SPOT LIGHT
INSIDE
Election............................10 Discrimination in BV....13 Fall Recipes.....................22
Masthead Our Cover Over the summer the Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum and brought racism to the forefront of the media. The Blue Valley School District put out a statement stating that they support all their students no matter their race, gender, or sexuality. After posting this statement, scores of past and present students responded with their own stories. 1,134 comments were posted expressing discriminating endured in Blue Valley Schools by both staff and peers. The Spotlight staff felt the issue deserved continued attention. and hopes that issues could be addressed and corrected. All students matter.
Letter from the Editors Over the summer as COVID-19 continued to spread we all quickly came into the realization that our senior year would be anything but normal. We had to adapt and work in different ways than past years in order to get the newspaper ready. We are so excited to share this paper with BV West and all of our stories inside. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings. Editors in Chief,
Kolbie, Natalie & Kiley
Spotlight is printed at least six times per school year for BV West students and the community. Its goals are to inform, entertain and interpret through bylined articles, opinions and editorials, while providing an open forum of communication for the diverse student population. Spotlight aims to be fair, accurate and impartial. The content of the print publication, online news site and social media accounts is determined by its student editors as determined by the Kansas Scholastic Press Act and may contain controversial subject matter as the staff exercises their First Amendment rights. (Spotlight does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty adviser, the administration of BV West or USD 229.)
Blue Valley West High School 16200 Antioch Road Overland Park, Kan. 66085 Phone: 913-239-3700 Email: bvwspotlight@gmail.com Web: www.bvwnews.com Social Media: @bvwspotlight
Staff Members Kolbie Christensen Natalie Lindmark Kiley Peterson Kathernine Boston Lucy Call Kevin Glenn Ekansh Gupta Reese Hager Ally Madden Lauren Miexner Rachel Park Nabila Qureshi Madison Shuey Aminah Syed
In This Edition Arts and Entertainment 05..... Quarantine Gaming 06..... COVID-19 Outings Sports 08...... Sports with Masks Opinion 10..... Election Candidates 12.... Dear COVID... News 13..... Discrimination Feature 16.... New Teachers 18.... Quarantine Mental Health 20.... Freshmen vs Senior Interactive 22.... Fall Recipes 23..... COVID-19 Costumes
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TYLER WOODS August 4, 2003 - September 14, 2020 Class of 2021
Tyler was my brother I never had. We shared everything with each other, no one conversation was the same with him, we talked about life and random subjects. I’ve known Tyler for years, he believed in me and my dreams of writing music. He was the best person to talk to or go to when you wanted to laugh. There was never a time I wasn’t smiling around him. I miss listening to music with him and Tyler was a bright star in the sky and a ray of sun on a cloudy day. I miss him, he was a friend, and, he was like family. Love you Tyler!
Irina Mikos expresses the feelings of the Class of 2020 on the life of senior Tyler Woods.
Photo by Maria Kershaw
A&E
5
Q UARAN T I N E GAM I N G Gaming makes a popular return during quarantine.
Nabila Qureshi reporter
2
020 has thrown a lot at many of us, but one good thing to come out of this year was the new finding in hobbies and interest in a variety of things. One popular activity that interested a lot of people was gaming. Gaming has become a huge part of many people’s lives and social interaction during quarantine. A lot of BV West students have incorporated gaming into their everyday lives. One student at BV West, senior, Hayden Scholes, has been into gaming since he was in first grade. “The first game I had ever played was Wii sports,” said Scholes. Many people start playing when they are younger, but lose interest as time goes on, but not everyone. Muaaz Choudhry is a freshman who claimed that gaming shaped a lot of his childhood memories. “Yeah I used to love gaming, but I lost interest in it after a while, although gaming was a huge part of my childhood, and [then] I started to play again” said Choudhry. Although quarantine at times felt tedious, many people had a lot of
time on their hands that led them to look into gaming and actually start careers. According to the Hollywood Reporter of March 2020, after quarantine began, gaming peaked by 75%. Colleges started doing Esports with gamers who want to pursue a future with gaming such as Georgia State University, University of California-Irvine, and University of Akron. There have also been gaming events that offer a prize of thousands of dollars to the winners or to charity. You can either apply for an Esports scholarship (some even full ride) or be recruited in the way college would recruit a football player for their team. A lot of people have also bought a lot of gaming consoles during quarantine. Some of the most popular gaming consoles include, Xbox, PS4, PC, and Nintendo switches. Video gaming has a vast variety of games consisting of fighting, sports, skills and implementation. Popular games such as Fortnite, Fall Guys, FIFA,
Call of Duty, Minecraft, overwatch, and etc, have gotten a lot of attention over quarantine because of the unique features they contain. “One of my favorite games at the moment is Fall Guys because it is very different from any other game I usually play and it has a wide variety of different things such as obstacle courses and it’s super fun to play with your friends,” Choudhry said. Many students at BV West like gaming and some are even interested in having a future involving gaming. A lot of gaming has even come on phones now and it is very accessible and easy to download. A very popular game on mobile at the moment is Among Us. “I think it’s a really fun game to play with friends and even though it’s a very tedious game it doesn’t get old. Although it’s not a game that’s very fun to play by yourself, I think that this game will stay popular for a while” Scholes claims. BV West is filled students who love gaming and want to have a future with gaming.
