The Spoke November Issue 2021/2022

The Spork: Elegance Cafe

Halted in the hallway: a guide to walking properly

Page 4 Conestoga High School, Berwyn PA

Volume 72 No. 2

November 22, 2021

Historical season: Football makes playoffs after seven-year drought

Page 8

Page 12

spoke.news

SNOW X DAYS X X Aaron Wang Staff Reporter

Aditi Dahagam/The SPOKE

Cleaning up: After school hours, a custodian sweeps the tiled floors of the science and technology wing overlooking the atrium. The impact of the pandemic, combined with the appeal of more lucrative opportunities elsewhere, led many custodians to leave Conestoga.

short supply

By Evan Lu and Hiba Samdani, News Editor and Co-T/E Life Editor Custodian Kenneth Hill spends four hours each day on his commute to work. The sixyear veteran of the custodial staff takes the bus — a two hour ride each way — to travel between Conestoga and his home in Philadelphia. More than 12 hours of Hill’s day are taken up by his work, but it was not always like this: due to a shortage of custodial staff, the intensity of Hill’s daily workload dramatically increased this year.

The problem isn’t unique to the district or the state. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 10.4 million job openings across the nation. Low wages, fear from COVID-19 and changing demographics are only some of the reasons for the shortage. In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf is looking to increase minimum wage to incentivize workers return to the labor force. Also taking salaries into account, TESD is actively recruiting employees to address the shortage.

Throughout the district, there is a need for custodians, substitutes, support staff and cafeteria staff.

Custodians The custodial staff has been heavily impacted by ongoing staff shortages. In past years, custodians split the workload into three shifts, but this year, there are only enough workers for two. The day shift runs from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and covers the school day, while the night shift runs from 2 p.m. to midnight and covers afterhours sanitation. Additionally, the current staff operates at eight workers compared to the usual 15-worker team. The downsizing is taking a toll on custodians across the board, including Hill.

“It’s routine, man. I get up to wash myself, but I don’t have time to prepare food since it’s 4 in the morning, so I just eat when I get here. I leave at 5 a.m. to get here at 7 a.m.; then, when I leave, I start out at 4 p.m. and don’t get home until 6 p.m.,” Hill said. “Going to work is a routine, and going home is a routine.”

However, the custodian shortage is not new. According to Hill, the last time Conesto-

Pandemic exacerbates ongoing employee shortage across district departments

ga had a full custodial staff was in 2017. Although the pandemic exacerbated the effects of the shortage, Hill attributes the root cause to custodians leaving for more exciting or lucrative opportunities in other careers. He even personally considered leaving to pursue his dream of starting a carpentry contracting business.

“I already have a carpenter’s mentality. I can cut wood, I can measure and cut tiles.

That’s how I got this job actually — I did the things that other employees wouldn’t do,” Hill said. “But for me to be able to open up my own company and employ people, it means I have to make a pretty strong amount of money.”

The addition of the school’s new extension only means more work for the custodial staff. With students back in the school and more surface area to clean, Hill and other members of the custodial staff are frustrated with some students’ apparent lack of respect and responsibility.

“Obviously, (the atrium) is a nice place, but you have to hire more people to do that work. The guys are losing their patience. They’re kind of frus-

trated because the kids don’t listen, they don’t pay attention,” Hill said. “This is high school, not grade school, where you’re preparing yourself to go further (in life). That’s (not just for academics): it applies in every way. Your last school told you to throw your trash away, but now it’s on you. This is preparing you for real life, and if you’re messy in here, then we know what type of actual life you would lead.”

Substitutes Substitute teachers have also experienced the effects of the employee shortage. The district employs substitutes through the Educating Staff Space (ESS), a forum used to hire support staff. Each substitute is assigned to a specific building and is called in depending on the demand of teachers absent. Although every person’s situation differs, substitute Michael Steinbrecher has been assigned to a classroom every day.

“Periodically, I’m sent to one of the middle schools. I’m subbing in one of (the middle schools or the high school) every day. It is 95% of the time that I am in (Conestoga High School), I would say,” Stein-

brecher said. “When I started the school year, I didn’t know that I would have a regular, everyday sub position.”

In the mornings, substitute coordinator Christine Harper distributes folders with classroom assignments throughout the main office. Substitute teacher Michael Steinbrecher noticed an increase in the number of folders as the school year progressed.

“I feel like just in the course of my day, I see five other (substitutes),” Steinbrecher said. “It’s moving, it’s crowded and there are a lot of assignments. I can’t speak for the specifics, but you just have to open your eyes to see that there’s a big need.”

A shortage in substitutes has led to other members filling in their roles. Last minute absences have left other teachers and the main office staff supervising unattended classrooms. Former science teacher and substitute Frederic Peltier sees this reflected online.

“All the subs get on what they call ‘Aesop,’ which is a board that shows you all your subs,” Peltier said.

Continued on page 3.

Snow days are officially an endangered species.

On Oct. 1, 2021, the school board announced that it would be implementing a new emergency closing day plan for the 2021-2022 school year and beyond. The plan leaves room for just one traditional snow day per school year; all other snow days will become distance learning days during which students will complete asynchronous work and meet with teachers on Microsoft Teams for shortened periods.

Conestoga principal Amy Meisinger hopes that the plan will improve students’ learning experience.

“When we had snow days, we generally had to add days of school on (to the end of the school year), so by being able to take advantage of virtual instruction, we can be more certain when the end of school happens (Jun. 15 at the latest),” Meisinger said. “Because last year we had hybrid and virtual instruction, we felt confident moving forward in knowing that we could deliver a solid program.”

The transition from snow days to learning from home satisfied not only the school board, but many teachers as well. English teacher Megan Doyle supports the plan; she believes that it may facilitate the planning and teaching of her curriculum.

“It makes planning easier,” Doyle said. “We have had much more volatile weather systems in the past few years, so to be able to know that this plan will be minimally disruptive if we do have weather situations (is) a good thing.”

Although the plan benefits many teachers in some ways, it also creates obstructions to learning. Doyle, while happy with many aspects of the plan,

worries about some of challenges it brings.

“This area specifically seems to lose power a lot,” Doyle said. “So if we’re reliant on technology for this plan, it might be difficult to make sure everyone has access to that technology.”

When students could still count on having traditional snow days, many cherished the rare opportunities to relax and alleviate the stress of studying.

Others saw them as make-up days at the end of the year. As a result, when the school board announced the plan, students had mixed feelings. Junior Michael Levin likes the plan and hopes that it will benefit him and his summer plans.

“It’s good that we kind of don’t have snow days anymore because they would tack on at the end of the year,” Levin said.

“It would benefit me because at the end of the year, I wouldn’t have to worry about tacked on days that would interfere with holidays or would interfere with family plans that I would have over the summer.”

Conversely, many students reminisce on times past and are reluctant to see snow days disappear. Sophomore Daphne Chen feels that the elimination of snow days is unfortunate because it takes away a special event that she would highly anticipate every winter.

“It (snow days) used to be that day (that) everyone was looking forward to; where they could wind down and not have to worry about work or anything,” Chen said.

As they cope with the impacts of the changes, many students endeavor to recall past snow day memories while progressing towards the future. “(A snow day) is not as impactful as big events that the school might hold, but (it’s one of ) the small things that you look back on,” Chen said. “It is like ‘Wow, we’ve really gone so far.’”

Aaron Wang/The SPOKE

Better planning: English teacher Megan Doyle plans her course curriculum at her desk. The implementation of the new plan reduced potential weather-related disruptions to Doyle’s classes.

Board of Commissioners adopts Chester County climate action plan Aren Framil Staff Reporter

The Chester County Board of Commissioners adopted the Climate Action Plan on Oct. 7, the goal of which is to reduce gas emissions in Chester County by 80% by 2050. The plan examines the main sources of gas emissions and details measures to be taken to reduce their impact, as well as how we can work with outside partners on this issue.

According to Carol Stauffer, Assistant Director of the Chester County Planning Commission, the process of passing this plan has not been easy.

“The initial draft, when we were first writing the draft, went through, probably at least four versions of the plan,” Stauffer said. “The only part of the plan that we have any real control over is what we are doing within our own facilities.”

Residents’ input on the plan was deeply influential in the process as well. Once the draft was ready to be released to the public, there was a social media outreach letting citizens know the plan was posted on the Chester County website for review. There was also a public meeting in March over Zoom where residents could give their input. Overall, the board received over 230 comments, which were then put together into a series of proposed edits to the plan.

The plan itself discusses four significant sources of carbon dioxide emissions: buildings and energy, transportation and land use, waste management and agriculture, food and forestry. An emphasis on renewable energy and the preservation of nature are among the changes to be implemented according to the Climate Action Plan.

Aren Framil/The SPOKE

Reduce, reuse, recycle: A student tosses a hamburger wrapper into a recycling bin in the large courtyard.

The Chester County Board of Commissioners adopted a new climate action plan that focuses on environmental preservation.

“Companies are just not conscious, especially with factories. There’s fast fashion, but also the companies themselves, and all the pollution coming out of them,” sophomore AJ Mallory said.

The adoption of the Climate Action Plan marks a monumental step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Chester County, but its effects on the community extend far beyond that. Shortterm goals include the creation of new jobs relating to clean energy, while long-term goals include the reduction of extreme weather events. Another major effect of the plan is how its influence leads residents by example.

“I think part of it is just kind of demonstrating to the community that this is a serious issue, and that we’re doing something about it,” said Kevin Strogen, science teacher and Greening ’Stoga Task Force adviser. “We all

play a part in the cause of it, we also can play a part in the solution. I think it’s just demonstrating to people that everyone can make a difference.”

Strogen estimates that things will continue to get worse in terms of climate change, and it will require serious determination on our part to create substantial change.

Not only a fundamental decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, but an active effort to take carbon out of the air using different sequestration strategies is necessary for environmental alteration. Junior Svara Mazumder agrees and hopes the issue can unite citizens.

“Everything has become so politicized. People will say, ‘I’m not sensitive because I don’t care about the environment’, when in reality, it’s not about politics. It’s literally just about human decency.”

News

2

Four TESD parents lose fight against mask mandate

A BRIEF LOOK THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN T/E NEWS

VFMS VACCINE CLINICS FOR 5-11 YEAR OLDS The FDA approved the COVID-19 vaccine for individuals ages 5-11 on Oct. 29.

In hopes of keeping schools as safe as possible, TESD will be hosting a COVID-19 vaccine drive at VFMS on Nov. 23 and 30, free of charge. Students will not be penalized for missing class if they schedule an appointment during the school day.

WINTER CONCERTS The music department will perform a winter concert for parents, students and community members on Dec. 1 and 8. The first performance will feature the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble, and the second will feature Chorale, Cantada, Camerata, Concert Choir and Symphony Orchestra.

PA MASK MANDATE On Nov. 9, Gov. Wolf announced that he will lift the statewide mask mandate for schools on Jan. 17, 2022. After that date, school boards will be the final decision-makers for individual schools’ policies. Until then, TESD students are expected to cover their face and nose when they are inside distrcuit buildings.

STUDENT COUNCIL

Ben Shapiro Co-Copy Editor

On the first day of the 20212022 school year, parents Alicia Geerlings, Andrew McLellan, Sara Marvin and David Governanti all sent their children to one of the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District’s public schools without masks. In each case, students were denied entry to their in-person classes because they refused to comply with the district’s mask mandate that “each teacher, child/ student, staff or visitor working, attending or visiting a school entity shall wear a face covering indoors, regardless of vaccination status.”

Some exceptions are made in cases where mask wearing would cause harm to the individual.

Just over a week later, on Sept.

8, the four parents joined together in a lawsuit against the school district, represented by Gary Samms of Obermayer, Rebbmann, Maxwell and Hippell, LLP. Pennsylvania’s Acting Secretary of Health ordered “face coverings to be worn in all school entities” on Aug. 31, 2021 to “prevent and control the spread of disease.”

While individuals have the right to request a medical exemption to wearing masks, a parent would have to waive their child’s Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rights to do so. The Plaintiffs did not feel comfortable with this, and none took up the offer.

