BA Today Fall/Winter 2020 Double Issue

VOLUME 17, Fall/Winter 2020

Editorial Letter From The Editor Isabella McCormick ‘21, Editor-in-Chief

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or the staff of BA Today, the making of this issue was an incredibly unorthodox process.

For starters, we decided early on to release one issue per semester—a change from our former quarterly issues. With a more spread-out time frame to work in, we figured that our articles could be more in-depth.

Additionally, we were able to build time into our schedule to have lessons about journalism, a new aspect of the class. Reading from a textbook, our staff learned the 101 of journalism: how to conduct interviews, how to write interesting articles, the pitfalls to avoid, and much more. Another new addition to the journalism curriculum were “lab days,” when the staff would go into the computer lab and learn how to use Adobe In Design. As the former layout editor, I was glad to see that BA Today journalists had a natural aptitude for layout design.

The making of this issue was challenged by multiple outside forces.

At the beginning of the school year,

COVID prevented all students from being on campus at the same time.

This meant that, with the port/starboard schedule, half our staff would be virtual and the other half in class at all times. It was difficult under these circumstances to feel united as a group of creators. Furthermore, when Hurricane Sally hit and shut down schools for two weeks, BA Today had to figure out how to get back on schedule and have our paper published on time.

I am very proud of our staff’s perseverance and the high-quality work they have produced. In this issue, you’ll see news and culture articles ranging from multiple international reports to a piece about the most infamous serial killers right here in Alabama. The staff also did some excellent reporting within the school, from interviewing high-achieving athletes to observing how first graders are dealing with COVID. I hope you enjoy reading the special double issue/fall-winter 2020 issue of BA Today!

Debris is scattered around the white house before the campus is cleaned up. [K. Turner]

Staff & Contributors Editor-in-Chief

Isabella McCormick

Layout Editor

Ben VanDerHeyden

Copy Editor Managing Editor Photo Editor Reporters

Faculty Adviser

Camille Buckner Leah Jha Cole Boswell Wilson Engeriser, Kate Ginger, Miranda McDonald, Millison Mixon, Marlee Moore, Grace Steele Ms. Cathe Shubert

BA Today is the student publication of the Bayside Academy Upper School journalism class. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the entire staff, faculty, or administration.

If you are a student interested in submitting content, email batodaysubmissions@gmail.com.

Bayside Academy 303 Dryer Ave. Daphne, AL 36526 251-338-6300 baysideacademy.org

On The Covers: Front: A tree rests on the ECC in the aftermath of Hurricane Sally.

[K. Turner] Back: [C. Boswell]

Editorial Religion and the People’s Republic of China

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Ben VanDerHeyden ‘22, Layout Editor

imilar to magnets of identical charges, China and religion are never able to connect to each other or coexist; instead, one pushes the other away until it is outside the influence of the magnetic field. In this duality, China is the pushing force.

Since its inception in 1949, The People’s Republic of China has followed a policy of state atheism, meaning that all religious aspects of China are controlled by an atheist government. This policy has led to the promotion of irreligion and degradation of religion as a whole in China. Even though the Chinese Constitution guarantees religious freedom, the communist state has watched religion with a skeptic eye and has made attempts to limit religion as much as possible.

According to the China Family Panel Studies survey project, China has the largest atheist and nonreligious population in the world at roughly 1.2 billion people, but nevertheless, it is religiously diverse, boasting a large presence of Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity.

However, most of these religions are regionally isolated to autonomous Chinese regions, such as Buddhism in the southwestern autonomous region of Tibet, Taoism and Christianity in the southeastern special administrative region of Hong Kong, and Islam in the northwestern autonomous region of Xinjiang. According to the International Religious Freedom Report of 2019 from the US Department of State, 90% of Tibetans are Buddhist, 25% of Hong Kong residents are either Taoist (15%) or Christian (10%), and 63% of Xinjiang residents are ethnic Uyghur Muslims, whereas other provinces directly controlled by the communist government are predominantly atheist and have far smaller representation from distinct religious ideologies.

Thus, religion is able to flourish in areas that are not under the complete

control of the Chinese government.

Ever since the beginning of Xi Jinping’s rule over China in 2013, the grip of the government’s hold on the freedom religion in the aforementioned regions has tightened, serving as a reflection of Mao Zedong’s time in charge of China in the mid-20th century, when religion was entirely banned.

For example, according to the Associated Press, China has been shutting down unapproved churches, also known as house churches, and is forcing followers to renounce their religion in favor of atheism. For a church to be approved by the Chinese Communist Party, it has to affiliate itself with either the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association or the China Christian Council, both of which are operated and orchestrated entirely by the Chinese government; thus, it gives China absolute control over the practice of Christianity within its territory.

Furthermore, according to the US Department of State’s “Report on International Religious Freedom 2019,” the chinese government has complete control over the selection of Tibetan Buddhist leaders and has the right to approve or deny reincarnations of lamas. Additionally, a 2018 Chinese policy requires for monks and nuns to undergo political training in state

Burning of incense overlooked by statues of Man Cheong, the Taoist god of culture and literature, at the Man Mo Temple in Hong Kong. [B. VanDerHeyden]

ideology and to maintain, in the words of the Chinese government, “political reliability.” This gives the chinese government a lot of control over the religious figureheads of Buddhism.

“Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief. No state organ, public organization or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, or do not believe in, any religion.”

–Article 36 Constitution of the PRC of 1982 Moreover, the Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang are facing outright persecution by China. Over 1.5 million of the 14 million Chinese Uyghurs have been detained in “reeducation camps,” where they undergo torture such as sterilization, forced labor, and forced consumption of pork until they renounce Islam and accept the atheist communist regime. In November of 2019, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists leaked internal documents from the People’s Republic of China that describe the mass internment of Uyghurs, explain how to maintain complete secrecy over the existence of the camps, and describe methods of forced indoctrination.

Even though the freedom of religion is “guaranteed” in China’s constitution, the series of stipulations and control over religion that has been set forth by China, overall, bars their citizens from engaging in religion, and instead, coerces them to follow atheism and uphold the Chinese Communist Party’s despots as venerable figures instead of the venerable figures of their chosen religion.

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Editorial Is Korra Worth The Watch?

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Isabella McCormick ‘21, Editor-in-Chief

egend of Korra, the sequel to on her physical strength can get her Avatar: The Last Airbender, was into trouble. In other words, Aang and released on Netflix this August— Korra are almost exact opposites—as and the controversy surrounding it Lin, Toph’s daughter, says to Aang’s is much the same as in 2012, when it son Tenzin in Korra, “I can’t believe first aired. My verdict, after examinyour sweet-tempered father was reining some key differences between the carnated into that girl. She’s tough as two shows, is that Legend of Korra is nails.” worth a watch. (A note for those who Korra’s personality has made her haven’t seen Korra yet: I’ll provide a controversial avatar. Some say that a general overview of its setup and she isn’t fit for the role—the avatar is characters, but I’ve made sure not to meant to be thoughtful and considinclude any major spoilers.) erate, like Aang. They are supposed Back in May, Avatar: The Last to represent the balance between all Airbender—originally broadcasted on Nickelodeon—was released on Netflix, and it quickly re-entered pop culture consciousness.

Avatar follows protagonist, Aang, and his friends as Aang journeys to learn the arts of firebending, waterbending, and earthbending, preparing to go up against the Fire Nation and Firelord Ozai. Many rewatched Avatar for the first time since it aired from 2005 to 2008, and others watched the show having never seen Avatar Korra and the statue of Avatar Aang. [CinemaBlend] it before. Needless to say, Avatar is beloved by the generation of kids who grew up with elements and nations, so there is no it, and also by the generation of kids room for partiality or impulsiveness. who are watching it now on Netflix.

In my opinion, however, the majority That said, many fans of Avatar were of watchers who say this either haven’t surprised to find that Legend of Korra seen the whole show, or they aren’t was not the sequel they expected. taking into consideration Korra’s charWhen watching Legend of acter arc. By the end of season 4, Korra Korra, one of the first differences has grown immensely past the person you’ll encounter is between the titular she was in the first few episodes; she characters themselves: Avatar Aang has learned from her past mistakes, and Avatar Korra. In Last Airbendbecoming a level-headed and versatile er, Aang is a free-spirited, cheerful avatar.

12-year-old boy who has qualms with Next, the settings of Last Airbenddirectly harming anyone; Korra, on the er and Korra make them altogether other hand, starts off the beginning of separate shows. In Avatar, we watch her show as a cocky, headstrong, and Aang and his friends travel through impulsive 17-year-old. Korra’s rash de- mostly agrarian, feudal-style villages. cision-making and tendency to depend Even in the big cities they visit, like

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Omashu and Ba Sing Se in the Earth Kingdom, there is no electricity or modern technology. The most industrialization we see is from the Fire Nation, with their navy. In one episode of Avatar, we even watch as the hot air balloon is invented, and we see how the Fire Nation takes the idea and uses it for war.

Korra, however, takes place 70 years after the events of Avatar, and technology has advanced. In Republic City, a multicultural, independent city founded by Aang and Zuko with no ties to any nation, 1920’s-esque cars trundle down the road under large skyscrapers. Lin, chief of police, uses the radio to communicate with her subordinates, and in season 2, we see movies invented.

Republic City, the primary setting of Korra, has been criticized for being too westernized. For the places in Last Airbender, the creative team drew much inspiration from Asian cultures and researched how to depict them in a respectful way. A lot of this sentiment seems to have faded to the background in Korra, with the buildings and clothing being largely Americanand European-style. Also, for many, the setting of Avatar offered an escape from the modern day—but the setting of Korra is too similar to our own for some people to enjoy the show.

Personally, I respect the design of Republic City and the decision to advance technology in Korra. However, I do agree that, because of its westernization, the setting of Korra loses a lot of the magic that Avatar had. The watcher sort of feels like they are not even in the same world as Avatar. It almost propagates the idea, whether intentional or not, that westernization is inevitable for Asian cultures.

