to bring the world back into lockdown, as they are the least protected from the Delta Strain. Getting fully vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community, as well as your freedom as an individual. Continuing to wear masks indoors and in public areas, in addition to getting vaccinated, will help heal the world and bring our nation back to normal.

Aspen’s best eats in honor of Food and Wine

Andie Sherman, Staff Writer

Logo for Aspen’s hosting of the festival event Food and Wine. Photo Courtesy of Nation’s Restaurant News

Photo Courtesy of Mikayla O’Callaghan Luke O’Callaghan, AVH Operating Room Purchasing Agent, receives his vaccine as part of the 1A group in early January.

In honor of food and wine weekend. The Skier Scribbler is celebrating the best restaurants Aspen has to offer. From delicious casual eats, to wonderful sit down dinners, Aspen provides an array of wonderful food, produced by locals, for locals.

Meat and Cheese

Located on restaurant row, Meat and Cheese menu hosts an array of fabulous dishes made with local products. Adject to the restaurant is a farm shop with delicious meats, cheeses, and dips.

Francesca’s Pasta Market & Empanadas

Located in the ABC, Francesesas mixes Argentinian and Italian dishes, made with seasonal and local ingredients leaving its customers more than satisfed.

White House Tavern

Located on restaurant row, the White House Tavern offers a simple menu with decadent sandwiches, compared with distinctive liquors. They truly offer a menu ft for a president.

Clark’s Oyster Bar

Located on 517 East Hyman Avenue, Clark’s Oyster Bar is a neighborhood spot offering delicious seafood fare. With an impeccable ambiance, the food isn’t the only reason to go.

Steakhouse 316

Located on restaurant row, with a dimly lit ambiance and wonderful cuts of meat. Eating at the Steakhouse transports you to a NYC speakeasy.

L’Hostaria

Located on 620 E Hyman Ave, L’hostaria is a traditional trattoria which has been an Aspen favorite for 24 years. With a large menu specializing in traditional Italian cuisine, some of their food tastes like Milan.

Cache Cache

Located on restaurant row, Cache Cache has been open since the 80s, offering an impeccable wine list, and merican cuisine with French infuence. Cache Cache’s dimly lit modern space is made for not just a meal, it’s made for an experience.

Photo Courtesy of Ann Larie Valentine

PAGE 4 Mask Mandate Clarifcations

Lauren Kinney, Staff Writer Aspen High School students are continuing to wear masks at school this fall in an efort to stop the spread of COVID-19, as well as encouraging vaccination for students and teachers. On September 16th, Pitkin County’s indoor mask mandate was fnalized, as well as social distance requirements. AHS assistant principal, Becky Oliver, is working hard to ensure that students wear their masks in school in support of the Pitkin County mandate. “Te Board of Health has mandated that we have to wear masks. It’s not a matter of being vaccinated or not vaccinated. We just all have to wear them,” Oliver said. Students understand the requirements for a mask mandate and appreciate the extra layer of protection it provides. Ben Clark, a sophomore, is one of the students that value the mask mandate. “I feel safer with a mask because masks are proven to work. With a family that I see a lot, I want to keep them safe as well. It’s not only me that I’m putting at risk. I wear a mask just to protect me and my family,” Clark said. Tough most students like Clark understand the importance of maks, some students feel they have already done their part by getting the vaccine and want to stop wearing masks. “I received both the frst and second dose of the Pfzer vaccine with an 87% efectiveness against contracting COVID and a 95% less chance of being hospitalized. My personal opinion is that masks are very obstructive and uncomfortable. It should be recognized that I do my part to help stop the Coronavirus,” Nico Smith said. However, the mandate is not permanent. “If we breach the 70% vaccination rate at the high school, the Board of Health may consider releasing the mandate; if our local numbers are below the CDC red fag levels. We kind of have to wait and see how the community members impact those numbers,” Oliver said. Clark believes that stopping the spread of COVID-19 should be simple. “You can just remember for yourself to keep your mask on, and be a role model for others,” Clark said.