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A&E
HANGING WITHON I T I D E FRIENDS COVID-19 6 ft apart. Masks. Stay At Home Orders.
Rachel Park
reporter
Cchange OVID has made our lives take an unexpected turn. Its hit has made our lives completely from our normal to a new normal in a matter of months. With the precautions the pandemic presented itself with, many of the usual, fun activities for teenagers cannot be done. Although many usual activities can’t be done, there are new and creative covid outing ideas that people have turned to. Recently, the Spotlight conducted a poll on Instagram stories to gather some of the most common COVID outing ideas.
Outdoor activities are a safe way to stay active and have fun. Some activities include picnics and hammocking in trees. Being able to be with your friends and do these simple and entertaining activities is a great thing to do during this pandemic.
A&E
7
Stargazing is a popular activity that
many people stated they did over the summer. It’s relaxing and the fun vibe draws in people of all ages to stargaze. There are a couple of essentials to remember as you go stargazing. Pick a nice and quiet spot, grab some friends or family, and just relax. Looking at the stars and finding constellations while laying out with the people you love is what makes this activity such a popular hit.
The Louisburg Cider Mill is a classic fall favorite for people of all ages. From the pumpkin patch, the cider donuts, and the cute spots to take pictures, everyone loves going to the Cider Mill. There is also a corn maze for kids to find their way through. Now, because of its outdoor setting, it has turned into a safe spot family or friends can gather and hang out.
Drive-in Movies are back! From being super popular in the late 1900s to slowly dying out, they have made their comeback to being a popular activity nowadays. Although they never technically went away, their popularity was decreasing. Since movie theaters are forced to close down, for the time being, people have turned to watch movies at drive-ins again. Its outdoor setting allows people to watch movies in a fun way while staying safe from the pandemic.
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sports
Playing through: Fall athletes compete despite obstacles Kevin Glenn
reporter
Delays, masks, quarantines and stress impact fall sports
Athet fall the beginning of August it looked like sports season was lost. COVID-19
spread through the BV West community just as it had throughout the rest of the country. After a great deal of input from the community, the Blue Valley Board of Education voted to “let them play.” While athletes, coaches and parents celebrated the opportunity to participate, practice and competition protocols were impacted. Football endured a quarantine, cheer lost five months of practice and team bonding, golf travel was restricted, tennis lost State chances and cross country learned to start and end races wearing masks. “(Cheerleader) tryouts did not occur until August and we have our State Competition in November,” cheer coach Katie Pearson said. “It has really forced us to condense the time lines of practices, etc.” Cheer waited months for tryouts, team bonding and practice, other sports were able to do conditioning in June and July in anticipation of starting the fall sports season on time. Girls golf coach, Aaron Anderson, reported “we had to postpone practice for a couple weeks.” Coaches were tasked with keeping their athletes from worrying about all of the COVID distractions. “We don’t focus on the can’t but on the can. We stay focused on the things we can control and try not to think about what we can’t control,” cross country coach Mallory Huseman said. “We take every day as an opportunity.” Athletes like soccer’s senior Colin Welsh also was grateful the BOE considered the unique aspects of each sport when determining safety measures. “I’m thankful we don’t have to play in a mask,” Welsh said. “It would make it harder to play, breathe, see the ball and communicate.”
Sporting masks fastened to the face masks of their helmets, junior Ben Nichols and junior Charlie Mahoney run to senior Andrew Bradley to help with blocking in the game against Blue Valley High on Oct. 2. at the District Activities Complex on Antioch. Photo by Ally Townsend
MASK FACTS
Photo by Katie Forsen
How often do athletes have to wear masks?
Photo by Ana Esqueda
Photo by Olivia Lasley
100% cheer football volleyball
soccer
PRACTICE ONLY
sports
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VARIES
cross country golf tennis
Photo by Baleigh Thompson
Photo by Maria Kershaw
10 opinion
THE LEFT Aminah Syed
managing editor
The upcoming election is five days away and is, perhaps, one of the most contested in the history of our nation. The top two candidates are polarized; supporters on both sides are steadfast. I got involved with politics because I realized that it is essential that I understand and know about my rights to ensure the government does sont infringe on them. I firmly believe that the policies of former vice president, Joe Biden, are best for our country and it’s citizens.
