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Students share their experiences from the historic winter storm last month
Vanguard College Preparatory School, 2517 Mt. Carmel Dr., Waco, Texas 76710
March 2021, Volume 48, Issue 5
The Vanguard Review A VCPS Publication
Snowpocalypse
COVID-19: Current Stats Active Cases
Recovered
McLennan County
687
25,237
Vanguard
2
22
Source: McLennan County Health District; VCPS
Emily Coleman ‘21 business manager
Historical winter storm sweeps through Texas, causing school cancellations and damage around the city and state
O
n Thursday, Feb. 11, VCPS issued a “late start” time of 10 a.m. due to icy conditions that formed the night before, but by 11 a.m. that day, school was cancelled and students were sent home as sleet began coming down and in anticipation of worsening conditions. The freezing temperatures, snow and ice on the roads shut down schools and paralyzed the city of Waco. The storm knocked millions off the power grid, including many Wacoans and Vikings. “I stayed at my grandparents house and the power went out,” Landri Wheeler, freshman, said. “The nights were definitely cold and we had to watch the fire.” As the snow and freezing conditions kept coming, school was cancelled for Friday, which meant the scheduled senior Valentine carnation and cupcake day would be rescheduled. Later that day, VCPS announced that classes would go virtual for the following week, due to the expectation of a second winter storm that was supposed to blow in on Sunday, Feb. 14. Monday morning, many Wacoans woke up to near-zero temperatures and power outages, some that lasted for days and interrupted, in some cases, students’ and teachers’ ability to log onto virtual classes. Forty-three percent of students said that they experienced a power loss during the winter storm,
according to a Feb. 2021 VR poll. Some teachers who had lost power even retreated to Vanguard to spend the night, as their homes were too cold. Panicked, many people braved treacherous street conditions to buy food and supplies, as local stores ran low because of hoarding and also difficulty getting deliveries due to the weather. Associate head of school, Zach Seifert lost power for four days and had to stay the night in Bostick with his family for warmth. “My family is grateful that we were able to stay on campus to keep warm,” Seifert said. I can also confirm that Bostick is not haunted.” As the week went on, water pressure became an issue, due to busted pipes and water lines around town, and the City of Waco issued mandatory water conservation which asked people to take shorter showers and to not run their washing machines and dishwashers. Annabelle Reese, freshman, was one of the many that experienced power and water outages at home. “This experience was difficult to say the least,” Reese said. “It was quite cold in my house and when the power cut off for the first time at night it was really freaky. We live in the country so there were no neighborhood lights or anything like that. Everything was dark. The second night we were
Things are looking up
A blanket of snow settles over Vanguard campus on Monday morning, Feb. 15. As the pipes froze over and roads stayed icy, campus was closed for the week ahead. Archive photo
more prepared, but it was still really cold and I had a hard time working during school because I was so cold.” By Saturday, Feb. 20, temperatures got into the 40s and the city began to thaw out, which revealed
more damage to water pipes. VCPS sustained busted pipes in the Mayborn Building and the Smith Art Building, causing the school to extend virtual classes another two days, Feb. 22-23.
Emily Coleman ‘21 business manager
Spring traditions on track, but with modifications for the safety of students
W
ith the pandemic still raging, even after the vaccine rollout began in Dec., traditional spring school events will no doubt look different this year. But that’s better than last year, when they were completely cancelled. Lots of these events require preparation, like buying a dress or providing a downpayment for a trip — and students are wondering when, and if, they are actually going to happen. Avery Haynes, junior, said she has some uncertainty about all of the spring semester events. “I try to keep my hopes up and trust that the school is going to make these things happen for us, but I think that most students, including myself, are really worried that these traditions aren’t going to be the same or nearly as much fun as they were in the past due to COVID precautions,” Haynes said. The traditions that Vanguard has to offer are what make the school special, according to students. However, with COVID-19 creating uncertainty with almost everything, there is worry about what the students have to look forward to for the rest of the school year. School administrators are working to maintain these traditions and give the students hope for the future. Almost 70 percent of students said they are feeling hopeful that spring events and traditions will be able to take place, according to a Feb. 2021 VR poll, while 31.1 percent said they are worried that events will be cancelled or virtual. Here’s a look at the plans for events as they stand right now.
Winter Glitter, which was scheduled for Jan. 23 was moved to March 20 and is now set for April 10. The hope is that pushing the dance to a later date would allow for warmer weather and an outdoor venue, according to Flip Alexander, assistant head of school. “Many details are currently being reviewed and coordinated at this time to support the wellness of our community,” Alexander said. Gretchen Eichenberg, sponsor for Winter Glitter, has high hopes and expectations for the most cherished evening of the year. “We are committed to hosting the most beautiful, sparkling, fun event we can possibly have, considering the circumstances,” Eichenberg said. Though it will have a spring date, the event will still be a formal affair with all the lights and special touches. “Since our traditional winter dance is now in the spring, expect to see gorgeous spring colors and accents with a dusting of winter snow,” Eichenberg said. “I think 2021 is showing us that anything goes. We will be looking at local safety requirements as we get closer to the date to determine whether masks will be required outdoors when kids are six feet apart.” The middle school dance will be held from 8 to 10 p.m. and the high school dance will be from 9 to 11:30 p.m. An email will be sent out in March with ticket information and details. The event that all artsy students get excited for each year, the TAPPS Art Competition, will be held
from March 29 through 31. The TAPPS Academic and Robotics competitions will be held on the same dates. Hai Nguyen, senior, said that a tradition that he missed last year was the TAPPS Robotics competition. “The thing I miss most from last year was the TAPPS Robotics competition,” Nguyen said. “After our performance at regionals and the year so far, we were confident that we were going to do well in this competition, but due to the lockdown, the event was postponed and then shut down. I would have liked to see how we would have fared against other teams in this competition.” Sixty-four percent of students said that Field Day was the event they missed most after schools shut down in-person in 2020. Emma’s Day, the Senior Cookout and Field Day are set for April 16. Volunteering options are being coordinated, and logistics for COVID-19 precautions with the cookout and Field Day are in process, Alexander said. The Athletic Banquet is tentatively scheduled for May 15. The time and location to be determined later. Student Election Week is planned for the week of April 26, where students can campaign and run for class officer positions, as well as student body officer positions. The Night of Fine Arts, also known as NOFA, will be held on April 28 and April 29. An extra day may be added in to support social distancing. The planning for this event is in process.
The most exciting tradition that all seniors look forward to is the Disney trip, which is always the week before graduation. As of right now, it is still supposed to happen in May, and Hannah VanDyke, Director of College/ Career Counseling, is working on the logistics. “With the enhanced health and safety measures they have taken, we are excited to offer the annual senior trip to Disney this year,” VanDyke said. “Vanguard seniors have been going to Disney since 1996, but unfortunately had to cancel for the class of 2020. We are looking forward to going as a class the week before graduation in May.” Muiz Shah, senior, said he is looking forward to the Senior Disney trip. “This year has been crazy due to the circumstances we’re living in and having the opportunity to go to the happiest place on earth is truly a blessing,” Shah said. “It was really upsetting to hear that last year’s class was unable to go, so our class is going to make it up for them by having double the amount of fun.” Awards Night, including the Eighth Grade Moving Up Ceremony and Senior Recognition, will be held on May 27. The location and times are still to be announced. Graduation, the night where we say farewell to the seniors, will be on May 29 at 9:00 a.m. The location details and logistics for social distancing are in process, but this ceremony is of utmost importance to the staff and seniors.