The Vista

The Vista

NOTRE DAME ACADEMY*3535 W. SYLVANIA AVE.*TOLEDO, OH 43623*VOL 71, ISSUE #1* Oct. 28, 2021

In This Issue: Book Published

by NDA Senior (p. 2)

Crosstalk: Black Widow Makes Disney Pay (p. 4)

Editorial: Corporations Need to Clean Up (p. 5)

Matilda Hits NDA Stage (p. 7)

Roving Reporter Teachers’ First Cars (p.8)

Decorations add the feeling of fall to the school courtyard. Photo by: Chelsea Fall

The Vista

Page 2 News

Senior Eagle Publishes Book

Writing Helps Self, Others

By Chelsea Fall It is easy to imagine some of the issues girls deal with every day. Now s e n i o r F i z z a K h a n a s a Woman of Vision has published her own book to explore and share her journey. Her book addresses the struggles faced in the lives of teenage girls and the feelings and events that she has gone through that led her to where she is.

In May of 2021, senior Fizza Khan released a book titled Undoubtedly, Undeniably, and Unapologetically Mine, which is a poetry book that speaks about how others’ words can hurt and how the world can be made into something beautiful.

Fizza Khan’s book, Undoubtedly, Undeniably, and Unapologetically Mine, shares her struggles with being bullied in her younger days at another school, how she overcame it, and how she has grown since that time. As a senior at Notre Dame Academy, she wants to share her experiences with others so that they don’t feel so alone.

“My main motivation in writing the book was to tell my story and help people who share my experiences. I hope both people who are being bullied and people who have been bullied [in the past] feel less alone after reading it,” Fizza said.

She shows her journey through her hardships and the light that she found at the end of the tunnel.

“There are many lessons that Mrs. Rathge, the teacher who was there for me when I was bullied, taught me, which are incorporated throughout the book, but I would definitely say that the whole idea of being brave and doing what you are afraid to do, even in spite of fear, is the biggest, and most important one for me,” Fizza said.

She has been writing her whole life and has always wanted to make an impact with her writing and to make something that showed meaning for others.

The book written by senior Fizza Khan is on display in the NDA Resource Center. Photo by Chelsea Fall

Fizza began the process of publishing her book during lockdown caused by the pandemic. She had time to focus on her writing and had time to edit all her works.

“As the months went on, I edited by writing more poems and even taking some out until I was satisfied with the final book. The whole process took a year," Fizza said.

She put a lot of time into writing her first poems of her book over her sophomore year.

"How wonderful to have students witness their peer as an accomplished, published writer. For the girls to see good writing is actively happening everyday, and not just in textbooks and the classics, speaks to the English department's mission: to help students become articulate thinkers, writers, and good communicators. Fizza is an inspiration to the aspiring writers in our school community!" English Department Chair Mrs. Laura Gallaher said.

Fizza's book is available for purchase on Amazon.

What can you do if you or someone you know is being bullied?

Here are some of the tips found on kidshealth.org: • Tell a trusted adult - your parents, teachers, coaches • Find your true friends - avoid being alone if possible • Stand up for friends or others you see being bullied - support the victim, even if you don't know that person because no one should be bullied • Talk about it - to a guidance counselor, teacher, or friend.

Talking is a good outlet for the fears and frustrations that bullying can cause.

The Vista

Page 3 News

Teens Filling Jobs Adults Unwilling to Take Chelsea Fall After lockdowns and mandates and shortages, teens are experiencing an employment boom in the days of Covid.

Over the summer of 2020, the U.S. saw one of the biggest declines in teen employment history. Approximately 1.9 million teens lost their jobs from February to April of last year.

However, teens have recently seen a spike in teen employment due to the lack of [older] workers and availability in teen workers.

In May of 2021, approximately 5.3 million teens were hired in order to keep many companies from shutting down.

This means a lot of jobs have created new policies to adapt to their quickly changing young staff.