COVID-19: More than 225,000 lives have been lost due to the pandemic, and the economy was turned upside down. Joe Biden will step up to help America overcome spread of the virus. The need for testing is crucial, as is the need to wear a mask. Biden’s plan was outlined in the last debate. “A clear, consistent message from the very top of our government on the importance of mask-wearing — because we are one country with one population to protect,” Biden said. “In addition to testing, contact tracing, and protecting older Americans.” Healthcare workers and essential workers are putting their lives on the line every day. Essential workers deserve a salary to replicate the hard work they are doing to help and care for American citizens. Biden’s plan will help these heroes’ families survive with greater economic security.
Supreme Court:
Economy:
Social Injustice:
The death of Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Badder Ginsburg, left many Americans heartbroken. Justice Ginsburg made exponential progress for the women’s rights movement. Now that she has passed, there is an open spot for a new Justice. President Trump has appointed Amy Coney Barrett. Her conservative record would likely result in decreased access to abortion and elimination of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The controversy around Barrett’s appointment is because of how close it is to Election Day. During the 2016 election after Justice Anthony Scalia passed, Senator Mitch McConnell said that a new supreme court justice should be nominated after the election. However, during the 2020 election, it seems that Senator McConnell has completely flipped his position. “President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate,” McConnell said. The hypocrisy irks many who are still mad that President Obama’s nominee waited more than 200 days without a vote.
One of Biden’s goal as President is to support the expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) for the entirety of the pandemic, as proposed in the HEROES Act.
During the summer of 2020 America witnessed a historic civil rights movement. When Officer Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd on May 25, protests erupted all over the country. Joe Biden recognized this and is commited to fighting against systemic racism. Ethnicities that were once welcome in the US now feel targeted and attacked by Republican rhetoric. According to a survey done by the Washington Post, 8 of 10 said that they feared a friend or loved one could be deported. Current policies threaten those seeking sanctuary from struggling countries and separates children from their families. Biden vows to reform the immigration system and help 11 million immigrants obtain citizenship. LGBTQ+ individuals are discriminated against in multiple ways from health insurance to hate crimes. It is important that America protects and supports the LGBTQ+ community, especially youth and trans women of color who are disproportionally victimized. Overall, all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexualities, and gender identity, deserve the same rights as everyone else.
The HEROES Act provides for working households and helps them avoid poverty,as well as bettering economic stability. He also hopes to create a higher minimum wage, raising it to $15/ hr. This means the minimum wage will raise $7.75. This action will help citizens who rely on an hourly paycheck to become more stabilized. It will also benefit low, middle-class citizens, students, and those working part-time jobs. Biden believes the U.S. needs to add diversity to manufacturing and innovative industries by providing “historical investments” into communities of color and rural areas. The plan will mobilize the talent of Americans to build a “21st-century caregiving and education workforce.” Hi policies will this reduce the number of unemployed minorities and give equal opportunities to a Americans.
THE RIGHT
Madison Shuey
reporter
opinion
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Highschool is the time for discovering what is important to you. Over four years you decide what you like, who you like, and what your views include on a variety of topics. At some point in everyone’s senior year, their 18th birthday arrives making them eligible to vote. Younger generations often feel lost when it comes to politics. This can lead to voting people into power with no idea how it will affect them in the coming years. Politics have become a big part of my life since the 2016 election. I got into politics because of my father but I continued to follow politics out of my own curiosity. My father made his political opinions clear but it wasn’t until President Trump got elected that I decided on my own political opinions. I realized that I generally agreed with the Republican platform. COVID-19: COVID 19 hit the country by surprise and caused a lot of criticism for Trump. He closed the borders at the end of January which made some Democrats call him racist, yet later in the summer they told him that he was responsible for deaths resulting from COVID-19 due to not closing the borders fast enough. There was a huge success in the amount of tests given the United States. A 2.2 billion relief bill was passed to help the people of the US who were struggling economically from the pandemic. Trump has publicly stated that he supports children going back to school which is something I feel strongly about. Some believe research that states Covid does not stay on surfaces for longer than 17 minutes and that the particles so small that normal masks that everyone wears do not protect you. Research shows that masks are not effective and may be bad.
Supreme Court:
Economy:
Social Injustice:
After the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, there was a new spot open on the Supreme Court. This caused a lot of concern with implications for the election as the Democrats are wanting the nomination for the spot to wait until after the election. Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett. Republicans see this as a win because they want to get as many conservative judges in the high court as possible. Her cool, calm, and collected vibe, along with her answers as an originalist (supporter of the literal meanings of the US constitution), who believes the role of a justice is to adhere to the text of the statues, makes her stand out. There are only two other justices that call themselves orginialists which would make it three if Barrett is approved by the senate. Diversity on a court can create better answers that more people agree with.
The economy has always held a large importance, and Trump has made the economy his number one goal. Unemployment has been low for Asain, Hispanic, and African Americans communities during the Trump Administration. Additionally, over a million jobs in construction, and the manufacturing industry have been created. Trump signed a major tax reform bill which included tax cuts for small business, big corporations, made the standard deduction, and reformed the tax brackets. These reforms helped everyone across the board and benefitted America greatly. Every class got a tax cut but the lower and middle class got even bigger ones. Corporate Businesses also got tax cuts which were seen very negatively by the Democrats but it was actually a good thing because it allowed corporations to use that extra money to hire new people and in some cases corporations gave bonuses to their employees.