Arguing three claims (religious discrimination, unapproved medical devices and the Secretary of Health’s authority), the Plaintiffs

Student Council organized a canned food drive to support the Great Valley Food Cupboard from Nov. 13 to 19. To celebrate the upcoming holiday season and the spirit of giving back to the community, each homeroom competed to see which could bring in the most cans. The homeroom that collected the most food won a doughnut party.

Read more at

NEWS

Guide to 2021 Tredyffrin-Easttown Local Elections

Howard Kim Staff Reporter

Historically, school board elections receive less attention with around 4,000 voters per electoral region. This year, however, the 2021 school board elections saw more than 6,000 voters per region perform their civic duties, resulting in the Democratic candidates’ sweep of all four available school board seats.

On Nov. 3, four newly-appointed Democratic members — Yolanda Allen (Region 1), Robert Singh (Region 2), Susan Audrain (Region 3) and Maryann Piccioni (Region 3) — were victorious in the polls with margins of victory ranging from 3-11%. They will replace four Democratic board members, continuing the absence of Republican members from last term. Despite the single-party control, U.S. History teacher and advisor of the New Voters Club, Katie Walter, believes that the election results won’t have much of an impact.

In anticipation of the 2021 local elections, The Spoke compiled a podcast package for the T/E community to get to know the candidates for the school board and supervisors at-large.

The interviews ran different lengths, as candidates were not limited in their time to respond.

T/E LIFE

Closing with Cavalcade: Marching band reports to Teamer for final performance

moved for a temporary restraining order — a decision that, if ruled in their favor, would have immediately required the district to remove its mask mandate. The hearing took place in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Sept. 14 and was ruled by Judge Mitchell Goldberg.

According to precedent set by the Supreme Court case Winter, Secretary of the Navy, et al. v Natural Resources Defense Council, inc., et al, a judge can only grant a temporary restraining order if the party is “likely to succeed on the merits (of their claim), are likely to suffer irreparable harm in the absence of preliminary relief, that the balance of equities tips in their favor and that an injunction is in the public interest.” Judge Goldberg, ruling that the order did not meet the qualifications, denied the requested temporary restraining order.

the way followers of Catholicism practice communion or those of Jewish faith practice eating unleavened bread on Passover,” Goldberg wrote. “Her decision to eschew masks corresponds to no teaching of her community, up-

Claim two: medical devices

Unapproved

To the Plaintiffs’ second argument that face masks are not approved medical devices by the Food and Drug Admin-

Claim three: The Secretary of Health’s authority

Claim one: Religious discrimination Claiming that requiring their children to wear masks while in school violates their First Amendment rights, the Plaintiffs argued that the mandate discriminated against them due to their religion.

In Goldberg’s memorandum (a judge’s written decision for a court hearing), he concluded that the Plaintiffs’ belief was not religious in nature and therefore did not qualify them for receiving a temporary restraining order.

“In Ms. Marvin’s case, she has not demonstrated that she practices keeping her face uncovered

“On a factual level, the FDA also has not approved clothes and water bottles – devices that protect children from spreading germs, and dehydration, respectively,” a TESD party response stated. “However, there is no uproar about the District’s requirement that students be clothed or its encouragement that students stay hydrated.”

Ben Shapiro/The SPOKE

Ending the dispute: T/E’s mask mandate remains unaffected after the Geerlings et al v. Tredyffrin/Easttown School District court case. Judge Mitchell Goldberg shut down the case saying the Plaintiffs could not win on the merits of their claims. bringing or other comprehensive belief-system, nor does she practice it through formal and external signs such as holidays, ceremonies or clergy.”

istration (FDA), the defense argued that the FDA does not have to “approve” an item for the school to require or encourage it.

Whether the mask mandate had legal basis was the subject of the Plaintiffs’ third and final claim. They argued that the Pennsylvania Acting Secretary of Health lacked authority to issue her Aug. 31 order but did not provide an explanation sufficient to persuade the judge. Samms and the Plaintiffs failed to respond to phone calls, emails or text messages about this case, thus refusing to speak on the matter.

On Nov. 10, however, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court voted 4-1 to strike down the Acting Secretary of Health’s order. Noting that this decision was not made “regarding the science or efficacy of mask-wearing or the politics underlying (it),” the court simply ruled that the order lacked legislative authority. Immediately after, Gov. Wolf ’s Administration appealed the decision, sending it to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

With no official decision on the matter as of now, the Plaintiff ’s

“The most recent board was primarily Democratic, so I would assume that with four more Democratic members of the board, it will continue to move in the direction that they have (previously) been moving,” Walter said.

These results were not apparent in the first count of votes on election day. As in-person ballots accumulated at the polling locations, the Republican candidates held significant leads due to Pennsylvania regulation prohibiting the counting of mail-in ballots until after the polls closed at 8 p.m. With Democrats being three times as likely to submit mail-in ballots than Republicans this election, every single Republican candidate was winning with a comfortable lead on Nov. 2.

“On Tuesday night, I was looking at (the election results) and I saw that I was down, (but) I had faith in the campaigning I had done and the high percentage of (uncounted) mail-in votes,” Singh said. “I woke up the next morning and saw that

the numbers had changed in my favor.”

In the Region 1 and 2 elections, Allen and Singh won with 55% of the total vote.

Because only 41% of Chester County voters are registered Democrats according to Chester County Voter Registration data, Allen knew that she needed support from independent and Republican voters to win. A big campaign strategy of hers was recognizing that addressing all of her constituents’ concerns — no matter their party — was crucial.

“I think that a lot of folks in our area were offended that politics inserted itself into our school system, and I think they wanted out,” Allen said. “They want us to get back to the business of doing what’s best for kids; it doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican.”

In order to win over the necessary non-Democrat votes, the four electees embraced the unique local nature of school board elections rather than copying large-scale campaign

strategies. While knocking on doors and convincing constituents they were the best fit for the position were their primary methods of publicism, they had to take a step back and

remember that building trust can’t be forced.

“Remember, in local races, it’s your neighbors that (are voting). The people that you see at church, the people that

The jurisdiction At the end of the hearing, Goldberg concluded that he did not believe that the Plaintiffs would win their argument “on the merits of their claims” and denied the request for a temporary restraining order.

“In so ruling, I do not decide whether Plaintiffs’ claims will ultimately succeed or fail. Rather, I find that, at this early stage of this litigation, Plaintiffs have not shown that the District’s policy should be set aside before a full adjudication of the merits,” Goldberg stated in his memorandum.

The Plaintiffs failed to file a petition for appeal in the allotted 30day period, thus ending the lawsuit.

Following the aforementioned Commonwealth Court decision on Nov. 10, superintendent Richard Gusick sent out an email blast noting that TESD’s mask mandate will remain intact until further notice.

“TESD is aware of today’s ruling by the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court. As such, at this time the masking requirement will remain in effect for TESD schools,” Gusick wrote. “We recognize that parents and residents within TESD hold different views about mandated masking. Until the matter becomes further settled, we ask for your continued patience and cooperation by continuing to send your child to school with a required mask.”

Pending the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision, the mask mandate remains in the hands of the school board.

you see at the supermarket, the ACME, the Giant,” Piccioni said. “School board is the most personal election because it’s (affecting) their children. It’s (affecting) our children.”

Howard Kim/The SPOKE

At the polls: Voters enter and leave ’Stoga, a polling location on Election Day, while candidates campaign outside.

In Pennsylvania, voting increased by roughly 50% from 2019 to 2021.

Fresh canvas: New expansion impacts art department Maya Shah

Photography Editor When the art department moved into their new studio provided by the recent expansion project, they never expected to face key problems nearing the end of Nov. Despite the addition of new spaces, several issues still need resolving.

After moving the kilns from the old art rooms to the new studios, the art teachers discovered that many of the machines were broken. Given supply chain issues, ordering new parts from specialized manufacturers has been a slow process. Working with a local company has luckily allowed for some repairs on the broken kilns as well as the installation of a new

one. The department is still waiting on some parts for the exhaust and ventilation system as well as new kilns, which are not set to arrive until next year. Studio Art 2 teacher Joanne Wagner describes the process.

“There’s always growing pains when you move studios, because there’s so much expensive equipment that’s involved,” Wagner said.

“It took some time, but we’re getting there.”

Although the problem is on its way to being fixed, it has affected other parts of the classroom. The district has not made any curriculum changes to accommodate for the equipment deficiency, so students have carried on with their clay projects. This means students are unable to fully complete their

projects as they cannot fire or glaze them, however they are still creating projects following a normal timetable. Art student and sophomore Ally Mao feels that the lack of kilns has negatively impacted her class.

“We’re already on our third sculpture, but all our previous projects are just sitting in the classrooms taking up space, so we’re not

Celebrating the 11th annual ’Stoga Showcase of Sound, the Marching Pioneer Band had the privilege of hosting 16 bands at this year’s Cavalcade competition. Rounding out the night with 88.97 total points, Pittston Area High School placed first in Ensemble Visual, Field Music, Overall Effect Visual and Overall Effect Music within the Independence A Division.

OPINION

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: A Review

WORDS

“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" is a compelling story centered around 15-year-old detective and mathematical genius Christopher Boone.

SPORTS

Boys soccer defeats Warwick in black out game

The boys’ varsity soccer team came out on top in their first round of states against Warwick on Tuesday, Nov. 9. The Pioneers started the game off strong with a goal scored by senior Sebastian Tis within the first three minutes.

claim is neither endorsed nor outright rejected.

Blue wave: Democrats maintain school board control

HOSTS

CANNED FOOD DRIVE

Monday, November 22, 2021

Maya Shah/The SPOKE

A new home: Studio Art 1 students draw in class. Thanks to the art department’s new studios, they found a permanent home for the sculpture in the center of the classroom affectionately nicknamed “The Pile” for its artistic chaos.

able to glaze or finish them, it’s really sad,” Mao said.

The lack of space has also become a problem within the art classrooms. Although the department gained new storage spaces in the expansion, it is not enough to accomodate for all of the clay projects that have yet to be fired. The department is making the most out of its current storage facilities, but after filling up most closets, they are turning to student lockers and unused countertops to store remaining projects “It’s getting here, everything is just slowed down by the pandemic,” Wagner said. “Luckily, my students are artists — they’re really resilient.”

Despite the department’s current issues, moving to a specially-designated wing brought much improvement to the art classes; each classroom is now larger and more clearly prepared to handle specific courses. While previously, there was no proper sculpture studio, now the space is designated for that function. Art department chair Amy Cruz is optimistic about the improvements.

“Before it was sort of like Tetris, fitting the (art) classes in the amount of rooms that we had,” Cruz said. “So now we’re hoping students will really enjoy us all being together.”

Additionally, art classrooms now have new equipment, more display spaces, new furniture and can see students through the atrium windows without the burden of noise. The addition of an extra studio has also made scheduling among all the art classes easier, especially with the increasing enrollment. Cruz recognizes these benefits, and despite the problems that have occurred, remains thankful.

“I know students are so excited to have their work fired,” Cruz said. “When you’re taking a class like that you really just want your product. (The students are) being so patient, and we’re grateful.”

News

Monday, November 22, 2021

3

High demand: District seeks to fill positions with new hires “When I go on ‘Tredyffrin/ Easttown,’ the list is long and extensive. But if you want to sub any day of the week, in any school, the availability is easy.”

Although the reason for the shortage isn’t clearly determined, both Steinbrecher and Peltier feel that insignificant wages are potential drivers.

“I think a lot of subs do this for the money, and the money is not great,” Peltier said. “That’s the least of my concerns. I do it for the fun, but a lot of people depend on it. I know the district has (increased) that amount of money, but they’re in competition with (other school districts) at this point.”

Support Staff The impact of the pandemic on the supply of support staff around the building differs from the impact on other staff positions. This year, there are about 60 support staff throughout the building, including personal care assistants (PCAs) and aides responsible for managing facilities like the testing center, library and TV studio. This number is comparable to years past, as are the turnover and retention rates. However, assistant principal James Bankert realized that the school received fewer applications for support staff positions this year.