Masked, Aspen High School students walking to classs Photo byLauren Kinney

Devious Licks, More Like Criminal Charges

Maddie Mcallister, Staff Writer

The well-known “devious licks’’ trend has hit hundreds of schools across the nation, including AHS. The Tik Tok trend started Sept. 1, 2021, and involves students sneaking into school after-hours to steal or destroy items from bathrooms and classrooms. Students then post it on TikTok for views and likes. However, the impacts of this trend have left schools damaged and dysfunctional. School staff across the country have been attempting to stop this trend by speaking out to parents, students, and other members of the community about this problem AHS vice-principal, Becky Oliver, addressed the vandalism at AHS in an email sent to parents and students on Thursday, September 16th. “We have video surveillance and anonymous tips about students stealing and damaging school property,” Oliver said in the email. “Prior to pursuing criminal charges, we decided to give all students involved the opportunity to come forward, return stolen items, and admit to what we believe to be a school/Tik Tok prank. All students involved in this vandalism please contact Becky, Sarah, or Cam BEFORE 3:00 pm on Friday,” Oliver stated in the Sept. 16 email. Most items were stolen from school bathrooms. Across the country, ttems that have been stolen include toilets and soap dispensers. According to CNN, “In response, some schools are locking bathrooms for large portions of the day.” The extreme popularity students gain by participating in trends encourages people to join, no matter the consequences. “It appears nothing is too big or too small to take home and students can even score some likes if they just spot the damage and flm it,” CNN stated Although students could face criminal charges, they are continuing to participate in the trend. “It’s from Tik Tok and just for fun, no harm in it,” Anonymous AHS student said.

Photo by Maddie McAllister Anonymous upperclassman stages a Devious Lick.

By Maddie McAllister, Staff Writer Climbing above 14,000 feet is something not many of us are capable of doing, but for those few who can, they aim for the top. Local legend Christy Mahon shares her story about being the frst woman to climb and repel down every fourteener in Colorado. Mahon, who also is an outdoor enthusiast, works as a Development Director at ACES. “I think a lot of my passion has been living here for the past 14 years surrounded by so many opportunities,” Mahon said. Mahon enjoys sharing her insight and inspiration of getting to the peak with others. “Often, climbing mountains is very much like life. You need a lot of perseverance, you need a lot of grit, you have to be really resilient, and you can’t give up. I think I liked the challenge of knowing that I could do something that maybe I tried to do before, I didn’t know I had the potential inside of me,” Mahon said. Mahon’s love for climbing goes beyond her. She enjoys traveling all around the world to hike and climb with her husband. “I think having a right hand man is important to accomplish my goals. I was really lucky to fnd a really incredible partner, who is prepared, thoughtful and was a good mentor, and I think that that was a real secret to me fguring out that I actually would become a good mentor and partner and so I really was able to learn mostly from my mentor or my now husband,” Mahon stated. Mahon says, “I think it’s important to build skills slowly,” and continues to share her story. “I think it’s important to build skills slowly. I didn’t go climb Capital frst. I did 53 Mountains before that and a lot more because I had to even do them two or three times again, and so I think it’s important to realize that we have that strength inside of us. So just to render ourselves in the right environment with the right people, but I think the real secret is to fnd out a lot of grit and resilience is hard, you have to teach yourself that,” Mahon said. Mahon loves sharing inspiration with others who might use it later. “A lot of it is building that mental strength-being okay with failing and being okay with feeling like you’re not doing everything right. I think it’s both surrounding yourself with the right environment, surrounding yourself with the right people, but then also learning that you have the potential within you. So confdence is key,” Mahon said. Finally, Mahon speaks about climbing and also more goals that she wants to achieve. “There are 54 offcial fourteeners in Colorado, and then I skied the 100 highest peaks. So those are called centennial peaks. Now I am trying to ski all of the bicentennial peaks, or the top 200 peaks. And so the project continues. I can’t iagine myself accomplishing that,” Mahon said.

by Sophia Greiper, News Editor This year, Food and Wine, the annual festival where people come from all over to experience different cuisines and a variety of alcoholic beverages, was held from September 10 to September 12 and, due to the Coronavirus, featured more restrictions than in previous years. In order to stay safe during the pandemic, offcials at the event checked vaccination cards or required a recent negative COVID-19 test before even getting on the shuttle. For volunteers, Food and Wine required a negative COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination, and the festival encouraged all volunteers to wear masks while they were working. Jane Larsen, a French teacher at Aspen High School, volunteered for the Food and Wine festival this year and felt that the festival was very safe in regards to the pandemic. “I heard that they usually sell 5000 tickets, and this year they only sold 2500 tickets,” Larsen stated. Food and Wine has been held in Aspen for over 40 years now and brings in tourism for local businesses. Larsen mentioned the beneft of having Food and Wine in the fall, instead of in the summer, as the Snowmass Balloon Festival was also happening around the same time, which could bring in more tourists. “I just think it brings a lot of people into the community, which is good for our economy, you know, recovering from the pandemic,” Larsen said.

