The Shield Vol 69 Issue 1

THE

SHIELD

Bishop Kenny High School | Jacksonville, Fla. | Volume 69 | Issue 1

FEATURES 10

Meet the new teachers of Bishop Kenny

NEWS 3

OPINION 17

A&E 20

SPORTS 23

Vaccinations mandated for federal workers

Holiday decorations released too soon

Kenny Kravings: pumpkin spice and everything nice

Senior XC runner strives to break 20-minute 5K

THE

SHIELD

The Shield is student news magazine, published quarterly by journalism students at Bishop Kenny High School 1055 Kingman Ave., Jacksonville, Fla. 32207 phone: (904) 265-9390 fax: (904) 398-5728 The policy of The Shield is to provide a forum for student expression. If you are interested in advertising in The Shield, email newspaper@ bishopkenny.org for more information. Letters to the editor are encouraged; submit to room 224.

Names can be withheld upon request.

The Shield is a member of FSPA.

Copy Editor Grace Jennings Editor in Chief Elena Vincenty Layout and Design Editor Jessica Golden Public Relations Manager Addison Mark Web Manager Charli Esposito Staff Reporters Cate Dudley, Noah Ferrizzi, Mikaela Georgi, Parker Harms, Grace Hayag, Ava Liuzzo, Abigail Milkes, Audrey Moody, Haley Samaan, Stella Shaw Adviser Jessica Durbin Cover art by: Elena Vincenty Follow The Shield on Twitter, Instagram, and online: @bk_theshield www.bktoday.org

CONTENTS 3 5 7

NEWS

VACCINATION MANDATES ADDAMS FAMILY ANTICS HONORING 9/11

FEATURES

9 SERVING UP SERVICE 10 PARKING LOT FACE-OFF 12 GET IN THE NEW 14 SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE?

17 18

19 20 21 22

23

OPINION

HURRYING THE HOLIDAYS HEAR ME ROAR

A&E

PODCAST BROADCAST KENNY KRAVINGS LIVING THE STREAM KENNY KUPID

SPORTS

ATHLETE OF THE ISSUE

ISSUE 1 • NEWS 3

Grace Jennings | Copy Editor

M

COVID-19 vaccines for corporate, healthcare, federal workers

ore than 50 businesses in New York began requiring COVID-19 vaccines for entry starting in mid-August, according to ABC New York.

Restaurants, entertainment venues, bars and indoor gyms will only allow entry to patrons who can provide proof of at least the first dose.

Certain corporate employees, healthcare workers and federal employees are required to be vaccinated.

Corporations such as Cisco, CVS Health, Walmart and Google released deadlines for their employees to be vaccinated by, according to the Los Angeles Times. These

deadlines range from midSeptember to late November.

The trend of COVID-19 vaccine mandates followed the spread of the Delta variant, a more contagious strain of the virus which first appeared in the U.S. in March.

Baptist Health announced on Aug. 3 that workers of its five hospitals are required to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 15. Exceptions for “medical contraindications and sincerely held religious beliefs” will be given, according to the Florida TimesUnion, Other hospitals in Jacksonville

such as Mayo Clinic and Ascension St. Vincent’s will also require COVID-19 vaccines for staff members.

On Sept. 2, President Biden announced that all businesses with 100 or more employees must ensure that every worker is either vaccinated or wears a mask and undergoes weekly COVID-19 testing.

“We’re in a tough stretch, and it could last for a while,” Biden said in a press release.

“We can and we will turn the tide on COVID-19.”

Biden also announced that federal employees have

until Nov. 22 to be fully vaccinated, and members of the U.S. military must be fully vaccinated by Dec. 15 or face withdrawal.

As of Sept. 28, 52% of Americans have been fully vaccinated, with that percentage on the rise.

According to the New York Times, though, experts say that “herd immunity,” having enough of the population immunized to slow the spread of the virus, is unlikely.

“I’m saying: Forget [herd immunity] for a second,” Chief Medical Advisor to the President Dr. Anthony Fauci said. “You vaccinate enough people, the infections are going to go down.”

4 THE SHIELD • OCT. 2021

ISSUE 1 • NEWS 5

Audrey Moody | Staff Reporter

Macabre meets comedy in BK musical production

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he Theatre Department will perform “The Addams Family” as its fall play this weekend.