A huge issue of most every conversation is the topic of equality and and human rights. The biggest topics are in regard to gender, race, and sexuality. These topics continue to dominate the media and often reflect Donald Trump as the bad guy. However, Trump is the only president to ever go into office supporting the LGBTQ+ community, he has publicly supported gay rights for over 20 years. He disassembled the crime bill of 1994 that hurt communities of color by authorizing the death penalty for 60 new federal offenses, imposed mandatory life sentences on persons with three or more felony convictions, and imposed harsh penalties for youth. This bill is the reason that two-thirds of Americans who were sentenced to life in prison as juveniles are African American. This bill massively hurt communities of color and getting rid of it puts America another step forward in equality.
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opinion
1,134.
BV West community responds to Blue Valley School District’s social media post regarding discrimination during the summer of 2020
Natalie Lindmark
editor-in-chief
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,134, the number of comments left on the Blue Valley School District’s Instagram post addressing discrimination and racism in June 2020. After the unjust murder of George Floyd involving horrific police brutality and the uprise of the Black Lives Matter movement, a statement was made by the district. 1,134 comments relayed student’s and alumni stories involving discrimination on the basis of sexuality, religion and specifically, racism followed. 1,134 students shared their stories of racist remarks made by staff and peers, and systemic racism in the school environmental and the curriculum. Why did it take “X” years for district administration to find out about the extent of the damage and what can or will be done now? After the reaction and discussion surfaced over the summer, the Spotlight Editors-in-Chief reached out to the editors at all Blue Valley high school’s in the hope of creating a collaborative project. All schools were on board but one, who decided The Spotlight was making news instead of reporting it. Spotlight believes the students who have spoken out have made the news, not us, and it is our job to share truth and tell student stories. Among the 1,134 comments were current students and alumni
from BV West. Sophomore Nargis Suleman commented. “I’ve been physically and verbally assaulted because of my religion at West, what’s sad is that you never heard about this stuff or anything that’s being done to help because I know that so many kids go through what I did,” Suleman said. Her reason for commenting was prompted by her experiences and sense of duty. “So many people who had gone through the same thing never had their voices heard, it wasn’t until that post was made that hundreds of students came forth with their bad experiences with discrimination for gender, religion, race, and religion, things they can’t control.” Suleman showed courage and leadership by speaking out and making a statement. “I wasn’t going to let Blue Valley put on a face of caring about black lives or diversity, when they didn’t care about their own students [or what was going on],” Suleman said. Spotlight also heard from senior Saja Daifallah who commented on her experiences at BV West and Lakewood Middle School. “I’ve had people call me terrorist, Isis, towel head, and much more, people have also tried to ask me how my hair looks, and if they can see it,” Daifallah.
Senior Derion Price endured blatant racism in front of his peers during English class as a sophomore. “I’ve experienced a teacher saying a racial slur which ended with her losing her job,” Price said. Price counts himself among those who have ideas when it comes to how to help improve our district. “We can incorporate true history lessons of black history to help people understand both sides of history to have a correct interpretation of the African American community,” Price said. The issue came down to one takeaway for Daifallah. “People shouldn’t be excused; they should be educated,” said Daifallah. Racism and discrimination is not a new issue at BV West, or anywhere for that matter. In March 2020, Spotlight published “What’s That Thing on Your Head?” about a student getting her hijab pulled off in the hallway. That incident and the one involving Price, among others, prompted principal Dr. Brett Potts, to begin educating the staff on incidents in our school and how to combat racism so all students could receive a fair experience.
