Time for
Change More on the Black Lives Matter movement and inclusion within Blue Valley schools on page 14
BLUE VALLEY NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS | VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 1
table of contents
NEWS 05 10 20
Let’s Recap preparing for take off decisions 2020
student life 22
mental health and
covid-19
24 26
to play or not to play
college apps and covid-19
FEATURES 6 8 11 12 14 18 27
wait, people want to buy this? is tiktok tik-toxic? pandemic and performance time for change off the hook
elementary schoolers vs coronavirus
opinion 28
2| The North Star | october 2020
meet the staff
changes to the english curriculum: what comes next?
rebooting clubs by gaby kill ruth bader ginsburg: leaving behind her legacy by yasmeen saadi on the way to the white house: the debates by jack toal
STAFF
online
ready, set, GO! by jack toal
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF ellianna cierpiot yasmeen saadi
web editors angelica henson charitha lakkireddy
social media alex doege
copy editors maddie austin Caroline CLarke KARA DESKIN
staff writers
socials
reece bachta adelaide edwards caroline haines gaby kill arshiya pant ella shafer ella thomas jack toal
Twitter - @bvnnews snapchat - @bvnnews Instagram - @bvnnews website - bvnnews.com
The North Star is the official high school news publication of Blue Valley North High School, an open forum distributed to all the students five times a year. This is the October issue of volume 35. This issue of The North Star is published digitally through ISSUU. This is a student publication and may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees disclaim any responsibility for the content of this student publication; it is not an expression of School District Policy. Students and editors are solely responsible for the content of this student publication.
October 2020 | The North Star | 3
Letter from the editors
Making Changes Surrounded by national political movement and activism, change can be difficult to understand — but it is essential to our future.
O
ur generation exists in an information age. There are hundreds of thousands of pieces of data and new information being thrown at us every day, and when each issue is weighed equally, it’s hard to pick and choose what to care about. We find ourselves strung too far apart, pulled between news stories and statistics and crises. We live in this information age, and as such, words carry power. How we approach problems, how we talk about them, is often seen as more important than the actions we take to solve them, if they get addressed beyond the internet at all. In internet activism, words speak louder than action sometimes — say the wrong thing and you’re pushed away.
progress; it’s the pulse point at which we must press if we want to bring justice and equality.
This summer brought a surge of social media outcry, both for issues in the United States and abroad. Following the death of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement sparked protests across the country calling for equality and justice. Following the death of Breonna Taylor, the same. Our hearts and our newsfeeds have been flooded with similar stories, name after name being painted into murals and written on cardboard signs. We are more acutely aware of tragedy than ever before, and it is weighing down on us.
We, as students, as friends, as members of our community — we have the ability to make that change. There’s a point where both optimism and pessimism just become apathy. Waiting hopefully and passively for things to change, sitting and scrolling through piece after piece of bad news and convincing ourselves there’s nothing we can do, aren’t sustainable options. Even small things add up, give us the political and social efficacy that we need right now. There are distinct and relatively simple things we can do right now to start making changes.
And yet, the police officer who killed Floyd by kneeling on his neck was able to crowdfund for bail. The officers who broke into Taylor’s home and shot her eight times while she slept were only charged for a wayward shot that hit the wall of a neighbor’s apartment. It is so easy to feel disheartened by these decisions, when justice has been pled and rallied for and denied, again and again. It’s easy to feel like nothing we do will create a real, actionable change in society. But, this same summer, the students of BVN acted against inequality. They marched, fundraised, baked cakes and signed petitions because they saw a need for change. Spreading information on social media led to action from students that may seem small, but are a much larger signifier of our generation’s political efficacy — the ability we perceive of ourselves to create political change. Action is the underlying current of
4 | The North Star | October 2020
Many changes have been implemented at BVN recently as a result of the national political climate. Choices to retire books from the English curriculum, to create councils and panels discussing race and racism, these are all actions taken by our community to create progress, although there are differing opinions on what is “enough,” or even “too much,” change. It is understandable to be overwhelmed by change — a feeling many have expressed, not just about changes at BVN. However, change is the language of progress, and progress is something we desperately need — more than just a few changes at school.
It is imperative that we become active members and participants in our democracy. It’s essential that we vote, vote early, vote in local elections and in national ones — no matter what your political opinions are. Encouraging friends to vote, volunteering for local campaigns you align with, spreading information — there are many ways to become involved, even if you can’t vote. We have the power to change the future. - Ellianna Cierpiot and Yasmeen Saadi, Editors-In-Chief
Let’s Recap
News By Yasmeen Saadi
Taking a look back at the events of this summer and start of the school year.
black lives matter
COVID March 13: COVID-19 is
declared a National Emergency.
March 30: the Kansas Stay at Home order begins.
May 4: Stay at Home
order is lifted as Phase One of the Ad Astra Plan begins, limiting gatherings to ten and opening libraries and childhood facilities.
May 22: Phase Two of the Ad
Astra Plan begins, recommending gatherings of no more than 15 and opening small businesses and places such as sports facilites.
June 8: Phase Three of the Ad
Astra Plan begins, recommending gatherings of no more than 45 people, and allowing all education, activities, venues and establishments to operate with public health guidelines.
SEpt. 9: Blue Valley School
District announces online learning due to the pandemic for four weeks, until Oct. 5.
Oct. 5: Blue Valley School District moves to a hybrid learning model.
The death of George Floyd at the hands of police officer, Derek Chauvin on May 25, sparked protests across the country. Demonstrations began on May 26 in Minneapolis and spread as protestors demanded justice for the thousands of Black people killed by law enforcement in America, including Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. Millions of Americans took part in the movement through protests and demonstrations, signing petitions, sharing information, and donating to the BLM organization or other criminal justice reform organizations. A New York Times article suggested the BLM movement may be the largest in US history.
National/global august 4
The port of Beirut, Lebanon exploded causing over 203 deaths, 6500 injuries and $15 billion in property damage.
august 16
The fires within the August Complex ignite in Northern California, caused by lightning, and still burning in six counties. The 2020 wildfire season in California has been worse than any other year, causing many to evacuate.
OCTOBER
Nigerians have been protesting against police brutality with the EndSARS protest movement, demanding government and police reform. Multiple European countries such as Italy, Germany and Belgium, are imposing curfews and social restrictions as they enter a second wave of coronavirus cases.
PAYING TRIBUTE
social media Social media activism surged this summer as people used their platforms to share information and opinions regarding current events, including ways to help different movements and issues around the world. Examples included organizations to donate to, books to read, and ways to get involved. Many students also used their own talents to raise money for donations through selling cupcakes, blankets, and other products. studentactivist
6
ways to really help
YEMEN
studentactivist
WHAT TEENS CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE BLM MOVEMENT
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
chadwick boseman
Ruth Bader Ginsburg served as a justice on the US Supreme Court for 27 years. She helped make rulings to legalize same-sex marriages, protect reproductive rights, and many more.
Chadwick Boseman was an actor, known for his role as the Marvel character, Black Panther. He had previously played Jackie Robinson and James Brown in other movies.
September 18, 2020
august 28, 2020
4 | The North Star | OCTOBER 2020
Feature
ZOOM
Meet the Staff Yasmeen Saadi
Angelica Henson
Q: What food do you enjoy that most people hate? A: Eggs and ketchup
Q: What was your favorite childhood TV show? A: Veggietales
(Editor-In-Chief)
(Online Editor)
Ellianna Cierpiot
(Editor-in-chief) Q: Who is your biggest inspiration? A: artistically, dorian electra— in life, my mom
Maddie Austin
Jack toal
Q: What would your superpower be? A: the ability to speak any language
Q:If you made an app, what would it do? A: Something to do all of my homework
(Copy Editor)
(Staff Writer)
Kara Deskin (Copy Editor)
Q: What would you do with 1 million dollars? A: Use it for traveling, probably
Caroline Clarke
(copy editor) Q: If you could time travel, what would you buy? A: A ticket to a renaissance ball
6 | The North Star | october 2020
ARshiya Pant (Staff Writer)
Q: Who would direct a movie about your life? A: Alfonso Cuaron
78%
Meeting
4:11pm
Adelaide Edwards
The North Star 2020-2021 News Staff
(Staff Writer)
Q: What’s your favorite band or musician? A: I love Tom Petty.