In the play, Wednesday Addams, played by sophomore Giovanna Feitoza, and Lucas Beineke, played by senior Mark Pritchard, are an engaged couple preparing for their nuptials. But Wednesday’s Uncle Fester, played by sophomore Olivia Lacy, tries to squash the romance by enlisting the help of his family.

The couple decides to have both families realize that the relationship will be okay by inviting them to dinner.

“When I first heard about us doing ‘The Addams

Family,’ I was a little worried because of the time, set and costumes that it required,” junior Mikaela Georgi said.

Georgi is director of the musical.

For the first time, the set backdrops will be digital instead of physical. Creating backdrops and set design has been time consuming for the department in the past, but now that the sets are digital, they have more time to rehearse.

“We’re still playing with it, but it’s wise for us to look at it as a new way to use backdrops,” theatre teacher Jeanie Wilks said. “It not only adds different dimensions to our musical, it modernizes it.”

Wilks, who acts as producer and team manager for the musical, was inspired by former students to select this play.

“I’ve always had ‘The Addams Family’ close to my heart because for years my students would call me ‘Morticia,’” Wilks said.

“Our fall musical also fell in October, so I felt it was natural.”

‘The Addams Family’ is the first Halloween-themed fall show in recent history, according to Wilks.

“I was really excited to hear that we were going to do ‘The Addams Family’ this year,” junior Blanca Cuartas said. “I would always watch it

when I was a kid, so it really is a childhood classic for me.”

Cuartas plays the role of Morticia Addams, and her husband Gomez is played by senior Frankie Alvarez.

Bishop Estevez of the Diocese of St. Augustine reportedly plans to attend the opening night of the musical, which at the time of this publication is sold out.

The musical is scheduled for Friday Oct. 15 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday Oct. 16 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in the Carla Harris Performing Arts Center.

Tickets can be purchased from bishopkennyboxoffice.org for $13 per person, or $15 each at the door.

6 THE SHIELD • OCT. 2021

ISSUE 1 • NEWS 7

Parker Harms | Staff Reporter

vonne Spillers was a 30-year-old working at MTB Radio. She worked at 1633 Broadway.

She called her husband once she got to work to say she got there safely because she was nine months pregnant at the time. He told her to turn on the TV. “And so I put the TV on and I saw the plane hit the first tower and I thought ‘Oh my goodness, that’s a really bad pilot like how did you not, you know, see that or why were you flying so low.”

As everyone walked in, they started to crowd around the TV, just in time for the second plane to hit.

“Right away, everybody knew that something was wrong,” Spillers said.

By the time they all went to leave, trains and busses were not in use. The only way out was the ferries. She took a cab to get to the ferry port and take the ferry back to New Jersey to get to her husband.

“57th Street, if you know New York at all, it’s a four lane road and there wasn’t a car on the road,” Spillers said, “That was the eeriest thing.”

The lines for the ferries extended 12 blocks. Being nine months pregnant, she knew she could not have been in that line for long. The cab driver took her to the front and the ferry workers put her on the ferry right away.

“The other eerie thing about going to, on the ferry

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

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Remembering survivor stories on fateful anniversary

The South Tower burned for 56 minutes and the North Tower burned for 104 minutes.

to the New Jersey side was that’s where they had triage setup for any survivors, um, anyone who needed medical attention,” Spillers said.

Pentagon Attack Computer science teacher Bradley Winkler was working for the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the Pentagon. On his was to work that morning, he saw the smoke and recieved a page from his boss to turn around to go home. His roommates were already at his apartment.

“When I walked in they had it on TV and they told me,” Winkler said.

“Immediately, I contacted my other roommate who I worked with.”

Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon, was originally supposed to hit the side with all of the “big wigs”,

such as the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of Air Force. The side that they did, however, was recently renovated.

“And so on the day of the attack there was only 150 people on this side of the building. There was supposed to have been more,” Winkler said. “If they had hit any other building the casualties would have been quadrupled.”

Fate of Flight 93 Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, was the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil to date.

Four commercial airplanes were hijacked by members of the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda, and one such plane was United Flight 93.

Although the world may not know for sure what Flight 93’s target was, there is one

thing known: the passengers on that flight were heroes.

