a way that is more transparent and beneficial for student growth. Witherspoon’s emphasis on community can be seen in the way he frequently stands in the hallways or visits common areas, waving and conversing with students.
-Health Center Pediatrician Lynn Chehab
vanston an
While Witherspoon’s time at Evanston Township High School may be coming to an end, his impact will continue to be felt for years to come.
“Our expectation is that [staff] have what the CDC and the state consider a valid exemption,” Superintendent Eric
-Math teacher Michael Bahi people are not getting as sick as the unvaccinated, so we know the vaccine works.”
Evanston Township High SchoolEvanston, IL. Vol. 105, Issue 2
[proof],” math teacher Michael Bahi says. “The common argument I hear is, ‘Why do we have to go through with this when we’re all already going through the stress of starting the school year?’ But, I hear both sides and hope [we] do what is scientifically best for everyone.”
“The only way to be safe in this building is if every adult is vaccinated and most kids are vaccinated,” science teacher Adam Held says. “I would love to see us do weekly testing of everyone. It seems big, but that would be a nice extra layer of protection.”
“Vaccinated
Similarly to students, staff members were still encouraged to submit proof of vaccination so the administration could acquire accurate data. However, for some staff members, submitting this information proved to be difficult, especially as teachers prepared to return to the ETHS building while anticipating a year like no other.“There are people I know who are vaccinated who don’t want to submit
Throughout his time at ETHS, Witherspoon has committed ETHS to a mission of anti-racism, equity and inclusion for all students and staff. Additionally, Witherspoon has helped propel ETHS to a higher level of academic achievement, leading administrators and staff with grace throughout his“ETHScareer.and the Evanston community have been so fortunate to have Dr. Witherspoon as our superintendent for the past 16 years,” Pat Savage-Williams, president of the ETHS District 202 Board, said. “His leadership, his compassion and his positive impact on ETHS have set the tone for this amazing school district. It has been an honor for the Board of Education to work alongside Dr. Witherspoon. He is incredibly dedicated to our students, staff, and community.”
WITHERSPOON ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
Despite the fact that ETHS initially planned on only requiring mask wearing for unvaccinated individuals, the rise of the Delta variant resulted in a change at the state level. While ETHS follows guidelines set by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), the ETHS Health Center supported this state-wide decision and continued to urge ETHS staff to get vaccinated.
As the year began, the COVID-19 dashboard was updated with information regarding staff vaccinations, a step that some saw as an intention to improve transparency. Still, some began to wonder if a vaccine mandate would be implemented by the administration, while others hoped vaccination status would continue to be a personal choice.
aim to rehumanize ETHS as the community continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Witherspoon will continue to guide ETHS in its response to COVID-19 for the remainder of the school year.
Photo courtesy of Lia Kelly
Until then, ETHS will still mandate weekly testing for unvaccinated staff. While vaccinated individuals are not required to submit to weekly testing, it is difficult to know how many unvaccinated staff members plan to receive a vaccination in the near future as opposed to submitting to weekly testing.
By Eden Drajpuch Executive Editor
In his last year as District 202 Superintendent, Witherspoon has already led the administration to countless changes that
However, on Aug. 26, Governor J.B. Pritzker approved a state-wide vaccine mandate for educators and school staff, stating that any individual who does not intend to be vaccinated must first show proof of a valid exemption and then submit to weekly testing.
In addition to the Teachers’ Council, some staff members feel adamant that a vaccine mandate ensures the utmost safety for everyone in the ETHS community.
i
Many staff members are in agreement that testing, vaccinations and continued safety protocols around COVID-19 are the safest way to approach school. With rising COVID-19 cases across the country, some staff members feel the newly implemented vaccine mandate is the safest and most reliable way to return to some semblance of normalcy.
“I feel like what people want to do with their bodies [or] whether they want to get vaccinated is up to them. I’m not anti-vax, I’m not pro-vax, I’m pro-freedom.”
September 17, 2021E
Witherspoon states. “But otherwise, without a valid exemption, you need to be vaccinated. If [someone] is not, [they] will have to submit to weekly testing.”While the IDPH intends to provide the necessary resources to Illinois school districts, this process may take time.
Illustration by Sabrina Barnes
Witherspoon has served as the District 202 Superintendent since 2006 and has served as a superintendent at large for over 30 years, primarily in Indiana and Iowa. Prior to his career as a superintendent, Witherspoon served as a high school English teacher, assistant principal, acting principal, and assistant superintendent.
“Imandate.feellike what people want to do with their bodies [or] whether they want to get vaccinated is up to them,” Bahi explains. “I’m not anti-vax. I’m not provax. I’m pro-freedom.”
Illustration by Sabrina Barnes
“We’re a public institution, and we serve students in the community. I under stand that this is a hot button issue, but I feel [vaccines] should be mandated,” English teacher Paola Ruocco says. “I want people who are not vaccinated to understand that it’s about them, but also the people around them.”
“As the President of the Union, I have been pretty supportive of [the vaccine mandate]. Frankly, the governor making that decision really takes a lot of heat off of the administration here,” Teachers’ Council President Rick Cardis says.
As talk of a potential vaccine mandate grew both in the Evanston community and within the walls of ETHS, the Teachers’ Council, among other groups, was forced to reckon with what a vaccine mandate would mean.
ETHS responded to this mandate swiftly, encouraged all staff members to receive a COVID-19 vaccine if they have not already, and stated that any staff member who chooses not to receive a vaccine must submit to testing unless their exemption aligns with one outlined by the CDC.
In-Depth: Students adjust to in-person learning and extracurricularsPage8-9 News: government,government,EvanstonD65andmore!Page2-3D65and
This is a developing story. The Evanstonian will continue to follow Superintendent Withesrpoon’s retirement, potential replacements and more in future issues.
“The science of being vaccinated is [that], even with the Delta variant, vaccinated people are not getting [as] sick as the unvaccinated, so we know the vaccine works,” Health Center pediatrician Lynn Chehab explains.
However, other teachers felt less confident in the potential success of a vaccine
For the duration of Witherspoon’s career, he has also fostered a student-centered space that strives to reimagine schooling in
On Sept. 13, Superintendent Eric Witherspoon announced his retirement at the end of the 2021-2022 school year.
While many aspects of this school year thus far have been characterized by student experiences, important changes that also impact ETHS staff have occurred throughout the last few months.
By Eden Drajpuch Executive Editor
Teachers, staff respond to COVID-19 vaccine mandate
“District 65 will continue to take a layered approach to health and safety by requiring masking (regardless of vaccination status), maintaining physical distancing, making facility improvements, enhancing cleaning, enacting optional COVID-19 testing, while encouraging hand washing and staying home while sick,” the District 65 website states.
“I feel comfortable with [students] having masks. I feel comfortable without them having masks but… let’s ask the kids, do they feel comfortable wearing masks? Has this become something… that kids now look at it as just kind of putting on their backpack so to speak. And if everybody feels comfortable with it, I’m okay with it.” Orrington teacher Michael Likhite said.
legally allowable under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) in an effort to assist the state in contact tracing. The ETHS nurse’s office administers contact tracing for students, providing guidelines on when they can return to the classroom and school activities. Contact tracing procedures are based on whether a student is vaccinated or unvaccinated, and whether they are symptomatic.Ifastudent or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they will be prohibited from accessing all ETHS facilities for a minimum of 10 days until they meet the COVID-19 criteria for returning to school as outlined by the Illinois Department of Public Health Interim Exclusion Guidance.
The COVID-19 dashboard, which was created in April 2021 at the start of hybrid learning, is designed to offer transparency about staff and student COVID-19 exposures, quarantines, vaccinations and positive cases at ETHS. With the latest rise in the number of COVID-19 Delta variant cases and the start of the new school year, ETHS is continuing the COVID-19 dashboard to provide ongoing transparency.TheCOVID-19 dashboard totals weekly data for both students and staff members. Beginning on Sept. 15, ETHS will require unvaccinated staff members and unvaccinated students with parental consent to get tested weekly. However, the dashboard numbers are currently reliant on self-reported cases. ETHS maintains that all individuals who have reported a positive COVID-19 diagnosis have not necessarily contracted the virus on school
Throughout the school year, compromises will have to be made as both students and teachers have varying levels of comfortability coming to school this year. While students and staff have feelings
Is a teacher telling you to close the paper and open your Checkcomputer?outourwebsite!25461544
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ETHS COVID Dashboard, the school only shares personal information of self-reported COVID cases with the Illinois Department of Public Health as
While teachers will either need to provide proof of vaccination or be required to submit weekly COVID-19 tests, students returned to the building with no such mandate. Last year, since students under 12 weren’t able to be vaccinated, many families made the decision to opt out of in-person learning at District 65.
The updated COVID-19 dashboard can be found on the ETHS website.
“As a student currently taking multiple AP classes[and] going back to school in person, after a full year of remote learning, I believe that the new bill passed in Illinois will be beneficial for students to feel comfortable addressing their mental health,” Tafolla said. “It will allow them to feel free to know that it’s alright to feel pressured, it’s alright to feel new to school after remote learning and it will allow students to express themselves rather than feeling like they are alone and cannot speak up.”
The language of the bill explains that after taking the second mental health absence day, the student will be referred to a mental health resource through their school.
“It’s really cool [that they’re testing], so that people can stay extra safe,” Burn said.Many changes for extra safety are still being made, especially when it comes to elementary students, as they are ages six to 12. This means almost all are too young to be eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine.“[At King Arts], elementary students are supposed to now eat outside whenever possible, and that was a last minute change,” Swan said.
Illinois amendment provides excused mental health absences for students
With students heading back to school for in-person learning across the state, the Illinois State Senate spent the summer creating a bill that focuses on the mental health and wellbeing of students. On Aug. 6, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed an amendment to the Compulsory Attendance Article of the School Code to allow all students between the ages of seven and 17 to take up to five mental health absence days per school year.
“Our new administration routed traffic patterns so that each grade knows how to move from one space to another without crossing [paths with] another grade, and I appreciate that organization,” King
The mental health amendment is a major step to improve student mental health and wellbeing. Currently, ETHS students can take up to eight unexcused absences per semester, but with the passage of this amendment, students will now get an additional five absences designated to their mental health.
By Tarek Anthony Staff Writer
By Elise Goulding, Rosie Witt Staff Writers
Regardless, after over a year apart, schools begin to reform their communities.“I was really excited to see the kids that I never met last year, some of them I never saw,” Swan said. “And it just feels good to be back together. I love my colleagues, and so it’s nice.
“We’re only allowed to eat inside, which makes me a little nervous, especially with [the Delta variant] going around,” Burn said. “But I think it’s okay for a short period of time. It’s only for 20 minutes. Inside is okay, I guess.”
“Having this now for all students across the state will be really beneficial, especially with what’s going on with COVID,” State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, who co-sponsored the bill, told the Journal-Courier. “Many students feel stressed, and have developed anxiety and depression because they’re not able to see teachers and friends, and may have
By Sari Oppenheimer News Editor
The public act, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, enables students to take a mental health absence from school without requiring a doctor’s note. The passing of this amendment intends to provide students with a designated type of school absence that allows students to prioritize their mental health.
about COVID-19 testing, vaccine mandates, and eating lunches, they also have thoughts on masking indoors.
For the 2021-2022 school year, District 65 decided to reopen with all in-person learning. Middle and elementary schoolers will be back in the building at full capacity for the first time since the initial shut down of the district in 2020.
District 65 reopening prompts student, staff response
However, unlike the elementary and ETHS students, many middle schoolers are not being offered a space to eat outside.
Accordinggrounds.tothe
“We’re taking care of each other.”
COVID-19 dashboard promotes transparency as ETHS resumes in-person learning
Arts fourth grade teacher Carrie Swan explained.Additionally, as another layer of safety, most teachers will return to school with at least one dose of the vaccine, as it was newly mandated that all teachers must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 15. However, it is possible to be exempt from being vaccinated if doing so goes against a teacher’s religious belief or is medically unsafe for that teacher.
Senior Joanna Tafolla sees the amendment as a step in the right direction.
lower grades due to remote learning.”
COVID-19 Dashboard Information current as of Sept. 10 2 New student cases New staff VaccinatedNewVaccinatedVaccinatedcasesstudentsstaffstaffcasesstaff
“I had the option to [return to school last year], but my family decided to keep me at home, because I was unvaccinated,” Haven Middle School student Alana Burn said.This year, Burn is more comfortable learning in person due to District 65 offering COVID-19 tests and the higher vaccination rates of people older than 12.
As District 65 begins its school year, there is much excitement to be back at 100 percent capacity, though there are challenges and changes ahead as well.
