The Wooster
BLADE Volume XXI | Issue 2 | November 2, 2020
The Fall of 2020: Elections, Sports, Holidays, & Health
COVER
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 2, 2020 | PAGE 2
Making your vote count: breaking down deadlines, misinformation, and the election process For this issue, BLADE staff members examine nationwide and local issues on the ballot during this election cycle. SYLVIE SHAYA staff writer “Misinformation and disinformation is abundant this election cycle. I think many voters are operating on ‘fear’ and the ‘unknown,’” said Julie Leathers-Stahl, Wayne County Board of Elections staff director. Stahl’s concerns include public perception of the electoral system and general trust in the election process, as misinformation has made many question the validity and bipartisanship of elections. The Wayne County Board of Elections, as per law, is made up of two Republicans and two Democrats, as well as a staff chosen at the discretion of the board. “Everyone in there is bipartisan, by law, and everything is done bipartisanly,” Ann Obrecht, Board of Elections member (R) explained. Although election day, Nov. 3, is the only day when voting precincts open, it is possible to vote early either through the mail or at the Wayne County Board of Elections building. Obrecht explained that for mail in ballots, “in Ohio, you have to apply to get your ballot,” and bipartisan teams at the Board of Elections process the requests to ensure their validity and the voter’s registration before sending the ballot. Stahl added that the Board
of Elections has seen, “an unprecedented volume of both by mail and in person absentee ballots. Our current numbers are more than triple 2016 numbers.” As of Oct 23, the Wayne County Board of Elections had received over 18,000 requests for mail in ballots and was processing about 600 in person absentee voters per day. Ohio extended the primary election last spring due to the pandemic, disrupting the March 17 election date by implementing a mail in system of voting. Stahl explained that this helped familiarize many people to mail in voting and, “each county was mandated... during the extended primary to install a drop box at their office location,” helping to facilitate simpler mail in voting. According to a New York Times article by Glenn Thrush and Jennifer Medina, fake ballot boxes have been set up in California to prevent ballots from reaching official counting sites. According to Stahl, in Ohio there is only one ballot box per county, situated outside the board of elections building, so false ballot boxes are not a concern. The election results announced Nov. 3 will not be an official count. The official results will be reported Nov. 18, a week earlier than in years prior, “in preparedness for any issues that may arise prior to the meeting of the Electoral College,” said Stahl. Official results are released
Graphic by Sylvie Shaya after election night because mail in and overseas/military ballots have an extra 10 days to arrive at the Board of Elections after Nov. 3, so long as they are postmarked by Nov. 2, and the Board of Elections must review provisional ballots and confirm election night counts to certify the count is correct. In the primary election last spring, some 4,500 ballots did not properly scan on election night, meaning the released unofficial results on Election Night did not include these ballots. The Board of Elections caught this error and corrected
it in their certified results later on. To prevent a similar occurrence in the current election, Stahl explained “We will have on-site support this election, have tested and retested our ballots, and will begin scanning ballots this week [week of Oct. 26] to ensure if any similar problems arise, we have ample time to troubleshoot the problem.” Stahl added people ought to try to use reliable and government based sources when finding information about the election. “There
is a lot of misinformation floating around social media, television, and the internet. It is imperative that people go to the source for accurate and reliable information about elections and the election process,” she said. For more information, visit ohiosos.gov, the website of Ohio’s Secretary of State Frank LaRose, or waynecountyoh. gov, Wayne County Board of Elections’ website. Information concerning the schedule for early voting and precinct locations can be found on the Wayne County Board of Elections website.
Ohio’s 1st District
Ohio’s 16th District
Alison Theiss
Anthony Gonzalez
Alison Theiss is a Wooster City Schools Bus Driver who received her Master’s in Psychology from The University of Phoenix. Theiss is running as a challenger to Scott Wiggam to represent Ohio’s 1st District in the State House of Representatives. On her website alisontheiss.com, Theiss highlights her background as a single mother who, “know[s] what struggling Ohioans need because [she’s] lived it.” Theiss’ website also details her platform, which includes expanding mental health resources for Ohioans, opposition to attempts to overturn the Affordable Care Act, increasing state funding for affordable housing, opposition to EdChoice school vouchers that would have public schools and taxpayers fund students’ tuition at private, parochial schools and combatting climate change at the state level. Theiss has received endorsements from the Ohio Federation of Teachers, the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association and the Ohio Education Association, among others. More on Theiss’ campaign and policies can be found on alisontheiss.com
Anthony Gonzalez is a former professional football player and graduate of The Ohio State University. Gonzalez has served as the Congressional Representative for Ohio’s 16th District and is running for re-election. In his two years in Congress, Gonzalez has voted in alignment with President Trump’s positions 92.8 percent of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight’s, “Tracking Congress in the Age of Trump.” On his website voteanthonygonzalez.com, Gonzalez highlights first-term accomplishments, stating that he has, “Passed legislation to hold Chinese companies accountable… to protect U.S. investors,” and “Led the effort to secure federal dollars for Ohio’s children’s hospitals.” Gonzalez’s website explains where he stands on key issues. He emphasizes his focus on defeating COVID-19, rebuilding the economy, and tightening border security while making the legal immigration process easier. More on Gonzalez’s time as a representative and his available constituent services can be found on anthonygonzalez.house.gov. For more on his campaign and policies, visit voteanthonygonzalez.com.
Running for Ohio’s State House of Representatives for the 1st District Democratic Party
Scott Wiggam
Running for Ohio’s State House of Representatives for the 1st District Republican Party
Blurbs written by Sierra Dewald
Candidates vie for elected office in Wayne County
THE WOOSTER BLADE | COVER | NOV. 2, 2020 | PAGE 3
Scott Wiggam is a former business owner and Air Force veteran who received his Master’s in Political Science from the University of Akron. Wiggam has served as the State Representative for Ohio’s 1st District since 2016 and is running for re-election. On his website scottwiggam.com, Wiggam highlights his commitment to, “economic development initiatives, proagricultural policies, and conservative values,” throughout his time in office. Wiggam’s website also details his platform, which includes limiting government involvement in the private sector, lowering taxes, upholding the second amendment, restricting abortions and keeping education under local control through school choice. Wiggam has received endorsements from the National Federation of Independent Business, the Ohio Right to Life PAC and the National Rifle Association, among others. More on Wiggam’s campaign and policies can be found on scottwiggam.com.