Flight 93 was hijacked around 9:28 a.m. The hijackers seized control of the cockpit, turning east towards Washington D.C. The passengers and crew crowded towards the back of the plane, making calls on cell phones and in-flight Airfones.

As they informed friends and family of their hijacking, they learned the news of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon.

They realized then that they were involved in a large-scale attack.

After a brief vote and discussion, the passengers agreed to fight back, informing those on the ground of their plan. Many called home to say their final “I love you” and goodbyes. Tod Beamer, who was the believed leader of the rebellion against the hijackers, said the famous quote, “Let’s roll.”

Using boiling water and a food cart, they rammed the door to the cockpit. As the hijackers realized that they would not reach their destination, they started to put the plane down. At 10:02 a.m. the cockpit voice recorder recorded a voice saying, “Yes, put it in it, and pull it down.”

The airplane rolled on its back and plummeted into an empty field at 580 miles per hour in Shanksville, Pa., killing all 37 passengers on board.

8 THE SHIELD • OCT. 2021

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ISSSUE 1 • FEATURES 9

Cate Dudley | Staff Reporter

T

Look into the average FCCLA meeting

he Future Community and Career Leaders of America (FCCLA) is commonly known at Kenny as the Home Ec. Club.

The club focuses on community service, sewing and cooking. Students can pursue leadership opportunities including president, vice president, treasurer, historian, chaplain and secretary.

“The main [service opportunity] is Treats for

Teachers,” club sponsor Bernadette Bakkar said.

Treats for Teachers is a monthly opportunity where members make two dozen homemade treats or snacks to deliver to each teachers’ lounge on campus.

“We also do the drawstring bags that we donate,” Bakkar said.

Students can also receive service hours by sewing masks and drawstring bags that are then filled with toiletries

and supplies to donate to the homeless.

An average FCCLA meeting begins with the members signing in and getting settled, and then Bakkar gives a demonstration of the snack that will be made that day.

Club members then gather the recipe and ingredients and make small groups in the “kitchens” around the room.

Once they have made the snack, everyone works to

clean up the kitchens and do the dishes.

Junior Emily Malzahn has been a member of FCCLA for three years. It is her first year in a leadership position as the club secretary.

“It’s nice to be able to spend time with my friends, cooking and having a good snack is relaxing after a stressful day at school,” Malzahn said.

Clockwise from left: Senior Sophia Parry slices up a snack; Member of FCCLA sews a drawstring bag; Senior Roman Tyson shows off a ready-to-bake pizza.

10 THE SHIELD • OCT. 2021

Haley Samaan and Parker Harms | Staff Reporters

Quick Q&A with faculty, staff new to BK

Heather Mark Which courses do you teach?

English 1 and English 2 How long have you been teaching?

11 years Which extracurricular activities are you involved with?

Kenny Angels

Bethany Redman Which courses do you teach?

Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 How many years have you been teaching?

Three years Which extracurricular activities are you involved with?

Gameday manager

John Jakubowski

Brandon Eaves

Which courses do you teach?

Biology and chemistry How many years have you been teaching?

One year Which extracurricular activities are you involved with?

Theatre and assistant boys soccer coach

Which courses do you teach?

Religion 2 How long have you been teaching?

One year Which extracurricular activities are you involved with?

Assistant football coach

Shelby Zellen Which courses do you teach?

Chorus, Band, Drumline, Keyboarding and Guitar How many years have you been teaching?

One year Which extracurricular activities are you involved with?

Theatre and Tri-M Music Honor Society

Adriane Mendoza Which courses do you teach?

Religion 2 How many years have you been teaching?

Eight years Which extracurricular activities are you involved with?

Assistant girls cross-country coach

ISSSUE 1 • FEATURES 11

Alexandra Escobar Which courses do you teach?

Spanish 2 How long have you been teaching?

Five years Which extracurricular activities are you involved with?

Interact Club

William Mayer Which courses do you teach?

World Cultural Geography and World History How many years have you been teaching?

23 years Which extracurricular activities are you involved with?

Head girls basketball coach

Brad Winkler Which courses do you teach?

AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A and Digital Information Technology How long have you been teaching?

17 years Which extracurricular activities are you involved with?

JV head indoor volleyball coach and JV head beach volleyball coach

Scott Abrahamson

Which courses do you teach?

Algebra 2 and Algebra 2 Honors How long have you been teaching?