As of Friday, Sept. 10, ETHS has had 11 confirmed COVID-19 cases among students since the start of the school year. The dashboard also shows that 2546 students have submitted proof of vaccination, and 544 staff members have submitted proof of vaccination as of Sept. 10.
The first day of the school year for District 65 students was Thursday, Aug. 27. Both the middle and elementary schools worked to minimize contact between students, especially those in different grades.
[The] good news about that is [that] we’ve experienced it [and] we know how it works. We’ve issued all the technology, and our teachers have experienced teaching remotely. So if that would happen, it would be a rapid transition to a remote or virtual environment.
We [Evanston] have our own health department; they are so responsive, and
Along with such speculation surrounding Cook’s retirement was the added question of what the change would mean for Evanston’s new Reimagining Public Safety Committee. The committee was created by Mayor Daniel Biss and the City Council on May 26 largely as the product of student activism. The committee has continued to operate as scheduled
Mayor Biss took to Twitter and promptly released an eight-tweet-long thread explaining the situation and rejecting what he described as a “completely fabricated outrage.” And while that event proved the city’s ability to be forthright and commu-
Despite the school’s efforts to provide transparency and clear information, many students still have questions about the new COVID-19 protocols. The Evanstonian met with Superintendent Eric Witherspoon to address the frequent questions being asked in the broader Evanston community. Here are his answers:
Evanston’s government experienced another hurdle in late June when the city faced national criticism concerning the cancellation of the Evanston Fourth of July Parade. The criticism came primarily from right-wing political figures and news sources after it was revealed that the city would be holding an in-person Pride parade and a
they actually are the ones that would help ultimately have to declare a quarantine … If [a student] does test positive, we have letters that go out immediately to the families in their classrooms alerting them, but we also tell them that they will not need to quarantine unless they hear from the Department of Public Health.
Evanstonian: Do staff members who had close contact with a student who tested positive for COVID-19 have to quarantine?
Superintendent Eric Witherspoon: We’re not policing every classroom, but we recommend not [eating] in the classrooms because [students] would be taking their mask off. We’ve been recommended that eating in a particular class is something you’d probably want to avoid.
Many of our staff members, and soon all of them, will be vaccinated, and the protocol is if you’re vaccinated, you do not have to quarantine unless you’re symptomatic.
ETHS COVID-19 protocols are determined in conjunction with CDC and state health guidelines. ETHS students and staff members are doing their part to protect the health of everyone by wearing masks, getting vaccinated and following COVID-19 protocols.
Illustration by Sabrina Barnes
Witherspoon: We’re going to actually sponsor an in school vaccination event, and that will be starting Sept. 15… So students would have the convenience, if they haven’t been vaccinated yet, [to] actually go right here in the 112 North community room and get vaccinated.
Amidst resignations, Evanston government faces scrutiny
Storlie’s resignation agreement, approved in a 5-4 vote by the City Coun-
Evanstonian: On Aug. 26, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a mandate for teachers to either receive the COVID-19 vaccine or provide a negative test each week. However, there are some exceptions to this mandate. What is the school’s expectation around teacher vaccinations?
ing,
[To read the COVID-19 FAQ with Superintendent Eric Witherspoon, please visit evanstonian.net]
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Evanston government’s handling of Storlie’s resignation was perceived as similar to that of Cook’s in lack of transparency and communication. This seemed especially true at the August City Council meeting in which Storlie’s resignation was voted on as public comments from Evanston residents were pushed to the very end of the meeting.Evanston resident and ETHS alum Isaac Slevin submitted a public comment for that meeting, describing the government’s lack of transparency as “an embarrassment,” and later said that “[Storlie’s resignation agreement] tells me they’re not serious about making Evanston’s city government an honest, transparent, safe place,” in an interview with the Daily Northwestern.
Witherspoon: We’ll still keep the open campus lunch periods for the upperclassmen … We are, however, already geared up and what we’ll do is move from the outdoor spaces to other warm spaces in the school, such as the auditorium stage. We’re working on opening up the Fieldhouse, so, just as we’ve done now with the outdoors, we’ll create other large spaces in the school so we can spread everybody out.
Following Cook’s resignation, the city remained silent, which frustrated many Evanstonians. No statements were released by the city providing the reason for Cook’s resignation, which caused complaints over the city’s lack of transparency and sparked speculation around the role that Storlie may have played.
teenthJune
Transparency and direct communication to constituents was what Evanston’s government failed at most noticeably at during the tumultuous processes of handling the two resignations and the lakefront sexual harassment allegations. As the city now faces new challenges, namely in the newly worsening pandemic, it is clear that Evanstonians wish to see leadership and communication, not confusion and silence, moving forward.
Prior to students reentering the building for the school year, ETHS’ administration and COVID-19 response team created new protocols in an effort to ensure student safety and mitigate COVID-19 cases.
parade, but not a July 4 parade.
Witherspoon: Our expectation is that you have to have what the CDC and the state consider a valid exemption, and they’re primarily for specific health issues and for religious issues. Those are basically the two. And so if you’re not vaccinated, you’re going to have to document that you have one of the CDC or State of Illinois exemptions.
ployees
The City of Evanston government looks a lot different now than it did three, or even one, months ago. From a change in Evanston Police Department leadership to the City Manager’s resignation, Evanston has undergone many changes that affect all its citizens, including the ETHS student body.
First, Evanston’s top Human Resources official Jennifer Lin was suspended from work by Storlie for a lack of communication on the topic.
Kevin Brown, an Evanston resident and the fundraising coordinator for the local Evanston NAACP chapter, voiced his concerns about the meeting that preceded the resignation announcement.
following Cook’s succession by 24-year veteran of the EPD, Aretha Barnes.
By Aryeh Lesch, Reggie Teinowitz Staff Writers
attention to Evanston govern mental officials perceived as having neglected the issue.
Just days later, Storlie was pressured to resign for her inaction in regards to the petition. Many Evanston residents feel these punitive actions are not enough and are representative of a detrimental and persistent lack of transparency by the Evanston government.
COVID-19 FAQ with Superintendent Eric Witherspoon
By Sari Oppenheimer News Editor
Evanstonian: What is the likelihood of weekly testing for COVID-19 for students?
“I would describe our COVID team as a rapid response team,” Witherspoon said.
Witherspoon: As soon as we can get more students vaccinated, we will have the ability to have weekly testing for students who are unvaccinated as well ... We’ll be using the saliva test, but the one that is called a PCR which is the gold standard of these.
June began with the unexpected retirement of Evanston Police Department chief Demetrius Cook. Having worked for the department for over 30 years, Cook announced his retirement on June 7 following a meeting between him, thenCity Manager Erika Storlie and Deputy City Manager Kelley Gandurski.
The Evanstonian: Are students allowed to eat in classrooms?
cil, included a confidentiality clause in relation to information regarding her 17 years of employment for the city. Despite Biss defending that agreement in an August City Council meeting saying, “Nothing in the agreement passed tonight should bind us in any way regarding the investigation,” Evanston residents were unimpressed.
Evanstonian: With colder weather coming, and the inability to eat outside with it, what is the school’s plan for lunch during the winter months?
“It is the understanding of the [Evanston NAACP] Board that...they asked him to resign as Police Chief. At this time, we are aware of no known cause or justification for the resignation request,” he said in a statement to the Daily Northwestern.
nicative, that was not seen when the government would soon come under legitimateItscrutiny.wasthe widespread allegations of sexual misconduct by Evanston lakefront staff, brought to light in mid-July, that brought about scrutiny and upheaval for Evanston’s government. The 56-signature-strong petition alleging a culture of harassment by Evanston lakefront em-
However, the reason for the cancelation was nothing more than logistics, as parade organizers had to make decisions about whether or not to hold their event before vaccines were widely available. When the issue became inflated by rightwing pundits and used to direct wild accusations at Evanston, city leaders managed to be very communicative.
Evanstonian: What is the school doing to help promote students getting vaccinated?
Evanstonian: What would it look like if the school had to transition to remote learning again?
Evanstonian: What happens when a student tests positive for COVID-19?
The new COVID-19 protocols focus on rules regarding masks, vaccinations, contact tracing and the overall safety of students and staff. In an effort to provide transparency between ETHS administration and students and staff, the school brought back the COVID-19 dashboard, as well as provided detailed information about returning to school on the ETHS website.
broughtployees
On Aug. 27, ETHS biology teacher Eric Brown was recognized by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for his commitment to both his students and equity initiatives in the school.
“It’s not just our students who are dealing with this pandemic. It’s our students’ families who are dealing with this pandemic. So we cannot come back and pretend that everything’s normal,” Brown said. “We really have to build into our instructional day the ability to acknowledge that we’re all in different spaces.”
“I have been a member of The National Education Association since I started teaching here in 1999,” biology teacher Eric Brown said. “Through my leadership, I have been really focused on growing and developing leaders within the union, while also ensuring that we are advocates for racial and socialBrownjustice.”was recently recognized for his specific role on this committee, which includes advising educators around the country on how best to provide public education to all students. In addition to this work, Brown helped direct educators and policymakers in navigating nationwide safe school reopenings throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the block schedule has its pros, some have also found it to be difficult to navigate.
ETHS is finally back, and it’s better than ever...according to some. After a year like no other, change at the school is undeniable; as the school year begins and the first weeks are completed, students and staff alike wondered about the effectiveness of the school’s attempts to rehumanize the space, often with differing conclusions.
we’ll let that be an orange day.’”
A few weeks later, Brown received a letter from Biden and the White House thanking him for his outstanding leadership and commitment to students all across the country. Brown shared this letter with his students throughout the first week of school.“That was the part I was really touched by - that he recognized the work that I’ve done here, but also the work that we as a school and community have been doing,” Brown said.
By Eden Drajpuch Executive Editor
would help implement what President Biden said was going to be a part of his first 100 days in Whileoffice.”Brown helped district administrators and educators on a national scale, he also made sure to implement these same ideas in his classroom and in ETHS at large. He paid specific attention to his students of color and LGBTQ+ students, ensuring that they felt safe and supported in the ETHS community.
“We built a framework, and it became guidance, on how to reopen schools, but more importantly, how to learn throughout this pandemic,” Brown explained. “We were able to provide this to the Department of Education so that they had some guidance that
“I like [the block schedule]...I like having the opportunity to manage my own time,” said senior Maeve Schanou.
“I think what is the most stressful right now is that the orange day...is losing so many more days than the blue days,” explained Curry. “I think we would be very hopeful that the administration might have thought to...be more flexible with their schedule and that maybe they could have said [something like], ‘we won’t do the Monday schedule,
Another major difference at ETHS has been the presence of masks; for most students and staff, this is undeniably a positive.
“In terms of structuring class time, thinking about new ways to keep the energy up and keep students engaged in the process, that’s been a challenge,” said McMeans.
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[Continued on evanstonian.net]
“As an art teacher, we welcome long stretches of time, because there’s always...setup and cleanup. And, so, that gives us more work time
Photo courtesy of Eric Brown
Many teachers have found that the extended periods have allowed them more teaching flexibility.“Ithink I’m doing more check-ins with people and trying to really ask a question, pull the class, have some fun with allowing time to just be for getting to know each other,” said Algebra 2 and AP Statistics teacher Neva Curry. “I think with 42-minute periods, I didn’t feel like that was always doable.”
For many, certain changes are welcome, including the block schedule.
“[The block schedule] is nice because … there’s time for transitions into class and out of
Kit
class, and still a lot of time in the middle,” said freshman Solomon Winer.
Certain classes have flourished under the block schedule, namely fine arts classes.
Brown attended the NEA’s Representative Assembly in July, which is where he met President Biden and the First Lady. This event was an opportunity for educators and members of the association to discuss the upcoming school year.
Brown is a member of the National Education Association (NEA) Executive Committee. The committee is comprised of nine members, all of whom oversee the rest of the association, which is made up of approximately three million members.
Hosted by Lauren Dain and Eden Drajpuch Follow us on Spotify, Apple Music or wherever you get your podcasts.
“I’m glad we’re [wearing masks] … I know that being in school with so many people is still a risk, but it just makes me feel safer,” said Schanou. “And for people with family members that are high risk, [wearing a mask] makes me feel like I’m protecting them.”
As some semblance of normalcy returns to the school, many teachers have found ways to incorporate what they learned during online school into teaching in-person.
and classwork time,” said fine arts and AP Art History teacher Daria McMeans.
ETHS science teacher Eric Brown recognized by White House, President Biden
ETHS staff reacts to in-person learning, logistics
By Sofia Williams Staff Writer
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We are always looking for more writers to join any of our six sections: News, Feature, In-Depth, Opinion, Arts and Entertainment and Sports. We are also always looking for photographers and illustrators. To see all of our content, check out our website: evanstonian.net.