Reece Bachta (Staff Writer)
Q: Favorite Pokemon? A: Pichu, because he’s so cute and powerful and it’s unexpected
Charitha Lakkireddy
Caroline Haines
Q: If you were a food, what would you be? A: Mac n Cheese
Q: What movie would you be an extra in? A: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
(Staff Writer)
(Online Editor)
ALex Doege (Social media)
Q: What beverage are you? A: White CranStrawberry Juice
Gaby Kill
Ella Schafer
(Staff Writer)
(Staff Writer) Q: If you could have any pet, what would it be and what would you name it? A: Kenny the Koala
Q: unpopular music opinion? A: 100 gecs is not that bad
Ella Thomas (Staff Writer)
Q: What cartoon character would you dress like? A: Daphne (Scooby-Doo)
October 2020 | The North Star | 7
! t i a W Feature
People want to buy this?
How did three students turn their hobby into money with their free time and social media accounts during the pandemic this summer? By Ella thomas
“I
posted [handmade earrings] on my private story on Snapchat and I was like, ‘Guys, look what I learned how to do!’ Said Senior Tatum Cox, one week before she started her own online business. Cox received multiple offers to buy her earrings that week. Students often find ways to stay busy and make money over the summer. However, students were limited in what they could do during lockdown due to closed businesses and canceled summer programs. This summer some students chose to work for themselves. Along with Cox, sophomore Annika Zmijewski and senior Mandy Unterhalter also run small businesses. Cox runs a Jewelry account, Tatum’s Trinkets, on Instagram, selling bracelets, necklaces and
“
The great thing about the fundraiser was that I got to educate people and made a way for younger people to donate - Mandy Unterhalter
“
most prominently, earrings. Zmijewski also sells earrings on the Instagram account Anika’s Earrings and Unterhalter has sold baked goods through Instagram
and Facebook for the past 4 years through the name Sweet Addictions by Mandy. Students were encouraged to social distance this summer, which gave some more free time than usual. Both Cox and Zmijewski started Instagram accounts for their businesses after the governor’s executive order to restrict mass gatherings on March 17. They both noted without the extra time they would not have been able to start their online shops. “I didn’t really have much to do and I thought that would be really fun to do and try,” Zmijewski said. “If I had been in school, I wouldn’t have had the time or I just wouldn’t have had the idea to even start the business.” Unterhalter started her bakery in 2017, but said the lockdown gave her more free time. In the past, Unterhalter declined orders because of other commitments, but the lockdown allowed her to take more orders. This summer, Unterhalter had enough time to hold a fundraiser in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. She raised around $660 and donated it all to the Equal Justice Initiative. “The great thing about the fundraiser was that I got to educate people and made a way for younger people to donate,” Unterhalter said. “Some people may not want to donate to a person that they only know from the internet, but this made it easier for them.” All three businesses make most of their sales through word of mouth, according to the students. Cox sells her jewelry to other influencers on TikTok or Instagram that then post pictures of what they
8 | The North Star | October 2020
Mandy Unterhalter shared a picture of her Black lives matter cupcakes on June 27. The cupcakes raised awareness for the racial injustice and encourged others to make a diffrence.
bought. “I have quite a few friends that have pretty big followings on TikTok and Instagram,” Cox said. “They wanted earrings. And then I was like, ‘Oh, hey, if you wouldn’t mind, could you post it on your Instagram story or something?’ And then most of them just made a whole review video or something, which I didn’t even ask for.” According to the students, organization and customer service are the most difficult parts of the job. Although Cox and Unterhalter receive some help from their family members with organization, much of the planning is done by them.
Tatum’s Trinkets
Sweet Addictions by mandy
WHO? Tatum Cox, A senior who started a homemade earing business.
WHO? Mandy Unterhalter, a senior who has a love for baking.
WHen? Cox started her Instagram account on August 8, 2020.
WHen? though Unterhalter started her Instagram account on January 15, 2017, Unterhalter has sold her baked goods for 4 years in total.
Where? After learning the craft in Colorado with a friend, Cox brought the hobby home to Kansas City.
Annika’s Earrings
Where? As a Kansas City local Unterhalter sells her treats close by to ensure that they are of the highest quality.
WHO? Annika Zmijewski, A sophomore who started a homemade earing business. WHen? Zmijewski started her Instagram account on May 21, 2020. Where? Annika started by delivering locally in the Kansas City area but has since started to ship some orders.
One of Zemijewski’s mores recant designs are these large hoop like earrings. These earrings were handmade with a common craft popular to most children.
Want to see more? you can find all the students mentioned on instagram at: Cox brought bright summer colors into her earings on this september as part of a circle themed release. Pricing is difficult for Cox and Zmijewski because shipping can double the cost of a pair of earrings. Zmijewski has had a few orders from Chicago but mostly hand-delivers her earrings locally. Cox has had orders from New York, Florida and California, plus requests from farther away. “A lot of people have asked me, ‘Do you ship to Europe? Do you ship to Canada?’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t do that at the moment,’Cox said. “Because, I’m not going to make people pay a ton of money for a product that size.” Unterhalter explained that baked goods get expensive and considers that when pricing cakes or cupcakes. Unterhalter’s cakes are also “bakery
price,” meaning that they have more detailed decoration and higher quality ingredients compared to a store-bought sheet cake. “I did have one order where a lady thought she knew the price of the cake better than me and wanted to pay $30 for an eighty-or-so-dollar cake,” Unterhalter said. Unterhalter had baked for years before she made her account. Cox started by crafting earrings for fun with a friend in Colorado. “I’m making a little bit of profit,” Cox said. “It started as something I wanted to just do for myself, even though I don’t really wear earrings much at all. For me, it’s just like a hobby.”
@tatumstrinkets @annikasearrings @sweetaddictionsbymandy
October 2020 | The North Star | 9
Preparing for Take
News Type of story
Off
NASA perseveres through the international pandemic with big plans for space in 2021
Here is the body type. It is Baskerville 9 pt.
A
s 2020 orbits around discussions of the coronavirus pandemic, many advancements in space exploration have also taken place. Scientists are continuing to discover more about Mars, the mysterious red planet, by sending a crew to the moon and searching for signs of extraterrestrial life near Venus. Launched on July 30, the Perseverance rover will land on Mars on Feb. 18. NASA is seeking signs of past life on the Jezero Crater, located on Mars, with intentions of returning rock and soil samples back to Earth for further research. The Jezero Crater has piqued the interest of scientists because it possesses unique qualities that could tell scientists more about life on Mars. According to NASA, signs of ancient microbial life are possibly lingering in the Jezero Crater, which was once flooded with a lake that carried clay minerals. If life is found on Jezero, Mars could possibly be a habitable environment, and a breakthrough in space exploration. But Mars is not the only planet with possible signs of life. Researchers at MIT have located large amounts of phosphine gas 30-40 meters above the surface of Venus. Phosphine is a colorless gas, and works as a biosignature, because microorganisms use the gas to break down decaying plants and animals. Therefore, the emission of phosphine gas can be a sign of life, according to researchers. Astrobiologists are still figuring out what these findings may mean. However, because they detected larger amounts
10 | The North Star | October 2020
of phosphine than expected, Astrobiologists believe alien life may exist within our solar system. In addition to these undertakings, NASA has various other plans for space exploration in the upcoming years. NASA has designed several missions called the Artemis missions to send astronauts to the moon, and eventually Mars. According to NASA, “Artemis I, the first uncrewed flight test of SLS and Orion, is on track to launch on its month-long mission around the Moon by fall.� The end goal is to send humans back to the moon, which NASA plans to accomplish in 2024, when they send the first woman to the moon. NASA also has plans to launch the James Webb Space Telescope, an astrophysics mission 100 times more powerful than the Hubble, and able to detect the first generation of galaxies formed at the beginning of the universe. Nonetheless, space exploration has a full calendar for this upcoming year, with the potential to be a stellar one. by Kara Deskin
10 | The North Star | month 2020
Feature
is tiktok tik-toxic?