Running for Representative to Congress for Ohio’s 16th District Republican Party
Aaron Godfrey
Running for Representative to Congress from Ohio’s 16th District Democratic Party Aaron Godfrey is a first-generation college graduate who earned his Master’s in Physics from Miami University. He currently works in aerospace and is a member of the Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus. Godfrey is running as a challenger to Anthony Gonzalez to represent Ohio’s 16th District in Congress. On his website godfreyforcongress.com, Godfrey highlights his scientific background and his plans to apply that experience in, “establishing fact and research-driven solutions to these issues facing our country.” Godfrey’s website also details his platform, which includes issues such as COVID-19 relief, Medicare for All, combatting climate change, criminal justice reforms like ending cash bail and private prisons, raising the minimum wage, and making public colleges tuition-free. Godfrey has received endorsements from Senator Sherrod Brown, Congressman Tim Ryan, the Ohio Federation of Teachers and Ohio Young Democrats, among others. More on Godfrey’s campaign and policies can be found on godfreyforcongress.com.
THE WOOSTER BLADE | COVER | NOV. 2, 2020 | PAGE 4
MEDWAY Levy
Local politics:
Wayne County Drug Enforcement Levy One of two tax levies on the Wayne County ballot will be a replacement and increase of taxes, “for the purpose of providing anti-drug enforcement services by the MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency,” according to a sample ballot. MEDWAY covers Wayne County specifically, according to the Ohio Task Force commanders Association. Per the ballot, the levy is requesting a renewal of its original 0.25 mill valuation and an increase of 0.35 mill. An Oct. 13 WQKT radio press release puts this financial increase in context, explaining, “currently the owners of a
$100,000 home pay $7.66 per year, and if the levy passes that will increase to $21 a year.” In an Aug. 28 letter to the editor, published in The Daily Record, Wayne County Prosecutor Dan Lutz writes in support of the levy. Lutz cites the increasing problem of Drug Trafficking in Wayne County, MEDWAY’s rising personnel costs that they cannot keep up with. Lutz also notes the fact that MEDWAY has not sought a levy increase since its inception in 1984 as reasons for his support. Opponents of the levy may simply be concerned about the tax increase, or, like Holmes County resident Warren Miller
Political poll reflects student and staff leanings LANIE MEYER staff writer
expressed in a letter to the editor, published in The Daily Record in 2010 when Holmes County was considering whether to continue funding MEDWAY they may fundamentally disagree with MEDWAY’s approach. Miller said that MEDWAY’s, “military mindset,” of setting up individuals to catch them after they are involved in drug dealing or using is a waste of resources, writing, “MEDWAY’s mission is to throw people in jail; public programs have a mission to keep people out of jail. Which would you rather have your money spent on?” If passed, the levy will commence in 2020, with taxes first being due in 2021.
With the presidential election around the corner, each candidate is battling it out to see who can win over the most states, most importantly the swing states. In the spirit of operating as a swing state, 88 WHS students and 11 staff were recently polled to determine which candidate they favor and what ideals the student body and faculty hold. Even though 47.5 percent of people polled identify as a Democrat, 65.7 percent of those polled said they would vote for Joe Biden. Of the 22.5 percent of those who identified as Republican, 24 people said they support Donald Trump as president, Of the 50.5 percent of the people who opposed Amy Coney Barrett’s appointment to the Supreme Court, 40.4 percent of them identified as Democrat. Out of those polled, 100 percent of those who greatly opposed face coverings identified themselves as Trump-supporting Republicans. Out of the 65 Biden supporters, 55 said they fully support the use of face coverings, which is 85 percent. Across the board, 81 of the 99 fully supported equal marriage rights, regardless of political association.
Levy issues and WHS survey represent community focus Blurbs written by Sierra Dewald and Graphics by Mya Vandegrift
Developmental Disabilities Levy
Wayne County Disability Services and Facilities Levy One of two tax levies on the Wayne County Ballot will be a renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Wayne County Board of Developmental Disabilities. According to a sample ballot, the levy is, “for the purpose of providing for the operation of community programs and services authorized by county boards of developmental disabilities, and for the acquisition, construction, financing, maintenance and operation of developmental disabilities facilities.” Per the ballot, the levy is a renewal of an existing tax at a rate of 1 mill. According to Rhonda Edgerton’s Oct. 25 article in The Bargain Hunter, Ken
Kelly, Community Transitions Manager for the Board, explains that the levy comes down to about $35 a year for the owner of a $100,000 home, and generates more than $2 million annually of critical funding for the board over its five-year period. Edgerton continues that the Wayne County Board, “assists children and adults with developmental disabilities to live, work and play within their communities,” providing funds and services to approximately 740 individuals throughout their lifetimes. If passed, the levy will commence in 2021, with taxes first being due in 2022. A majority affirmative vote is required for passage of the levy.
FEATURE
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 2, 2020 | PAGE 5
Trick-or-treating activities pose problems with safety OLIVIA HINER staff writer
With COVID-19 cases rising every day in Ohio, many have questioned the possibility of trick-or-treat happening safely. As door-to-door trick-ortreating is considered a high risk activity by the CDC, the City of Wooster is not providing a list of events on their website this year, according to woosteroh.com. The traditional way of trick-ortreating is not safe, but there are protocols neighborhoods can take if participating in the event. Wayne County Health Dept. commissioner Nick Cascarelli suggests using, “extreme caution” when trick-
or-treating. To do so, he said it is important for people who may trick-or-treat to stay six feet apart and wear masks, as it protects children as well as elderly people who may be passing out candy. Cascarelli provided some alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating by suggesting people participate in a “drive through trick-or-treat,” where families can pull up to different houses and grab sanitized bags of candy. This is much like the idea that Luke Parthemore gave The Daily Record on Oct. 9 in the article “Trick or treat? Local communities take different approaches to Halloween,” when he suggested in the article, “... to pre-package individual
full-size candy bars and Teal Pumpkin items (non-food trinkets and toys) and place them on a table at the end of his driveway to avoid any direct contact with trick or treaters.” This would be the safest alternative to trick-or-treating, as there is no direct contact with others. Cascarelli, along with the Ohio Department of Health, says not to participate in Halloween parties because they are very high risk activities and make it easier for the virus to spread. The Ohio Department of Health published “Responsible RestartOhio” where they say that “If holding smaller parties, limit attendance to 10 or fewer people and hold the event in
ARTWORK COURTESY OF BLADE ARCHIVES an outdoor area where social distancing is possible. Avoid activities, such as bobbing for apples, that foster the spread of infection.” RestartOhio advises that when
trick-or-treating it is important to keep in mind that costume masks are not substitutes for cloth masks. Remember to stay socially distant and be careful in participating in the festivities.