Interested in The Evanstonian?
How do I get involved in The Evanstonian?
The time commitment is what you make of it. Staff writers are encouraged to write for each monthly issue and attend two-to-three meetings per month, which take place before or after school.
What can I gain from the community?
What if I’m not familiar with journalism?
How can I join? The Evanstonian’s Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time commitment like?
An informationalEvanstoniansession will be held on Monday, September 27 at 8:00 a.m. in S105.
No worries! We welcome anyone who’s interested, regardless of past experience. Our team of editors and writers are here to help familiarize you with the journalistic process and assist you in any way possible.
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“It has definitely encouraged me to be more creative with that time and has created opportunities for content to be engaged with in different ways throughout the block,” Yehia shares.
From an academic standpoint, Yehia appreciates the block schedule for its room for growth.
muchorfortheymuchhowcareus,howsocial
fusion between the mixing of the old bell, new bell and the ‘musical interludes.’ Figuring out the block schedule has been hard for everyone, both students and staff, and it’s perfectly reasonable for some of the changes to have been a little bumpy. That being said though, the implementation of so many different sounds for announcements, different lunch periods and sometimes just at random times, seems to have done more harm than good.
A somewhat significant change in the scheduling format, made to deepen learning in classes, has resulted in mixed reactions from ETHS students and teachers. Beginning last year, ETHS made the decision to switch from the shorter class periods that students used to attend Monday through Friday to a block schedule. Rather than 42-minute periods, students attend classes every other day where blocks are 85-minutes in length. This alteration remained in place through the entirety of last school year and has transferred into this year, for a variety of reasons.
Not only does the block schedule give a seemingly more calm feel to the day, but it is more effective in relation to students’ mental health.
Senior Luis Sanchez agrees that ETHS’ attempts to help its students are at least a step in the right direction.
On the other hand, some students argue that the scheduling change has resulted in a disorganized classroom environment.
There’s also been a fair amount of con-
In addition to the scheduling change, passing periods between classes have doubled in length, from five minutes to ten minutes. While it may not seem like much, this slight change may just be the ideal method to successfully “rehumanize” the school.
New bell aims to rehumanize transitions throughout school day
“It’s nice to have days that feel so distinctly different from each other because it minimizes the monotony of school,” says Greenberg-Winnick. “Instead of having five identical days in a week, there’s two sets of them, so the week goes by more quickly. It’s also really nice for distributing homework, because students have more time to work on each assignment.”
“Overall, the first few weeks have been really great. It has definitely been a transition, but a very positive one,” Yehia shares. “It is really nice to finally see students again and be in the building and physical work space.”
Students, staff examine in-person learning
School bells are closely tied with a lot of emotions. Both the feeling of elation as class ends or after a long week as well as the stress of the period ending before you finished the last question on a test or dashing to class and hearing the bell ring just before you make it through the door. This year, as we returned to school, I expected to find myself in all of those situations and many more in which the ring of the bell changed my mood completely.
“Honestly, it doesn’t really remind me of the end of class. Obviously, I’ll get used to it ending class, but it doesn’t sound like an end-of-class bell,” junior Hanna LindrothSeniorsays. Moksha Paudel agrees, even attesting that, in its own way, the more ‘calming bell’ can in fact be a cause of stress.
“Sometimes, it rings six times; sometimes, it rings three, and I don’t know what it means,” says Paudel. “Plus, what’s the use of changing the bell for passing periods if they’re going to use the old bell for lunch?”“It confuses me when they use the two different types of bells,” shares junior Leo Zematis.
emotional stuff they do, it’s not gonna change the actual workload, and stress that’s toxic about high school.”
“You don’t hear it, and that stresses me out, because I’m waiting for it but I can’t hear it,” she says. “I like the jarring bell. It wakes me up.”
theystudents,pointcare
On Aug. 16, nearly 4,500 students and staff members entered the building for the first day of the 2021-2022 school year, a large percentage of which hadn’t physically set foot in school since March 2020, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But despite all of these problems, a lot of students do actually feel that the bell creates a safer environment, which is exactly what ETHS has been trying to do.
A large percentage of the staff and student body have expressed its optimism towards a productive and memorable school year.
“I have teachers who don’t really understand how pace should change and how the schedule should look, so it sort of becomes an issue in terms of class time management from the teachers,” says junior Margo Anderson. “This isn’t an accusation; it’s just we’re all not used to it, so it feels like, at times, my teachers don’t really read the room and they don’t know what to do with 85 minutes of class time.”
“With a block schedule, it’s always a pleasant surprise to realize that, at 1:00, all I have left is lunch and one class, while in previous years I might have had three or four more classes,” says senior Ella Greenberg-Winnick.
“I think that the block schedule is much more effective for learning and better for students’ well-being. Having two days to complete all homework has been very stress relieving and gives more time for extracurriculars,” says freshman Tait Hansen. “Also, having 85 minutes for each class ensures that all students fully understand each topic.”
Both staff and students highly anticipated the return, finally clicking the resume button after being stuck on pause for far too many months.
Illustration by Sabrina Barnes
Coming out of a year that was difficult for so many students, it’s important for the school to help smooth over that transition and bring students back into a positive space so that they can be successful in their learning. While the change in the bell is only a small piece of the picture, it does seem to have been successful with some“Thestudents.lastone startled me every time, and this one just reminds me of an airport.” ETHS senior Sparrow Hamilton says.
But despite the positive reaction to the bell, overall, students feel that not much has actually changed. Lindroth crystallizes this feeling.
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By Ahania Soni Feature Editor
“ETHS is returning to a space that rehumanizes our school community. Throughout the 2021-22 school year, ETHS will work to build relationships and a sense of belonging,” writes Principal and Assistant Superintendent Marcus Campbell in an email sent to ETHS families on June 23. “We will create community in the classroom even before teaching academic content begins. These efforts will be embedded throughout the year in the curriculum and how we engage with students and each other.”AtETHS, both staff and students alike have associated the beginning of the school year with the term “stressful.”
“Iwere.had so many expectations, and I thought that it would take a lot of time to learn how to speak to one another again, in a physical space at least, but I feel like students have been holding on to so much for the past year that they really do want to debrief in a community and look forward to hearing and building on their classmates’ ideas,” she shares. “In my classes this year, I’ve noticed that students are more willing to talk and discuss in a large group.”
For other students, not attending each of their classes every day has led to a lack of repetition in specific areas that require consistency in order to succeed.
Now, imagine my surprise when the normal loud droning note was no longer blaring from the speakers when my class was done, and instead, I was confronted with three peaceful chimes.
“The reality is, teachers have to cover a certain amount of material, and they have to give us a certain amount of assignments, and school has not been structured to a point to students,benefit so no matter
“The ten-minute passing periods make it so I’m not stressed, rushing to my next class, especially if the bell rings and I am trying to finish something up. Also, it gives me time to socialize and go to the bathroom,” freshman Olivia Glantz shares. “I am able to refocus and wake up after a long block class.”
Leading up to the first day, history teacher Yosra Yehia felt a combination of excitement and nervousness. However, the majority of her worries were settled as soon as she observed how enthusiastic her students
“It’s chill, it’s fun, it’s relaxing,” junior Aaliya Weheliye says.
Other ETHS students have also had mixed reactions to this change. Most agree that the new sound is much less harsh than the original, but whether that’s actually a good thing is up for debate.
“I think it’s good to practice certain things every day like orchestra and Spanish. Language is an ongoing process, and it’s good to interact with the language every day and speak with people. That’s something we definitely missed during the pandemic,” junior Kelsey Blickenstaff expresses.
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“Just trying out new things to see if they work, if the mental health of students is improving helps,” he says “Some people don’t embrace new things right away, so it’ll definitely take some time to get used to.”
That said, the switch to full-day, in-person classes, five days a week, requires major adjustments and flexibility. Every student, despite their age and experience at ETHS, is the product of a pandemic school year, and, because of this, several changes have recently been implemented in hopes of “rehumanizing” the school: the administration’s latest take on improving the social and emotional well being of each student.
Coming into its final year of high school, the class of 2022 is the only class that has experienced one full year of in-person learning at ETHS. Although their high school experiences were altered, seniors are keeping high spirits for their final year during the block schedule.
By Jilian Denlow, Ingrid Halverson Assistant Feature Editor, Digital Content Editor
For students whose only high school experience has been virtual, the transition to a full
in-person school year has caused challenges for some, especially in regards to academics.
The new state-wide vaccine mandate for staff has been a leap in the right direction.
“I did go in for hybrid learning whenever I could, but it didn’t live up to my expectations. It was still on Zoom, just while sitting in class with a mask on,” Pollard shares. “Also, the largest number of students in any of my classes was me and three others, so it wasn’t anything like real classes. The only benefit is that I got some idea of the school’s layout.”
Since Gov. Pritzker announced the mandate for teachers to either become vaccinated or submit weekly COVID-19 tests, over 100 additional staff members submitted their vaccine cards to the school, helping the number of on-record vaccinated staff go from 434 on Aug. 27 to 544 on Sept. 10.
“Although the start of school has come with many positives, I still worry that many people are going to be behind on learning information they were supposed to learn but didn’t,” Glantz says.
These moments appear to have been exceptions rather than the rule. For instance, in Ginsberg’s classroom, COVID-19 safety is highly valued.
That said, Pollard and Thomas confidently stated that they would have chosen the in-person option regardless, in order to achieve the authentic high school experience.
But the actual in-school experience is less reassuring than that. Across the school, there are hesitations and frustrations due to a lack of COVID-19 guideline implementation.
“Especially with North Hall around lunch time, it’s always packed side to side with students. I think the new lunch periods are to blame. Half the school is in each lunch period.”Social studies teacher Andrew Ginsberg notices that he, unlike the students, has the ability to not have to move around the school at the same time as the students do.
Many freshmen, who experienced their final year of middle school virtually, expressed how different high school was from middle school. Some current freshmen express that even in the first few weeks the high school environment is already much more serious.
ETHS has been closely following the COVID-19 guidelines from both the CDC and the IDPH. All HVAC filters have been replaced with MERV 13 filters, meaning that the air quality and circulation has vastly improved. Every room in the building has a PPE kit, with sanitizing and self-protection equipment. Masks are required. Vaccinations are strongly recommended.
“I’m vaccinated, so that definitely helps me feel safe. But it is a little stressful because [in hallways] you’re pressed up against everyone else,” she says.
Coming out of months of isolation, the dreaded aspects of returning to school have increased and now apply to not only freshmen but sophomores as well.
Despite the fact that some sophomores feel as though the teachers are getting right into the swing of things, this year’s freshmen may have less pressure on them compared to older grades.
By Jilian Denlow, Clara Gustafson, Sydney Hletko Assistant Feature Editor, Staff Writers
“Maturity wise, I think [myself] and a lot of my friends have become more responsible as we’ve figured out that we’re in high school and can’t play around as much,” says Thomas. “I’ve also learned how to manage my time correctly, leaving free time for myself and my social life. Although last year was basically a free year, I know that I need to get back into the swing of things.”
Underclassmen reflect on first month of in-person learning
It hasn’t proven to be as easy to gather full information about how vaccinated the student population is.
“I feel like most teachers are really cracking down on the masks and just staying safe,” says Eyler. “Every teacher has their hand sanitizer, extra masks and they comment on students keeping their masks up.”
Both students, in addition to a large percentage of the school, express that although the pandemic is still very real, being vaccinated and wearing a mask has allowed them to feel safe in the building. Eyler echoes their sentiments.
“I have a few kids who wear their masks below their noses. I have some masks that I’m giving away [for that reason]. But it’s not actually that bad. I have a COVID-compliance person in every class to [make sure guidelines are being
kids who do not want to pay attention or do work will take advantage of that option, and classes will decrease in size, which means there will be less people in person, causing it to feel exactly like hybrid learning,” sophomore Finn Pollard shares.
followed].”Since Aug. 6, there have only been 11 reported cases of COVID-19 in the student body and six reported cases from staff. The school has also documented 2,846 student and 544 staff proofs of vaccination.
When asked if she had trouble finding her classes, sophomore Kaia Cmarko responds, “I expected it to be a lot more challenging. The only challenge I’ve had has been going to my hybrid math classroom instead of my current classroom.”
“There’s a lot of goodwill from the students, which has been nice. Being here and being present, and not just physically present, but mentally present, has been really good.”
However, some students cite aspects of remote learning that they miss, such as leaving class early, having the freedom to sleep in and being able to attend classes from wherever best fit their needs and wants.