“It just breaks my heart to think that [this is] some student’s experiences, their perceptions of the adults in the system, the curriculum, and the issues that they had with other friends and staff members,” said Potts. Potts relayed he read the comments on the district’s Instagram about 24 hours after they were posted. “It just made me sad to know that there were students out there that felt that way,” Potts said. “But the volume, the amount, I think, was probably the most shocking to me. I was moved by the sheer volume of commentary that was provided.” That shock and a mindset to improve the situation was a shared feeling around the district. “I was saddened by it, I think all of us that are in this business want all of our students to have a positive experience while they’re in school,” Potts said. “We want them to feel like they’re part of our community, we want them to know that we’ve got their best interest at heart.” Unfortunately, not all of the comments came as a shock to Potts. “There were some things that students and former students called the district out on that I knew were issues. There were some comments that were made that I wasn’t surprised by,” said Potts. Potts expressed the need for change was discussed and plans were being made involving students and staff before this summer’s post. “It just cranked up the level of urgency that much more, I think we had an urgent need to address many of those issues prior to the outcry that happened in the summertime,” Potts said. BV West staff spent a day last February to heighten awareness among staff as the first step to working on resolving issues at our school. “We had a big professional
learning day that was scheduled for the day after Spring Break,” Potts said. “A good part of that day was going to be spent on unconscious bias training with our staff, working through some self-assessment, and self-reflection about where we are as a building when it comes to relationships, race, relationships, religion, and diversity within our building and how we can better meet the needs of all of our students.” The COVID-19 quarantine canceled those plans and the pandemic made making changes in the building harder than expected. “I was optimistic that we would have students back at the start of school and I was thinking, you know, we can pull some things together,” Potts said. “Initially I just wanted to be with and around students who were hurting, I wanted to reach out to students, both past and present students.” Potts expressed this will not be an empty promise. “[We spent] this summer trying to figure out how and when we can integrate these things, how to do it in a way that’s meaningful, and not just piecemeal,” Potts said. “We don’t want it to be [just] checked off the box. ‘Okay, we did our diversity, equity and inclusion training today, check it off the box.’ That’s not at all how we wanted it to be.” Potts is grateful student groups took the lead to classify the comments and suggest action over the summer. “I wanted to learn, and I still want to learn what we can do better,” Potts said. We’re fortunate that our school has mobilized for change. The student ambassadors group found five different themes they wanted students to address with other students. They felt our student body, would respond better if the message came from other students. A group of teachers has also formed a group to support the cause. He hoped others would support those students and staff.
“We’ve got organizations in this building, for example, the Black Student Union and the Muslim Student Union, that are that are about promoting culture, and celebrating diversity,” Potts said. “Get involved in those groups and become supportive of those groups, that’s a simple way everybody can get involved,” Potts also pointed out that the small details cannot go unnoticed any longer. “We’ve got to turn things around with our day-to-day operations in the classroom and in the hallways,” Potts said. “[Along with] our policies and procedures, [to] promote an environment of anti-racism and an environment that is welcoming and representative of everybody in our school.” He emphasized that beyond the school walls and curriculum, it’s about being a good person and a family. “Family is one of our cornerstones. And if ever we needed a family cornerstone, it’s right now, and if we really are about that, if that’s really what BV West says we’re about, then it’s not acceptable at all to have one person in this building not feel like that they’re part of the family,” Potts said. I went into my interviews with Dr. Potts as a somewhat skeptical reporter but I left in agreement that “listening, growth, learning and acceptance” are what each of us has to model. He appreciated that Spotlight was persuing the issue and hoped that students would listen to each other. “You’re really working on hearing the voices of our kids, right? Those are way more important voices than mine,” said Potts. Each of the 1,134 voices made an impact on our community last summer. I encourage each of our 1,580 Jaguars to use their voices to continue to showing that Black Lives Matter and that discrimination must end.
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feature
NEW TEACHERS COVID creates professional learning curve for new teachers while experienced teachers share status
Katherine Boston
reporter
W
hether educators were in the profession for four years or forty, this school year brought challenges for our teachers. Third year teacher Paige Lankford knows a thing or two about being the new kid on the block. “Regards to content and lessons I feel like I was prepared but then if you’re asking in regards to schedules and COVID things, no. I don’t think so.” Lankford said. Second year teacher Maddie Ogle who is already teaching all new classes had extra adjustments to make.
Lankford classes were usually interactive with lots of games, now that format isn’t really a possibility. Ogle feels a bit more comfortable this year in her second year teaching since that first year anxiety is gone. Ogle and Lankford were very passionate about wanting their students. “We love you so much and we are always here for you.” Ogle said. Teacher Scott Wright is not new to teaching and is going on forty years. “Yes, I feel as prepared as can be expected given the challenges the
First year English teacher Alaina Thomsen took on the challenges of being a new teacher as best as she can. She has jumped right in but still feels the same anxious feelings as everyone else. “I am good! I really love my job already and I love working with students. I definitely feel overwhelmed at times, but then again, who doesn’t right now?,” Thomson said. Thomsen was able to student teach here last semester making the transition since she was accustomed to the atmosphere. She is still discovering new areas,
Continue to face the challenges head on. Give yourself and others GRACE as you navigate these uncertain times. Practice safe health practices. I am sorry you have had to endure this but remember we are a community larger than just ourselves. So, face each day knowing we are all in this TOGETHER.
- Coach Scott Wright
“We had two weeks to prepare for school but we felt like we couldn’t prepare since things kept changing.” Ogle said. Both agreed that the hardest thing for them has been teaching in-person and virtually simultaneously. Luckily they have been able to find different outlets to keep them both busy; Ogle coaches volleyball Lankford assists with cross country. “The greatest thing for virtual was having volleyball practice,” Ogle said. “I got to see my girls.”
pandemic has brought to all of us,” Wright said. He says that the hardest change from previous years was just the unknown and not being able to interact in a “normal” way with the students. Wright, like other teachers, misses seeing all of his students. He misses watching them take on challenges and failures, but as is his reputation, he found the positive. “I do think we have all pulled together and made the very best of this,” Wright said. “That’s what educators do.”
