October Issue

THE

TRINITY VOICE SENIOR SUNRISE

To signify the beginning of their senior year, the class of ‘24 watches the sunrise in their senior crowns.

October 2O23 Volume 26 Issue 1 Trinity Preparatory School 57OO Trinity Prep Lane Winter Park, FL 32792

SILENT SCREEN TO SILVER COIN As part of a new program, Anna May Wong becomes first Asian American on US currency Access via QR code on inside cover.

NEWS

The new science building planned for 2O24 construction will provide more STEM opportunities.

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OPINIONS

Florida’s AP bans and content restrictions are an attack on education.

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FOCUS

Why do we enjoy being afraid? Explore the psychology behind fear being fun.

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LIFESTYLES

Humanity’s view of UFOs and aliens has evolved throughout time.

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SPORTS

As temperatures rise, young athletes are at risk for heatrelated illnesses.

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Table of Contents

October 2O23

TABLE OF CONTENTS News

News Bites O4 Michael Brown O5 Maui Fires O6-O7 Hanna Becker O8 Frej Andersson-Oberg O9 New Building 1O

Opinions

Graduation Reqs. 11 Barbie Movie 12 Lead Ed 13

Lifestyles

Taylor Swift 2O Aliens 21 Streaming Prices 22

Sports

The Trinity Voice is a member of the Florida Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.

The Trinity Voice is produced by the newspaper/journalism class at Trinity Preparatory School of Florida. Editorials represent the opinion of The Trinity Voice writer and are not necessarily the views of the administration, faculty, or Board of Trustees of Trinity. The Voice welcomes letters to the editor and freelance articles or photography. All submissions become the property of The Voice. Please send all correspondence to 5700 Trinity Prep Lane, FL 32792. The Voice may also be contacted via phone at 407-671-4140 and via e-mail at voice@trinityprep.org. For information regarding the purchase of advertising within The Voice, contact us by one of the methods mentioned above. The Voice is a monthly publication during the school year (with the exceptions of November and January).

Heat Illness 23 Trinity Heat Wave 24 Colin Sullivan 25 Brian Kells 26

Puzzle 27

Focus

Fear is Fun 14-15 Cultural Appropriation 16-17 Fall Festivities 18 Superstitions 19 Olivia Kortman

Cover Photo

VOICE@TRINITYPREP.ORG THETRINITYVOICE.COM @TRINITY_VOICE @THETRINITYVOICE “THE TRINITY VOICE”

Lia Garibay

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Olivia Kortman

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Staff/Podcast

October 2O23

STAFF

Editor-in-Chief: Taylor Riley Managing Editors: David Steinberg, Karthik Stead, Carol Marques, Peyton Alch Layout Editors: Peyton Alch, Lucy Chong News Department: Zach Kleiman (Editor), Aarav Gupta, Sebastian Cabeza, Sofia Haddadin, Emily Lopez-Couto Opinions Department: Amanda Rose DeStefano (Editor), Sammy Lou, Nikhil Daniel Focus Department: Fay Zhao (Editor), Taylor Griffith, Mia Prince, Mila Taylor Lifestyles Department: Laziza Talipova (Editor), Iris Lei, Jack Aaron, Tavish Ward Sports Department: David Hull (Editor), Rahul Sivakumaran, Angel Berreondo Podcast Department: Mohil Kapadia (Editor), Gustavo Membreno, Nikhil Daniel Social Media Online Department: David Bryskin (Editor), Julian Sealy, Ana Herrera, Olivia Agnew Graphics Department: Caden Liu (Editor), Lia Garibay, Maxi de la Fuente, Sam Miller Photo Department: Olivia Prince, Olivia Kortman (Editors), Ella Eichenholz, Jack Napier Fact Checking Editor: Jack Aaron Copy Editor: Sammy Lou Business Manager: Iris Lei Adviser: Erin Miller

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This Month’s Focus Topic: HALLOWEEN

Saint Talk This Month’s Podcast:

Blurb by Gustavo Membreno Photo courtsey by Sebastiaan Blickman

Ep.1 - Blickman Bonds with Trinity On this episode of Saint Talk, Gustavo Membreno and Nikhil Daniel sit down with Sebastiaan Blickman, Trinity Prep’s new Assistant Head of Upper School and Dean of Students.

Blickman shares his unique journey from playing professional soccer in Denmark to pursuing his passion for education. Tune in to hear more about Blickman’s path to education!

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News

October 2O23

NEWS BITES This Month: Month: By The Numbers

171,5OO

Hollywood writers and actors on strike due to unfair wages and lack of job security

2

6O,37O,OOO

New highly contagious COVID-19 variants: FL.1.5.1, and BA.2.86

First-day global Spotify streams for Olivia Rodrigo’s new album “GUTS”

Above statistics provided by Vox, TIME, and Politico

The Headlines Category 4 storm Hurricane Idalia had winds reaching up to 125 mph, causing serious damage in Florida’s Gulf Coast Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’ generates over 2.2 billion dollars in revenue Former President Donald Trump indicted and charged with racketeering, his fourth charge since March 2O23

Halloween Fun Facts Halloween falls on a full moon every 19 years, occuring next in 2O39

American consumers spent nearly $3.4 billion on Halloween decorations in 2O22

Reese’s Cups are the most popular Halloween candy in America

Above statistics provided by NASA, Statista, and CandyStore

October 2O23

News

5

BROWN PSYCHED FOR PSYCH

New teacher Michael Brown comes to Trinity for his next chapter Article by Tavish Ward Photo courtesy of Michael Brown A new school and a newborn, Michael Brown ended his summer with beginnings.

On Aug. 8, while most students and faculty were prepping for the new school year, Michael Brown welcomed his second child into the world. Just one week later, he stepped foot onto an unfamiliar campus, walked into a different classroom and got ready to teach a room filled with eager students who were ready to learn what he could teach them about psychology. While others might be overwhelmed by such considerable changes, Brown said he feels pretty good.

“I’ve done new schools before and this being our second kid, it’s not as stressful as the first,” Brown said.

An educator for 11 years, Brown has taught at a wide variety of schools, most immediately Lyman High School. At Trinity, he hopes that the smaller classes will allow for deeper and more thought-provoking discussions about topics in the curriculum.

“I’m used to the public school system, where I’ve got 30 plus students in my room, and if we derail too much, the lesson’s gone,” Brown said. “I’m excited to get off topic and explore

new ideas a bit more.”

After graduating high school, Brown attended the University of Central Florida, where he quickly found two loves: teaching and psy-

Michael Brown pictured with his wife and daughter on Halloween.

chology. Now, as students listen while he discusses the ideas of Sigmund Freud, he is able to pursue both at the same time.

“I love the changes that occur in us as humans, and it’s all about from the minute you’re born and conceived to the minute you die,” Brown said about developmental psychology, his favorite part of the curriculum. “How do your morals and ethics change as you age? It’s fascinating to study year after year, how people become different.”

When he’s not delving into various elements of the human mind, Brown often tries to get lost in his own. A sci-fi and fantasy enthusiast, he loves immersing himself in the universes of fictional worlds such as Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. And although he isn’t traveling to Tatooine or the Cracks of Doom, he is adventurous, and enjoys outdoor rock climbing and surfing. He hopes to use his experiences to not just help his students appreciate the intricacies of psychology, but also help them appreciate the simplicities of life.

“I like that I get to model to youth what life can look like,” Brown said. “I like to think I’m fairly joyful…and that’s an option for people if they want it.”

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News

October 2O23

TROUBLE IN PARADISE Article by Sebastian Cabeza Graphic by Sam Miller

TRAGEDY STRIKES

From Aug. 8 to 10, Maui suffered one of the most devastating wildfires in modern U.S. history. On the morning of Aug. 8, the flames started as a small brush fire in Maui’s upcountry region, closer inland. By the afternoon, other wildfires broke out on the west side of the island, engulfing the historic town of Lahaina. The fire quickly grew out of control, trapping local residents and forcing some to jump into the ocean for safety.

Over 100 lives were lost, and close to 400 more are unaccounted for (as of Sep. 5). Thousands of residents lost their homes, and thousands more were left without power.

The wildfires raged for two days before finally being contained on Aug. 10, but not without destroying over 2,200 buildings and leaving many of the island’s historical sites in ruins.

County officials have claimed that the utility company did not properly maintain its powerlines or clear drying vegetation near power poles that could start a fire. The fatal offense was on the day of the fire when they kept their lines electrified even after repeated red-flag fire warnings.

Although many residents on

A CLIMATE CATASTROPHE

GOVERNMENT RESPONDS

Maui’s top Hawaiian Emergency Management Agency official, Herman Andaya, has since resigned after his decision to not sound the island’s emergency warning sirens during the wildfires. Many residents of the island have criticized the lack of proper emergency warnings, which left many scrambling for safety. Residents only received an emergency alert on their phone, similar to alerts sent out for other weather events like thunderstorms, leading many to underestimate the severity of the crisis.

As the debate over the cause of the wildfires continues, Maui County has filed a lawsuit against Hawaii Electric, a private energy company that supplies most of Hawaii’s power.

Trinity. Two juniors, Rianna Patel and Kylie Southard, were particularly moved by the fires and decided to start a fundraiser alongside Trinity’s Habitat for Humanity Club.

“People have not only lost their homes,” Patel said. “They’ve also lost their history.”