Editorial The vibes of Last Airbender and Korra are also very different. Avatar, while still incorporating complex themes, is at its heart a kids’ show.

Korra, on the other hand, is geared toward an older audience: the kids who watched Avatar when they were little, but have now grown up. As a result, the themes are more mature, and the main cast of characters are older teenagers and adults.

Korra even starts out her show having already mastered waterbending, earthbending, and firebending—a direct contrast to Avatar, where we watched Aang struggle to learn to bend other elements. I actually found this aspect of Korra refreshing; since the audience has already seen Aang learn how to bend, they aren’t really interested in seeing Korra do the same thing. In advancing Korra, who is five years older than Aang was at the start of their respective shows, the creators left space to explore other aspects of being the avatar not covered in Last Airbender.

On the subject of bending, both shows take differing approaches towards this iconic aspect of the Avatar universe. In Last Airbender, bending requires a very spiritual connection—

but in Korra, attitudes towards the art of bending have changed. One of the most defining parts of Korra are its pro-bending tournaments, where benders face off in matches against each other. Korra actually meets her first future friends, the pro-bending brothers Mako and Bolin, when she sneaks in to watch a pro-bending game.

I enjoyed the pro-bending aspect of Korra; it is entertaining to watch for lovers of action and fighting anime, and of course, the animation is stellar.

The matches themselves were familiar to see, like watching a football or basketball game, but also out-of-ourworld enough to keep us interested.

However, I understand where others are coming from who dislike the pro-bending tournaments. It is true that some of the rules don’t make sense, and also that the art of bending has been more commercialized—after all, at the beginning of Korra, Mako and Bolin are only pro-bending so that they can make enough money to support themselves.

Finally, Avatar had a clear plot: Aang learns to waterbend in Book 1, earthbend in Book 2, and firebend in Book 3, all while the conflict with the

Fire Nation increases. Korra, however, has received backlash for the problems with its plot. Each season is almost a separate story, unlike in Avatar, where the events follow a sequence.

I agree that the plot of Korra can jump from one place to another; however, it’s important to consider why that occurred. Korra actually had many production problems, says internet culture reporter Aja Romano for Vox.com. The creators were uncertain from season to season whether the show would continue. Halfway through its third season, where many fans thought that Korra was finally getting good again, Nickelodeon pulled it from TV and aired the rest of season 3 and all of season 4 online. For all the uncertainty they had to work with, I believe that the creators of Korra did what they could to salvage the plot.

For this reason, I’m of the opinion that, going into Korra, the watcher should consider it a continuation of the avatar story instead of a continuation of the events of Avatar. My ultimate ruling is that, even if its story presentation is a little disjointed, Legend of Korra is well worth a watch for the evident care put into its production.

Korra stands over Republic City in promo material. [Vox]

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Editorial Global Response to COVID-19: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly An Analysis of The Difference in The Responses to COVID-19 and The Implications Those Differences Hold Among New Zealand, The United States, and India as of September 2020

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Ben VanDerHeyden ‘22, Layout Editor

n a period of less than a year, COVID-19 has entirely changed the lifestyles of people locally and abroad. For example, in the United States, Zoom has become a platform used to host virtual classes instead of meeting face-to-face in a physical space. Also, wearing masks in public places has become commonplace.

As of September 2020, the aforementioned examples are not representative of most of the world’s nations, as only a few countries come close to the United States in the number of recorded COVID-19 cases. So far, the United States has been the most affected country in the world with over 7 million cases (according to Worldometer. info.) Since other countries have been able to control the outbreak successfully, or have not yet exploded with cases, the U.S., in comparison, has had to make more significant long-term lifestyle changes.

To begin with, among the multiple countries that have fallen victim to the global pandemic, only a few have managed to escape relatively unscathed.

An example of this is New Zealand.

When the first New Zealander was infected in late February, New Zealand’s government decided to take a mitigation-based strategy, bracing for the worst by preparing hospitals for increases in patients through a large scale distribution of respirators and masks and instituting border control policies. Later in March, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, New Zealand’s government determined that it was possible to contain the virus and decided to switch over from a mitigation strategy to an elimination strategy, which proved to be effective.

After reaching 1,000 cases on

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March 25, New Zealand’s government instituted a stay-at-home order that lasted seven weeks. This entirely erased the virus’ presence from New Zealand by May, and as of now, the only new cases in New Zealand have been contracted internationally.

Additionally, New Zealand has managed to keep the door to international trade partially open, albeit restricted.

Although it still remains at risk of a border control failure, New Zealand has effectively controlled the virus and has returned to a normal, non-maskwearing lifestyle.

Of the many countries that have been undermined by the coronavirus, none have been hit as hard as the United States. It is always difficult to criticize one’s country, but there is evidence to support that the outbreak of coronavirus in the United States was somewhat preventable. According to the CDC, when the virus first emerged in Wuhan on December 31, 2019, they began to monitor it, and within a week, they issued travel warnings and alerts for Wuhan. By the time community spread-- which is defined as the contraction of a virus without traveling-- was recorded in America (Feb 26), travel to China had already been banned for nearly a month (Feb 2).

This shows that the virus was already out of control in the United States by the time the government had reacted.

Some might blame the government for being incompetent in their handling of the virus, but the truth is, little was known about the virus and its method of spread by the time it grasped hold of the United States.

This means that it would have been unreasonable, given the information available at the time, for the government to lock down the country before

community spread began. Therefore, it was not necessarily a bad response, just an unlucky one.

What about the government lockdown from March to May? Even though the lockdown severely limited the spread of the virus, it was devastating to the economy. An active economy, such as the United States’, is damaged while stagnant. New Zealand locked down for the same amount of time and eliminated the virus’s presence, but they were only able to do so because of the slow arrival of the virus and their ability to recognize its devastating effects on China, South Korea, and Italy. The United States did not have the advantage of a slowed arrival of coronavirus, so the number of infected people was at ten times the number of cases as New Zealand when the United States locked down. This means that it would have taken far longer and would have been much more economically harmful to eliminate the virus by continuing the lockdown.

Nevertheless, there is still one viable pathway towards the containment of coronavirus in the United States: a mask ordinance. Although it might seem unreasonable to wear a humid piece of cloth over your face for multiple hours each day, wearing a mask is an effective way to slow and contain the virus. If you encounter someone wearing a mask who unknowingly has coronavirus, the chance of your contraction of the virus is greatly reduced, even more so if both people are wearing masks. The lowering of the virus’s ability to spread restricts the growth of the virus, and inevitably, shrinks the virus to a containable state. Since mask ordinances were enacted, the daily cases of COVID-19 in the United

Editorial

SARS-CoV-2 cases from January to August 2020 [End Coronavirus.org]

States have slowly declined (i.e, the downward slope highlighted in yellow on the United States graph).

Overall, the United States’ initial response to coronavirus was predominantly ineffective due to bad luck in timing, and unless a vaccine is discovered sometime soon, the most practical way to eliminate the virus is the usage of masks.

Even though the United States has had the most COVID-19 cases for many months now, multiple countries do not have the ability to interpret an accurate number of cases, meaning that some countries could potentially have more infections than the United States. One such example of this is India. With India being a relatively impoverished, third-world country, and having the second largest population of any country in the world, containing the coronavirus has been nearly impossible for them. Now at 6 million cases, COVID-19 continues to grow

exponentially in India, whereas most other countries have seen remissions in the rate of spread.

Similarly to the United States, India locked down in March but soon opened back up due to economic fallout. Although they implemented mask ordinances, India is experiencing the growth of coronavirus at a faster rate than the United States, according to the National Public Radio. The main difference between the United States and India that facilitates the spread of COVID-19 is India’s large and dense population.

In India, the population is four times that of the United States and is crammed into a space that is only a third of the size of the United States.

Furthermore, the enforcing of mask ordinances becomes more difficult the more people there are, and the distribution of masks, sanitation supplies, and medical supplies becomes near impossible when nearly

18% of the world’s population lives within its borders. This makes the containment of the virus very difficult and the elimination of it near impossible.

Overall, coronavirus has quickly become a demographic problem that is affected primarily by the population size and density of each country.

First, New Zealand, having the lowest population of the three countries at 5 million people, is in an easier position to contain the virus and expel it. Second, the United States, having a population of 328 million people, is in a much more difficult position to contain the virus. Third, India, having the largest population, is in the most difficult position to contain the virus. In conclusion, since the coronavirus was not contained and eliminated immediately in most countries, it has become a world crisis whose effects might have not yet been fully felt.

[CC]

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Editorial

Fast Fashion

A Look Into The Horrors of The Industry

Millison Mixon ‘23, Reporter

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Editorial

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ast fashion- sounds great, right? But what does it actually mean? According to Hadari Oshri from Forbes, “[f]ast fashion is a result of mass-market retailers increasing the production of inexpensive fashion lines to meet the demands of quickly changing trends.”

The fashion industry rakes in $2.5 trillion annually and is one of, if not the most polluting industry on earth. This is partly due to the ever changing nature of the fashion industry, which has to keep up with the trends in order to make a profit.

This manner of production, which results in inexpensive clothing and huge amounts of waste and pollution, is known as “fast fashion.”

One negative effect that fast fashion has on the environment is the millions of tons of clothing that ends up in landfills, which pollute waterways. North Americans alone send 9.5 million tons of clothing to the landfill every year. Forbes explains that “microfibers from synthetic fabrics are released into our waterways — and, from there, into our rivers, lakes and oceans — every time they are washed in domestic washing machines.” The article goes on to explain that fish and other wildlife can ingest the microfibers due to their small size.

The negative effects of this industry don’t stop there. Someone has to make the clothes we buy, and companies need to manufacture them cheaply. The unfortunate reality is that people all over the world are making these clothes in horrible conditions and are barely getting paid. “[B]ecause the fast fashion companies want to sell their clothing for cheap prices, the only way the production factories can maintain the bottom line is by paying the workers less, making them work inhumanely long hours and setting unrealistically high production quotes,” Codogirl’s “A Day in the Life of a Fast Fashion Worker” states. And because fast

fashion brands only contact their

middleman supplier companies instead of the factories themselves, they have “no legal obligation to uphold basic human rights and decent working conditions…”

One tragic example of a fast fashion factory overseas is the 2013 Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh. The catastrophe killed over 1,100 workers and injured over 2,500. 80% of the deaths were women, aged about 18-20, working for around 22 cents per hour.