I
n August of 2018 the world was introduced to the social media platform TikTok. Since then, TikTok has been downloaded over two billion times on the app store and Google Play. In April of 2020 TikTok was the second most downloaded app after Zoom, according to Digital Information World. TikTok has become an influential app for Gen Z, according to Vox. There are approximately 800 million users on the app, with 41 percent of the users between the ages of 16 and 24. In a recent poll of 149 students on the BVN News Instagram, 49 percent found the app to be toxic, and 51 percent found the app not toxic. Senior Jack Finegold finds TikTok to be a positive influence. Finegold said he feels the app has opened him up to new perspectives.
“
Being exposed to all these different opinions from all these different walks of life is really an experience that I feel like not a lot of social media has.
- Jack Finegold
“
“What happens in my life is not what is happening to the rest of the world,” he said. When Black Lives Matter protests began in June, Finegold noticed an influx of information being shared about experiences of racism in America and life outside his bubble. “Being exposed to all these different opinions from all these different walks of life is really an experience that I feel like not a lot of social media has,” Finegold said. He also said that Tik Tok is a much
more personal experience than most other social media, and he appreciates the authenticity of the creators. “On Instagram there’s a stigma behind having to put out a picture that will always one up your last one, always get more likes or act like nothing is going wrong in my life right now and everything is fine,” Finegold said. He said he appreciates the openness of the app and the people he is able to find relatability and commonality with. On the other hand, senior Justin Talcott believes the app to be a toxic platform. Talcott’s mindset has changed quite a bit since his initial download from the app store a little more than a year ago. Talcott said he originally used the app to build a fan base for his music by pushing out content that he hoped people would find funny and relatable. Eventually, he said he transitioned to music content. “I started posting on it to build a fan base, but when everyone started doing dances and stuff, I just kind of quit,” Talcott said. One day after posting, Talcott said he
“
The people on there and the comments where people are just extremely rude to others - Justin Talcott
“
sat looking at thousands of notifications on his phone. He said one video received 850,000 likes. He found the users on the app to be the most toxic. “The people on there and the comments where people are just extremely rude to others,” Talcott said. Spanish teacher Kate Tankel downloaded the app last year with the idea of incorporating it into one of her units. She downloaded it because she heard her students talking about how the
Do you think TIkTOk is a Toxic app?
platform was similar to Vine. Tankel said she has found the app beneficial for teaching because there are a lot of teachers posting ideas on Tik Tok for online learning. Even though the platform provides her with tips to be a better teacher, she also sees how harmful it is to teenagers. “I strongly believe Tik Tok can negatively influence a young person’s selfimage,” Tankel said. She also finds the setup of the platform concerning, as users can scroll forever and lose track of time. Although she couldn’t find anything particularly negative herself, she thinks the negativity is different for each user. “I think that depending on what people have on their ‘For You’ pages it has the potential to be negative,” Tankel said. Tankel’s “For You” page consists of cooking videos, teacher tips and the occasional video of a bunny birth. There are no videos of Tankel on the app. “You truly could not pay me money to make a Tik Tok video,” Tankel said.
Story by Caroline Haines Design by Gabrielle Kill
Yes 49% NO 51% 11 | The North Star | October 2020
Feature
Pandemic And Per ormance By Maddie Austin
V
An update on performing arts classes and their response to the coronavirus pandemic
irtual concerts, Zoom rehearsals and sheet music on PDFs are becoming the new normal for performing arts students. As many schools continue making the switch to online learning across the United States, interactive and dynamic classes like the performing arts have also temporarily adapted their approach. In Times Square, the sound of music burst through the arena as orchestra students played the piece they had earlier planned for Carnegie Hall. Across the country in Arizona, Chino Hills High singers received over 1.3 million views on YouTube from their virtual performance of “Over the Rainbow,” according to the LA Times. Like other high schools throughout the nation, BVN’s performing arts department is attempting to navigate learning with the absence of students in classrooms. Musical classes at BVN like choir, band and orchestra conduct daily rehearsals online. Students still have the opportunity to practice their instrument and learn new music with their classmates. Junior Gabby Fulford has participated in choir since kindergarten and is now a member of BVN’s Chorale. Although disappointed to be singing in her house rather than the choir room, Fulford said she remains optimistic. “It’s a difficult situation, just because our entire curriculum is based on singing together and perfecting technique,” Fulford
said. “It’s pretty hard to put that task on teachers. I think Mr. Sickle is handling it super well with keeping choir as normal as possible.” Chorale member senior Garret Brax said he misses the dynamic atmosphere of
“
I think this gives us a great opportunity to come together and figure out ways to overcome the obstacles that are in place ahead of us.
- Dylan long
“
the choir room the most, explaining how choir teacher Jason Sickel incorporates interactive activities within the classroom. However, among the many traditions within the choir department, Brax said he is most disappointed about performances. “Concerts, Chamber’s Cabaret, and Mustang Showtime are all amazing events that have been done for years and years,”
12 | The North Star | October 2020
Brax said. “I really hope we find a way to continue on even through a virtual setting.” Performances are uncertain for the band program as well. Junior Keaton Lewis has performed in marching band for three years, playing the baritone. Lewis said he still looks forward to the upcoming year, even though the band is still figuring out the safest ways to conduct rehearsals and perform. “We are still working through performing in person,” Lewis said. “I think we’ll have to see how marching rehearsals will work on a football field long term and what’s safe.” For daily classes, the entire teaching approach had to be restructured, requiring months of work prior to the start of online learning, according to band teacher Daniel Freeman. The main focus of the online classes is to allow students to continue playing their instruments, so the ensemble will be prepared to practice pieces inperson. However, Freeman said that in-person classes will bring a new set of obstacles. “Our biggest challenge is not only restructuring to teach band online, but also to be prepared for when a return to in-person happens, whether it is hybrid or completely in person,” Freeman said. “As an activity that creates aerosols, we have many precautions and mitigation strategies to put in place. Fortunately, following those strategies, we will be able to make music
Senior Emersen Mackenzie participates in vocal warm-ups during the class choir Zoom session. “I think it is amazing that we can still come together to create something beautiful, even in stressful times,” Mackenzie said.
safely in the COVID era.” According to the mitigation strategies, each musician is required to wear playing masks and utilize mutes to cover the bells of instruments, which limits the amount of bacteria exiting them. After rehearsing for 30 minutes, the band will switch rehearsal locations. Staff members have learned the “Air Change Per Hour” (ACH) for each rehearsal space. The rates in rooms like the PAC are relatively good: 10 minutes for 3 full air rotations. In addition, hand sanitizer will be used often to sterilize the instruments. Due to event cancellations, performing arts students are having difficulties with solo performance opportunities, as well as scholarships. Senior Yujin Hahn, a violinist in the Symphonic orchestra, said she does not mind online rehearsals. She said she still feels as though she is getting to know the underclassmen of the ensemble. However, the aspect of 50% of students have taken performing arts classes
potentially not having a senior solo, according to Hahn, is a letdown. “I miss having concerts and connecting and playing with the people next to me,” Hahn said. “In addition, I was supposed to have a senior solo this year, but with COVID, I don’t think it will be possible for that to happen, which was disappointing.” Several students are also trying to obtain scholarships, including some within the theater program with a goal of pursuing a career in theater. Senior Dylan Long has friends in her Advanced Repertory Theater class hoping to continue acting in college. “I have three seniors in my class who are all trying to pursue theater as a profession. College scouting for them has been really different than it has been in previous years,” Long said. “They’ve been doing auditions online and virtual Zoom calls with college scouts. So it’s looked really different for them, but they’re
50% of students have not taken performing arts classes
finding ways around it.” Finding ways to perform plays live comes with mandatory safety precautions for the stage, requirements already issued by the Blue Valley District. Senior Casey Whitworth explains adjustments for theatrical performances. “We would all be staggered,” Whitworth said. “We wouldn’t have everyone in the cast and crew there every single day; more like a small portion of the cast. There’d be a lot more cleaning involved, especially when it comes to microphones and costumes.” Overall, across the entire performing arts department, students are learning that maintaining a positive attitude throughout online learning is necessary for being engaged each day. According to Long, many students find that going through these challenges together is much easier than managing them alone. “I think this gives us a great opportunity to kind of come together and figure out ways to overcome the obstacles that are in place, ahead of us,” Long said. “I wish it could be different. I think everybody does. But this is what we got, so we have to learn to work with it. It’s not too bad right now. We’ll figure it out.”