An issue for many underclassmen is the size of the school, which can make it difficult to know your way around. However, many students have adapted quickly, learning how to get from one place to another relatively fast.
Lunch is a time of day of concern for certain ETHS staff and students as well. Junior Sammi Lewis is uneasy towards the safety of students who are eating in indoor cafeterias.
Assistant Superintendent and Principal Marcus Campbell has heard these concerns and is working to find solutions that will
“I’m proud that everybody’s been, for the most part, following protocols,” he says. “I see a few masks down [below the] nose, and we have to remind folks to make sure your mask is over your nose, but that’s about it. Students and staff have been following protocols in the halls and classrooms.”
As the school year continues, many of the anxieties surrounding starting a new school year will fade away; however, going forward, it is important to keep in mind that students are still going through a lot of adjustment, and that the repercussions of one and a half years of online learning will continue.
make as many students comfortable as possible.“We plan to have the courtyards open for lunch as long as possible. They’ll probably be open all year, except for if it’s extremely cold,” he says. “We are going to set up the auditorium for lunch ... and the stands and Beardsley Gym, where people can eat and [hang] out. We’re fortunate to have a school where we have all of these spaces … to lounge and hang out; a lot of schools don’t have Allthat.”in all, Campbell thinks the school has handled the complex challenge that is COVID-19 successfully.
“During lunch, and when we’re unmasking and we’re all in the same place, especially in the cafeterias, it seems pretty unsafe to me,” Teodoro says. “I’m just worrying about how it will be when the weather starts getting too cold for us to have that option.”
“If staff don’t show proof of vaccination, they have to commit to weekly [COVID-19] testing,” Campbell says.
“I think schools should have given an online option, because some people still don’t feel safe, especially in the halls, for example, when you’re shoulder to shoulder with everyone,” she expresses.
Ginsberg looks back at his experience so far and recalls that students have been rather flexible so far.
Toedoro shares this concern.
“Around 20 percent of my students haven’t submitted proof of vaccination,” says Ginsberg. “If I have a student that is a strong anti-vaxxer, I’m hoping I could influence [them] once I have a better relationship with them.”
Thomas, along with many others, expresses her appreciation towards her teachers regarding their willingness to help make the transition smooth. “My teachers have been super helpful, especially with the block schedule and finding our way around this big school. They are doing a great job.”
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sentiment, saying that the density of the hallways is less than ideal.
By Macyn Hoeveler Staff Writer
“I know my humanities teachers changed the way they’re doing grades, which is kinda
“I’ve been eating outside, but I had to go to the cafeteria one time. I felt really uncomfortable because I saw all these people laughing and spitting in a room together, the worst thing we could have had during COVID. We should have mandated eating outside.”
“During the passing periods, the halls are overcrowded, especially after eighth period. Everyone is trying to make their way out of the building,” she says. “I have seen some people with their masks down, eating in class or [walking] in the hallways. I’ve noticed some teachers and staff having to tell students to put their masks back on.”
Illustration by Lila Portis
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the stereotypical fears of high school freshmen often included the intimidating upperclassmen, getting lost on the first day, being assigned overwhelming amounts of homework, and the so-called “freshman beat-down day,” a fictitious event held by immature seniors in which freshmen are targeted.
“Personally, I feel a lot more motivated and more productive when I actually have standards to meet, and it’s not just an easy A,” freshman Sienna Thomas says.
“[Teachers have] been jumping right in, which honestly, I was not expecting,” sophomore Francesca Swinand says. “I’m already failing a class, and it’s my easiest class. I think it’s because I’m so used to e-learning, and I think I can slack but, really, I cannot.”
weird and hard to explain, but it makes it easier,” freshman Imogen Eyler says.
Contrary to Pollard’s opinion, Thomas believes that a virtual option should be avail-
ETHS works to maximize COVID-19 protocol compliance
In classrooms, however, the school year started with at least a few protocol breaches. Multiple students recall experiences with a teacher not following COVID-19 guidelines early on in the school year.
While some students appreciated parts of remote learning, others struggled with a lack of routine and conventional schooling.
Regarding an online option, certain students feel strongly that the school made the correct choice in only offering an in-person model.“The school should not give a remote learning option, because I think too many
able, as many students may still feel apprehensive given the current COVID-19 numbers.
At the end of last year, some sophomores chose to take advantage of the hybrid option, as they believed it would better prepare them for the current 2021-2022 school year.
“I try to always try not to go in the hallway when there are a gazillion kids in the hall,” Ginsberg says. “But those are my teacher privileges. I can avoid that. I see some kids without masks in the hallways. And I wonder if I should say something as an adult.”
Junior Delilah Salzinski has had a rollercoaster of experiences. The last time she was in the school was her freshman year, and what she’s seen so far from the COVID-19 response has left much to the imagination, especially in the hallways.
“I feel like the teachers relied too heavily on videos and PowerPoints, and I was not able to form connections with my teachers and classmates because everyone was working individually with their cameras off,” says sophomore Finn Pollard.
While getting used to the various challenges of in-person school in the classroom, some underclassmen have expressed a stark contrast in maturity since the last time they attended school fully in-person in the March of 2020, helping them with the transition.
On paper, ETHS appears to be doing an excellent job keeping students and staff safe.
Senior Maeval Abby Teodoro shares this
content-related comprehension is a significant factor of education that may have been harmed by remote learning, social skills, including collaboration and participation, can be seen as equally as important and, potentially, equally as lost.
Wagner emphasizes a crucial theme derived from returning to school: adjustment. However, preceding adjustment, acknowledgement is required.
The addition of the new block schedule also adds another layer of unfamiliarity and potential challenges for students. Students now have up to four blocks of 85-minute classes a day, with class schedules alternating every other day, whereas students in previous years dealt with eight class peri-
The impact of a lost year
On Aug. 16, 2021, the doors of ETHS opened to a crowd of students awaiting busy hallways, friendly teachers and rows of desks. Two years ago, this picture could have evoked a multitude of emotions, but above all: normalcy. Now, these various components that complete a “normal” school day seem foreign.
Under pressure: ETHS students
“I was like, ‘No, I’m not ready.’ I have to choose an outfit every day, [and] just be prepared mentally and emotionally to talk to people and be social. You can’t just be having a bad day, turn your camera off,[and] go to sleep. No, you have to be there, even if you’re exhausted.”
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“I recognize that students are not going to have the same background in math that they have [had] in previous years; I’m just trying to be more aware of that, and [I have] definitely slowed things down in all of my classes compared to previous years,” math teacher Avani Khandhar says. “I anticipate that, as we get into material, students are going to have holes in their knowledge that I’m going to have to take time to kind of fill in those gaps. In my geometry classes, I’m taking the algebra really, really slow because I know that that’s what they did remotely.”Taking into consideration the various effects that the pandemic could have had on students is the first step in helping students regain skills they may have lost. While
“At home, I would like to sit on the couch or in my bed with my laptop, and I [would] have food and my phone with me, so it’s kind of a rude awakening—coming back to regular school,” senior Sonja Wagner explains. “But I feel like it’s needed, because it’s time to come back to the real world and realize that in college and after
high school, we’re not [going to] be able to just sit in our beds on our phones during class; we have to actually pay attention.”
all. I feel like last year was kind of a joke of [a] year [and] that this year is gonna be a lot more difficult. I’m hoping that [teachers] ease us into it a bit more, but it doesn’t seem like that’s how it’s gonna be,” Wagner voices.Taking into consideration the energy level that is required to withstand a fully functioning school schedule, junior Kelsey Blickenstaff explains her sense of dread entering the school year.
“I know there’s some people … [who] didn’t go out at all; [they] didn’t have any contact with anybody else, except for their immediate family or their immediate pod; even just the step of sitting next to somebody that they don’t know is huge. There’s an emotional aspect to that, there’s a psychological aspect of that, that has to be recognized; it has to be appreciated and valued,” says French teacher Ashlee Cummings. “I’m certain that there are students out there that are having a harder time than they would have had in years past, just because of the time away.”
A year prior, the first day of school took on an entirely different visual. Instead of doors, students entered Zoom waiting rooms; instead of hallways, students remained in the familiarity of their homes, and rows of desks were replaced with rows of black screens.
While keeping these losses from remote learning in mind, students may feel unprepared for an entire year of in-person instruction.“Idonot feel prepared for this year at
“I do not like the block very much, but I’m definitely getting used to it. It’s definitely not as bad as I thought it was going to be. The first few days were chaotic. No one knew what they were doing, but now, I kind of like it, because you don’t have to bring everything to school every day … It’s so heavy if you do,” Blickenstaff says.
““I feel like a lot of people have clubs and/or go to work, [so] by the time they come home, it’s really late at night [and they] may have to stay up really late to get all their work done when they could be sleeping.”
“I definitely feel like there has been more pressure to join extracurriculars, especially since it was so hard to join them last year,” says Marter. “[Since we’re] close to senior year, it feels like it would look better on college applications, but, at the same time, it feels like I don’t have enough time because of how stressful academics have been.”
The drastic change in everyday routine and academic burden has shifted the general outlook on extracurriculars. While most after school activities are meant to be something fun and fulfilling to be involved
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In the time that has passed since ETHS’ in-person abeyance; extracurriculars have been modified to comply with COVID-19 restrictions. Students’ idea of after-school “normalcy” existed behind computer screens and the thought of meeting in-person seemed inconceivable.
As application “season” approaches, juniors and seniors are left to ponder post-secondary options, creating new pressures to appeal to them. Students are often faced with the overwhelming standard of accomplishing a “well-rounded” status, requiring thorough immersion in educational and recreational activities.This pressure breeds the misconception that indulging in an extensive amount of extracurriculars is necessary to build a strong application.
By Jessica Sehgal, Meg Houseworth, Bridget Baker, Zoe Kaufman, Sophie Milner-Gorvine In-Depth Editor, Assistant In-Depth Editor, Staff Writers
“I know that I’ve already experienced students participating, and I anticipate that both participation and comprehension will be greater than they were last year.”
Not all students have similar opinions or experiences with the block schedule.
Math teacher Avani Khandhar
“I think the difference in workload is
Outside of the classroom looking in
“I will say that I think there was my own pressure from my parents to be involved, to do something well-rounded and to start something new, knowing that that would look good for post-secondary options … I do think that there’s this looming pressure and idea that ‘I have to be committed to this thing for four years, even though by my last year I’m maybe not interested in it anymore,’ or thinking, ‘I have to be in a few different things because it does look
While students may still be adjusting to the block schedule, teachers have expressed their appreciation for the longer classes. By allowing teachers to have more time at once with their students, it opens opportunities for teachers and students to create stronger connections—with the content and with each other.
good for Evencolleges.”astimegoes on, school remains largely the same. Despite time away from the school, its physical construction hasn’t changed; just like the culture that exists. Students still feel pressure to fit into the school’s aforementioned environment. However, in this space, clubs and extracurricular activities can provide a refreshing change unlike any other.
“Going from zero to 100 is a lot harder than going from 75 to 100, like we were meant to. COVID really threw a wrench in the progression to Junior year. Instead of building up to the stress, we’re just getting thrown in.”
Duffy concludes, “I’m just trying to be incredibly understanding this year, because we came back, but we’re still in a pandemic … It’s a really hard transition, [and I’m] just trying to be understanding of kids and allowing them to put their emotional health first rather than my curriculum.”
Junior Tyler Alexander
“Honestly, the homework has been really detrimental to my mental health recently, because I have so many extracurriculars,” says junior Claudia Marter. “I feel like a lot of people have clubs and/or go to work, [so] by the time they come home, it’s really late at night [and they] may have to stay up really late to get all their work done when
While some students appear to be adapting to the length and frequency of classes, others have still found it burdensome compared to the schedule from past years.
Upheaval has become second nature to students during COVID-19. It can be difficult to even recall what an education was like before masks, Zooms and isolation. Now, as schools across the country work their way towards normalcy, students experience a shock in their schedule and class experience.
“[The blocks are] too long and having AP Physics [as the] last period of the day, every day is really exhausting. It’s 85 minutes of hard science. You want to get up and move around. Some teachers let you do that, though; you have a break. They let you go out into the hall and do some work, but some teachers just make you sit in the classroom, [and] your back starts to hurt. You’re like ‘Ouch, yeah, why am I doing this?’” says Blickenstaff.
ery day you have to kind of debrief with students. If you are cutting down that time, you’re getting so much more educational time; it is giving you a better chance to actually bond with the people around you,” history teacher DeAnna Duffy says.
teacher teaches their class. If the teacher is really great, it’ll work great; if the teachers aren’t teaching great, it won’t work great,” explains Wagner.