“There aren’t as many applicants as years past, but the ones we have gotten are outstanding,” said assistant prin-

cipal James Bankert. “I used to get applicants without a background in education; you would get people submitting to any job postings that they see, and they weren’t very good at working in schools. The few (applicants) we get now want to work in a school and have experience with students, which you wouldn’t be able to tell just from the numbers.”

According to Bankert, there are always a number of support staff positions open. He attributes this to the challenge of finding applicants willing to work only during the school year. The school is actively recruiting employees and updating job listings in hopes of filling the open positions.

Cafeteria Staff The school district witnessed a 20% decrease in cafeteria staff this year. According to Nutrition and Food Services Director David Preston, the district usually employs 50 cafeteria members, but currently only has 40.

Conestoga can no longer operate self-service bars due to COVID-19 restrictions, decreasing the need for hired help in that area. Preston moved two servers who would normally work at those positions to other schools, but it wasn’t enough to alleviate the lack of staff.

“The cook’s position (opened), and the staff member who used to work the salad

Hiba Samdani/The SPOKE

Filling in: Substitute teacher Michael Steinbrecher talks to a student during eighth period while covering for another teacher. Steinbrecher noticed a larger number of substitute assignments as the school year progressed, which he views as an opportunity to develop his own career in education. and pasta bar took that position,” Preston said.

The current staff has adjusted their work methods to accommodate for the shortage.

In elementary schools, the cafeteria switched to using disposable trays, while many staff members are working longer shifts to compensate for the missing general kitchen workers.

At the beginning of the school year, the district created ads in an effort to recruit staff in all departments. Preston recalls receiving many responses from potential employees who would abandon the interview.

“I’m all excited about interviewing six people, and then none of them show up or call,” Preston said.

“Here they were using me to show unemployment that they were filling out applications.”

To help with the limited labor, Preston works in the kitchen and at the cash register himself, something with

“Everyone is chipping in and doing what they can — including me, including my secretary,” Preston said. “They (the cafete-

the kitchen. National truck driver shortages have impacted the district’s food suppliers and led to delays in food delivery.

“We’ll have a food delivery scheduled for Wednesday, and we’ll get a call Wednesday morning. They’ll say, ‘We don’t have enough drivers — we’ll try to get there tomorrow,” Preston said. “And then we’ll have to figure out what we’re gonna have to do for lunch. It’s a crazy time.”

Despite the challenges, Preston and his staff endure.

“We’ll do whatever Nutrition and Food Services Director we’ll do to serve the kids. We haven’t not fed one child,” Preston said. “They (the cafeteria staff ) are chalwhich he is not usually tasked. ria staff ) take that same attitude, lenged and stressed at times, He has been working daily at but it wears them down.” but they are all about making the elementary schools alongThe problem with food ser- sure everyone gets through side his staff. vice shortages extends far beyond this together.”

Everyone is chipping in and doing what they can - including me, including my secretary.

(The cafeteria staff) takes that same attitude to work, but it wears you down.”

Ben Shapiro/The SPOKE

Checking out: A cafeteria worker watches as a student filters through the checkout line during lunch. During the pandemic, the district’s cafeteria staff downsized by 20% compared to previous years. The Food and Nutrition Services department plans to hire more employees in hopes of recovering to full capabilities.

David Preston

Special education facilities draw praise for new renovations Chanelle Ongagna Staff Reporter

The grand atrium and renovated tech labs might be the flashiest additions to the high school, but the new facilities of the life skills classrooms offer just as much to admire.

Complete with a kitchenette, washers and dryers, closet space and storage, and an inclass bathroom with a shower, the new space — tucked behind the atrium and art rooms — has inspired much excitement amongst teachers and students alike.

The life skills program, an arm of the special education program, offers students ready access to academic support and provides opportunities for practicing functional skills needed later in life, like doing laundry and washing dishes.

Special education teacher Michael DeVitis compares the new space to an apartment; he believes the renovations make learning more fun and easier for students. In previous years, he taught in multiple rooms, which created stress and diffi-

culty both for himself and his students who thrive off consistency and routine.

“It’s invigorating for both students and staff,” DeVitis said. “We’ve been able to just utilize things we haven’t had before and practice things we couldn’t before, in functional ways, which is how the students learn best.”

Social skills and language development teacher Madison Galanti also enjoys the close proximity of the different classrooms to each other. The special education classrooms run from room 1011 to 1015, making resources readily available in one defined area.

Galanti appreciates how much more she can do with her students using the new facilities. She believes students are equally eager about getting to use these resources for themselves. “(Seeing the renovations) was a good way to start the year off, especially after our last school year, because it was so crazy,” Galanti said. “The rooms are much bigger and more spacious. I can even set up different areas around the room, like a quiet reading space.

Or, I can have small tables at the back if we want to kind of sit together and have a group discus-

the front is a typical classroom, now with SMART Boards, cubbies and more storage space than be-

“I like how much thought went into how this space could best serve our students,” Galanti said.

Chanelle Ongagna/The SPOKE

Pastry chef: Special education teacher Madison Galanti helps a student bake a pumpkin pie in the kitchenette.

The kitchenette was added to help life skills students practice functional skills that are needed later in life. sion. There’s just lots of room for different kinds of instruction.”

Some of the classrooms are dual-purpose with a unique setup:

fore. However, one classroom now contains a kitchenette outfitted with washing machines, dryers, a refrigerator and a bathroom.

The students are similarly enthusiastic about the new space.

“The entire kitchen space is great,” one student said. “It re-

ally feels like a true life skills classroom. It is very comfortable with a nice view.”

The students enjoy the kitchen the most, since it allows them many opportunities to practice the life skills they learn in class.

“I like vacuuming and using the dishwasher,” another student said.

To DeVitis, one of the best things about the new facilities is how they promote cooperation and a team spirit amongst the students. He likes that their new resources allow them to continue participating in the school community, something he worried students wouldn’t be able to do as much, considering the new special ed classrooms’ distance from the rest of the building.

“I wouldn’t say we’re isolated from the group, but we also see less people so you have to make a conscious effort to be out there,” DeVitis said.

To these ends, the life skills program makes an effort to participate regularly in school events, including through their coffee cart initiative. The coffee cart, which is organized

and run by the special education department, gives life skills students a chance to use their new facilities for preparing and making beverages.

Simultaneously, it promotes interaction with the rest of the school. DeVitis believes the coffee cart’s success results from the department’s determination to remain active in the larger school community.

“Whether it be setting up, running the event, cleaning up afterwards — all those things — we are all in it together,” DeVitis said. “We all have a role and there is a really great sense of accomplishment.

Having the new space made that experience much, much easier and more efficient. We just kind of want to make sure we’re seen.”

Besides the opportunity to practice cooperation, DeVitis appreciates the various opportunities the new space offers staff and students. Even now, he says, the enthusiasm about the new space hasn’t worn off.

“Even though we’re still a part of Conestoga,” DeVitis said, “it feels almost like a completely new school.”

T/E LIFE

Monday, November 22, 2021

: Elegance Cafe Abby Carella

Multimedia Editor

Teacher Feature: Stephanie Matula Aditi Dahagam/The SPOKE

“Avatar” aficionado: World and U.S. History teacher Stephanie Matula holds a board with an Uncle Iroh quote from one of her favorite shows, “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” and a bobble-head Mulan Funko Pop.

Shrija Krishnan Staff Reporter

World and U.S. History teacher Stephanie Matula has always been a people person, a trait which would ultimately help determine her career. While Matula originally planned to pursue nutrition and dietetics, she realized her passion for history halfway through her sophomore year of college after taking history classes for fun. She also always knew she wanted to work with people, and after conducting a study involving kids, the idea of continuously working with them further fueled her decision to switch majors.

For Matula, college provided a culturally diverse environment — one she didn’t experience during her childhood.

“I went to the University of Pittsburgh for my undergrad degree, and I went to the University of Michigan for my Master of Education. I would say that those

were both wonderful experiences,” Matula said. “I would say that I grew up in an area that wasn’t super diverse, so experiencing more diversity in college was definitely a wonderful experience.”

As the co-advisor of SOAR (Students Organized for Anti-Racism) and the Asian American Culture Club, fostering such an environment at Conestoga is also important to her.

“I think it’s important to be that support, especially as a teacher. I know our school is demographically more diverse than I experienced growing up, but it still could use more support in that diversity,” Matula said.

Given the diversity present in Conestoga’s student body, Matula believes that history enables students to learn more about their respective backgrounds and cultures. She feels it is important to take the time to look at the corresponding historical aspects, and to understand how

that history may have had an influence on their identity.

“We all have our own identities and histories, and I think for myself, being someone who grew up in a biracial household, being someone who is adopted, it took a lot of time for myself to realize my identity, realize my culture, and tap into that,” Matula said.

“I think I did that in high school, and was really thankful for the teachers who helped me do that.”

Matula’s favorite aspect of teaching is working with students.

She enjoys being able to check in and joke around with her class.

She notes that each class has its own culture, and enjoys forming relationships with her students.

“As a teacher you get to know those kids, and get to know the vibe of the room. It’s being able to come to school everyday and know, this period is going to be really energetic, or even if the next period isn’t, they have some part of it that is

really fun and exciting to see,” Matula said.

In her free time, Matula enjoys hobbies ranging from sketching to rock climbing. As a “foodie,” she often explores coffee shops and cafes. She also enjoys hanging out with friends, and hosted virtual movie nights during quarantine.

Ultimately, Matula hopes students will develop an interest in learning from her class. She doesn’t expect anyone to become a history expert, but wishes students to continue to pursue their own passions, whether or not they have to do with history.

“If (students) find something that they’re interested in, do more research to be invested in it, but also take that time to reflect on yourself as a person and grow on your own identity,” Matula said. “And (it is important) to realize that even if you’re a student, you have the ability and capacity to make an impact in some way shape or form.”

Family-run and French-inspired local eatery, Elegance Cafe, smells of sweet pastries and fresh breads. Guests are greeted by a hand-chalked sign with the day’s specials: Chicken Spinach Rice and Veggie Veggie Soups with Lorraine, Spinach, and Tomato and Onion Quiches. A little smiley face is drawn into the Q of quiche — a small but welcoming detail. Offering both online and in-person ordering, Elegance’s menu includes everything from chocolate dipped butter cookies to chicken curry salad.

The Waldorf chicken salad is a fresh apple-y choice, even better served on one of Elegance’s buttery croissants. A lunch combo allowed for the addition of a cup of the special Chicken Spinach Rice soup — perfectly seasoned with no one ingredient overwhelmingly taking over the dish. A delicate melt-inyour-mouth spritzer cookie is hidden in the sandwich and soup box, making for a pleasant sweet surprise to balance out a savory meal. While not homemade, Elegance also serves deliciously salty kettle cooked chips that provide a nice crunch to any meal.

Pro tip: dip the potato chips

into the chicken and spinach soup; it’s amazing.

The hot chocolate, tasting very much like a Swiss Miss packet, wasn’t too bad: a nice classic drink, hard to mess up.

A fridge sits by the register with a variety of glass bottled drinks such as Snapple, Bai and Nantucket Juice. The menu also hosts

a handful of coffee drinks including frappes and cappuccinos.

The giant chocolate chip cookie, a personal favorite of mine, is a must order. It is perfect for sharing (also totally okay to eat alone) with its crispy edges, soft center and evenly spread chips. The elephant ear cookie, a French classic, is crunchy, sweet and beautifully shaped.

Behind a glass wall, employees hand-prepare everything right in front of you, certifying the “homemade” aspect of Elegance’s dishes. All baked goods, including the flakey soft croissant, are also made in-house. If seniors can manage to get out of the parking lot fast enough, the close-by cafe is the perfect cure for after-school hunger.

With two locations, one in Paoli open from 8 a.m - 4 p.m. on weekdays and one in Wayne open from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., Elegance serves as a great place to grab a quick lunch or sweet snack. Both locations close their doors by 3 p.m. on Saturday and remain closed all day on Sunday. All items ordered, including a croissant sandwich, a cup of soup, a bag of chips, two desserts and a hot chocolate, totaled less than $30.

Not too shabby for quickly served food of such high quality.

