GRADES
GRADUATION
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PRESSURE
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CHAOS
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SOCIAL MEDIA
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SOCIAL LIFE HYBRID ACT
SOCIAL DISTANCI TIRED
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ISOLATION VIRTUALPANIC INABILITY ONLINE BURNOUT
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STRESS CLASS CHAOS DEPRESSION
COVID-19 SANITIZE ONLINE
HAPPINESS FRIENDS
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PROM STRESS VIRTUALMASKS SICK WORK ANXIETY VIRUS VIDEO SICKNESS BURNOUT
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ANXIE QUARE QU ARE
QUARANTINE HOSPITAL SOCIAL LIFE
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RESTRICTIONS VIRTUAL FAMILY SCHOOLNORMAL
MENTAL ALONE SICK HEALTH SOCIAL MEDIA HOME
online
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MASKS OVER MIND
Students and staff discuss the effects of COVID-19 on mental health Pages 11-13
the standard blue valley southwest | volume 11 | issue 1
2 | contents / the standard / oct. 2020
Contents news
8 | College Hesitation 11 | Mask Over Mind 16 | Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Feature
5 | Teacher Feature 14 | A New Normal 18 | Quarantine Craze 20 | In With the Old 22 | Summer 2020 COVID-19 Edition
Sports 24 | Sports Update volume 11 / issue 1 bvswnews.com @bvswnews on Instagram, Twitter & Snapchat
5
Teacher Feature
on the cover
a student is overwhelmed by the many mental health effects of COVID-19 pages 11-13 photo illustration by Siri Chevuru and Rebecca Suku
|3
16 Actions speak louder than words 24 sports update 18 Quarantine Craze
4 | editor’s note / the standard / oct. 2020
Editor’s Note
2
020 has been a very difficult year. There’s really no other way to put it. I feel like we’ve all learned to expect the worst and everyone is just going through the motions every day. Now, obviously there are a few bright spots, and I could focus on the clichés we’ve all heard a thousand times. Lessons like take this time to learn a new skill, or take this time to reach out to people you’ve grown away from, but I don’t think these are the lessons that will change the outcome of this year for us. We’ve learned how to stand up for what we believe in, and this fighter’s mentality is how we will better ourselves this year. Across the country, students are risking their health to return to learning, while others are innovating new, virtual methods of school. People of all races are coming together to fight against inequality, and, whether you agree with it or not, athletes are using their pedestal to accentuate the message for change. Our nation has found itself days from an Election Day like no other, and Americans across the political spectrum are fighting for their vision of America. It’s easy to sit back and feel down about our current state of affairs, but we’ve all learned a little more about our passions, and we’re not fighting for a return to normalcy, we’re fighting for a world that’s better than it was before this year. Journalism has always laid the groundwork for change. We report and inspire, hoping to bring attention to a cause and make a difference. Even though our process has changed during this first issue, we are still fighting to educate and motivate. You can read about how students are taking care of their mental health, how our own school district is responding to racial protests or how a few of our own Timberwolves have hustled to make a buck in the entrepreneurial spirit. Stay strong Southwest, and keep fighting for what you believe.
| editor-in-chief
The Standard editor-in-chief keithan sharp online editor karley kent design editor siri chevuru social media manager sahar baha business manager rebecca suku staff writers ellie phillips erica peterson maleena baha adviser rachel chushuk
The Southwest Standard is published seven times a year for students, faculty, and surrounding community of Blue Valley Southwest. It is an open forum for student expression. Therefore, the opinions expressed within this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the administration of Blue Valley Unified School District #229. Letters to the editor and reader responses are encouraged for publication. The Southwest Standard reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content and encourages letters to be no more than 350 words. All letters must be signed and names will be published. The Standard 17600 Quivira Road Overland Park, KS 66221 Website: bvswnews.com Email: bvswnews@gmail.com
feature / the standard / oct. 2020 | 5
TEACHER FE AT U R E
New staff members share about themselves and reflect on the school year so far
SARAH DOLENCE Mathematics
Q: What have you enjoyed about Southwest since working here? A: I love my co-workers in the math department. The department is a really tight group, and they were really welcoming to me when I came to Southwest. I love how we plan out lessons together and are always making decisions that are in the best interest of our students. [Principal Scott] Roberts always tells us that at Southwest, “we take care of kids,” and I really see that in the attitudes of the staff. It’s great to work in a school that is really centered around its students. Q: Can you share some fun facts about yourself? A: This is my second Blue Valley school – before, I worked at Blue Valley Northwest. I was really excited to get to come to Southwest this year. I am originally from Laramie, Wyoming, and I came to Kansas when I went to KU where I got my degree in mathematics. I have a dog named Mason Bean and he is basically a human; he doesn’t act like a dog at all. I have a partner named Ben who also works for Blue Valley; he’s an eighth grade ELA teacher at Prairie Star Middle School. I enjoy working out and lifting weights because it helps me manage my stress, and in the spring when all the gyms shut down, I started running and now I’m obsessed.