Data taken by a poll on BVN North Star’s Instagram
October 2020 | The North Star | 13
Time for Feature
change In the wake of George Floyd’s death, students call for improvements to the Black experience at BVN. By Caroline Clarke
A
young Sydnie Sikes walks into her first day of classes, only to find that there is no one else who looks like her. Ephren Taylor spends his day dodging requests to touch his hair, avoiding the attempts that come a little too close. Justice Bailey walks to the bathroom during class, mentally preparing herself to be questioned by passing staff members. She sits quietly in her history class, pretending not to notice the constant, loaded glances from her peers as the teacher discusses slavery. As each student makes their way through the halls during passing periods, they can’t help but cringe at the slurs used casually in conversation among classmates. These are the stories of Black students at Blue Valley North.
erupted across the country. Protestors marched through the streets, chanting Floyd’s last words, “I can’t breathe.” His death has become a catalyst for years of public frustrations with police brutality and its effect on the Black community. Nationwide, communities began to evaluate the daily experiences of Black people in school, work and other gathering places.
“
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed by a white police officer who knelt on his neck for over eight minutes, according to AP News. In the following weeks, a surge of activism and civil unrest
14 | The North Star | OCTOBER 2020
You Need to listen more and open up your ears more and think. - Sydnie Sikes
“
At Blue Valley North, students of color report that they are affected by acts of discrimination and racism in various ways. In June, an Instagram post by Blue Valley School District discussing the Black Lives Matter Movement became a platform for students to share their experiences, flooding the comments with personal anecdotes that challenged the district’s message on inclusivity. Junior Sydnie Sikes has been involved in the Black Lives Matter movement by staying active on social media, signing petitions, making donations and raising awareness. She admits that she never thought of the internet as the best platform for actionable change. Although increased social media activity can bring issues of racism to light, there are also many disadvantages to this method. “I think that honestly it’s kind of a trend ... Gradually people are going to [become] more knowledgeable about things, but with all of this information
In an instagram post, artist Alex Eickhoff (@eye_cough) described James Baldwin (depicted above) as “a brillliant American activist who encouraged creatives to use their voice to promote awareness and progressive change.” More information listed in “A Tour of KC” (17). coming to us...it gives a lot of opportunity for misinformation,” Sikes said. She explained that, from her perspective, reposting falsehoods on social media is often the bare minimum. “It’s good, but at the same time I’m not going to congratulate people for being decent human beings.” Sikes also expressed the importance of increased tolerance and empathy among diverse groups of students and staff. “I think the biggest thing is just, if someone is talking about [something] that you’ve never experienced before, you shouldn’t just automatically write it off and say, ‘Oh, you don’t know what you’re talking about,’” Sikes said. “You need to listen more and open up your ears more and think … ‘I’ve never had this happen to me before, but I believe them.’ Or at least give people the benefit of the doubt.” Sophomore Justice Bailey attended Red Bridge Elementary School in Center School District before transferring to the Blue Valley School District. According to the Center School District website, 70 percent of their student population is African American. Bailey described the transition from this
“
We talk about how all these caucasian people did these amazing things. but we don’t talk about how black people did all these amazing things, too.
- meranda mercer
district to her new middle school.
about seven,” Bailey said. “So, being the only Black person in the room, when [teachers] talk about history ... sometimes people will look back at you. You just have to sit there and maintain a straight face.” Bailey mentioned excessive use of the N-word as an issue affecting Black students at BVN. She said that use of the slur has been dangerously
“
“It was kind of hard to adjust to Leawood Middle School because it’s predominantly white. So, at first I didn’t think I would fit in because there weren’t too many people of color in my grade. There [were] probably
OCTOBER 2020 | The North Star | 15
normalized among her peers.
Europeans.”
“I feel like we’ve gotten so comfortable with each other saying it that when someone says, ‘Stop it,’ it’s taken as a joke,” Bailey said. “They find it funny, but it’s not funny. On our end, we kind of just sit there and say, ‘Oh well.’”
Taylor explained the importance of including healthy discussions in class curriculum to encourage productive conversations among people with different opinions. He also expressed that unity among Black students can help create a safer environment at BVN.
Discrepancies in the history curriculum was a common concern among students interviewed. Sikes and Bailey, among others interviewed, agreed that educating children and young adults about the triumphs of Black history is essential to empowerment. Sophomore Meranda Mercer described inequalities in the narrative told by history curriculum at BVN. “Blue Valley does not show anything about our history whatsoever, or about what we created. We talk about how all these Caucasian people did these amazing things. But we don’t talk about how Black people did all these amazing things, too.” Junior Ephren Taylor, founder of the Black Student Union at BVN, also talked about including African history in classes at BVN. “There could be a Black history elective. Or the whole European history [curriculum], as well as American history probably needs to be overhauled,” Taylor said. “The one time we talked about Africa was still from a European perspective of Imperialism. The only time we ever talk about Black people outside of America is when they’re being abused by
“For Black students: Don’t be afraid to have these conversations,” Taylor said. “Honestly, it gets kind of lonely out here being the only one who ever wants to say anything ... I know there are other Black people who feel the same way as me, but we need to gain the confidence to speak up.” Principal Tyson Ostroski said he has been working with staff and administrators to make productive changes within the school environment. Since the outpouring of comments and critiques on the Instagram post, he has implemented staff workshops to improve the experience of students of color at BVN. “We had different departments... over the summer get together and do book studies, reading books like ‘White Fragility,’ [and] other kinds of books about inclusivity in school,” Ostroski said. “They started having some conversations within themselves about what they can do with the curriculum, whether it’s the books that we read in English classes, or the ... things that we study in history.” One change in response to the Black Lives Matter movement was a
professional development day, which was intended to address implicit biases among staff members. Implicit Bias is defined by the Perception Institute as a set of unconscious stereotypes that affect interactions with people of a different race, religion, sexual orientation or gender. These stereotypes are common in schools, and they negatively impact the daily experience of people of color. The goal of this professional development day was to improve the way teachers approach diverse individuals and to address the needs of all students equally. Additionally, Ostroski has created a group of Blue Valley community members to address issues of inequality within BVN. “I’ve developed a [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] Team, and that’s going to be made up of parents, and teachers, and students, in which we’re going to look for ways that we can become better as a school, and just hear from a diverse group of individuals on how we can truly have some actionable items, so that it’s not just [discussion],” Ostroski said. “We want to ... celebrate diversity. We’re done with awareness, we want action. And so...what does that look like on a daily basis at Blue Valley North? “We need to relook at what [we are] structuring our year around, and how we can make sure that diversity, equity, and inclusion are part of our DNA, in everything,” Ostroski said. “It’s not its own month, or its own day, or its own assembly, but it’s just who we are.”
Stats: Diversity in Blue Valley White: 70.41% Asian: 14.45% Hispanic: 6.38% Multi-Racial: 5% African-American/Black: 3.42% Native American: 0.28% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.04%
Source: Blue Valley Website
16 | The North Star | OCTOBER 2020
A Tour of KC:
Outside of BVN, local artists and community members took to the streets and found creative ways to express their desire for change. Take a look at some of the artwork enlivening the metro area.
According to Kansas City Magazine, this mural, created by local artists Alex Eickhoff and Thomas Richmond, depicts Kansas City’s own Superman (Michael Wheeler) at a Black Lives Matter protest, confronting police dresed in riot gear. Located on East 18th Street in Crossroads, this is one of many artistic tributes to Black Lives Matter featured throughout the city.
Also located in Crossroads, this Black Lives Matter protest sign is part of a larger wall of artwork, featuring street art by both established artists and anonymous novices.
In contrast to more intricate wall art, the purple letters “BLM” decorate a median in Brookside. Throughout the city, walls, curbs and even streets are canvasses for artistic protest.
