THE NEWTONIAN NEWTON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT MAGAZINE Series 98 | Issue 2 | Winter 2021
Page 6-7 Students feel lost in modes of learning
Photo by Ann Pomeroy
TABLE OF CONTENTS News Rise In Cases Lead to questions of Second wave
4-5
COVID-19 Negatively impacts mental health of students 6-7 CNA Students Uniquely Adapt To the Pandemic
Opinions
8-9
Online School Promotes Cheating amongst students
10
Remote learning provides flexibility to students
11
College is not the only way to be successful
Features
12-13
Students engage in animal care
14-15
Railer Boy Scouts Soar Through Ranks
16-17
Arts & Culture Students select Their favorite holiday songs
18
Students reflect on their favorite sides of tik tok
19
Get covid or receive an f in class
20-21
Health Science Classes Participate in Pig Dissection
22-23
Sports KSHSAA Determines Guidelines for competitors
24-25
Social Studies Teacher wins 100 Mile Race
26-27
Pool remodeled before start of swim season
28-29
Photo Essay Quarter in Review
2 | STAFF | WINTER 2021
30-31
N A I N O T W E NE
INTRODUCING
TH
STAFF
Editor-in-Chief Ann Pomeroy @PomeroyAnn
Reporter Matt Olson @MattOlson2021
Reporter Libby Crawford @LibbyCrawford9
Reporter Elly Green @EllyGreen16
Follow @RailerNews on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to follow sports updates, as well as important announcements from the journalism department!
Reporter Kati Blaylock @kati_blaylock
Reporter Daniel Gonzalez-Arevalo @danny_g679
Reporter Eris Rindt @Rindt_23
Bookmark our website www.RailerNews.org to follow online content, as well as stories printed in this magazine!
STAFF
| WINTER 2021 | 3
4 | NEWS | WINTER 2021
Don’t catch the second wave Rises in COVID Case Numbers lead to questions about a second wave
Elly Green Reporter
@EllyGreen16
Elook similar to other pandemics, containing several “waves”
xperts have predicted since early March that COVID-19 would
with increasing and decreasing number of cases, according to Hopkins Medicine. The 1918 pandemic of H1N1 influenza came in three waves, stretching over the course of about two years. Fifty to 100 million people died as a result of this pandemic, the majority of them occurring in the second and most deadly wave according to CNN Health. The first wave of COVID-19 cases began in March, although some people could argue that the first wave is over with, Dr. Anthony Fauci, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director, said that we cannot worry about the second wave of the virus, because we are still dealing with the first one. While Fauci describes the likeliness of the first wave still occurring, numbers could tell us otherwise. In late April of 2020, the highest spike of COVID-19 in the United States was at 34,000-35,000. Now, the highest spike in November of 2020 sits at 198,633 cases. Looking at graphs from the New York Times, we can see that there was really no large down spiral in cases, however from May to early June we observed the lowest number of cases since the first spike, hovering around 20,000 cases. Harvey County Health Department Assistant Director and Director of Nursing Tobias Harkins said that we will continue to see change in the number of cases. “We are not doubling at this time but the exponential increase is very apparent. We will continue to see peaks and plateaus with the spread,” Harkins said. “When we place an obstacle in the way of the spread, like group limits and mask mandates there is a time the rise is curbed.” In late March, Harvey County specifically experienced their first case of COVID-19. The county now has 480 active cases and Kansas has a total of 174,025 cases all together. Statistics were last updated on Dec. 6 from the Harvey County Health Department website. The website features a graph that shows that the cases in the county have been on a steady rise since March, but started growing drastically around October. “As fall rolled around more people spent more time indoors
around others. This leads to an increase in transmission. The way that the virus spreads is based upon the presence. The U.S.A. has been adding 1 million cases every 6 days for weeks now.” Harkins said. On Nov. 2 the USD 373 Board of Education voted to keep all high school students remote until Thanksgiving break and K-8 students hybrid. The board voted again after Thanksgiving break and decided to keep K-6 students hybrid but change 7-12 grade students to be fully remote until after Christmas break, where they would then reevaluate their choices. Keep in mind that the Board of Education decides the school’s schedules based on a chart of colors that monitors the cases in Harvey County. All 7-12 grade students currently sit in the orange mode according to the number of cases in Harvey County. With the downfall of cases in May-June we could consider it to be the end of the first wave. However, in September we saw a decrease in cases, going from 65,000-70,000 in July to around 40,000 in August and early September. So the question would be if this decrease in September would be considered the actual end of the first wave, since it happened almost a month or two before the huge spike in cases recently. The short answer is that there has been no reported end to the first wave. Several sources such as The Conversation, Health Line and the American Medical Association support Fauci’s observation that there was no end to the first wave. Therefore meaning that there is no second wave just yet. Harkins believes that calling this wave the second wave is more complicated than what meets the eye. “Only history can judge what point we are in currently. This may very well be the end of a long phase or the beginning of another. The only baseline we have is no COVID presence. To judge a phase you need a baseline to compare the current situation to,” Harkins said. “To compare the introduction phase with the saturation phase, to compare the summer to the winter will be misleading to say the least. Also to compare a vaccine-less year to a vaccinated year, is also a disservice.”
