The Oracle-October 2025 by The Oracle

Oracle under construction the

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

With the first nine weeks now in the books, it’s clear that change is all around us. From new phone policies and record-setting student enrollment to the construction happening just outside our doors, the ‘25-‘26 school year is defining a new chapter on our campus.

All of these shifts inspired the theme for this issue. Just like the blueprint on our cover, this issue maps out more than the framework of our building. It reflects the structure of our evolving community. Every student, teacher and tradition adds a new line to the design that makes Stratford unique.

Even while our surroundings may be “under construction,” one thing remains constant: who we are as Stratford America. Our ambition, our pursuit of excellence and our school spirit will never waver. It’s expressed in our creativity through sculpture and arts, in our appreciation for the work of our school officers and in the energy our coaches bring to the field and court. As you read this first issue of the year, I hope you are reminded that even in times of transition, our foundation stays strong.

STAFF

Editor-in-Chief*

Natalie Patranella

Associate Editors*

Bella Smith

Sophia Yarborough

Online Editors*

Jacob Cobb

Hailey Wisdom

Photo Editor*

Molly Kate Minyard

Creative Director*

Reese Spradling

Reporters

Melina Banan

Foster Burton

Ryann Calvert

Aubury Craff

Happy reading, Natalie Patranella

03 - 07

FEATURE

More than Clay

Sculpture students express themselves through art Mission: Safety

Officers Honeycutt and Walker explain how they balance safety, mentorship and student connection

Blast from the Past

The physical media trend isn’t just an aesthetic One, Two, Three, Eyes on Me

TAFE students prepare for a career in education

08

- 10

SPORTS

New Places, Fresh Faces

New coaches outline changes coming to their programs Cup of Tee

James Gardner

Zoe Greene

Jackson Hiler

Ryan McDowell

Ava McKenzie

Sebastian Mendoza

Michelle Moon

Anastasiia Petrenko

Rhea Roy

Sara Roy

Lindsey Smith

Caden Stone

Claire Whalen

Adviser

Sara Boyle

*Editorial Board

Golf players share insight on their unique sport

12 - 13

STUDENT

LIFE In Case You Missed It

A collection of photos from the first nine weeks

EDITORIAL

Oracle Outlook

Texas’ phone ban offers an opportunity for connection

@shsoracle

issuu.com/thestratfordoracle

More than CLAY

Sculpture students express themselves through art

WRITTEN BY AUBURY CRAFF (12), MICHELLE MOON (12) AND HAILEY WISDOM (12)

From sketching on a piece of paper, to spinning clay on the wheel, to moving a paintbrush across a canvas, art can take many different forms. Sculpture uses various materials and molds them into new shapes and models.

“I love sculpture because it allows students who don’t really view themselves as artists [to] try art,” sculpture teacher Jennifer Corn said.

Sculpture students can use clay, wire and even trash in their artwork. This gives students more freedom regarding working with their hands, as well as with mixed media.

“I expose them to a lot of different media so that they have the skills to make their own choices about what materials and tools they want to use,” Corn said.

This can help students branch out from the typical styles of art. Junior Jina Suk has been in Ms. Corn’s art classes for three years.

“Drawing and painting could be kind of restricted sometimes because usually you have a reference picture and you paint or draw that,” Suk said. “But for sculpture, you have your own creative freedom, and you can do what you want because you can change things along the way.”

There are three different levels of sculpture, as well as an AP class. With these, students are able to progress with different levels of multimedia.

“It is self-motivated and engineered,” Corn said. “I think [sculpture is] my favorite class to teach.”

Sculpture can also allow students to tell stories or show emotions through physical media.

“It’s a good outlet for me to express my feelings or certain stories of my life,” Suk said. “I’m incorporating my culture [and] different cultures in it as well.”

With trial and error, students are able to progress in this class and improve their artistic capabilities.

“Something I really love is teaching students to

PHOTOS BY HAILEY WISDOM (12)

throw on the wheel,” Corn said. “It can be very challenging. I once had a student who was just really struggling, and [I] just continued to help teach her how to do this, and encourage her on the wheel. The day, she finally got it was such an, ‘aha,’ beautiful moment because it just validates that anybody can do sculpture.”

