FOCUS Issue #1 (Sept. 3, 2021) by Focus Staff

BACK TO THE GRIND... Normalcy of new year brings back beloved events.

IN THIS ISSUE: HOCO, FEST, FALL SPORTS AND MORE

ISSUE 1

SEPT. 3, 2021

meet the staff Madison Leonard Synthia Davis Bawi Zing Anna Blackburn Audrey Cochran Tyler Corbin Tanisha Downer Elly Kimbual Zoë Krebs Ian Miles Nicole Ni Izzy Potter Ciera Street Van Thim Kert Boedicker Daniel Schoch

Co-Managing Editor Co-Managing Editor Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Principal Adviser

A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Why did the broom get a poor grade during school? Because it was always sweeping during class. All joking aside, welcome back, Falcons! Classes have finally started to pick back up and this year has brought back some normalcy to Perry. With events like Homecoming and FEST just around the corner, we are beginning to see school spirit that nobody got to experience last year. We are so excited to mark this milestone and publish our first issue of the FOCUS. This year we hope to have our readers more engaged with intriguing articles, eye capturing pictures and page design that keeps you attached. If you have any story ideas or something that you believe should be brought to the attention of the school, don't be afraid to reach out at pmhsfocus@gmail.com We look forward to reporting and sharing this year with the students at Perry, so be sure to stay safe and help make this school year a memorable experience. Your managing editors, Synthia Davis and Madison Leonard

Cafeteria conundrum yet to be solved By Tyler Corbin

After a 20-minute wait in line, sophomore Isaiah von Harten sits down at a table ready to eat, only to realize that his peanut butter and jelly is completely frozen. After already being forced to choose a PB&J as his lunch option, this frozen sandwich only adds to the turmoil. A problem has infiltrated the halls of Perry through the form of lunch. Since the beginning of school, constant construction has left many students without a hot lunch. Long lines, wait times and cold lunch-

es already create an in the ceilings have walls of a house and uncomfortable setting pushed that timeline realize…we have to do in the student body, back even further. some rewiring here.” yet not many students “Sometimes when Boedicker also exreally know what is you start opening plains the set up of the going on. cafeteria T h e before entire the concafeteria struction kitchen began. is being “As it renovats t a n d s ,” ed. Origihe says, nally, the “our cafplan was eteria to finwas really ish the more of project a prepAfter getting in line, students expect at least a 15 minute wait before by the they are able to get a lunch. cafeteria Photo by Tyler Corbin first day of school, up the renovation rather than a fully after having started project, you uncover functional [kitchen].” on the last. However, things that you didn’t Currently the enunforeseen circum- expect,” Principal tire kitchen is unusstances such as hid- Kert Boedicker says. able, leaving cafeteden duct work found “You open up the ria workers without

Dress code enforcement to strengthen After last school year, going back to school in person seems new...again? Upperclassmen and new students alike roam the halls, following the same dress code, yet some shorts are not at the knees, some shirts are still sleeveless, and hoods adorn sweatshirts throughout the halls. These have all always been violations of the dress code. And after last year’s unusual circumstances, administrators are cracking down on enforcement. “We didn’t have access to our students,” Team 2025 assistant principal Lucas

Klipsch states. “Some of them disappeared. So we spent hours just chasing kids down, trying to find out where they were.” Klipsch acknowledges the academic challenges from last year exceeded in importance minor violations of the dress code. “Once we got them back, the last thing we wanted to do was to send them down to the office for something as unrelated to an academic class, as shorts being too short or jeans being too ripped,” he says. The dress code was not the top priority in comparison to all of the other prob-

lems and situations that were going on. “We tried to address it, but at that time of the year, when everybody came back, we still only had a portion of our students here,” he states. Enforcement of the dress code this year, however, is stricter, and there are consequences for breaking it. The first couple of times, students may be asked to go change, but constant violators will be given In-School Suspension. There are students who aren’t used to the dress code or have been too relaxed since last year.

Some students have been virtual all freshman year or in middle school, and high school has different rules compared to virtual or middle school. The beginning of the

a place to prepare food. They are forced to run back and forth from the middle school, where they prepare food and then deliver to the high school cafeteria. Even with these unfortunate circumstances, the cafeteria staff is working tirelessly to make sure every student is able to get food. Behind the scenes, these staff members are working as hard as they can. “The cafeteria is working as hard as they can,” says Boedicker, “prepare for September when everything will [hopefully] be back to normal.