NEWS
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The Personal Pandemic COVID-19 Negatively impacts The Mental Health Of Students Eris Rindt Reporter @Rindt_23
D
uring the pandemic, stress and anxiety have gone up drastically according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). COVID-19 most prominently is said to be affecting high school and college students’ and their mental health. On Nov. 11, the NHS web page shared a link for students, prompting them to take advantage of various counseling services if they felt as though the services would be beneficial. NHS employs five counselors as well as a social worker for students to talk to or email at any time. Whether this be for class related issues, seeking advice for college applications or just to talk one on one about mental health concerns. Junior Ember Suter said her mental health has not been affected greatly from COVID-19 due to choosing the remote path of learning. “I’m completely remote and I’ve found that it is sometimes difficult to remember when and where to turn in assignments,” Suter said. “It is also difficult staying organized when it comes to assignments and emails. For me, remote is a lot better for my mental health because it is constant. I don’t have to deal with the uncertainty about whether I’ll be in person, hybrid or remote in the future.” The COVID-19 pandemic has been going on for
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approximately eight months in the United States, three of those months have been months that students have been attending school. Freshman Sadie Nattier along with a handful of other students says that this year has affected her anxiety greatly. Nattier says that although sometimes she is struggling she is finding different ways to help her mental health. “This year has definitely [strengthened my anxiety] with everything going on with the virus,” Nattier said. “There has been so much going on this year that it is almost impossible to keep up with everything going on. [To cope with this] I normally will watch a lot of YouTube videos and also draw to help me calm down and deal with the stress.” Harvey County has approximately 1,025 cases of COVID-19 as of Nov. 16. This spike in cases has prompted the USD 373 school board to move into the orange phase of learning. This means NHS students are all remote with some exceptions. Suter says that although the times are tough, it is important to take time for yourself, as well as embrace mask wearing in order for this pandemic to end sooner rather than later. “For people who are stressed out about this year just remember to stop for a second and take a deep breath. Try to find time for yourself even if it’s only five minutes and don’t forget to get some fresh air,” Suter said. “This pandemic will end someday, and it would end a lot faster if everyone would wear masks correctly any time they leave their house. For the people who don’t wear masks, it’s really not that hard, and it’s scientifically proven that masks don’t decrease oxygen intake.”
65 Harvey County Residents with COVID
Harvey County Residents without COVID
6 | NEWS | WINTER 2021
35 Student’s whose mental health has been affected by COVID Student’s whose mental health has not been affected by COVID
Junior Ember Suter
Freshman Sadie Nattier
How has your mental health been in 2020?
Throughout 2020 my mental health has improved some but there are still times when I am anxious about the future.
My mental health during 2020 definitely was not the best. I had times where it would get so bad that it was like I never started taking medicine for my anxiety and it also seems to have made the outcomes of when I do get anxious worse.
What are some ways the high school can help with mental health?
The high school can help by giving tips about self care and safe things to do in the pandemic.
I feel like the high school could help by lessening the amount of work given to students although I know that’s not possible as of right now. Also trying to find a way to help students focus.
In your opinion, why is mental health important?
Mental health is important because it affects how we live each and every day.
I have known many people who have struggled with mental health in the past and even now to this point. It can completely change a person and mess up their life in many ways.
NEWS
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Tomorrow’s Healthcare Heroes Ann Pomeroy Editor-in-Chief @PomeroyAnn
CNA Students uniquely adapt to the pandemic
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he demand for healthcare workers across the nation is at an all time high as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. NHS is lucky to host an academic pathway into the medical field for those interested in pursuing healthcare work. The medical science pathway includes a wide array of classes from Fire Science and Emergency Medical Technician training through Hutch Community College (HCC) to Sports Medicine and Health Science. In the midst of these classes is the highly sought after CNA class through HCC, due to its direct correlation to the workforce. This class is aimed at teaching high school and college age students the fundamental knowledge of the aging process with emphasis on meeting the physical needs requirements of geriatric residents of health care facilities. With restrictions from the pandemic making many aspects of the class even more challenging, CNA teacher Ginger Jones has made every effort to keep her students engaged and positive throughout the difficult and unprecedented times. “I love to laugh and have fun,” Jones said. “I truly believe that as caregivers we can bring joy and light to our residents while accomplishing mundane tasks. I can teach you all the proper ways to take care of someone, however, until you let your guard down to allow your empathy to shine through you’ll never truly understand what making a difference in our residents lives can be.” Senior Lindsey Antonowich decided to take CNA this semester with the intention of continuing her medical studies after the conclusion of the class. According to Provo College, obtaining your CNA certification is a great way to enter the healthcare industry and begin your journey toward nursing. Some of the advantages to becoming a CNA while still in high school is that you can work part time while studying and then start working full time as soon as you finish school. “[I decided to take CNA because] I wanted a job that was healthcare related to see what I wanted to work as in the future and it’s a good job to save up for college,” senior Lindsey Antonowich said. A typical day in Jones class consists of a large variety of activities. Students learn ethics, communication, normal aging body system functions, nutrition, diseases, observation skills, documentation and personal care skills throughout the course. One of Jones’s favorite activities for her high school students is a Friday activity called “Spin the Urinal.” This game consists of spinning an actual urinal and teaching the rest of the class what you know about a specific topic that you have drawn out of the urinal. “We do not sit still much in my class,” Jones said. “We are always interchanging the necessity of the reading portion with the fun part, hands on skills, open discussions and lots of laughs.” In order to complete the class, like any ordinary high school student, CNA students will have to complete a final test. In addition to this, CNA students must pass both theory and clinical portions of the course according to the NHS course catalog. Clinicals are typically performed in the nursing homes working side by side with a CNA of that facility but due to COVID, clinicals are currently being performed in a simulated lab. Meaning that students practice their knowledge on each other and dummies. “When speaking of the clinical portion of this course, this is the FUN part,” Jones said. “We get to meet together outside of school hours and actually put into practice all of the things we have learned in class. This is when it all comes together.” Jones describes a typical day in the nursing industry with the possibility to be quite chaotic. One may start their day on the nursing floor with a set amount of daily tasks to be performed, however, when an emergency arises it pauses the day until that resident has NEWS WINTER 2021 had proper treatment. This theory rings true for many aspects of life