One in six people work in the fashion industry worldwide, and of those people, only 2% earn a living wage. Sustain Your Style, a platform dedicated to informing people about sustainable fashion, explains that “[e]mployees usually work with no ventilation, breathing in toxic substances, inhaling fiber dust or blasted sand in unsafe buildings.

Accidents, fires, injuries, and disease are very frequent occurrences...”

The article goes on to say that these workers are “often forced to work 14 to 16 hours a day, seven days a week. During peak season, they may work until 2 or 3 A.M. to meet the fashion brand’s deadline.”

This means their average work week is 96 hours. The garment workers also face verbal and physical abuse and are sometimes punished if they don’t meet their insane, unattainable daily goals.

If treating adults this way isn’t bad enough, these factories, often in countries like Bangladesh and India, hire minors to do work at insanely low wages. 168 million children are forced into work around the globe, with the fashion industry being one of the most common types hiring them.

To us, this is crazy, but in many countries like China, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, this is the norm. Each year, the governments authorize children being removed from their studies in school to help harvest the cotton crop. This exposes

the children to toxic fertilizers and pesticides, not to mention unpredictable and dangerous working environments.

Unfortunately, many of the stores we buy our clothes from are fast fashion companies. Zara, H&M, Forever 21, Shein, and Fashion Nova are all examples of popular stores that have a dark backstory. “[B]oth H&M and Zara,” Forbes says, “have strived to improve the product life-cycle to a more sustainable practice.” While Fashion Nova says they are committed to paying their workers what they deserve, Shein has yet to comment on their unethical fast fashion practices.

So, what can we do to help? We can begin to utilize sites like Poshmark, ThredUp, and Depop to buy second-hand clothing, try to reuse articles of clothing throughout the seasons over the years, and go thrifting with your friends to find some unique pieces of clothing that you might not have found otherwise.

Local second-hand shops include Hertha’s, Emmy’s Thrift Shop, and Revolution Resale, all located in downtown Fairhope. Whether you realize it or not, you can be the difference that helps to end the tragic reality of today’s fashion industry.

Facts and Figures from the following sources: The New York Times Forbes Vox Sustain Your Style Battered Women’s Support Services CodoGirl Journal Photos from the following sources: Wikimedia Commons Marissa Orton on Flickr

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Student Life Sound-off: Students Weigh-in On Starboard and Port Versus In Person Schedule Camille Buckner ‘22, Copy Editor

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ooking back on late last summer and bleeding into the start of this school year, school life has been nothing less than ever-changing chaos. As a community, we have experimented with different solutions when it comes to learning in a socially-distanced environment. Following guidelines set by the government, Bayside has brought us from an all-virtual final quarter before the summer, then to Port & Starboard (a hybrid schedule) for the first three weeks, and at the end of September, back to a semi-normal schedule with everyone on campus--socially distanced, of course.

BA Today polled each grade on their favorite of these three methods. Here are the results:

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41/57 Responded

46/61 Responded

Student Life Sally Strikes The Shore Kate Ginger ‘23, Reporter

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ours before the storm hit, a frightening silence set in as if all the sounds of life were being engulfed in an impending vacuum. The clouds, tinted a baleful orange, loomed ominously overhead.

At 4:45 in the morning on September 16, Hurricane Sally made landfall near Gulf Shores as a Category 2 storm.

“I woke up to a big thump and like a crashing noise,” describes Ryan McCullough, a 10th grade student, “and it was just all simultaneous.” When he stepped onto his balcony, he discovered a tree had fallen onto his house, collapsing in his roof. Water was leaking out of the ceiling through the hole in his roof.

For the next five or six hours, he and his dad, using buckets, attempted to dispose of the excess water, “whether it be in the toilet, or just outside, opening the door during the storm trying to dump the buckets out.”

Trees lay on their sides with once-underground roots splayed out, grasping towards the sky. A

number of utility poles, usually lining the streets protectively, were no longer upright but had succumbed to the impact of trees collapsing on the powerlines. Without functioning traffic lights in Fairhope and Point Clear, vehicles crawled slowly along the streets in masses, tortuously snaking around piles of debris. Residents of Baldwin County spent the next period of days and even weeks without power.

“I was somewhat relieved,” Kim Turner, the Chief Financial Officer at Bayside, gratefully said, “because I anticipated the damages to be more.” Along with Scott Clemens, Director of Crisis Management, they were among the first on the scene.

Clemens was initially surprised the strength of the wind had been powerful enough to knock the trees down. He recounted, “The ECC had a large oak tree take out the front awning. The other damage I saw was on the white house; a limb had fallen and pushed a window completely into the ground.”

Many of Bayside’s beloved trees were cut down due to hurricane damages. [S. Clemens]

In the midst of cleaning up Bayside’s campus, preparing for a return to school, Clemens and Turner recalled an inspiring surge of comradery among the maintenance, administrators, faculty, and volunteers.

“There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by where we haven’t been up here working as hard as we can just to get this campus up,” Clemens said. Lastly, Turner concluded, “I believe it has given us yet another example of how our school and community rise and thrive in difficult circumstances.

The school and the community are strong and definitely weathered this storm very well.”

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has broken the record for the most active hurricane season since 2005, with six U.S. landfalling hurricanes, Hurricane Sally being the most destructive to our community.

As a result of disturbed weather, Sally formed near the Bahamas in mid-September. After making landfall as a tropical depression at Key Biscayne, Sally strengthened into a tropical storm and then a Category 2 hurricane when it impacted Mobile and Baldwin County on September 16.

Hurricane Zeta originally formed in the Caribbean Sea and struck the Yucatan Peninsula, temporarily weakening. As it reformed into a Category 2 hurricane, narrowly missing Mobile Bay, Zeta made landfall in Cocodrie, LA on October 28. Zeta continued northeast across the eastern United States and then accelerated across the North Atlantic, striking the United Kingdom as an extratropical cyclone.

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Student Life New Teacher Spotlight: River Lotus Cole Boswell ‘22, Photo Editor

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very once in a while, a teacher will be late to class, and students will wait impatiently for the teacher to arrive; but has your teacher ever been late to the classroom because she was catching waves before school? Well, you may experience this if you have one of Bayside’s newest teachers, Ms. River Lotus. She has spent most of her life in Hawaii, and she admits that often, if there were major swells in the South Pacific, students and teachers would surf the daring waters before school.

Originally from the Philippines, Ms. Lotus has traveled the globe, visiting places such as St. Petersburg, Russia; Bali, Indonesia; and Paris, France.

When she was eight years old, she moved to New Mexico and also spent some of her years in Hanamaulu, Hawaii.

For many native Alabamians, it

would seem as if there are not many similarities between Alabama and Hawaii, but Lotus says there are quite a few. She says the people in both places are very kind and welcoming.

Both have a great care for their careers and what they stand for. She says that people in Hawaii differ because they are more focused on spirituality and love for the Earth. According to Lotus, Hawaiian culture is about, “being intune with the rhythms of the earth.”

One staple Lotus cannot live without is chai. Hot chai tea is how her day starts and ends. When asked about her opinion on a southern specialty, iced sweet tea, she laughed before stating, “Woah, that’s sweet!”

So, iced sweet tea is definitely not her cup of tea.

A major role in Lotus’ life is yoga.

From a young age, she learned many basic yoga stretches because it was a

part of her culture. Later in life, she accomplished training in Ashtanga and Kundalini yoga. Many opportunities have arisen from yoga, including many trips to destinations like Bali.

In life, Lotus believes that it is also important to travel around the world in order to learn and experience different cultures. Speaking about tourism and cultural destinations, she says, “Mexico and Bali have destinations, but you can also step away and dive into the culture.” She explains that places like Cancun, Mexico have luxurious resorts as well as an interesting cultural experience when you travel outside of the touristy zone.

Students and faculty are extremely excited to have Ms. Lotus on campus now. The knowledge she has gained from her education and travel experiences makes her a unique addition to the Bayside community.

Election Statistics Isabella McCormick ‘21, Editor-in-Chief

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his past presidential election, America showed up: the voter turnout for 2020 was the highest it has been in over a century.

Before the nationwide election, Bayside held its own election with grades 7-12. Organized by the AP Statistics class, the Bayside election took place through a Google classroom poll during the weekly advisory period, and 237 students in the Upper School participated. Let’s take a look at the results. (Disclaimer: after analyzing the quality of the data received, we chose to only consider responses that appeared to have taken the nature of the poll seriously.)

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Trump/Pence received 76.5% of 234 votes, and Biden/Harris received 17.1%. Jorgensen received four votes, and the Green Party received one. This means that, undoubtedly, Bayside’s student body leans right. When analyzed between gender, Trump/Pence was the majority for both males (80% of 117 respondents) and females (74% of 112 respondents). As for nonbinary students and those who preferred not to say their gender, half voted for Biden/Harris.

With each grade as well, Trump/ Pence remained the most popular vote. Out of the middle school respondents, 84% of 7th graders and

62% of 8th graders voted for Trump/ Pence. Within the upper school, Trump/Pence got the vote of 75% of lower classmen and 80% of upperclassmen.

A vote for Republican senator Tommy Tuberville practically guaranteed a vote for Trump/Pence, with 98% of students who voted Tuberville also voting Trump/Pence.

Doug Jones voters, however, were a little more split: 66% of people who voted Jones also voted Biden/Harris, leaving 33% who voted Jones and Trump/Pence (as opposed to the 2% who voted Tuberville and Biden/ Harris).