Local parks provide access to people with disabilities SYLVIE SHAYA views editor “Just being around plants, the research will show you, folks are happier and healthier,” Jason Veil, curator of Secrest Arboretum said. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for people with disabilities to access natural venues. Many of Wayne County’s array of local parks and preserves have dedicated themselves to providing accessibility to nature for people with disabilities, as typical dirt paths and steep grades make it difficult for people with physical impairments to enjoy nature. Kenwood Acres, dedicated in 2018 and situated beside Wooster Memorial Park, has worked to provide accessibility since its founding. Cathy Hermes, Friends of Wooster Memorial Park Board member, explained that the previous
owners of the property, Gerald and Norma Stair, suggested the creation of handicap accessible trails. The park includes a one mile ADAapproved trail that wanders through a prairie and small sections of woods containing boardwalks overlooking ravines and otherwise inaccessible landscapes. “Somebody who can’t get into [Wooster Memorial Park] can still get the feeling of being immersed and see the views,” Hermes said. Shelley Schrier, former President of the Friends of Wooster Memorial Park, said he hopes to see new signage in the park, as well as the continued growth of the forest areas. More specifically, he explained he would like to see, “signs about nature, maybe some poetry...different kinds of things to stimulate people’s thinking.” Hermes added that the signage would include braille, if
possible. Another local accessible venue is the Barnes Preserve, which, according to its website, “is a nature park that was specifically designed to give kids and adults with physical limitations equal opportunities to experience nature; barrier-free and fully accessible.” The preserve includes almost a mile of ADA approved paths that pass through both a meadow and a wooded area and feature an observation deck over a pond. Carole Van Pelt, Park Commissioner and the daughter of the Barnes Preserve’s namesakes, explained that her goals for the preserve are to provide opportunities for people with disabilities and to educate both children and adults. She explained that “They [people with disabilities] don’t have the opportunities that people with no disabilities
have,” especially when it comes to nature. In the future, Van Pelt hopes to provide programs specifically targeted for the blind, especially children. “I wanted to do a very small sensory type garden for kids,” she explained, but unfortunately these plans cannot currently occur due to the pandemic. Secrest Arboretum, on the campus of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, describes itself online as “an expansive 110 acre outdoor laboratory and landscape garden” that features over 2500 different species of plants. The Arboretum includes handicap accessible walkways and works to promote accessibility to all, according to Veil. “We are a collection of plants, so accessibility means, physically, folks can access and observe those plants, and that’s possible for most of the arboretum,” Veil
explained. Veil added that not only is he concerned with accessibility to the natural venue, but also intellectual accessibility to information about the history and ecology of the plants featured in the Arboretum. “Being here is the best thing, but as we’ve learned, it’s not always possible,” Veil explained, which is why Secrest Arboretum is working to catalog their plants online. Hermes stated that accessibility to nature applies not only to physical disabilities, but anything that might prevent one from experiencing the natural world. “Whatever part of society you are from, whatever kinds of disabilities you do or do not have, that trail is going to be inviting and you will get something out of it. Everybody might get something different, but they are getting the healing of nature in their own way.”
ON CAMPUS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 2, 2020 | PAGE 6
Online grades translate to Progress Book SIERRA DEWALD cover editor With the end of the first grading quarter on Oct. 16th, students and parents raised questions about how progress in Edgenuity, the online learning system most WHS classes are using, would translate to letter grades in ProgressBook for the quarter and beyond. The administration released a report entitled, “Quarter and Semester Grade Reports through ProgressBook,” on the WCSD website that answers many of these questions. It first highlights that student
progress cannot be summed up in a single grade, constantly updated in ProgressBook, as it could in past years. Edgenuity’s model is based around individual progress and allows students to move at their own pace, so the report explains that, “calculating specific grades at finite intervals becomes challenging.” Rather, Edgenuity offers four different indicators of student progress. Th overall grade is calculated on the quality of work the student has completed, showing the percentage of points received for completed assignments, but does not take into account whether the
student is on pace for the course. Progress shows the percentage of assignments completed for the entire semester to indicate student pace, but does not take into account the quality of work. The actual grade combines the two indicators to show the percentage of points the student has received on all assignments that should have been completed by that point, assuming incomplete assignments that are overdue to be 0%. Relative grade is calculated the same way as the actual grade but is shown relative to the entire semester’s work, demonstrating how much of
the total course the student has completed. Students can see all four indicators within their Edgenuity platform. Parents can view student progress through weekly emails or through signing up for the Parent Portal on the WCSD website. As for translation to ProgressBook, the report explains that first quarter grades should already be uploaded. For the first quarter, teachers were instructed to calculate letter grades based on students’ overall grades in Edgenuity, indicating quality of work. Teachers also added comments to indicate whether students are on pace in the course. First quarter grades are just to update parents and will have no bearing on GPA calculation, final
semester grades, or whether credit is earned for the course. In a video message by WHS Principal Tyler Keener that accompanied the website report, Keener explains, “The relative grade and the actual grade will be one and the same by the end of the semester. That will be the semester final [grade].” Semester grades will take into account both progress and quality of work, and will be the basis for GPA calculation and awarding of credit. Midterm exams are included in Edgenuity courses and will be incorporated in the semester grade, rather than entering a separate exam grade into ProgressBook. In the video message, Keener extended thanks to parents for their continued support.
Wooster School Board changes student fee policy for EWMS and WHS JACK VENEY co-editor-in-chief On Sept. 22, the WCSD Board of Education approved the latest changes to the WHS and EWMS school fees. Throughout this semester, many classes at WHS have been significantly altered or cut all together, resulting in changes to the fee structure for the district. WCSD Director of Secondary Education Rich Leone stated these fees originated in 2003-04 when the district experienced a failure of a levy and needed ways to offset costs for activities and classes. “A lot of the fees originated from my understanding back in 2004, when the district, I believe, was going through some financial hardship at the time... It was a way at that time for that board to say, if we’re going to be able to have some of these programs going forward, we really need to look at fee structure,” Leone said. WCSD Treasurer Bonnie West stated the fees do not, and were never intended to, directly fund
a specific program, but were rather to help offset the cost for these programs and to help the district with meeting their yearly budget. “The first round of budget cuts that we had was back in 1999. We cut somewhere around $2.4 million... Then, when we got to 2004, and again, faced a failed Levy, given that we’ve cut a lot of stuff previously and hadn’t restored any of that, we found that budget cuts were being made very deeply... There was a belief at that time that some of the co-curriculars needed to share in the pain [that every other building and department were feeling] to some degree... It was determined that they would institute a fee to help raise revenue... Those were created, not with the mindset that any one fee was necessarily going to in total pay for the cost to have those various programs. But basically, it was a fee that was going to help us in meeting our larger budget reduction goals.,” West said. A majority of classes that have traditionally had fees in the
past have had fees substantially reduced or cut entirely this year due to COVID-19. Fees for art classes have been reduced or eliminated, with only five of the normal 15 paid classes having fees this school year, most of which have had the fee cut entirely since the class is not running this semester. Katherine Putka, visual arts instructor, said the Visual Arts Dept. wanted to provide a full art experience, even with the challenges of a majority of art classes taking place on Edgenuity. “We wanted to provide as full of an art experience as possible, even in the face of our current difficulties and accommodations due to the pandemic... Our fees were drastically cut this year to both reflect the reduced time in the classroom to make art, but still enough to provide students with supplies to create, experience and explore different projects,” Putka said. Another set of classes that have had fees significantly
reduced are the music department classes. Whether classes are not being offered this semester, such as choir or music theory, or they are still being offered with limited resources, most of the fees have been waived. Music classes in fifth grade through eighth grade have had fees waived entirely, while high school music classes have had uniform cleaning fees waived. Leone stated the high school uniform fees were cut based on the uncertainty of the upcoming season. “Music, you know, we weren’t sure at all, a month or two ago, if we were gonna be able to have [it]. At the time we only had one home football game [scheduled]. So the marching band was only looking at performing once. What we weren’t going to do is charge fees to our families, for music for one event…,” Leone said. A majority of the fees charged are for students participating in co-curricular activities, including: The Wooster Blade Newspaper Production, Legacy
Yearbook, all 9-12 music classes, Speech and Debate and Drama Club. Leone stated these fees have not been altered for this school year as the activities are still running in some capacity. “What we tried to do with our extra co-curriculars is ... to evaluate what’s able to function and not function, even though it’s going to function differently. If they were still able to function, we felt like we were still gonna go with the fee,” Leone said. In the future, Leone said he hopes the district will be able to be more transparent with fees and tell the families of the WCSD where the money from the fees go. “I’m working with Mrs. West right now, to take this and put it on the website and then put a description of what the fees go toward...,” Leone said. Families should note that all fees are subject to change if students are able to return to five days a week in-person classes, according to the 20202021 Fees sheet.