JORDAN FOOTE Performing Arts Q: What have you enjoyed about Southwest since working here? A: I am really excited about my students. Although it has been a little more challenging getting to know them over Zoom, I look forward to working with them this semester. Southwest is an amazing school, and the theatre facilities are fantastic. Q: Can you share some fun facts about yourself? A: I grew up in the area and I am a Blue Valley High School graduate. I just moved from Tampa, Florida, where my family has been living the last seven years. I worked as a professional actor at various local Tampa theatre companies. My wife is a professional photographer, I have two daughters and we have two rescue dogs. I’m a KU grad and a big Jayhawks fan. I am a former student of [Dan] Schmidt, and it is so important to me to continue his legacy by leading a theatre department that creates consistently great work.
6 | feature / the standard / oct. 2020 Q: What have you enjoyed about Southwest since working here? A: My number one has definitely been the friendliness of the staff. Everyone has a very welcoming nature.
RACHEL HILLSTEAD Special Education
Q: Can you share some fun facts about yourself? A: My favorite television show is “Parks and Rec,” and my dad’s actual name is Ron Swanson. I was on the Steve Harvey show. My family has fostered seventy three kids over a span of seven years. I’ve written for different national publications while I was staying home with my kids: Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, CBS News and The Today Show.
MORGAN RONDEAU Special Education
Q: What have you enjoyed about Southwest since working here? A: Everyone here is so nice and welcoming. Q: Can you share some fun facts about yourself? A: A:This is my ninth year teaching. I have always taught middle school, so this is my first year teaching high school. My first eight years, I taught at Harmony Middle School in Blue Valley. I graduated with my undergraduate and Masters degrees from KU. Go Jayhawks! My husband and I have been married for seven years and we have two little boys. Dr. Pepper is life.
NANCY HERERRA FACS Q: What have you enjoyed about Southwest since working here? A: The administration, office staff and co-teachers here at BVSW. I feel so welcomed. Q: Can you share some fun facts about yourself? A: I love being a teacher, cooking, snow skiing, boating, and traveling in my spare time with my family. I also own a parrot named Barney and two dogs.
LIUAN YANG World Language
|7 Q: What have you enjoyed about Southwest since working here? A: I really enjoy the Southwest culture as a school, as well as a workplace. Everyone is super welcoming and easy to approach. I have received so much help from my wonderful colleagues during the past month. Q: Can you share some fun facts about yourself? A: Four years ago, I was attending college in China. I did a one-year study abroad at KU, and I remember hearing about the Blue Valley district from some local friends who attended BV. At the end of my exchange program, I did not expect that I would return to the U.S., and four years later I’m back in Kansas and BV as a teacher. I guess it’s kind of interesting how unpredictable life is.
CARLEY GRAFECCA Visual Arts
Q: What have you enjoyed about Southwest since working here? A: I am having a great time working at Southwest so far; I couldn’t have asked for a better first year teaching. The staff are incredibly welcoming and the students are so kind. I feel like I am at home working here. Q: Can you share some fun facts about yourself? A: I have a dog named Archie who is my world (he’s a mini goldendoodle). I graduated from KU in May. ROCK CHALK!
HALEY SLADE Computer Science and Business
Q: What have you enjoyed about Southwest since working here? A: What I’ve enjoyed most is how welcoming it’s been. I feel like I’m part of a family. The atmosphere is amazing already. I can’t wait to see how awesome it is during a normal school year. Q: Can you share some fun facts about yourself? A: I am obsessed with giraffes. I played volleyball in college and I’m the varsity assistant coach at SW. I love to cook and bake. I have a 2-year-old Pomsky named Grace. I drink Coca-Cola every morning like it’s coffee.
8 | news / the standard / oct. 2020
College As colleges change rules to combat coronavirus, high school seniors navigate on their own
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n a normal year, seniors would be staying up late cramming for their ACT tests, planning visits to scenic college campuses and learning how to apply to their dream school around this time of year. However, 2020 is not a normal year. The coronavirus pandemic has brought the college search process to a halt, leaving many seniors feeling helpless and lost. ACT tests, once a paramount test required for college acceptance, have been canceled and postponed. Senior Lauren Weber has had her ACT test canceled on three separate occasions. “I don’t know what to do, and I’ve emailed my counselors many times, and they always direct me to Naviance, but I don’t know how to work Naviance,” Weber said. “Not having my ACT scores or a transcript, I’m lost with what to do.” Weber is not alone, and counselor Kristi Dixon said this is always a stressful time for seniors, even without a global pandemic disrupting the process. “This is one of the biggest decisions that [seniors] will have to make so far in their lifetime, so it’s always a critical moment, and there’s a certain level of stress that comes with that every year,” Dixon said.