“I’ve already had students express that to me, [saying] like, ‘Hey, I’m learning a lot more being in the classroom compared to being on zoom,’” says Khandhar. “I know that I’ve already experienced students participating, and I anticipate that both participation and comprehension will be greater than they were last year.”
in, they have gradually come to be viewed by many as phrases to add to a college application. Not everyone joins these activities for the purpose of building a post-secondary resume, but many ETHS students sense the rising pressure to get involved for involvement’s sake, rather than genuine interest or passion for the subject.
“I definitely feel more overwhelmed and stressed. So far, I feel like the block schedule is working for me, but I know it’s not working for a lot of students. I think it’s probably because I have a lot of really great teachers, so I’m actually able to engage, and I think engagement in the block schedule will really just depend on how the
Marter’s experience emulates the stress, common amongst high schoolers, that comes with a busy schedule and hefty workload. The return of in-person schooling accentuates the mounting pressure to achieve academic greatness and engagement in non-scholastic activities. With upperclass-
Now, as ETHS opens its doors to faces new and old, the transition from remote to fully in-person, adjoined with the renewing of extracurriculars, echoes a sense of familiarity of life before the pandemic. Despite in-person school being well-received as a step towards normalcy, students are feeling overwhelmed in trying to balance rigorous coursework with after-school activities.
Marter is not alone in this reaction. Plenty of people, staff and students alike, cannot remember the time when such a heavy workload and busy schedule were a usual part of “Oflife.course the amount of work I have has changed,” Alexander continues. “Being back in-person, we’re trying to go back to what school used to be like, so teachers are likely to try and return to giving the same amount of assignments they did pre-COVID, if not more to make up for all the learning time we lost over the Zoom year. Junior year has a notoriously intense workload. It just feels ridiculous for a lot of kids, because of all the down time we spent during the pandemic. Going from zero to 100 is a lot harder than going from 75 to 100, like we were meant to. COVID really threw a wrench in the progression to Junior year. Instead of building up to the stress, we’re just getting thrown in.”
Illustration by Sabrina Barnes
In regards to the mixed opinions about block scheduling, and the loss of various
they could be sleeping.”
In order to keep this hope afloat, teachers emphasize the importance of demonstrating patience and grace. In light of all the challenges attached to this school year, an emphasis on self care and personal well-being should be enforced.
The return to in-person activities hasn’t been all bad, though. While stress has undoubtedly risen, motivation has as well.
“When we were online, I did not want to do anything,” recalls junior Tyler Alexander. “Being in front of a computer screen trying to learn over a year’s worth of material made those many, many months of school so boring for me. This affected my interest in extracurriculars too. I was drained from doing school online, and there just wasn’t much energy left for other things, I didn’t have any motivation to participate. Now, being back in person, I feel much better in that regard—much more engaged and ready to be involved.”
astronomical,” Marter says. “Honestly, last year I got maybe one piece of homework every two days for every single one of my classes. Then, this year, [I have] at least one thing to do for all of my classes, [which is] due like every single day. Also, this year, I’m taking three AP classes as opposed to one, and it’s just very, very different.”
ods for 42-minute periods every day. This schedule can alter classes’ workload, content and how long students have to focus on the material they are being taught.
men rushing to prepare for post-secondary plans, a participatory scramble has begun.
students adjust to in-person school
Junior Claudia Marter
“85 minutes can be a really long time, but I just think you can get so much more out of the 85 minutes. You cannot have 42 minutes each day, because every day you have to check in with the students and ev-
These activities should be cherished and revered for their ability to connect even the most distant of students through passion and interest. Instead, the looming pressure to appear perfect has begun to erode the joy that once drove students to join extracurricular activities. Rather than inspiring the next generation to explore what makes them happy, ETHS’ culture at times can encourage these students to look elsewhere in pursuit of societal validation as opposed to personal fulfillment.
Community Service Coordinator Diana Balitaan reflects on their own experience with the application process. Despite applying to college nearly a decade ago, Balitaan reverberates the similar expectations students feel today.
skills during remote learning, it may feel as though this school year is crowded with obstacles. However, teachers still feel hopeful about in-person instruction going forward.
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Illustration by Sabrina Barnes opinion
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Evanston needs to reflect on liberal media biases This i an
Maddie Coyle, Eva Morales-Grahl
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“I think a lot of the news is designed to get your attention in the worst way possible,” says senior Oliver Pratt. These words resonate with a lot of the American population in a way that presents itself now more than ever. In a time where staying in tune with the news appears to be critically important, our news is well … horrible. To the majority of Evanston, what Pratt refers to as a “liberal bubble”, these horrible news sources would be Fox News, OAN, Newsmax or other conservative cable news outlets. While these beliefs of absurdity regarding the aforementioned right wing media institutions may be completely accurate, much of Evanston (or any majority liberal community for that matter) stops short of analyzing and critiquing their own liberal media sources.According to a Pew Research Center study meant to analyze Americans’ trust in news sources that aligned with their political beliefs published in January of 2020, 70 percent of self-described liberal Democrats trusted CNN. So it isn’t a stretch to assume that a similar percentage of Evanston liberal Democrats feel the same way about CNN or other leftwing cable media outlets. However such trust is misguided. Major liberal cable media news outlets pander to their audiences in many of the same ways that conservative news sources do, and understanding these strategies is essential for Evanstonians to question the power structures around them, even if they correspond with their same political party.
Unfortunately, such hopes could not be further from the reality, as news on both sides has been overrun with uninformative pandering. News sources pandering to their audiences will always exist as long as the need for a profit to be made is present. This article is not meant to demand that all news sources drop all bias and report without any hint of opinion, rhetoric or passion; to do so wouldn’t be feasible or realistic. This is just a simple request to look critically at the ways news is presented, especially if the broadcast doesn’t challenge any of your views or make you think critically. America’s news won’t inform you. That part’s up to you.
ly? Liberals love being reminded by the news that they are not like their opposition, the dumb, evil, ReTrumplican. They are the sharp, just, logical and superior liberal, and they will be tuning in again tomorrow to earn CNN even more money. This kind of pandering towards Democrats can be seen beyond Cuomo Prime Time, and you can find it yourself pretty Liberaleasily.media making conservatives out to be laughable characters has backfired on them in the past and will in the future. When Hilary Clinton got on stage in the run up to the 2016 election and declared her opposition to be a “basket of deplorables,” she made one
vanston
cable media channels survival. What makes an audience want to tune back into a CNN or MSNBC is if that group likes what it is watching. What better way to make someone like watching the news than having the news panderthemto
Artists, Photographers:
Adviser John Phillips E
Much of the mass incarceration of Black and Brown people present within the United States today can be attributed to laws introduced during the Democratic Bill Clinton era, and much of the brutal regime change practices that this country has levied against the global south has been done under the Obama and now Biden administrations. These facts are often forgotten by most liberals though, as liberal media leaves little room for valid criticisms of Democratic party policy.
By Keiran Dubey Staff Writer
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of the moves that cost her the election. Not only were those on Trump’s side who were willing to consider the perspectives of the Democratic Party now solidified in their support of Trump after being called a “deplorable,” but the term itself became a rallying cry and campaign slogan for conservatives that continues to this day. One cannot help but notice the similarities in tone in Clinton’s godforsaken speech that night, and the way people like Rachel Maddow and Cuomo make conservatives out to be. This kind of anti-Republican pandering also makes liberals out to be better than they really are. Because when the Republicans are decrepit, sorry, and misguided as they are, the liberals must be the antithesis of such evil, except for the fact that they are not.
partisan tactics are still being used. Whether Cuomo is rambling on about the vague and undefined “ReTrumplican” or Tucker Carlson is fear mongering about how “the left” is trying to take away some intrinsically American freedom, neither strategy serves to educate their viewer and instead just misleads and confuses the audience.
The American media has a responsibility to those who view it and the nation as a whole to be accurate, intelligent, informative and, while not without some partisanship, fair.
Cuomo Prime Time is a CNN news show that airs during the “prime time” evening slot when most people are watching TV and is hosted by Chris Cuomo. Cuomo’s repeated usage of the phrase “ReTrumplicans” (a combination of “Republicans” and “Trump” meant to signify their intertwinement) seems to educate his viewers on absolutely nothing. It is obvious enough how closely tangled together the GOP is with Donald Trump and making it into a catchy phrase serves not to do anything but demonize.
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Executive Editors Lauren Dain, Eden Drajpuch News Editor Sari Oppenheimer Opinion Editor Linnea Mayo Feature Editor Ahania Soni Assistant Feature Editor Jillan Denlow In-Depth Editor Jessica Sehgal Assistant In-Depth Editor Meg Houseworth Arts & Entertainment Editor Sophie Yang Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor Kayla Drajpuch, Anika Radhakrishnan Sports Editor Christopher Vye Assistant Sports Editor Jacques Philippe, Sophia Sherman Photo and Arts Editors Sabrina Barnes, Kupu Sumi Digial Content Editors Ingrid Halverson, Jojo Wertheimer Social Media Editor Amy Grill
Writers,
However, when you think about this issue, it really starts to make sense. Cable news-media outlets don’t have to educate their viewers to earn money; they just have to make their audience want to tune into their channel again. After all, it is what earns them profit, and without profit, there is no hope for any
And that is it right there, the same kind of misplaced demonization that can be seen on
While, at least for this year, the rehumanizing changes are here to stay, small structural shifts can allow for a better connection and ability for students to readjust to their new learning environment. This can be as simple as giving students small breaks during class (due to many struggling with the constant, attentive nature required of us throughout in-person learning), or even offering more clarity to the school year and how it is meant to function as a whole. The shifts, following a jarring break, from being within the physical walls of ETHS may have been a bit too fast and furiously made. In cumulation, further work must be done in order to offer a better connection and support to those who are not used to the new, rehumanizing tactics.
“Every academic department requires students to complete common assessments, which are designed by ETHS to address one or more standard that is central to each subject area. The assessments are complex tasks that are part of the curriculum such as writing a research paper, designing a scientific experiment, or creating a personal-fitness portfolio,” states the ETHS website.
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Michael Pond, a Civics and AP US History teacher, was an advocate for the removal of finals and transition to the Block schedule, and since ETHS’ removal of finals, he no longer holds tests in his classes.
To a certain extent, yes. With students finally being back in the building, we’re all adjusting to and navigating the situation together and making the best of what we’ve been given. I find myself grateful for the chance to spend my senior year in person, getting to meet my teachers and peers in person for the first time in what feels like forever.Andyet, the countless questions and lack of information still hangs in the air. How do we attempt to return to normal when there’s so much we just don’t know?
they raise the question of normality and its possibility at ETHS. In June, ETHS sent out an email to students and staff, saying “ETHS is returning to a space that dehumanizes our school community ... ETHS will work to build relationships and a sense of belonging.”In the state of reconstruction we’re in after the last year and a half, these goals are especially important to rebuild the community that was lost virtually. So, are ETHS attempts at fostering a more humane school environment possible?
their high school functioning a certain way. They knew 42-minute class periods, having all their classes in one day, five-minute passing periods, having lunch in a designated location, announcements during third period and a specific type of bell. Now, that is all different. Not to say that all of these rehumanizing changes are bad, but when a decision is made to make exceedingly exorbitant changes all in one school year—especially one following not being in the building, learning online and having to deal with plenty of other external stressors—we, as students, should not be expected to welcome these all with open
I teach are two very different animals. In Civics, I can be almost 100 percent skill based, and then also show demonstrations of those skills through projects.”
Maddie’s thoughts
With the school year in full swing and students adjusting to in-person learning, teachers are also passing out syllabuses and course expectations. The multi-page documents cover class etiquette, phone policies and, of course, grading. I have always found it daunting to see the breakdown of how my grade in a class will be calculated, and especially so after a year where classes were structured, to say the least, very differently. During remote learning, finals were removed and assessments scarce. The purpose of them seemed irrelevant, when a student could easily look up answers to Algebra questions or the title of a Oscar Wilde novel. However, we are no longer remote, and a part of returning to normalcy means a return to testing in school.
With this unclarity, it becomes difficult to walk down the halls without questioning the lack of distance in the crowds or the people with their masks below their noses. The thought of going to school without a mask mandate, something ETHS had announced back in spring but later adjusted, is also of constant questioning considering the state we’re in. Though being vaccinated certainly eases that stress, the worry of COVID-19 is constantly at the back of my mind, and one of the most obvious reasons ETHS will likely never return to complete normalcy anytime soon. Instead, we adjust and adapt to changes.