TOP:

Madeline Brooks (12) and Milla Filippov (12) work with wire on their projects

MIDDLE:

Sarah Hickman (12) pours resin into a mold

BOTTOM:

Idem Sosol (12) uses a balloon for her piece

CASE FILE NO. 2025 MISSION: SAFETY

Officers Honeycutt and Walker explain how they balance safety, mentorship and student connection

WRITTEN BY:

JACKSON HILER (12), SARA ROY (9) AND LINDSEY SMITH (11)

PHOTOS BY:

JACKSON HILER (12) AND SARA ROY (9)

You may see campus police officers Emanuel Honeycutt and Clifton Walker behind the front desk in the office. You may see them patrolling the hallways during lunch. You even may see them helping students cross the street in the mornings.

Well, both of our friendly school officers have very important jobs around the school. Their formal job title is SRO, short for school resource officer, and their job has many aspects. They manage safety at school; they form connections with kids, parents and staff; they serve as role models for students; they prevent crime and respond to emergencies, and much, much more.

But it’s not a piece of cake. It requires a lot of training to get to this point — they are police officers, after all. Officers Walker and Honeycutt completed 700 hours of training at multiple institutions.

“Like a doctor trains and learns new medicines, we train and learn new laws,” Honeycutt said.

This training does come in handy, however. Our officers are required to react in high-pressure emergency situations, where the safety of the whole school rests on their shoulders. They help with drills and protocols and are always prepared for the worst. This is a big responsibility — and that’s where the training comes in.

“In the moment [during an emergency], you hear it, see it and kind of react the way you’ve been trained,” Walker said. “Mentally, and physically, you just have to react. Once you calm down from it, you can look back and process’.”

Our officers feel well-trained and qualified for emergencies here on campus. They want you, as the students, to know you’re in good hands, in the case of an emergency.

But the organization and safety is not the best part of the job, according to Officer Honeycutt. No — his favorite part of being an SRO is the student interaction.

“If I can adjust and build a rapport with the kids like I do here, and I can do that to where kids listen to me and feel safe with me, that’s the right attitude,” Honeycutt said.

Part of the job description of being a school resource officer is being a role model to students. That’s the main goal for both Honeycutt and Walker. While they already act as role models with their hard work, bravery and tact alone, they try to model healthy, helpful life skills that students can apply to daily life.

Walker makes it a goal to teach students not to take everything too seriously and to enjoy their lives.

“Enjoy [it],” Walker said. “One day, you’ll be able to look back on it and be like, man, that wasn’t that hard.”

Since diplomatic conversation is part of his job title as well, Walker also emphasizes the importance of good communication.

ABOVE: Officer Honeycutt helps students and staff cross the street at the beginning of the school day

“You gotta learn to be serious, but also know when to be transparent and open too,” Walker said. “A good balance is key when handling tricky situations.”

And for our officers, there’s never a shortage of tricky situations. With misbehaving students and angry parents, diffusion is key.

“We have to de-escalate,” Honeycutt said. “Go in there with the right mindframe.”

This year, luckily, students have not been a problem. Our officers worried that the phone ban and an increasing class size may spur unrest, especially in the incoming freshmen class, but they happily report that there have been no major behavioral issues.

“[There is] no disrespect,” Honeycutt said. “We’re trying to keep it that way.”

Both of our officers love working with students. Along with trying to be a role model, they want to interact and get to know the students. Their goal is for students to know them and feel safe under their charge. In fact, that’s part of the reason they came to this job.

“You’ve got to learn when to be serious, but know how to be transparent and personal,” Walker said.

Honeycutt always wanted to work in public service, but after his car was broken into in high school, he had something completely different in mind in terms of a career path.

“[When] I was in my 20s, I wanted to be a fireman, but when I moved to Texas, with my jobs and driving school buses and all that, it gave me an opportunity to work with kids,” Honeycutt said.

But it’s important to remember that beyond all the hard work, training and discipline, our SROs are humans too. In fact, sometimes Walker is amused by students or adults who are nervous around his badge.

“[People] are so nervous that they just say random stuff, and little do they know I’m trying to keep from laughing,” Walker said.

Outside of work, Walker enjoys working out and music. He plays the piano as a hobby and a way to relax after a long day, a craft he’s been perfecting for more than 15 years.

Walker also has three children, ages 11, 9 and 6.

“Outside of work, I’m just trying to keep up with them and teach them stuff,” Walker said.

Honeycutt also has children, but they’ve already grown up. He lives with his wife and four dogs and enjoys fishing and seafood. His children are in college, and he even has grandchildren who visit him during the holidays. Often, Honeycutt draws parallels between students on campus and his own kids.

“[To inspire the student body, I take the] same steps that I took when I raised my kids: you gotta teach them the goals,” Honeycutt said.