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currently while dealing with COVID. Specifically, for classes switching from remote to hybrid or in person learning. According to Jones, one must simply hope for the best and readjust and revise as needed. “The pandemic has affected the education [of all students] I believe slightly,” Jones said. “If anything, it has taught us [in CNA] that in order to survive you must be flexible and able to go with the flow. This is a true reflection on how nursing works.” When returning to school in early September, with the virus still in their midst, many CNA students worried how their education would be affected. Many questioned whether or not they would be prepared for their jobs that lied ahead. Jones made sure to give students plenty of opportunities to practice their knowledge with the tools they had available, each other. “Not being able to get in person experience for clinicals was difficult because it makes you feel like you may not be ready,” Antonowich said. “We practice most things on each other like hair care, oral care and taking vital signs and the other tasks are practiced on mannequins.” According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, nursing education has utilized simulation in some form or another for quite some time. Some options being models of anatomic parts, various computerbased learning programs and even whole body mannequins. Jones’s preferred method of demonstration is a whole body mannequin. “Her name is Gurdy and she wears a tracksuit,” senior Alyssa Lujano said. “She has really creepy eyes that we are all kind of scared of so we shut them when we do stuff. She’s missing a foot too.” Even with the added stress from the pandemic, many students are looking forward to the months ahead where they can truly test their knowledge within the medical field by obtaining their first jobs. “I think that it may take a little longer to become trained in the job and it will be harder to be confident, but I also think that we won’t go into the job with any preconceived negative ideas about the tasks we need to do,” Antonowich said. “It’s been really fun washing each other’s hair and practicing taking turns and bed making with friends and I will definitely remember when we made chalk drawings for hospital residents.” Throughout the week of Dec. 7-11, students spread positivity at the Newton Medical Center by creating chalk drawings on the facility’s side walks. These drawings included images, encouraging messages and quotes aimed at brightening hospital residents and staff’s days. “I was part of [the chalk drawing for hospital residents],” Lujano said. “We did that to show positivity in this difficult time with COVID and not being able to do everything and that was just something that [Jones] wanted us to learn about so that we could learn how to spread positivity when we’re with residents.” Throughout the semester, CNA students have faced unusual challenges that will influence their performance for years to come. When pursuing the next step in their lives, Jones hopes her students remember to live each day by remaining positive and celebrating the small things. “Unfortunately, [the pandemic] does affect the readiness for the real world,” Jones said. “The main difference I find is that while working on each other and dummies helps take us out of our comfort zones. There truly is no comparison to sitting down with a resident and looking them in the eyes. We miss out on getting to know who they are and hear their stories. We merely miss out on being able to see the gleam in their eyes as they reflect on their past and you simply cannot simulate or replace that.”
NEWS
| WINTER 2021 | 9
Cheating Remotely Online school promotes cheating amongst students Elly Green Reporter @EllyGreen16
W
ith the emergence of remote learning for a wide range of students across the globe, it is undeniable that students may use online sources to aid them in their coursework. While some would call this strategy cheating, others may see it as the only reasonable choice and essential to come close to passing their classes. Due to the change in learning environments, learning styles, and limited one-on-one contact with teachers, Newton High students may find it easier to blatantly cheat on their work, instead of doing the assignments themselves. As a student, it is easy for me to understand why students tend to struggle in remote as well as hybrid school settings. According to the Hechinger Report, 93 percent of instructors believe that their students are more likely to cheat online than in person. For many students, their home learning environment may cause them to feel unmotivated, even more than they might have felt while going to school full time or part time while in hybrid learning mode. A students’ kitchen or living room might be too noisy or distracting, hindering their ability to get their work done on time or to submit the best work they can possibly do. Change in location also means change in learning style. I can confidently say that I will always learn better visually seeing the problems worked out, or hear my teacher explain the material to me in person. It is no secret that most students feel this way as well, meaning that online learning may not help them succeed in truly learning the material. Mix in the distracting location, jumbled information, and an unmotivated high schooler, you get the perfect recipe for cheating. According to University of the People, students may cheat not because they want to break the rules, but because they have been overwhelmed in their coursework. Some students may feel stuck, as if they cannot learn the material, as though they are not smart or capable enough, which further worsens the dependence to using online sources for homework help. On the other hand, the majority of teachers are working hard to make sure all students are able to keep up to date on their assignments, and therefore students should have no reason to cheat. I for one recognize and appreciate the staff’s efforts to keep students engaged during the remote learning schedule. Most teachers care deeply about not only their students’ grades but also their students’ mental health, and for many this connects directly to how they teach their classes, often offering one on one help with their students to promote active and successful learning. I can recall several times my teachers have willingly got onto personal calls with me to help me learn the material when I was struggling. To teachers, it may feel disappointing to see students cheat on assignments when they have worked many tireless hours to create a positive learning environment for their students. Despite the fact, many are very understanding of the obstacles set in place with remote/hybrid learning, and understand why it is that students often struggle with online learning. Although cheating is never morally right, students often feel like it is the only solution to not failing the class. No matter how hard teachers work creating learning plans, they never escape seeing their students cheat on assignments especially while facing unforeseen obstacles while in remote learning. The least that we can do is be understanding towards the struggling students and staff during these unprecedented times.