With the change in employment and with more companies reopening after Covid, teens are applying for many jobs, while many adults have sent fewer applications. Many companies have at least 5 to 7 teen applicants, but many positions can only be filled by adults. Most of these teen applicants have also never had

a job before and cannot fill these higher up positions due to lack of experience. This creates a cycle for company owners who can’t find enough adult employees to do the necessary manager type roles that cannot be filled by a teenager.

However, this year has been the best year for teen employment since the 1950s.

Many retail and restaurant employers have had trouble with rehiring after shutting down in early 2020. However, many teens are able to fill these positions and are available to work while many adults have not.

“Older workers in restaurants and service-industry jobs are either unwilling or unable to come back to the labor force. We've seen teens step in to fill that gap,” CBSnews reported.

The reopening of businesses also coincided with the end of the academic school year, which left room for more teenage applicants. A school year of zoom calls and remote learning may

have caused a growth in teens wanting to get out to the house and find a job.

These companies that hire many teens have had to learn to work around the schedules of the younger employees because without them they cannot run their companies. This creates a difficult situation with the scheduling hours of many companies nationwide.

The times of Covid have created a new perspective on how necessary teenage employment is. It shows that many teen applicants have begun to become more respected and necessary in the real world of jobs.

It not only has created more economic safety within families but has also been trying on many teens that have been working demanding hours due to low staff over the age of 20.

Overall the new teen employment rates have greatly increased and has greatly impacted many companies nationwide, but has also created a new cycle for many teens that will help them grow the skills that they need to survive.

Girls in Afghanistan Face New Challenges Mary K. Grzybowski With the recent Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the shallow front of the women’s rights movements in Afghanistan is showing.

The United States and many countries in the international community have long advocated for women’s rights in Afghanistan.

Starting with the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan following 9/11, the emphasis of women’s rights has only grown.

However, with the U.S. withdrawing from Afghanistan, the tables have turned. According to whitehouse.gov in a speech on Aug. 31, President Biden said, “We’ll continue to speak out for basic rights of the Afghan people, especially women and girls, as we speak out for women and girls all around the globe. And I’ve been clear that human rights will be the center of our foreign policy. But the way to do that is not through endless military deployments, but through diplomacy, economic tools, and rallying the rest of the world for support.”

Many believe Pres. Biden and other officials are maintaining the war was always to defeat terrorism, leaving Afghan women completely out of the equation.

Others argue the U.S. and other countries with a stake in the Afghanistan conflict

merely used women’s rights as added justification for their involvement. Now that the stakes have changed, the government is changing its motive to leave Afghanistan guilt-free.

Now millions of Afghan women who have gained substantial rights over the last two decades are left behind. Regardless of the motivation, U.S. involvement in Afghanistan did bring positive international attention to the movement. The attention led to powerful statements on human rights, such as the refusal of almost all countries to recognize the Taliban government’s legitimacy; many wonder what will happen to the movement now.

Additionally, almost 40% of students are female, and there is a higher percentage of seats held by women in the Afghan Parliament than the United States Congress.

Now, however, all of this progress simply means that the many activist female professionals, politicians, and students are at increased risk because of their activism in the past decades.

The Taliban has claimed that it has evolved since its previous rule in the 90s,

when it implemented laws that brutally stripped women of their constitutional rights to work and freedom. For example, the Taliban required that women always be accompanied by a man when leaving the house.

There is evidence policies like this will return. Malala Yousafzai is an activist for female education who was shot by the Taliban in 2012 when she was just 15 years old.

“In many parts of the world, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan, terrorism, war and conflict stop children [from going] to their schools. We are really tired of these wars. Women and children are suffering,” she has stated in her work.

Reports of women being turned away from school or work are common. Even women who are not explicitly banned from working face serious safety concerns if they do decide to go to work. The threat of the Taliban is enough to keep millions of working women home, even if it is not an explicit command.

The difficulty now is in finding a way for the U.S. and other countries to aid Afghan citizens without doing more damage.

The Vista

Page 4 Op-Ed

The Bottom Line Ed. Note: Many were surprised when Scarlett Johansson sued Disney for breaching their contract for Black Widow, causing her to lose potentially millions of dollars. Although they settled the lawsuit on Sept. 30, the question remains how far is too far to fight for your worth.