By Nicole Ni year has been a challenge, but according to Klipsch, it will get better as time goes on.

Photo on the left violates the dress code, while photo on the right does not due to the addition of the jacket. Photos by Audrey Cochran

Perry’s CS program lacks strong female presence By Tanisha Downer

Photo by Elly Kimbual. This is the second period computer science class where there are all men studnets and no female

Imagine being a girl walk ing into a class and seeing only guys in the room. Where do you sit? Where do you fit in? Perry Meridian’s computer science program has substantially more male students than female students.Throughout the years this has been a trend, and female students in the program, like junior Anna Kavanaugh, want a change. Kavanaugh has taken com-

puter science classes for two years and knows the difficulty of being one of the only girls in the room. “l know a lot of girls who would be really interested in the program but are very discouraged because of the male discrepancy,” she says. “Computer Science is going to be such an important field and it’s important to not exclude different demographics of people.” And this problem goes beyond the walls of Perry Meridian. At Purdue University, for instance, only 20% of computer science graduates are women, which is more than double Perry Meridian's percentages. Only around 7% of students enrolled in compter science classes at Perry Meridian are female. Reasons range from stereotypes that

are formed within female adolescents starting at a young age to professional work environments that are male-centered and perceived as non-feminine. According to business department teach and chair ReaganTown, there is a bias created with male students being dominant in computer science courses . “We need to start girls at a young age and introduce them into this field, have girls feel related to this program and maybe we will start to see a change,” Town says.

New grading scale leaves students stressed By Izzy Potter

With several COVID restrictions and precautions put in place last year, many students may give the school year an “F.” And now, with the new and forgiving no-zero grading policy, that F might not be that hard for students to come by. However, with performance grades weighted at 80% and practice at 20%, students are expressing their stress and distaste for the scale. “If you're not good with taking tests and you crack under pressure, and you get a bad grade on it, it will take your entire grade down and that’s not really fair,” says senior Rachel Lockel. According to 2023 assistant principal Zach

Ervin, although the idea for a new grading scale had been in the works for many years prior, administrators were concerned about students’ academic progress last year. “We had a year where everything is being impacted negatively from a health standpoint, a school standpoint, an attendance standpoint, and I think that coupled with discussions going on,” Ervin says. Additionally, students had no prior knowledge of this change, finding out at the start of the school year. “I was told about it in my first period on I think the first day of school,” junior Audrey Nash says. “We had a conversation

about it because my first period is Seminar, so we talked about it for a little bit. But yeah, it was a sudden thing. We had a bunch of questions.” Since then many have been voicing their opinions and concerns. “I’m not great with taking tests because retaining information in my brain isn’t easy for me,” Nash says. “So if I’m taking a test I don’t want it to weigh my grade completely, and if I do bad on that, my grade is just going to be bad.” Students began to wonder what the point of this scale is, and how it is going to help them. “Now we’re weighing assessments a little heavier,” Ervin says. “The

intent of that is to make sure students are actually mastering the content. Not that they weren’t before, but we want to ensure that students are progressing with the knowledge of the course, so it makes sense to weigh the assessments more.” Currently, there is no discussion of this policy changing for the next school year. “I don’t think this is any different from any other policy,” Ervin says. “You’re always looking to evaluate the effectiveness of things you implement as a school, make changes as necessary to better serve students.”

New Year! New Teachers! By Madison Leonard For the 2021-2022 school year, Perry welcomes 15 new teachers from a range of backgrounds who all have something unique to offer. We profiled two of them to get a closer look. Joshua Shaffer is the new business teacher at Perry and teaches classes such as Intro to Business and Business Management. “When I first went to school I always wanted to be a history teacher, but life had other plans for me, so I did corporate training for the majority of my career and was like, ‘you know what, that’s kind of teaching, but let’s actually make it legit.’” When in his classroom, expect a more relaxed environment and a more realistic approach and a more realistic approach to how the world operates. “I feel like I have more practical experience outside of the school system,” Shaffer states.