10 | OPINIONS | WINTER 2021
Stretching Through Online Learning Remote learning provides flexibility
No need for transportation
Libby Crawford Reporter @Libbycrawford9
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OVID-19 has caused many changes and difficulties throughout the world including how school is being taught this year and all everyone is hearing about are the negatives. This school year may look quite different than previous years but it has provided some potential positives that students especially may enjoy. Hybrid and remote learning at first was a questionable topic, whether it was going to be more time consuming or if the curriculum was going to be more laborious than being in the classroom. Even I had doubts on whether my senior year was going to be ruined due to not being in school full time. Online school promotes flexibility for those who enjoy working at their own pace and are self motivators. These students have the capability to have other responsibilities such as having jobs and having more free time outside of the school day. According to ECPI University, there are three main steps to succeed in online schooling. The three steps include being persistent, creating a conducive study environment and increasing your time management skills. Not only does distance learning promote flexibility in students’ personal lives but it also increases how easy it is to get to school. In some cases, students are required to get on virtual meetings such as Google Meet or Zoom which can be done from anywhere with Internet connection. This in turn means that online learning could ultimately be more affordable due to the fact that all the school supplies you will need is a device that you can access the schools’ website, instead of getting prominently unnecessary supplies per teachers’ request. According to ECPI University, this is not the case for students who are procrastinators and need that extra push to get their work done. These students are less likely to succeed in online school if they are not self starters. According to the Stanford School of Business, students that are unable to self motivate themselves have a higher chance of dropping out when participating in online schooling. In most cases, students that have a hard time motivating themselves can be identified by the work that they complete. Studies show that students that are unmotivated will take the flexibility provided with online schooling for granted and show lack of desire to complete the work assigned with acceptable effort. Instead, these students often face a rush to get their assignments done and not enough time spent learning the material provided. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some students are forced to undertake fully remote learning due to underlying health conditions and other unforeseen factors. While many other students are participating in hybrid learning or receive some form of face to face learning. Often, face to face learning requires less self discipline as fully online schooling would enforce. In the college setting about 12% of students choose to get their degree fully online rather than going into a classroom. According to general statistics, it is believed that these students chose this route due to the fact that it generally promotes a flexible schedule.
More time for other activities
NETFLIX
Hours open for student to work
OPINIONS
| WINTER 2021 | 11
Alternate Routes to Success College is not the only way To be Successful Reporter Matt Olson @MattOlson2021
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any people grow up believing that life has a plan set in stone: graduate high school, go to college, get a steady job, start a family. This idea teaches us that the only way to be successful is by going to college, whether you want to or not. In my opinion, a college degree does not equate to the worth of a person, and this belief is toxic and harmful for students who have other aspirations. Instead of forcing further education on children, parents should encourage their children to pursue the things that make them happy. There are several reasons why college is an over-hyped path. If one does decide to go to college, there is no guarantee that it will lead to a prosperous life. According to Real Men Real Style website, college does not automatically give you qualifications such as leadership skills, decision making and social skills that can be learned from hands on experience. While graduating college does technically make you more qualified for some jobs, it is not necessary to make a living. Things that can give you the experience previously mentioned are things like getting a job, an apprenticeship, or volunteering somewhere. There are many high paying jobs that do not require a college degree. For example, computer programming or jobs in construction, just to name a few. There are also many different places to volunteer and give back to the community, such as soup kitchens, animal shelters, homeless shelters or food banks. Not only does volunteering help people gain life experience, but it is also something to add to a resume. Some may say that there are exceptions to this idea of college, but that should not mean that children in this generation couldn’t also be an “exception,” so to speak. According to Psychology Today, there are many successful people who did not graduate college. For example, Steve Jobs dropped out of college and became the founder of Apple. As you can see, there are an abundance of options if college doesn’t fit into your desired lifestyle. Not everyone’s goal in life is to go to college and get a job, and people should not be shamed or embarrassed because of this. Happiness should be the first priority, and no one should be obligated to seek higher education because it is the societal norm.
12 | OPINIONS | WINTER 2021
STOP: What are your plans?
SLOW DOWN: Evaluate your Options
GO: Take action!
OPINIONS
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Agriculture class provides insight Students Engage in Animal care Kati Blaylock Reporter @kati_blaylock
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aving animals in the Agriculture barn is something that students are not unfamiliar with at NHS. After having a cow in previous years, students in Future Farmers of America (FFA) have decided to take on the task of caring for three goats this year. As part of the FFA program, students have to complete a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) during their high school career. SAE´s do not have to be animal related, but animal related SAE’s seem to have sparked an interest for the various students participating this year. “I decided on goats for my SAE because they are cute and I’ve always wanted to have goats,” junior Reagan Gay said. “Since I live in the city, I’ve never been able to own one but the Ag program has given me a good opportunity to care for one.” Gay has been taking care of two Nigerian dwarf goats, Tator and Misty, which are known for their small size and their production of milk. “I chose to have the Dwarf goats because they are very friendly and do well in inclement weather,” Gay said. “They also produce milk very well and taking care of them seemed like fun.” Alongside these Nigerian Dwarfs, students have also been caring for a much larger goat. Junior Jordyn Regier decided to care for a Nubian goat, Agnes, for her SAE. “I chose to work with animals [for my SAE] because that’s what I want to do in my future,” Regier said. “We did a lot of research on feeding and health care and we interviewed an expert who raises goats for a living who gave us a lot of inside tips on what we would need to do in order to keep this goat happy and healthy.” In order to further her care taking experience, Regier chose to have her goat bred before she got her. “She has gotten very big and we think we can start to tell the little babies are growing,” Regier said. “We are very excited to have the little ones running around here soon and once they are born we will care for them until they are ready for their new homes.” In addition to caring for these animals, Gay and Regier have taught their goats various tricks “It’s really funny to see them stand and walk for some animal crackers,” Gay said. “It’s also cool to see how smart they can be when they put their mind to it.” During this SAE experience, students have learned things they would have not without the opportunity. “So far, I have gained knowledge on food rations and the general health and care of animals, especially goats, so that I know what to look for to better care and keep them safe,”Regier said.