Student Life Taking on the Great Stage of Radio City Music Hall

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wo on the right leg, two on the left leg,” the dancers chanted in chorus. Each glistened with sweat under the heat emanating from the beaming stage lights. Legs covered in sleek, nude tights kick on the beat with seemingly effortless synchronicity. As unfaltering, red-lipped smiles adorn their faces, even their labored breaths are in unison with the lively music.

At Radio City Music Hall, thirty-six Rockettes danced onstage simultaneously, appearing to audience members as carbon-copies of each other until… Thump! One dancer slipped and fell, landing on her back, but seconds later, is distinguishable from the others. “[It] was very mortifying”, describes Mrs. Raley Zampieri, former-Rockette and now upper school dance teacher at Bayside. She explains, “Falling just happens, and there really isn’t any time to be that embarrassed about it because you have to keep going.”

Mrs. Zampieri’s first experience with the Rockettes was at the Rockette Summer Intensive when she was fourteen years old. “That was probably the time I realized I have to do this,” she remarks. From ages fourteen to eighteen, she worked diligently toward her goal: she wanted to be a Rockette in New York City.

While driving home from a dance class in Gulf Shores in 2007, she received a voicemail from New York on her Blackberry. “I heard the voicemail, and [it] said ‘Congratulations, you have been cast in the 2007 Radio City Christmas Spectacular for the Florida cast.’” After years of hard work, she was officially cast to perform with the Rockettes in Tampa and Fort Lauderdale, Fl. However, the challenges had just begun. After navigating her first year, she wasn’t immediately selected

Kate Ginger ‘23, Reporter

to be cast in the next year’s production. Unshaken, Mrs. Zampieri successfully re-auditioned for the 2008 Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

For the next four years during the holidays, she toured with the traveling cast of the Rockettes along the East Coast performing in cities like Buffalo, New York; Boston, Massachusetts; and Providence, Rhode Island.

“Because it’s during Christmas and the holiday season, those people become your family,” she expresses.

On the other hand, she describes how traveling with her castmates and living in hotels was fun, but “... you get really homesick…”

Mrs. Zampieri’s next goal was to dance in New York City for her sixth season with the Rockettes, so she auditioned and got the job with one of her traveling castmates. They lived in Harlem together for the next five years taking the subway to and from rehearsals and performances, living the quintessential Rockette dream; however, life in the dance world, especially with the New York City Rockettes, is a tough, high-stress environment.

Every dancer struggles to overcome obstacles; for example, injuries are not only physically, but psychologically detrimental to one’s success. Mrs. Zampieri experienced this firsthand.

She recalls struggling to recover from her bad ankle. Though not to the degree many experience, this tested her mental strength and its effect on her physical being, nonetheless. “Your body’s affected by every little thing you think and feel.”

She currently enjoys a career as a jazz and tap teacher at Mobile Ballet and an upper school dance teacher at Bayside Academy, where “every year [she’s] had students that really want to grow and become better dancers.”

One of the biggest challenges Mrs.

Zampieri asks is, “How [does she] as a teacher, meet somewhere in the middle and give everybody what they need?” It can be challenging to bring together students with all different skill sets and levels of dance experience.

Rebecca Klimjack, Bayside class of ‘19 and former member of the dance class, explains that despite dancers coming from a multitude of different backgrounds, “with [Mrs. Zampieri] as our instructor, it was easy to create a positive and accepting atmosphere.”

Students like Nicole Nager, a tenth grade student who’s been enrolled in the upper school dance class for the past four years, share the positive impact Mrs. Zampieri has had on them. She says, “I used to have stage fright… so she helped push me out of my comfort zone.” A newer student in the dance class, eighth-grader Marley Mackin, expresses that she dances much more confidently now. Rebecca sums up how “[Mrs. Zampieri] is always pushing me to strive for perfection, not only in the technical aspect of dance but in the joy and passion that comes from the heart with dance.”

Cultivating the dreams of students who want to pursue a career in dance is one of her main focuses: “I’m passionate and hopeful that if the students want that for their future, they can have it as long as they focus on their goals and stick to it. ” Mrs. Zampieri has imparted wisdom on the realities of a professional dance career to students like Rebecca, who has been accepted into the Broadway Dance Center Professional Semester Program in New York City and later wants to pursue a commercial dance career.

Rebecca concludes, “Bayside is very lucky to have a teacher that not only cares deeply about her craft but also her students.”

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Student Life Bayside Battles Coronavirus Grace Steele ‘22, Reporter

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hether we like it or not—and most probably lean towards the latter part of that statement—COVID-19 has become a part of our lives. At this point, the disease’s inner schematics and most trivial symptoms are common knowledge.

The World Health Organization, or WHO, as well as the Center for Disease Control, or the CDC, has imposed guidelines and restrictions to slow the spread of the virus, the most wellknown being face masks and social distancing. Here are the adjustments Bayside’s little corner of the world is making.

When asked how Bayside has kept the students’ best interests in mind while accommodating COVID-19 restrictions, Head of Upper School, Josh Montgomery, explains the administrators’ strategies. “Our guiding light in all of our decisions was to find a way to stay in school, to be in school for as long as possible, physically, because that’s what’s best for students,” says Montgomery.

Along with the staple “stay in school,” an additional goal is to remain in school longer than Bayside’s neighbors. From the middle of June to the start of the 2020 school year, Bayside

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interpreted research based on government officials and health organizations like the CDC and WHO. Additionally, they observed peer schools’ approaches to try and get a look at how others are handling the virus. Extensive research was done to formulate a plan that would allow students to stay on campus should there be another spike.

As a result of this calculated planning, the Port and Starboard schedule was implemented earlier this year, inspired by systems found in neighboring public and private schools. Bayside wants what is best for students, which administrators believe is to be physically present in the classroom. For COVID-19, Bayside just had to find the safest way possible to make that happen.

Students, however, have mixed opinions regarding Bayside’s current restrictions. Claire Donald, a junior, admits that she often forgets to wear her mask and acknowledges that most of her peers do the same. She points out contradictions concerning certain rules, such as students are often found near each other without masks during extracurriculars and social situations outside of school. Yet, she “understand[s] the importance of keeping it

on throughout the day, especially around people in the high risk category,” and assures that her peers feel the same.

A question lingering in everyones’ mind is what would happen if cases were to spike after a steady decline. Many theorize a return to all virtual classes, which remains unpopular throughout the student body. When asked if Bayside’s current COVID-19 policies would hold up if there were to be another outbreak, anatomy and AP biology teacher Mrs. Hamilton gravitates towards the optimistic side. She explains that the medical board meets periodically and looks at groups of case data each week, and if at any point the circumstances grow out of control, the Port and Starboard schedule will be re-implemented.

Bayside will only revert to virtual if cases continue to grow even after this schedule shift. Mrs. Hamilton thinks that “[b]ecause we work as a community—students, teachers, parents—we can get through whatever is thrown at us. It may be bumpy, it may be a rough ride, but together we can get through anything.”

Student Life Coronavirus Through the Eyes of a First Grader

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Kate Ginger ‘23 and Marlee Moore ‘23, Reporters

magine: You are sitting “crisscross applesauce” in a semicircle shape around your teacher who reads aloud a story, perhaps a Dr. Seuss book, animating it with various gestures and sound effects. The rug is decorated with colorful blocks, each containing a letter of the alphabet and a cheerful illustration. This simple setting inspires feelings of nostalgia among high schoolers at Bayside, but lower school students this year won’t receive this cherished experience.

Like upper schoolers, across the bluff, first graders are navigating crucial developmental years in the midst of a global pandemic. Seated on opposite ends of tables, socially distanced, they hunch over a worksheet, meticulously coloring within the printed lines. Bayside gaiters and colorful masks eclipse the bottom halves of their faces. Colorful rubber-bands secure their masks in place around their necks. Similar to upper schoolers, tips of their noses are revealed as the occasional mask slides down their miniature faces. They are experiencing a starkly different reality to what current high schoolers’ remember as their first grade years.

Six-year-olds Bastien Fiton and Amelia Roberts provide a fresh perspective to this disheartening situation. To Bastien, coronavirus is “a germ that everyone gots [sic] to get safe from.” Despite rumors circulating

that coronavirus came from “a person eating bat soup or eating bats that had corona,” Amelia, the skeptic, disbelieves this, stating, “I don’t think that’s really true. I think corona started by someone eating something that wasn’t right and got sick. Kinda like a mushroom that had it... I just thought they ate bad food that got them sick.” Bastien has another idea of where corona came from. He believes that it came from “the wild, yeah, because everybody tries to hurt the wild.”

On the outside, the two first graders appear cheerful and at ease, but when asked about their feelings on the pandemic, they express fear, sadness, and confusion. “I’m sad it’s going around because you don’t really get to hug your friends or get close to them,” Amelia explains. As she describes her experience during quarantine, she says “We [had] to stay in our home for awhile because we realized it was a really strong virus that could kill people.”

Is bug spray a solution to the coronavirus? Bastien ponders this question during a game he and his dad played involving a ball and two cups labeled “yes” and “no.” A question is asked, and the corresponding cup which it lands in provides the answer.

His conclusive results were: “It went in [the “yes” cup], so I think it’s with bug spray.” Amelia provides a different take, illustrating, “Scientists are working their butt[s] off trying to find a fluid that will help people that have corona, so I’m guessing… giving people shots would help them.”

Amy Ramagosa, their teacher, recalls fond memories of sitting on the carpet for storytime and explains “... keeping them engaged when they’re sitting further Anabelle, Camille, Addie, and Aubrey Cates wear their masks. [K. Ginger] away from us” is the most

challenging aspect of teaching this year. Another problem is needing more built-in time for simple tasks, such as washing hands and going to the bathroom. “Some of the stuff you don’t think about until you’re actually there-- it requires some adjustment.”

Overall, the first graders have been doing really well with wearing masks.

Mrs. Ramagosa has been impressed with their ability to wear the masks.

She recounts, “Even if one of them gets up, and they forget, they have a friend that’s like ‘remember we put our mask on.’”