Five years Which extracurricular activities are you involved with?

Assistant wrestling coach and assistant baseball coach

12 THE SHIELD • OCT. 2021

New dance, step teams take school spirit to next level

F

Photo by Haley Samaan

ive…six…seven… eight…

Hard at work in practice, the loud voices of both the dance and step team can be heard echoing through the gym foyer and cafeteria.

The new BK Elite Dance Team and Step Team provide opportunities for those who want to express themselves and share their BK spirit through performance. Students will have a front row seat to watch these two new teams develop on campus, each with its own unique features.

Dance team is back With pom-poms in the air and smiles on their faces, members of the new dance team run onto the gym floor, ready to perform at the first pep rally of the school year.

Led by coaches Jennifer Richardson and Amanda Centorrino, the Elite Dance Team is for individuals who are “willing to be dedicated and have pride in what they do,” Richardson said.

The rebirth of the dance team after 10 years was fueled by student and parent

Dance team finishes homecoming pep rally dance with split line.

interest. Richardson and Centorrino both danced in high school, so when they heard requests for a dance team, they decided to take over as sponsors.

The 14-member dance team performs at football games, pep rallies and basketball games. The team hopes to take part in local competitions and perform at the annual Miss BK Pageant in March.

Because dance is based on team effort and synchronization, it is essential

that team members get to know one another.

Senior captain Jessica Golden leads the team and says she hopes to ensure that everyone on the team feels supported.

“There are some girls who are less experienced than others, and I know that can be discouraging,” Golden said.

“I just try to make it a very welcoming environment for all of them.”

According to Richardson, the team is working towards bigger goals, while trying to

perfect their routines. They say they want the dances to be clean, for members to have fun while performing and create a tight-knit team that will evolve throughout the years.

“We were looking for girls that are wanting to show school spirit through dance,” Richardson said. “All of the girls we have this year definitely exemplify all of that. They have a passion for dancing and they love Bishop Kenny and so it’s just a good combination.”

Steppers pioneer new style at BK Listening to Coach Constance Dandridge, one can’t help but be inspired by her vision of a step team made up of diverse individuals who are willing to try something new.

The team was created to “bring a different sport, something that shows togetherness,” Dandridge said. “That allows for everyone to be involved, whether male, female, any grade, any ethnicity.”

Dandridge believes that

ISSSUE 1 • FEATURES 13

Abby Milkes | Staff Reporter

the team will provide an opportunity for members to express themselves through their willingness to do something they have never done before.

“The main priority within the team is that the dancers

love what they do, and not care about what anyone else thinks,” Dandridge said.

Step is a type of dance that uses the whole body to produce sounds and rhythms through stomping, clapping and speaking. It was created in the African American community, but has evolved to include Latino and Asian cultures as well, according to essence.com.

The step team will perform at basketball games and pep rallies as well as public venues such as Jacksonville University.

Because the floor needs to be hard in order to hear the steps, the team will not perform at football games.

For many members, the step team is an opportunity to go outside of their comfort zone.

“Back at my middle school they had a step team over the summer, and I didn’t do it because I was scared,” sophomore Sergine Abelard

said. “And so I thought, why not do it now?”

The team is focused on having fun than on winning competitions. Confidence and an eagerness to learn are essential.

Dandridge wants the team to “show a personality that is them 100% and not try to cover up anything about themselves.”

The step team hasn’t performed yet, but BK will get to see a whole new style of dance hit the gym floor for the first time in school history.

“I really see

that it could go big,”

Junior Robin Bell practicing at step team rehearsal.

Dandridge said.

Dandridge encourages anyone interested in trying out for the step team to see it as an opportunity to go try something new.

“Step out. Be bold.

Do something different.

Everybody wants to play basketball, everybody wants to do volleyball. Try something new,” Dandridge said. “Go against the grain. Stop trying to go where everyone else is going.”

14 THE SHIELD • OCT. 2021

Ava Luizzo | Staff Reporter

F “I like C Lot because my friends park there and it is easy to leave school.”

-junior Morgan Manuel

“I like F Lot because it is shady and not a lot of people park there.”

-junior Jancarlo Negron

“I like how all the juniors park in B Lot and how it’s close to my extracurriculars.”

-junior Isabella Farhat

C

D E

B A

F

ISSSUE 1 • FEATURES 15

“Parking spots in G Lot are big and easy to pull out of.”