14 | FEATURES | WINTER 2021
FAST FACTS • Nigerian Dwarf goats can produce up to 2.5 pounds of milk a day
Agnes
• Nigerian Dwarfs grow to about 2 inches
• Nigerian Dwarfs have square pupils • Nubian Goats are the most popular cattle goat
• Nubian goats are also known for their long ears *peoriazoo.org
*backyardgoats.com
Tator
Misty
FEATURES
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BADGE
of
HONOR
Railers boy scouts soar through ranks
Elly Green Reporter @EllyGreen16
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hen most people think of boy scouts they think of a younger generation, however there are plenty of high school boy scout participants. Even a few high schoolers hold the Eagle Scout title. Eagle Scouts are the highest ranked boy scouts in America, several students at the high school hold the title of Eagle Scouts, meaning that they are at the top of the list out of the seven other categories included in the boy scouts. Senior Creed Ekerberg who is an Eagle Scout has been in boy scouts since 2014 and has been a part of cub scouts since kindergarten. Similarly to Ekerberg, junior Chris Mick who is also an Eagle Scout has been in boy scouts since the fourth grade. Being an Eagle Scout is not an easy accomplishment. It is estimated that only eight percent of boy scouts in America go on to earn the Eagle Scout rank. Along with earning the title, being an Eagle Scout comes with many responsibilities. “There are a lot of requirements to becoming an Eagle Scout,” Ekerberg said. “First you have to go through all the ranks before you have to earn certain Eagle required merit badges, you must organize and lead a service project that benefits your community, and go through a board process.” According to Ekerberg, in 2019, only 61,366 scouts earned the rank of Eagle Scout. There are around 2.2 million boy scouts in America and 5.4 million scouts in the world. Eagle Scouts must obtain certain skills such as leadership and a successful mindset. They have a wide range of knowledge such as First Aide, wilderness survival, financing, communication and more, which is taught by their adult counselor. “Eagle Scouts taught me to not give up on anything and to work hard,” Mick said. “I have also learned to stay on task and learn from my mistakes.” Not only are Eagle Scouts an esteemed group of workers, the simple title of an Eagle Scout is impressive to most college admissions officers and employers. According to Unigo, academic scholarships provided for the boy scouts of America range from $25,000 to $50,000. “Eagle Scouts look really good on a resume,” Ekerberg said. “A lot of people look for Eagle Scouts because they know that they are hard workers, so being an Eagle Scout gives me an advantage in colleges and career choices.” Boy scouts and Eagle Scouts both are important groups in the community for many reasons. One vague example is how they give back to their community in more ways than one. They work with scouting new boys scouts through neighborhoods, volunteering and sometimes work with faith based organizations to make a positive impact in the community. “Boy Scouts is important to the community because it helps young boys learn to be good people,” Ekerberg said. “They learn to volunteer, get out of their comfort zone, and give back to their community. We are all taught to be leaders, not just the Eagle Scouts, and it makes a difference.”
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NHS Holiday Mixtape Students Select their favorite holiday songs Daniel Gonzalez-Arevalo Reporter @danny_g679
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ecember, the beginning of end of the year festivities and anxiety to finish school and work. However, as winter break approaches so does everything else festive. This includes, decorations, scents, and also music. Music is arguably one of the most important things during Christmas time as it sets the mood for what is to come. With so many great Christmas songs to choose from it can be hard to decide on the best one to play throughout the month. In a survey of 88 students, it was decided that “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey is the best song with 30 votes. In second and third place were “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” by Harry Connick Jr. and “Winter Wonderland” by Ella Fitzgerald, both with 29 votes. For junior Madelynn Hamm, it was hard to pick just one song as she has multiple songs she enjoys listening to during the holiday season. All three are songs that she can not only play but also sing along to. “My favorite Christmas songs are All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey, Let It Snow by Frank Sinatra, and Up on the Housetop by George Strait,” Hamm said. “I like them because they’re fun to blast in the car and sing along to.” Many things go into picking your favorite Christmas song.
However, perhaps the most influential factor of deciding on your favorite is what it reminds you of, good old nostalgia. For junior Jacey Yager, nostalgia played a part in deciding on her favorite Christmas song this year. “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is my favorite Christmas song. It brings Christmas cheer, it reminds me of when I was a kid decorating the Christmas tree and this song was always on,” Yager said. “It’s also in a lot of classic Christmas movies.” With the theme of Christmas music being so popular it can often be hard for artists to create music just as popular as the past classic songs. Yager believes this is due to the standard being set so high in the past. “I think it’s difficult to live up to the high expectations that past singers have set for classic Christmas music,” Yager said. “I also think that it’s hard to enjoy new Christmas music when the standard has been set so high in the past.” Whether people have a favorite Christmas song or not, everyone seems to have a song that annoys them. For many people, hearing the same repetitive sounds on the radio, TV, and in public can drive them insane. Despite hearing a song on repeat, it still does not take away from the excitement for many this upcoming Christmas season. “The songs I do happen to get tired of quicker are all of Michael Bublé’s songs,” Hamm said. “My mom has a CD of his Christmas album and plays it literally all of December.”