While our SROs may seem intimidating from afar, with their badges and walkie-talkies, they’re really fun, sweet people with great senses of humor. So next time you see Officer Honeycutt or Officer Walker in the hallway, walk up and strike a conversation. They might make your day.

“The connection with the kids — that’s what it’s all about,” Honeycutt said.

MEET THE TEAM Officer Honeycutt

Officer Walker

CASE NOTES

• Last known location: Stratford High School

• Proud of building safe campus community

• Honeycutt: Crawfish + gumbo = his weakness

• Walker: Officer by day, pianist by night

BLAST PAST

from the

The physical media trend isn’t just an aesthetic

WRITTEN BY JACOB COBB (12), MELINA BANAN (12) AND AVA MCKENZIE (12)

ILLUSTRATED BY MELINA BANAN (12)

Vinyl. CDs. Digital cameras. These technologies of the past have amassed nostalgia from older generations, but have mostly remained outdated. However, these antiquated technologies have recently found their use again in the hands of a younger generation, who has come to develop great affinity for them. The rise of the physical media trend is dragging these technologies out of attic, while also begging the question: What does it really mean to own something?

Vinyl records have been the most popular iteration of this trend, with many beginning large collections of them. And while vinyl records have never completely disappeared, thanks to a core group of audiophiles swearing on the quality of the music, they’ve had a huge boost of popularity with Gen Z, who see other benefits in them. Artists only make $0.003-$0.005 per stream on Spotify, so buying physical versions of albums allows you to directly support the artist as opposed to streaming the music. Additionally, you avoid ads that you would normally get on streaming services, providing advantages over the streaming service model.

In recent years, artists have taken note of the trend, releasing alternate covers and pressings you can only get when you buy the physical media, adding to the appeal. So while they’re less convenient than streaming the music, both CDs and records allow the buyer a special experience that exceeds simply listening to the music.

Senior Trace Murphree highlights this idea, saying, “It’s one thing to stream it online, it’s another to physically hold it. It’s special.” Physical copies of music have not been the only old technology to be revived by Gen Z; digital cameras have also had a return to the spotlight. The growing popularity of digital cameras follows the rise of a similar trend from 2014: the revival of Polaroid pictures. Polaroid photos garnered great popularity in the ‘60s and ‘70s, but by the late 2000s, it had lost its place in the public zeitgeist and was at risk of going bankrupt. However, in 2014, Taylor Swift announced the cover for her album “1989” and Polaroid gained new life. Polaroids showed that photos were no longer based on quality but instead the aesthetic they provided. Taking and having Polaroids gained new meaning. They created a brand of being young, free-spirited and authentic. It became more than just a photo; it became a lifestyle to aspire to.

The authenticity that the teenagers of 2014 found in Polaroids is the same effect that also led to the resurgence of the use of digital cameras. For many young people, the warm, slightly grainy look of photos taken on a digital camera is preferred to the clear and sometimes clinical photos taken on your phone. Digital cameras bring an effect similar to that of looking into a memory. Their appeal has almost nothing to do with functionality and everything to do with the effect created.

On top of these benefits, this growing trend has created much sentimentality between younger and older generations. Parents passing down their own digital cameras to their children. Grandparents giving their grandchildren their record collections. Not only do they share these objects but also the stories and memories that go along with them.

The physical media trend is more than just a way to connect with the past, support artists or create an aesthetic; it’s a statement of ownership in a world that has changed the rulebook on what it means to “own” something. Streaming services can take movies off their platform, artists can take their songs off Spotify and files can corrupt, but when you physically own something, it’s an assurance for the future. No matter what happens, you have a version that is uniquely yours.

TAFE students prepare for a career in education

WRITTEN BY RYANN CALVERT (12), ANASTASIIA PETRENKO (11) AND RHEA ROY (9)

A passionate group of Spartans is ready to lead the classrooms of tomorrow, and they’re doing it through the TAFE club. TAFE, which stands for Texas Administration of Future Educators, is a way for students who are serious about teaching to get an early start on learning what it means to be an educator.

“In TAFE, students explore what it’s like to be a teacher through hands-on activities, workshops and classroom observations,” senior Dante Burleigh said. “It’s a mix of learning, practicing and connecting with other future educators.”

TAFE meetings also give members real-world experiences, from group projects to event planning.

“A typical TAFE club meeting looks like a community of students who all share the same passion and enjoyment for teaching,” junior Adele Louis said. “We gather together to share ideas and plan projects.”