Elegance Cafe 15 Paoli Shopping Center, Paoli, PA 19301 Price: $$ Rating: Phone: 610-640-0404 Hours: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. on weekdays 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturdays

Abby Carella/The SPOKE

Tasty delights: The Waldorf chicken salad, filled with fresh crunchy apples, is one of Elegance Cafe’s specialties.

Served on a croissant alongside a buttery spritzer cookie, the dish was a must-order.

Building better bytes: Students host workshops Ben Reed

Staff Reporter As Conestoga continues to utilize technology in its curriculum and it becomes increasingly important to understand, students of T/E Middle School are starting to learn the basics of this technology and how to assemble it. The Computers for Kids club, a technology based service club, has the goal of preparing the young students of our community for this future.

The club has meetings for high school members along with workshops for middle school students. A variety of skills are taught at these workshops that deal with technology such as Raspberry Pi computers and the production of other computers with physical parts and hardware.

“What we try to do is use the technological resources we have available at the high school to try to educate others and also do good in the community through activities,” said co-president Amil Agrawal. “For example, workshops for middle schoolers and also teaching our members about computers and educating them on how they can make the world a better place using them.”

The workshops take place on random dates at T/E Middle School and last around an hour.

The first half of the club meeting consists of high school members presenting a PowerPoint to the younger students that goes over the basics. After the PowerPoint is through, the middle schoolers are divided into small

“So they’re going to get hands on with real world skills that they can actually use learning to build a computer with physical computer parts in hardware.”

For the middle school aged members of this club, it is an exciting opportunity to learn more about computers and how they actually work. For 8th grader Jake Foster, joining the club was a great way to increase his k n ow l e d g e about technology. For other students, there were other reasons they chose to join.

“I wanted to learn Computers for Kids Co-President more on how you can model more effigroups and assigned to a high ciently and also how this tech schooler. The small groups are stuff works.” said eighth gradthen able to get hands on with er Caleb Chong. the actual equipment.

Along with the workLast year, these workshops shops, the Computer for were forced to take place virtu- Kids clubs is hoping to get ally. Fortunately, this year they back to helping the commuare able to be held in person. nity in other ways as well in Co-president Aaron Grossman relation to technology. spoke on this change.

“We’re trying to bring back “We held our first (work- refurbishments with T/E Cares, shop)we did last year over (Mi- the charity where we go down crosoft) Teams, and this year is to the NOC center which is a a lot better because we can get building near the middle school (the middle schoolers) hands to refurbish donated laptops, on with actual physical hard- which we would then distribware instead of using a com- ute.” Grossman said. “We’re puter simulation shared screen hoping to bring that back after over Teams,” said Grossman. a year of virtual.”

So they’re going to get hands on with real world skills that they can actually use learning to build a computer with physical computer parts in hardware.

Aaron Grossman

Ben Reed/The SPOKE

Helping students: Senior Fernando Lucena demonstrates to the a small group of middle school students how to work with the hardware. The club went hands-on with actual hardware during their workshops.

November is

22

The most common genetic disorder you've never heard of.

Awareness Month

22q Facts

Common 22q Symptoms

Also known as 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome or Velocardiofacial Syndrome or DiGeorge Syndrome

Learning difficulties, especially with math and reading comprehension

Caused by a small missing piece of the 22nd chromosome

Weakness with abstract reasoning, which makes it tough to read an analog clock or handle money

Almost as common as Down Syndrome—it occurs in 1 out of 2,000-4,000 births

Low muscle tone, making PE and team sports harder

90% of cases occur randomly when neither parent has 22q

Social anxiety, which can look like extreme shyness Hypernasal speech (always sounding like you have a stuffy nose)

Awareness.

Education.

Connection.

@22qFamily @22qFamily @22qFamily www.22qFamilyFoundation.org

Hearing loss, making it harder to hear your teacher and to work in groups

T/E Life

Monday, November 22, 2021

5

Prom-inent memories: Senior Fall Ball held after a year of absence Abbie Preston Staff Reporter

On one side of Waynesborough Country Club’s ballroom, students jump up and down, screaming the lyrics to their favorite songs. Across the room, others select food from a table stretching the length of the dining room. Because of COVID-19 cancellations last year, the junior prom came back for this year’s seniors in the form of the Fall Ball on Nov. 1.

The planning process of the Fall Ball was ever-changing, due to the uncertainty with easing COVID-19 restrictions. The most significant adjustments were the change in date and venue.

Waynesborough was chosen to host the dance since it had indoor

and outdoor spaces. The indoor lounge area and ballroom were used as eating areas and an indoor space for students to interact. The outdoor space was the location of the dance floor, as well as several seating areas with fire pits.

The Fall Ball also followed COVID-19 regulations by requiring students to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result. Brooke Eidell, junior class adviser and dance coordinator, had to navigate the challenges of finding a venue that could follow the COVID-19 restrictions, and create an entertaining space.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had an event where we can have people gathered together, and we miss that so much here,” Eidell said. “I think it (was) a re-

ally great night just for the current seniors and their dates to be able to congregate together and enjoy some sense of normalcy for the first time in a couple years.”

As a result of creating an event that follows COVID-19 restrictions and creates an enjoyable atmosphere for attendees, tickets were priced at $95. Some students were frustrated about the ticket costs, limiting who could attend the dance. The high price of the tickets was a factor that kept senior Caroline Masson from attending.

“Especially for girls, we have to buy an expensive dress, do makeup, buy heels, buy jewelry, and to spend $95 is just not worth it,” Masson said. “I’d rather save my money for the spring prom.”

Drew Casparius, senior and attendee, thinks the high-priced tickets were worth the experience.

“The venue was definitely not cheap; they (the planning committee) had to pay for food and all the staffing, so they took over most of the country club. But, (the Fall Ball) only happens once,

so I guess the price was worth it,” Casparius said. “It would have been much better if the price was cheaper, but I understand the reasoning for it.”

Casparius also found the Fall Ball a necessary escape from the stresses of school and college applications for seniors.

“I think senior year is one of your last opportunities to really have a big group event in high school,” Casparius said. “It’s really good to see everybody one last time. It was also good just to take a little bit of stress off, and it’s November 1 and college apps are due, so people take that opportunity to relax a little bit.”

Adam Khalil, senior and attendee of the Fall Ball, thought that even though it was difficult to plan, the Fall Ball was an enjoyable event.

“I had a great time,” Khalil said. “There was plenty of food, lots of seating and (opportunities to) socialize with friends. I got to meet up with a lot of people that I don’t really see.”

Senior Johnny Papadopoulos, student council’s executive pres-

ident, believes it was important to have a Fall Ball, especially after the absence of a prom last year.

“Though it’s definitely been more complicated than other

events that student council’s had to plan, I’m glad that we’ve been able to overcome that, and that we’re finally able to have our prom event for the class to enjoy,”

Papadopoulos said. “It’s a fun recreational event where everyone can dress up and have a good time together instead of stressing about school.”

Abbie Preston/The SPOKE

Under the lights: Students mingle in the outdoor section of the event. The venue included a dance floor, photo booth and seating areas.

Abbie Preston/The SPOKE

Abbie Preston/The SPOKE

Rolling out the red: Seniors enter in style, walking up the red carpet into Waynesborough Country Club.

Dancing the night away: Students jam out to their favorite songs together on the dance floor. The dance committee set up the floor outside below a tent, with heaters placed on the ground to keep the attendees warm.

The horn of plentiful games: Cornucopia returns to in-person setup Madeline Pulliam Staff Reporter

Peer Mediation’s Cornucopia is back in person after a virtual 2020.

Traditionally held on the last day of school before Thanksgiving break, Cornucopia allows for students to relax and take a break from classes.

With games and activities spanning the entire school day, this year’s Peer Mediation members and advisers will use a combination of school locations to provide all students with a multitude of activities that fit their personal interests.

Cornucopia historically took place only in the gyms and included club fundraising as well as sports such as basketball and spikeball. Two years ago, the event expanded to include teachers’ classrooms to allow for teachers and clubs to share their hobbies with the

student body. This year, the Aerospace Engineering Club will launch a model rocket, and the K-Pop Dance Club will teach students choreography to popular songs and more. Using classrooms also quickens

es this year, such as outdoor areas and facilities acquired from the renovation project. The atrium will show movies and student films from StogaFilm, and outdoor activities will include cornhole and socializing with peers on the track.

“We’re still going to be following all the (COVID-19) guidelines that have been laid out for us in a normal school day, so I think having the atrium and teachers having bigger spaces in the addition allows us to give students more variety,” Strouse said.

Peer Mediation is planning virtual activities for teachers to share with their students including movies, escape rooms and Kahoots.

Senior These events will take place in teachers’ rooms find something they enjoy and during fifth and sixth periods to make for a smoother tranthey have a great day.”

Although students have the sition into lunch periods, acoption to participate in activi- cording to Adriana Bertolotti, ties throughout the school day, senior and executive director certain stations require stu- of Peer Mediation. “(Virtual activities are) dents to sign up beforehand.

For example, students must easier on our part, especially sign up to watch the Faculty because we had to figure out Pyramid, based on the game how the activities would run show “Pyramid,” in the audi- when some people were havtorium because it can only seat ing lunch and some people weren’t,” Bertolotti said.

400 people.

Junior Zach Rosan is excitAdditionally, Peer Mediation will extend into new spac- ed for Cornucopia this year “(Peer Mediation) recognizes that there’s a lot of students at Conestoga, and they have different likes and they want to do different things,” said Ashley Strouse, Peer Mediation adviser. “I’m hoping students

Everybody’s just absolutely thrilled that we can have (Cornucopia) in person this year.

Now that we are all here together and we are able to brainstorm it live, I just think that that’s such a game changer.”

because it gives him a chance to relax with friends for a day.

“The day before (Thanksgiving) break, everyone’s tired and there’s not going to be any tests that day hopefully. We’re just going to be able to — maybe not mess around — at the very least we get to hang out and play some games with friends,” Rosan said.

Ultimately, Peer Mediation wants to provide the student body with a stress-free break from classwork through Cornucopia. Senior and Peer Mediation member Sarah Moyer believes that the event is even more important this year because it is the first year that students have returned from distance learning.

“Everybody’s just absolutely thrilled that we can have (Cornucopia) in person this year. Now that we are all here together and we are able to brainstorm it live — I just think that that’s such a game changer,” Moyer said. “I really think people should start getting hyped up for this because the Peer Mediation team is absolutely going gangbusters.”

Sarah Moyer

the setup and cleanup of each event because teachers will individually organize their own classroom games.

info@thedefensivedrivingacademy.com

Cup of Dreams Coffee & Tea

Aditi Dahagam/The SPOKE

Game plan: Senior and Peer Mediation executive director Adriana Bertolotti delegates tasks to other peer mediators during a planning meeting. The club expanded Cornucopia offerings so all students can find activities that fit their interests.

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T/E Life

6

Monday, November 22, 2021

The plot thickens (left): Main character Christopher Boone, played by senior and co-lead actor Jared Bundens, makes a major decision in the play.

Telling the tale (below): Senior Sasha Reeder both guides Christopher’s adventure as a narrator and encourages him as a teacher.

Zach Rejonis/The SPOKE

Courtesy Megan Doyle

Prep, practice, perform Written by Kate Emmanuel, Co-Copy Editor Designed by Aditi Dahagam, Co-T/E Life Editor

Courtesy Tamara Rushby

Element of surprise (above): Senior and co-lead actor Thomas Dunlap (right) is given good news at the end of the play.

Immersed in the action (left): Senior and co-lead actor Jared Bundens and senior Max Shah rehearse a tense moment in the storyline between Chrisopher Boone and his father.

’Stoga Theatre presented the annual fall drama on Nov. 18, 19, and 20. The play is based on the novel “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” which is about a 15-year-old boy, Christopher Boone, who investigates the killing of his neighbor’s dog.

From math to astronomy, Boone is unusually talented in many areas of his life; however, he has his fair share of struggles too. The color yellow, strangers and physical contact with others all bother Boone. Although it is never explicitly stated, Boone is often interpreted as a character with autism.