Patel and Southard were able to raise the money by selling various items like Hawaiian bracelets and hairpins, as well as working with administration to create a $2 casual day. All the proceeds went to Habitat for Humanity Maui’s disaster relief fund and will be used to help rebuild homes destroyed by the fires. In total, Trinity managed to raise $2,176.

Sources: The New York Times, CNN

the island have claimed negligence in the past, this is the first time the local government has also filed suit.

TRINITY TAKES ACTION

The magnitude of this catastrophe has inspired some students to take action here at

As climate change worsens, so have massive wildfires like the one on Maui. Since 1990, Maui has seen a decline in average rainfall and an increase in average temperature, making the island much drier than it normally would be, significantly degrading the island’s forests. In addition, Maui’s vegetation is plagued by highly flammable, invasive species of grass that were brought to the island

by American settlers and sugar barons after its illegal annexation in 1898. According to environmental science teacher Emily Massey-Burmeister, these factors combined made the threat of a massive wildfire inevitable.

“It’s like a powder keg,” Massey- Burmeister said. “All that dry organic matter [waiting] on the forest floor, and the trees themselves can be almost like a match that’s waiting for a light.”

The match that lit the proverbial powder keg was Hurricane Dora, a Category 4 storm

October 2O23

News

How climate change and neocolonialism destroyed Maui that passed south of Hawaii. Although Hawaii wasn’t directly hit by the storm, hurricane winds reached the islands, causing the fire to spread much faster.

COLONIALISM’S LEGACY

In the wake of such a disaster, many Hawaiians are raising concerns about wealthy real estate interests taking advantage of the crisis to seize land. For over 100 years, Hawaii has been dominated by America’s corporate class at the expense of Native Hawaiians.

Beginning in the 1800s, white investors began arriving on the islands and buying up most of the land to build plantations, transforming much of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s biodiverse jungles into fields of monocrop sugarcane and pineapple cultivation. It didn’t take very long for these rich landowners to overthrow the Hawaiian government in an armed coup d’etat, paving the way for the United States to illegally annex the islands in 1898. Sugar and pineapple capitalists held vast influence over the new government, allowing for their continued expansion and exploitation of Hawaii’s people and resources.

Today, those plantations have been replaced by real estate companies that have undercut the interests of Native Hawaiians and the environment to build luxury resorts, golf courses and large vacation homes for rich tourists. These same real estate corporations are now looking to buy up the land destroyed by the wildfires and turn it into more expensive properties for investors to speculate on. Since the fires, real estate agents have been coldcalling residents who have had their homes and livelihoods destroyed, urging them to sell their property rather than wait for relief aid. Profiteering from natural disasters is not unique to Maui and has seen a substantial rise, especially in the last 20 years. For instance,

after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, private interests moved quickly to tear down public housing projects and replace them with luxury condominiums. As climate change increases the frequency and severity of natural disasters, this trend is sure to continue.

“Death by a thousand cuts. That’s what we’re going through now.”

- Emily Massey-Burmeister, Environmental Science Teacher CONCLUSION

To prevent another disaster of this scale or worse from ravaging Hawaii, several things must happen. Firstly, an end to American neocolonial exploitation of Hawaii’s resources and people, which created the conditions for the wildfire to begin with, and are now compounding the effects of the catastrophe with economic hardship. Secondly, global action combating climate change is needed, or else natural disasters like the wildfire on Maui are guaranteed to continue happening. According to Burmeister, the Maui wildfires are a warning of what’s to come if no action is taken.

“Death by a thousand cuts,” Burmeister said. “That’s what we’re going through now.”

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News

October 2O23

BECKER FOLLOWS FAMILY LEGACY German exchange student follows her families travel legacy Article by Olivia Agnew Photo courtesy of Hanna Becker, Graphic by Lia Garibay Coming all the way from Essen, Germany, exchange student Hanna Becker, makes her way to Trinity Prep for her sophomore year.

Following in her parents footsteps Becker comes ready to soak up one year of the American high school experience.

“Both my parents [did] exchange years and they both told me that those years were incredible and that they found so many friends, experienced new things learned about other cultures,” Becker said. “It was always a plan, I wanted to go to the U.S. to improve my English skills. And also there’s so many cultures and so many people [in the U.S.].”

Becker was welcomed to America with open arms from her peers.

“People would go to you and ask who are you? How are you?,” Becker said.

Not only has Becker’s friends made her feel very welcomed, Becker’s teachers did as well.

“They’re super nice, what I realized is that teachers at Trinity, really care about their students,” Becker said. “If you have a question, you can go to them and ask, and they will really try to help you, German teachers try to do so as well, but it’s just a lot more students that they have to take care of. The people here have take their time to help.”

Becker stands in front of England’s famous monument Big Ben.

Much of Becker’s life is similar to Trinity’s students, Becker has a 7-year-old younger sister plays volleyball, runs for fun and will be doing cross country at Trinity. One thing about Germany that sets its apart is the use of public transportation, it is used daily for most people. The legal driving age is 18 which makes public transportation so much more useful.

“I [go] nearly everywhere with public transportations,” Becker said. “I don’t need my parents to drive me anywhere.”

Becker is adjusting to the American

life, and not only that but also adjusting to the huge packaging here in America.

“Target, Costco. Everything is so big,” Becker said “What are you planning on doing with such huge packaging? What are you trying to feed with that?”

Becker is excited for what is to come throughout this year, to meet new people and to experience America through a real American point of view.

“Americans are just very open and very kind and they really want to show you their way of living,” Becker said.

October 2O23

News

9

SWEDISH STUDENT SWIMS HIS WAY TO FLORIDA

ASSIST student continues to pursue athletics from home country Article by Iris Lei Photo courtesy of Frej Andersson-Oberg Since his arrival at Trinity on the week of August 21st, junior Frej Andersson-Oberg has traveled to North Carolina twice with his exchange family to see landmarks and participate in bonding activities. His first time in North Carolina was spent at Camp Ridgecrest for Boys and exploring the state’s landmarks.

“I went to Buc-ee’s, the huge gas station,” Andersson-Oberg said. “[My exchange family] bought land in North Carolina so I was up there last week…preparing and renovating.”

Andersson-Oberg is originally from Gothenburg, Sweden, and traveled to Stockholm for an interview with the Swedish ambassador and ASSIST. He first learned of the exchange program from his aunt’s husband, who is an ASSIST alumni and spent a year abroad in the United States.

Andersson-Oberg has noticed multiple differences in the culture and environment of the United States since his arrival.

“Of course, the weather is different from Sweden,” Andersson-Oberg. “There’s a lot more cars…but the good thing is there’s more diversity in food.”

According to Andersson-Oberg, the diversity in America’s cuisine mainly includes an increase in cheese as a food topping.

His first impression of the United States was positive, and teachers and students have offered their assistance on multiple occasions.

“Swedish people are very introverted,” Andersson-Oberg said.

“Even if you knew a person, you wouldn’t say hi [and instead] just nod. Here, I barely know anyone because I’ve only been here a week, but I’m saying “hi” to people from [my] classes and sports.”

According to Andersson-Oberg, his economics teacher’s interactive teaching methonds have made a positive impact Frej Andersson-Oberg (left) poses with another ASSIST stuon his learning. dent next to a Swedish maypole they constructed for their last day of orientation in Boston.

“When we have long lessons, instead of sitting there [for] one hour, almost two, and just writing notes, we actually do some exercise,” Andersson-Oberg said. “[This] improves learning for me.”

Andersson-Oberg is a member of Trinity’s swim team, having competitively swam previously in Sweden. He swam with the swim club Kungälvs Simsällskap (KSS), rather than with his school.

“For me, I like swimming,” Andersson-Oberg said. “Most of my Swedish friends are in the swim club as well.”

He has participated in a variety of sports, wanting to find the sport that he was most passionate about.

“Two years back before I started to focus on swimming, I did golf and tennis,” Andersson-Oberg said. “Those were the three that I focused on most.”

Although he is enjoying America so far, there are some things he misses about his home country.

“Of course, I miss my family and friends,” Andersson-Oberg said. “But also I would say some traditional foods like Swedish meatballs.”

“I’m looking forward to improving many aspects of my life...I already feel self-dependent and I feel like it could get even better.”

- Frej Andersson-Oberg, Junior He has many ambitions for the school year going forward, in regards to both academics and sports.

“I’m looking forward to improving many aspects of my life,” Andersson-Oberg said. “One of the big ones is swimming for me, but also my English. I already feel [very] self-dependent and I feel like it could get even better.”

News

October 2O23

SANKAR SCIENCE CENTER STEPS INTO STEM New science building forecasted to be completed in 2O26 Article by Sofia Haddadin Photo courtesy of Byron Lawson After much anticipation, Trinity Prep ad- ting me excited.”

The building is named after Sankar’s father, ministration has finally announced the construction of the Nochur Sankar Science Cen- Nochur Sankar, who was a significant influter. This multi-million dollar, 35,000 square ence in his life.

“This is a man who really had his teeth foot project is planned to be completed by the fall of 2026 and aims to bring a higher level of kicked in at every single moment in life but demonstrated immense resilience to create a STEM learning to students.