Mason Wetzel joins PMHS as a new art teacher. “I grew up with a ton of educators in my family,” he said. “Both of my parents were teachers, as well as multiple aunts and uncles who decided to pursue teaching. I never thought I would become a teacher as a kid, but as I went through school I found my love for art and helping others and teaching fit those perfectly.” In the classroom environment, students can expect his style of teaching to be more comforting. “I teach on a basis of mutual respect,” Wetzels states. “I try to build a connection with my students and treat them like young adults, in order to foster a positive learning environment. I am an easy going personality that likes to make art fun and engaging for my students, but I also like to challenge my students’ creative thinking to help expand their minds outside of just the art class.”

Business teacher Joshua Shaffer teaches one of his classes. Photo by Audrey Cochran

New art teacher Mason wetzel helps one of his students. Photo by Audrey Cochran

Student directors, actors eager to take stage By Anna BlackBurn The excitement is real this year with the reintroduction of Falcon Expression in Student Theater, or FEST, a student-run theatre production. The absence of FEST last year due to COVID-19 struck the hearts of everyone who enjoys performing, producing and watching the plays. From process to product, FEST student writers, directors and actors are thrilled to have their craft back. “I’m so excited for the writers

to see the show when it’s all ready and everyone’s in costume, and the lights are there, the sound, everything,” senior director Ravana Gumm says. Over the summer, Students write and submit plays that are chosen by Jacqui Sheehan and Stefanie Davis. The directors are chosen at the end of the previous school year. “I always love the whole process, the idea that students imagine something, they write it, other students see it and make it come to life,”

English teacher and FEST producer Jacqui Sheehan says. “That always excites me. I’m also excited and really hopeful that we make it all the way through FEST without COVID ruining it.” Besides the fear of COVID-19 altering the production schedule, FEST members aren’t worrying about much. “We got a lot of people at auditions and people are really excited to finally be able to do something in person with other people,” senior director Lucy Fischer says. “I would say I’m

Isabelle Schmidt, Josh Hoover, Frederick Seddon rehearse for “The Big Test,” directed by Lucy Fischer. Photo by Audrey Cochran.

only worried about getting people in the seats.” But what makes FEST unique is how it’s completely student-run. “The most important thing that

I want students to know is that students truly do it,” Sheehan says. “I think sometimes when we say that, people don’t really believe us: that it’s actually all done by students. It’s awe-

Homecoming Elly Kimbual RETURNS! As fall rolls around, the corners of Perry Meridian whisper “Homecoming.” Falcons are notorious for their spirit, but it seems that some has been lost during the pandemic. Here’s a little recap of our Falcon spirit that shines during HOCO week.

SPIRIT WEEK

Each day is assigned a theme and Falcons are encouraged to dress up in the name of spirit. Whether it’s pajama day or nerd day, go all out!

THE DANCE

H t l S b

f a t

t p s

Bust out your best dance moves on the dance floor to songs you love. Snap a pic with Sheehan before you enter!

HOMECOMING EXTRAVAGANZA

G Every class chooses its 10 best men to represent the class in the Homecoming Extravaganza. Are YOU up to the challenge?

The Parade

Door Decorating Contest Create a banner with your club and compete in the banner contest as you walk through the parade. Decorate your door with your Advisory class based on the theme and compete against other classes.

All photos provided by Jacqui Sheehan and Lauren Buesking

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Fall Sports Preview Varsity Football captains and seniors, Mason Rohlman and

Audrey Cochran

Hayden Roberts, report that they are more excited for this season than any other before. The team started the season strong with a close loss to Franklin Central, but rebounded with a dominant 42-7 victory at Southport on Fri., Aug. 27. Roberts referred to the team as “an unselfish brotherhood.”

Boys Tennis seniors, Isaac Lian and Enzio Salemi, say the team feels very confident and excited to make it far this season. The team is already 4-0 in the Mid-State Conference. “We can switch it up on them this year,” Salemi says.

Girls Cross Country senior Alli Rastrelli states that the

The football captains practice their snap

for the big first game. team has been working really hard and wants to get better. The girls Picture taken by Audrey Cochran placed third in the Fountain Central Invitational. “It’s going to be a good season for cross country,” Rastrelli states. seniors and captains, Joseph Bawi, Bawi Ting Lian, and Joseph Thawng Tha Kam, claim this year is their chance to make it further than ever. They won their intense rivalry game against Southport, 3-2. “Come out and support us, we’re going for the big trophies,” Lian said.