FOCUS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 2, 2020 | PAGE 7
Local contact tracing contains measures to decrease spread DELANEY WILSON staff writer
As Wayne county’s COVID-19 cases rise, contact tracing has become a critical tool in limiting the spread and exposure of the virus. According to the CDC, contact tracing is the, “subsequent identification, monitoring in support of a confirmed or probable case’s close contacts who have been exposed to or possibly infected with the virus.” Dr. Eric Smith, Medical Director at the Wayne County Health Dept., states the first steps the county takes when a positive case is reported is to begin the process of contact tracing. “When the health department staff are notified, the case is assigned to a licensed nurse who attempts to contact the person who has the illness and perform contact tracing… When contacts are discovered, each one is then contacted to ask about symptoms and give advice
about isolation and/or whether they should seek care,” Smith said. For Wooster City Schools, the Infectious Disease Team, in coordination with the Wayne County Health Dept., has also had to set procedures when there is a positive in the district. Heidi Haas, the Director of Student Services for Wooster City School District, said the district takes specific steps once they are contacted about a Graphic by Sylvie Shaya and information from the possible positive Wayne County Health Dept. website. case. “When we are connect with the Wayne County alerted that someone has Health Department to perform tested positive, we contact the building administrator contact tracing. This includes where that person attends… and finding out all individuals that
were in contact with the positive case, where they were in contact, how close were they (specifically how many feet) and for what length of time. We also have to figure out when the positive case started to have symptoms, when they took the test and then count the days that anyone that needs to be quarantined, what length of time that would be based on all of the information gathered during contact tracing,” Haas said. WCS has also put emphasis on making the contact tracing process easier. Laura Zollinger, WCS District Clinical Coordinator, said. Zollinger said the district has put some steps into place in order to address this process and make it easier for people to understand how the process is conducted and works. “Wooster City ....Schools staff work hard to ensure students are distanced by six feet whenever possible. Assigned
seating and smaller groups or cohorts of students has made the process much easier. I encourage any staff member or student that notices an area that is not allowing for social distancing of six feet to speak up to their teachers or building administration so the concern can be addressed… Wooster City Schools is working closely with the Wayne County Health Department. We are also following guidelines provided by the CDC and ODH. We are working hard to maintain social distancing of six feet whenever possible, encouraging hand washing/sanitizing, wearing masks, and being a, ‘Community of Cleaners.’ These measures will help decrease the risk of community spread of coronavirus in our buildings,” Zollinger said. Zollinger also praised the work that WCS has done to make all of these processes easier and she encourages anyone to stay home if they are not feeling well and have symptoms of COVID-19.
COVID-19 causes concern around what consitutes a school shutdown ASHTON DUNLAP sports editor
As flu season and the winter months near, a third nationwide outbreak of COVID-19 seems imminent. What does this mean for WHS and what would bring about a shutdown of schools? The Wooster City Schools District’s administration has laid out a series of guidelines that decide what procedures will be followed in the occasion of a COVID case at a Wooster school.
According to woostercityschools.org, a student or staff member who tests positive will quarantine for 10 days as long as their symptoms have improved by the end of that period. According to Wooster superintendent Michael Tefs, there are currently no guidelines in place regarding when the district would shut down. “I think most would probably think you have to have some guidelines and policies around this right. In fact, we do not… We don’t have a particular protocol but we’re really trying to lean
in with the health department. Some people have asked what would it take to close the classroom, to close a building, to close the district. I would think that if Wayne County hits purple, that there would be probably recommendations for us to do that, but the health department certainly has not come out and said that as of now otherwise,” Tefs said. Tefs also added that the district has been averaging about one case per week. According to a Princeton study titled, “Assessing the influence of climate on future wintertime
SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks,” the behavior of people during the winter months will likely decide whether a surge in cases will occur. According to a Philadelphia Inquirer article titled “COVID-19 will likely get worse in the winter, thanks to biology and behavior,” lead author Racel Baker says indoor gathering are the most dangerous. “Indoor gatherings are going to be higher risk. If we think the virus can be partly airborne, then being indoors, you sort of trap it,” Baker said. Governor Mike DeWine
summarized the danger of an imminent shutdown and recognized how fragile the current state of society is. ““If we don’t fight this battle county by county, city by city, village by village… If we do not fight in that way, we will, one way or another, be shut down. We will be shut down because the spread will be so bad,” DeWine said. A shutdown of the Wooster School district will likely depend on the status of the county, which depends on the actions and tendencies of the people in the county.
THE WOOSTER BLADE | FOCUS | NOV. 2, 2020 | PAGE 8
Social media changes news consumption BRITTANY WACHTEL
Hannah LoGuidice
Whippt, a new coffee shop, recently opened in downtown Wooster, recognizing Halloween with their festive decorations in October, while Boo Bears Brew, located within Local Roots, opened for service in May.
Downtown Wooster:
New coffeehouses offer more options SOPHIE GAMBLE cover editor Boo Bears Brew and Whippt Coffee Bar, two new businesses, have opened in downtown Wooster during this summer and fall. Boo Bears Brew opened for the first time this May and is located in the back of Local Roots Market and Café. The shop serves a full range of iced and hot coffees, teas and other seasonal specialties, such as lemonade and apple cider, according to the owner, Seth Feikert. Running a business during a global pandemic brings a new set of challenges beyond those of simply opening a new business. These include keeping up with recommendations that businesses are required to follow and keeping up with what is happening, says Feikert. Downtown Wooster has several other coffee shops, but Boo Bears Brew is unique because of its environmental consciousness.