The Real Cost

Crosstalk The Real Gain  Mary K. Grzybowski

Regan Carnes Scarlett Johansson was right to sue Disney for the release of Black Widow, as the company breached the terms of their agreement and could have denied Johansson as much as $50 million.

Johansson filed suit against Disney on July 29 after finding out she could have made millions of dollars from Disney+ streams. Under her contract with Disney, Johansson was paid based on box office receipts. However, Disney released the movie on Disney+ at the same time it was released in theaters.

This meant many people who would have paid to see the film in theaters instead watched it at home.

Ms. Johansson’s agent, Bryan Lourd, says Disney’s manipulation is motivated by “an attempt to weaponize her success as an artist and a businesswoman.”

In rebuttal, Disney denies Johansson’s accusation. The company released a statement calling Johansson insensitive for disregarding the circumstances of the pandemic. Disney declares the lawsuit “especially sad in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

While many can agree that the pandemic has taken its toll on the film industry, Disney’s statement has been deemed a weak excuse, and if the pandemic was such a big concern, why did the film in theaters at all?

Some argue Ms. Johansson is ungrateful, as she has made approximately $20 million from Black Widow’s box office receipts alone. But if Disney had not manipulated the contract, her compensation would have been over twice the amount.

Disney has exploited Johansson and she is right to advocate for the money she rightfully deserves. A contract is a contract, regardless of Johansson’s financial status or the inconsistent circumstances of COVID-19.

The Vista Staff Volume 72 Issue 1 The Vista is a publication of Notre Dame Academy by the students of Journalism II and III. The office is located in room 113 of the school.

Unsigned editorials represent a majority vote of the newspaper staff.

Editor in Chief: Chelsea Fall Second-Year Reporters: Reagan Carnes Mary K. Grzybowski Adviser: Mrs. Julie Sells

Scarlett Johansson should not have sued Disney for the dual theatrical and Disney+ release of Black Widow.

The decision by Disney to experiment with this type of release was created by unique circumstances surrounding theaters. Not only has theater viewing been declining in recent years, but its decline has also been enhanced by the pandemic and accompanying concerns. Disney representatives even accused Johansson’s lawsuit as being insensitive to people’s concerns about the pandemic.

Many credit the dual release to be the cause of the movie’s lack of success (at least compared with other Marvel movies), but Black Widow was also one of the most pirated movies during the early weeks of its release. Therefore, many Marvel fans didn’t see the movie in theaters or on Disney+ -meaning neither Disney nor Scarlett Johansson would see these profits.

Finally, if the release on Disney+ so drastically hurt the box office success of Black Widow, then the sales should be relatively high. However, the film only took $60 million dollars from Disney+ on its first weekend, showing that the success of the film on both platforms was unexpectedly low.

Disney also claims that the dual release helped Johansson’s salary, which already included a $20 million dollar upfront payment.

Even though it would have been better etiquette to renegotiate the contract after deciding on a dual release format, it wouldn’t have done much for either the box office success or the total gross of the movie. And, judging by the release plans of the next Phase 4 movies, Disney won’t try it again.

Editor’s Corner Hey NDA! This is our first issue of the Vista for the year, and I couldn't be more excited to share it with you. The entire staff has been working hard since the beginning of the year, and I think that this issue turned out great. I hope that the beginning of the school year has been awesome for all of you and that you haven't been too stressed lately. Although starting the school year might be difficult time for a lot of you, I hope that you find time for yourself . This issue has definitely helped me stay a little less stressed, and I hope it does the same for you.

- Chelsea

The Vista

Page 5 OP-ED

An Eagle’s View

Who Will Pay to Clean Earth? Christmas Edges Over the past 10 years, climate change has grown progressively worse.

We have seen rising sea levels and temperatures which could ultimately lead to disaster. The biggest test to our climate is fossil fuel pollution, and we see many companies that have been major contributors.