In order to portray this character accurately, the cast of the fall drama attended a presentation from Conestoga’s autistic support teacher, Michael DeVitis. DeVitis focused on teaching actors how to treat people with autism during his presentation. He emphasized the value of making personal connections with others before making assumptions.

“My message was the importance of getting to know individuals, whether they have autism or not, and how important it is to learn about different people’s backgrounds, perspectives and experiences,” DeVitis said.

Although only seniors and co-lead actors Jared Bundens and Thomas Dunlap portrayed Christopher, the entire cast attended the presentation. The group of young actors were enthusiastic to learn about autism.

“When I met with the group, they were really welcoming and supportive, and I felt

like my message was heard,” DeVitis said.

“Although I shared what my experience has been working with individuals with autism, I think what was most impactful about my presentation is I (also) shared what an individual with autism faces from their point of view. That’s really what people need to walk away with.”

To further his own knowledge, Dunlap supplemented what he learned from the presentation with other perspectives.

“I read articles written by autistic actors online (about) things they do to be more authentic (in their performances) and things they worry about with neurotypical people playing autistic (characters),” Dunlap said.

For Bundens, there came a moment of understanding that in order to depict Boone as a multifaceted character, he would have to make a personal connection with the audience members.

“I eventually realized that (with my) acting, I had to choose a direction and develop it. I wasn’t playing autism personified — I was playing Christopher,” Bundens said.

Alongside making a connection with the audience members, another goal for the fall drama was to emphasize the importance of individuality.

“I hope the audience (came) away from this thinking that people shouldn’t be underestimated or overlooked,” Bundens said.

“And (I hope) even more that people (were) inspired by Christopher’s perseverance in overcoming his fears, discomforts, and the daunting world around him.”

Courtesy Megan Doyle

Teamwork makes the dream work (above): All students involved in the production of the play — the cast as well as the costume, deck, hair and makeup, lights, props and sound crew — pose for a group photo.

Courtesy Megan Doyle

T/E Life

Monday, November 22, 2021

k c a l B

7

Students share their opinions on Black Friday Shopping.

y a d i r F

Written by Brooke Kennedy, Staff Reporter Designed By Hiba Samdani, Co-Te Life Editor The Mall Fanatics

Junior Aayma Hamid Q: What are your thoughts on Black Friday?

A: I think Black Friday is a really cool concept because it’s kind of crazy how everything goes on sale, so you’re able to get a lot of things, and it’s not only in one category — it’s not only electronics or only clothes or shoes, it’s everything.

Q: Why do you prefer shopping at the mall?

A: I think actually going to the store and physically getting whatever you want to get

is more fun than just waiting for (purchases) to show up.

Each store has different sizes and stuff, so you can actually see what each store’s sizes are when you are there rather than having to return stuff.

A: I like to shop for the good deals and especially because of the holiday season coming up. I feel like most people would appreciate the deals be-

Q: Why do you shop on Black Friday?

A: I think it’s a nice way to get gifts for everyone and it’s preparation for the holidays. So if families have low income or lost a job recently it’s a great way for them to buy the things they need for the worst come in the winter. It’s a great way to expand your sociability skills and is a great way for money management, like preparing for college. It helps prepare you for the financials in that. It’s a time where everything is discounted and it’s a good time for us together to bond as a family.

Q: Where do you usually shop?

A: I normally go to the mall, so I like going to the clothing stores in the mall like H&M, Forever 21 and Pacsun, but I also do really like going to Sephora and Ulta because makeup is (normally) expensive. I also go to Best Buy a lot because my family always has something technological to get on Black Fridays so we’re always there.

Freshman Emma Arruda Q: Why do you shop on Black Friday?

Senior Roy Wu

cause during the holiday season you’re spending a lot of money for gifts for your siblings, friends, sometimes your kids or your partner.

Q: Where do you like to shop?

A: I prefer online shopping especially since the pandemic and it’s honestly just easier. I like Urban Outfitters, American Eagle and Garage. I just mostly shop for clothes. Sometimes I pay attention to deals like before they start to make

sure I know if I want anything specific. I like the good deals and I hate how fast things go.

Q: Do you think the deals are worth it?

A: I like to shop for the good deals and especially because of the holiday season coming up.

I feel like most people would appreciate the deals because during the holiday season you’re spending a lot of money for gifts for your siblings, friends, sometimes your kids or your partner.

Online Shopper

Q: What places do you usually shop?

A: Generally I like in-person shopping. I usually go to the Premium Philadelphia Outlets and go to stores like Nike, Under Armour, Puma, and Bed Bath and Beyond. I shop mostly for fashion. Also Apple and Microsoft. I usually research each different store to check if the product is good and in store.

I just look online to see if the product is good for me and if I’d want to buy it. At Apple, I can get new products for a cheaper price that my parents wouldn’t let me buy for a higher price so I can save for college funds.

Hybrid Shopper Senior Cooper Gardenhour Q: Where do you like to shop?

A: I like to shop at Amazon, Zumiez, Foot Locker and Vans. I love the aesthetic appeal of them. I saved $500 one time shopping on Black Friday. It was around 5 years ago, but it was mostly cases and electronics so off my purchase I saved a total of $500 dollars.

Q: What are your overall thoughts on Black Friday?

A: It’s a great idea because you can buy stuff for an extremely cheap price, it’s a great way to get business. I

actually shop on Cyber Monday as well. I’ll look at all the deals but I may not necessarily be going to buy something but I’ll definitely look. I’ll go online and look there for what I want, whatever I’m interested in. If I’m looking for clothes I’ll look at clothing stores. I look at what I need and see if I can find any deals.

Q: What is your favorite part of Black Friday?

A: It gives off such a great aesthetic vibe that I enjoy. I literally just like it because everything is cheap, nothing else about it and that

it brings business. Your $400 TV might be $200, so you’re saving $200 dollars.

Other people probably love the deals because everything’s cheap and businesses love it because it brings customers into the s\tores.

A lot of people like it because everything is on sale and you can get things for cheap. Some people may like the rush of running to the back of the store to grab the TV before anyone else.

Money Saver Sophomore Basil Lubiniecki Q: Why do you think people go Black Friday Shopping?

A: I think it’s a pretty good way to get some deals on certain items since a lot of stores slash everything in half. The discounts are a big plus to Black Friday and it’s a good way for people to get their Christmas shopping in just a month before so it’s good prep for Christmas shopping. You know how all the tag discounts look

Sophomore Basil Lubiniecki

identical; they’re all either red, yellow, or some sort of flashy color so I don’t see anything too different about any of the offers.

Q: Why do you not go Black Friday shopping?

A: I’m not really the kind of person who goes shopping a lot. I’ve helped my mom do a couple of online shopping things like back to school stuff and just looking for certain things we need

around the house, like batteries. Other than that I don’t really do much shopping besides, I guess, assistance. I never really get into the swing of shopping and also everyone’s crowding up stores so usually by the time you’re looking for something it’s already gone because someone’s taken it by the time it’s in store. You can get a pretty good offer in the middle of the year as well as on Black Fridays so I don’t think

that you have to wait for your shopping just so it’s on Black Friday, you could go discount shopping anytime of the year but like Black Friday is the pinnacle of discount shopping.

Some people might think it’s a scam, other people might say this is a great way to indulge in buying everything the store has to offer so that they can spend the least amount of money in the shortest amount of time possible.

OPINION

Monday, November 22, 2021

Toxic positivity: Too much of a good thing my mood and inspires me to make a change in my life.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, toxic positivity has only increased. The pandemic spawned account after account online that all spewed the same message: “Everything will be okay! Good things are right around the corner!” Both of these phras-

Devon Rocke

Co-Managing Editor “Your attitude is the only thing standing in your way!”

“Good vibes only!”

“Let go of everything that weighs you down!”

These are just a few of the “inspirational” quotes I have seen on social media promoting toxic positivity.

According to Psychology Today, toxic positivity “refers to the concept that keeping positive, and keeping positive only, is the right way to live your life.” However, having a positive mindset does not equate needing positivity in every single aspect of life.

Negative emotions are often justified, but toxic positivity invalidates these feelings.

When I am going through a rough patch and open my phone to see what my friends have sent to me over social media, I am bombarded with these useless “positive affirmations” that often sour my mood even more. Seldom do I find a positive message online that actually improves

es reference the future instead of focusing on the present. Instead of only focusing on the good that might come in the future, we need to em-

brace the idea that not feeling not okay is okay. The belief that good things are to come may be true, but in the midst of a time of uncertainty, reinforcing this idea makes it more of an empty promise than an uplifting phrase.

Medical News Today states, “Not acknowledging (negative) emotions means

gry, to stress just as much as we are allowed to be happy and relaxed.

Instead of preaching only positivity and placing a stigma behind feelings that are labeled as “negative,” we should teach healthy coping mechanisms to help people when they inevitably find themselves in negative situations. For example, reaching out to others, giving themselves time to process what they are feeling, taking up self-care and other healthy coping mechanisms that are catered to them.

Although straying from toxic, constant positivity is necessary, this change shouldn’t mean switching to a solely negative mindset. Both positivity and negativity are destructive when one greatly outweighs the other. Striking a balance between the two is a crucial part of leading an emotionally healthy life.

Positivity shouldn’t simply be a default setting on our feelings. Yes, we need to allow ourselves to look on the bright side, but sometimes there is no Katherine Zhang/The SPOKE silver lining to a situation. ignoring the action they can In those instances, we need to inspire. Moreover, failing process how we feel and find to talk about them will not a healthy way to cope rather make them go away.” We are than suppressing emotions allowed to grieve, to be an- that are just as valid.

Unsigned: Feeding frenzy “Clean up! Clean up! Everybody, clean up!” security guard Charles Davenport bellows over a loudspeaker during the lunch cycles, hoping to prompt students to clear the remnants of their meals.

Unfortunately, several students have already left the cafeteria to rush to their next class, leaving behind quite the undesirable situation: leftovers and garbage accumulating each lunch period.

Every which way in the cafeteria, you can find the staples lying on the floor: worn masks, crushed grapes and used wrappers. The once inviting space now teems with staff members who watch students like hawks, expecting to finally catch the culprits in action. Due to inconsiderate students using the floor as an alternative to the numerous trash bins, locations in which we can eat have become jam-packed, unsanitary and overly chaotic.

As the year has progressed, available lunch locations like the atrium, small gym and room 142 have slowly decreased, resulting in hundreds of sweaty bodies crammed into the cafeteria. If about 500 unmasked teenagers sitting atop piles of squashed leftovers sounds alarming, it’s because it is!

The cafeteria and room 142 being the only indoor locations we’re allowed to eat in is a recipe for disaster.

Every day, the Olympic race to the lunch tables determines who will obtain an optimal space to eat, since empty spots are limited by the time most students enter the cafeteria. Several questions occupy

The options are two-fold: sit right outside of the cafeteria beneath the overhang (a space too small to maintain remotely any social distancing regulations) or inside of the cafeteria among the masses. Inside, there exists both those minding their business and those who unfortunately seem to be having a little too much fun at our expense. Though both the options sound unappealing, we have no other choice!

Most of us abide by the inferred rules: throw away your trash, put chairs back where you found them and avoid leaving parts of your sandwich on the floor. For the rest of us, correctly disposing of our garbage may potentially open more lunch locations (by building trust Yuting Pu/The SPOKE with the administrathe students’ minds as they walk to tion) and consequently create a their locations: Does this table have more sanitary lunch experience. enough room for all participants?

I understand — catapulting plasAre we socially distanced enough? tic bottles or leaving your trash for How do I find a table to avoid the the next lunch cycle may offer temairborne plastic water bottles that porary amusement. But, do we resome students throw at each other? ally want to eat in the overcrowded To avoid the chaos that en- cafeteria as we slowly approach the sues within the cafeteria everyday, colder months? Do we really want to many students decide to sit out- wait until empty tables are available, side. But, a question still lingers: awkwardly overseeing students as what will happen when the weather they frantically finish their last bites? gets colder, making outdoor spacIf not, the solution is simple: es unbearable for most people? just clean up after yourselves.

The Spoke Editorial Board voted unanimously in favor of this article.

A case against the ban of video games

Umar Samdani Leon Li/The SPOKE

From the Editor: Apply now!