“We use fully compostable/ biodegradable cups, lids, and straws,” Feikert says. “What makes us different is the incorporation of our own composting set up [...] we do our best to ensure our cups stay out of the land fill.” Feikert says he would definitely recommend ordering a spiced vanilla latte with oat milk, which comes at no extra cost. Whippt Coffee Bar opened its storefront this September in downtown Wooster, but has been open for delivery since this April. The company has partnered with businesses in the Wooster area, whose baked goods and masks are on consignment in the shop. Items from Sweet Love~ A Blessed Bakery, Momma Bears Sweet Treats, Dough2Go, Potion US, and No Udder Like Us are often on sale in the store. ‘Whippt,’ their product, is “a vegan, silky smooth coffee concentrate that when paired with a creamy base, creates a luxurious and indulgent taste sensation,” according to their
website. Nikki Norris, the owner and sole employee of Whippt Coffee Bar, notes that her product can be accommodated to fit any dietary restrictions. “This company started because of the pandemic,” Norris says. She added that her biggest challenges do not stem from the Coronavirus pandemic, but from keeping up with demand and protecting her original product concept against competitors. In April, Norris started delivering her drinks during the Covid-19 lockdown, and eventually, she said, “it [Whippt] blossomed into a storefront that I run by myself.” There are three steps to Whippt coffee: the vegan concentrate, the flavoring and the milk base. Norris adds she would recommend oat milk with peanut butter and toasted marshmallow flavoring to new customers. More information about both of these businesses can be found on their websites: boobearsbrew. com and whippt.coffee.
staff writer It is 2020, and our lives are micromanaged by social media. Daily, people open their phones and open up Instagram or Twitter to be flooded with all of the trending stories of the day. From politics to celebrities, people get to see it all. But, is the information viewers are being presented factual? In a recent article published by Forbes, it was determined that over 50 percent of Americans hear about recent news on social media before seeing it on the news. While quick access to news is ideal, the news that is presented on social media sites is not always as black and white as it seems. In October of 2019, Facebook unveiled Facebook News, a new section on the app displaying news from publishers across the country. This called a truce after Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg, was put under fire for refusing to delete inflammatory posts made by President Trump spreading misinformation about voting by mail, and encouraging violence against protestors. Other social media outlets such as Twitter and Instagram have started flagging posts as misinformation but have not taken any steps to delete posts spreading said misinformation. WHS Computer Science teacher Nathaniel Green says he finds it unnerving that a majority of freshmen and sophomores in his social media class cited Instagram as a reliable news source. The Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma, sounds an alarm on the dangerous impact of social media. Among many topics, a huge focal
point of the feature is the idea that tech companies have been influencing elections, ethnic violence and rates of depression and suicide. Renee Diresta, a research manager of Stanford Internet Observatory, is quoted in this documentary saying, “Before you share, fact check. Consider the source. Do that extra Google. If it seems like it’s designed to pull your emotions, it probably is.” In looking at the idea of objectivity as it relates to social media, Luke Armour, an Associate Professor and Flash Communications Coordinator for Kent State’s School of Media and Journalism, said the internet has never been objective because people themselves are not objective, and the internet is, put simply, the voice of the people. He lists algorithms as another fault of social media. He says these algorithms filter out a user’s main page, showing only what the user would most likely align their beliefs with. “If you look at the political divide in the country, you see people have hugely varied views on the same topic. Take any political figure or issue, ask two people, and they will have violently opposing views. It’s because their news channels and their social platforms, probably their social circles, all have the same view. It gives them confidence and filters out ideas that may challenge them. It’s information junk food, and it’s sometimes presented without factual evidence,” Armour said. With endless fact checks and pop-ups reminding people to register to vote, it seems there is no end for the unneutral neutrality of social media.
SPORTS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 2, 2020 | PAGE 9
WHS winter sports to encounter familiar pandemic setbacks SHERIDAN SCHAUER staff writer COVID-19 has caused many problems for sports in the 2020 school year, and winter sports seem to be following the same complications experienced during fall sports. Each sport must follow certain regulations given by the OHSAA. In order to stay safe for each game and practice. OHSAA requires each sport to do certain things, including: conducting daily symptom checks, sanitizing equipment,
and wearing masks on the sidelines. When talking about keeping equipment clean OHSAA states on their website: “Do not share equipment, towels, facial coverings, water bottles, other drinks or food. If equipment must be shared, proper sanitation must be performed between users.” Also, during the fall season, each sport was given an amount of tickets they could pass out to families depending on the size of the area. Swim coach Christina
Matthew said they will have to cap tickets for their events. “We will allow 15 percent capacity for home members only, [...] We will limit each family to 1 per family, then distribute extras to families desiring more,” Matthew said. Because winter sports take place indoors, more complications arise because everyone is in a closed environment. In looking at how cheerleaders maintain social distancing, cheerleading coach Jennifer Wright said they follow all
established safety protocols. “When the athletes are not physically cheering, they are wearing masks at all times, at games and practices [...] We are always multiple feet apart, and we can change any formation, without lowering the standards of our skill base, to meet the requirements for socially distancing,” Wright said. Regarding how well WHS did in the fall season with social distancing, WHS principal Tyler Keener said he is pleased that fall sports season was able to come to completion.
“We were able to have a fall sports season without many interruptions. We will continue to have a growth mindset and look at areas that we can improve as we follow the guidelines set forth by the OHSAA and the local health department,” Keener said in regard to the upcoming winter sports season. The WHS administration and OHSAA wants students to be able to enjoy their season, but it requires the participation of everyone to wear their masks and stay socially distanced.
WHS fall sports records and review TRENT KUZMA staff writer
CROSS COUNTRY
The boys and girls cross country teams both finished third overall in the OCC meet hosted at WHS. Following the OCC district meet, Ashton Dunlap (11) and Marion Dix (11) qualified for the regional meet at Boardman High School, which was held on Oct. 31, according to woostergeneralathletics.com.
VOLLEYBALL
The volleyball team finished the regular season with a conference record of 11-1 and a non-conference record of 13-5. The team had a bye in the first round of the playoffs and finished as the district runner up after losing to Padua Franciscan High School according to woostergeneralathletics.com.
BOYS GOLF
According to varsity golfer Ben Haven (12), the boys golf team finished the regular season with a record of 2-4 with wins over West Holmes and Mansfield Senior. Junior Devon Starcher made it to districts, but did not qualify for states.
GIRLS GOLF
The WHS girls golf team finished the season with a regular-season record of 7-6. Elizabeth Holman (10) said the girls golf team did not have many tournaments, which was definitely different than years past.