Favorite Holiday Songs
18 | ARTS & CULTURE | WINTER 2021
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All I Want for Christmas is You
8
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
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It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
11
Rocking Around the Christmas Tree
12
Winter Wonderland
5
Run Rudolph Run
13
Believe (Polar Express)
7
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
35
You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
5 14
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Following
For You
Top Five Sides of Tik Tok
RELATIONSHIP
FOOD
CRAFT/RENOVATION
DANCING
LGBTQ
Students Share their favorite interests
Libby Crawford Reporter @Libbycrawford9
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ne of the most popular apps amongst teens and young adults is the app TikTok. The app uses your interests to create a ‘For you page” that corresponds to your likes and dislikes. Eighty students participated in a school wide survey that resulted in the rankings of the most popular sides of TikTok for Newton High School. The most popular side is the LGBTQ community. While there were specific sides that were listed in the survey, there are many other sides such as hunting, gaming and anime. Everyone’s ‘For you page’ is different and personalized to one’s liking depending on their most watched, most liked, and most shared types of videos
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20 | ARTS & CULTURE | WINTER 2021
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Get covid or receive an f in class Daniel Gonzalez-Arevalo Reporter @danny_g679
rades are one of the most talked about topics in high school. Students are unable to escape the word throughout the day, whether it is one of their teachers who brings it up, or perhaps a classmate might bring it up asking to compare grades on an assignment. Either way, the goal for many students is to get good grades in their classes. However, when being presented with a scenario where students must pick between getting COVID-19 or failing a class, what will students prioritize? In a survey where students were asked to pick between contracting the virus or failing their class, the overwhelming majority would rather contract the virus instead of failing one of their classes. Out of 155 responses, 115 students chose the virus. In comparison 40 students chose the failing grade. Junior Kaitlyn McMullin gave her opinion on why she and so many other students would rather get COVID-19 than fail. “I’d rather get COVID because I would most likely be fine, and if I failed my class then I would have to take it over again,” McMullin said. “People are less scared of COVID because they don’t want to retake a class and they don’t see COVID as very scary.” While McMullin and other students fear having to retake one of their classes, junior Kamryn Archibald fears the affect the virus will have on her and others around her. Archibald states that although she cares about her grades and wants to succeed, she simply does not want to contract the virus.
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“I would rather fail then get COVID because if I were to have COVID, all of my family and friends I’ve been around would have to quarantine and I would feel pretty guilty if that were to happen,” Archibald said. “I also don’t want to know what it’s like to have COVID.” While Archibald fears the impact COVID could have on her life, McMullin continues to look forward. She prioritizes her grades in order to get accepted into college and help pay for it’s expenses. This is why she fears affecting her grade point average, because it could directly impact her future. “I’m worried about it dropping my GPA,” McMullin said. “Failing a class is scarier because I’ve never had lower than a B as my final grade.” While Archibald agrees that failing a class is bad she argues that you can work to improve your grade or change it completely. However the impacts COVID can have on your life are unknown and much scarier than failing a class. “Getting COVID is really scary because there are so many consequences and so many symptoms that come with having COVID,” Archibald said. “Failing a class is obviously scary but there are things that you can do to make it better and or change that.” No matter what option students picked they all had their own valid reasons as to why they did so. Nonetheless many fear a change in their grades in comparison to a change in their health with COVID. For the sake of the town, everyone is lucky that the ultimatum is hypothetical because if this were an actual choice, the number of active COVID cases would skyrocket.
155 Total Responses Get COVID Fail the class ARTS & CULTURE
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Dissecting Knowledge Health Science classes participate in pig dissection
Eris Rindt Reporter @Rindt_23
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issection is nothing new to Fred Schmidt’s Anatomy and Physiology class. Schmidt’s students spent the first week of classes back after winter break, Jan. 4-8, dissecting fetal pigs. The fetal pig lab is done every year in his class however due to the 4 by 4 schedule it was done much earlier than in previous years. Earlier in the school year the class dissected pig hearts, cow eyes and sheep brains. The main objective of Anatomy and Physiology classes are to focus on the limits, functions and structure of the human body according to Stanford University. At NHS, Anatomy and Physiology is offered to students that have passed prerequisite courses of Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry I or Biology, Chemistry I and obtain a C or higher in Human Body Systems. The fetal pig dissection assignment is one that students are expected to participate in, although not required to be the main dissector, in order to pass the class. Junior Jennifer Rubio said she learned a lot about the anatomy of fetal pigs while participating in the dissection. “I learned about the structure of the pig and the several layers it has protecting [it’s] bones,” Rubio said. “The stomach of the pig was actually still inflated so we had to make a small incision for the liquid and waste to come out. It was very interesting to see how certain blood vessels lead to certain places. [The dissection] was more of seeing and identifying parts of the anatomy rather than learning the physiology.”
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According to Goshen College, fetal pigs share a variety of muscles with humans. Schmidt said that he prefers using pigs because of these many similarities to humans, as well as being more cost effective than other options. Pigs range in price depending on size and quantity but are approximately $5-20. Class sets cost on average $120. The pigs can be obtained from a variety of different biology product websites but are usually obtained through a website called BiologyProducts at NHS. “[The class] used cats before I was teaching here,” Schmidt said. “I chose the fetal pig because of the price. It is a lot cheaper than a cat. The fetal pig also has [more of] the same internal organs as humans, though the bone structure is different. Many college Anatomy and Physiology programs use the fetal pig or the cat so it is good practice for the students.” Anatomy and Physiology classes are the building blocks of a medical practice according to the Complete University Guide. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students were given a more condensed version of the assignment in Schmidt’s class. Typically students would spend more than two days on the dissection but due to the hybrid schedule and COVID-19 that was not possible this year. Rubio says she would definitely do the dissection again if available and that she was very interested in the process. “I was never uncomfortable,” Rubio said. “I found it interesting and I liked knowing what I was looking at and what I was looking for. I would most definitely do this assignment again. It’s so interesting and everyone’s pig was slightly different.”