ETHS should adopt a more holistic grading system
Linnea’s thoughts
By Linnea Mayo, Maddie Coyle Opinion Editor, Community Impact Editor
The effects of test stress can filter into many areas, beyond student’s performance.
By Lauren Dain Executive Editor
Pond also acknowledges that students in AP US History are preparing for the AP Exam, and need to develop skills to tackle that test. Rather than testing students he finds other ways to prepare them.
The removal of finals was an attempt to make ETHS a more humane space, aware of the stresses those high-stakes tests put on students. To continue being dedicated to that commitment, testing should no longer be the most significant determinant of a person’s grade, if even used at all. Grading should shift to a more holistic approach, which analyzes a student’s overall dedication and performance in the entire course. This would mean the homework you stayed up to midnight completing would hold the same value as how you performed on a test; because a student should be viewed by the culmination of their accomplishments and hard work, rather than their ability to perform well on a specific day.
The preparation of a test can be daunting and cause unnecessary distraction and pressure on a student, causing them to shirk otherInsteadresponsibilities.offocusing the majority of a student’s summative grade on test scores, alternatives to grading can be made. For instance, summative assessments consisting of projects where students can represent the skills they have learned over a longer period of time or increasing the grade value of classwork and homework.
“With AP [US History,] it’s a little bit harder, because I’m trying to balance out my responsibility as a teacher to students who are taking an AP class because they want to challenge, because they want to see what they can do, because they want to look at for college, because they’re trying to get a grade bump, all those things. And those students who really care deeply about the actual College Board exam, and they’re trying to score a certain point level.” Pond adds, “So I try to do both of these things. In the pandemic, what I did was, I had students coming to me after hours to get that extra practice of working towards the exam, and I was trying to focus more holistically on skills and depth of Anresearch.”important aspect to note is that, while teachers such as Pond attempt to remove testing from their classes, ETHS does mandate all classes to have some form of sum-
ETHS’ intention with required assessments is to gauge a student’s comprehension of a subject. However, testing is not always a reliable source for a student’s true understanding. Often, it can represent them at theirResearchersworst. from Northwestern and Texas A&M conducted a study in which the cortisol levels of students are tested on days they have tests, and on days they do not. They discovered that “students who showed the largest variations in cortisol between testing and non-testing weeks tended to perform worse on tests than expected given their classwork and performance on non-high-stakes tests, among other measures.”
Going into this school year, there were various expected changes awaiting students and staff, including the block scheduling, 85-minute class periods and no tardies that we had been informed about last spring. However, after my first class on the first day, I was surprised to hear what sounded like three airport chimes below from the hallway
Illustration by Claire Ripp
Half of the student body was used to
Rehumanizing ETHS comes with signifi cant adjustments
“So now, with the removal of final exams, I don’t have testing anymore. And, typically, the only time that I would have a test would be for final exams,” says Pond. “Now, obviously the two classes that
mative assessments make up the majority of a student’s grade in the course.
The changes ETHS made can amount to a level of disconnect among the student body. These tactics seemingly meant to rehumanize ETHS’ student population may end up resulting in drastic changes that deny students the opportunity to acclimate themselves with their school environment. We all just returned from an unorthodox year and a half, to say the least, and for ETHS to come back following that period with countless changes, large and small, it can be expected that there will be a bit of a push-back and lack of connection students have with the school.
speakers, and my teacher telling our class that these were the new school bells indicating the passing period. Very different from the loud, distinct bell I remembered from my freshman and sophomore year, this bell change was one of the unexpected changes ETHS has made in attempt to make this school year more humane after the disconnected last 18 months. Another unexpected change was the musical interlude, different from the Friday Song, between the lunch periods.While both of these changes seem small,
Forarms.many students, teachers and staff alike, the return to school has been seen as a return to normalcy. Even though we are still experiencing the effects of the pandemic still raging across the nation and globe, the decision made for ETHS to return to in-person learning was seen as a victory. No more awkward Zoom calls or breakout rooms. No more internet failing or lack of connection with teachers and students. The in-person schooling formula could acknowledge the hardships and struggles many faced under online learning while also building back the daily connections that had been lost. Yet, these rehumanizing changes that had been made, makes a “return to normalcy” impossible for some students, given the drastic shift in the daily engagements of the new school environment.
[Continued
Shang-Chi: A legendary entrance to the MCU
The Breakfast Club (1985)
By Sophie Yang Arts and Entertainment Editor
Despite having so much humor, the film touches on serious themes. Wenwu’s character arc is shockingly beautiful, as love is the main motivation for everything he does. The ominous creature, known as the Dweller, pries off Wenwu’s grief to free himself from the gates. This plotline takes a dark turn, especially considering the Dweller’s way of sucking out people’s souls to gain power. It
SPOILERS FROM SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS AHEAD
Hilariously human: high school movie classics
With its humor, plot, surprise cameos, action and CGI, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has instantly made its way to my list of favorites. I can’t wait for Marvel to put out more Shang-Chi content and to see the future of this legendary hero.
High school movies are not just a prime form of entertainment. They give us characters that we feel like we can relate to on a personal scale. Sometimes, they’re high quality films that explore complex characters and have deep stories, and, other times, they are made to simply entertain you and give you a fun time for a few hours. They take the complex time of high school and turn it into something beautifully awkward and hilariously human.
Enter the last day of school in a suburban Texas town in 1976 and follow along with the jocks, the nerds, the potheads and the freshmen as they waste their first day of summer. Director Richard Linklater creates a story so fun and human that you can’t help but feel nostalgic, even if you’ve never been to Texas and weren’t born until 2005.
12 - A&Earts & entertainment
By Jared Tucker Staff Writer
In one of Matthew McConaughey’s first performances, he solidifies himself as an icon in the industry while Ben Affleck plays his usual role
Illustration by Sophie Yang
Idaho is weird, and Napoleon Dynamite might be even weirder. In the sunny farms of Preston, Idaho, socially awkward teenager Napoleon Dynamite attempts to navigate high school while dealing with weird uncles, annoying brothers and the student body as he tries to get his friend elected as class president. Napoleon Dynamite holds up as the most weirdly hilarious high
of the annoying bully. The film whips around to show students from a number of different groups as they participate in some harsh hazing, high school romances and an iconic party at the moon tower.
Clocking in at two hours and 12 minutes, this epic, action-packed film was nothing short of greatness. You know the movie’s going to be great when it opens with the backstory of the villain, Wenwu (Tony Leung), who also happens to be Shang-Chi’s father. The introduction of the legend of the ten rings primes viewers for the inevitable battle that Shang-Chi and his father face at the end of the film. While this somewhat cliche father-kid face-off has been seen before (i.e. Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Thanos and his Daughters), it absolutely worked. In fact, everything about this movie just worked. While certain parts are hilarious, others bring tears to my eyes. While some scenes are filmed in bars, other scenes feature incredible fight sequences in completely made-up places. The balance between all these elements is just impeccable as Canadian actor Simu Liu delivers through his performance of the hero. Liu is charismatic, a great warrior and just an all-
A huge cultural aspect of the film was the martial arts fighting. The way the characters moved gracefully but intentionally, gently but with power, made the action so cool.
reminded me of dementors from Harry Potter, but a little more graphic, as the creature just drops the lifeless bodies of its victims (gross, I know). Another serious part of the movie is the story of Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), ShangChi’s girl boss sister. Marvel’s historical lack of 1) female heroes and 2) Asian characters has been notable for years. However, Xialing’s redemption story and insane martial art moves are nothing short of amazing. As she says in the movie, she is self-made. She trained herself to fight, built an empire and— as we see in the post-credit scene—is taking over the Ten Rings organization. Xialing is an unstoppable force who is predicted to continue on in the MCU, but whether she will be a hero or villain is still unclear.
It was the small moments, like Shaun helping Katy pronounce his real name on the plane that made me say ‘Yes, that’s exactly it!’ So many immigrants adopted an “American” name when assimilating to help ease the struggle of mispronouncing their real names. The bits that reference issues of that sort were what made me feel connected to this first Asian hero. To see Asian representation up there on the big screen gives hope to a more inclusive, representative future in the MCU.
Awkwafina’s portrayal of Katy particularly stands out, as the NYC comedian brings humor throughout the film. The dynamic between Katy and Shaun keeps the movie light, and I found myself unexpectedly laughing the whole time. While many of the jokes are somewhat predictable, it didn’t bother me because they were just so darn funny. I absolutely loved the casting of these two, and I can’t wait to see more of their friendship unfold (and hopefully more singing outbursts of Hotel California). The unexpected appearance of Ben Kingsley is also a highlight of humor, as the movie explains his imposter role of “the Mandarin” in Iron Man 3. Marvel’s ability to weave in previous movies makes my Marvel-loving heart happy. Kingsley’s quirkiness and adorable relationship with Morris adds a nice touch to the overall feeling of the film.
As for Asian superheroes, this movie made me proud. Aside from the bits of spoken Mandarin, and the obvious Chinese setting, the film included certain familial and cultural aspects that are relevant to China but didn’t overdo anything. I didn’t feel like I was watching an Asian hero; I was just watching a super cool hero. Shang-Chi is different in many ways to the traditional Captain America and Iron Man archetype. He isn’t overcome with the sense of duty or confidence that those founding heroes had. Shang-Chi faces a past that he had run away from, and
Dazed and Confused (1993)
Booksmart follows Molly and Amy, two high school seniors heading to the Ivy League who have never been to a party in their lives. On the night before graduation, they set out to pack four years of fun into one hilarious, awkward and emotional night. Booksmart is wildly entertaining, as every ridiculously exaggerated character has their moment in the spotlight as they each star in scenes that are sure to stick in your mind after the credits roll. The two leads have nearly perfect chemistry, and they don’t just create some of the funniest scenes in this movie but also the most emotional. Booksmart combines its impeccable character development, hilarious writing and emotional story to create a masterpiece.
Tons of credit goes to Simu Liu for training for months to nail the demanding physical training that this role entailed. The fight sequences were some of the best I’ve ever seen, not just in the MCU, but ever.
While some ideas may seem outdated, The Breakfast Club boasts a bunch of relatable characters and powerful storytelling to create a tale that feels relevant now, even though it was made over 35 years ago. Five high school students, all formed from different stereotypes, talk, argue and connect during an all-day detention one Saturday. Each character has their own emotional backstory and reasons why they are in detention, and watching them become friends throughout the course of the movie is heartwarming. Each character faces a decision or has some part of their life that will resonate with viewers.
we get to see him find himself more and more throughout the film.
school movie of all time, where all the characters embrace their unnatural personalities to create something that’s genuinely sweet. Every scene has visuals and dialogue that are not only memorable but instantly iconic, whether in your mind or to the millions who have seen the film.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
around perfect pick for this lead role.
Fans eagerly awaited as the glaring red Marvel Studios logo appeared on the theater screen. As the lights dimmed, a new hero was introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Shang-Chi.
The late Robin Williams is known for his calm and sweet nature that allowed him to grow into a fan favorite and one of the greatest actors of all time. All of that is on display in Dead Poets Society as Williams plays an unorthodox teacher at a strict boarding school who becomes loved by his students and teaches them to stand up to the school. Dead Poets Society packs a heavy emotional punch and shows the importance of positive role models for kids who may not have them at home. While it may not be set in the most relatable environment, the ending is sure to give you chills and maybe bring a tear to your eye. on evanstonian.net]
Booksmart (2019)
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
One of the famous pieces featured in The Gallery was The Broken Column. Like many of her works, The Broken Column is a self-portrait. We see a tear-streaked Kahlo, barely covered with a medical corset and cloth around her waist. In most other self-portraits, Frida painted herself wearing Tehuana dresses. These garments concealed the wounds she suffered from as a result of polio when she was six years old and a bus accident at age 18. According to historians, the dresses symbolized mexicanidad, or ¨Mexicanness”, the acceptance of new ideology and a liberal lifestyle
Whetherit.”you
CCMA’s Timeless exhibit celebrates artist Frida Kahlo
In the midst of our eco-crisis, I listened to many conversations about how to make consumption more ethical. This meant gentrifying thrift stores, buying incredibly expensive sustainable clothing or shopping on Poshmark and Depop. And while these options are better than fast fashion, they all have sizable disadvantages. More importantly, these solutions are all predicated on the idea that we must continue to consume as rapidly as we have in the past.
Using your imagination to develop characters, communicating effectively using body language and having self-confidence capture the essence of theater. If you’re an aspiring actor, a theater
The most ethical way to consume is to do less of it.
On the way home from camp, I realized that I didn’t need any more clothing. I lived with a finite number of clothes for seven weeks, and nothing terrible happened.