Dixon said students who feel lost or don’t know what to do should simplify the process and ask for help. “Let’s look at the schools that if it wasn’t for COVID, what was your plan, and we start there,” Dixon said. “Then let’s add COVID back into the mix and see how that impacts what your choices are, and we just put them together.” Senior Egan Li had his ACT test canceled once, but said he was able to join his brother at a different test location that was not canceled. “Normally, I would have to have a ticket to the testing center, which I didn’t have this time because they switched it at the last second, but they were only able to switch because I went with my brother,” Li said. “In most situations, people would just have their test canceled.” Li has since moved on to exploring his college choices through virtual tours, the newest tool colleges have used to attract prospective students. “I’ve been doing virtual visits because that’s what most colleges are offering at the moment,” Li said. “If I get accepted, I hope next year in the summer ... I could visit some college campuses.” To combat the ACT cancellations, many colleges are going test-optional, meaning
students don’t have to submit their scores to be considered. “I would really like to see more schools go test optional permanently,” Dixon said. “I would like to see more schools make that commitment to ‘I’m going to stop making decisions about the rest of your
“Colleges who are still having you pay the same amount for an in-person class when it’s online is an absolute scam.”
| seniorlaurenweber
life, because of what you spent three hours doing on a Saturday.’” Li said he also doesn’t mind the testoptional policies, but additional changes would be necessary to distinguish highachieving students. “I feel like some schools may need to adjust their policies for scholarships and
|9
Hesitation base them on GPA and grades and AP classes,” Li said. “I know a lot of schools are doing that, but some more schools should be doing that.” Even though most schools are testoptional, Weber is still skeptical about the fairness of these new approaches. “I think it’s an unfair advantage because [students who took the ACT] have more opportunities to get a higher score, and since I signed up for only a certain location, I can’t take the test,” Weber said. Many students are concerned that if they don’t submit their ACT score, they will be at a disadvantage even if the colleges are test-optional, but Dixon said this does not appear to be the case. “[Colleges are] not going to penalize you if you don’t submit your score,” Dixon said. “If students are able to say ‘I was planning to take the test, but I couldn’t,’ I really feel good that these schools are backing up what they’re saying; they’re talking the talk and walking the walk.” Some colleges have made headlines recently for charging the same tuition for a virtual education as they do for on-campus learning, leaving seniors with yet another variable to consider when applying this year. “I think colleges who are still having
you pay the same amount for an in-person class when it’s online is an absolute scam,” Weber said. “If you’re not getting the faceto-face education that they’re promising you, and you’re doing it all by yourself outside of class, I think that it’s ridiculous for them to charge you the same amount.” Weber said the biggest challenge for her has been finding resources to keep her updated on the ever-changing college application process. “I’ve asked [the counselors] for step-bystep processes, and I really don’t feel like they’ve helped at all,” Weber said. However, Dixon said a college information night was offered to all senior parents and students via Zoom, but only a handful of students participated. “I was kind of bummed at our numbers [for the college info night]; I think there were 41 people in attendance and four of those were the counselors, so I was like, ‘huh, where is everyone?’” Dixon said.
The counseling department has usually spoken to every senior during their English class by October, but this year, they have had to find new ways to communicate with seniors. “We’ve been trying to kind of figure out where we can fit, so we’re trying to drop lessons into TIPS,” Dixon said. “I’m really trying to post any information that I get on Canvas because you guys kind of have to live your lives there right now.” No matter how seniors are figuring out college applications, Dixon said it is a totally legitimate reason to feel stressed. “It’s really scary, it’s overwhelming,” Dixon said. “There’s no concrete right answer and that makes people really nervous.”