These companies have benefited from their lack of responsibility as contributors to climate change, and they need to lead the way to fix the disaster.

Fossil fuel industries create a large amount of carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas. These greenhouse gases trap heat into the atmosphere which causes us to have rising temperatures. This constant warming will cause rising sea levels, extreme weather, biodiversity loss, and more species extinction.

This creates a huge problem that, if not handled correctly, could change the way that we are able to live and even potentially threaten future life on Earth. These companies that have been constantly putting these gases into the atmosphere need to be held responsible for the dangerous they caused.

In 2018 it was found that emissions from fossil fuels were the dominant cause of global warming. It showed 89% of global emissions come from the industry, according to The Inter-

Lines by Mary

governmental Panel on Climate Change. Coal was the biggest source of temperatures rising because of the constant use of energy. Companies using and producing fossil fuels are main contributors to our current situation, and they should be held responsible for their overuse of coal.

Some companies have committed to weaning off carbon-emitting sources by 2050. While that may be seen as progress, it is much too late.

Governments have been requesting a simple new act called the Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act. Those who polluted over the past decade should pay the most to help clean up the mess that they created.

The idea is similar to the Superfund legislation that was passed in the 1980s to clean up hazardous waste sites. This current legislation would increase fees for those companies that contributed to that waste as part of an infrastructure bill.

Overall, we can see the influence from major companies worldwide.

The current danger facing the planet requires a lot of money and innovation to fix it. This legislation will help them pay for their mess without them paying for it all at once but still overall helping our climate return to what it once was.

By Mary K. Grzybowski

Out Fall Fun Mary K. Grzybowski What is “Christmas Creep”? It doesn’t refer to the Elf-on-the-Shelf or the Grinch, though they are plenty creepy.

Instead, Christmas creep refers to the ongoing trend in which retailers begin marketing the Christmas season to consumers earlier and earlier each year.

You might have felt it when you heard “All I Want for Christmas” on the radio in October or saw Christmas displays set up in local shops. Whatever form it takes, many Christians (and annoyed consumers) are against it.

Firstly, Christmas Creep wrongly takes advantage of the psychology of consumers. People often feel increased nostalgia and hope for the coming year or may feel increasingly generous towards friends and family, making them more vulnerable to marketing ploys. The bump in sales due to Christmas is so significant that businesses even see a boost during Christmas in July.

It’s true many people feel the pressure of financial difficulties even more during Christmas due to the expectation of gifts and stress of events. Although Christmas consumerism does help some spread joy, it can also stress others.

Senior Rachel Moeller knows that people are just trying to celebrate something that makes them happy, but “this really just waters down the true Christmas with its joy.” Surrounded by so much consumerism, it’s easy to forget the basis of a countdown to Christmas at all: Advent.

Over the years, however, people have become accustomed to viewing Christmas as a time to spread joy and be happy. Mrs. Adamski, the Director of Campus Ministry, said, “People love Christmas. They love the decorations, the holiday treats, the holiday scents -- it is uplifting and anything that brings people joy in a positive way should be celebrated.” However, she also recommends that Christians try to find a balance between the joy and the traditional roots of the season.

Ending the Christmas Creep is probably on the top of some of our Christmas wish lists, but the trend doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon. As long as the celebration of Christmas and Advent remains positive, personal, and meaningful to the individual, Christmas can be a fruitful season for all.

The Vista

Page 6 Feature

New Academic Coach Puts Everyone in the Game Chelsea Fall Following a new year of struggles following online learning and being quarantined, we have a new teacher who is here to help girls with their classes if they had suffered during the pandemic last year.

NDA’s new academic success coach, Mrs. Julie Szabo is here to assist girls in any classes that they may have struggles in. Many teachers saw a drop in grades last year due to the circumstances that we were in. The academic success coach is here to help girls get back on track after a tough year from home.

This year we have a new academic success coach, Mrs. Szabo. She has been brought in to help the girls get a new start after covid as many teachers saw girls struggling. She is here to give girls an extra sense of responsibility and accountability so that they can stay on top of their work. She is here to help girls who have had a hard time after covid adjusting to

the new school year so that you can succeed going into a new year without bringing the struggles of last year in.