but knows her way around the building pretty well. Thomsen is thankful for the English department. “Student teaching gave me the wonderful opportunity to already know the ELA staff,” Thomsen said. “I am so thankful I get to continue to work with the best staff possible. I still have many staff members that I haven’t met and need/want to get to know, but I know that will come with time.” When asked if there was anything the BV West community could do to help, she said to simply
feature When asked if there was anything the BV West community could do to help, she said to simply introduce yourself. Thomsen loves meeting more people and recognized that some help would be appreciated. “I will definitely mess up here and there and I will ask many (MANY) questions, so really I just need some grace,” Thomsen said. Although Thomsen did not grow up in the BV West community, she appears to see the values established by the cornerstones. “I would say that the BVW community is truly a family,” Thomsen said. “I have felt loved and supported every step of the way. I feel like a family member, not just an employee. BVW cares about you as a person first, then a student or a staff member. I am lucky to be in a community that values growth and support for one another.” New teacher Rachel Quezada made similar observations. “I only teach seniors, and I’ve actually commented this to a couple of my seniors that it seems like the senior class is so friendly towards each other,” Quezada said. She feels, that, in a very unique way, she has been able to ease into teaching with virtual to hybrid. With no students in the beginning of the school yearQuezada got to know people around the building.
Sitting comfortable in her classroom, COVID protocols are evident for teacher Paige Lankford. Photo by K. Boston
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New theater teacher, Reed Uthe works in his office inside the Black Box on Thursday, Oct. 22, Chiefs Spirit Day. Uthe came from Lakewood Middle School. Photo by Sydney Howes
Teaching virtually and in-person simultaneously, assistant director of bands, Ryan Ramsey utilized technology. Photo by Sydney Howes
18 feature
MENTALLY EXHAUSTED Reese Hager reporter
Kiley Peterson
editor-in-chief
Online school and it’s effect on student’s mental health and well being.
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020. This is a year that no one will ever forget. It’s the year that brought us wildfires, floods, hurricains, violence, an election, and most notable, the worldwide pandemic known as the coronavirus. COVID-19 has altered the lives of so many, and brought us to what we now know to be the “new normal”. This virus has brought fear, anxiety, stress, worry, and so many other emotions to everyone around the world. One of the many groups of people who have been affected are the students, no matter the age. Something this big, scary, and unknown can cause students to face struggles like never before, and can cause them to struggle with their mental health. This school year so far has been like no other. From having school all online, to transitioning into hybrid, it has been a lot for students to handle because change is something that isn’t easy, and can oftentimes cause struggles. The mental health and well being of students from all across the world has been affected because of these unprecedented times that we are in. The stress of what our world is going through right now, the changes to our daily
routines, and the fear of what the future will look like, can be a lot for anyone to handle. The World Health Organization in Europe expressed that “If schools have closed as part of necessary measures, then children may no longer have that sense of structure and stimulation that is provided by that environment, and now they have less opportunity to be with their friends and get that social support that is essential for good mental well-being.” The Spotlightinterviewed some students at BV West to see how all of these changes have affected their mental health, and see if they have any advice for others who may be struggling. When the school year began, it was all virtual school, it was a lot for most students to handle, with the mental strain of staring at a screen for hours on end, to learning how to succeed in the new virtual environment. Junior Audrey Weaver would agree, as she is now in what is known as one of the hardest years in high school. All of these changes to our school schedule because of COVID can’t be making it any easier. “School has stressed me out the
most it ever has this semester, and I always knew junior year would be difficult but I never expected it to be this much work piled on work,” said Weaver. “I have barely any time to take a moment to breathe.” Learning how to manage school work at home can be very stressful and challenging because it can be hard to find the motivation to do your work while there’s no teacher with you holding you accountable. This can lead students to procrastinate and get behind in school which causes even more stress and anxiety on top of what is going on in their lives. While having classes online can harm our mental health, there are some aspects of it that aren’t all that bad. Weaver explained that virtual school has helped with her sleep schedule which in turn can help her relax more than usual, however it doesn’t eliminate the stress completely. “I can sleep in until my class and nap during the school hours if I’m done with my work. It’s helped me relax a lot more but at nights I get hit with a wave of stress that totally ruins my mood and I get so overwhelmed,” said Weaver.