Louis has been interested in teaching

ILLUSTRATED BY NATALIE PATRANELLA (12) AND BELLA SMITH (12)

Similarly, senior Vice President Sophie Bryant also had an interest in teaching. She competed in the TAFE region competition during her sophomore and junior years and plans to compete again during her senior year.

“My sophomore year, I made it to state and nationals,” Bryant said. “I wasn’t able to compete at nationals, but that was just a really cool thing that I made it.”

One of the most rewarding parts of TAFE for Bryant has been the relationships she has formed along the way.

“It brings a lot of us together who might not have realized we all wanted to be teachers,” Bryant said. “I think it builds friendships that we wouldn’t have otherwise.”

The club also goes beyond planning lessons: it prepares its members to become the kind of teacher that makes a difference in their students’ lives.

“I think that being compassionate, patient and caring towards your students and their needs are the most important qualities for a teacher to have,” Louis said.

Louis looks forward to bringing her

Bryant also expresses her creativity in competition, where she participates by writing and illustrating children’s books as her TAFE event.

“[Creating children’s books] is always a fun thing to do because I get to explore a side of creativity that we don’t dive into as deeply in elementary education,” Bryant said.

Meanwhile, Burleigh has seen how rewarding it is to help students understand challenging concepts.

“I’d like to teach high school science because I enjoy turning abstract concepts into experiments students can engage with,” Burleigh said.

As the TAFE club continues to grow, it’s clear that the future of education is in good hands, and it’s starting right here on campus.

For more information on TAFE, you can follow the club on Instagram (@ stratford.tafe) or contact the sponsor, Ms. Brittain, in room 232.

new places,

FRESH FACES

Sports like football, tennis, track and baseball have received new coaches, and three specifically have been upending the usual training programs to build better teams. Coach CJ Fowler of the track team started last school year and became determined to make the track program one of the best. The baseball team has also undergone major changes with Coach Steve Hutcherson, who, as head coach, led a previous team to a state championship win. The tennis program, led by new head coach Matthew Geisel, is also seeing exciting changes both on and off the court.

Since Fowler started coaching the track team, he has implemented plenty of new ideas to benefit the athletes both on and off the track. When Fowler first started, the team wasn’t what he expected.

“It was very different than I thought it was going to be,” Fowler said. “There was a lack of culture of practicing to get better.”

After seeing the state of the team, Fowler realized he would need to alter his strategy to create a team of winners, changing the typical training schedule to promote overall athleticism and a stable foundation before event-specific conditioning. Another aspect of Fowler’s training is his effort to improve the mindset and character of his athletes, encouraging them to uplift their teammates and become more upstanding people.

“[Looking back at this past season,] we didn’t do enough of that — trying to teach [players] to be better people from the inside out,” Fowler said.

Fowler has also upgraded the team’s equipment. After fundraising more than $29,000, he provided the team with new uniforms, warm-ups and high-quality training equipment like new barbells and blocks.

“We have all the team shirts and look the same,” Fowler said. “Being able to look like a unit on the team and building leadership [is important].”

His dedication to building athletes and good people has reshaped the track team, and it shows in the results, with athletes

New coaches outline changes coming to their programs

moving from junior varsity to Division I level. The impact Fowler has had is impressive, and it will show when the season starts in February.

On the other hand, the baseball team has gone through three head coaches in four years, but the program looks to find stability with new head coach Hutcherson.

“I’ve been a head coach previously, and then I was actually out of baseball for a year,” Hutcherson said. “[I] knew I kinda wanted to be a head coach again, [so when] I saw the job opening, I put my name in for it, and was fortunate to get a call to interview.”

Hutcherson grew up in Houston, played baseball at Deer Park High and Concordia University and already feels at home.

“My first few weeks getting adjusted to all my classes and the baseball side have been really good,” Hutcherson said. “[I’ve] enjoyed getting to know all the players and getting to know everyone’s strengths.”

In a state where high school baseball is fiercely competitive, Hutcherson acknowledges how special the position is.

“Truthfully, I felt lucky that it was me,” Hutcherson said. “Knowing about the program and knowing the area, I really felt like it was the best job available in the whole entire state of Texas last year.”

The program, which hadn’t made it past round two of the playoffs in more than 20 years, is ready for a change.

“What excites me is just the hunger that the players have to want to be successful,” Hutcherson said. “So they are willing to do anything to see that success play out.”