“We wanted to give girls a new sense of accountability so that they aren't falling behind from last year” said Dean of Academics Mrs. Beth Corrigan. Mrs. Szabo can be found in the resource center. She is also available to go to for test retakes and help during study halls and after school on gold days.

Since many schools had many setbacks last year with the pandemic, States have been giving funding to schools so that they can help those students whose grades suffered a lot because of not being physically in the classroom. With this funding we have been able to improve the learning experience so that no girl feels like they are being left behind. This funding allowed for our academic success coach which

was the largest addition due to the funding given. This benefits girls in a whole new way so that any setbacks that we have experienced can be overcome together with help. No girl deserves to fall behind because of struggling to learn at home.

It is a priority that every girl who struggles learning from home now has access to the resources she needs to make this school year the best that it can be. The pandemic was a difficult setback to many girls but no matter how far behind it may be we have the resources to help.

Without the help of NDA’s new academic success coach, many girls would be still struggling, and many would feel left behind because of learning circumstances imposed by Covid. They need to succeed this school year and set up for success in the school years to follow.

New Faces Add to the NDA Nest Regan Carnes Notre Dame Academy welcomes 11 new members to the faculty and staff this year.

Ms. Valerie Adamski is the new Campus Minister. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Music at Belmont University, and her Master’s Degree in Arts in Theology from Lourdes University. In her free time, She enjoys theater, baking, and walking her dogs in the park.

Dr. Leonel Carillo Romo is a new Spanish teacher at NDA. Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Chihuahua. He also earned his Master’s Degree at New Mexico State University. He received his PhD in Spanish from the University of Colorado. Carillo is very excited to join the NDA teaching staff.

Dr. Josh Steedman is a new Social Studies teacher at NDA. He both received his Bachelor’s of Science in Education and his Master’s in History from Bowling Green State University. He took obtained his PhD in History from the University of Toledo in 2019. He is excited to see NDA students change both the community and the world.

Mrs. Christie Steffen is NDA’s new Intervention Specialist. She graduated from the University of Toledo and Since then, she has received her Master’s degree

in Psychology. She is looking forward to further pursuing her career here at NDA. Ms. Sabrina Brancatto is a new Math teacher at NDA. She graduated from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education with a concentration on Adolescent Mathematics. She loves to help others and is looking forward to being a part of the NDA community.

Mrs. Michelene McKinney is the Advancement Database and Gift Coordinator at NDA. She was raised in Toledo and graduated from NDA in 1991. She has obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in History and a Master’s Degree in Liberal Studies .

Mrs. Veronica Miller is the new Dance Instructor at NDA. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Dance Arts and Sociology from the University of Michigan. In 2018,.

She obtained two Master’s Degrees in Dance Movement Therapy and Counseling from Columbia College in Chicago. Mrs.

Miller thrives in a learning environment and believes this makes her an effective teacher.

Mr. Julian Gillilan is the Theology Substitute for Mrs. Lauren Moor at NDA. He is originally from Columbus and graduated from Bowling Green State University

Mrs. Jane Hoffman is a new counselor at NDA. She earned her Master’s of Counselor Education from the University of Toledo. She has one daughter who graduated from NDA in 2012. She loves working at NDA because of its supportive environment.

Mrs. Nikki Muter is a new addition to the Finance Department at NDA. She takes pride in her three boys and her husband, who is a Marine Veteran. She is also a proud Ohio State fan, since her grandfather played for Woody Hayes, a past football coach.

Mrs. Julie Szabo is our new mentored hall study moderator , act prep teacher, and academic success coach. She received a Master’s Degree in Education in Middle Childhood Social Studies and Science from the University of Toledo.

Mr. Ryan Thomas is the new Music and Orchestra teacher at NDA. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Cincinnati. He has performed in Toledo and Cincinnati for several years. He thinks that it is important to pursue a career doing something that you love, and feels blessed to live out this belief everyday.