-junior Leo Rodriguez

G

“I like E lot because my friends park there and it is close to my classes.”

-sophomore Ava Frattle

“It’s [B Lot] in the middle of everything and there is shade for my car and the parking spaces are the perfect size too.

It just has the best vibes.”

-senior Abby Measor

“Senior [A] Lot is the best lot because it is close to all the buildings.”

-senior Anna Akel

16 THE SHIELD • OCT. 2021

ISSUE 1 • OPINION 17

Elena Vincenty | Editor-in-Chief

Are festive decorations arriving too soon?

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he results are in, and 73% of you believe that seasonal items are not coming in too early.

Shame on you all.

Pumpkin spice came back to Starbucks on August 24, and I am a little hesitant to get on board with that. Once it hits early to mid-September, I feel fall items are more fitting. After all, in Florida the scorching heat sticks around through September, so having a pumpkin spice latte just doesn’t hit the same.

It’s true that Spirit Halloween shops start opening around Labor Day weekend, nearly two months before the actual holiday.

Halloween at least gets some recognition; Thanksgiving gets such a short period of time between Halloween and Christmas,

in some sort of way.

Christmas is a different story though.

To start off, there is Christmas in July.

Christmas in July, people.

158 students sureyed: What’s your favorite seasonal item?

and it really doesn’t even get any special products. It just gets meshed into Halloween

According to ‘Southern Living,’ the tradition began 84 years ago at a girls summer camp called “Keystone Camp” in Brevard, N.C. The whole camp took part in the ‘theme’ of Christmas and it included all the basic

traditional festivities of the time: a Christmas tree, carolers, Santa Claus and fake snow made from cotton. From this, Christmas in July sprung to life for all of America.

I understand wanting to feel the Christmas spirit early on in the year, but if you celebrate it too early, you almost lose some of the magic, right? Once Christmastime actually arrives, it’s not as special anymore because you began your celebrations months ago.

I think this kind of idea applies to each of the holidays: if you start a holiday too early, it loses its ‘special feeling’ once its actual time of year comes around.

So maybe this year, try holding off on the early holiday festivities; live in the present and don’t rush time.

18 THE SHIELD • OCT. 2021

Addison Mark | Public Relations Manager

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early 97% of women say they have at least one negative thought about their body every day.

These negative thoughts may include: “Don’t eat that, you’re obese. All the pretty girls are a size two,” or “I’m ugly. Too skinny. Look sick,” according to CBS News.

It’s sad that so many women have thoughts like these because loving your body can make you mentally and physically healthier.

The animosity people have for their bodies can lead to mental health issues such as an eating disorder.

Anorexia nervosa (starving yourself) and bulimia nervosa (binge eating followed by forced purging) are the most common eating disorders, according to Healthline.

A common mental disorder that often accompanies anorexia and bulimia is body dysmorphic disorder. This occurs when people cannot stop thinking

Loving your body in a beauty-obsessed world about flaws or defects in their appearance and they constantly believe that people are judging them, which can

lead to depression and/or suicidal thoughts.

“For someone who’s really struggling with negative body image, it’s not just an easy fix,” campus minister and AP Psychology teacher Alexandra Maples said.

Maples advises students afflicted with such issues. “[A solution] could be coming in to talk to me, it could be me recommending a good therapist or counselor.”

Bradley University discovered that 90% of men deal with negative body image. Like women, they look at influencers or celebrities on social media and make unhealthy or unrealistic comparisons. “[Social media] is just misleading because behind that picture you see, they could be spending five hours a day at the gym, or having a paid nutritionist telling them what to eat, or be starving themselves and are actually not healthy at all,” Maples said.

Social media can be damaging to teenagers who are learning to love their bodies. It is filled with lies that make us feel absolutely horrible about ourselves.

“Social media is filled with unrealistic people that make [the negative thoughts] really bad,” one senior, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

“It affects how I view myself and what I eat if I want to stay

skinny and not get bloated.”

There is nothing we can do to change the way we look (to a point) and who we are.

We can’t be someone else, because we weren’t made to be someone else. We are all made unique in the image of God to be our own person: beautiful, imperfect and messy.

In Jeremiah 1:5, God says to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.”