| keithansharp
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feature / the standard / oct. 2020 | 11
Mask over Mind Students and staff members discuss the effects that COVID-19 has posed on their mental health
12 | feature / the standard / oct. 2020
A
fter a six month long spring break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students are finally back in class. News of a quarantine struck in early March, and the impact of the virus began to alter almost every aspect of daily life for people all over the world. Being stuck under a lockdown and lacking the ability to socialize is something that this generation has never experienced before. Coronavirus has posed many uncertainties and has greatly affected not only the livelihood of our school community, but the mental health of its members. Junior Molly Heidrick is a student sponsor for Sources of Strength, a youth suicide prevention organization, said she strongly advocates for mental health awareness during these unprecedented times. “The most significant thing that COVID-19 prevented in regard to students’ mental health has definitely been the inability to attend school,” Heidrick said. “Despite how many
people claim they don’t like school, it acts as a huge outlet for young people and many have found themselves in a dark place without it.” Without school, many students lack motivation and direction. This can make it difficult to maintain a familiar schedule. Senior Julia Havens said as a result of the pandemic, she has noticed a change in her time management skills and stressed the importance of organization in a time with no definitive structure, especially because of the restrictions placed on extracurricular activities. “Time management is incredibly important now that we are back in school again because the more you pile on to yourself, the more stressed you are going to be,” Havens said. “Stress alone can affect mental health a lot, so it’s something that is very vital to be aware of.” The combination of isolation and stress can be very impactful on a person, and add pressure into their life. School psychologist Emily
Demo said returning to hybrid style learning after a six-month period with minimal classroom opportunity has made so many students in our community overwhelmed with anxiety. “It’s important for all students to know that their life is so impactful, and the smallest action can make the biggest difference,” Demo said. “Kids should know that it’s OK to reach out for help when they are struggling to cope, especially during this strange time when no one is really clear on what to do or think.” Havens said although all grade levels and ages are struggling as a result of this pandemic, she really feels for her fellow seniors. The pandemic has prevented many traditions and experiences and it has really hit home for Havens. "It sucks that our senior year is being taken away, but there’s nothing that we can do to get it back," Havens said. "I’ve been trying to tell myself that the reason I’m down is that
| 13
I’m losing out on the normal senior activities, but in fact, I’m making even stronger memories as this year will be much more memorable than a normal year." Mental health is something that can affect relationships, school, extracurriculars and even physical health, as well. With a school year that is ever changing and full of uncertainty, students may be having trouble making adjustments. “I think that during lockdown, it was really hard for people to put themselves in the right mindset for positive changes,” Havens said. “There was so much that was lost and negative responses to everything, that building a stronger outlook on their life was a hard thing to do. Not impossible, but definitely difficult.” The school offers multiple ways to get involved with spreading positivity and encouragement for all, including Sources of Strength and REbeL. The groups help spread positivity while promoting suicide prevention,
dealing with social media in a healthy way and helping students learn how to manage their stressors or anxiety. “A lot of people depend on a routine and other people to make them feel better and keep their lives going every day,” Demo said. “When you take all of that away it leaves people to figure out a way to base their happiness off of something completely different and likely less sustainable.” Demo said many high school students, as well as many adults, feel like they have to be perfect, even if they are struggling with their mental
health. It is impossible to be perfect, and finding a happy, healthy lifestyle requires time and balance. “As cliché as it is, I definitely recommend just talking to someone if you are struggling with your mental health or the transition into school,” Heidrick said. “Know that just because we have been out of a routine for awhile, it’s going to be hard to get back into it, but at the end of the day, life will go back to normal at some point.” | karleykent
14 | feature / the standard /oct. 2020
A New Normal Students adjust to the new normal of hybrid school
In graphic design, freshman Sydney Hendricks makes headway on her project. Students in classes like graphic design are now able to access the Adobe Creative Suite on their MacBook Airs. Photo by Ellie Phillips.
Listening to instructions, junior Jacob Douthit sits in painting class. Douthit said he does not like hybrid learning. “I feel like it is harder to learn with hybrid learning because you get less time with your teachers,” Douthit said. “I’m ready to go back to school full-time.” Photo by Ellie Phillips.
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On her MacBook, senior Gwen Looney works in graphic design, one of her two in-person classes. “It’s nice only having to go to the school two or three times a week,” Looney said. “I think hybrid learning helps to make sure all my time is used well, and I am able to focus on what I feel necessary at the time , even if it is sleeping. I have no problems with the current system.” Photo by Ellie Phillips.