The Vista

Page 7 Feature

Dance Team Finds New Variety, Competition Regan Carnes The NDA dance team has undergone some significant changes that will allow them to officially participate in competitions.

One of the big changes this year is that the dance team is no longer student run.

“A difference this year is that we have a new coach, Veronica Miller, that runs the dance team,” Senior Dance Captain Lauren O’Brien said.

“We are also not exclusively dancing hip-hop,” Senior Dance Captain Raegan Griffith said. “We will be performing other styles including pop, lyrical, and jazz. I am excited to share more styles of dance with my NDA community.”

Competitions are one of the most important changes this year.

The Dance Team are ready to welcome eighth grade visitors. Photo by senior journalism student Morgan Richards

"I am excited to showcase our amazing dancers at more than just

pep rallies,” Lauren said.

The dance team is also split into two teams this year.

“The varsity team is a performance team and does not compete. The varsity pro team performs and participates in competitions,” Lauren said.

The dance team especially looked forward to performing at Visitations, since they were cancelled last year.

“While I am definitely excited to compete for regionals and hopefully nationals; my favorite performance is always Visitations, and I cannot wait to showcase our new team!” Raegan said.

NDA looks forward to cheering the new dance team on as they accomplish great things at their competitions.

Musical Showcases NDA’s Talent on Stage Chelsea Fall

This year the musical is Matilda, which is a story about an extraordinary little girl who has extraordinary abilities. The daughter of abusive parents, she finds refuge in books from her local library. She finds that she must stand up against the adults in her world and teaches the important lesson that nobody but herself is going to change her story. Notre Dame has been working to do this musical for many years, and the production is set to perform four times with two different casts.

Since starting the musical they have begun many dances and many stage blocking to begin rehearsals.

“We have done a lot of our hardest dances first so that we can get them out of the way and move on to easier things,” said senior Peyton Burnor.

They have been doing many ensemble parts so that the majority of the crew knows all, the dances ahead of time and will be able to practice for longer.

They also have stage blocked most of the show so that they can have consistent rehearsal Although many rehearsals have been going well, they have had few issues with Covid. They had one positive case that led to many of the cast members being quarantined.

“We have had only one quarantine but it set us back with a zoom rehearsal instead of being in person,” said senior Sarah Mickens.

They have been working hard to overcome the adversity of covid so they can continue to put out a good show when it comes. They have pushed through hard times through their casts being separated so the show is still able to go on.

The leads of the show, which are Matilda, Miss Honey, and Mrs. Trunchbull, have been chosen as many talented Notre Dame girls who have put a lot of time and effort into the show.

Senior Sarah Mickens and freshman Zoe Zimmerman have been casted as the main character, Matilda. They also have Peyton Burnor and Ava Foor playing Miss Honey and Sophie Wolfinger and Dahlia Daboul playing Mrs. Trunchbull.

“I’m excited to do the show and have the full experience we didn’t get to have last year,” said senior Sarah Mickens.

These girls have put a lot of time and effort into their characters and are excited to share the show with everyone else.

Notre Dame’s production of Matilda will showcase many of NDA’s talented girls who have been working hard to have a good show. Even in difficult times many have come prepared with a hard working mindset so that they can make the best production that they possibly can. The show will be Saturday, Oct. 23 and Sunday, Oct. 24 and again Saturday, Oct. 29 and Sunday, Oct. 30.

The Vista

Page 8 Backtalk

The Rant: Cleveland Guardians: Letting Go of Chief Wahoo In June of 2021, the former Cleveland Indians changed their name to the Cleveland Guardians after almost 100 years.

This was a response to many saying how the former name was racist, and it was a necessary change. Others argued it was just a cartoon and wasn’t a big deal so let it go. However, this change was a major shift in the way we see Native Americans and how our perspective of other people can shift when we respect their culture more. We need to use the name change as a way to grow as people and grow as a community learning to treat others with respect.

Since 1915 the now Cleveland Guardians have gone by the name Cleveland Indians. The name change ended many months of heated discussion over pushing sports teams to drop their racist names.