Hutcherson plans to change the culture not necessarily through himself, but through the players.

“I think every coach has their own way of doing things,” Hutcherson said. “It’s just how quickly you can get guys on board with what you’re trying to do and how that philosophy translates on the field, off the field and how they carry it into their day-to-day life.”

He has already hit the ground running with mandatory morning

workouts, new practice structures and classroom ideas.

“As soon as Coach Hutch stepped onto campus, you could tell that he had a mindset like no other,” junior Quinn Fitzpatrick said.

That energy has already spread through the team as Hutcherson pushes his players to compete with purpose.

“You’ve got to play every game like it means something, and I eventually think that’s how you start breaking through round by round, little by little, and you’ll be surprised how far you can [go],” Hutcherson said.

Spartan America is also excited to welcome Coach Geisel, the new head of the tennis program. Geisel started playing tennis his freshman year and made varsity right away. By his sophomore year, he was already the top player on his team and realized he wanted a career in the sport.

“[I wanted] to let [tennis] continue to be a bigger part of my life rather than just being a player,” Geisel said.

Geisel has a clear vision for the future of the tennis program and is focused on creating a team built on unity and hard work.

“Stratford has always been a good program, or at least a program that other schools respect,” Geisel said. “But I want the program to be more than that; I want it to stand for something bigger.”

Coach Geisel is already moving closer to that goal as the varsity team prepares for playoffs.

“I want to go big and beyond, and I want to go bigger than it’s been in the past,” Geisel said. “I want to see state championships; I want to see state qualifiers.”

He hopes to leave a lasting impression on his players and emphasize that tennis is more than just a one-time sport.

“First and foremost, tennis is a sport [people] can play for the rest of their lives,” Geisel said. “It doesn’t matter how old they get or where they are; they can always pick up a racket and play.”

While tennis is one of Geisel’s key priorities, building character is most important.

“I don’t want my players to ever sacrifice character for anything, even if it’s for a win in the tennis match,” Geisel said.

Geisel is adjusting well and is excited to continue leading the team through the rest of the season. Be sure to wish the varsity Spartan tennis players good luck as they head into playoffs. Go Spartans!

“I used to dream of coaching since I was in elementary school.”

- Coach Fowler

“I think this year the goal is no different, but you got to start by implementing the changes for success.”

- Coach Hutcherson

“I don’t want my players to ever sacrifice character for anything. Even if it’s for a win in the tennis match.” - Coach Geisel

WRITTEN BY FOSTER BURTON (12), CADEN STONE (11) AND CLAIRE WHALEN (9)

PHOTOS BY FOSTER BURTON (12), TRAVIS LEYMAN (9) AND CADEN STONE (11)

TOP OF PG. 8

Coach Fowler leads an after-school track practice

TOP OF PG. 9:

Naomi Santiago (10) and Melanie Hicks (10) rally during tennis practice

Cup of

Golf players share insight on their unique sport

WRITTEN

TEE

JAMES GARDNER (11), ZOE GREENE (11) AND RYAN MCDOWELL (12)

In the minds of most people, golf is the epitome of the individual sport. Players step up to the tee box alone with no backup and no one to pass the ball to. But on the Spartan golf team, it looks a little different.

A standard week begins with players checking in with Coach Johnson in his classroom on Monday and turning in an 18 hole scorecard before engaging in a team workout in the weight room. Then, for the rest of the week, the team is released for individual practices at local courses like Jersey Meadow.

Freshman Kate Holzman explained a golf player’s weekly routine.

“On some Mondays, we go to Top Golf for team bonding,” Holzman said. “Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays are at your home course. And then Wednesday, if you have a tee time, you can go to Jersey Meadow to practice.”

The mix of mandatory check-ins and self-guided practice keeps players accountable while giving them freedom to work on the parts of their game that need the most attention.

The major aspect separating high school golf from the pros, aside from the skill gap, are the teammate elements.

“Playing on a high school team is different [from playing professionally because] you are close to everybody,” senior Grady Ash said. “There are some people I’ve known since elementary school, and that makes it really cool to compete with them on the same team.”

Holzman agreed, pointing out that even though golf is individual, players often help each other read putts or swap course knowledge.

This camaraderie can be a confidence boost, especially for younger players adjusting to the pressure of competition. The support system built within the team often becomes just as

PHOTOS BY RYANN CALVERT (12) AND COURTESY OF THE SOUTH TEXAS PROFESSIONAL GOLF ASSOCIATION

important as the individual practice hours.