During passing period, junior Sarah Golec and sophomore Ellie Jones converse with one another. Golec said hybrid school has gone better than she anticipated, but she prefers in-person learning. “I miss being able to talk to people at school that I don’t normally see outside of school,” Golec said. “You only get to experience high school once.” Photo by Ellie Phillips
Juniors Lauren Kight and Shreya Bhatia catch up in the hallway between classes. All students are required to wear a mask when inside the school. Photo by Ellie Phillips.
| elliephillips
16 | news / the standard / oct. 2020
actions speak louder than words District responds to controversy following social media post regarding racism
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lue Valley lacks a diverse range of backgrounds among its staff, students and community. With a little over 70% of the racial makeup being Caucasian/ White, according to the district website, students are inevitably unaware of social issues regarding race and how to approach and interact respectfully with one another. After the murder of George Floyd on May 25, the district, like many other organizations and schools, released a statement regarding their no tolerance policy to racism. In response to the statement, students from all over the district shared their negative experiences in Blue Valley with racism, contradicting the district's statement. Over the span of a couple of days, the district’s Instagram post received 1,135 comments. One of the many students that commented was freshman Annousha Hashmi. She said she initially laughed at all the backlash the district received. “I really just thought, ‘wow,’” Hashmi said. “For a school district to claim to value diversity in the lives of everybody, they sure do have a funny way of showing it.” Hashmi said the post did not properly
reflect on Blue Valley and their rebuke of racism, but was able to relate to what was being revealed in the comment section. “I saw people airing their grievances,” Hashmi said. “And it was like, so I'm not alone in my unfavorable experiences.” Principal Scott Roberts had a very different initial reaction and said he thought the statement was nice, but then took a step back after seeing the students’ reactions. “I know [superintendent] Dr. [Tonya] Merrigan personally felt this way, that we had to sit down and listen. We need to listen to our families, to our kids, to our teachers of color,” Roberts said. “We need to sit and just listen because it was a visceral reaction; it was real, and it was honest and it was open.” Both Merrigan and the Blue Valley Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Board were contacted for an interview on this topic. No one was available for an interview, but The Standard received the following message via email from Merrigan: “At the June 30 Board of Education Meeting, Blue Valley’s Board approved the addition of a new board advisory committee — the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Board
Protesters gather at the 135th and Metcalf intersection on June 12 to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Photo by Sahar Baha.
Advisory Committee. That committee has since been established and has begun meeting.” After posting a follow up on Instagram acknowledging the comment section, emails and protest hosted by the Blue Valley Northwest Black Student Union, administrators, including Roberts recognized a need for change. “We at Southwest need to elevate the voices of our students of color in a much more dramatic fashion,” Roberts said. Senior Kayden Williams was active in responding and critiquing the district and their claims. She said she thought the district’s first statement was honest and a step in the right direction, but did not entirely meet her expectations. “We [need] to go further as a district than just a statement,” Williams said. “Because my entire life, and I think all of our entire lives, we’ve always heard people [say] that they’re committed to racial equality. But that doesn’t mean anything if you don’t do anything to strive for racial equality.” Williams said she personally reached out to Merrigan about how necessary change is to help combat microaggressions and racial mistreatment and was able to share some of her ideas for bettering the district. “I suggested doing more than what we do for black history, because during Black History Month, we don’t learn about black individuals, we learned about the Civil Rights Movement,” Williams said. “And it’s a very glossed over movement.” Williams said she hasn’t seen any policies being initiated and that although she is hopeful, she doesn’t see the district making any evident changes. “I’m not going to get my hopes up so high,” Williams said. “It’s a reality — like we’ve been here and we’ve had this opportunity, and nothing happens.” Although students may not be able to see a lot of change come around to the district,
Roberts said he and the rest of the staff have taken part in training and preparation to better the racial injustice situation within the community. “We had actually two in our nine days leading up to the beginning of school [of training],” Roberts said. To facilitate change, the whole staff came together to listen to the conversations they were having with the students and design changes that could easily be implemented into the classrooms. “[Teachers are to offer] at least one [opportunity] where [they] provide multiple different perspectives, not just the whitewash to the white perspective,’” Roberts said. “Whether it is a Muslim perspective, or an African-American perspective, or a Latino present, whatever, it is just a different perspective, to get kids exposed to that.” Another change the entire staff will implement is asking consent from students who identify as people of color to share their culture to make their peers more culturally aware and potentially prevent microaggressions.
“for a school district to claim to value diversity in the lives of everybody, they sure do have a funny way of showing it.”