By Ali Cutter, Sadie Dowhan, Mae Luning, Lila Portis Staff Writers
Olsen mentioned her favorite parts about Graphic Design I were doing sketchbook assignments. Every Monday, students were assigned different prompts such as designing a logo, album cover design or soda can design.
In addition to the melody, ad and freestyle projects, there was a loop project, an ‘Inspired by’ project and a musician research project. All six projects allowed students to
By Charlotte Murray, Anika Radhakrishnan
riety in the content covered, especially the sillier projects, but she also grew from the serious ones.
“Everyone can do anything in the art
Staff Writer, Assistant Arts and Entertainment Editor
Whether you’re a composer, a seasoned musician looking to refine your craft or are simply interested in music, you may want to consider picking an elective like Music Technology: Recording & Composition I.
Ethical consumption in a materialistic world
as a Mexican. However, in this piece, she exposes her wounds to the audience: down the center of her body, skin splits away to reveal a fracturing white pillar that ends just below her chin. Kahlo’s solemn expression, the sharp details of skin, pins and shattering cement are all these components illustrate someone who was struggling with years of physical and emotional pain. We found it illuminating to see the different ways Frida viewed herself; as ‘broken,’ like this piece is titled, as a child (My Nurse and I) or simply as an artist (The Bus). Like the woman herself, the art displayed in this exhibit was beautiful and multi-dimensional.
“The last thing that we did, which was the most challenging, was a scene study. We had a partner, and we got a script from a show and performed five to ten minutes of it,” she recalls. “I’m definitely not a dramatic or serious actor, so that was very fun to play. I learned a lot from
Illustration by
The arts provide a place for people to express themselves, use their creativity and form connections. With about fifty fine arts classes, ETHS offers an array of options for students to get involved, ranging from the performing arts to music as well as the visual arts. However, with the large number of options presented, it can be overwhelming when trying to decide how to become involved. We’ve outlined some fantastic arts classes to join and what to expect from them by asking students about their experiences.
The Cleve Carney Museum of Art’s Frida Kahlo Timeless exhibit opens with a towering portrait of the artist herself, hair and skirt adorned with pink and white flowers, rested in front of a vibrant green background. From the beginning, we were excited to get to know more about the famous artist, the woman behind the unibrow. We were not alone in our excitement. The first room, the Historical Exhibition, was packed with people revolving around the photographs, quotes and detailed explanations posted on the walls. We appre-
ciated the depth the museum went into surrounding her past and were able to relate these experiences to the art featured in the gallery itself.
Photos courtesy of Ali Cutter, Sadie Dowhan, Mae Luning, Lila Portis
The only thing that could possibly rival my intense eco-anxiety was my love of fashion.
I wasn’t worried about staying on-trend. I saw fashion as a way to express myself. To some extent, I still do. I often shopped in ways that were as sustainable as possible. I thrifted lots of my clothing, which was how I justified the continual growth of my wardrobe.
have been drawing for ages or have never picked up a paintbrush, there is a visual arts elective for you.
This summer, I had the opportunity to go to sleepaway camp for seven—yes, seven!— weeks. I packed my life into two black duffel bags and set out for Oconomowoc, Wis.. While I was packing, I had to choose which of my beloved clothes to bring with me. I ended up bringing most of my wardrobe, but even then, I wondered if it would be enough. Spoiler alert: it certainly
“I decided to make a Japanese soda bottle [one] week, and it was very, very fun making my own label and design,” Olsen says.
This one-semester elective explores music production, composition, music notation, editing and basic music theory. The best part? No prerequisite classes required.
A guide to ETHS Fine Arts classes
learn how to use a digital audio workspace (DAW), which is software used by producers for editing and recording music. The projects allowed students to express themselves while also having them learn how to navigate a DAW through hands-on learning.
Music
That brings me to my current plan. I am trying to truly test the limits of how little my clothing matters. Since I have gotten home from camp, I have been on a mission to stop shopping. It’s a process, as is any radical change. However, I’m enjoying myself. I’ve been unfollowing fashion influencers, trying to generally spend less time on social media and avoid going to the mall. When the time comes for a clothing upgrade, I will try to invest in high-quality pieces that will last a lifetime (or close to it).
Thewas.two months I spent at camp were formative in the ways that one would expect, but there were also unexpected life lessons. The main one: I don’t need more clothing.
For the final project, students in Theater I were asked to do a scene study.
Changing my mindset has been a challenge, and I am nowhere near done. I am already feeling accomplished. Every time I resist the urge to buy, I realize that the earth is thanking me (and my bank account, too).
“It was a project-based class, so we learned a lot about music form in the beginning. Then, we took that knowledge, and we put it into projects; we had six total projects,” junior Jada Pascasio recalls. “There was a melody project, where you had to come up with a melody that followed a certain form. There was a project where you can make an ad with music in the back, but I think my favorite was at the end where you got to just freestyle and do whatever you wanted because you could ... be as creative as you wanted.”
someone looking to over- come their fear of public speaking, you should consider a theater Sophomoreclass.Eliana Sklar decided to take Theater I her Freshman year to build on her acting skills. Sklar found she enjoyed the va-
By Kayla Drajpuch Assistant Arts and Entertainment Editor
Grace Olsen, a sophomore who has taken Graphic Design I, has been drawing since she was three but mentions that the class doesn’t require experience in any capacity other than your creativity.“Everybody can draw; everybody can do art or can be taught,” she says.
Luckily, I am not an influencer. After not shopping for almost two months, I learned that nobody is particularly invested in what I choose to wear on any given day. I don’t have millions of followers watching me, waiting for me to set the trends. Although a lot of people may wish they had the fame of celebrities, I feel grateful for the lack of pressure. I can wear the same hoodie every day, and people will not care.
[Continued on evanstonian.net]
However, everything was different at home. I got back on social media, and I was once again bombarded with the desire to buy. I was reintroduced to the fashion accounts that I followed on Instagram. I felt the pressure to not repeat my outfits, something that I had heard a lot of fashion influencers talk about. They felt that when an article of clothing had been worn once, it could never again be featured on their Instagram.
Theater
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“Our division’s obviously really diffi cult; we have one of the best divisions in Illinois,” Mavros explains, referring to the
“We’ve had strong showings from [ju niors] Ryder Bellios and Jamie Young, and our seniors Sid [Mehrotra], Alex [Vasquez] and Jack McGaughy—really happy with how they’ve played this year.”
Even with Conference, Regionals, Sectionals and State all looming over head though, there are still some some non-postseason rounds of golf left to be played this season; besides the Wheeling Invite Sept. 18, a chunk of the team will also participate in the Mundelein Invite the same day, a dual against North Shore Country Day on Sept. 23 and the McDer mand Invite in Lake Forest Sept. 25.
Because girls cross country has an ex tremely short season, each meet is cru cial. Like many sports, cross country is as mentally demanding as it is physically and
It was this very insight that enabled the team, who started the season off with a 311-325 loss in 18 holes to Oak Park and River Forest, to, just five days later, re bound and defeat Jones/Payton 163-176 in nine“Iholes.think we all just need to improve on our consistency, just in general, because some of us do really well in some tour naments but then we can blow up and do really poorly in some other ones,” says ju nior golfer Kieran Mavros.
PhotoEditorCourtesy
of Bennet Pascal
strength of Glenbrook North, New Trier and Glenbrook South.
FALLIN’intoseason 14 - sports
Girls XC has short season, making every meet crucial
“I started off the season really rough with an injury, and I am still recovering from it, which has put me behind in my times for meets. I think that my individual goal would be to not get injured again and try to take care of myself the best I can so that the rest of the season goes well,” ju nior Isabel Maiewski says.
“Duringsuccess. meets, I need to remind my self how well I am doing or how proud I should be of myself in regards to running. The team in general is very welcoming and always kind to each other, and that is one of the reasons I love running for EGXC (Evanston Girls Cross Country).” Maiews ki says.One benefit Ochoa has noticed this sea son is the team’s thirst for community and togetherness.“Thisyear especially, I think they’re just a community,” Ochoa says. “They want to be that. They want to be that. I think that big family that we didn’t get last year be cause of COVID, it changed [so everyone wants] to get to know everyone and to be mentors and share their experience and knowledge to help other.”
With a team-centric mindset and strong varsity runners, EGXC looks to dominate in its future meets. You can catch them at the Warren Township Invite on Saturday, Sept.
Girls cross country is off and running after its first meet of the season on Sept. 4. The team looks for success in its short one-and-a-half month-long season. With multiple injuries plaguing the varsity ath letes, the season was already off to a chal lenging start.
“So much of golf is not necessarily hav ing really great holes, but minimizing real ly bad holes,” says Boys Varsity Golf Coach Jed Curtis. “There’s only so many strokes you can go lower: there’s an infinite num ber you can go higher.”
With an emphasis on mental, emotion al and physical health during the season, practices typically vary between easy runs (three to six miles) and timed trials com bined with weight training.
During a fast-paced season like this, it is vital for a team to come together quickly, and that’s exactly what Ochoa is seeing.
After18. that contest, the team has five more meets on its schedule before Region als, which will take place in a little over a month on Oct. 23.
During these practices, teammates val ue teamwork despite the individual nature of the “Yousport.know everyone is working so hard together, and when they see everyone else working too hard around them, it’s like, ‘How could they not go out there and give it everything they got?’ The training isn’t easy in the long run,” Varsity Coach Ro sette Ochoa says.
At the time of this writing, the Kits have accumulated a conference record of 1-3, with a win against Niles West, 161170, and losses to Maine South, Glenbrook South and New Trier with scores of 150163, 148-169 and 153-169 respectively.
Coming off of the Wheeling Invitation al on Sept. 18, boys golf will compete in the Central Suburban League Conference tournament on Sept. 22. They will look to improve upon their fifth-place finish from last year.“We’re still in a situation where we’re trying to figure out who our players are going to be in the postseason, who’s going to step forward,” says Coach Curtis.
“Because there’s two months, there’s not a ton of tournaments. It’s kind of like you perform, or you don’t, and that makes the cut,” says Mavros regarding the post season.The IHSA Boys Golf season will of ficially conclude with State Finals Oct. 9 at The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course in Bloomington.
keeping the right mindset during a meet could mean the difference between failure and
The need for the sort of consistency mentioned by Mavros was made clear in the Kits next dual, where they lost to Loyola 150-166 in nine holes. Last year, al beit with eighteen holes to play, the Ram blers proved to be no match for Evanston; the Wildkits picked up a 304-348 victory.
By Lena Papa Staff Writer
Boys golf aims to score lower as it takes on tough division
By Christopher Vye Sports
“They’re listening,” Ochoa says. “They’re very coachable, and it’s lovely to see.”
At the first meet of the year against Hin sdale Central, the Kits placed 15th out of 19 teams in the three-mile race. Although disappointing for the varsity squad, Henry O’Mallya ended up ranking first individu ally in the three-mile sophomore race.
Luckily, as COVID-19 restrictions are slowly but surely lifted, the Kits are able to start incorporating those traditions back into their team dynamic. Now, they’re doing all they can to make up for missed time.“We have a massive bucket list of things to do such as escape rooms, beach days and lots of team dinners,” Ciszek adds.
However,state.it’s going to take more than one standout runner to make this season a success. In a sport where so much of the competition is a mental battle, sometimes all that takes for runners is a little cama raderie.“Inthe past, it’s been me trying to mo tivate the team and what happens is one or two guys will rise up from what I do, but they’re not really able to motivate anyone else,” says Michelin. This year, we’re look ing like an actual team on paper, so I’m ex cited for this season.”
Headbeat.coach Leanne Baker reflects on everything the Kits are doing to make this season a success.
While they might not have performed to the best of their abilities, the Kits did have some triumphs last season—namely when senior Essay Tolosa won regionals, finished seventh at sectionals and even made it all the way to
Volleyball digs out wins, commits to change off-court
Football struggles to find its footing, loses two straight
As the Kits continue to practice and mo tivate each other, one thing becomes clear: New Trier and Maine South are in for a stiff competition.
In the season opener on Aug. 27, the Wildkits defeated the Indian Trail Hawks, 26-6, in Kenosha, Wis., showing great con trol over the course of the contest.
Although its first contest of the year resulted in a 9-0 loss against Deerfield (all nine players lost their matches), the team performed the best it could under tough circumstances. For the past two seasons, Deerfield has won all but one of its com petitions, making the squad nearly impos sible to
Between a record number of girls par ticipating in the tennis program and the success of off-season practices, the team’s commitment to hard work is clear. How ever, it’s the long-lasting friendships the players gain that make it all worth it.