Shyam Sankar (‘00) is the primary donor better life for his family,” Sankar said. “This is of the building, contributing $3.5 million to a way of honoring everything that he helped create together.” the final donaAccording to tion goal. At “My dad would be so proud to know that Trinity, Sankar’s part of this legacy was to inspire as Sankar, his father’s motivating nature love for the sciences drove him many generations as possible at Trinity helped him pursue his passion in scito pursue his to pursue their own dreams.” ence Sankar wants childhood passion, motivating - Shyam Sankar (‘OO), Primary Donor to give all students the same opportuhis donation. nities and exposure Sankar found great success after graduating, attending Cor- that he had access to, ensuring that they can nell University and Stanford University, and have promising futures.

“My dad would be so proud to know that then went on to found a billion-dollar company that provides computerized solutions for part of this legacy was to inspire as many genbusinesses. He said he largely owes this success erations as possible at Trinity to pursue their own dreams,” Sankar said. “Part of that is realto Trinity.

When Sankar first toured Trinity as a 5th izing it through science.”

Trinity will be able to bring together science, grader, he knew this was the place for him to technology, engineering and math into one follow his passion into the sciences.

“When I saw the science lab… wow,” San- building. Such interconnected departments kar said. “I want to be here, and I want to be will no longer be geographically disconnectable to do stuff in that lab. It captivated my ed, leading to a more holistic approach to the imagination and really was a catalyst for get- STEM curriculum.

The Nochur Sankar Science Center will allow Trinity’s science curriculum to expand, and Science Department Chair Dr. Romina Jannotti is ecstatic about the fact.

“The sky is the limit… I do want to create a biotech curriculum,” Jannotti said. “I want to have more science electives [and] would like to create more semester classes that give kids a taste of [a variety of STEM classes].”

However, the road has been rocky while planning and executing the science center build.

According to Head of School Byron Lawson, inflation, lack of materials and competition for builders and architects, have made the critical parts of the construction puzzle hard to piece together. However, these challenges have been addressed, and ground is planned to be broken in the summer of 2024 in the current administration parking and carline space.

With Sankar’s goal of enhancing STEM at Trinity Prep, his donation, along with that of the Holloway family, has been vital in bringing Trinity closer to reaching its goal, as 75% has been fulfilled so far. Lawson hopes to see 100% participation in these efforts by the whole Trinity family.

“I want to inspire kids to have a positive and definite view of the future and to discover that for themselves,” Sankar said. “I want [students] to be excited about STEM and the specifics about what we can accomplish through advanced technologies.”

October 2O23

Opinions

11

CLASS CREDIT CALAMITY Article by Sammy Lou Graphic by Lia Garibay

The pressure on high schoolers to find their passions is immense. From playing T-ball and an instrument as a kindergartner to joining clubs in high school, the hope is that something will spark an interest. Another way students explore their numerous interests is by enrolling in different elective courses, like photography or computer science.

Unfortunately for students, it is not always so easy to take a variety of electives in their areas of interest. Trinity, along with other high schools across the state, set a high number of graduation requirements for a range of non-core classes. On top of core classes, Trinity requires two credits of language, one credit of fine arts, and a half credit for computer science, physical education, life management and ethics.

That means that five of the 12 year-long, non-core class slots that are available through high school will be filled by required classes. There is some reasoning for class requirements to be high though.

“Part of it is that we are rooted in a liberal arts education, which means that you want to have that well-rounded component, which would include the fine arts and exposure to computer science,” Director of Learning and Instruction Stephanie Dryden said. “To be a fully developed human being, it’s important to try those different areas. And so we’re committed to that as a school.”

While these course requirements have merit, one could argue that they also restrict students’ ability to pursue a variety of electives that kindle their curiosity. Students are not always able to take multiple years of their favorite electives if several precious class slots are filled with classes taken for the purpose of credit fulfillment.

Following interests is important for students because according to the National Library of Medicine, interest is “a powerful motivational process that energizes learning, guides academic and career trajectories and is essential to academic success.”

“By pursuing your interest, you’re going to get more prepared for college,” sophomore

Matthew Gu said. “If you’re already set on a particular job or a major, doubling up on classes or focusing on certain classes can help you do that.”

The admissions office at the University of South Florida estimated that up to 50% of students enter college undecided on their major. This can make it harder to create a sense of focus on your college application, and students may end up spending their first years of

college without a clear idea of what they want to study.

Often, just one or two semesters in an elective can only give students the basics and hook them on a subject. It usually will not provide in-depth or advanced knowledge about a subject, which is why it is crucial that students have the opportunity to continue studying that

elective for all four years of high school. However, students often do not have the flexibility to pursue four years of multiple electives after factoring in all of the core and non-core class requirements. For example, if a language-loving student wanted to take four years of two different languages as well as four years of Journalism at Trinity, it would not be possible to satisfy all of their graduation requirements.

In the long term, exploring interests early in high school is the first step toward choosing a fulfilling career that the student is passionate about. People who enjoy their jobs are more “optimistic, motivated, learn faster, make fewer mistakes and make better business decisions,” according to an article from the University of Southern California.

Students are recognizing the importance of capitalizing on electives. “[Taking] AP Biology [as an elective] was a decision I made because when I was in Mr. Moretz’s class last year for my freshman year, I enjoyed learning about biology, and I wouldn’t mind doing another year of it,” sophomore Nathan James said. “If I do decide to pursue something in the medical career, I think AP Biology is a good start.”

Trinity’s graduation requirements most certainly will help to provide a well-rounded education to its students, and they should not necessarily be discarded. However, students should have more flexibility to take extra classes in subjects of interest and to pursue several semesters of electives.

One way to implement this flexibility is to allow students to fulfill required credits by taking courses outside of school. For example, students could take a class in digital art or life management through an organization like Florida Virtual School, and then continue taking their desired elective at Trinity. This kind of option would open the door for students to dive deeper into their non-core subjects of interest and be ready to enter college with a clearer focus. While the Malone Schools Online Network does offer a few extra courses, they can only fulfill ethics and electives credits, not fine arts, computer science or any other credits. In addition to this, the selection of courses is limited, which restricts students’ ability to use MSON.

Opinions

October 2O23

BARBIE:CINEMATIC MASTERPIECE A movie about dolls delivers important messages about humanity Article by Taylor Riley Graphic by Maxi de la Fuenta This past summer was a revolutionary season of movies, including the highly anticipated releases of “The Little Mermaid,” “Spider-Man Across the Spiderverse” and “Oppenheimer.”

But none were quite as anticipated or well-received as the “Barbie” movie. In the month following its release, “Barbie” became the highest-grossing domestic movie of 2023 and the first film in history directed solely by a woman –Greta Gerwig–to earn $1 billion dollars at the box office.

There are many reasons why this movie has been such a success, from its star-studded cast including Margot Robbie, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae and Will Ferrell, to vivid set design using so much pink it was rumored to have caused a world shortage. But perhaps the most compelling part of the movie is its central focus on womanhood and humanity.

The announcement of the movie was met with much excitement from women who had spent their childhoods playing with Barbie, but also criticism over the toy’s problematic history. Barbie has long been labeled as anti-feminist for pushing unrealistic beauty standards and triggering body image issues in young girls. The Mattel brand is definitely guilty of this. In 1965, they released “Slumber Party Barbie,” which came with a book accessory that read: “How To Lose Weight: Don’t Eat.” Given this, it makes sense that many initially believed the movie would be a coverup from Mattel’s many misdeeds.

However, the movie acknowledges Barbie’s shortcomings and focuses much of the movie on shattering beauty standards and redefining what the word “beautiful” means.

The film centers on Margot Robbie’s portrayal of stereotypical Barbie, whose life in

Barbieland is completely perfect until she starts getting cellulite and having irrepressible thoughts of death. In other words, she starts becoming humanlike. To remedy this, she travels to the real world, which is much more flawed when compared to Barbieland, but it’s also much more beautiful.

The real world is messy, ugly and tragic–especially in comparison to Barbie’s immortal world of plastic. In spite of this, Barbie chooses to give up her “perfect” life to become human at the end of the movie, a choice that sends an incredibly important message in today’s aesthetic-obsessed culture. Women are constantly pressured to prioritize beauty over happiness, told not to laugh so they don’t get laugh lines and to stay out of the sun to avoid freckles.

America Ferrera’s character, Gloria, left the audience in tears with a monologue about all the unattainable double standards that women have to endure.

“You think you’re going to watch a movie about dolls, but you’re watching a movie about what it means to be human.”

- Simu Liu, in an Instagram post Gloria said. “You have to be thin, but not too thin…You have to have money, but you can’t ask for money because that’s crass…

You’re supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you’re supposed to be a part of the sisterhood.”

Women are told that they need to simul-

taneously achieve all of these qualities to be happy, but Barbie’s choice to become human shows us that the opposite is true. Beauty is not found in perfection, which Barbie had at the beginning of the movie, but in humanity, with all the heartbreak and tragedy that comes with that. One scene between Barbie and her creator, Ruth Handler, played by Rhea Pearlman, perfectly captures this message.

“Real world isn’t what I thought it was,” Barbie says.

“It never is. And isn’t that marvelous?” Handler replies.

The ingenuity and depth in this scene, as well as in the film as a whole, surprised many fans, who didn’t anticipate that the movie would be this substantial. Simu Liu, who plays one of the Kens, describes the movie perfectly in an Instagram post caption.

“You think you’re going to watch a movie about dolls, but you’re watching a movie about what it means to be human,” Liu said.