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Weaver would agree that one of the things that has helped students who struggle with their mental health, has been the new hybrid schedule. “Some kids aren’t in the healthiest of households and school would be an escape for them, so with hybrid they can let go and take a break from the chaos at home,” said Weaver. “People need people and they can’t be cooped up in a house all week without losing their mind.” Weaver explained that It has helped her personally because going to school in person has helped eliminate distractions, like her dog or bed, that would get in the way of her school work while at home, which helps her focus and learn better. Some of the ways that she deals with stress related to school is to watch movies, play with her dog, and to take naps because it helps her get rid of bad energy. Senior Izzy Diep and senior Nick Edwards, who is one of the leaders of Sources Of Strength at BV West, shared their take on how virtual classes have been affecting student’s mental health. With the pressure of finishing high school right, along with applying to college, a pandemic definitely wasn’t what seniors were planning on dealing with this year. “It’s important to recognize that every single teenager is in a different situation right now and that everyone is going through something completely different every day of the week” said Edwards, “Even if you don’t have your friends at your lunch table anymore, there are always other resources for you if you need someone to talk to.” Online school was a shift that was new to everyone, and one that
affected everyone differently. Attending class locked in your room while staring at a screen would make anyone feel alone, and it’s at times like this that making an effort to reach out to friends and other classmates is so important. “It felt like I was losing friends when I wasn’t,” said Diep, regarding the lack of communication that quarantine and online school
had left her feeling. “I feel like all virtual is a little bit more stressful because you have to go on to your zoom meetings and like I said earlier, you have to get all the work done on your own time.” Online school made it a lot easier for students to fall behind, and to get overwhelmed. It also made it easier for students to spend hours stuck inside, which already has a negative impact on anyone physically, let alone mentally. Edwards made a good point when talking about how just going outside
in between zooms, helped elevate his mood and productivity that day. Edwards would agree that the hybrid system is helping students who could be suffering with their mental health, and not learning as well as they could. While going to school only half the time may not have been the ideal for most students, it’s something that already is furthering student’s education and connections here at BV West more than it had been at the start of this year. “I think being able to see our friends and develop/have a more consistent relationship with our teachers as well has helped strengthen my mental health,” said Edwards. Hybrid has helped both of these seniors cope with the unfortunate state that our country is in right now, and has been a good way to have at least a little bit of a normal senior year. While it may not be a senior homecoming, or a final football game, just being able to be back in the building has been a great touch of normalcy back in seniors’ lives. In times like this anxiety is at an all time high, and mental health at a low. Seniors, freshmen, teachers, anyone at any and every age is experiencing something they never have before with COVID. Don’t forget that staff members and students are always there if you or a peer ever need anyone to reach out to. While online or hybrid may not be the ideal among students, BV West is heading in a positive direction and only improving, as is the mental health of their students.
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The Freshmen vs
Two sisters talk about the differences between how their first and last year of high school
Kolbie Christensen editor-in-chief
H
igh school is marked by many milestones in one’s life. The two biggest being freshman and senior year. Freshmen year is the beginning of the teenage years. While senior year signifies the end as students move on to college or jobs and enter the real world. Both years are equally important but both mean completely different things. One thing is for sure, you don’t want either of them changed or interrupted. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic school is looking a little different than normal. The regular activities that freshmen and seniors usually enjoy, don’t look anything like they used to. Football games, dances, assemblies, and class competitions are a thing of the past and can no longer be done at BV West the way they were done in years prior. Forcing the student body especially seniors to adapt to the year without these time honored traditions. Senior Alexis Linnebach just like many others was ready to enjoy her senior year and all the perks that come with it ever since she was a freshman. “I was excited for all the normal stuff like spirit week, pep assemblies,
and JAG. It has definitely been a major adjustment to the new normal at school,” Linnebach said. When all of the coronavirus lockdowns began she originally didn’t think the pandemic would last into August. “I honestly thought we were going to have a longer spring break by a week or two. I really thought the virus was only going to affect my junior year of high school. I was not expecting my senior year to be so out of the ordinary,” Linnebach said. She adds that back in February she didn’t think the virus would have such a lasting impact. She just like many other students assumed everyone would be back in school and finish on time in May just like any other regular year. With the virus lasting well into the year many of the normal senior activities have been cut short or all together canceled, leaving seniors with a bittersweet feeling regarding this year. Not knowing if they will be able to have the same senior year as many other have in the past. BV West seniors have been looking forward to their long awaited last year for four years. “I was definitely disappointed
with the thought that our senior year was not going to be a typical one. It’s my last year in high school and I wanted to make the most of it,” Linnebach added. Not only has the lack of activities been disappointing for students, but the new hybrid model has been making it difficult for students to keep track of assignments or monitor the days they should be attending school. It has also taken an impact on students not just at BV West but outside school as well. “The school year so far has seemed like I’m drinking out of a fire hydrant. Everything is completely new. With us really not being in school since March, it just feels like a ton of information is coming at you at once. It’s quite overwhelming the whole situation, not just school,” Linnebach said. This school year has been confusing for seniors even with their three years of high school experience. Seniors are used to attending classes, turning in assignments on time, and balancing homework and activities, freshmen on the other hand, are being thrown straight into the deep end. Freshman year is already scary and stressful enough without
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Senior Experience the pandemic. Adding the hybrid schedule has made it much more difficult for freshmen to adjust this year. Freshman Regan Linnebach, younger sister to Alexis, is experiencing all of these things, but in a different way. “I have mixed emotions about how everything is going [my freshmen year] sometimes I am happy other times I am sad,” It’s difficult for many students to balance the work that has to be done at school with the work that has to be done at home. All while staying up to date with Canvas on any assignments or tests coming up. Not everyone can motivate themselves to do their work when they are at home, without the pressure of Zoom to make them do it. “School has been difficult to do some days in school and then [equally as hard] to do at home,” Linnebach expressed. For freshmen a big difference is the need for them to learn responsibility faster than most students probably did their first year. Trying to keep track of assignments and Zoom times is not something that comes easy. This year is forcing freshmen to step up to the plate and be in charge of their education. “It’s hard to remember everything I need to bring for school,”
Linnebach said. As freshmen are trying to navigate this new normal, seniors are coming to terms to what could be their senior year. Even through all of these changes and hardships Alexis Linnebach is trying to stay positive and is hoping that the seniors might get one normal event.