OCTOBER 2020 | The North Star | 17
FEATURE
Off the Hook Students examine parasocial relationships and the responsibilities that come with them. By Arshiya Pant
A
s time and technology advance forward, the media has become a home to many subcultures. The online landscape is a home for the birth of new parasocial obsessions and bringing with them, the concepts known as “stan” and “cancel” culture. In today’s world, teenagers find themselves looking at their own morals and finding where they fit into the developing phenomenon that is internet culture. Internet culture means different things to different people. Students perceive “stan” and “cancel” culture in contrasting ways and interpret its effects differently. A stan, as defined by the Merriam Webster Dictionary, is to be an extremely devoted and enthusiastic fan of someone or something, and stan culture refers to the subgenre of online platforms that center around the “stanning” of celebrities, influencers and public figures.To cancel someone, according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary once again, means to stop giving support to that person. Teenagers like sophomore Addison Brandau recently started spending more time on the internet and said she was quick to catch the many flaws of media culture. “Stan culture can go both positively or negatively depending on the people or fans. There are fans who have affected internet culture positively, then others are just about spreading hate,” Brandau said. “Cancel culture, on the other hand,
should be completely removed from social media and has one hundred percent affected us negatively… I do not have one point where it has been positive. The only thing that needs to be canceled is cancel culture itself ”.
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Stan culture can go both positively or negatively depending on the people or fans... Cancel culture, on the other hand, should be completely removed - Addison Brandau
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Brandau sees more of the negative repurcussions that have have resulted as a product of the internet. Especially when it comes to cncel culture, students like Branday do not see any positive effects. However, other students like Leah Helfer who’s been immersed in internet subcultures for about seven years now, feel that there have been more positive outcomes of cancel culture than negative. “I like that people are at least
18 | The North Star | OCTOBER 2020
attempting to hold others accountable now and that that is a more mainstream position now,” Helfer said. “More people are willing to stop financially supporting creators that do bad things so I think that has certainly made an impact, and I don’t think the negatives currently outweigh the positive.” Although there are many possible explanations as to why society seems to stress the actions of public figures, one widely accepted reason is that they reflect traits that everyday people see as important to them or a part of themselves which is shown by research done by Wellesley College that shows that 94 perecrn of adolescents say their favorite celebrities exhibit traits they see in themselves and 57 percent see those celebrities in relationship terms like a friend, teacher or role model. “I think idolizing celebrities is harmful because they are only... people and you will be disappointed when they can’t meet all of your expectations,” Helfer said. Sophomore Kaelyn Manchion, who’s spent over a year immersed in internet subcultures and “stan” media, disagrees with the generalization that all or most celebrity idolization is toxic. Manchion discusses how looking up to figures can be helpful or inspirational. “ I look up to many celebrities… Some [musicians] I really look up to would be Dave Grohl, Kirk Hammett, and Sam Kiszka because, at the end of the day,
Sophomore Kaelyn Manchion, who’s spent over a year immersed in internet subcultures and “stan” media, disagrees with the generalization that all or most celebrity idolization is toxic. Manchion discusses how looking up to figures can be helpful or inspirational. “ I look up to many celebrities… Some [musicians] I really look up to would be Dave Grohl, Kirk Hammett, and Sam Kiszka because, at the end of the day, they all have good morals, and are good people,” Manchion said. “Coming from a person who has looked up to celebrities their whole life, I wouldn’t say [idolizing celebrities is harmful]. There is nothing wrong with idolizing someone as long as you educate yourself on who they are first.”
But what happens when the perfection imposed upon celebrities shatters when they make a mistake? They get cancelled. When one gets “cancelled”, it is difficult to fully recover. Research done by Columbia University showed that more than 50% of people do not forgive a public figure after an issued apology. Manchion described what she thought would be an acceptable apology from a public figure who has done something objectively wrong. “If their management or agency were to apologize for them, it would just show how immature or unthoughtful they are. If something were to happen for a celebrity to be called out on something, I would expect a sincere and personal apology from them,” Manchion said.
Top 3 Reasons Adolescents IDe n t i f y w i t h P u bl i c Fi g u re s 1. Adolescents believe the figure shares characteristics with them. 2. Adolescents see desirable traits in the figure and wish to mirror them.
For many, apologies are not effective when actions cross their personal boundaries. “I think [public figures] don’t learn anything unless discussions and consequences are had. If that doesn’t happen, then they don’t learn anything and usually end up being comforted by a not-so-great crowd of people, so they then only go farther down whatever hole they were in,” Helfer said. “Any sexual crime or anything like that, use of slurs that I myself cannot reclaim, racism, transphobia, just those kinds of things [are irredeemable]... I believe the only cases where someone cannot redeem themself are cases in which the damage they have done cannot be repaired.” Brandau said one cannot expect perfectionism from public figures and emphasizes that they’re humans too. “Something you need to keep in mind when idolizing celebrities or creators is that they are human,” Brandau said. “They are not perfect and should not have to act perfectly in front of the camera. They shouldn’t have enormous pressure every time they step in front of the spotlight or camera because they are scared of what some viewers might think… We are not the ones who should decide people’s fate.”
3. Adolescents view the figure in relationship terms, i.e. teacher, friend or personal role model.
“ I like that people are at least attempting to hold others accountable now... More people are willing to stop financially supporting creators that do bad things, so I think that has certainly made an impact, and I don’t think the negatives currently outweigh the positives”.
“ There is nothing wrong with idolizing someone as long as you educate yourself on who they are first. If something were to happen for a celebrity to be called out on something, I would expect a sincere and personal apology from them”.
“ A celebrity or a “normal” person apology can be the exact same… they are both human and can both apologize. Actions that are inexcusable are when they do not take responsibility for their actions and change or educate themselves.”
Leah Helfer
Kaelyn Manchion
Addison Brandau
OCTOBER 2020 | The North Star | 19
DECISIONS 2020 NEWS
Students talk politics in a safe environment in the America Decides Class, taught by Mr. Smajda. By Adelaide Edwards
• The elephant became the symbol of the republican party around the time of the Civil War. • The animal was featured in political cartoons by Thomas Nast. • Nast chose the elephant because at the time a popular phrase among soldiers was “seeing the elephant” which meant experiencing combat. • The elephant made its debut in 1874 when the political cartoon “Third Term Panic” by Thomas Nast was published. • The elephant was then used in multiple illustrations from then on.
THE HISTORY BEHIND THE DONKEY
• A donkey is the symbol of the democratic party, and has been since the early nineteenth century. • The Democratic donkey originated during the presidential campaign of Andrew Jackson in 1828. • During that campaign, Jackson’s competitor called him a “jacka**” which amused the future president. • Jackson used the animal in many of his campaign posters, and he became the first ever Democratic president. • In the 1870’s a political cartoonist named Thomas Nast used a donkey to represent the democratic party, securing the animal as the symbol for the democratic party. 20 | The North Star | OCTOBER 2020
C
ome this November, more than 200 million Americans will get the chance to vote in the presidential election, with incumbent President Donald Trump as the Republican nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee. Some seniors are able to vote this year and contribute to the national decision. As of Oct. 15, Biden led by 10 percent nationally, leaving Trump with 42 percent of the popular vote, according to ProjectFiveThirtyEight, a branch of ABC news. In Kansas, however, polling results differ. Kansas is a “red state,” meaning it generally votes for the Republican Party. On Oct. 15, Trump had a 7.2 percent lead over Biden in the state of Kansas. With Kansas’s population slightly lower than 3 million, according to the US Census Bureau, Kansas gets six electoral votes, which is just over one percent of the total electoral votes. According to a simulation run by ProjectFiveThirtyEight, Trump has a 93 in 100 chance of winning the popular vote in Kansas, but a 13 in 100 chance nationally. However, winning the popular vote does not mean winning the electoral votes. Ultimately, the winner of the election is dependent on the electoral college. Senior Clara Taylor believes that the electoral college has its drawbacks. “I think the electoral college has really limited the people’s power, because I know that in past years, one candidate has received [the] popular vote, America has chosen them, but then it goes through and we end up with a
Reminders for Election Day:
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
#1
Make sure you’re registered.