| freshmanannoushahashmi
In addition to working on change within the classroom, Roberts said he met with the Diversity Club executive board in hopes of expanding the reach of the club and help implement opportunities for diverse backgrounds to be explored more than one week of the year. “[Providing multiple perspectives] needs to be something that happens all the time. It should be happening multiple times across the curriculum during conversations that we’re having,” Roberts said. “So
| 17
Protesters hold signs in front of the cars crossing the intersection on June 12 at the protest organized by Blue Valley Northwest’s Black Student Union. Photo by Sahar Baha. that students are exposed to multiple perspectives on a regular basis.” Diversity Club created three branches of reach this year: monthly culture showcase videos, fundraising and curriculum immersion. Senior Karthik Sathish and junior Shiza Khan are in charge of the curriculum immersion group and through collaboration with Roberts, were able to identify issues within the curriculum and establish goals for the year. “One of the bigger problems raised was that with things like 9/11, we’re taught in a singular view without hearing both sides of the story,” Sathish said. “Like all the bombings in the Middle East that followed.” Sathish said he has personally faced microaggressions in the district. “[A staff member] would always confuse me with the other Indian kid,” Sathish said. “Once he tried pronouncing my name the first time and said it was too difficult to pronounce so he just called me by my first letter.” Sathish said after confronting the staff member about the problem, the act was noted and fixed. Although many students face these uncomfortable situations, Sathish said he is happy to see the Diversity Club expanding its role into addressing justice movements and curriculum changes. He also said through diversity club and collaboration with Roberts, new books by Black authors have been added to the shelfs
from which teachers can teach to their students. “One of the ways we can improve is to read more novels from Black authors,” Sathish said. “To actually see different views of the world.” Williams said these changes are necessary. Similar to Sathish, she has faced an uncomfortable situation where her level of education was in question because of her race. “Somebody had the audacity to tell me that they were more educated than I am because they had all white teachers,” Williams said. “I have had all white teachers my entire life, and that hasn’t changed. So just for that to be the measurement of education and intelligence, that was not so great.” Roberts said he felt the hurt within the voices of the people of color and that creating a culture of anti-racism is the goal for the entire district. “[I was] sad that that’s the experience that kids are having,” Roberts said. “Because of that, it’s time for change...those changes will be incremental, they’ll take some time, but we need to make some fundamental changes.” | saharbaha
6| feature| 18 | feature the / the standard| standard 2020 / oct 2020
Quarantine craze
Students share hobbies they picked up over quarantine
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t first, quarantine was viewed in a negative light, but as time went on, people began to adapt to the extra free time and began utilizing it to learn new skills and hobbies. With an extended summer break and a delayed start to school, students had more time to focus on their hobbies and pick up new skills. Senior Bailey Bowles refined her jewelry making skills and began her own business. In fact, through this new venture into the hobby and a business on Etsy, she said she’s planning on making $2,500 net profit by the end of the year. Bowles said the reason she picked up this hobby again was solely because she had extra time to do what she wanted. “I never really had time for it because I was balancing school and everything,” Bowles said. “Whenever I [start,] I really had to take a while just to sit down and learn again. And I never really had time to do that. And so a quarantine allowed me that time and now I just do it in between school and work.” Bowles said she began making jewelry because she had nothing else to do. With everything shut down, she was stuck at home and was forced to find an enjoyable way to spend her time. “I was so bored during quarantine that I
just wanted to try something new,” Bowles said. “I thought why not make earrings that I would wear today, so then I just started making them.” She said she first began to make clay jewelry when she was about 8, however she forgot most of the techniques and how to do it when she looked into starting again. She would repair her jewelry, but she never touched clay in recent years prior to her jewelry making endeavor. “I just learned the basics from YouTube, but you kind of just learn as you go,” Bowles said. “There’s not really any stone rules to it.” One challenge she came across was the holes. She initially punched out holes before she baked them, but the clay pieces would shatter when she tried to put the earring together. Learning from her mistakes, she now drills the holes after the clay bakes. Bowles makes everything by hand and with simple tools. She said she doesn’t use molds. “Flowers I mold together myself, and things like that. But I use cookie cutters to cut out the things,” Bowles said. “If I wanted to have a ton of flowers on it, I would lay out the clay … and then I would pick a cookie cutter and cut out the earring shape from that design.”
Senior Bailey Bowles writes a note expressing her gratitude to a customer for buying her earrings. Photo by Siri Chevuru.