First Day of School Jitters: both sisters get ready for their first day made up of online Zoom class. Picture courtesy of Alexis Linnebach
“Personally I am optimistic that we will have some normalcy this year. I think if we were to get something semi-normal it would be prom with just seniors or it would be our graduation ceremony,” Linnebach said. Staying positive and staying hope-
ful are two things the class of 2021 is trying to do. One top of that, they are trying to navigate the stress that comes with college applications and enjoying their last bit of high school. As much as it saddens her and many seniors to think about if Linnebach can’t get a normal senior year she hopes that the next year’s seniors can. She also leaves some advice for her sister and the rest of the freshmen class. “The best advice I can give a freshman is to enjoy your time at West. It will go by extremely fast. It feels like just the other day I was in your shoes as a freshman.” Truly one of the oldest and most recited piece of advice but the most important one that any freshmen can get as they start this four year journey. She also adds that throughout her own journey at BV West. Linnebach believes she has found one of the most important tips for any new freshmen. “The next biggest point I have is that Canvas is your best friend. It will be your lifeline in high school.”
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Ally Madden
Teacher treats
reporter
BVWest Teachers share their favorite fall recipes.
Abernathy’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Ingredients • 3 1/2 Cups Flour • 2 tsp Baking Soda • 1 tsp Cinnamon • 3 Cups White Sugar • 1 Cup Canola Oil • 4 Eggs • 2/3 Cup Water • 2 Cups Canned Pumpkin • 3/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips Directions • Mix dry ingredients together • Add rest of ingredients, except mini choc chips, and mix until smooth • Gradually add mini choc chips; do not over mix • Bake at 325 for about 1 hour. If mini loaf, only 3035 min
Myer”s Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients • 3/4 cups softened butter • 2-1/2 cups sugar • 3 large eggs, room temperature • 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin • 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 3/4 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger • 1 cup buttermilk • FROSTING: • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened • 1/2 cup butter, softened • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Directions • Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and pumpkin. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. • Bake for 20-25 minutes. Patiño’s Salsa Ingredients • 3 Jalapeño Peppers • 1 clove of Garlic • Pinch of Salt Directions • Use mortar to grind tgether ingredients
Janousek’s Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins Ingredients • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour • 2 cups white sugar • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice • 1 teaspoon baking soda • ½ teaspoon salt • 2 large eggs eggs, lightly beaten • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree • ½ cup vegetable oil • 2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour • ¼ cup white sugar • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon • 4 teaspoons butter Directions • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees °F. Use paper liners. • In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stirring just to moisten. Fold in apples. • Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes
The Year of Horrors on the Night of Horror Trick- Treaters are forced to be creative, as mask become a requirement..
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Lucy Call
reporter
2020 may be a mess, but if there is one thing no one wants to flop this year, it’s Halloween. It seems like there’s not much coronavirus can do to impede the holiday, except maybe slow down the parties a little. But how will dressing up change during the year? What parts of 2020 are going to show up on Halloween the most?
PANDEMIC Your not-so creative friends have probably thought of ‘being coronavirus for Halloween’ or something along those lines. Lots of people had this same thought while shopping for costumes. Party City’s viral outbreak costume, used in past years as a fun apocalyptic or sci-fi plague costume, is now near the most popular costume thanks to COVID-19. “It of course quadrupled in sales and is currently the most desired,” Party City working manager Jamie says.
POLITICAL Also as the election approaches, so do the timeless presidential costumes. Trump and Biden costumes are up the charts the most since 2016. Most have appealed to the need for humor this season.
POP CULTURE Par for the course this time of the year, displays of pop culture and television make a fun appearance with costume choices. 2019 may seem like forever ago, but it pulls out the stops where costumes are concerned. Where 2020 lacks in movies and TV, 2019 makes an upstanding appearance. Notably are the children’s costumes, with many bestsellers being themed of Frozen 2 or Toy Story 4, each popular films of 2019. Other timeless Disney classics make appearances as usual- fun and spooky season specific costumes such as Ghostbusters, Star Wars and the Nightmare Before Christmas top the charts.
Did you know.... Trump costume sales have increased 300% from last year and quarantine suites have increased 900%?
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