Register 21 days before Election Day in Kansas and 30 days before in Missouri
Ketchup? On vanilla ice cream? How you feel about ketchup on vanilla ice cream may psychologically determine if your brain is wired like a democrat or a republican. Scan the QR code to take the quiz!
different president,” Taylor said. Taylor enrolled in the “America Decides” class, offered only once every four years. The America Decides class is taught by Jason Smajda who said he enjoys teaching students about the ways they can be involved in politics, aside from just voting. “The class is centered around five key points: What we stand for (ideology, political socialization), what makes a good candidate, how to get elected, how people participate, and evaluating the election overall,” Smajda said. According to Taylor, the students are allowed an environment where they can have civil discussions based on their political views. “I think that’s what’s cool about it, that both parties felt completely comfortable joining that class and I think it really does say something about the people in that class, you join the class knowing that there’s going to be people that don’t agree with you, I think that’s pretty cool,” Taylor said. “I’m honestly just excited to learn more about how the other side thinks the way they do and I want to learn how to have those more adapting conversations.” Senior Emersen Mackenzie said she took the class to gain a better understanding of who and what she would be voting for in the upcoming election. Mackenzie said she was “in
the middle” on most political subjects, however, President Trump’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has lessened her opinion of him. “I think it could’ve been handled better, especially with the new report [by Bob Woodward] bringing to light evidence that Trump knew how severe this virus was but decided not to tell people in order to keep everybody calm,” Mackenzie said. “I think that wasn’t the
#2
#3
Find your polling location
Go to vote.org to find our your polling location
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If someone was eating vanilla ice cream with ketchup on it, how disgusted would you be? -Aarthi Aruna
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best decision.” As of Oct 15, 57.2 percent of Americans disapproved of President Trump’s response to the coronavirus, as the death toll in the US alone neared 220,000, according to ProjectFiveThirtyEight and the CDC. The America Decides class covers more than just basic politics, according to senior Aarthi Aruna. At the beginning of the semester, students took multiple
Bring your photo ID
See Kansas’ official website to see what forms are acceptable
quizzes about their political ideology, and why they think the way they do. One quiz in particular stood out to multiple students. This quiz did not include political questions, but rather some peculiar questions. “The most obscure quiz was this ChartsMe quiz, based on a 2014 study that said conservatives tend to be more disgusted by things or seemed to be more bothered by things,” Aruna said. “So basically this quiz would have really obscure questions, like if someone was eating vanilla ice cream with ketchup on it, how disgusted would you be?” According to Aruna, she herself was not surprised by the results of her quiz, but many of her fellow students were. Smajda said he likes to bring to light the opportunities students have to participate in politics and he enjoys teaching students about the impact they can have. “My favorite part of the class is when a student finds some way to participate and it sticks,” Smajda said. “It’s fun to see kids begin to see politics in a better light. Celebrating our ability to participate in the political process is so much more fun than watching politicians call each other names. The opportunities we have as US citizens are often lost on the coverage of our politics.”
#4
Wear a mask
Because of the mask mandate, it is required to wear a mask in indoor places
OCTOBER 2020 | The North Star | 21
student life
Mental Health and COVID-19 Faring through hard times, it’s important to protect oneself from the virus and keep mental health at bay while adjusting to new changes. By Angelica Henson
T
he 2019-2020 school year came to an abrupt end in March due to the global COVID-19 outbreak. Students had to quarantine and continue their school activities remote, unknowing of when they would be returning back to the classroom. Having to adjust to a new learning environment, students may face the possibility of a decrease in mental health. The Centers of Disease Control website says that the pandemic may cause stress, changes in sleeping patterns, and it can worsen chronic mental health issues. Social isolation and limited school resources can add stress to adolescents during the school year as well, according to social worker Lisa Summers, who saw a dip in student’s mental health at the end of last school year. “I definitely saw a major surge in kids, especially when adults didn’t know what was going on,” Summers said. “I think that was really scary for a lot of kids… Being home and not being able to be around friends, not being able to come to school. Even some kids that really disliked school found that they can’t do this from home.” Student safety became a priority to Summers during the final months of the school year. Traumatic situations such as parents losing jobs or family members being subjected to the possibility of receiving the virus can be damaging to an adolescents mental state. According to
the Kaiser Family Foundation’s website, existing mental illnesses in adolescents may seem to worsen during the pandemic. Low income families may not have access to common necessities amidst the pandemic, so in most cases, students that struggle with mental illness may rely on counseling and mental health services at school. Due to school closures, these services become limited. With suicide being the tenth leading cause of death
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even some kids that really disliked school found that they can’t do this from home -lisa summers
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in adolescents, Summers explains the resources provided for students in remote learning. “[Students in remote learning] have access to us just like when they were here. It has made me a little bit nervous, we’re not able to get eyes on the kids. Sometimes they fall through the cracks because teachers can’t see the kids on a daily basis
22 | The North Star | October 2020
and that does worry me but those kids have access to us,” said Summers. “All they have to do is send an email to a counselor, the psychologist, an administrator or myself and we’ll get right back to them.” According to Summers, administrators currently could not enact a suicide assessment if a student is suicidal while in remote, but the school would recommend a facility such as Marillac to provide the assessment for students safety. When it comes to coping with the mental effects of COVID-19, there can be alternatives to medical treatment. At North, Summers and students are banding together to continue the mental health council, Sources of Strength. This council gives students the opportunity to reach out to their peers and interact with their day to day activities. “[Sources of strength] is teaching kids to be a mentor to other kids and we do that in a variety of ways. We have a social media aspect, last year and the year before we had all school activities. I don’t know how it’s going to look this year, but we want to change the culture here at Blue Valley North,” Summers said. “We’re going to have to be huge and get as many members as we can get. We’re going to have a Sources of Strength training start for students over zoom. It’s just for students to get an idea about what it’s about.” Senior Olivia Kramer is one of the leaders of Sources of Strength and is also
EXERCISE!
Sources of Strength a member of the Mental Health Council at BVN. According to Kramer, they’re all working hard to keep the councils open for the benefit of the school. “...Some advice I would give to my peers at school who are struggling is to put your mental health first,” said Kramer. There have been many changes integrated into the Blue Valley school district. Everyone started off with virtual
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some advice I would give to my peers at school who are struggling is to put your mental health first -olivia kramer
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learning but a population of students at BVN are now attending to a new hybrid schedule set in place. “Everyone is struggling with the new hybrid schedules, even our teachers,” said Kramer. “...Make sure to communicate with your teachers if you are struggling. Try and stay positive and do your best to stay on top of your work, but also don’t be
afraid to ask for help!” There are many other ways to take care of oneself besides communication during times like this. Falling into neverending cycles can bring upon bad habits. Even integrating healthy routines in a day to day schedule can take the pressure of everything off of a students shoulders. Try exercising by taking a walk each day, keep a journal and write about daily events, this helps the brain process. Arrange a healthy sleeping pattern to receive the right amount of sleep at night. Sometimes even removing unhealthy habits can reduce problems, such as limiting access to the news. “Don’t ignore that you’re feeling down. Don’t try to cover that up and just sit with it. We all did go through this and it’s mutually traumatic for all of us, but we’re going to grow from it,” said Summers. “Human beings are known to live through diseases like the Spanish Flu and we adapt it. I have no doubt we’re going to make it and be better off from this, but you don’t have to be happy along the way. You can hate every minute of it and it’s okay.”
AVOID UPSETTING NEWS COVERAGE
DRINK WATER
GET A HEALTHY AMOUNT OF SLEEP EVERY NIGHT
October 2020 | The North Star | 23
Student life
To play, or not to play? Football families reflect on the activities rally that took place on August 27 By Alex Doege
O
n Aug 27th the Blue Valley School District came together in attempt to change the mind of the district regarding an order to allow activities and athletics to continue. Circling around the district office, senior David Sjoberg looked around his surroundings at the students and parents marching alongside him. Sjoberg said he was proud to speak up for what he believed in and that he and his team had so much support. He knew that with this support also came many who criticized whether or not athletics and activities should be permitted to continue. As of Oct. 2, Johnson County has confirmed more than 12,000 positive cases. According to the CDC, Kansas has the 16th highest case rate and the sixth highest positive test rate in the country. The KSDE calls for schools to be in “green criteria” to allow both K-12 in-person learning and all activities while the BVSD criteria allowed for all activities before even a hybrid learning style was decided upon. The Aug. 27 sports and activities rally at the Blue Valley District Office saw support from football players in uniform, the majority of which were seniors. Some football players shared why they think getting to play their senior season is so important. Senior David Sjoberg has played
on the football team for four years and participates as a leader, representing the team on senior night as a captain. “I [went to the rally] to play football. Some people need it to get into college and there’s more to it than just playing.