God had our existence in mind long before we were actually created. That makes each of us so special, and the fact that He knows and loves every one of us is amazing.

He gave us our bodies to love, not to hate, and He has made each of us beautiful in His image. Because of this, we need to eat, exercise and, most importantly, we need to love ourselves inside and out for we are all beautifully loved.

ISSUE 1 • OPINION 19

Ava Liuzzo | Staff Reporter

Podcasts from a new listener’s perspective

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hat’s the best way to fix a broken iPod?A pod-cast!

Though not all podcasts are as funny as this joke, there are thousands of podcasts ranging from comedy to true crime that can overwhelm a new listener who is unsure of where to start.

First off, a new listener should figure out what genre of podcast he or she is interested in, and there are podcasts for every situation and every interest.

“I don’t listen to podcasts often, but when I do, I listen to them while I do homework to help me focus,” sophomore

Davis Johnson said.

If using podcasts to get into a focused state of mind doesn’t interest the listener, he or she may instead like listening to podcasts in the car to take their mind off of school, or at the beach trying to relax. “[I] started out listening to podcasts to pass time,” junior Josie Rill said. “But they ended up teaching [me] new things and it quickly turned into a

hobby.”

That’s right; there are even educational podcasts.

Though these may sound boring to some, educational podcasts can be fascinating, and can allow the listener to feel productive in any situation.

If the listener still finds no interest in these podcasts, don’t forget about podcasts made by celebrities and influencers. Celebrities such as Emma Chamberlain,

Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey have popular podcasts for a variety of audiences.

Once the listener figures out a genre of interest, all he or she has to do is go into a podcast streaming app, such as Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and search for one that matches those interests.

Even if the listener has had a negative podcast experience before, or heard bad things about them in the past, he or she may be surprised and find their next obsession.

20 THE SHIELD • OCT. 2021

Jessica Golden | Design and Layout Editor

Review of pumpkin flavored foods in time for spooky season ell, well, well! Look who’s back for another food review.

While the staff was hard at

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work figuring out what to write for the first issue of the new school year, I knew exactly what I would be

writing: a fall food review!

Just in time for flannels and bonfires, I sampled some of the best pumpkin flavored

Dunkin’ Donuts is known as Starbucks’ biggest competitor, and there’s nothing I love more than some friendly competition.

I ordered the pumpkin Munchkins and an iced Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte. My order in total was $7.51; a bit cheaper than Starbucks. The Munchkins

were delectable. They were moist and light, and the pumpkin flavor was sweet but not overpowering.

The latte, on the other hand, was not my favorite. It had a hint of pumpkin spice flavoring, but for the most part, it just tasted like milk and I couldn’t even taste the espresso. I think I’ll stick with

Starbucks coffee for now.

Dunkin’ Donuts 11657 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32246 (904) 641-6494 @dunkin

Crumbl Cookies has been a nationwide phenomenon for months. When the first location opened in Jacksonville, people went absolutely crazy for it. The line was out the door almost every single night.

Crumbl Cookies releases four new flavors every week.

Lucky enough for me, they had a caramel pumpkin

flavored cookie on my September 2 visit.

It cost me $3.99 for a single cookie. And it’s exactly what it sounds like: caramel and pumpkin flavored dough topped with buttercream frosting and pumpkin spice sprinkled on top.

It was served warm and had an amazing gooey texture that melted in my mouth.

The pumpkin flavoring was a bit overpowering and if you do not like icing, it is not the cookie for you because they are heavy handed with the icing job. It was good in small increments but the cookie is definitely made to share; I suggest going with your family or a few friends.

Crumbl Cookies 3267 Hodges Blvd #2, Jacksonville, FL 32224 (904) 373-4947 @crumblcookies

I went to the Starbucks location on Beach Blvd. and St. John’s Bluff Rd. for a little pick-me-up before dance class. I ordered the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and the Pumpkin Loaf. My total for both items was $8.60.

I used to be an avid pumpkin spice latte drinker, so I was hesitant to try something different. This drink did not disappoint in any way, though.

The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is Starbucks’ signature cold brew with vanilla syrup and topped with pumpkin cream cold foam and a sprinkling of pumpkin spice. It was the perfect amount of coffee and “cream.” It was very smooth and a good combination of sweet and bitter tastes. This will definitely be my go-to fall drink from now on.