ARTS & CULTURE
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New Rules KSHSAA determines Guidelines in order to keep competitors safe Libby Crawford Reporter @Libbycrawford9
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inter sports athletes were given the exciting news that their season will start on time with only a slight break. On Tuesday Nov. 24, The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) agreed upon starting winter sports as normal on Dec. 1. As of Dec. 10 each participant family will be allowed two spectators. This was decided in the Dec. 8 KSHSAA Board of Directors meeting, appealing the ruling of no spectators until Jan. 29. However, due to the mode of learning the USD 373 district is currently in, there will be no spectators allowed at any of its events. Once December competition has been completed, there will be a break from Dec. 23 through Jan. 7. Practices will begin again on Jan. 4. According to KSHSAA, basketball tournaments are discouraged and in wrestling, there can be no more than eight teams or 112 wrestlers participating in any given competition. Later in the winter sports season, there may be more adjustments announced regarding other winter sports such as swimming/diving and bowling.
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Originally there were proposals to limit the number of events that each sport would be allowed to participate in. As of Nov. 4, all of those proposals were declined. These proposals called for the reduction of each season and delay the season further until Jan. 15. Going forward, masks will be mandatory for all spectators, athletes, coaches and officials. Exceptions apply solely for athletes and officials while engaged in physical activity or for medical reasons. Once the athlete or official is finished with their competition a mask is required to be put back on. These guidelines have greatly affected the annual Tournament of Champions hosted at NHS. There will be no performances from cheerleaders, Railiners or drumline this year. Along with these restrictions referring to the spirit squads they must be six feet from the baseline at basketball games and with a maximum of eight cheerleaders in attendance. Regarding wrestling, cheerleaders are only allowed at one mat meets still with a limit of eight cheerleaders. “As a member of Do-Crew I’m really going to miss being able to cheer on our team, and having our student section go crazy,” senior Luke Schmidt said.
*Photos by Caleb Smith
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Basketball Guidelines
Except the five players and officials on the court, everyone must be wearing a mask. When a player returns from isolation they must present a written release form to release them to physical activity Two parents or guardians allowed per participants
Wrestling Guidelines
All spectators and players must be wearing a mask at all times, except when participants are in competition Two parents allowed per participant
Boys Swimming and Diving Guidelines
All participants must wear mask at all time except for when competing Two parents or guardians allowed per participant All spectators must wear a mask at all times
Bowling Guidelines
Bowlers and coaches are required to wear masks during practice and competition Schools should not participate or sponsor in large competitions
Spirit Squads Guidelines • • •
No face coverings are to be wore during routines that involve stunting Only eight cheerleaders per competition Social distancing is required during performance
SPORTS
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STRENGTH & COURAGE
Eris Rindt Reporter @Rindt_23
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26 | SPORTS | WINTER 2021
Sociology teacher wins 100 mile race
unning a 24 hour race is seemingly impossible for most but for sociology teacher and head cross country coach DJ Bookout this is a dream of the past. The name of this 109 mile race is the Kansas Ultrarunner Society’s 6/12/24 Hour Race. The race was hosted in Wichita on the weekend of Nov. 24-25. The runners could either participate the full 24 hours or do shorter runs such as a six hour race or a 12 hour race. Bookout has been training for this specific race nearly everyday for the past two years. After trying to complete the race in 2018 but falling short, Bookout made it a goal to run everyday. Bookout found a different outlook after his failed attempt last November. “I run nearly every day, but my journey for this race has been in the makings for at least two years,” Bookout said. “I thought about the last time I had run this race and given up at mile 40 since I was very tired and cold... I had to change my internal narrative about this by literally putting one foot in front of the other in order to accomplish a new state of mind. As a way of breaking this race down into manageable chunks, I had brought a small spiral notebook with each lap number in a square so that every time I crossed I could cross one lap off of it in order to have tangible results each time.” This is Bookout’s first year as head coach of the Newton High cross country team. Bookout previously coached cross country at Wichita North. Ariel Johnson, one of Bookout’s former Wichita North cross country team members, ran part of the ending of the race with him in order to help him stay motivated. “Bookout was my assistant cross country coach my junior year at Wichita North High,” Johnson said. “Bookout has inspired me to continue running at a college level, to have more confidence in my running and be the best runner and person I can be through his continuous motivational comments and pushing his past and present runners to be the best that they can be.” With 69 participants in the race as a whole, only 29 people were able to successfully finish the 24 hour race. COVID-19 had little effect on the race participants but the number of spectators were limited. Bookout crossed the finish line first, not only winning the race, but also being rewarded with a large decorative belt buckle and a wooden first place trophy. “There was a limit on how many people could be there and masks were required anytime you had to use the aid station or go inside to use the restroom,” Bookout said. “There are so few races going on right now with COVID-19 that we saw many runners come from out of state which was pretty cool. I could tell people were happy to be there, happy to be doing something for their specific causes. There is something about pushing through something hard in the acquisition of a goal that tends to bring people closer as they march on.” Bookout’s racing days will not stop with this accomplishment. He plans on continuing his training for a 200 mile race, while continuing to inspire students along the way. Bookout said that another goal of his, along with fellow staff members, will be to help students along their mental health journeys. “My next big goal will be to cover 200 miles in a single span of time,” Bookout said. “I find that given the challenges in my life, I need goals to go for in order to provide more meaning and fulfillment. I find that the personal journey helps me be healthier and be a better person in all of the areas that I am called to. I hope that students and staff can take brave first steps in taking care of themselves in the way that they need to this year. Please take the most important first step in your mental marathon by sharing your struggles, you are not alone!”