SATIRE

plying for. We know that our deadline has already passed, but it’s not too late to apply!

A 5,000-word Why Us essay: Tell us why YOU want to dedicate your entire life to OUR school!

A 10-character description of your favorite pizza A 1,000-word What Major essay: From our extensive list of Katherine Lee, Sophia Pan, Reese Wang two majors, tell us what YOU Co-Editors-in-Chief want to study at our school! (We will prepare you for any career!

From: Gimmick University Did you know that our students To: conniestoga@gmail.com go on to become everything Reese Wang Bcc: Every other high school se- from adults to senior citizens?)

Co-Managing Editor nior in the nation Subject: You’ve been selected to Here are more reaapply to our school! sons to choose Gimmick: Date: Nov. 22, 2021, 3:48 a.m.

Our campus has been specially designed for your success!

Dear Connie, We have new buildings, dining It’s a great time to be a student halls and a student center. How at Gimmick University, but your do we stand out from every othtime is almost up. The deadline is er school in this country? Well, rapidly approaching, and we want we have a curriculum and coursYOU — yes, you, a nonymous stu- es and professors. And bagels! dent we only know about through Not just that, but Gimmick test scores and mailing lists — to will meet 100% of your demonapply to Gimmick University. strated financial need! Even Come be our special snowflake: though we rake in exactly no We are unique. You are also money every year and offer a unique. We want to hear from you! grand total of zero scholarships of Here are our application re- any kind, don’t worry about your quirements, due on Nov. 1 for wallet. In fact, we’ll even toss in a Early Decision, to which we special offer: click HERE to claim just know you are zealously ap- your 5% application fee waiver!

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Co-Managing Editor Concerned about the well-being of their communities, legislators are looking to restrict the sale of violent video games such as “Halo” and “Red Dead Redemption,” citing their glorification of gore and inappropriate messages. However, a videogame ban is not only a fruitless endeavor but also an illegitimate mandate.

In February 2021, Illinois State Representative Marcus Evans declared his intention to ban the sale of electronic video games promoting human-on-human violence to all ages.

An article by The Kansas City Star cites Evans’s emphasis on prohibiting “Grand Theft Auto” (GTA) — a game, according to Evans, directly related to Chicago’s increasing carjacking rates in recent years.

While embarking on this groundless quest, Evans neglects the foundational disconnection between the virtual and real world. In a virtual Los Angeles — the bustling setting of one of the “GTA” games

Staff

Editors-in-Chief: Katherine Lee, Sophia Pan, Reese Wang Managing Editors: Devon Rocke, Umar Samdani News Editor: Evan Lu T/E Life Editors: Aditi Dahagam, Hiba Samdani Opinion Editor: Aishi Debroy Sports Editors: Abby Bagby, George Zhang Photography Editor: Maya Shah Multimedia Web Editor: Alexis Costas Beats Editor: Jui Bhatia Business Manager: Michael Tierney Webmasters: Nishka Avunoori, Shreya Vaidhyanathan Social Media Editor: Abby Carella Copy Editors: Kate Emmanuel, Ben Shapiro

regularly will not slowly deteriorate one’s mental health.

Taking legal action against a form of media also has constitutional concerns. The action of banning video games violates the

This benefit does not mean that overtly violent video games are innocuous: an overexposure to any sort of entertainment at a premature age can impair social development. In particular, according to a study conducted by Harvard Health, playing violent video games has led children under 10 to have increased nightmares and decreased school performance. After this age threshold, however, these drawbacks cease to exist, indicating that video games are no more harmful than gruesome movies or TV shows. In addition, many of these pointed studies neglect a confounding variable: pre-existing mental health issues. There may be a third factor, such as economic stability or parental abuse, that contributes to both video-game abuse and increased aggression.

If legislators wish to reach a middle ground with young gamers, an essential third party needs to be introduced: the child’s guardian.

Everybody matures differently, and only a responsible caregiver can accurately determine if their child is mentally prepared for advanced content. As authoritative guardians, parents should also discuss potentially confusing or frightening material beforehand, eliminating the “shock effect” following first exposure. This way, they are Yuting Pu/The SPOKE working with, rather than er games are more adept at spatial reasoning, impromptu against, video game developers decision-making and problem who aim to suit a broader audience.

Collaboration, not legislasolving. If we ban video games, we sacrifice unrecognized poten- tion, is the most efficient way to tial for engaging mental exercise. level up the gaming experience.

First Amendment right to free speech: video games, a medium for creativity, innovation and community-building, are protected from restriction by federal and state legislation. If Evans is able to materialize his proposal, he sets a dangerous precedent for other media forms: television shows, graphic novels, and blockbuster movies would all become susceptible to restriction.

There’s evidence to prove that electronic games — especially with first-person shooters such as “Call of Duty” — actually have beneficial effects for the developing brain. A study conducted

by University of Geneva neuroscientist Daphne Bavelier shows that teenagers who play shoot-

SORRY, WE MISsPoke

In the October issue, on page 4, Mr. Davey should be introduced as Justin Davey — his full name.

On page 6, the “New Teachers” heading should be titled “New Staff” because not all members in the graphic are teachers.

On page 8, the cartoon for “You’re never too late to trick-or-treat” is misattributed to Yuting Pu. The correct cartoonist is Sophia Pan.

The Spoke is published seven times a year by Trumball Printing. It consistently receives a Gold rating from PSPA and CSPA, and is a National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker award-winning publication. The Spoke serves as a public forum for student expression.

The

— a player can steal a civilian’s car with the tap of a button. Carjacking in the palpable Los Angeles is not nearly as straightforward or successful: according to the 2010 National Crime Victimization Survey, more than half of all attempted “car-heists” in the U.S. failed.

In fact, despite popular belief, playing video games has minimal correlation with enhanced aggression. A study conducted by Massey University showed that playing violent video games had negligible long-term consequences on developing a hostile temperament. There’s also no evidence for an accumulation of negative impacts — playing games

, Cartoonists: Leon Li, Yuting Pu, Charity Xu, Katherine Zhang Staff Reporters: Rohan Anne, Kaitlin Campbell, Mareska Chettiar,

Brianna Fan, Melissa Fan, Aren Framil, Andrew Franceski, Julia Harris, Oviya Ignaci, Hannah Jamison, Akshita Joshi, Brooke Kennedy, Howard Kim, Shrija Krishnan, Grace Kuryan, Rhea Malik, Amanda Markind, Caius Michlitsch, Chanelle Ongagna, Abbie Preston, Madeline Pulliam, Ben Reed, Zachary Rejonis, Raima Saha, Zara Samdani, Soumya Sathyanarayana, Hannah Simon, Aashita Singh, Becky Tang, Aaron Wang, Mindy Wang, Juliana Yao Faculty Advisers: Alison Ferriola, Cyndi Crothers-Hyatt, Nicole Zakorchemny

Non-staff contributions: Non-staff contributions from students, the community, graduates or other interested parties are welcome. Editors will decide which contributions are published based on space and relevance to the community. All contributions must conform to journalistic practices, including accuracy, timeliness, purpose and writing conventions. The Spoke reserves the right to work with the contributor to meet these standards. All outside contributions are bylined.

Letters to the editor: Letters to the editor may be submitted to Editors-in-Chief Katherine Lee, Sophia Pan and Reese Wang, or advisers Cyndi Crothers-Hyatt, Alison Ferriola, and Nicole Zakorchemny.

Editorials: Unsigned editorials represent the views of The Spoke editorial board, not necessarily those of the administration, student body, community or advertisers. The opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not necessarily the opinion of The Spoke.

Paid advertisements: The Spoke accepts paid advertisements. Email hello@spoke.news.

www.spoke.news @thespoke @thespoke /thespoke the_spoke hello@spoke.news

c

OP/ED

Monday, November 22, 2021

9

Halted in the hallway: A guide to walking properly guessed it, walk on the right side of the hallway. Blimey, those bloody Brits just don’t seem to get it!

Aditi Dahagam T/E Life Editor

One step forward, 10 steps back — this is what walking in the halls feels like because of these people...

The Sprinter For most of us, the school bell signals the end of class, but for the sprinter, that bell is a starting gun.

These students run out the door before the teacher can say, “Shoot!

We’ll go over the answers tomorrow.” They’re zooming through the halls, weaving in and out between people. Despite their remarkable route optimization skills and exceptional speed, they somehow walk into their next class five minutes late.

The Brit In the U.S., we drive on the right side of the road, walk on the right side of a city sidewalk and, you

Chatty Cathy Just when you look forward to getting some peace after a monotonous 42-minute U.S. history lecture, Chatty Cathy shows up to screech inconsequential information down your ear. And if you think you can politely ask them to stop talking, think again: they never shut up. “Saved by the bell” has never been more true.

The Freshman With a map in hand, enormous backpack digging into their shoulders and petrified look on their face, the freshman treks through the halls for the first couple weeks of school. These lost souls are condemned to wandering the school while complaining about their first all-nighter — till 9 p.m. By the third month, they might have figured it out… well, not really. Maybe we should reinstitute kindergarten line leaders? If so, I call caboose.

The Tech Addict These people can turn a five-minute passing break into a one-song concert, SMS town hall meeting or online shopping spree.

They “only” need their phone,

The Crammer If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. If life gives you a passing break before class, squeeze every last second into whipping through Quizlet flashcards or

lug their textbook around the whole day.

The Man on a Mission Speed walking, cutting people off and mentally cursing at

The Sleepwalker You can find the sleepwalker in its natural habitat by following the subtle aroma of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee snaking through the hallways. It will instantly stand out with its pajama-clad appearance, massive eye bags and terrible case of bedhead.

These sleep-deprived people are “so exhausted,” but not tired enough to not brag about how they only got two hours of sleep the night before.

The Oversharer “OMG Sarah! I had this huge blister on my foot last night, and when I popped it, all this pus came out. It was guh-ross!” No one wants to overhear the oversharer’s toe wart misadventures on their way to lunch. Kiss your appetite goodbye if you ever walk behind, in front or really anywhere within a 5-mile radius of one of these people.

Katherine Zhang/The SPOKE

AirPods, laptop, calculator, pager, WALKMAN and typewriter. Even if you notify them of their obscene number of devices, their Bose QC35 noise-cancelling headphones will drown out your pleas.

skim-reading a SparkNotes summary. This philosophy is the telltale sign of a crammer. While most of them use their phone to study, some are so devoted to their straight A cause that they’ll

the people walking at a socially acceptable pace in front of them is the name of the game for these people. Slow down, 007 — third period Spanish isn’t going anywhere.

Have an epiphany after reading this? Use it to become one step ahead of the crowd (pun intended) — the hallways are communal, so let’s be mindful of the people around us. And if you thought the halls were bad, don’t even get me started on the staircases.

Report Card Fall Ball + an enjoyable alternative to last year’s cancelled junior prom

A

- students unleashing their impulses after being restricted for so long = treating ceilings like monkey bars

F

AstroWorld + Travis Scott is being sued for over $750 million - deaths & injuries of several young fans; the youngest was only 9 years old

All Too Well song/short film

A+

+ “talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique” - 15 minutes of content is not enough...

Infrastructure Bill passed “I don’t like it when people walk too slowly, especially in groups. It makes getting to class slower.”

“When people walk too slowly, it really bothers me. I’m trying to get somewhere, and they’re walking slowly and jamming up the entire hallway.

- Adam Song,

+ plans for progressive climate policy and improved infrastructure

- Vivian Dong,

freshman

B

- too many compromises and inefficiences

sophomore

STUDENTS SPEAK OUT

Eternals + great representation in Hollywood!

Q: What are your biggest hallway pet peeves?

a

- the plot seems a bit rushed at times

“My least favorite type of people in the hallway are people who either just stop and don’t really go anywhere (or) try to reroute themselves by turning around way too quickly and (don’t) pay attention to the people behind them.”

“When people just decide to stop out of nowhere, it bothers me. I also don’t like when people enter the stairwell from the left side when they should be entering from the right side.”

Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson dating?!

- Alex Stern,

- Lily Ukpere,

+ gives both celebrities a chance to get over their ex-partners

senior

junior

B

- To say the least, this is quite unexpected...