Kids this year will have a different recollection of first grade than most Bayside students. Although mask-covered faces and social distancing will be some of their first memories, Mrs. Ascik, Head of Lower School says, “I also believe that these children will have fond memories, but they will look different than those before the pandemic.” However, the first graders are handling this situation with a positive mindset. Mrs. Ascik agrees that first graders are setting an example of great perseverance for Bayside students and faculty during this trying time.

Alexander sports a Bayside gaiter. [K. Ginger]

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Student Life Christmas Cookie Exchange Millison Mixon, ‘23, Reporter

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hether it be the Holidays or not, everyone enjoys a cookie now and then, but sometimes it can be challenging to come up with new recipes to try. Fear not! Some of Bayside’s own, Mrs. Burgess and Mrs. Ray, have come to the rescue. Their recipes will leave you begging for more! With one recipe from each of our kitchens, you have plenty of options to choose from this year over the Holidays. Happy baking!

The Perfect Snickerdoodles For the dough: 1 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt For the topping: 1 tablespoon cinnamon 3 tablespoon sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 3750 F. 2. Cream butter and sugar together.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.

4. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and stir.

5. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls 6. In a separate bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar for the topping together.

7. Roll the balls of dough in the mixture.

8. Place the balls of dough on a parchment lined sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes.

9. Remove immediately and put the cookies on a rack to cool. Enjoy!

Mrs. Ray’s No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies can also be found at food.com

1/2 cup butter 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup milk 4 tablespoons cocoa 1 pinch kosher salt 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups dry quick-cooking oats

1. Add the first six ingredients into a 4-quart sauce pan.

2. Bring to a rolling boil and hold for 1 minute.

3. Remove from heat.

4. Add the peanut butter into the hot mixture and stir until melted.

5. Add in the vanilla.

6. Mix in the dry oats until they are completely coated.

7. Drop the cookies by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper.

8. Let cool until set. Enjoy!

Mrs. Burgess’ Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoon sugar 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder a dash of salt 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (the darker the better!)

2-3 tablespoons of orange zest

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1. Preheat your oven to 3500 F. 2. Using a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-low speed until light and fluffy. Mix in the sweetened condensed milk on medium speed until combined.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

4. Add the dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

5. Stir in the chocolate chips and orange zest (the dough smells amazing after this step!).

6. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Flatten the dough balls slightly with the bottom of a glass (or with your fingers).

7. Place about 1.5 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets.

8. Bake for about 10 minutes. The edges should be slightly golden; watch closely!

Student Life

1. _______ was the first state to recognize Christmas as a state holiday in 1836. a. Alabama b. Delaware c. Connecticut d. Mississippi

6. Which of the following is NOT a name of one of Santa’s reindeer? a. Prancer b. Victor c. Comet d. Rudolph

2. What single by Bing Crosby is the best-selling song of all time, selling over 50 million copies? a. “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” b. “The Little Drummer Boy” c. “White Christmas” d. “Silent Night”

7. How many ghosts appear in A Christmas Carol? a. 3 b. 6 c. 12 d. 4

3. In the movie Home Alone 1 starring Macaulay Culkin, where are the McCallisters going on vacation when they accidentally leave Kevin behind? a. New York, New York b. Paris, France c. Orlando, Florida d. Rome, Italy

8. Clark Griswold struggles with what in the movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation? a. making eggnog b. putting up christmas lights c. finding gifts for his family d. finding Santa Claus

4. According to the song, what did my true love give to me on the eighth day of Christmas? a. “eight turtle doves” b. “eight maids a milking” c. “eight golden rings” d. “eight ladies dancing”

9. Which of the following is NOT an ingredient in gingerbread men? a. ginger b. cinnamon c. turmeric d. allspice

5. Visions of which food danced in children’s heads as they slept in the poem “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas?” a. sugar plums b. candy canes c. jelly beans d. lollipops

10. In the song “Frosty the Snowman,” what made Frosty come to life? a. an old silk hat b. a corncob pipe c. a button nose d. a jolly happy soul

1. a; 2. c; 3. b; 4. b; 5. a; 6. b; 7. d; 8. b; 9. c; 10. a

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Student Life

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News Centennial Anniversary of the Ratification of the 19th Amendment

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en, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less,” declared Susan B. Anthony, a radical advocate for women’s voting rights in America. One hundred years later in 2020, the fruits of her and many others’ efforts remain indelibly inscribed in the Constitution.

Suffragists demand the right to vote. [CC]

On Aug. 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified, ending nearly a century of protest. The women’s right movement of the Progressive Era began in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention, the first convention advocating for women’s rights. According to History.com, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Mary M’Clintock, Martha Coffin Wright, and Jane Hunt were the five women who organized this convention, which served as a launchpad for the wom-

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

–19th Amendment

Kate Ginger ‘23, Reporter en’s suffrage movement.

Anthony and Stanton later met and campaigned for women’s rights together as lifelong friends and co-workers through the formation of various women’s rights groups, such as the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869 and thepublication of a newspaper called Revolution.

On the other hand, while Anthony and Stanton crossed milestones for women in America, they are also considered controversial figures.

The National Women’s History Museum states that The National Woman Suffrage Association opposed the 15th Amendment which granted all citizens the right to vote regardless of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

Within the women’s suffrage movement, there was also the conflicting American Woman Suffrage Association formed in 1869, which supported the 15th Amendment.

In 1890, these two organizations joined to form the National American Women’s Suffrage Association.

After years of raising public awareness and lobbying the government for the basic right to vote, women’s rights reformers achieved victory with the passing of the 19th amendment.

To celebrate this centennial anniversary and target female voters in correlation with the upcoming election, Donald Trump pardoned Anthony, a leading suffragist of the women rights movement as reported by the New York Times.

In 1872, she was arrested for voting illegally and fined 100 dollars.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of the Susan B. Anthony List, a prolife womens organization, wrote on their website, “We are deeply moved and grateful to President

Trump for honoring the legacy of this great American hero, and we pledge never to tire in carrying on her unfinished work.”

On the other hand, this drew criticism from Kathy Hochul, the lieutenant governor of New York who, in a Twitter post, “[demanded] Trump rescind his pardon . . . on behalf of Susan B. Anthony’s legacy” and stated “[Anthony] was proud of her arrest to draw attention to the cause for women’s rights and never paid her fine. Let her Rest In Peace.”

According to historian Ann Gordon, an accredited American professor who teaches at Rutgers University, and Deborah Hughes, President and CEO at the National Susan B. Anthony Museum, Anthony wore her conviction with pride determining the verdict as “the greatest judicial outrage history has ever recorded”, and to be pardoned would imply she did something wrong. The inspectors of the election who allowed her to cast a ballot were pardoned by Ulysses S. Grant, a courtesy which certainly would have been available to Anthony. The Susan B. Anthony Museum officially rejected Trump’s pardon saying it “validated the proceedings.”

Regardless, the ratification of the 19th Amendment left a permanent mark on America, a mark that remains evident 100 years later.

President Trump honors the ratification of the 19th Amendment. [CC]

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News Alabama’s Most Notorious Serial Killers Miranda McDonald ‘23, Reporter

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hat defines a serial killer?

This title is only given to criminals who have killed multiple times with no explanation or reason. Three of Alabama’s most notorious serial killers are Thomas Warren Whisenhant, Daniel Lee Siebert, and Joseph Dewey Akin.

According to AL.com, Thomas Warren Whisenhant was arrested on Sunday, Oct. 17, 1976 for the kidnapping, rape, and murder of Cheryl Lynn Payton. The day before, Payton was working at her job as a gas station clerk in Mobile County when Whisenhant kidnapped her at gunpoint. He forced Payton into his pickup truck, where she was raped. Whisenhant drove her to a sequestered field near a forest before he shot her and hid her body. The next day, Whisenhant came back to the field and mutilated Payton’s lifeless body. He stole a wrist watch from the body, which he gave to his wife.

Whisenhant was swiftly caught after a quick and uneventful chase. Once in custody, Whisenhant confessed to the murders of Venora Hyatt and Patricia Hitt. They were both executed in similar ways within the year of 1976.

While on trial, the jury decided that Whisenhant should be put on death row.

Just last year on Jan. 14, 2019, Thomas Warren Whisenhant finished his last meal of chicken legs and chocolate pudding. Before being euthanized, the warden of Holman Prison of Escambia County, which is only an hour from Daphne, Alabama, asked if he had any last words. Whisenhant stayed deathly silent. Whisenhant was placed into the execution chamber as members of his victims’ families watched him take his last breath through a glass window.

Another one of Alabama’s most gruesome serial killers is Daniel Lee Siebert. On Sep. 4, 1986, he was

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arrested for the murder of Sherri Weathers and her two sons, four-yearold Joseph and five-year-old Chad.

Weathers, a deaf woman who attended Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Talladega, had been missing for a whole week before police started their investigation. When police searched Weather’s apartment, they found her and her children. The family’s bodies were stacked on top of each other on the bed. A single sheet barely covered them.

The manager of the building then directed the police to the apartment of Linda Jarman. She was also a student at the Institute who had recently gone missing. Jarman was found nude on her bed, her television and car stolen.

Some more investigation led to the discovery of Daniel Siebert’s secret alias: “Daniel Spence.” It turned out that he had been posing as a teacher at the Institute under this secret identity. “Daniel Spence’’ had been missing from the school for about a month before Weathers’ and Jarman’s corpses were discovered. The four bodies found that day had all died from strangulation.

Finger prints from the crime scene linked Daniel Siebert to several other murders around the country, two of which were located in Talladega and in Calhoun County. It was also discovered that he had been on the run from a manslaughter charge in Las Vegas.

Authorities could not locate Daniel Siebert for about nine months after they discovered his victims until he was identified in Nashville, Tennessee.

Once in custody, he confessed to five murders in Alabama and numerous other ones around the United States. On Mar. 21, 1987, Siebert recieved the death penalty for Linda Jarman’s murder. At 1:35 a.m. on Apr. 22, 2008, Daniel Siebert died due to cancer complications. He had been on death row for 21 years.