Out of the many earrings she has made and listed, Bowles said her favorite by far is her leopard print earrings. She described it as a leopard print on a small circle inside a larger black circle. “It’s my first video to go viral and got like 150,000 views [on TikTok]. It was just fun,” Bowles said. “There’s a good memory to it.” Bowles is one of many students who took advantage of the time. Junior Faith Steiner spent her time learning to play the ukulele. Steiner is not new to playing instruments. She said she has already learned how to play the clarinet which has helped her in learning notes for the ukulele. Steiner said learning how to play the ukulele is a stepping stone to learning guitar. “I’ve kind of wanted to do it for a little bit,” Steiner said. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to play guitar, and that’s a little step toward that.” Steiner’s ukulele is no ordinary instrument; it holds a special meaning to her. It was gifted to her on her birthday a few years ago. “My grandparents got it in Hawaii for me and I love it because of the little dolphin [design on the guitar],” Steiner said. She said she began playing a few months
| 19
Junior Faith Steiner plays a few basic chords on her ukulele. Photo by Siri Chevuru
ago and only spent 20-30 minutes learning how to play it. “Some songs only have like three chords, so it’s pretty easy,” Steiner said. Despite how easy it is, there are still some difficulties she encounters while playing the instrument. “Sometimes the note you have to put your finger [is] all the way around the neck of the instrument, and sometimes my fingers can’t reach because I have small fingers,” Steiner said. Steiner said she is still in the practice of perfecting her craft. She practices two days each week. She said she usually does practices with junior Kyra Tatge. “I usually just try to do it with Kyra because she knows more, and I don’t really know many chords,” Steiner said. Steiner said she enjoys having the opportunity to learn how to play a new instrument. “I think it’s cool, it’s like a mini guitar and it’s just fun,” Steiner said. Senior Matthew Claar also took up a new hobby. He began engineering numerous machines and tools, with his latest project being an Iron Man suit. Claar engineers and creates things from flame throwers to knives. He described the things he makes as “kind of all over the place.”
“It just kind of depends on what I’m feeling,” Claar said. “And what I have the tools to do.” Along with his current Iron Man suit, he’s made a shield, flamethrower and has already planned a future project of a rocket propeller. However, not everything he does is toward the violent and dangerous side. “It’s not always weapons,” Claar said. “Those tend to get the most attention, [but] I’ve done things and learned a lot about audio systems. Over quarantine, I’ve installed a new audio system in my car, and while it doesn’t shoot fire, it does shoot fire in an auditory sentence.” Compared to the numerous things he has built, Claar said nothing tops his Iron Man project so far. “I think [the Iron Man-style flame thrower] is one of the most fun, and also thrilling creations ever made,” Claar said. Claar said nearly everything he makes is an original idea that he plans and constructs. “Ninety percent of the stuff that I make is original; [I] take some inspiration and some ideas that work off of others,” Claar said. “The general concept is something that I either design in CAD or write on a notebook or just ideas that I brainstorm.” Claar said he draws inspiration from
Senior Matthew Claar showcases a burst of fire from his flamethrower that is wrapped across his arm. Photo courtesy of Claar.
places, but he refuses to copy another person. He likes to make whatever he makes his own. “I hate looking at something online and saying, I want to build that. Just because someone hasn’t seen the video of it doesn’t make it yours,” Claar said. “I built [the flame thrower] and part of the reason is I want it to be my idea I came up with” For Claar, only finishing the project does not mark it successful. He said he needs to know the ins and outs completely or else it goes “stale.” With knowledge of the process, he said he can use the basics and implement it into anything. “I want to get the recognition when I blow up seven times and I come out with a flamethrower suit the eighth,” Claar said. “It does not happen on the first try. I’m glad it doesn’t. And you know, I’ll keep failing.” Claar said his adventures in creating these objects could be a silver lining to the pandemic. “I probably would not have had time for [making stuff] if quarantine wasn’t a thing,” Claar said. “I’m actually really grateful that we’ve had that.” | sirichevuru
20 | feature / the standard / oct. 2020
ININWITH THE OLD WITH THE OLD IN WITH THE OLD A look into how students have turned thrifting into a business
W
ith clothing trends making a comeback from decades ago, so has thrifting, an alternative option for shoppers looking to stay away from retail and fast fashion. This old trend has resurfaced once again, and some students are now using this trend as a foundation for their businesses. Thrifting since she was 13 to buy herself clothes, sophomore MacKenzie Wasinger, decided to start selling some of her unique finds as a source of income. “I worked with my dad,” Wasinger said. “But I needed a little something extra.” Similar to Wasinger, senior Maddie Kelly started Signature Thrifts, a small clothing business with sophomore Audra Pugel. “We sell the items on our [Instagram] stories,” Kelly said. “People can swipe up and the first person to swipe up on the item gets it.” Kelly said as vintage fashion has begun to resurface, she has evolved her style to fit her finds. “A lot of my favorite pieces that I found have been things that were first outside of my comfort zone and then ended up really cute,” Kelly said. While Signature Thrifts sells via Instagram, Wasinger uses Depop, a fashion marketplace app used to buy and sell unique items. Before using Depop, Wasinger said she sold her finds on Mercari, a similar app. Before she can upload them on her account, Wasinger said she uses a white backdrop and takes photos of each item so her buyers know how it looks on a person “After I take the pictures, I upload them to Depop,” Wasinger said. After adding a small description for the clothing item, Wasinger said she adds keywords, which is an important step in the process. “I didn’t put keywords like it wouldn’t reach a lot of people.” Wasinger said.