The cure to late night studying

Shreya Vaidhyanathan Co-Webmaster

We’ve all been there: it’s way past midnight and you’re practically falling asleep, but you have to get this essay done.

Even though you’re yawning between every sentence, you resolve to stay awake. Instead of losing out on sleep and struggling your way through homework at two in the morning, here’s another option: going to sleep early and finishing homework in the morning. And I’m not talking about sleeping from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.; when I plan to wake up at 4 a.m. to do work, I am usually in bed by 8 p.m.

While many high schoolers stay up to finish their homework, resulting in three to five hours of sleep, sleeping and waking up early is a better alternative to staying up. According to research conducted at MIT, “productivity is higher in the morning than the afternoon,” and

this phenomenon can be utilized to complete more work within a shorter time period. Working on a well-rested mind makes the process much easier and eliminates the possibility of running on too little sleep.

My process is simple: on days that I go to sleep early, my alarm is set anywhere from 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. the next morning. A study at Penn State found that because our brain is already active during the day, the full extent of our cognitive function is impaired by nightfall, meaning that doing

Snapchat stories or Instagram posts. You are ready to go into work mode as soon as you wake up, and your subconscious is simply not awake enough to be distracted by notifications from the night before. Although I don’t do anything differently while actually studying, the illusion of being the only person awake makes it much harder to get distracted.

Waking up that early also comes with an intrinsic motivation — a kind of pressure that pushes you to stay productive. You don’t want waking up at 4 a.m. to

schoolwork in the morning is both healthier and more productive than late nights.

In the early morning, the amount of distractions decrease exponentially: no new texts,

have been in vain, so you automatically use the time more efficiently than you would if you had stayed up until 2 a.m. After a full day of activities, you are bound to get distracted or sleepy; between

Charity Xu/The SPOKE

power naps and FaceTimes, uninterrupted work is nearly impossible past midnight.

To use this study habit effectively, make everything as easy as possible to get started with work immediately in the morning.

Whether that means opening your math textbook to the right page, or having “Scarlet Letter” bookmarked and on your bedside table, having your to-do’s for the next morning laid out will make your life so much easier.

These simple preparations make it so that all you have to do in the morning is your actual homework, rather than wasting time on planning or flipping pages.

Although waking up early has its benefits, some might point out the tendency in teenagers to be “night owls,” staying up and sleeping in. Important as circadian rhythm is, school starts much too early to be consistent with waking up in the late morning anyway, so getting eight hours of sleep should be prioritized. No matter the recommended sleep cycle for adolescents, staying up does not allow you the necessary amount of sleep.

Ultimately, homework time from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. will be infinitely more productive than from midnight to 3 a.m. If you want more sleep and increasingly productive work time, try setting your alarm for 4 a.m. just once to see if doing homework in the morning works better for you. There isn’t a one size fits all solution, but getting more sleep and spending overall less time on homework might be worth getting in bed before nine.

Mend misleading media

Alexis Costas

Broadcast/Podcast Editor More likely than not, you’re familiar with performative activism: activism done for one’s personal gain rather than for the cause itself. Most people know someone who watched one show or movie about complex issues like racism, classism, etc. and then became an “activist,” for a couple weeks. Regardless of their intent, the increase in people who rely solely on TV and movies for their social justice education is alarming, and calls for a reminder that entertainment media should not be viewed as guides for serious social change.

Take Netflix’s gory K-Drama “Squid Game,” for example.

Hopeful anti-capitalists took to Twitter celebrating the hit show, calling it “exactly what the world needs to hear” and “a beacon of progress,” garnering thousands of likes and retweets in response. When a show

is inspiring themed labor union protests and country music parodies sung on SNL, it’s safe to say that the general public’s takeaway is not a serious one. The show served its purpose, and now its popularity has dwindled, along with the viewers and critics who boldly claimed the show’s success indicated major economic reforms to come.

“Squid Game” is not alone in this weakness. Its most popular predecessor, “The Hunger Games” franchise, generated a similar response: widespread fame, fans

inspired by the series’ messages of economic disparity and eager for reform, followed by zero impactful change. No matter how popular an entertainment franchise is, viewers won’t walk away from it prepared to

actively participate in social reform movements. Internet users point to fruitless discussions and performative rally cries as signs that progress is being made, distracting from the fact that nothing has truly changed.

However, entertainment media is still capable of promoting positive social effects.

Proper representation in film and television gives discriminated groups characters they can relate and look up to. Also, these franchises often foster communities and safe spaces. While it is an excellent piece of media, “Squid Game” has done nothing to help families skirting the poverty line. Content made for the purpose of entertaining fails to improve the lives of the people who need help most, no matter how powerful the messages are.

What quality entertainment film and television can do is introduce people to social issues they may be passionate about in an accessible format.

From there, it’s up to individuals to decide if they want to become more informed, or pursue activism. Reading books by experts, Leon Li/The SPOKE taking courses, listening to speeches and getting involved with local organizations are great ways to become educated on social issues. Once that foundation is laid, it’s possible to take meaningful action and make a true difference.

Charity Xu/The SPOKE

Sports

Monday, November 22, 2021

10

Hacky sack league kicks off once again Caius Michlitsch Staff Reporter

What may seem like a new trend is sweeping through the courtyard. The muffled thunk of a hacky sack being kicked by a circle of students has become commonplace.

The hacky sack league has become a lighthearted pastime for many, bringing a positive feeling to students who participate.

“It (the hacky sack league) was created for a nice pastime to just spend time with your friends outside and get some exercise in, you know.

It’s just like a fun little game,” senior Alex Harris said.

Hacky sack’s history at ’Stoga dates back to the game’s first burst of popularity in the early 1970s.

Hacky sack is a relatively simple sport to learn, played by someone beginning the game by dropping a bag of sand or small pellets, which an opposing player returns with their foot. The game is then continued by keeping the bag off the ground using only feet, with the player who misses the bag first being dubbed “out” if playing an elimination round. After kicking the bag three times, players may also catch the bag and throw it at an opposing player. If an opponent is hit, they are out.

Hacky sack had largely fallen dormant among students before being revived by seniors Ryan Schappell and Ty Sanders. With hacky sack’s friendly environment appealing to students returning from the extended shutdown, participation has been high. Players had floated the idea of making the hacky sack league an official school club, however the

school denied their request.

Hacky sack is primarily played during third and eighth periods, though it is not atypical to find students playing during lunch and free periods. Most competitors are seniors; however, there are participants from all grades.

Senior Jimmy Marturano can frequently be found playing during his seventh and eighth period free period among his friends. He started playing to socialize, encouraging others to join them “It helps me (find relief ) from all the stress I have from school and some of my classes, and it’s a good way to end the day,” Marturano said.

League-play adds an element of friendly competition to the classic game. The league’s Instagram page, @stogasack, posts weekly rankings for each player. Senior Peter Detwiler led the pack during the first three weeks but was overtaken by senior Ty Sanders in week four. Sanders was barely trailing Detwiler before his week four performance, he ranked second in weeks two and three.

“The committee voted that I’m actually ahead of (Peter) now but to do that I had to just win a bunch of games last week and just play pretty well,” Sanders said.

The league also awards “Hydro Flask Player of The Week” alongside the rankings at the end of each week to a standout player. Detwiler received the award at the end of week two, followed by senior Joey Cantando in week three, then Sanders in week four.

“For anyone that has third free and wants to come and play,” Sanders said. “We’re here every single day, so it’s open for everyone to come and play.”

Evan Lu/The SPOKE

Michael Tierney/The SPOKE

Saving the day: Sophomore goalie Greta Steege jumps to save a shot in a district playoff game against Council Rock North. The girls won the game 2-0, advanced in the playoffs and played in the state final on Friday, Nov. 19 in Hershey.

Keeping it safe: Sophomore goalie duo dominates Michael Tierney

Business Manager Despite losing their starting senior goalie before the season due to an injury, the girls’ varsity soccer team managed to attain a 12-3-2 record and is looking to compete for the state championship. While every player made an important contribution to the team, this season of success can be most directly attributed to a duo of sophomore goalies stepping up and performing remarkably well.

Senior Heidi Amin, set to start as a goalkeeper for the Pioneers this fall, broke a finger during preseason and has been in the recovery process for the majority of the season. As a result of this incident, coach Ben Wilson called up two sophomore goalies, Greta Steege and Katie Klai-

ber, to fill in for Heidi’s absence.

Wilson has alternated Steege and Klaiber at goalie throughout the season and they have not disappointed. Capitalizing on their playing time, they are pioneering the team’s successful season, having allowed only 16 goals in including six shutouts.

“Playing goalie on varsity opened up an opportunity for me to go and take (Amin’s) spot. She was on varsity last year and I was on JV, so it gave me a segue onto the team,” Steege said.

Amin has served as a mentor for the sophomores and played a major part in their development as goalkeepers. Klaiber especially saw a benefit in working with her injured teammate.

“With Heidi’s advice and guidance, she helped us to adjust and adapt to the new field and tougher opponents,” Klaiber said. “I owe a lot to Heidi; she (is) a great

role model for the both of us.”

Although Steege and Klaiber have eight and six years of experience as a goalie respectively, they both had a large adjustment to playing at the varsity level. Transitioning from JV to varsity at such an unexpected pace, both girls were forced to adapt to the faster pace of the game.

“It was a bit hard in the first game: I was a bit nervous, but eventually I settled into a routine, found my rhythm and I’ve (gotten) used to it,” Steege said.

“You just have to bounce back from mistakes — can’t let it get in your head — and your teammates will be there to support you through it all.”

Both sophomore goalies are grateful for this opportunity and believe it has significantly helped them enhance their athletic prowess. Practicing every day at the varsity level has improved

Michael Tierney/The SPOKE

Kicking off: Sophomore goalie Greta Steege punts the ball out to her teammates. This was Steege’s first complete shutout in goal. their game a great amount, and Wilson is proud of how they have performed. He is optimistic about the future of the team and believes that Steege and Klaiber will be strong assets to the squad in upcoming years.

“They both stepped up really

well,” Wilson said. “Greta and Katie are always neck-and-neck with each other, and they’ll be duking it out the next couple of years. Having two sophomores to be consistent for us the next couple of years is a big, big advantage for us.”

District looks to add new athletic fields campus Caius Michlitsch/The SPOKE

Fun times: Sophomore Kyle Friend kicks the sack to continue the game. Students revived the game this fall.

Courtesy School Board

Project planning: The plans released by the school board includes primary additions of a softball diamond and two turf fields. The district purchased the Doyle-McDonnell nursery after they expropriated the land by right of eminent domain.

Abby Bagby

Co-Sports Editor With the recent renovations to the schoolhouse, the district is now looking to expand another area — the athletic facilities.

While the school board has not yet held the vote to confirm the expansion plan, the potential options for athletic additions were released. They include a new softball diamond and two rectangular turf fields, set to be built on land acquired by the district from Doyle and McDonnell Nursery. The primary goals of the renovations are to increase the number of athletic teams using onsite fields, lessen the amount of practices held late in the evening, and allow the field space to meet increased school enrollment.

Athletic Director Kevin Pechin believes that the additional fields are necessary and beneficial for numerous sports.

“I think the rectangular fields are like the Swiss Army knife of all athletic fields, because they can be lined for basically every field that we need. We also are including the softball field — softball, right now, is our only varsity field team that is renting a grass field,” Pechin said.

“So getting the softball diamond up here was really top of the list, and then working the other fields in amongst that softball diamond.”

Junior Ella Bass feels that the addition of the softball diamond is needed to provide the softball program with an opportunity equal to that of the baseball program.

“I would rather have practice at the school just for convenience, but also, the baseball team has a school field — JV (baseball) doesn’t, but that’s like equating women’s sports to JV boys sports, (which is) pretty frustrating,” Bass said.

Head field hockey coach Regan Marscher states that the added fields, and therefore earlier practice times, would be of benefit to the mental health of many student-athletes due to a more balanced extracurricular schedule.