An additional infamous serial killer in Alabama was Joseph Dewey Akin.

Akin moved from Atlanta, where he had been fired from North Fulton Regional Hospital for undisclosed reasons. At North Fulton, Akin had been a prime suspect in at least 15 hospital deaths but he was never convicted.

Akin had only been working at Cooper Green Hospital in Birmingham for six weeks before he took Robert J. Price’s life.

Robert J. Price had been living on a ventilator at Cooper Green Hospital in Birmingham for about a year before he was murdered. He was suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding, lung problems, and various other health issues.

On Mar. 27 1991, Akin injected Price with two times the lethal dose of lidocaine. Co-workers witnessed Akin scurry out of Price’s room. He was dead within minutes. When a nurse tried to enter the room, Akin blocked her pathway by standing in front of the door. When doctors did an autopsy, they figured that Price’s death was due to his medical issues. Nurses then revealed their suspicions about Akin and another autopsy was performed.

The final autopsy found the lidocaine in Price’s system.

In Aug. of 1991, Akin was arrested and charged with Price’s murder. After seven long years of mistrials, in Mar. of 1998, Akin pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received life in prison.

Thomas Warren Whisenhan, Daniel Lee Siebert, and Joseph Dewey Akin were just a few of Alabama’s most grisly serial killers. Even though each case was deeply investigated, no one will truly ever understand how a person could commit these horrendous crimes. Though it’s impossbible to see inside the minds of these violent killers, the consequences of their actions are still relevant today.

News The Yemen Crisis and Civil War 24 million people lack the basic means of survival

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BenVanDerHeyden ‘22, Layout Editor

ive years of civil war in the Middle Eastern country Yemen has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises in today’s world. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund and Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, of the 30 million people who live in the nation, 24 million (80%) are in need of humanitarian assistance, 20 million (66%) lack access to basic healthcare, about 8 million (27%) suffer from malnutrition, and over 100,000 people have died.

The conflict began following a failed political transition. During the Arab Spring in 2011, a popular, pro-democratic revolution forced president Ali Abdullah Saleh, after 30 years in charge of Yemen, to hand the presidency over to his second-in-command, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. This was intended to create peace and prosperity in Yemen, but instead, it opened the door for numerous problems that eventually led to the current crisis.

Following the transition of power, separatists--who supported the previous president--and jihadists-- a group consisting of the Shia-based Houthis, Al Qaeda, and the Islamic State (ISIS)--began to establish military strongholds all over the country.

In 2015, these two groups began to vie for control over Yemen.

Ultimately, the struggle for power over Yemen boils down to a fight for religious control.

All combatants have violated human rights and committed war crimes, such as child soldier recruiting, civilian-targeted bombings, and torturing. Over 1,000 child recruits have been forcefully dragged into war by all of the belligerents, predominantly by the Houthis. Furthermore, for the past five years, ten Yemeni journalists have been detained and tortured by the Houthis due to

accusations of spying; four of the ten have since been executed.

Although the Houthis and the Yemen governmental forces agreed on a ceasefire in June of 2020, the period of peace has remained precarious, as many conditions set forth by the ceasefire have since been broken.

In addition to the constant warfare in Yemen, there has also been a cholera outbreak-- a non-contagious and fatal disease that is contracted by the consumption of contaminated water, which has infected upwards of 2.2 million people-- and the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected a large number of people, numbering in the tens of millions.

This has created a healthcare crisis in Yemen. According to the BBC, Only half of Yemen’s 3,500 clinics are thought to be operational, many of which lack basic supplies like masks and gloves. Only a few hundred ventilators are available in Yemen to treat coronavirus patients.

Furthermore, the largest cholera outbreak ever recorded in the world has killed thousands in Yemen. The collapse of the healthcare system has left millions vulnerable to these

calamitous diseases.

This seemingly localized crisis and collapse of a country over 8,000 miles from the United States surprisingly holds multiple potential global ramifications. First, Yemen is located in a geographically advantageous location next to the Red Sea. This geographical advantage gives the country easy access to the large efflux of oil from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

If Yemen continues to remain unstable, American oil tankers traversing the Red Sea might be at risk of being pirated or destroyed.

Second, radicalized jihadist groups have a long history of taking power in weak countries. ISIS in Syria and the Taliban in Afghanistan serve as examples of this. Currently in Yemen, Al Qaeda has militarized and conducted multiple terror attacks, and the Houthis, who represent the Shia minority, have served as the main revolting force in the civil war.

With the addition of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of adequate healthcare and sustenance, and the civil war showing no sign of ending any time soon, the Yemen Crisis is not likely to improve any time in the foreseeable future.

Man mourns while sitting on the rubble of a destroyed building. [Global Risk Insights]

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News Happy News

Camille Buckner ‘22, Copy Editor

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e have all been feeling a little extra anxious lately, especially following a major election. As the holiday season approaches, stress will be amplified. It can be hard to stay positive in such an unusual and uncertain time, so, I offer you some things that are proven to rewire our brains to become happier, as well as some positive outcomes of election day.

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Election Day Triumphs: - Voters in Mississippi voted to replace their state flag. The flag was previously a confederate flag, but will now be modified to become more inclusive.

- Sarah McBride wins Delaware senate. She will be our nation’s first person publicly identified as transgeder to severe as a state senator.

- Marijauana becomes legal for medicinal use in Mississippi.

- Stacy Abrams used her electoral defeat to fuel her ‘Fair Fight’ campaign which encouraged minorities in Georgia to take action and vote.

- Overall, the United States had a record number of voter turnout.

“Rewirements:” Meditation: Turn your attention inward and away from the distractions of everyday life by practicing meditation. Although focusing on one focal point like your breath may be challenging, studies show that by taking time to meditate you will receive benefits like a positive mood, increased concentration, and stronger social connections.

Savoring: To savor an experience is to step outside of it and appreciate it.

It is often hard to stay in the moment and thoroughly enjoy an experience. By savoring moments you are able to amplify and lengthen positive feelings that come with doing things you love.

Acts of Kindness: Being kind and being a happy person go hand and hand.

By doing kind things for others, we generally feel a boost of happiness in ourselves. Happy people are motivated to be kind to others, so, take an opportunity each day to do something extra special for someone.

Social Connections: Humanity revolves around social connections. Research shows that the more time we spend around others, the happier we are.

This is why even engaging with a stranger or meeting someone new can boost your happiness. Try talking to someone different today!

Gratitude: Expressing gratitude and acknowledging things we are grateful for can boost our happiness, similarly to savoring. I recommend you take time to write down something you feel grateful for each day.

Exercise: Exercise? Yes, exercise. Research shows that 30 minutes of exercise a day is not only healthy for your body, but will also make your mind happy! *note it will take time and the repetition of these acts and habits to see change Source: Mr Robertson’s Psychology Class

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News Black Lives Matter

Miranda McDonald ‘23, Reporter

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n undoubtedly prominent subject in today’s news is the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement; however, there have been widespread misconceptions about its true purpose. According to blacklivesmatter.com, “[the BLM movement’s] mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.

By combating and countering acts of violence…”

The “#BlackLivesMatter'' project was officially launched on twitter in 2013 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. The movement was created in response to the death of Trayvon Martin. On February 26, 2012, seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin was walking back to his father’s home from a gas station with candy in his pocket when he was shot and killed

by George Zimmerman, a member of

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the community watch at the time. Zimmerman called the police after noticing a “suspicious guy.” He proceeded to ignore police instructions to stay in his location. Instead, Zimmerman chased Martin and eventually confronted him. What happened during this confrontation is still unknown, but it ended with Zimmerman shooting Martin. Trayvon Martin’s death sparked a light in people's hearts that made them realize that action must be taken.

Since then, the movement has recently reignited due to the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, and countless others.

The protests this year began May 26 in Minneapolis, the day after George Floyd’s death. Over the summer, protests swept the nation. By June, protests were taking place in over 550 cities around the U.S. Even though the protests near

Bayside Academy are not as visible as those in other cities, BLM movement is very much present in the Mobile Bay area. An interview with local Mobile Judge Finely, an active member of the Mobile community and a Black Lives Matter advocate, proves how closeto-home this topic is and shares his insight about the movement.

Judge Finely and his family played an integral role in the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s. His sisterDora and mother Joycelyn Franklin Finely were civil rights advocates that were a part of the Neighborhood Organized Workers (NOW), a civil rights group founded in Mobile. In 1969, Dora and Joycelyn Finely were both arrested during a peaceful NOW demonstration.

When asked what Black Lives Matter movement has overall affected, he responded with “The real importance is that it has drawn together people of all races” [and collectively] “together we are a majority.”

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News Who Is Kamala Harris?

Cole Boswell ‘22, Photo Editor, and Grace Steele ‘22, Reporter

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hroughout this infamously turbulent year, there have been countless setbacks. Yet, a major triumph is that the United States has elected its first woman, who is also the first woman of color, to the vice presidency. Her name is Kamala Harris.

She was born in Oakland, California, in 1964. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, is from India, and her father, Donald Harris, is from Jamaica. Both immigrated to the United States on a Berkeley scholarship. Vice President elect Harris graduated from Howard University in Washington D.C., and received a law degree from the University of California. She supports raising wages for working

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people, veterans, and military families, reforming the criminal justice system, granting health care rights for all Americans, and expanding access to child care for working parents.

Currently, she serves on the Board for Homeland Security, the Governmental Affairs Committee, the select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Judiciary, and the Committee on Budget.

Here is a list of her accomplishments that led her on the path to vice presidency: -In 2003, she was elected as district attorney for San Francisco.

She then established a program, “Back on Track”, that offered first time drug offenders the chance to

earn a high school diploma and seek employment.

-In 2010, she was elected attorney general to the state of California. She worked to hold corporations accountable in order to protect the vulnerable. Additionally, she issued a 25 billion dollar settlement for homeowners hit by a foreclosure crisis, and protected the Affordable Care Act. She also prosecuted transnational gangs that trafficked guns, drugs, and people into America.