GIRLS TENNIS
The girls tennis team finished the regular season with a record of 13-1. According to Minnie Pozefsky (10), Emma Boreman (11) and Alexia Kakanuru (9) fell to Jackson during districts.
FOOTBALL
The WHS football team finished the regular season with a 7-0 record and, contingent on if the Generals beat Ashland High School, could win the OCC championship. They lost a close playoff battle against Olentangy Berlin with a final score of 40-48, according to woostercityschools.com.
BOYS SOCCER
The boys soccer team finished with a regular-season record of 11-3-1. The team lost in game one of the playoffs to North Royalton by 1-0, according to woostergeneralathletics.com.
GIRLS SOCCER
The girls soccer team finished with a regular-season record of 9-6. According to varsity player Mattie Dunlap (9), the team ended their season 1-1 in the playoffs after a win against North Olmsted and a loss against Brunswick.
RUMEN ZDRAVCHEV
WHS football coach Doug Haas receives an award for his 100th career win during the General’s game against Olentangy Berlin on Oct. 16.
Trends
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV 2, 2020 | PAGE 10
A Life on Our Planet misses its mark Netflix Docuseries covers mafia takedown
LUCIA PERFETTI staff writer British documentarian and naturalist, David Attenborough, released his newest film on Netflix last month- A Life on Our Planet. The film follows the charming 93-year-old as he narrates the wonders of the natural world. Four minutes in, however, the tone switches, and Attenborough presents his “witness statement,” the story of how he has seen nature disappear over his lifetime.
For the next hour, Attenborough narrates his life as it becomes more and more apparent that the Earth is dying. Starting in 1937 with a global population of 2.3 billion, the film ends in 2020, where the population has grown to 7.8 billion, and the remaining wilderness has dramatically reduced from 66 percent to 35 percent. Rather than condemn large corporations, Attenborough focuses on population growth as a cause of climate change. With 20 -minutes remaining in the 83-minute documentary, Attenborough addresses solutions, most of which are unrealistic, including an immediate global switch to renewable energy. By the end of the film, viewers are left wondering why Attenborough spent an hour outlining humanity’s grim future, only to tell them
that most problems will fix themselves if viewers wait for standards of living to improve. Instead, it would have been helpful if Attenborough described lifestyle changes viewers could make to limit their carbon footprint. Cinematographically, the film is brilliant, including jarring juxtapositions between Earth at its best and the Earth of the future. The use of personal anecdotes from Attenborough’s life adds depth to the narrative, but I am disappointed with Attenborough’s lack of guidance for viewers and failure to condemn the capitalism behind climate change. This film is educational for those interested in environmental issues, but it is important to keep in mind that Attenborough greatly misses the point when it comes to ending climate change.
The Social Dilemma highlights dangers of social media on human behaviors
SOPHIA MERA staff writer
Social Dilemma, a Netflix documentary directed by Jeff Orlowski, goes into details of the dangers of social media on human behaviors. The documentary is set up as an interview style, interviewing many first hand sources of
former and current workers in the field of social media or internet companies, such as Google, Twitter and Facebook. Within the documentary, these individuals discuss how algorithms work, how these affect our behavior, the ethics and integrity of these apps and data mining. These employees such as Tristan Harris, Former Google Design Ethicist; Co-Founder & President of The Center for Humane Technology also, expose that although these apps are free, companies are paying the apps for advertisements to pop up on your feed, peaking your interest, that if you give what pops up the slightest bit of attention, it will continue to
pop up enticing you to want the buy it. Through this discussion, they also point out that every action on these apps is recorded in an algorithm. Scary right? This documentary definitely causes viewers to be more socially aware after watching it and makes people consider how social media is affecting their mental health, especially when comparing ourselves to others we see online. The documentary also addresses how social media influences the way we think by providing us information and entertainment, which previous data shows we are interested in. The documentary shows examples of this with actors
Netflix’s docuseries, Fear City: New York vs. The Mafia successfully educates and entertains viewers, showing them the unromanticized, true story behind the federal agents and attorneys who took down the five mafia families who controlled New York in the 1970s and 1980s. Released in July 2020, Fear City: New York vs. The Mafia is split into three episodes. The first episode, “Mob Rule” focuses on the five mafia families’ reign of terror over New York, describing mafia operations and the effect they had on the people of New York. The second episode, “The
Godfather Tapes” outlines the actions the FBI took to gather evidence in order to build a case against the mob. The third episode, “Judgment Day” shifts perspectives, showcasing the work done by a legal team that would ultimately lead to justice. While all the information in Fear City: New York vs. The Mafia could have fit into one 90 minute documentary, the docuseries style creates an organized structure that makes the information stick. The docuseries sparks horror at the mafia’s actions, anxiety at the FBI’s attempts to pull off a seemingly impossible operation, and satisfaction as justice is finally reached. Furthermore, Netflix succeeds in showing three different perspectives, interviewing former mob members, FBI agents, and lawyers alike. Fear City: New York vs. The Mafia brings unfiltered facts to the table, throwing out any glorification or drama. Understanding history behind organized crime brings forth a whole new, and ultimately rewarding perspective when considering the mafia.
demonstrating each point, which is a bit tacky, but does enhance their points. One scene shown throughout the film is, three men standing in front of a hologram of a boy. These men are supposed to be on the inside of the boy’s phone controlling the phone, but it’s effect is how what they do with the phone ends up controlling what the boy does. Although this is very unrealistic, the scene provides a good example of how phones and social media ends up controlling us. Although the fear factor of how much our phones and media controls us is effective,
it does not really provide an exact solution to the problem presented. How do we get out of this hole in which we have dug ourselves? Even if that might have been intentional or not, I think it took some of the power out of the film. Ultimately Social Dilemma does a great job discussing the negatives of media, some that we might have already known existed, but not truly understood how bad they were. It definitively emphasizes that we should all be aware of how much social media we are intaking, what we are intaking, and how it is affecting us.
JULIA HOOTMAN staff writer
A&E
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 2, 2020 | PAGE 11
Vampires vs. The Bronx: A The Haunting of Bly Manor: Netflix show delivers more than a scare Spooky Comedy Done Right
JULIA HOOTMAN a&e editor Vampires vs. the Bronx has potential because of its charismatic young actors, but lacks the plot complexities to make the film truly shine. Being an avid fan of all things vampires, I was thrilled at the prospect of watching Vampires vs. the Bronx, a comedyhorror Netflix original movie centered around three gutsy kids who join forces and unite their neighborhood against a vampire invasion. I am partial to both the classic, stereotypically gory vampire
(that of The Lost Boys or Dracula) and to the romantic, morally redeemable vampires (like Edward Cullen, from Twilight). The vampires in Vampires vs. the Bronx seem to fall in the first category. This works for the movie, highlighting the comedic and sometimes ridiculous stereotypes around vampires and adding a childish lightness and humor to the story. Lead actors Jaden Michael, Gerald Jones III, and Gregory Diaz IV succeed in playing three best friends growing up while protecting their neighborhood. In fact, the whole cast has chemistry and charisma that carries the movie wherever the plot fails. Oftentimes, the story is predictable and cheesy, with off kilter pacing, resulting in an underwhelming climax. Vampires vs. the Bronx is comedic horror with a talented young cast, and is the perfect movie for Halloween viewing.