The pumpkin loaf was

equally delicious. I thought nothing could compare to my mom’s old fashioned pumpkin bread, but this may have topped it. The employees asked me if I wanted it warmed, and I made the right decision by saying yes. It was the perfect texture and melted right in my mouth. The two together is a bit of a pumpkin overload, but separately they are exquisite.

Starbucks 11222 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32246 (904) 254-0844 @starbucks

goodies for you.

ISSUE 1 • A&E 21

Audrey Moody | Staff Reporter

Film combines family turmoil with superpowers

Image courtesy of Marvel

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f you had the ability to find a lost loved one that you thought was dead at the cost of hurting your family, would you do it?

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” released on Sep. 3 and grossed over $140 million in its opening weekend alone. After three full weeks, it has grossed well over $320 million worldwide.

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, famous for film versions of memoirs “Just Mercy” and “The Glass Castle,” the film features actors such as Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Awkwafina, Ben Kingsley and Fala Chen.

The film centers around Shang-Chi, who, after running away to California from his father when he was 14 years old, is tricked into coming back home to China with his friend Katy. As a boy, his mom was killed by a gang; his father forced him to train as an assassin to not only get revenge on the killers, but to also protect him. That same gang of killers is after the 10 rings, a set of bracelets that grant the wearer immortality and immense strength. These 10 rings have been worn

by Shang-Chi’s father, Fu Manchu (also known as The Mandarin) for the past 1,000 years.

Shang-Chi’s sister Xialing also ran away when she was 16 years old after realizing her brother would never come back home. Both Shang-Chi and Xialing return home 10

years later to find that their father believes his late wife is calling to him to open a wall in her home village of Ta-Lo. The superhero ShangChi is based on a Marvel comic by Jim Starlin and Steve Englehart. The debut comic titled “Special Marvel Edition No. 15” did not gain as much popularity as Marvel had anticipated, so Shang-

Chi flew under the radar to newer generation Marvel fans.

This latest movie in Phase Four of Marvel has brought Shang-Chi to light and gained the superhero newfound popularity.

Before seeing the movie, I was not the biggest fan of Marvel, but after seeing Shang-Chi, I want to go watch the other movies and see the

newest ones coming out. The next planned Phase Four movie is Marvel’s “Eternals,” which personally I am excited to see.

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” has a fairly easy plot to follow, even if you are not a big fan of Marvel movies. My favorite battle scene in the film would have to be when The Mandarin and his army invade the village of Ta-Lo. The fighting seemed realistic and had me on the edge of my seat. Even though a lot of the actors fighting were up on ropes to make their jumps and attacks look more superhuman, it looked way more like an actual battle than just a movie being filmed in front of a green screen.

I also enjoyed the cast of this film and the actors bringing their own personality to the table. One actor, Awkwafina (who plays Katy), is a comedian and her delivery of the lines was very spunky and fit her character archetype as the best friend well.

Shang-Chi is the first Asian superhero protagonist for Marvel on the big screen, along with the film having a majority Asian cast. I would say this is definitely a step in the right direction, for not only superhero movies, but for all future films and shows.

If you’re a superhero fan or just looking for a good movie to watch, “Shang-Chi” is a must-see for all audiences.

22 THE SHIELD • OCT. 2021

D

Senior struggles with multiple relationships

ear Kenny Kupid,

Being a senior is harder than anyone told me. I’m having some trouble deciding what’s best for me and what I want. I’m trying to find the right options for college and I have too many options for a boyfriend. What do you think I should do?

Over the summer, I grew close to several great guys and they all happen to be single… this is where it gets confusing.

I’m single too, but there’s four of them and one of me.

I don’t want to commit to one guy because I like them all for different reasons. Plus, it’s such a confidence booster going out with different guys because they all see me in a different light and like opposite things about me.

Like this weekend, I went to watch Guy 1’s football game then went out after for dinner. Then Saturday night, I went out with Guy 3 to a party and he drove me home.

On Sunday, Guy 2 came over to help me study for Mr. Pichardo’s test. After that, I spent the whole night on FaceTime with Guy 4 talking about the Orlando City women’s game.

I enjoy not being tied down or having to put in so

much work like in an official relationship. It’s honestly so much more fun to not be committed to any one person, especially with all the college application stress.