“I think it’s really important to address that if our athletes are coming home earlier, they have more time to connect with their families. They can potentially sit down and have a meal. Right now, we’re asking them to go home, get some homework in, (and) come back to school from 6-7:30. It’s a mess,” Marscher said.

Head lacrosse coach Amy

Orcutt believes that additional fields are vital for the program, as the JVB team had several practices cancelled due to a lack of practice space for the varsity and JVA teams.

“It’s not fair to the kids in our JVB program that they don’t get the opportunity to practice and play as much as the varsity and JVA,” Orcutt said. “So I feel very strongly as a coach to have them

have the same opportunity as everybody else in our program, and that is why we need more fields.”

Pechin hopes that new, onsite fields will add a lively environment to the teams and the school.

He feels that the presence of various sports, all having the opportunity to run practice at the same time, will have a positive impact on the overall athletic program.

“Gosh, I can’t wait till a beau-

tiful fall day, where we have field hockey, soccer, football, all going at the same time — a beautiful Saturday, where we can have everybody here, and you can sort of pick and choose the activity that you want to go to. And it’s all onsite,” Pechin said. “It’s just gonna be a great feel. You know, when you have something that’s onsite and everyone can be here, it just creates a great atmosphere.”

Sports

Monday, November 22, 2021

11

playoff pioneers Designed by Reese Wang, co-editor-in-chief

HIGHLIGHT REEL The latest developments in sports.

ROWS

Girls and boys crew competed at the annual Head of the Schuylkill Regatta over the weekend of Oct. 30.

SCORES

A look at progress so far this year Updated as of 11/17. For updates on boys and girls soccer, follow @thespoke on Instagram.

Seniors Charlie Smith, Colin Wurth, Sebastian Tis and Simeon Dorsey made the boys soccer All-Central League first team. Seniors AJ Nordone and Lorenzo Vargas-Clarke made the second team. Freshman Brady Costin and senior Jayce Tharnish received honorable mentions.

KICKS

girls tennis district 1, state champions

Seniors Abigail Klebe and Haleigh Wintersteen made the girls soccer All-Central League first team.

Senior Megan Daly made second team.

RACES

Senior Michael Baumgardner made boys cross country All-Central League second team. Senior Vicente Peña and sophomore Shane Walsh received honorable mentions.

RUNS

Junior Julia Harris and senior Molly Ryle made the girls cross country All- Central League first team. Senior Ella Warkentine made second team, and junior Natalie Haracz received an honorable mention.

HONORS

Boys Soccer District 1 champions State Finals: 11/19

Senior Sebastian Tis received the All-Central League Boys Soccer Most Valuable Player award.

COMPETES

Sophomore Rishi Srivastava competed at the 2021 U.S. Junior Squash Championships.

George Zhang/The SPOKE

Starting strong: Senior AJ Nordone dribbles past a defender at an Oct. 2 game against Central Bucks West High School. The team advanced to the state final in Hershey.

field hockey DISTRICT 1 CHAMPION STATE SEMIFINALISTS

Abbie Preston/The SPOKE

Swift scores: Senior Lily Wolfe fights for the ball at an Nov. 9 game against Kennett High School. The team lost a hard fought battle to Central Bucks West on 11/16, concluding their season.

Freshman sets the pace for cross country Akshita Joshi Staff Reporter

Breaking personal records, placing high at meets and ranking top seven in the team are all feats Lizzie Gares never expected to accomplish within her first year on the cross country team. The only freshman on the varsity cross country team this year, Gares has excelled throughout the season with many personal and team triumphs. Viewing running as a mere hobby when COVID-19 lockdowns first went into effect, Gares never considered running competitively on her high school team.

“I did start (running) in January 2020, but I really got into it from the spring track season in eighth grade. My dad got me into it because he runs a lot, and I started going on runs with him just for fun,” Gares said. “He really is my role model for the sport and is the reason why I am on the team today.”

This year, Gares has placed among the top seven on the ’Stoga team and her recent triumphs include placing first at two of the Central League meets this year, third at the Six Flags race and fourth at the Cherokee Challenge.

While having broken many personal records and ranking high at meets this season, these achievements did not come easy for Gares.

“Sometimes it can get very mentally and physically challenging because of long runs on days I just want to rest, but I keep myself motivated by thinking of the races that I want to do well in while I am at practice training.

So then it cycles because doing well makes me feel really good and pushes me to keep training more,” Gares said.

Senior Molly Ryle, a member of the cross country team for the past four years, recognizes Gares in her first season while Ryle is wrapping up her last.

“Lizzie usually places in the top three, so that really helps our team succeed.

I think all the girls overall really like spending time with Lizzie and how she gets along really well with all of us and is such a good leader even though she’s younger than all of us,” Ryle said.

Coach Richard Hawkins reports on Gares’s growth from the start of the season in June and appreciates her. Hawkins views her as an asset to the team, a friendly teammate and a skilled runner.

“Over the summer I really didn’t recognize her potential, but then once we started racing, she showed amazing potential not only fitness wise cardiovascularly, but also with her competitive drive,” Hawkins said. “Each person on the team is like a puzzle piece and she’s definitely one of the

bigger puzzle pieces that build the team.”

With this season’s end, Gares hopes to prepare for the upcom-

ing winter track season by intensifying her regimen and enforcing the positive attitude formed from cross country.

Courtesy Lizzie Gares

Starting strong: Freshman Lizzie Gares competes in the 5k. Gares achieved many personal records.

Maya Shah/The SPOKE

Serving up awards: Senior Ananya Krishnan prepares for the next point.

The girls tennis players finished their season as state champions.

PERFORMS

Seniors Ananya Krishnan and Leena Kwak placed second in the State Doubles Tennis Tournament.

GIRLS Soccer State Finals: 11/19

Hannah Simon/The SPOKE

Girls and goals: Junior Brynn Borger goes after the ball during an Oct. 21 game versus Villa Maria Academy.

The team played in the state finals at Hershey.

SPORTS

The SPOKE Sophomore Goalie Duo Dominates Page 10

Commitment Corner Page 10

Pioneers in the Playoffs Page 11

Monday, November 22, 2021 Freshman Dominates in Cross Country Page 11

George Zhang/The SPOKE

Running the ball: Senior Chase Kelly runs the football down the field through an opening in the opposing team’s defense at the annual blackout game. Even though the Pioneers fell short, they still finished the season with a record of 7-3 and made the playoffs, ending a seven-year drought.

Ending the drought: FOOTBALl MAKES PLAYOFFS FOR FIRst time in seven years George Zhang

Co-Sports Editor Fans cheer on a friday night at Teamer Field as the Conestoga varsity football team rack up yet another win, finishing off the regular season with a record of 7-3.

The team also m ade the playoffs for the first time in seven years, but unfortunately they were not able to make a deep run after suffering a loss against Ridley in the first round with a final score of 42-23.

Junior running back Jon Quici thinks one of the factors driving the team to its success is how hard everyone worked during the offseason. He also enjoys the bond strengthened by training with his teammates.

“What I love about (the season) is the camaraderie that’s be-

ing built on the team. Every day we come in and we work together just for that one goal of trying to win every week,” Quici said. “We know we want to make a change around here because the team hasn’t been too good in years past, and we just have a different type of determination this year. That’s what drives us forward.”

Unlike last year, this season sees fans back in the stands.

According to athletic director Kevin Pechin, ’Stoga has seen an attendance of about one to two thousand spectators per game at their matches at home throughout the season. Head coach Matt Diamond believes that the reintroduction of fans has had a strong positive impact on the team’s performance.

“The fans have been a great part about the season so far this

year. The attendance and the atmosphere: you can feel it,” Diamond said. “It’s been packed, it’s been loud, everything about it has been great and the kids have loved it. I think that it was a kind of a return to normalcy after last season with not being allowed to have fans and things like this. Friday night football is a great experience, and I think that the community was excited to come back.”

Sophomore defensive end and offensive lineman Benner Miller agrees, stating that it was a great experience playing in front of fans.

“As a sophomore, this is my first time actually stepping onto the field. It is crazy and insane and it’s just awesome. It’s something you’ve never experienced before,” Miller said.

The Pioneers faced off against

Owen J. Roberts in their season-opener and won in overtime 17-14 with a game-winning field goal block from junior Brody Eaton. Diamond believes this game acted as a starting point for the team’s success.

“We had our opening game that we’d been prepping for all offseason. We scored a field goal in overtime and when they went to their attempt to tie it, we blocked the field goal,” Diamond said.

“Just right there, the kids charging the field and the excitement of walking off the home opener 1-0 really spring boarded our kids to say, ‘you know what, I think we’re gonna be okay this year.’”

The team has also been getting more exposure during their winning season. They were featured on ABC’s High School Huddle segment after they de-

livered a blowout 35-0 victory over Upper Darby. Individual players have been spotlighted as well with senior Peter Detwiler being featured on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown segment titled “You Got Mossed” after he had a highlight catch over a defender during the game against Marple Newtown.

With the offseason coming up, the team looks to train and workout together so they can come back better than ever next season. Miller has high hopes for the future and aspires to continue the team’s greatness.

“We had an incredible season and there is no reason we can’t have another one next year,” Miller said. “I hope to continue the legacy the seniors left behind and to take this program even further.”

Heading into greatness: Boys varsity soccer has historically dominant season Julia Harris

Staff Reporter On Oct. 19, the boys’ varsity soccer team played a monumental final game before the district playoffs, officially naming them the first boys’ soccer team in the history of Conestoga to go undefeated in the regular season.

This game marked coach David Zimmerman’s 301st career win at Conestoga after coaching the boys’ varsity soccer team for 20 years. Zimmerman has enjoyed the thrill of being involved with the team and being able to contribute to their success through coaching.

“A lot of people follow teams like the Eagles and the Sixers, but (with coaching) you’re actually part of the team as a coach.

It’s a totally different experience to coach a game and it’s exciting and emotional. Ultimately it’s a lot of fun,” Zimmerman said.

Last year, the team had an incomplete season because they started late due the COVID-19

pandemic. However, they maintained an undefeated record for the 17 games they did play. Adding the 25 games won this year fortifies their 42nd consecutive win in two years.

For being ranked so well this season, the team had a bye on the first playoff game on Oct. 26. This means they were able to wait for some other teams who didn’t play as well this season to be eliminated first. They won the three playoff games since then and are heading into the States season.

Senior Simeon Dorsey, one of the three captains, believes that the team has been so successful this year because they go into every game treating it like their last. Dorsey mentioned the extensive summer training the players completed in preparation months before their games this season.

He also credited the coaches for the effort they put into helping the boys prosper. Dorsey explained that they are extremely thorough in their planning and

will talk to the players for up to 30 minutes before a game to make sure they all have a solid grasp on the plan.

“They (the coaches) drive out and scout all the other teams well in advance,” Dorsey said. “They give us the scouting reports, so we’re prepared for when we go into the game.

That’s a big thing that helps us in the game, and it’s honestly one of the main reasons we have been so successful.”

This year, there is a wide variety of talent on the team, with different players having different strong suits. The senior players are especially strong, and the underclassmen have also stepped up. Sophomore Diego Ramirez, a midfield player, notes how inclusive the team is when it comes to the players’ ages.

“Everyone on the team has the same responsibilities. Age doesn’t matter; we are all treated equally, and we all have a voice,” Ramirez said. “Everyone on the team can speak out and bring in

new perspectives during training and during games.”

One especially talented player on the team is senior Lorenzo Vargas-Clarke, nicknamed the “Ultimate Weapon” for his incredibly long throw in, which can even go past the goal. Another key athlete is Colin Wurth, the center midfielder who, according to Zimmerman, is the team’s best ball winner and a great goal scorer with his head. Zimmerman acknowledged that his wide variety of talented players provide an advantage over other teams who might only have one or two exceptional athletes.

“We don’t just have one guy who is the main player who does all the scoring. A lot of teams just have one star, while we have five or six guys that are all very good,” Zimmerman said. “What that means is the other team can’t just focus on one player and try to shut them down, because they can’t even figure out who our best player is.”

George Zhang/The SPOKE

Heading into competition: Senior Jayce Tharnish headbutts a ball towards the opponents goal in the game against Central Bucks West. The team won 3-0 and are expected to win the state championships.