“
I [went to the rally] to play football. Some people need it to get into college and there’s more to it than just playing. Some of these kids have worked their whole lives for this.
- David Sjoberg
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Some of these kids have worked their whole lives for this,” Sjoberg said. According to several seniors on the football team, this could be the last time they get the chance to come together as a team and get to play the sports and participate in activities they love. Statistically, high school is the best way for young people to get involved and
24 | The North Star | OCTOBER 2020
participate in sports and clubs due to a smaller atmosphere, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. “I’ve been waiting for my senior season for my whole life. It’s the last season. Being a senior is really important and supposed to be the best year of high school, but with COVID-19 so much has already been taken away from us. We just wanted something to be semi-normal,” Sjoberg said. For some, having a chance to be involved in the “brotherhood” is something they look forward to every fall. For others, such as senior Mason Goldberg, who is playing in his first season of a school sport this fall, school activities are what make up a high school experience. “I started playing this year because my mom always tells me to try new things and I have a ton of friends on the team, so after quarantine I really wanted to be in such a great community. It forced me to stay involved in my school work and get in shape, so why not,” Goldberg said at the rally. According to the football team, they have eyes on them from around the district. The team is encouraged not to be in large group settings unless it is with their teammates, to wear masks and also have masks built into their helmets when playing. “It’s really important to all the guys to
get to keep playing so we know that we have to be safe and respect the social distancing guidelines, but it is weird not to have a student section. Right now, I know a lot of the guys’ lives are just schoolwork, workouts, figuring out college and football. Lots of football,” Goldberg said. The changes in what activities are and are not currently allowed to go on affect not only the students. Scott Sjoberg, the president of the Grid Iron Club, said that the restrictions change the social lives of his entire family. The Grid Iron Club is the sponsor of the Blue Valley North football program and plans most of the fundraisers to support the team yearlong. “I don’t think people realize how this is affecting everyone. It’s generational,” Scott Sjoberg said. “Friday nights for the past three years ... my boys play and my wife and I tailgate and go to the game. Even my parents usually come out to support the team.” Scott Sjoberg argues that football specifically affects not only athletes, but also other activities that attend the games. “I mean, the band and their families, dancers, cheerleaders, and spirit club are all affected,” Scott Sjoberg said. He believes that without activities and athletics, a school is no longer a community. “The school community needs activities to thrive and feel as if students and their families are part of the community,” Scott Sjoberg said. “Without sports and clubs, it’s nearly impossible to feel like you’re part of something.”
Top: Senior Owen Schenk checks his temperature at the rally. Bottom: Senior David Sjoberg and his teammates sign a petition for a return to in-person school. Photos by Alex Doege.
Poll: Do you agree with the ‘Let Them Play’ movement? 61%
39%
Yes
No
Data is taken from a poll of 165 voters on the North Star Instagram page.
OCTOBER 2020 | The North Star | 25
Student life
College apps & covid-19
The coronavirus pandemic has affected the college application process and school life for students across America.
By Reece Bachta
F
rom canceled ACTs to lack of college visits, the coronavirus pandemic has impacted high school seniors in their college application and decision process. Many colleges have been hosting virtual tours and meetings over Zoom to get students engaged and attracted to their school. According to senior Franklin Barton, colleges have reached out in various ways, and the virtual tours have many positive and negative aspects. “They all have sent out mail flyers and emails and they are just trying to get you to register for a lot of the online sessions,” Barton said. “That’s been helpful to let me know what’s going on and to make sure I am on top of things, so I have to do a little research and see when different sessions are and make sure I put them on my calendar.” Virtual tours allowed students to visit different campuses without the costs from travel, hotel rooms and other fees. “There are definitely some good things about it because you don’t have to travel as much and pay for all the expenses of travel,” Barton said.
Senior Anna McCartan also planned on applying to out-of-state colleges and struggled to find a college that she felt fit for her. According to McCartan, she planned on going on many tours over spring break, which had to be canceled due to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. “I think the biggest difference for me has been not being able to see colleges and tour them,” McCartan said. “There are a lot of good resources out there to take some online tours and students would film virtual tours of the campus, but originally I had planned to go see a couple last spring break and we ended up canceling that due to COVID.” Some colleges offered different times for meeting and virtual tours and sent many emails to students interested in the schools. McCartan felt that the virtual tours and Zoom calls made it hard for her family to be involved in the process. “It is hard because some of them are scheduled for particular times. For example, my parents want to be a part of the process, too, and they enjoy taking these tours, but a lot of them will be at 3
[p.m.] and even though my parents are at home, they are still working in a virtual setting which makes it hard to schedule,” McCartan said. Senior Christel de Bruin planned on attending college in the Netherlands. De Bruin said that she wanted to attend Hogeschool Utrecht, before the coronavirus pandemic, but that the process of applying and getting accepted would be the difficult part. “I have to take three tests and if I pass those I automatically get in,” de Bruin said. “The only hard thing for me is that I have to take it in person, I want to try to go to the Netherlands in December, but it’s hard because of COVID, and I don’t know if I will be able to.’’ According to de Bruin, the school contacted her quickly if she had any questions and kept her informed, which she felt helped her feel more at ease with the process. “I actually emailed them yesterday and I had some questions and they got back to me immediately, which was super nice and sent me some links that helped me,” de Bruin said.
senior stresses “Online/hybrid schedule has definitely impacted my motivation as a senior... I feel as though I am not able to do work the same. At home I can lay in bed all day in between classes, and on hybrid we don’t have the same class the next day so I push my work off..” - senior Grace Carlsen
“Basically I never had an outline but i tried to include as much information as possible. it was difficult because I had to make everything correct and any errors could make it look bad.” - senior Whitney Branner
26 | The North Star | october 2020
“I feel like zoom classes are not productive, but the in person variation is a lot better and more productive.” -senior William Hatton
“Registration was definitely the most difficult part of taking a standardized test in a pandemic. Since test centers kept getting cancelled and everyone was desperate to test, registration filled up really fast.” -senior Jessica Mu
Elementary Students
vs
feature
COrona Virus
Elementary students say learning online differs from learning in school. By Ella Shafer
N
ow that students are finally going back to school, the real question is: how do the students feel about the current changes being made. According to eight Kansas elementary schoolers, there are many differences in how online learning is affecting younger students.
3 out of 8
When the kids were asked if they like school, there were results on opposite ends of the spectrum. Three out of eight of the students said they didn’t like school because they’d much rather be doing something else with their free time. Half of the elementary schoolers interviewed said they missed playing video games the most, whether that be on Xbox or iPad, while others said their favorite thing to do over summer was spending time with family and friends.
of the students said they didn’t like school because they’d much rather be doing something else with their free time.
Q&A 1. How do you feel about school? Woods Dowdy, 10: “No, [I don’t like school] because it’s boring and I don’t like learning.”
Charlotte Walton, 11: “I like that [school] helps me learn skills that I will need in life.”
Katalina Rinaman, 8: “ I love school because it’s super fun being with my teachers, and my classmates.”
Lila Brandau, 9: “Mhm, because I’m Gucci and it’s fun and yeah. The funnest thing is eating.”
2. Do you like Online School? Katalina Rinaman, 8: “I like online school because It’s easier because I can ask more questions and I don’t get distracted.”
Lila Brandau, 9: “Online school is harder because [I’m] on a fricking computer and I can’t ask [the teacher] questions.”
Jake Walton, 8: “I like online school more because it is easier because school is shorter.”
Charlotte Walton, 11: “I would say it would be harder to learn over a computer because it’s hard to focus.”
3. What’s one of the benefits of staying at home during school? Manley Morris, 12: “I get to eat good food instead of the gross stuff in the cafeteria.”
Lila Brandau, 9: “When Otis, [my dog], licks the camera during my zooms.”
Haydee Herhusky, 6: “ [I like] Seeing my friends online and seeing my family during my online session.”
Katalina Rinaman, 8: “I like being at home because I get to be with my mom and dad. I also like being with my siblings, and I get to sleep longer.”
Jake Walton, 8: “I like staying home because I can play Xbox.”