ELLIE SNIDER feature editor Currently at the fifth spot in the top 10 on Netflix in the United States, The Haunting of Bly Manor delivers a ghost story that is more than just a good scare. While Bly Manor is the second season of Netflix’s hit show, The Haunting of Hill House (2018), instead of continuing the story off the end original season, The Haunting of Bly Manor takes a page out of the book of shows like American Horror Story, creating an entirely new plot for its second season. Actors branch over from one season to the next, but in this season of The Haunting series, they play entirely different characters. Aside from actors, the
only common threads are in the haunting score, subtle references and themes on love and family. Loosely based on the Gothic novel, The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, the original ghost story provides only the setting and basic frame for the season, with director Mike Flannigan spinning it into something entirely new. The pilot begins in America at a wedding rehearsal dinner. That evening, one of the guests (Carla Gugino), whose name remains a mystery until the end of the season, begins to tell the rest of the group a ghost story. The ghost story takes place in the 1980s in England, as brighteyed American protagonist Danielle (Victoria Pedretti) takes a position as an au pair, a live-in nanny, at Bly Manor to look after two orphaned children. While the season has a slow start in terms of horror, it definitely picks up, particularly around mid-way through the season, with a plot twist in the fifth episode that redefines the entire narrative. However, where I believe the season really succeeds
GRAPHIC COURTESY OF NETFLIX.COM
is as a story of love and sacrifice, carrying on the first season’s intent to be more than just a ghost story. Each character is fully developed and understandable in their motivations, and while there is an element of fantasy in the actual haunting, the ideas of love versus possession and loss elevate it above typical horror shows. The production design of the show is incredible, and the performances are all topnotch, particularly child actors Amelie Bea Smith, as Flora, and Benjamin Ainsworth, as Miles, who, like the child actors of the first season, make the show. While the season will most likely leave you more depressed than terrified, it is, as Flora says, a “perfectly splendid” choice to binge.
The War Room shows the rise of the modern political era
LENA WIEBE co-editor in chief The War Room, a documentary directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, chronicles the 1992 presidential race that led to
the election of Bill Clinton, who defeated both incumbent George H.W. Bush and Ross Perot in an unusual race that many consider the advent of modern political campaigns. Though the young, charismatic Clinton plays a large role in the documentary, the real stars are the brilliant, at times idealistic and morally gray campaign figures, George Stephanopoulos, the campaign’s communications director, and James Carville, the campaign’s lead strategist.
Together, the two politicos devise the strategy that wins Clinton the White House, notably through Carville’s “three reasons” messaging: “Change vs. more of the same; the economy, stupid; and don’t forget healthcare.” “It’s the economy, stupid,” would later become one of the Clinton campaign’s de facto slogans. The War Room shines in its moments of suspense. The scenes surrounding Clinton’s win in New Hampshire - the win that cemented him as
the “comeback kid” of the election - are some of the best in the documentary, managing to capture the thrill of the moment, from a presidential race almost 30 years ago. Distasteful, though, are the scenes surrounding the Gennifer Flowers scandal, in which Flowers accused Clinton of having an affair with her. The documentary, first aired in 1993, shows the efforts Clinton’s campaign strategists took to quiet the allegations and clean up the scandal, while
vehemently denying their truth. Years later, Clinton would testify under oath that he had a sexual relationship with Flowers. If nothing else, The War Room is an honest look at the beginning of modern politics, and many scenes feel painfully familiar. But it also seems alien, and I was left wondering how politics have moved beyond the Clinton era, and if modern politics means something altogether different now.
VIEWS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | NOV. 2, 2020 | PAGE 12
USA Presidential Election:
How Debating has Changed over the Years
LUKE POMFRET focus editor
Every four years, media outlets are flooded with political propaganda, interviews, controversy and the 2020 presidential election season is no exception. Both Democrats and Republicans have talked negatively about their opponents, attacking their opponents rather than policy. The first presidential debate,
aired Sept. 29, showcased namecalling, family attacks, hidden money and a lack of clarity. According to Nielsen, the first presidential debate was viewed by 73.1 million people. With the two potential leaders of the country, President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, fighting for Americans’ hearts, many viewers, including me, felt anxious and uncertain about the future of the United States. I remember shutting off the TV and immediately looking up different policies and Supreme Court rulings and having to fact check every detail of the debate to calm my anxious thoughts about the future of the United States. Lisa Remillard, two-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, explains how debating has changed over the years.
Remillard says that in the 2004 presidential debate between the Republican nominee, George Bush, and Democrat nominee, John Kerry, “they both question each other’s fitness for office without devolving into a screaming match... there are no interruptions.” Remillard also notes that “Presidential debates are supposed to give a glimpse into the next four years if one of the candidates are selected.” Following the first presidential debate was the vice presidential debate between California Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence. This debate proved to be more civil and focused on policy. The vice presidential debate was also more popular than other previous vice presidential debates due to the polarity of personal beliefs between Harris
and Pence. Harris questioned Pence on his fitness of handing the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States. Overall, the biggest headlines of the VP debate seemed to be the fly that landed on Mike Pence’s head and Kamala Harris’s, now iconic line, “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking.” The second presidential debate was scheduled for Oct. 15, but was canceled due to President Trump’s issues with the form of a virtual town hall debate against Biden. Each nominee instead held their separate town hall on ABC and NBC at the same time. Nielsen calculated that 14.1 million people watched Joe Biden’s town hall on ABC. Donald Trump’s town hall, brought in 13.5 million viewers. In each town hall, the participants were questioned on hot button issues such as the future of healthcare, the problems of systemic racism in America, and the appointment of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court less than a month before the election. In both town halls, there were no surprising statements or answers that the viewer would
not accept from either candidate. The final presidential debate took place on Oct. 22 and was moderated by Kristen Welker of NBC News. This debate included a few format changes as a result of the shouting match that took place in the previous debate. The Commission on Presidential Debates implemented a mute button for each candidate because, in the first debate many viewers could not understand the candidates due to participants talking over each other. Welker also did an excellent job of organizing the debate and showing little to no bias in her questions. I, like many Americans, hoped for a more civil debate, unlike the first presidential debate. Biden and Trump finally were coherently debating each other, and their positions on topics did not change. However, I would argue that most Americans have already made up their minds about who they would like to see in office, regardless of their debate performances. The importance of a strong debate between the components builds democracy and should be focused on facts, and facts only.