-In 2016, she won the California Senate seat and swore into office as the second African American woman and first South Asian American.

Lifestyle Worship and Praise: Pandemic Edition Marlee Moore ‘23, Reporter

Eastern Shore Baptist Church [A. Counselman]

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or many people, church is their rock. It’s a place that provides protection, hope, and safety for everyone. While most churches are still closed for in-person services, not even a global pandemic can stop people from worshipping. Coach Watson and sophomores Lillie McInnis and Abigail Counselman explain how their churches are operating during the pandemic.

Lillie goes to Orange Beach United Methodist Church (OBUMC) and has been a member for her entire life. OBUMC has mostly been having online services, but they had a drive-in service for Easter. “I don’t really focus as I usually used to in person, so it was kind of hard,” Lillie explains about her experience. Regardless, she is excited about one thing: “I don’t have to dress up fancy to go to church!”

Another positive thing Lillie reports is that “some people are actually able to tune into church [because] it’s virtual,” whereas before, the only option was in-person services. Luckily, her pastors are still enthusiastic even online and are telling their members to lean on God in the midst of this crisis. However, Lillie’s relationship with God has been strained because she hasn’t been able to physically go to church, feeling that this has “pushed [her] away.”

Abigail has been going to Eastern Shore Baptist Church (ESPC) for nine years. She sings for the praise team and choir. Her family tries to go to

church every Sunday, but during COVID-19, they watched the service from home on Facebook or Youtube. ESPC tried to open up for in-person, but was quickly shut down again after a preschooler’s parent contracted the virus.

Currently, it has been reopened to be in-person. Abigail prefers the in-person services: “I like the physical community and seeing people’s emotions. [Virtual] was different, [but] it wasn’t my favorite.” However, she is thankful for still being able to go to church, saying, “I really realized who’s there for me, and I realized how I should be thankful we still have [an] online church.”

Staying close to God is difficult under normal circumstances, but this is amplified by the pandemic. Unlike Lillie, this is not the case for Abigail, as she says she is “definitely closer [to God]” because of the pandemic.

Abigail was baptized in April of this year, which was “such an awesome moment. It lasted so long that I was at the top with God.” As life gets back to normal, she says that the relationship has gotten more stressful.

Her advice for people in a similar situation is to “realize that you have to have the bad days to see the actual redemption side of His plan, you have to see the bad days to lead you to the good days… Just don’t give up on it.

Don’t give up on church. Don’t only see the bad things that are happening.

Try to be optimistic, [because] I definitely am not always optimistic, but you just have to see the good things.”

Coach Watson attends Mars Hill Church, a non-denominational church in Fairhope. He and his wife have been going there for the past four years. On Wednesday mornings, he and six other men meet at the First Baptist Church, also in Fairhope, for a Bible study group. Mars Hill Church has been filming services on their campus in

Mobile, but in August, they were able to open back up. Their members are required to wear masks, and families must be spaced out. Coach Watson explains, “You lose some of that bonding, that togetherness. But you know what, it’s still the church. God’s body of people [is] still together.”

Similar to Abigail’s experience, the pandemic has greatly strengthened Coach Watson’s relationship with the Lord. He states, “It’s taken my prayer life, and it’s increased it ten-fold. My focus is on the cross, because when I don’t focus on the cross, I get all out of sorts. I have to put my eyes on what I think is the truth, and that is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that’s where my hope is.” He notes that not everyone feels this way, expressing that the pandemic “has really separated the church-goers from true believers.”

In the last few months, there has been controversy over whether or not church is essential. Coach Watson has strong opinions on this topic: “The church, I would argue, is as essential as anything else. All respect due to the medical professions, but when you take away the opportunity for people to gather and share concerns with one another, just the simple act of praying together, there’s great strength in that.”

His biggest frustration right now is with the media, describing them as “liars. They’re liars. I’m tired of lying.

I’m tired of [them] playing on people’s fear, having everybody scared.”

Coach Watson combats this fear with knowledge of the Bible, especially Psalms 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.” He finds comfort and joy in God’s word and gives some advice to people who are scared saying, “There is hope. That’s what the gospel is all about. The gospel means the good news. God’s word is the final authority...There is a rock that you can go to, that you can cling to.”

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Lifestyle 16 and Famous: Local TikTok Stars Weigh in on What Life’s Like in The Spotlight

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Camille Buckner ‘22, Copy Editor

hether we want to admit it or not, the viral app TikTok is pretty addicting. Most people can spend hours scrolling through the video content on the app, but have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a famous “creator”? In Sep. 2020, BA Today spoke with Daphne’s very own TikTok stars: Riley Trosclair 22’ (215k followers), Hannah Hutchins 22’ (68.5k followers), and Allison Johns 22’ (49.7k followers), all juniors at Daphne high school.

First off, Riley’s claim to fame was a video she posted on the app comparing boys to Topper, a character in the hit Netflix show, “Outer Banks.” She has now accumulated a large following of 215k people on the app. When asked about her reaction to overnight fame, Riley said, “Honestly I didn’t know how to react or feel. I never thought being myself would get me ‘famous.’”

Riley uses her platform to express herself and encourages others to do the same.

Hannah and Allison had similar experiences with the app. Hannah gained recognition for a video featuring her and Allison’s “glo up” and experience with weight loss. The video got lots of attention, receiving a whopping 9.7 million views and 2.6 million likes. Hannah remarked that in the following days, she was bombarded with questions regarding her weight loss. “I was really happy that I could

Allison Johns [@allisongracejohns on Instagram]

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encourage and help people whenever they asked for advice.”

Meanwhile, the video that sparked Allison’s internet fame was a video with her friend Sarah. She followed a trend at the time called “How God made my best friend” where she described characteristics of Sarah. The video got 988.3k views and 180k likes.

Another question BA Today asked the girls was if any fans have ever “noticed” them in public. Hannah and Riley have had similar experiences with people from different schools in our area coming up to them and remarking that they had seen them on TikTok or Instagram before. Riley had different encounters. She said that over spring break, fans from different states noticed her at the local beaches.

When it comes to making money from the app, you do have to have a certain number of followers to obtain any checks. To make money, you have to have a “pro” account and set up a creator fund, which gives you money based on the number of views and likes you get on a video. When asked about the amount of money she makes, Hannah said, “It isn’t too much but I’ve made a dollar so far in a week.

I don’t take TikTok seriously as a job, it’s just for fun and if I ever get to a point where I do make more off my videos, I would give the money away to people that need it more than I do.”

An additional way creators can make money is through sponsorships.

Riley mentioned that a plethora of companies (such as Greek Glasses and Nova Shine) have reached out to her: “What they usually do is send me whatever free products I want as long as I post [the products] on all of my social media platforms.”

When asked if they saw this is a potential career, the girls agreed that they see the app as just a hobby or “fun thing to do” in free time. Riley said: “I

would never consider this a full time job, just something to do on the side while I’m living my life.”

Toward the end of the interview, the girls were asked how Tik Tok “fame” has impacted their lives.

Hannah and Allison agreed that it has inspired them to help others and push themselves. Hannah remarked: “When

Riley Trosclair [@rileytrosclairr on Instagram]

my video blew up, I realized how much I had transformed and pushed myself to get to where I want to be. That is making me strive to be better than where I am at now and even give others helpful tips.” Riley responded, “It has definitely made me more confident and comfortable with myself, which I am grateful for.”

Hannah Hutchins [@hannahutchinss on Instagram]

Lifestyle No Pit, No Problem

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evving engines. Popped tailgates. And a thousand headlights all point to one stage as Alan Jackson approaches his vehicular audience. The popular country artist performed his second “drive-in” concert on June 13, 2020, following his kick-off performance in Cullman, Alabama the previous night.

The fields of Oak Hollow Farm were lined with over 2,000 cars and Highway 98 was backed up for miles.

Many attendees parked their cars in various places up and down the roads surrounding the farm and walked to the destination. They did this to avoid the time it would take to wait in the line of cars in hopes to hop into a car with someone they knew once they got there to enjoy the show.

The idea of drive-in concerts is a safe and healthy alternative to standing in a packed stadium or theater to watch your favorite artist. By staying in a car, attendees can follow social distancing guidelines and still be able to watch their favorite bands and

Leah Jha ‘22, Managing Editor singers perform live. The idea is not incredibly made up either. Drive-in activities are all around us, hidden in plain sight. Think about this the next time you drive by your local sonic.

For many people the concert was anywhere between a wholesome event for the family or a late night out with friends. “Even though it was different, it was still one of the best concerts I have ever been to because being in my car was such a different experience,” says Bayside Academy Junior, Luci Wilkinson, who was in attendance with a small group of her friends.

The crowd of thousands watched from their cars as the popular artist performed some of his famous classics like, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” and “Chattahoochee” on the album A Lot About Livin’.

Though the concert ran smoothly, the Oak Hollow team did face some issues in the weeks prior to the concert. One issue the teams organizing the drive-in event ran into, was the inability to see the stage from a

vehicle that was far away. Since most automobiles are usually a standard size, with a few exceptions, if everyone remained in their cars and all the cars were facing the same direction, it would make it virtually impossible to see the stage the farther back the cars went. As a solution the teams rented four large screens that were placed sporadically throughout the farm.

As the concert went on, Jackson was projected onto the screens so everyone in attendance could see.

Alan Jackson is not the only artist who has used this innovative alternative to concerts.

In fact, drive-in concerts are making appearances all around the country. According to a Billboard Music Concert article, there have been over 30 drive-in concerts since the beginning of the summer in California alone. Some musical artists taking part in this new form of entertainment are Snoop Dog, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, and many more.

Allan Jackson Concert [L. Jha]

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Athletics Bayside Academy’s Volleyball Team Breaks Own National Record Grace Steele ‘22, Reporter, and Camille Buckner ‘22, Copy Editor

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ttending Bayside Academy and knowing nothing about its exceptional volleyball team is like experiencing a blizzard in Alabama; It just doesn’t happen. It is impossible to ignore the team’s impressive winning streak and this year is no different.