This aspect of humanity is what makes the movie appealing to all audiences, not just to young girls who play with dolls. The film also appeals to men, due to its commentary on toxic masculinity through Ken, which demonstrates how the patriarchy is detrimental to men as well as women.

From its first trailer, “Barbie” was labeled an instant camp classic. Gosling’s glorious performance of “I’m Just Ken” and Mirren’s hilarious fourth wall breaking comments felt grandiose.

But in the midst of all its unrealistic quirkiness, “Barbie” finds time for heartfelt moments and surprisingly insightful commentary on beauty, sexism, identity and humanity, perfectly balancing lighthearted comedy and existential tragedy in less than two hours runtime.

October 2O23

Opinion

13

FLORIDA’S ATTACK ON EDUCATION On Aug. 3, Florida high schoolers woke up to the news that the state of Florida had banned the teaching of AP Psychology due to the course’s lessons on gender identity and expression. This news was shocking to Florida residents, but given the state’s recent history with banning and altering curricula, perhaps it should not have been.

Since 2020, Florida has banned critical race theory in K-12 classrooms, banned AP African American Studies and introduced Bill 999 that would ban specific majors at public universities. Florida has also approved PragerU, a conservative media company, to show its absurdly biased materials to elementary school children.

All of this censorship is done under the guise of “protecting our children” from the “Woke Agenda.”

The “Woke Agenda” does not have a formal definition, however it seems to be any material that discusses the historical and current oppression of people of color or the existence of transgender people. Although these issues don’t currently affect independent schools like Trinity, they could affect TPS students who go on to attend public universities. To combat these issues, it’s important to understand the extent of the censorship.

Critical Race Theory

In 2021, Florida Governor Ron Desantis and the Florida Board of Education banned the teaching of critical race theory in Florida public school classrooms. Critical race theory is a topic that could be covered by itself in an article, but to summarize for those unfamiliar, it began as a college course taught to examine U.S. history with a focus on the racial disparities between white people and people of color.

The class also places an emphasis on the continued effects that systems of oppression such as slavery have on society today.

“Some of this stuff is, I think, really toxic,” DeSantis told the state legislature. “I think it’ll cause people to think of themselves more as

a member of a particular race based on skin color, rather than based on the content of their character and based on their hard work and what they’re trying to accomplish in life.”

This sentiment is, to say the least, reductive.

Teaching students about systemic racism is not nearly the same thing as teaching students to hate themselves for their race.

AP Course Issues

The ban on AP Psychology made earlier this year was very quickly reversed after widespread backlash from both students and current AP Psychology teachers. Despite the reversal, Seminole County Public Schools at first moved to replace AP Psychology with an AP Seminar course with “a focus on psychology.” However, just 12 days after that decision, Seminole County reversed its decision and allowed for AP Psychology to be taught this academic year.

In a similar vein, in January, Florida banned the teaching of AP African American Studies when it was in the prototype stage. The course was banned on the grounds that it “lacked educational value.” It is important to note that the CollegeBoard already offers language classes that incorporate culture, including Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish, and these classes were not deemed to “lack in educational value.”

Florida House Bill 999

On Feb. 24, Rep. Alex Andrade (R) proposed Florida House Bill 999 to ban all majors involving gender studies or critical race theory at Florida’s 12 public universities. This bill, if passed, would be catastrophic. It would set the precedent that the Florida state government can intervene in the departments and studies offered on a college campus. While this bill has not been passed and still has many stages to go through before it would go into effect, the fact that it is considered reasonable enough to be in discussion at all is abhorrent.

PragerU Kids

PragerU is a conservative media organization that produces videos explaining economic, social and political concepts all with an overt right-leaning bias. PragerU kids, an ongoing series of videos made for children, includes a depiction of Christopher Colombus defending his enslavement of native peoples.

“Slavery is as old as time and has taken place in every corner of the world, even amongst the people I just left,” Columbus said in the video.

Having these deliberately misleading videos available for parents to show their children is one thing, but placing these videos at the same level as well-vetted resources like PBS is ludicrous. The cherry on top of it all, however, is the fact that PragerU founder Dennis Prager admitted to the fact that the purpose of these videos is indoctrination.

“Well, because you indoctrinate kids.’

Which is true. We bring doctrines to children.

That is a very fair statement. I said, ‘But what is the bad of our indoctrination?’” Prager said.

So to recap, lessons teaching about U.S. history with a focus on race is a part of the “Woke Agenda,” and are gross attempts at indoctrinating children. But videos designed by conservatives with the express purpose of indoctrinating children are not only perfectly okay, but should be granted authorization to be shown in public schools.

What should we do?

In order to combat these restrictions, it is important to get informed, to vote in local elections and to contact your local policymakers. If you can’t vote, take the time to inform and talk to someone who can. The sooner we act, the sooner things can change.

The lead editorial expresses the opinion of the Trinity Voice editorial staff. Please send comments to voice@trinityprep.org.

Focus

October 2O23

October 2O23

Focus

Fear=Fun? Article by Fay Zhao Graphic by Caden Liu Junior Sallee Rosen walks through an ominous dark hall dense with fog. She cautiously creeps forward with her friends huddled behind her as she tries to listen for any movement, however, all she could hear was the pounding of her heart. She turns the corner and suddenly, screams fill the room as she comes face-to-face with a clown, eyes bulging and mouth widening into a sickening smile.

More than 600,000 people each year attend Halloween Horror Nights hoping to be scared by bloody doctors, gruesome monsters and all kinds of scary beings. Ever wonder why we are scared of these things and why some of us enjoy being scared?

Fear is a part of human nature, it is a protective barrier from threats that the brain senses.

The brain learns from a young age that certain things are threats and triggers fear as a defense.

“We fear things as a biological imperative,” psychology teacher Michael Brown said. “It’s instinctual. It keeps us alive. A lot of our fears are learned. They’re modeled by mentors, parents, whoever it may be and we pick up on that like ‘this person is terrified of it, I should be terrified of it to keep me alive.’”

Everybody has different fears and how they developed. Rosen’s fear of dolls stems from a childhood memory with her friend.

“She told me about her closet that was full of dolls,” Rosen said. “I was already scared of them because I had heard of the Annabelle doll. She showed me her closet, pushed me and locked me in. It felt like hours, realistically, it was probably like 30 minutes or something, but it scarred me and I hated dolls afterwards.”

When people are scared, they go through

many physical changes. Heart rate goes up, eyes dilate, breath quickens and digestion and the immune system slow down as the body prepares for a state of fight or flight. The physical changes create the sensation of being scared, which so many people experience through horror houses and movies.

“I feel like my stomach is tying into knots, and I become more aware of my breathing,” Rosen said. “I can feel a slight tingling sensation in my throat. Especially with the music it’s supposed to affect you, and it does because I can feel it in my bones.”

Part of the enjoyment is because of chemicals the brain releases. The hypothalamus part of the brain pumps chemicals like adrenaline and endorphins throughout the body which creates a heightened sense of excitement comparable to a runner’s high. The dopamine released in the brain also creates a higher level of pleasure in these intense situations.

It is because of the chemical processes that occur when people are scared that makes horror so enticing. According to Comscore, an analytical website, the horror genre accounted for around $700 million in domestic ticket sales in 2022.

“I’m really nervous because I don’t know what to expect,” sophomore Elliet McDermed said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but after that first house, you get that adrenaline rush where you’re like, ‘I survived that, we did so good. Let’s go do another one.’”

After the initial scare, the brain releases calming chemicals of epinephrine, norepinephrine, adrenaline and noradrenaline, all of which create the desired effect of a fulfillment.

Oftentimes the addictive part of a scary experience is coming back down from the high.

“There is a natural chemical release after you experience a lot of fear and adrenaline,” Brown said. “In the process of coming back down from that, there is a natural and calming release of chemicals.”

Scary experiences can be a good bonding experience as well. The body releases a chemical called oxytocin which intensifies memories and increases social bonding. People often have a better time when they are scared together.

“Anytime you’re experiencing intense emotions around others, [it’s the] active choice of ‘let’s go do something contrary to our biology together, let’s go make ourselves terrified together,’” Brown said.

McDermed experienced personally that scary things create new friendships and can potentially be a common interest shared amongst different people.

“This one year where I brought friends from different places, and I was scared that they weren’t going to be able to interact, but there’s this thing where being scared unites people,” McDermed said. “After we went through one house, they were laughing and conversing.”

The need to be scared keeps people from coming back for more horror entertainment every year whether it is because of chemical reactions, the emotional journey of being scared,or simply bonding with friends over unforgettable memories.

“You are connected on a deeper level, because you get scared together, friends who get scared together, stay together,” Rosen said.

Focus

October 2O23

CULTURAL APPROPRIATION OR APPRECIATION? Article by Mila Taylor Graphic by Maxi de la Fuente In 2018, an 18-year-old white woman named Keziah Daum received a tremendous amount of backlash after posting pictures of her wearing a qipao, a traditional Chinese dress, on social media to her high school prom.

The images circulated on the internet and she faced a lot of criticism, mostly from Americans, and many accused her of cultural appropriation. When the pictures reached Hong Kong, mainland China, and Taiwan, many people

es get this narrative and story that’s told… us growing up as kids we think this is just a really fun story but there’s so much more historically, there’s so much more context there’s so much more to learn,” Chan said, “And I think what is great about Disney Princesses is it opens the door for curiosity.