“You need a lot of perseverance, you need a lot of grit, you have to be really resilient, and you can’t give up. ”

-Christy Mahon

PAGE 6 Traditions being taken from seniors

Kayla Tehrani, Editor-in-Chief Becoming an upperclassman at AHS comes with perks. As students rise through the ranks, they move closer to the boat, and fnally reach the boat as seniors. The 2021/22 school year marks a shift in tradition. On the frst day of school students walked into the commons to see long lunch tables placed across the yellow brick road. Seniors were also told that the boat no longer belongs to them, so if an underclassman wants to sit there as well, they can. A few years ago, traditions like bottle dropping were regularly being enforced. Since then bottle dropping has stopped, but taking away the boat and the yellow brick road from seniors is almost too far. The boat and yellow brick road traditions are not harmful to anyone, nor are they encouraging hazing in any way. They are basic rights that AHS students look forward to as they get older and are a key part of AHS culture. Seniors understand that taking these rights away is part of an effort to make the school a more inclusive place, but it is taking away from the excitement of senior year. An AHS senior believes that the senior traditions should stay the senior traditions instead of becoming all school traditions. “Seniors before us taught us lessons; things like the yellow brick road, the boat, and not to stand in the middle of the hallway. The administration is saying that things like the yellow brick road are too dividing between freshmen and everyone else,” they said. Some seniors also believe that certain rights should be left to look forward to. When those things are open to everyone, there isn’t much excitement for senior year and no separation between the seniors and the underclassmen. “We should’ve been able to tell them from the beginning the basic rules, so they have something to look forward to when they are seniors like we did when we were just starting out,” AHS senior added. AHS Head Person Lindsey Heineken sees both sides of the new changes. She believes these traditions should be continued as long as there can be a fne line between senior privilege and inclusivity. “I think traditions are important and fun, especially when you get older. It personally gave me something to look forward to when I was younger, and now that I’m older I feel like it’s fun,” Heineken continues. “However, I understand how some traditions come from a place of hazing and I feel like that doesn’t have a place within our school.” Ellie Dangler, also a senior at AHS, believes that being inclusive and welcoming to underclassmen is a good idea for the school, but the traditions that have been going on for a long time should stay the same. “The boat is a great example of something I looked forward to when I was a freshman that I now get to be a part of. As a freshman, you know the boat is for the seniors only, and the frst day of school when all of us got to sit on the boat and see everyone, it was a good feeling of us making it to senior year,” Dangler says.

Photo by Kayla Tehrani Long, red lunch tables placed on Yellow Brick Road in lunch room in an effort to create an inclusive environment

Seniors struggle with constant schedule changes

Stella Iverson, Staff Writer

Class of 2022 has had an interesting and everchanging four years of high school, especially when it comes to their schedules. During the 2018/2019 in-person school year, students attended seven classes a day, each 50 minutes. During the 2019/2020 in-person school year, there were six periods a day, each one hour. Both of these schedules included short or “wacky” Wednesdays,short days where school was from 8 am to 1:55 pm. In the middle of the pandemic, AHS had two different schedules for online school. The frst 2020/2021 schedule for online school included four periods a day, each one hour and 15 minutes, with a two-hour lunch break. The back-to-school schedule for in-person was the same, with the exception of one-hour long lunch breaks, and Wednesdays off of school for students and teachers to have one on one meetings if needed. This year, the schedule has changed drastically. On Mondays students rotate through all 8 periods each 40 minutes long. There are four periods a day on Tuesday through Friday, with 90 minute classes, with no more short Wednesdays. Sadie Bayko, a senior at AHS, feels that the constant schedule changes have disrupted her school life. “You get used to one schedule and then it changes again, when you get the next one and it just gets confusing,” Bayko said. Bayko has concerns about how the new 90 minute class may be too long for students to focus. “I learned better with shorter classes, it isn’t like in the long period. Classes just cannot pay attention for that long. And so having that break, and then shorter classes just benefts me and I think really the whole school is better,” Bayko said. Hannah Smith, also a senior at AHS, shares how she may not like the longer classes but as a student athlete having 4 periods a day makes her life easier. “I miss school frequently. Having only four classes in the span of one day is extremely useful for me as I’m only missing four classes rather than say eight in a day. So even though I might struggle with the length of the class I appreciate it more than our eight periods in a day schedule,” Smith Said.

Photo by Stella Iverson Screenshot of AHS 2021-2022 bell schedule