It was nice to be with other runners throughout the course and encourage them as they continued on in their own personal journeys. - DJ Bookout | SPORTS
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Renovate Revamp Remodel Pool remodeled before start of swim season Reporter Matt Olson @MattOlson2021
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ast summer, there were several large projects completed throughout the Newton High School campus. One of those projects was renovating the natatorium, which was in desperate need of repairs. Summer was the ideal time for this project for several reasons; school was not in session for the majority of the project, and it was completed before the swim team needed the pool for practices. “There were some structural issues with the concrete decking that had to be addressed. This was a very critical thing to be done for overall safety,” athletic director Brian Becker said. “Some of the piping and equipment also needed to be replaced, including the original bleachers.” There have been plans to renovate the pool for over a year, but it was only able to begin this year due to complications. Because of this, the school’s maintenance staff had to reconstruct their original plans. “The pool renovations have been needed for a while, and once the bond issue failed, Mr. Schaeffer worked this into the district’s capital improvement plan that was approved about a year ago,” Becker said. After roughly five months of hard work on the pool, it is now renovated enough for the swim team to practice in it. The structural improvements were completed before the swim season began, but additional work outside of the pool is still needed. “The pool is full of water and the work is 98% complete,” director of facilities and maintenance Chris Schaeffer said. “The pool was in service as of Nov. 17 [and will be] fully complete by mid December. The work is expected to last several decades.” Though the remodeling was completed before the swim season started, there were still small adjustments that needed to be made. “They ended up getting the pool remodel [completed] before high school swim practice [officially began],” senior Tryston Mitchell said. “[But] I know the club had to go to the Y to swim before it was finished.” Members of the swim team are pleased with the renovations that were made and believed that they were a necessity.
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“I definitely think the pool needed remodeling,” Mitchell said. “It was falling apart and looking old and the bleachers were [partially] broken. [The renovations] make it look like we care about our facilities.” As of Jan. 11, only just after the renovations were completed, the Newton Athletics twitter account posted a tweet explaining that the swim meet for that day was postponed due to chemical issues in the pool. It is believed that there was a chlorine imbalance in the water, which can be harmful to the swimmers. “Chlorine can have harmful effects on the human body,” Mitchell said. “It is a relatively weak acid, but having it in large amounts can hurt not only our bodies but our suits and it will get in our eyes sometimes and in our mouth, so having an acid in the pool is not good. They didn’t want to risk it and just called it so we didn’t have to get in and worry about getting injured in some way. It also might damage the equipment in the water.” “They ended up getting the pool remodel [completed] before high school swim practice [officially began],” senior Tryston Mitchell said. “[But] I know the club had to go to the Y to swim before it was finished.” Members of the swim team are pleased with the renovations that were made and believed that they were a necessity. “I definitely think the pool needed remodeling,” Mitchell said. “It was falling apart and looking old and the bleachers were [partially] broken. [The renovations] make it look like we care about our facilities.” As of Jan. 11, only just after the renovations were completed, the Newton Athletics twitter account posted a tweet explaining that the swim meet for that day was postponed due to chemical issues in the pool. It is believed that there was a chlorine imbalance in the water, which can be harmful to the swimmers. “Chlorine can have harmful effects on the human body,” Mitchell said. “It is a relatively weak acid, but having it in large amounts can hurt not only our bodies but our suits and it will get in our eyes sometimes and in our mouth, so having an acid in the pool is not good. They didn’t want to risk it and just called it so we didn’t have to get in and worry about getting injured in some way. It also might damage the equipment in the water.”
Before
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SPORTS
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30 | PHOTO ESSAY | WINTER 2021
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Ann Pomeroy Editor-in-Chief @PomeroyAnn At the away women’s varsity basketball game against Dodge City on Dec. 5, freshman Abby Koontz defends the hoop with sophomore Olivia Antonowich. Photo by Caleb Smith
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Juniors Caleb Koontz and Joe Slechta react in a shocked manner when beginning to dissect a fetal pig in their Anatomy and Physiology class on Jan 4. Photo by Kati Blaylock
Freshman Keon Edwards mentally prepares for his wrestling match in the 145 lbs. weight class hosted at home on Dec. 3. Photo by Caleb Smith Boys varsity basketball player, junior Owen Mills makes a lay up in the Dec. 5 game against Dodge City. Photo by Kati Blaylock Junior varsity cheerleaders freshman Brooklynn Black and Daytona Doty-Helm pose for a quick picture while cheering on the junior varsity girls in the Jan. 12 basketball game against Salina South. Photo by Caleb Smith
During the Dec. 14 varsity swim meet in the newly renovated NHS facility, senior Creed Ekerberg competes in the breaststroke. Photo by Olivia Adams With a concerned look on her face, sophomore Jaymie Murray listens patiently for the results of her wrestling match hosted at home on Dec. 3. Photo by Caleb Smith
Senior Justice Murray expresses his lines with energy while performing in the Dec. 4 production of David and Lisa. Photo by Kati Blaylock Vet Tech students instruct assistant principal and CTE director Ben Reed as he checks out Ag Academy goat Agnus. Photo courtesy
Dressed in full Christmas attire assistant principal Blake Smith poses before student resource officer Steve Hamersky during the department Elf on the Shelf competition. Photo courtesy During the first home swim meet of the year, hosted on Dec. 14, swim team participants line themselves up on their diving boards in preparation for the start of their race. Photo by Olivia Adams
To wrap up the last day of student council’s 12 days of Christmas, junior student council representative Joel Franz hands a warm cup of hot chocolate to junior Grace Owen and her little sister Natalie Owen on Dec. 18. Photo courtesy On her first day back to in-person classes after winter break, Jan. 4, junior Jennifer Rubio poses with her fetal pig in preparation for dissection. Photo by Kati Blaylock
Competing in the 106 lbs. weight class, sophomore Nick Treaster concentrates on his opponent in the Dec. 3 home dual against Hutchinson. Photo by Caleb Smith
PHOTO ESSAY
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THE NEWTONIAN NEWTON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT MAGAZINE Series 98 | Issue 2 | Winter 2021
Page 30-31 Reflect on the eventful year Photo by Ann Pomeroy