COVID has drastically affected the way students are learning. People hold many different opinions on whether school should continue to be online or switch to in-person. Each of these elementary schoolers has their own input on how education should be handled. However, all these kids know is, as Lila put it, with online school they “can go to the bathroom” and “eat homecooked meals” whenever they want.
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Opinion
Changes to the English Curriculum: What Comes Next? This year, the BVN English curriculum underwent several changes — but is this really all we need to change? By Charitha Lakkireddy
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efore 2020, there were about 90 approved novels in Blue Valley’s English curriculum, and 11 were written by people of color. Of the 12 new novels approved to be added to the BV curriculum spring 2020, seven of them are written by people of color. Blue Valley has retired “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, “Of Mice and Men” and both “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain from the curriculum. The retirement of books was decided by the Blue Valley School District diversity committee as a response to recent events this summer. The addition of books comes after years of teachers’ campaigns for new novels to be added.
The hope that simply reading more books about the minority experience will evoke a culture of anti-racism is hoping for too much. I’ve been in those classes and I’ve read those books with non-Black students who mouthed the N-word when it came up in the text, who said it casually in conversation, for whom the book was just a book, a read-aloud that killed class time and ate into their free time. We are allowing for these situations to happen because we don’t truly talk about what we read. We talk about how unfortunate it is that this character experienced discrimination and the cause of their distress. We don’t discuss the root of these issues — the system that allows them to happen.
This is a great thing to do, but this can’t be the only thing that’s done. Racism is an issue everywhere. No place in the world is exempt, BVN included. There are a few improvements we are trying to make now, including featuring more authors of color in the English curriculum and more honest history of the people of color in history courses. There’s nothing wrong with this. It’s an excellent first step — as long as it isn’t the final step. These changes would help give different perspectives, which help others understand the lived experiences of people of color in America. This is important, but it’s not the end-all, be-all solution to the long list of problems pertaining to race in this country.
We talk about racism with blinders on. Yes, racism is an issue, and it’s good we can settle that, but we need to take the blinders off and look with our peripheral vision. We need to connect the issues presented in the book with the present, what we can do to combat them, and give students the space to share personal experiences and ask questions retaining to the text and life. When we fail to talk candidly about race, we also fail to speak to the true experiences of people of color. Instead of seeing all aspects of the lives of the character, we focus on the ugly — the downfalls and hardships — not the beauty.
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The 90 books in the ELA curriculum
BV’s Newest Reads Three new books have been added to the approved reading list for each grade. Below are some of the new additions. FRESHMAN: In 1980s Omaha, Park is an outsider. A half Asian boy that prefers Pink Floyd and his walkman to Chuck Norris and karate, he doesn’t fit in with his family or his friends. Eleanor just moved to Park’s high school and has bigger concerns than how Park seems to hate her, like her abusive stepdad and the mean girls on the bus. Somehow, between shared comic books and mix tapes, they find first love and figure out what’s worth fighting for.
prove we read a lot about white people of European descent. We read about their hardships, but also about their wins, their happiest moments and their successes. We fail to do the same for text about people of color, and by only reading about their struggles and hardships, their identity, in the eyes of readers, is reduced to a single view — that they only experience struggle and hardship. While we sympathize with and learn to better ourselves from the pain of their past, it’s just as necessary for us to celebrate their successes. This is where the value in representation in curriculum lies. A student seeing a version of themselves in a book is great, connecting to a character is what makes a book good, but only seeing those characters be hurt won’t have the positive effect some might hope for. Education about oppression and racism is essential, but there is great importance in the beauty and the culture of minority groups that is just as necessary to teach. Classroom discussions recently have been integrated only around the discrimination and hardships people of color experience. If this is the only exposure to the narratives of people of color that many white students get, this is the sole image that will live in their minds. There will be a direct association of people of color to struggle and hardship exclusively, because that is the reality pushed in the classroom — instead of a
SOPHOMORE: Christopher John Francis Boone is a genius. He knows everything there is to know about the world. What he can’t seem to figure out are people. He lives a carefully constructed life, but is forced to risk what he’s built when his neighbor’s dog is murdered. Christopher attempts to solve the murder like his favorite detective, Sherlock Holmes, would and chronicles his endeavors in this book. JUNIOR: On her 26th birthday, Dana is taken back in time, where she slips into different moments in time, over and over again. Set originally in 1976 California, the book follows Dana all across time and all across the country as she atempts to find the purpose of her travels. As the first science-fiction novel written by a Black women, this is considered a cornerstone of Black literature, according to Goodreads.com. SENIOR: Another science-fiction novel by Butler, this is the first in a two-part series. Set in the 2020s, in a world destroyed by climate change, disease, war and wealth inequality, a woman named Lauren discovers she has an ability described as superempathy. She can feel any of the pain she bears witness to. When a fire kills her family, she must find a way to survive by leaving her compound and saving the rest of humanity.
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true discussion of antiracism, an effort that not just believes in equality of the races, but actively rejects supremacy of any one group over another. Reading texts from different perspectives shows students that, yes, people of color have struggles, but they’re also high achieving individuals. They’re all citizens of society. They are not just victims. They’re people who are capable of doing amazing things. Racism is a systemic issue and we need to address that. Efforts like reading more about people of color, mourning their loss, and celebrating their success are all worthy of our time and appreciation. However, they are only worthy if we use them to propel new conversations about race and the disparities within white people and people of color in this country. Our classrooms are shaping the minds of future doctors, government officials, lawyers, and teachers. We are the ones who are going to save lives, make laws, and shape the minds of their future. We have to learn now and have these conversations now before we enter into a field and continue to uphold the systemic racism some have failed to acknowledge thus far. Talking about it to the future is the only way to save the future. At BVN, we try, but we aren’t trying hard enough. We occupy ourselves with minute tasks in the name of political correctness and pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. While our efforts now are not pointless, they could easily be more pointed. Discussions about racism don’t have to be justified, they should just happen. They shouldn’t need an assigned reading book as a precursor, but if that’s what it takes to candidly talk about race and prejudice in our society and in our school, so be it. If the first step is better books about the experiences of people of color in the curriculum, the second should be talking about more than just the book.
FRESHMAN: Starr Carter was used to being two versions of herself. Who she was at her rich, white prep school was the opposite of who she was at home, in her mostly black neighborhood. When these two worlds collide, after her friend is shot by a police officer, she must find the best parts of both worlds and use her voice for what’s right.
SOPHOMORE: From the host of the Daily Show with Trevor Noah, comes a memoir detailing the life of a South African man, who was born to a white mother and a Black father, in a time when interracial relationships were illegal. He chronicles his childhood, including times when he was hidden because his parents feared he’d be taken if he were discovered by the government, and his relationship with a mother who was determined to save a child who wasn’t allowed to exist. JUNIOR: Tara Westover was born into a survivalist family. The first time she was in a classroom was at age 17. She’d never been to a hospital growing up, every injury from a cut to a concussion was treated by herbalism. She was raised in isolation, separated from mainstream society. Inspired by her brother, who got himself into college, Westover followed in his footsteps and pursued an education for the first time in her life. Her thirst for knowledge took her all over the world, but her loyalty to her family brought her back home.
SENIOR: Abandoned by her family, Kya is left to raise herself at a young age. She lives a lonely life in the marshes, keeping to herself. That is, until the body of Chase Andrews, a popular resident, is found in the marshes and Kya becomes the primary suspect. The life she’s built for herself is threatened as she becomes the center of a murder investigation.
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Student Life
Top Left: Wearing a mask, sophomore Devereaux Knight plays trumpet with the Mustang Athletic Band. Photo by Ellianna Cierpiot Top Right: Senior David Sjoberg uses a bullhorn at a rally for the continuation of school sports. Photo by Yasmeen Saadi Bottom Left: Senior Grant Ellis plays percussion at a marching band rehearsal. Photo by Ellianna Cierpiot Bottom Right: Football players attend the same rally outside of District Office for school sports. Photo by Alex Doege
Mustang Summers
Left: Students make a car circle in the BVN parking lot. Photo provided by Charlotte Raley Center: Juniors Mary Crossland, Bridget Burns, Anna Hamilton pose at the lake. Photo provided by Mary Crossland Right: Sophomores Calla Jordan and Cara Spratlin. Photo provided by Cara Spratlin