Ohio COVID advisory system lacks clarity LENA WIEBE
co-editor-in-chief For the past two weeks, a record number of 38 Ohio counties were listed at a red Level 3 advisory, according to the Ohio Department of Health’s Public Health Advisory System, instituted by Governor DeWine to track COVID-19 levels in the state.
Red, the second-highest advisory level, indicates over 100 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the county. Currently, Wayne County has 256.68 cases per 100,000 people. Three other counties, Cuyahoga, Clark and Hamilton, are all on a watchlist for being on the brink of elevation to a purple Level 4 advisory. But, despite rising cases both locally and across the nation as the winter months settle in, little guidance has been provided as to what these advisory levels should entail, and many schools, businesses
and places of gathering have continued to open their doors to students, families and customers. The need for thoughtful, uniform and continued precautions is urgent. Ohio is now experiencing a higher rate of spread than it did during the height of its lockdown last summer, and experience has shown us that leaving these decisions up to individuals just does not work. Public health affects everyone, and it has to be all of our jobs to protect each other. Unfortunately, there have
been many worrying signs in how our communities continue to deal with the virus. Shortly before Wayne County was announced to be listed as a red Level 3 county, the WCSD issued a survey to parents and students, gauging their response on the school year so far and a number of possible changes. Among these was the possibility of returning to a five-day school week for all students. Considering the changed circumstances, this suggestion is alarming: though the WCSD has been careful to prioritize
public health first so far, social distancing and careful tracking for contact tracing would be nearly impossible with twice as many students in the building daily, and students would still use the learning management system Edgenuity during their time at school. It can be difficult to deal with the restrictions that have changed nearly every part of public life. But we can not become complacent, especially at a time when our actions are more critical than ever to protect ourselves and our loved ones.
THE WOOSTER BLADE | VIEWS | NOV. 2, 2020 | PAGE 13
WOOSTER
BLADE
Editors-in-Chief Lena Wiebe, Jack Veney Webmasters Rumen Zdravchev, Ashton Dunlap Graphics Manager Mya Vandegrift Business Manager Luke Pomfret, Jack Veney Head Photographer Grace Brownson A & E Editor Leo Riley, Julia Hootman Cover Editors Sophie Gamble, Sierra Dewald Feature Editor Ellie Snider Focus Editor Luke Pomfret On Campus Editor Hannah LoGiudice Sports Editor Ashton Dunlap Trends Editor Paulina Salazar, Jensan Bauman Views Editor Sylvie Shaya Staff Writers Jhon Fajardo, Olivia Hiner, Trent Kuzma, Sophia Mera, Lanie Meyer, Lucia Perfetti, Laura Rapport, Sheridan Schauer, Molly Snyder, Brittany Wachtel, Delaney Wilson Artists Sylvie Shaya, Mya Vandegrift Photographers Hannah LoGiudice, Rumen Zdravchev, Ashton Dunlap Graphics Staff Sylvie Shaya Adviser Kristi Hiner The Wooster Blade is a biweekly student publication printed every other Friday by the Newspaper Production classes at Wooster High School. The Wooster Blade is designated as an open forum and follows publishing guidelines as established by district-wide publications policy protecting students’ freedom of expression. All copy, art and photography are property of The Wooster Blade and cannot be reproduced without permission. Letters to the editor are limited to 300 words and The Wooster Blade reserves the rights to print and edit as per length and content. The Wooster Blade is a member of Quill and Scroll, National Scholastic Press Association and Columbia Scholastic Press Association. The Wooster Blade is printed in cooperation with Wooster’s The Daily Record. Letters and inquiries should be addressed to The Wooster Blade, 515 Oldman Road Wooster, Ohio 44691. The Wooster Blade can be contacted at 330-345-4000 ext. 3210. The newspaper can also be found at thewoosterblade.com
OUR VIEW
THE VOICE OF WOOSTER HIGH SCHOOL
THE
On Tuseday, Nov. 3, The Wooster Blade Editorial Board asked each member the question: about what are you most concerned right now? Our goal is to better understand what is currently on the minds of the student body. Rumen Zdravchev Leo Riley I am concerned about the demonizing of basic human decency. Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn, campaigners for equal rights of underprivileged people around the world, men without a plethora of scandals and a history of fighting for racial equality, men who inspired the working class and young voters like never before, have been portrayed by the media as the very problem they seek to destroy.
Ashton Dunlap I am concerned about my current classes, especially AP classes, and how my performance in them this year will affect me in the distant future. Is this year an “off-year” or will it really matter in the long run?
Ellie Snider I am concerned about the lack of depth of the classes in Edgenuity, particularly the AP Classes, in comparison to what we would be learning in a normal year, and I’m worried about the effect that may have on students in future years, particularly those who are taking essential classes, such as Algebra or Biology, this year. I am also very concerned about our local mindset when it comes to the pandemic, and the number of people I see that refuse to wear a mask or take things seriously when I’m in public is concerning, particularly as cases begin to rise rapidly.
I am concerned about racism and how it is still affecting my life and my family. I feel like that sometimes people overlook Asians and that they think they can still say hateful and mean things toward us and get away with it because they don’t think that being Asian could maybe cause problems for me and other Asians out there in the world.
Luke Pomfret I am concerned about how this year academically will be viewed by colleges and what the effect Edgenuity will have on our ability to retain knowledge for the following years. I am also concerned about the divided political climate the US has right now and the future of minorities rights.
Sierra Dewald I am concerned about the increasingly polarized direction of our country, and the apathy so many people are showing toward important issues like climate change and staying safe with COVID-19 as cases rise.
Mya Vandegrift I am concerned about civil unrest no matter who wins the election, and I am scared of what the next four years will look like, and how they will impact my education and lives of others.
Hannah LoGiudice I’m concerned no matter who wins the election people are going to call into question the accuracy of it and people will get violent about it no matter who wins.
Molly Snyder I’m concerned about how doing Edgenuity this year will affect our education next year or going into college if we’re back to normal next year in the event a vaccine is released. At this rate with Edgenuity skimming over important topics a lot of next year will have to be review instead of learning new material.
Jack Veney I am most concerned about how using Edgenuity with the having unlimited retakes on something, the lack of social interactions during instructional time, and the lack of practical experience that a normal inperson class would give is going to affect our generation later in life.
Sylvie Shaya I am concerned about the impact of Edgenuity over the next few years. I feel that our generation is not learning as much as we otherwise would this year and I worry that this will impact education in the long term and the value society places on learning.
Paulina Salazar I am concerned with what the next four years will look like. No one in my family is able to vote, my parents are immigrants and I am underage. Yet, we have to await this important decision that can affect my parents’ path as immigrants, and can create an even more hostile environment toward my family.