They choose a new name based off the Hope Memorial Bridge that connects to downtown Cleveland. They felt it was the perfect fit due to its connection with the city and showing off their new protective mascot. They are hoping to inspire others with the new name and wanting to grow from the past racist name and grow into a better team and community because of the change.

Many people see this as a problem.

They don’t see the name change as an opportunity but rather a ridiculous waste of time that will not benefit the community in any way. However, if the name were not changed, then we would still be equating an entire race of people to a sports token on a hat. We have to learn to show respect for the minority communities around us so that we can come together. This change can take our perspective that we cannot equate others with the mascots that we have been and we have to take our perception of them and not filter them through racism. Native Americans deserve more respect than us putting their own culture on a sports mascot rather than changing it.

Overall the change was necessary so that these major groups of people can enjoy the same things that we can without needing to be aware of a mockery of their culture. The Cleveland Guardians show us moving forward in front of the country's past racist mistakes and taking new steps in order to fix what has been broken for many years.

Roving Reporter Roving Reporter Teacher Edition: Student Edition: What’s the funniest story about your first car?

What’s your favorite part of being back in school?

Chelsea fall

Regan Carnes

“My first car was a 1985 hatchback Dodge Laser. My mom bought it off a friend of a friend for $500. Unbeknownst to me, after getting into it the first time and starting it up, the car talked to you! Needless to say I was not prepared for a car telling me to “Please put your seatbelt on.”

Also, it was a stick shift and it took me almost two weeks to figure out I was trying to start it in second gear.”

- Mr. Chip Smith

“Seeing everyone’s smiles as I walk down the hallways.” - Junior Maggie Mossing

“I had a Chevy Vega. It was a small car.

We drove it on our honeymoon out west.

The Rocky Mountains and the Grand Teton did it in. We got home okay, but it was never the same after that.”

- Mrs. Pam Edgell “I needed a car so I could go to college. The neighbor of the guy I was dating was selling her car because her husband said she couldn't get a new one, since her current one was still running. It was a 1966 Dodge Coronet that I purchased for $50. It was 1981 so it was pretty old already. It had new winter tires on it, though! I drove it my first year of college, then sold it for $200. Just over a month after I sold it to a coworker, I heard it caught on fire!”

- Mrs. Chris Chapman “My first car was a used ‘74 Ford Mustang, which sounds really cool, that is until I tell you it was the year Ford decided to make the Mustang look like the Ford Pinto, which was definitely not cool. It was mustard yellow with a hatchback, and it was a stick shift, which I didn’t know how to drive, although I learned quickly. There’s nothing like trying to go up a hill in the wrong gear to help you figure that out! Nonetheless, it turned out to be a great car for the $700 I paid for it. I drove it for three years to college and then sold it for $500. The person I sold it to drove it for two more years after that!”

- Mrs. Julie Sells

“The best part of being back is that I get to eat lunch with all of my friends.” - Senior Tori Barkhimer “The best part about being back at NDA after COVID-19 for me is being able to interact with my classmates and teachers.

It’s easier for me to be in person and be able to ask questions in class instead of relying on notes from Classroom to help me understand material. Having SFT back is also a very helpful tool that lets me talk with teachers one-on-one. I also love being able to see my friends everyday! It is so much better than just texting. I love the group projects and classroom discussions we are able to have now. I think that being in school in-person is a better and more effective way to learn and I am excited that we get to be back this year!” Senior Emma Kapszukiewicz “My favorite part about being back is sitting with all of my friends, flex time, and having shorter classes. I am also excited for pep rallies.” -Sophomore Olivia DeViney “I like being able to sit by others and not have to yell through plexiglass or shower curtains.” - Sophomore Grace Jeffer “The best part about being back is probably all the interactive stuff we can do in class again, because I think that everyone has a lot more fun. My favorite part is definitely seeing my friends and everything seems to be back to normal.” - Senior Josie Lawrence “My favorite part of being back is sitting with all of my friends at lunch again.” Senior Dahlia Daboul