Tournaments add another layer to the sport. Players can’t text or talk to each other mid-round, but they connect before and after to strategize and share how it went. That’s also where nerves kick in.

“Sometimes I get nervous if I’m playing with people I don’t know,” Holzman said. “But after the first hole, if they’re around my level, I realize they’re not Tiger Woods, and I can relax.”

The hardest part of being on the team might not be what’s expected. It isn’t just grinding through practice or managing nerves; it’s the balance of being on your own during play while still feeling responsible for your teammates. Players often mention that this mental juggling act of focusing on their own game while thinking about team scores can be one of the most challenging aspects of high school golf. And though the season can get serious, the group does make time for fun, like the previously mentioned trips to Top Golf or team dinners at a team member’s house once a month.

Since the season began on September 24, the players have been preparing not just to test their own skills, but to see how far they can go together.

Holzman summed it up simply: “Even though it’s an individual sport, you can still help your teammate out, and that makes it more fun.”

Vanessa Cruz (11) lines up for the shot

Grady Ash (12) finishes his swing

Grady Ash (12)

Oracle Outlook

@shsoracleHeadphonesDisconnected justmadeapost WiFiDisconnected

Texas’ phone ban offers an opportunity for connection

WRITTEN BY

JACOB COBB (12) AND SOPHIA YARBOROUGH (11)

Earlier this year, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1481 into law, which bans Texas students from using personal devices during school. When the news broke, students went into a frenzy: panicking, complaining, even petitioning for the reversal of the law. Now, months after enacting this new policy, students are still adjusting. While some of us still feel negatively about having to stay off our phones, it’s time to look at this policy not as a punishment, but as an opportunity. A phone-free school day is just what we need to improve our academic lives and social connections.

Phones are incredibly distracting. The constant stream of notifications, even if you’re ignoring them, can cause your brain to lose focus and take up to 20 minutes to refocus on a task. Without the temptation to check your messages or social media, you can be fully immersed in your work, which leads to better retention of content and more meaningful discussion with teachers and classmates. When we don’t have our phones readily available, the focus shifts to what’s happening in front of us, whether that’s finding out what your friends are doing around school or discussing the latest book we’re reading. Your phone has a reliance and removing it can create a greater sense of independence, encouraging you to find information and solve problems using critical thinking skills without the immediate aid of a search engine.

Phones have also caused us to lose our social skills. We rely on phones whenever a situation gets awkward, which hurts us in the long run. A lot of us have gotten so used to communicating through screens that we’ve forgotten how to talk face-to-face. The absence of smartphones has led to a resurgence of real human connection, strengthening social bonds in our community. If you looked at the cafeteria last year, everyone’s eyes were glued to their phones. Now, you’ll see genuine conversation and connection among students.

ILLUSTRATED BY MELINA

BANAN (12)

This is a chance to build real, in-person friendships, share jokes and have spontaneous conversations. The biggest concern from students and parents is what would happen if students didn’t have access to their phones in an emergency. With the rise of school shootings in America, it is not an invalid concern. To be clear, Stratford already has clear procedures for a crisis. There are phones in every classroom and office, and parents can always reach students through the front office in an urgent situation. Teachers and administrators are dedicated to keeping students safe and the district is dedicated to providing clear communication to families during crises. The policy doesn’t stop us from being safe; it just asks us to rely on established systems rather than our personal devices.

The law, however, is not flawless with its execution. The law falls short in understanding how teachers got creative with how to successfully implement phones into curriculums, and in previous years, involving them in lesson plans and activities. Science classes used phones as stopwatches for labs, journalism classes used phones for interviews and photography, and plenty of other teachers have found ways to implement phones into their lessons. The new law, in its absoluteness, prevents teachers from using phones for educational purposes. Having teachers and educators in the room when the law is made could have helped find better solutions.

The reaction to the phone bill has been dramatic and fierce. In practice, however, the phone ban has forced students to build connections in a world where that is becoming more and more rare. While the law isn’t perfectly executed, it isn’t the travesty it’s been labeled as. Changing your mindset helps show what it really is: an adjustment for everyone, and not a crisis. It’s an opportunity to make real, lasting connections while you’re in school.

Oracle Outlook is a recurring section featuring a student opinion that the Editorial Board believes to reflect the majority of the Oracle staff’s opinion. All opinions are our own and do not attempt to express an official school stance. The Oracle values readers’ opinions and welcomes letters to the editor, which may be submitted through our Instagram @shsoracle or in person to room 231.