By Olivia Ohlson Staff Writer
goals from senior kicker Ben Barney in the first and second saw the Kits accumulate a 20-0 lead going into a halftime—a gap from which the Hawks (2-3) were never able to
The following week at home, the Kits picked up their first loss upon being de feated by the Libertyville Wildcats, 32-13. Evanston’s defense struggled early that night, letting up a 35-yard run, a 65-yard run for a touchdown, and a 31-yard touch down pass all in the first half.
For the current season, the team is hop ing to build upon last season’s momentum by working harder than ever during prac tices and matches. So far, they’ve secured wins against Hersey and North Shore Country Day. In addition, the team came in eighth at the Deerfield Invite on Sept. 11.
The team uses this experience to help train the younger girls and create a sense of unity across the program. The captains feel that the variety of skill and personality will help the team pick each other up and continue the model of community they are hoping to demonstrate as captains this year. The future looks very bright for these young Wildkits, both on and off the court.
By Jojo Wertheimer Digital Content Editor
Down 16-7 at halftime, the Kits’ hopes for a comeback diminished after Liber tyville (3-0) recovered a fumble at the start of the third, and when two 20-plus yard throws in the third and fourth were given up.Although Evanston tried its best to fight
“The whole attitude has changed com pletely,” Michelin says. “My captains are Solomon Greene, Dylan Eyler and Paul Garcia, and they’re just tremendous at stirring up the group, getting the group motivated and initiating the after-practice sessions. They’re taking total reigns of the program and steering it into a direction that even I, as the coach, wouldn’t have been able to do.”
“Therecover.IndianTrail game was a good team win. Every part of the team was playing well, and we were able to execute very well on offense,” says Groff.
“There was a moment in the second set of our match against Vernon Hills and we were down by six points close to the end and our mindset shifted from negative to positive. When that happened, the mo mentum shifted and we pushed through to the end of the game and ended up winning the match,” said Elizabeth Brieva. “The players were so determined!”
Boys soccer shoots for State, starts season undefeated
Despite less than ideal playing condi tions, the team was still able to pull out wins against North Shore Country Day, Reginia and Niles West last year. In the end, the Kits placed fifth out of six teams in the Central Suburban League South.
By Alec Lloyd Staff Writer
As soon as fall sports begin, it’s easy to spot a rookie boys varsity soccer player.
“This team, we know how to come back from mistakes. We’re resilient.”
and for “We’veall. been battling with Maine South and New Trier, and I think this year we can definitely overcome Maine South,” he af firms. “Beating New Trier is something that we want to do, that we’re capable of doing, but I think it’s going to be a year out—de pending on if we can get back into the right mindset we were in prior to the pandemic.”
Last season, the Kits finished third in the Central Suburban League South with a 3-2 record. Now, with this new leadership in place and a better outlook than ever, Mi chelin believes the team has the capacity to take perennial top-tier programs Maine South and, possibly, New Trier down once
After a season of losses and missed op portunities last year, girls varsity tennis is working hard to ensure it serves up one of its best seasons yet.
But in the end, things just didn’t turn out the way the records predicted; the Pi rates (1-2) blew out the Wildkits, 43-0.
back, the team just wasn’t quite able to re cover from the hole they were in.
“They are all working hard together and pushing each other to make each other better,” Baker explains. “We competed well against a tough Deerfield team.”
This year, the varsity boys soccer team is made up predominantly of seniors, in addition to three juniors and one sopho more. With a plethora of returning play ers, 21 to be exact, the varsity boys soccer team is sure to be a team to watch, as the togetherness and collective experience of the team will be on full display.
Team captains Jenna Harrison and Maeve Dillion echo Coach Brieva.
Harrison, Dillion and fellow captain Kate Schepke are leading an experienced team this year, with most girls having at least five years of playing under their belts.
By Sophia Sherman Assistant Sports Editor
The team demonstrated great chemis try throughout the game. In total, junior quarterback Dylan Groff completed 83 passing yards, including a 38-yard touch down pass to senior wide receiver Kamau Ramson in the first quarter, and even ran for some yardage of his own, the most no table of which being an 11-yard run in the second.Groff’s touchdown pass to Ransom in the first, combined with a one-yard touch down run from senior Giovanni Pryor, and a pair of extra points and 27-yard field
“I’m excited to see the hard work that our girls have put in over the off-season pay off,” Baker concludes. “We have a great team, and we are looking forward to playing some [more] matches. ”
With a stellar set of team captains and a more normal looking season this year, boys cross country is ready to do everything they can to make their runs count.
Following its first conference contest against the Trevians, Evanston will take on Niles West on the road on Oct. 1, Glen brook North at home on Oct. 8 and Maine South at Lazier Field on Oct. 15.
Girls tennis traditions return as team comes together
“In general, the whole team has the same goal right now, just to win State,” says var sity co-captain Will Travis. “That comes just from winning a bunch of games. In the playoffs, you have to win seven games in a row to win State, so we just want to score a lot of goals, win our games [and] find the play style that suits us best before playoffs so that we can achieve that ulti mate goal of winning State.”
This year, the Kits hope to make a come back by focusing on passing and setting as well as their drive to create a more accept ing team that reflects the make-up of our school.Asof Sept. 12, girls volleyball has gar nered a record of 5-8. They attribute their wins to mental determination.
some more effort into our numbers [on] offense,” says Travis. “One thing we kind of struggled with last year was scoring goals, and this year, it’s a priority to really hit the back of the net.”
Continuing a tradition that began last year, the team plans to host its second annual BLM night on Sept. 28th against New Trier at home. Then, they will make posters to decorate the gym, and share information about how to support Black and brown Lives in an effort to promote equity and diversity within the volleyball community.
gained them as much yardage as compared to passing plays.
Head coach Don Michelin Jr. reflects on the noticeable changes in team dynamic that have occurred from last year’s season to the current one.
As of Sept. 13, the Kits have retained a record of 4-0-1 and have continued their season with a focus on strong offense.
timated.“Although Palatine is 0-2, they’re still gonna be a really good team that’s gonna be tough as nails. We have to execute well in all areas in order to win,” said Groff the day before the match.
Senior varsity player June Ciszek believes that playing a season amid COVID-19 did more than just require players to wear masks and social distance. In the process, the Kits lost the social benefits of being on a sports team.
This season has been defined by lop sided scores for Evanston football thus far, with the Kits falling on both sides of the win-loss column.
“Personally, I’m just looking forward to working together with everyone else. I think this team has a ton of potential,” says Travis.“The seniors in my grade are kids I’ve played with my entire life, and then the ju niors and the sophomore, all of them are very talented players, so it’ll be exciting to kind of see how the team shapes up and then make a run for State.”
“Playing during COVID was pret ty sad, not going to lie,” Ciszek remarks. “We missed out on so much team bonding and normal tennis traditions such as team breakfasts and sisters.”
The girls volleyball team has had a few disappointing seasons in a row, finishing last year with a record below .500.
Ultimately, this loss prompted the Kits, 1-1 at this point, to restructure their of fensive line going into the Sept. 10 contest against Palatine. Based on records alone, it seemed as if Evanston had the upper hand going into this occasion, but Groff made clear that Palatine was not to be underes
Conference play kicks off with a ri valry match against New Trier on Sept. 24, which is the team’s Homecoming contest.
“After the Libertyville game, we had to take a step back,” Groff affirmed.
“We [already] have very strong defense, [so] we’ve been trying out some different formations and seeing if we can throw
Every year, new players take an electric razor to the head, but as they lose their hair, they gain a team of driven athletes with one goal in mind.
Boys XC captains stirs team’s commitment to excellence
In future games, Evanston will look to up the pressure on defense and im prove their runs on offense, which haven’t
By Sophia Sherman Assistant Sports Editor
The regular season will come to an end on Oct. 22, when the Kits will head to Glenview to challenge Glenbrook South.
sports - 15
If one thing is for sure though, fur ther changes will need to be made if the Wildkits hope to finish the season with a winningLookingrecord.forward, the rest of the season features one more non-conference contest against Fremd on the road before the Kits begin their conference schedule.
Team bonding is an important part of any sport, but sharing locker rooms and buses with unvaccinated teammates puts the whole team in danger. If just one person on a team contracts COVID-19, it impacts not only their teammates, but their coaches and supervisors. It would be helpful in reducing the chances of trans-
students and their families by mandating that athletes be vaccinated. They need to be pushed into recognizing that obligation.
Senior tennis player Ella Armstrong-Matz mentions the dangers of having unvaccinated athletes on the same team.
mission during close contact situations if every team member was vaccinated.
Sophomore lacrosse player and varsity cross-country runner Bridget Coutre is concerned about the uncertainty of her opponent’s vaccination status.
While there’s always the possibility that a student could be unable to get vaccinated due to medical conditions, having the majority of students vaccinated would substantially lower the risk of exposure. In fact, according to Yale Health, it’s remarkably rare that a person would be unable to receive the vaccine due to a health condition. In most cases, allergies and autoimmune disorders do not prevent patients from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
Visit evanstonian.net to read the rest of the fall sports rundowns!
Additionally,rates.according to the Mayo Clinic, all COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death due to the Delta variant and decreases one’s risk of spreading the infection. Since the vaccines can mitigate the impact of the virus so well, the IHSA has a moral obligation to protect
Coutre’s point continues to ring true as the more transmissible Delta variant rises in significance. Because of the variant, recently, COVID-19 cases have been spiking, and sports are once again hotspots for out-
And, as a matter of fact, on Aug. 19, Tokyo reported 5,534 new cases of COVID-19: the most the city has ever had in a day since the pandemic started. Following the Olympics in Tokyo, hospital beds are filling up and businesses are shutting down due to COVID-19 spread. This is in large part because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) did not mandate athletes or spectators to be vaccinated. It’s crucial to the health and safety of students that the IHSA does not make the same mistake as the IOC.
“I think [mandating vaccines] would push parents to get their kids vaccinated because the students would want it more,” Armstrong explains. “A lot of parents want their kids to play sports, so it would push them to give in and get their kids vaccinated.”
Coutre concludes that safety will always be more important than appealing to distorted beliefs.
16 - sports
By Sophia Sherman, Marin Ubersox Assitant Sports Editor, Staff Writer
Although young adults and teenagers are often less susceptible to the original strain of COVID-19, the new Delta variant has infected a concerning number of high schoolers. Yale Medicine, for instance, has found that people under 50 are two and a half times more likely to become infected with Delta than wild type COVID-19. This, they reason, is predominantly due to the fact that adolescents are being vaccinated at much lower
IHSA should require athlete vaccinations
Many families view sports as an essential part of life. Mandating vaccines for student athletes could give those families the extra push they need to get vaccinated, and it sets a precedent for other departments outside of athletics.
“I want sports and life to go back to normal more than anyone else,” she states. “But I don’t think that that’s possible unless student athletes are vaccinated. It would make playing sports a lot less stressful and [more] fun.”
“[You could get COVID-19] after practice in the locker room, while players are hanging out or riding the bus,” Armstrong rations. ¨I think you need to have 15 minutes with exposure for you to get [COVID-19], and being vaccinated would help a lot with preventing the spread.”
Illustration by Kupu Sumi
As of Sept. 13, approximately 80.9 percent of eligible Evanston residents had been vaccinated against COVID-19. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) states that in Illinois as a whole, that statistic is only 60.9 percent. So, while Evanston has been doing an adequate job of keeping its citizens safe, other cities across the state have been less successful. By continuing high school sports without a vaccine mandate, the IHSA is exposing students in highly vaccinated communities like Evanston to high-risk areas of Illinois.
From day one of the pandemic, the IHSA has attempted to put the health and safety of students before athletic performance. Between mask mandates and cancelling seasons all together, its efforts have likely prevented thousands of coronavirus cases. And now, with a reliable, FDA-approved vaccine and COVID-19 cases slowly stabilizing, teams are looking to finally return to what had once been “normal.” The only problem? Not all student athletes in Illinois are vaccinated—and some don’t even plan to be any time soon. At this point, it’s up to the IHSA, and that group alone, to continue its dedication to safety by mandating vaccinations for student athletes.
“While I’m pretty confident in the fact that all my teammates are vaccinated, there’s no way of telling what’s going on for the other teams,” Coutre notes. “An entire team could be unvaccinated and positive for COVID-19 without us knowing.”
breaks. During the Tokyo Olympics—an event without a vaccine mandate—many athletes had to withdraw from competition following positive tests. This was in spite of rigorous health policies that were supposed to keep athletes safe.
“Playing sports seems so scary right now with Delta because we have to take off our masks,” says sophomore swimmer Eleanor Witte-McCarville. “I have three younger sisters at home that aren’t old enough to be vaccinated, and it worries me to put them at risk like this.”