After 19 years and against all odds, the team has set a new national record for the most consecutive wins. Here’s an inside look into how the team members strove to make it happen.

BAToday interviewed senior Brelynn Daily, senior Ava Best, and junior Caroline Chastang to hear their insight and stories from the 2020 season.

Collectively, they agreed on one thing about the team: without Coach Shilling, none of them would be where they are today. “If we didn’t have her, it wouldn’t be as much of a winning program as it is,” said Caroline. According to Ava, she simply “knows how to coach [them].”

After an entire season’s worth of

[A. Best]

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hard work and undeniable tension, the team celebrated another state victory.

“I was super excited, and as a senior I was super relieved,” said Ava. With a winning streak a little short of two decades, the pressure of maintaining the record weighs on each of the girls’ shoulders. “It’s hard to say how you handle [the pressure],” Caroline describes. “You just kinda deal with it.”

The title of MVP is awarded to the player with the most spirit and fine tuned talent. There are no shortcuts; it can only be earned with hard work. One might expect the title to be offered to a spiker who scored the most points. But while Bayside holds its traditions dear, branching out creates just as big of an impact.

This year, MVP was awarded to the team’s setter, Brelynn Dailey. “I was so surprised because setters never get recognition. It’s usually the hitters,” said Brelynn. “There’s been only one other setter in Bayside’s history that’s

won MVP. I was shocked and so happy. [It was] very emotional.”

Now, to address the elephant in the room-or in this case, the gym.

Predictably, COVID-19 left an indelible mark on the season. “We couldn’t travel at the beginning of the season,” said Brelynn. “Couldn’t ride the bus, stay in hotel rooms, nothing.” For the team, these traditions thread everyone together. But despite the setbacks from COVID-19, the girls persevered, and continued to play and practice with commendable effort.

Setting a national record is something many sports teams could only dream of. But with Bayside’s group of extraordinary players dedicated to volleyball, that record is always within their grasp. Countless factors, from the coach, to the traditions, to the friendships that bond the entire team, play a part in immortalizing the legacy of Bayside’s volleyball team.

Athletics Cross Country: Featuring “The Nugs” Marlee Moore ‘23, and Millison Mixon ‘23, Reporters

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ur sport is your sport’s punishment.” This is a popular phrase within the cross country community. But what does being a cross country athlete really entail?

BA Today interviewed some varsity athletes and their coach, Joe Swagart, to find out.

Commonly referred to as “the Nugs,” a small group of sophomore guys work tirelessly everyday to sharpen their running skills and improve their stamina. Ty Postle, the number one runner on the boys’ team, recalls that former upperclassmen Sam Britain ‘19 and Spencer Gaberino ‘20 coined the term when the Nugs were just seventh graders.

The name has stuck, with most upper school students referring to them as “the Nugs.” Now several inches taller and voices several octaves deeper, these guys dominate the competition each weekend.

Head coach, Joe Swagart, explains that COVID-19 and the hurricanes have greatly affected the season this year. “This has been the great adversity we have faced this year, as we have not competed in as many meets as usual and our training hasn’t been as consistent as it has in years past.”

He further explains that the team has “faced more injuries and individual setbacks than ever before.” Despite this, he brags on his hard-working athletes, explaining that he’s super proud of what they’ve accomplished thus far.

In the face of these hardships, the team has performed extremely well. At sectionals, the Bayside boys team finished 2nd overall in a 4A competition.

Ty finished 2nd, Trey McKean finished 4th, John Thomas Neill finished 10th, and Ashton Rowland finished 12th.

Additionally, seventh grader Kyle

“The Nugs” 3 years apart [A. McKean]

Cooper finished seventh. At the state meet, Ty achieved All-State honors, finishing 13th out of all of the boys that competed in the 4A division.

The boys explain some of their favorite memories with the team, including pasta dinners, bus rides, and running at Blakely State Park. Wilson Engeriser, another member of the Nugs, says,“It’s more of a team sport and less of an individual [sport] than people realize,” so it’s important to have fun together.

Trey agrees, describing all of their team bonding and that “you’re in pain together, and for some reason, that makes a good bonding experience.” He also explains that they have a young team this year, so there is lots of mentorship.

Although this year has been extremely difficult, these athletes still

manage to prevail by continuing to work hard and improve their times.

Their dedication to this sport is admirable. Even though many people see running as a punishment, these boys are passionate about it and are excited to see where it takes them.

“It’s more of a team sport and less of an individual [sport] than people realize.” --Wilson Engeriser ‘23

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Athletics Athletic College Signings Isabella McCormick ‘21, Editor-in-Chief

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n a Thursday afternoon in the lobby of the Pilot Center, Miriam McCoy and Colton Thompson took the next step in their athletic careers. Colton signed to the University of Montevallo (Montevallo, AL) to play volleyball, and Miriam signed to Mississippi College (Clinton, MS) to play golf.

The girls sat at either end of a long table adorned with balloons representing the colleges’ colors: purple and gold for Montevallo, blue and gold for Mississippi College. Chairs were set out for family members while teachers and friends stood. The volleyball team could be seen sitting on the floor behind the chairs, supporting their friend and teammate Colton. In front of Miriam’s seat, a picture of her late father was displayed, with whom she shared her passion for golf.

Coach Lasseter, the golf coach,

started off the event by praising the girls for their achievement and expressing the school’s pride for them.

Then, volleyball coach Ann Schilling spoke about Colton, telling the audience that she has watched Colton grow as a person and a player for over ten years. Coach Schilling listed “competitor” as one word to best describe Colton, citing her perseverance and winning attitude on the court.

Schilling finished by saying that she couldn’t be happier for Colton to go on to the next level.

BA Today asked Colton what she is most excited for about playing volleyball at the collegiate level. Expressing excitement for her future, Colton talked about looking forward to making new friends and more memories with her college teammates. She feels like a lot will change, but it will be for the better.

After Coach Schilling, Caroline Skadow, the girls’ golf coach, stood up to speak about Miriam. She expressed how proud she was of Miriam, and just like Coach Schilling, she mentioned having watched Miriam grow over the years. Coach Skadow said that Miriam has been a key contributor to the golf team. Skadow also recounted how thrilled she was when, over the summer, Miriam called her to say that she wanted to play golf at the collegiate level.

Miriam told BA Today that she is excited to play on new golf courses and have new experiences in college.

As the girls signed their letters of intent, cameras clicked rapidly, followed by raucous applause from loving friends and family. BA Today wishes Colton and Miriam luck as they pursue their passions into college!

Kats Don’t Like Water...Or Do They?

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Grace Steele ‘22, Reporter, and Leah Jha ‘22, Managing Editor

ust keep swimming.” Wise words said by the aquatic icon Dory from Finding Nemo. Speaking of aquatic icons, Bayside’s own, senior Kat Burns, is making a splash in the new swimming season.

Kat has been swimming since she was three. However, like most young swimmers, that only included practicing during the summer months.

To young swimmers, free popsicle coupons rewarded to race winners are a much higher priority than having conversations about sticking with the sport while heading into the school year. The idea of commitment is what deters many swimmers from year-round teams and why summertime meets are a lot more crowded than ones held in the dead of winter.

Fortunately for Bayside’s swim team,

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Kat decided to leave behind drippy ice cream cones and slimy sunscreen to pursue a high school swim career starting her sophomore year.

“I’ve always enjoyed summer league swim in the past but decided to take it more seriously in high school.”

Along with joining Bayside’s team, Kat also began year-round swimming the same year. She dedicated herself to improving, and is now able to reap the rewards of her hard work by placing at meets. The events she excels at include the 50 and 100 meter freestyle, as well as the 100 meter breaststroke. She’s also taken home two gold medals for winning the 200 meter medley relay and the 200 meter freestyle Relay at State in 2019.

During her time as a swimmer, Kat has had to say goodbye to many grad-

uating seniors bound for college. This year, however, she’ll be the lone graduate on the team. When asked how she felt about being the only senior on Bayside’s swim team, Kat had a decidedly positive outlook, saying, “It’s cool being the only senior because it gives me a chance to have a closer bond to the people in the grades below me.”

When part of a sports team, goal-setting comes as naturally as the huffing and puffing following a challenging practice. Short term, Kat’s goals include “[continuing] to improve and [being] the best swimmer and teammate [she] can be.” Jumping forward to long term, Kat aims to stick with her swimming career by joining the Montevallo college team. Like Dory, Kat aspires to “just keep swimming.”

Athletics

How COVID-19 has Affected Cheerleading

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Wilson Engeriser ‘23, and Miranda McDonald ‘23, Reporters

OVID-19 has affected numerous sports, including cheerleading.

Some of the changes this year include: virtual tryouts, wearing masks during practice, and the exemption from pep-rallies at school.

Before the pandemic, Bayside Academy anticipated each performance that the cheerleaders would present. Pep-rallies were a key component in exciting the fans, however, due to social-distancing complications, there have not been any pep-rallies this year.

Interviews with three of the team members provided some insight into some of the struggles that they have had to deal with.

Caroline Crum, a junior, stated that one of the most challenging aspects of this year was that “practice started later and we had less time to prepare for the football season.”

Similarly, Sophomore Amelia Cunningham commented that “we had a

few girls out because of quarantining so that was a struggle.”

On November 5, the varsity cheerleading team competed in regionals at the Mobile Civic Center. The girls stretched and prepared for their performance outside, because social-distancing rules prevented all of the teams from gathering inside the Civic Center. The girls came in second in their division while the Opp cheer team won.

“I felt that we could have scored better, but we kept our heads up,” Caroline said.

“We got second at regionals which, of course, is disappointing, but I believe that we tried our best and truly represented Bayside,” expressed Sarah Higginbotham.

Even though this school year has been chaotic and unpredictable, the varsity cheerleading team has shown true dedication and grit to their sport.

Meg Will cheers to the crowd [A. Cunningham]

Team cheer photo [A. Cunningham]

Happy Holidays From The BA Today Staff!

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