It’s also complicated because even though I’d say I like each of them equally, Guy 3 is definitely swaying the numbers. He’s so polite, generous and intelligent. I get to see him at school plus he likes pineapple on pizza and we have cute inside jokes.

Should I settle down, or go for round two of last weekend?

Sincerely, Indecisive Senior

D

ear Indecisive Senior,

Sounds like you are having a ton of fun and I’m in full support of it. I’d like to remind you that you are a senior and many things in your life are going to change very soon.

Have you always been friends with the same people?

I know mine changed a few times and that’s because people are put into our lives for certain reasons.

Sometimes that reason is a lesson that’s shortlived, or one that lasts a

lifetime. So let’s apply that to guys in this situation.

Are they forever material, or are they just for now and for fun? Either way, people come and go; it’s how you feel about yourself in the present moment.

Although from the fun and free Kupid perspective, you cannot control that these guys are all into you, and it gives me “you go Glenn CoCo” from Mean Girls vibes that you’ve got all this attention.

Here’s what am I thinking: who are you to deprive four great guys of your amazing personality?

And who are you to deprive yourself of the opportunity to experience life and find out what traits you may want in a future relationship?

Girl, go out and have yourself some fun. There’s no need to settle down just yet. Considering you are only going out on level 1 dates (dates where you do fun things to get to know each other) with each guy, it seems pretty fun and harmless. You are young and you only live once. There’s so many people you will meet in your life and if you settle for Guy 3 then you could miss the chance of meeting Liam Hemsworth.

ISSUE 1 • A&E 23

Abby Milkes | Staff Reporter

I

XC runner seeks to break 20 minute 5K in senior season

t’s 4:15 a.m. and senior Kathryn Saunders shuts off her alarm clock with a tiredness in her eyes. As she drags herself out of bed for practice, she reminds herself of her teammates and her goals. She knows what has to be done. If she slacks off now, her times will go off track. If she doesn’t push herself, she will let her team down.

Saunders would have never guessed that running would be an essential part of her high school career, but now she is a three-time state cross country runner and track state medalist.

She started running the summer before her freshman year because an injury prevented her from participating in gymnastics.

Once she began running, she immediately realized that she had found her new passion. Not only does running keep her in shape, but

it also benefits her daily life.

“Running is stress relieving, so when it’s been a really bad day or I’m really stressed out about something going on at school or home, I can run to relieve my stress,” Saunders said.

In addition, she has found a strong support system through her cross country teammates.

“My team is very supportive and regardless if you have a good or a bad race, they are always there to support and encourage you,” Saunders said.

Running is largely viewed as an individual sport, but it still relies on a team effort.

“The team won’t be successful unless everyone is performing at their best and working together to beat the other teams,” Saunders explained.

Whenever she is in the middle of a hard workout,

Saunders reminds herself that she is doing this for her team and for her own success.

“Everyone is going through the same pain, and if I want to achieve my goals this is what I need to do,” Saunders said.

And cross country, according to Saunders, has influenced other aspects of her life, teaching her persistence and a good work ethic.

“I have learned that I can achieve anything that I want to accomplish,” Saunders said.

“Running is an extremely difficult and painful sport, and I have learned that this intense effort can be applied

to things outside of running.”

Saunders attributes her successes to her coaches.

“They are always there to push me and help me when I’m struggling with running and with everything else,” Saunders said.

With accomplishments ranging from running varsity all four years, attending states for cross country for the past three years, placing sixth at states for the 4x800 in track and becoming district runnerup for the two mile in track, Saunders is #35 on the Bishop Kenny all-time best 5Ks leaderboard, which is posted next to the track.

This season, Saunders hopes to break her current personal record of 20:12 in the 5K, or 3.11 miles. With her time, she currently averages a 6:30 mile, and will have to improve that pace to break her time.

To hear her tell it, she can’t stop now. One of her goals this season is to run under 19:45 in the 5K. Looking forward to the track season, she hopes to run under 2:28 for a half mile, a 5:25 mile, and sub 11:50 for the two-mile.

Although she’s not sure if she will continue running on a collegiate team, Saunders says she is thankful for her time on the cross country and track teams.

“I will forever cherish the running memories, the friendships that were made and the accomplished feeling that you get once you cross the finish line,” Saunders said.

24 THE SHIELD • OCT. 2021