Which hopefully leads to taking it one step further and educating.”

Arguments are made “I think where the ethics really kind of comes that nobody should down to at what age does a child know that be dressing up in a culture that isn’t what they’re doing is right or wrong? I think theirs. There has been that at certain ages dressing like Mulan, a distinct line drawn a child dressor Moana is going to be a great aspiration- between ing up as a Disney al thing… Why wouldn’t you want to be an Princess like Mulan, or Pocahontas, and awesome female character?” adults or teenagers - Benjamin Gaddis, Ethics Teacher blatantly dressing expressed their up as a certain support for the culture, like a young woman. However, this issue never ceas- Geisha or Native American. A es to exist, especially around Halloween, with costume that represents a charmodern media raising awareness about stereo- acter like a Disney princess typical and problematic costumes. can teach children that peoEven though Halloween is a time of the year ple are a diverse species when cultural appropriation is referenced fre- and everyone should be quently, the definition seems to get lost in all celebrated. However, of the outcry. Social media users use the term an adult dressing up as cultural appropriation to express their concern a culture remains probfor children and adults dressing up as charac- lematic because of the ters of other races or cultures. Sifu Mimi Chan, lack of respect it poses the life model and the martial arts reference for to that specific culture.

Disney’s animated Mulan, explained her defi“I think where the ethnition of cultural appropriation. ics really kind of comes “To me, cultural appropriation is when down to [is] at what someone inappropriately misrepresents and age does a child know tries to put on a show from someone else’s cul- that what they [are] doing ture without having any deep understanding is right or wrong?” Ethics respect or regard for that culture,” Chan said. teacher Benjamin Gaddis Chan believes that if children are exposed said, “I think that at certo diverse characters like Disney princesses, it tain ages dressing like Mubecomes an educational opportunity that can lan, or Moana is going to be lead to a better understanding of different cul- a great aspirational thing…Why tures or races. wouldn’t you want to be an awe“I feel like a lot of these Disney Princess- some female character?”

October 2O23

Focus

Halloween costumes spark discussion about cultural appropriation.

Gaddis believes that adults should know better than to dress up as another culture as costumes might mock a culture or potentially represent harmful stereotypes. This kind of behavior could lead to potential violence.

According to an article published by The University of Virginia, “[Cultural appropri-

ation can] Perpetuate harmful and factually “But when it’s appropriated, and not credited inaccurate stereotypes of the marginalized to its origins, then that becomes problematic.”

When it comes to Halloween however, it group, which creates misunderstanding and division… Re- is an agreement that it’s best to steer clear of search has shown that forms of costumes that mock or highlight harmful stecultural violence like cultural reotypes, like a sombrero with a poncho, or appropriation can sometimes a Native American costume with a religious lead to and inspire more phys- headdress. In today’s political world, people are ical forms of violence “So I think just taking those extra and genocide.”

Dressing up as steps to be mindful, respectful, and other cultures without awareness of the im- to delve a little deeper, it’s always a pact the costume has, good way to honor that character that is a way to undermine the culture or religion. you portray.”

Sophomore Misha - Mimi Chan, Model of Disney’s Animated Mulan Choudry, a student at Trinity Prep expresses her concern for cultures as Hallow- a little confused as to where the line is drawn between appropriation and appreciation. een costumes.

“I think that line has grown more and more “I’m Pakistani so if I saw someone wearing the salwar ka- difficult over the last decade,” said Gaddis, meez… there’s so much culture be- “I would largely say that cultural appreciahind that, so much you probably tion does not require a costume. Appropriadon’t understand,” Choudry said. tion happens if we are wearing a costume and Contrary to modern media, the dressing like a culture other than ours. I think coordinator of the Department of if we’re doing it in a way where we’re kind of Africana Studies at UCF, Professor making fun of those cultures, we’re definitely Kibibi Mack-Shelton, argues that in appropriation land.”

In order to avoid appropriation, it is imthe term cultural appropriation may portant to do research before any sort of cosbe mistaken for appreciation. “[For instance,] I don’t consider a tume is chosen, especially if a character is of a white girl or having braids as cultural different race or culture. Chan explained that appropriation,” Mack-Shelton said, “I in order to fully appreciate a character, educadon’t consider a white guy wearing dreadlocks tion is vital.

“So I think just taking those extra steps to be as being a perpetrator of cultural appropriation. I see them as appreciating that culture, mindful, respectful, and to delve a little deeper, it’s always a good way to honor that characand it’s just an art style that they like.”

Mack-Shelton also emphasized the impor- ter that you portray,” Chan said. tance of education at home, especially if a child wants to dress up as a character of another culture. However, in today’s time, cultures everywhere are borrowing from each other and that is something to celebrate.

“You have blacks taking from white culture, whites taking from Latino culture, Latinos taking from Asian culture, and it’s okay to appreciate everyone’s culture,” Mack-Shelton said.

Focus

October 2O23

NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN The alternatives to Halloween Horror Nights

Article by Taylor Griffith Graphic by Caden Liu As ninth grader Caitlin von Weller enters Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween, she sees the parade, with characters dressed up singing happily, and people trick or treating around the park. This attraction is something that von Weller looks forward to each year. While many students prefer attractions such as Halloween Horror Nights, the scare can be unappealing to certain demographics. But there are plenty of alternatives for students to explore.

According to Universal, this attraction is for mature audiences and can get expensive.

The recommended age is at least 13 years old and can be a costly experience. There are many different opportunities for people to enjoy the holiday if Halloween Horror Nights is not appealing.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween runs from Aug. 11 to Nov 1. It attracts all audiences, where people can trick-or-treat, dress up and visit characters. “Whenever I go to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween, I love seeing everyone dress up as different characters and really go all out,” von Weller said. “I have been going since I was a kid, it is a great Halloween experience for people of all ages.”

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween is not the only Halloween activity to enjoy.

Von Weller also enjoys going to the fall festival at

Interlachen in Winter Park. This fall activity occurs once a year, and she enjoys it because of the variety of activities the festival offers.

“The festival has everything from pumpkin pie to hay bale rides,” von Weller said.

The festival is for all ages, and there are plenty of things to do for everyone. Von Weller’s favorite activity is the corn maze. Despite the difficulties she has endured while trying to complete it, the corn maze is a popular activity and is a staple of the festival.

“I vividly remember going into the corn maze with my brother, who got lost, and I had already escaped,” von Weller said. “It took 45 minutes to find him again.”

Gatorland also has a thrilling Halloween activity: Gators, Ghosts, and Goblins Experience. This is a family friendly event where you can see gator exhibits and learn about the origins of this haunted holiday.

There are haunt zones and meet-and-greets with different characters throughout the park.

People can also dress up in costumes. When

compared to Halloween Horror Nights, Gatorland’s Halloween experience is mild, as there are no major jumpscares or scare zones.

If you are a scare-seeker, another option is the Petrified Forest in Altamonte Springs. The Petrified Forest is a very popular activity and offers an immersive experence.

“I like how realistic it is, compared to Halloween Horror Nights, it feels very real since

you’re going through a real forest instead of houses,” Earl said.

The outside atmosphere of the forest makes everything seem more realistic. The scare actors are placed throughout the forest where they can jump out, scare you or simply just stare as you walk through. This is a night activity that will be opening soon. The tickets range from $30-40.

There are many opportunities for people to participate in Halloween activities from the comfort of their own home. Carving pumpkins is a perfect activity to get into the spirit of Halloween, and sophomore Elizabeth Carlin has been carving pumpkins with her family for as long as she can remember.

“We usually carve pumpkins to keep the tradition, it’s something that I have been doing for my whole life,” Carlin said.

Halloween Horror Nights is a staple of Halloween, but it is not the only fun fall activities that are available in Florida. Disney’s Not So-Scary Halloween, Gatorland, Petrified Forest, and pumpkin carving are all popular experiences that can add even more fun to your Halloween season.

“Doing these fall activities makes me love Halloween even more,” von Weller said.

October 2O23

Focus

SPOOKY SCARY SUPERSTITIONS

Article by Mia Prince Graphic by Sam Miller

As the Halloween season approaches it brings about many spooky and scary superstitions, some more known than others. Black cats, Friday the 13th and spooky decorations are just some of many Halloween-based superstitions. Superstitions are beliefs based on the fear of the unknown. People often have superstitions because of personal experiences in the past, and the memory of those experiences leads people to be wary about similar events. Superstitions are present in everyday life, and they become even more apparent during Halloween.

Black Cats

The superstition of black cats first began in the Salem Witch Trials when many people thought black cats accompanied “witches” on their “evil deeds.” They are also often associated with the image of darkness, mystery and evil because of their fur and eye color at night. In the past black cats were blamed for the death of an ill person because of their dark powers. The negative associations were passed through generations and even now, black cats are still affected by this negative perception.

Standing at 10 percent, the black cat adoption rate is well below that of other cats. Although they are seen as unlucky and aggressive, there is no evidence to support these stereotypes of black cats.

Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th is a date that many people avoid. This day is associated with bad luck and where many odd events occur. The date’s negative association became more intense after the horror movie “Friday the 13th” came out in 1980. In the past 20 years, Friday the 13th has occurred on Halloween only three times, in 1995, 2000 and 2006. Because of the superstition associated with this date, many people avoid doing certain things like knocking over salt, walking under ladders, wearing black or driving because it is seen as unlucky. Art teacher Kymberly Moreland- Garnett is especially cautious of driving on Friday the 13th. “I avoid driving because I’ve been in three car accidents on Friday the 13th, and all of my accidents were in the state of Ohio,” Moreland- Garnett said.

Halloween Decorations

As Halloween approaches, people begin decorating their homes with traditional features of the holiday. Many find it superstitious to not decorate their houses on Halloween in fear of something bad happening to them. These decorations originated because Halloween symbolizes death and mortality. Most Halloween decorations, like skeletons, ghosts, skulls and graveyards, connect back to Halloween’s relation to the Day of the Dead. Scarecrows were put up in order to keep crows off lawns and scare away children. By not honoring these traditions people fear something bad will happen. However, people are starting to avoid decorating with more gruesome Halloween decorations as they are starting to be regarded negatively. Statistics have shown that with these decorations there can be an increase in defacement of property and cruel pranks, which can trigger trauma for some.

Superstitions have been around since the beginning of time, but Halloween is always a time when old and new superstitions take form.

Lifestyles

October 2O23

ECONOMIC BOOST

Article by Laziza Talipova Graphic by Lia Garibay In a “Cruel Summer” of lights, melodies and “Enchanted” performances, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has proven to be much more than just an ordinary show. As she travels from city to city across the United States, she leaves behind a huge trail of money and satisfied fans.

From crowded tourism to new job opportunities, the tour’s impact reaches far beyond the stage, spotlighting profit-making “Change” in the economy.

As a Swiftie herself, junior Jackie Stenzel experienced the Eras Tour in Tampa as well as New York, and has her own input on the economic impacts.

“Taylor Swift has boosted the economy of many states, as people have been buying hotels [rooms] and plane tickets to places that usually don’t get that much tourism,” Stenzel said.

According to economics teacher Carralyn Saldriagga, Swift boosted a lot more than just the economy, even reaching the resale market.

“She boosted the local economy but has also encouraged activity in the resale market,” Saldriagga said.

The impact of the pop sensation’s tour has made a mark on the cities she visits. Extending her show to three and a half hours, it “Hits Different” compared to shorter shows.

“Due to her presence, local shops, restaurants, hotels and other businesses in general gained business during the nights of her performance,” Saldriagga said.

When Swift brought her Eras Tour to Glendale, Arizona, the city became a “Holy Ground.” For the weekend of her performance, Glendale wasn’t just Glendale, it became “Swift City.” The change was a testament to the deep connection between Swift and her “Delicate” fans in the area even if it was just for a few days.

In Tampa, FL, a different kind of tribute unfolded. While not changing its name, the city declared Swift its honorary mayor during her stay for the Eras Tour.

But in order to even go to any show, fans had to overcome an

obstacle. As tickets for Taylor Swift’s concerts went on sale, fans were “Ready For It” as they quickly rushed to the Ticketmaster website to secure their tickets. With the “Glitch” in Ticketmaster sales, it was very difficult to buy tickets. Reports flooded social media platforms, with fans sharing their experiences of error messages, slow loading times, and crashes.

With the expensive tickets, fans had to book hotels, meaning that extra money was spent.

Luckily for Stenzel, that was not the case.

“My family has an apartment in New York, so we paid nothing for hotels,” Stenzel said.

In the end, the obstacles that fans had to “Jump then Fall” through paid off. Swift’s fans know her “All Too Well,” and know that her shows are always full of surprises. Swift likes to add an air of suspense to her show by singing two songs that are not on the set list at each show. It adds an element of mystery, “happiness” and excitement to her live performances, providing a unique experience that keeps fans on the edge of their seats.

Although Swift enjoys her time in each state, “It’s Time To Go” to other sold-out arenas to perform once again. Each tour stop requiring planning, organization, execution and employment opportunities arise.

Since then, “Everything Has Changed.” Statistics reveal that local businesses like restaurants, retail stores, and entertainment venues, have witnessed an increase in revenue when Swift is in town. According to CNBC, $2 million of the revenue was from extra hotel stays with down-

town Cincinnati hotels going over 98% of their booking capacity, barely squeezing in a craze of guests.

“The temporary business she brings in is offset by the local inconvenience of not being prepared to host so many fans due to limited infrastructure,” Saldriagga said.

Taylor Swift bracelets have become highly popular as fans make beaded bracelets to trade with other fans. They proudly wear these bracelets to remember “The Very First Night” they got to see the Eras Tour.

One of the remarkable aspects of these “Timeless” bracelets is that some fans don’t make them, and buy them instead from small businesses. From handmade designs to limited-edition pieces, these businesses have found a profitable niche, tapping into the enthusiasm of Taylor Swift’s fan base.

The impact of this tour doesn’t vanish once Taylor Swift packs up and moves on to the next city. It leaves a lasting mark on the places it visits. Fans plead “Stay Stay Stay” for an extra night, and the businesses that got a taste of the tour’s economic boost might find new ways to grow.

“Her concerts have now become a status symbol in society, fueling the fire of societal and income inequality,” Saldriagga said.

October 2O23

Lifestyles

UFO OVERFLOW

21

A look at the history of UFOs after recent Congressional hearings

Article by Tavish Ward Graphics by Sam Miller

A little green figure with antennas, big eyes, an odd nose, and a spaceship to accompany it. With content spanning hundreds of years, aliens aren’t hard to imagine. There may be variations, but whether it be a friendly long-necked foreigner trying to find his way home or Martians invading Earth, there’s one thing they all have in common: they’re fiction.

So when the end credits of E.T are rolling or the final page of The War of the Worlds is read, reality sets back in. After all, the next trip outside won’t be coupled with a flying saucer sighting. If there’s a desire to see something extraterrestrial up close, it’ll have to be done in front of a 70 mm IMAX screen.

At least, that seems to be the popular consensus.

But according to former US Intelligence Officer David Grusch, some people aren’t just seeing this in their local Regal theater. Over the summer, Congress held its first UFO hearing in 50 years and heard some intriguing testimonies, including that from Grusch, who said that the US had been concealing a multi-decade long program that captures UFOs. UFOs, officially known as UAPs, or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, have become practically synonymous with extraterrestrial life, so naturally these hearings drew some attention. Biology teacher Brian Moretz found the witness’ statements interesting, but remains skeptical of the idea of alien spacecraft inhabiting the skies.

“A lot of times we see things in the sky, and they’re just some sort of meteorological phenomenon,” Moretz said, “I don’t think they’re necessarily always some unidentified flying object. But that being said, I guess it’s a possibility.”

Possibility or not, UFO sightings are no new concept. The first widespread report came on June 24, 1947, when pilot Kenneth Arnold claimed to have seen flashes that emanated from nine airborne objects, and supposedly clocked them moving at least 1,200 miles per hour, double the speed of any airplane at that time. But the news of

this sighting might’ve traveled even faster, and as different media outlets published the story, America began to buzz with different speculations about what it could’ve been. Within two weeks, over 800 new UFO sightings were reported, and the famous Roswell incident in New Mexico came soon after. As more heads turned to the sky, looking for the unknown, one thing could be seen: a new American craze had begun.

Incredibly quickly, mere sightings of flying spaceships turned into full-fledged interactions with aliens. One of the first notable ones occurred in 1952, when astronomy buff George Adamski claimed to have engaged in friendly telepathic conversation about the dangers of nuclear warfare with a being from Venus. Before long, however, pleasant discussions about nukes devolved into frightening abductions. In 1961, Betty and Barney Hill, a couple who were traveling through the White Mountains after a vacation, claimed that non-human inhabitants had taken them hostage on a UFO, on which they were subjected to a variety of medical examinations and questioning. While the credibility of these and other similar reports were challenged, interest within the country rose, especially with the emergence of a substantial amount of popular culture pertaining to extraterrestrial life.

“Every decade has its own interesting version of what a UFO or alien looks like,” Moretz said. “Media…like Star Trek and Star Wars…have really impacted our beliefs.”

And now, almost eight decades after becoming mainstream, beliefs about UFOs and aliens aren’t just a dinner table discussion, but a topic of conversation occurring within the walls of the Capitol. Senior Christian Wordell, while he believes that the accounts of former intelligence officials under oath should hold more weight than the conjectures of the past, is still waiting for undeniable evidence. “[Brusch] didn’t have any proof,” Wordell said. “He just said they existed. But if there

was physical proof that extraterrestrial life and extraterrestrial objects were coming into the United States and into the world…then, yeah, I would be pretty excited.”

Until then, journey outside, look towards the clouds, for perhaps there’ll be something else out there, flying through the sky.

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Lifestyles

October 2O23

STREAMING PRICES RISE AMIDST HOLLYWOOD STRIKES

Article by Iris Lei Graphic by Maxi de la Fuente

ceived much attention over a conflict with the quently as a result.