| sophomoremackenziewasinger
| 21 Since the thrifting trend started up again, many sellers have only started their businesses recently. Although their businesses may be new, thrifting has been around for some time and many sellers have years of experience. “I’ve been thrifting for probably a couple years now,” Kelly said. “And I started selling [clothing] this summer.” Kelly and Wasinger said one of the keys to selling thrifted clothes is knowing one’s audience. By knowing her target market and looking into each item to compare prices, Wasinger said she has been able to sell her items quicker and for the price she has set. “If it’s trendy right now you kind of have to know your market,” Wasinger said. By searching for prices in similar pieces and pricing a couple dollars up, sellers like Kelly are able to make a profit. “I only price up the items a few dollars, because our audience is mainly high schoolers who don’t have a ton of money to spend,” Kelly said. One of their popular buyers, junior Abby Burkhalter, who also buys thrifted clothing from other sellers, said one of the things that made Signature Thrifts stand out from the others was their handwritten notes. “They write like little notes in the bags they give us, which I really like,” Burkhalter said. Burkhalter said she prefers thrifting over retail because of how unique and different her finds can be. “It’ll be something that only you have in your closet,” Burkhalter said. Wasinger said even though she started her store to make some extra cash, it’s still something fun for her to do for herself. “It doesn’t even feel like work to me,” Wasinger said. “It is something I enjoy doing so much.”
| maleenabaha
| juniormaddiekelly
22 | feature / the standard / oct. 2020
Summer 2020 COVID-19 Edition 171 students describe the effect coronavirus had on summer experiences
Did COVID-19 “ruin� your summer?
20.5%
YES
34.5%
NO
45%
IT WAS NOT TERRIBLE IT WAS NOT GREAT
1
2
3
4
With COVID-19, summer was destined to look a little different this year.
5
Were you still able to do sports and normal summer activities?
46.1%
of students still got to travel
46.8% Were able to do activities eventually 40.4% were able to do activities with extra precautions. 12.9% were not able to do any activities
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How did your level of cautiousness with COVID-19 affect your summer experience?
Did you wear a mask everywhere you went this summer?
52% ✓ YES 7% X NO
“As the summer went on I was less and less cautious. I was kind of going back out because my mom wasn’t as worried anymore ... at different parts of the summer it was affecting me differently.” | juniorkennadiecampbell
SOME PLACES
40.9%
“I believe I have only hung out with friends around three times, so in the duration of over 100 days, I have been stuck at home.” |seniorjoyceyu
“I pretty much got to do everything that I wanted to do, but just with more caution and safety.” |senioralyssacangelose
On a scale from 1 to 10 how careful were you this summer with the precautions of COVID-19? 25 21.6%
20 13.5%
15
13.5%
11.7%
11.1%
10
8.2%
5 0
1.2%
1
8.2%
7.6%
3.5%
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 | ericapeterson
24 | sports / the standard / oct. 2020
Sports UPDATE
Girls Tennis
Football
Standings: Aquinas BVNW BV Bishop Miege BVN BVSW BVW St. James
Overall 4-3 4-1 5-1 2-4 3-2 1-5 1-4 3-4
District 2-0 4-0 5-1 1-1 1-2 1-4 1-4 0-3
runner-up as a team at Regionals State qualifiers: senior Madee Fisher (fifth place finish) senior Merritt Ellis
Boys Soccer
Standings: BVW BVNW BVSW Aquinas Mill Valley BV St. James Bishop Miege BVN Gardner-Edgerton
Overall 9-0-2 8-1-1 4-2 9-3-2 6-5-1 3-3-1 2-6-1 5-5-3 1-8 1-11-1
District 7-0-2 6-1-1 3-1 4-3-1 1-1 2-2-1 1-3-1 1-4-2 1-7 0-1
Cross Country
Next race: State Championship, 10/31: Boys varsity: 3rd overall in EKL Girls varsity: 2nd overall in EKL
Senior Madee Fisher competes at the 2020 girls tennis state tournament on Oct. 17. Fisher finished in fifth place. Photo courtesy of Olivia Parsons.
Volleyball Standings: Aquinas St. James BVW BV Bishop Miege BVN BVNW BVSW
Overall 21-2 25-3 19-7 13-10 13-11 14-12 8-14 5-21
District 12-1 13-2 9-6 8-6 6-9 5-10 4-12 1-11
Girls Golf
State qualifiers: sophomore Hillary Currier (16th place finish) junior Haylee Johnson Senior Eden Schwarz races in the cross country EKL meet on Oct. 16. Photo by Erica Peterson.
*All statistics as of 10/23
| keithansharp