From March to August of 2020, subscrip- telecommunications company Charter Com“Since [Netflix] recently switched over to tion streaming services were a main source of munications. This dispute reached a critical [limiting] password sharing, I’ve had to esentertainment for the majority of the world point on the night of Aug. 31 and impacted sentially kick my family members off [my acunder lockdown. Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, approximately 15 million customers, a large count],” Moretz said. “I have thought about Apple TV and Amazon Prime faced off in a percentage of whom were unable to watch what services are the most important to me, streaming war, and their increased success has the first college football weekend. According and through that, I consider canceling the resulted in countless streaming services exist- to Forbes, Charter Communications removed ones I don’t use.” ing now in 2023. Customers often subscribe Disney’s access to its Charter Spectrum cable A contributing factor to this increase in to multiple streaming platforms prices is the ongoing Holto watch inaccessible media lywood actors and writelsewhere. However, these serers’ strikes that have put vices have recently increased multiple shows and films their prices in a phenomenon on hiatus. The WGA beThe Wall Street Journal chrisgan striking in May, and tened “streamflation.” ComSAG-AFTRA joined them bined with the recent Writers in July. Actors and writers Guild of America (WGA), and are seeking an increase in Screen Actors Guild and Ameritheir pay, a larger cut of can Federation of Television and long-term payments given Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) to actors for films or telestrikes, the future of new media vision shows with multiis uncertain. ple airings, also known as Not all price increases were residuals, and overall job dramatic. According to an Ausecurity. gust article by Forbes, NetIt is the first time in 63 flix had the biggest increase of years that the unions are $19.99 for the ad-free premium simultaneously on strike, plan, $15.49 for the standard and while it does not affect Statistics according to a survey by reviews.org on March 28, 2023 ad-free plan and $6.99 for the people outside of the enad-supported plan. Close behind tertainment industry, its effect on is Hulu’s ad-free tier from $14.99 to $17.99, package with Disney-owned channels such as Hollywood is major. According to Forbes, it is ad-free Discovery’s Max from $14.99 to ESPN, ABC and more. These inconsistencies estimated that Hollywood could lose 3 billion $15.99, Disney+ premium plan from $10.99 can affect customers’ opinions on whether the dollars as a result of the WGA and SAG-AFto $13.99, Paramount+ from $9.99 to $11.99, subscription is worth keeping.

TRA strikes. and ad-free Peacock from $9,99 to $11.99 and Science teacher Bryan Moretz had cable in Moretz believes that a hindrance to new the premium tier from $4.99 to $5.99. Junior the past and noted one of the reasons why ca- content being released both in theaters and Zayden Buford is considering canceling his ble lost popularity. on streaming platforms is a necessary inconveNetflix subscription again due to rising prices.

“We switched over from cable because the nience in the face of the strikes.

“If [an increase in subscription prices] is streaming services were cheaper,” Moretz said.

“A lot of the time, it’s greed from the comonly by a couple of dollars, it’s fine,” Buford “When [streaming services] first started, there panies that is preventing them from paying said. “But if it’s…Netflix increasing by crazy was only Netflix and Hulu…now, what I pay the actors and writers what they deserve,” amounts, then I don’t like it.” in streaming services is probably equal to what Moretz said. “If [the strikes] cause new media He is subscribed to a variety of streaming my cable bill used to be.” to be delayed, that’s unfortunate for the viewservices such as HBO Max, Hulu, and DisSimilarly to Buford, Moretz also experi- ers but in the long term, better for the actors ney+ with the ESPN bundle, which has re- enced issues with Netflix and visits it less fre- and writers.”

Sports

October 2O23

THE HEAT S ON

Athletes face greater heat risks in a warming world Article by David Hull Graphic by Caden Liu Climate change has significantly impacted almost every aspect of human life, and sports are increasingly feeling its effects: constantly having to make sacrifices to avoid the heat.

In fact, 2023 is projected to be the hottest year ever recorded in human history, raising the risk of suffering from a heat-related illness during physical activity.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 494 reported deaths as a result of heat illness in the year 2000. Just 22 years later, that number escalated to 1,708. External heat illness is one of the leading causes of death for young athletes and participating in any physical activity increases the chance of heat-related illnesses, especially when outdoors.

This increase caused by the rising climate doesn’t appear to be slowing down. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the global average surface temperature has more than doubled since 2000 and the 10 hottest years ever recorded have all occurred after 2010. Advent Health emergency room doctor David Sarkarati suspects that if the current trend of climate change persists, all outdoor sports will have to continue making sacrifices to avoid the heat and these could become permanent changes.

“Athletics, like so many other aspects of our society, will have an effect [from climate change] for sure,” Sarkarati said. “I think there will have to be a greater awareness and modifications of equipment and [practice] time[s], along with other protocols.”

Severe restrictions to limit the chance of heat-related illnesses

have been taken in states at high risk. Athletic trainer Sheena Wilson has dealt with athletes suffering from heat exhaustion in the past and is in support of all restrictions placed on outdoor sports by the Florida High School Athletic Association.

“A lot of people are not adapted to this kind of heat, so if you loosen the restrictions, you’re putting even more kids at risk,” Wilson said.

“These are factors that were not looked at before but have to be considered now.”

The most common heat-related illnesses among athletes are heat cramps and exhaustion, but occasionally an athlete will suffer from a severe – and potentially fatal – injury like a heat stroke. Common symptoms for heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, fatigue, nausea and dizziness.

According to Sarkarati, many of these symptoms aren’t necessary for a person to suffer from a heat-related illness. Although heat-related illnesses are becoming more common, coaches and trainers still struggle to identify when an athlete may be in danger.

“It can be missed, actually pretty easily,” Sarkarati said. “It’s sometimes not obvious if a person is suffering from heat exhaustion or even a heat stroke. There’s some myths out there that say things like the person has to start excessively sweating in order to have heat exhaustion and heatstroke, but that’s not true and so it does get missed.”

Not only are the symptoms difficult to identify, but coaches are often in charge of large groups of athletes at once. It isn’t possible for coaches to monitor the health and hydration of all their athletes, which is another reason for the added restrictions on when teams are allowed to practice.

“The coach can’t keep track of like 15 students that are out there, like who stayed hydrated, who’s not feeling well or who may be tired that day and has taken stimulants and caffeine,“ Sarkarati said.

July was the hottest month ever recorded and with the heat index constantly over 105 degrees Fahrenheit, outdoor practices in many states throughout the country had to be altered or canceled. When training in the current heat or in humid states like Florida, the chance of experiencing a heat-related illness is increased and every athlete must be aware of their own health. Coaches’ inability to be aware of all their athletes at once emphasizes the importance of knowing one’s physical limits.

“You have to listen to your body because sometimes certain sports and coaches tell you to just suck it up and build on that,” Sarkarati said. “There is a fine line when pushing people while also being aware of heat-related illnesses.”

Sports

October 2O23

Heatwave disrupts sports practices and games Article by Angel Berreondo

ing around the heat isn’t ideal for teams, but certain precautions must be followed to ensure After July set records as the hottest month safety amongst all athletes. ever recorded, the heatwave has continued into “I send out a communication to all coaches the fall, disrupting many sports on campus. and let them know, look, this is what’s going As a result of the extreme heat, practices have on on the field, this is your range, this is what been canceled or delayed, which has affected you need to do for practice if you’re going to teams’ morale and their ability to practice to be outside,” Wilson said. their full capabilities.

The guidelines have forced the football team Trinity strictly follows FHto change the way they practice, SAA policies, which has even led most notably, depriving their to swim practice being canceled. ability to practice a fundamenMeasuring the safety of practicing tal part of the sport, tackling. outside with state-of-the-art techAdjusting to the restrictions nology like the Wet Bulb Globe placed on the physical parts of Temperature device (Wet Bulb), practices, Varsity Football Head new Athletic Trainer Sheena WilCoach Brian Kells has attempted son is able to confidently abide by to get the most of short practice the FHSAA’s heat stress policies. times by reviewing game film The policies, which call for each or practicing drills in the gym. school to have a device that can The increased risk of heat illness record “ambient temperature, huhas forced coaches and staff to midity, wind speed, sun angle, and make prevention a complex but cloud cover at the site of the athlethighly achievable goal through ic activity,” has formed guidelines collective action and communibased on readings that determine cation. Every coach is required what activites can be conducted in to take multiple heatstroke prea safe manner. The results are then vention courses and know how categorialized as green, yellow, to perform heat acclimatization red or black, with green allowing Sophomore Landon Hill drenches himself in water during one of the strategies, such as Cardiopulnormal activities to take place and football team water breaks mandated by the FHSAA. monary Resuscitation (CPR) and black forcing cancellation.

Automated External Defibrillator Based on the results of the Wet Bulb at cause since the season started, [varsity & JV] (AED) usage and first aid protocols.

Trinity, Wilson determines with fellow sports wouldn’t have had a full practice. Middle “I think it’s one of these things that’s been staff whether to cancel or delay practice. She school hasn’t had a full practice either due to a heightened awareness around campus,” new then can inform teams about the severity of storms or code black.”

Athletic Director Colin Sulvian said, “If we the heat, so coaches will know how many Not only have practice times been moved, can take the necessary precautions, why not?” breaks are required, how intense or short prac- they have also needed to be shortened due to By strictly following FHSAA policies, comtice must be and what type of equipment the safety regulations. These regulations can limit municating with fellow coaches and having team can use during practice. a normal two-hour practice to one hour with proficient expertise on heat illness prevention, “For me to tell someone that you can’t be no conditioning and light equipment. The athletes can continue to safely enjoy the sport outside and practice is one of the tough deci- heatwave hasn’t just affected practice times, they love even under scorching temperatures. sions I have to make,” Wilson said. but coaches’ ability to maximize their team’s Due to the reduced ability to practice and full potential. Wilson understands that work-

Photo by Olivia Kortman

extreme physical toll on athletes caused by the heatwave, Cross Country Head Coach Sara Dowdy has taken hypersensitive precautions, moving JV and Varsity cross country practices to 6 a.m before school everyday. Last year, the team only had two morning practices a week.

“We’ve actually been able to do more in the morning than we could after school” Dowdy said. “I’m so glad we’re in the morning, be-

October 2O23

Sports

VICTORY ON AND OFF THE FIELD

New Athletic Director Colin Sullivan values both academic and athletic success

Article by David Hull Photo by Olivia Prince Seventy percent of students on campus par- I could have an impact,” Sullivan said. “I feel livan was impressed with Trinity’s athletic acticipate in athletics, and their experiences are I have a wealth of experience having been on complishments and academic rigor. dependent on the decisions made by the Ath- a college campus for so long and I know that “I think the thing that attracts me to a place letic Department. Filling the role of Director [Trinity students’] aspirations are to get to col- like Trinity Prep is that it’s a place that obviof Athletics and Physical Education, Colin lege and if athletics are a part of that maybe I ously values academics, but also values athletSullivan plans to strengthen all athletic pro- can play a role in helping [them] get there.” ics and believes that the two can be a wondergrams and foster an environment where athFinding success in both athletics and aca- ful compliment to one another,” Sullivan said. letes can succeed on and off the field. demics is rare for the majority of high schools.

Sullivan has many plans to grow Trinity ath“I’ve always looked at athletics as a cocur- While searching for a new place to work, Sul- letics, including strengthening middle school ricular expense,” Sullivan said. “It’s an programs. Under his guidance, midextension of the classroom where we dle school physical education classes think people should learn, and we’re and athletics will help develop athgoing to work to develop the whole letes that are able to find success at student-athlete.” the varsity level.

Athletics have been an important “I think we need to develop some part of Sullivan’s life since he was operational efficiencies and how we young; his father was a coach and inmanage our athletics program from spired him to participate in as many middle school through varsity and sports as possible. Sullivan competed how middle school athletics and in cross-country and track and field at physical education end up supportMary Washington College, receiving ing varsity athletics,” Sullivan said. all-conference honors all four years.

Another way Sullivan wants to Following his collegiate career in track grow Trinity athletics is to create a and field, Sullivan was a coach at Iona culture that inspires student-athletes College while also gaining an M.B.A. to put forth their best effort and in Human Resource Management. strive to win.

Once Sullivan completed his edu“I want us to compete, to win,” cation, he ended his coaching career Sullivan said. “You don’t lace up and worked for multiple collegiate your shoes and put on your jersey if athletic programs including Marist you don’t expect to win.”

College, Salve Regina University and Although Sullivan emphasized Brown University. the importance of a competitive “I was lucky that I got to work at spirit and strengthening athletic two Division I institutions that put programs, his main priority is to ena real high value on student-athletes sure the happiness and well-being of and their overall academic experistudent-athletes. Athletics have been ence,” Sullivan said. a major influence in his life, driving After spending over 30 years workhim to work to inspire high school ing in collegiate athletics, Sullivan students the same way he once was. decided that he wanted to put his “Athletics have been wonderful skills to work at the high school levto me because they’ve helped me el. When considering leaving Brown build some wonderful relationships University, Sullivan took into account and friendships,” Sullivan said. “I’ve the influence he could have on the been fortunate that I’ve been able to development of high school athletes. do the work that I love and love the New Director of Athletics Colin Sullivan cheers on the football “I was looking for a new opportuni- team as they play against Taylor High School (THS) on August work that I do. Athletics have been a ty and I wanted to go to a place where 25. The final score was 6-44 in favor of THS. big part of that.”

26

Sports

October 2O23

FUTURE OF FOOTBALL

ture here,” Kells said.

As a head coach, he hopes to change the way students view the team by getting more In the past three years, Trinity Prep football involved in the school community and by simhas only won three games, but hope is on the ply winning more football games. horizon. After 13 years of leading the Univer“I am trying to be as involved in the school sity High football team, Brian Kells steps into as possible, not just as a football coach, but as the role as head football coach and activities activities director and trying to start a video director at Trinity Prep. production program here,” Kells said. “I think Kells built University High’s football team hopefully in time that will start to help change from the ground up, transforming it from a the culture and wins always take care of that completely new program to eight winning as well.” seasons accompanied by Outside of footseveral playoff runs. After ball, Kells’ new role stepping away from footas activities director ball for five months, Kells also provides him is coming back to the a way to positively game he loves, wanting a impact the student new challenge. body. In his new po“I think if you’re not sition, he is in charge challenging yourself to of student council do something different and student events. or give yourself those He aims to use what challenges, you’re not rehe learned as activially living life or pushing ties director at Uniyourself,” Kells said. versity to better TrinKells realized that Trinity Prep. ity Prep was the chance “I hope to try and he had been waiting for, bring some of that allowing him to step into [experience] to add a new environment and new ideas to the difrebuild another program. ferent events here and “I know [Trinity] footadd a few new events ball has struggled as of to try and help build late but has had some that school spirit and success in the past,” Kells try and help grow the said. “I decided to take the Football head coach Brian Kells directs his players on the Aug. 25 game versus Taylor High. culture in general,” unique opportunity to come Kells said. and try something really different and to be a other coaching hires will be helpful in producKells will play a key role in the planning part of a smaller, more close-knit family.” ing and fostering football talent as players will for major events such as homecoming, prom Kells is excited about the future of the team, receive more attention and guidance. and Headmaster’s Day. His goal is to increase pushing past obstacles and reaching for victo“Previously, there really were only one to student engagement through enjoyable events ry. Through a larger coaching staff, an easier two coaches,” Kells said. “Here I have a full throughout this year. schedule of opponents and a new offensive staff. When you come out to [play] football, Through his positions as both the head footstrategy, Kells is optimistic about the team’s you’re going to have a position-specific coach ball coach and activities director, he encourcompetitive chances. to work on those positions specifically.” ages students to get more involved and take “We’re focusing on the immediate stuff that Outside of football logistics and strategy, action in changing their Trinity community we can control right now,” Kells said. “We’re Kells recognizes that in order to make the team for the better. working hard every day.” a success in the eyes of the student body he “It’s sometimes easy to sit back and critiKells understands that bringing the program must also change the current football culture. cize,” Kells said. “I always say to come out and to victory requires a continuous series of small “You can see that there isn’t a [football] cul- be a part of it. Be that change.”

Article by Nikhil Daniel Photo by Olivia Prince

steps that will create a stairway to greatness.

Though the team might not win immediately, the goal is to create a foundation that will generate winning teams in the near future.

“It’s a little challenging because when [the team] goes against teams that have experienced players, we are going to struggle at moments,” Kells said. “I think the big thing for us is to work on gett[ting] consistently better as the season progresses.”

Kells also believes that the administration’s support of a full coaching staff through five

October 2O23

Puzzle

27

WORD BANK AUDITORIUM HALLOWEEN OCTOBER BARBENHEIMER HIP-HOP STAFF EDUCATION ISSUE

Puzzles by Karthik Stead

R E U O H B S I D N T K

H I P H O P I S S U E C

I V K W M L B U F O W Z

N U K J M M H F M D G E

B A R B E N H E I M E R

X R L H H F X F A K S V

T A U D I T O R I U M N

J D Q B V I L Z H P A L

P T J Z D Y A S E W R J

F C Z H H Y W T S E P K

1

ACROSS

V N T R O C T O B E R Q

F W S T A F F U Z R L X

Z N U T L F V Q Z F Y Z

M H A L L O W E E N A F

H Y F W Q P F W L L Q T

R Z V Z Z H L F N X O F

C E D U C A T I O N H G

P M R Z M L D Z I N V P

2

DOWN

1. Existing in fact.

2. The school’s namesake

4. World’s most famous

4

3

3. A long highway going

Kaiju across state borders.

5. Music genre that

5

4. The name of America’s

started in the 1800’s. º UVW SUHVLGHQW

6. The beat maker of the

6

Beatles.

7

8

8. Barbie’s loyal friend

7. Common Tibetan animal.

9. An extra lock on many doors.

9

Riddles!

1. You can’t see me, but I am all around you everyday. What am I? ____________ 2. If my sister was 3 when I was 6, how old is my sister when I’m 70? ____________

Answers:

28

Photos

October 2O23

PHOTOGRAPHY EXPOSITION Fall Sports

Olivia Prince Will Stewart ‘24 hypes up the crowd at the TPS vs. Taylor football game on Friday, Aug 25. The tense game ended in a 44-6 loss.

Olivia Kortman On Aug. 14, Virginia Ruby ‘29, Jordan Fink ‘29, and Colette Voll ‘29 run laps during cross-country practice in blazing heat. While varsity practices have been moved to mornings, JV remains in the afternoon.

Olivia Kortman On Friday, Aug. 25, the Trinity Prep cheerleaders get the Saint section pumped for the first home game of the season. Despite the game’s tension, the cheerleaders kept the school spirit going.

Jackson Napier Trevor Hopkins ‘25 lines up a birdie putt.

The golf team continues their undefeated streak with a win against Oviedo High School on Aug. 24.