Boys Soccer

Girls Golf senior, Olivia Lusch, says that the girls this year are

very talented and supportive. For their Franklin invite match, they placed third out of 11 teams. “I feel confident in the team winning the Marion County Tournament for the 6th year in a row,” she states.

Varsity boys before their win against Decatur on their senior night.

Picture taken by Audrey Cochran

Unified Football seniors, Dominic Hon and Kaitlin Gwin, say

that the team is gaining a lot of talent and creating good team chemistry. “I love this sport and playing with these people, so I hope we can make it to state,” Hon says.

Girls Volleyball senior, Lauren Crittenden, says all the players

are really strong and they gained Sara Gomperts, an impressive setter, this year as well. On their senior night the girls won in straight sets against Mooresville High School. “I think it’s going to be something different that nobody has seen before,” Crittenden says.

Boys Cross Country seniors explain that they are feeling very

confident this season with a lot of strong runners. In their race against Southport, they blew away the competition with the score of 19-46. “We’re excited; this team is probably the strongest it has ever been and we know we are going far,” Luca Arboneaux, Erick Gallardo-Cortes, and Dagan Knight state.

Girls Soccer seniors, Tuan Sung and Emily McCleese, say the team has a lot of potential and they’re excited to come out and put in the work. They put in the work for their senior night to overcome Herron High School 3-1. “We have strong influencers and talented underclassmen, so I hope they work together to make it a successful season,” McCleese says.

Girls volleyball players gather around their new coach during a practice.

Picture taken by Audrey Cochran

Freshman football excites new era By Ian Miles It is no easy task being a players has not been over freshman, especially coming 40 in a while,” Short reoff a pandemic. New school, marks. new rules, new everything. With the increased numBut this year’s freshman bers and new talent, this football team is planning to group could be a catalyst make it look easy on the field. for a new era of Falcon Last year’s freshfootball, contributing to man football team had one of excitement about the proits best seasons yet, with gram in general. a record of 8-2, and this Freshman quarterback year’s freshmen are ready Allen Zupan is especially to improve upon that success ready for the season and with a new head coach, Ryan ready to see the improveShort. ments he and his team“They have been lifting mates can make. Freshmen Jonathan Hunter and Allen Zupan “My expectations for our since the winter and worked warm up for their season opener against all summer working on techteam are to be the best we Franklin Community. nique,” Short says. possibly can,” Zupan says son include beating Southport The freshman team has and finishing .500.season Freshmen Jonathanabout for their been hard at work for well Toand find success, the against team Hunter Allen opener over six months now, showing Zupan “My goal is to win as many warm up will need to buildFranklin talent Community and they have a lot to prove. skill but also rely on its num- games as possible and put in Two goals that coaches and bers. maximum effort every day to players have set for this sea- “The amount of freshman be the best,”he adds.

FALL SPORTS BACK IN THE GAME Athletes are back in full swing, with team huddles, strong fights and raving crowds. photos by Elly Kimbual

Striking a balance: In the classroom and on the field, athletes struggle to balance physical and psychological wear and tear. By Synthia Davis

By now, many have heard about Simone Biles, the U.S. gymnast who withdrew from the individual all-around final at the Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health. She described her feelings as the “twisties,’’ realizing she had no choice but to step back and heal. This is the same feeling high school athletes experience under great pressure. Mental health is one of the key components of being an athlete. While there are both mental and physical benefits to playing a sport, between having to juggle classwork, working, practices and games, an athlete may find it difficult to stay afloat. Track coach and social studies teacher Ryan Teverbaugh claims that “there does seem to be some connections between your mental wellness psychologically and physical wellness.” “When we see people interacting in an environment where you’re doing something physically while you’re doing that alongside others, socially, there are many benefits,” he says. Physical aggression, exercise and the mindset that comes with building stamina are all ways that being physically active are beneficial. The negative components that involve athletics often come down to expectations. “If I do not feel that I am not performing at my best, I feel anxiety to perform better, which actually decreases my ability to do better because, psychologically, I am struggling with pressure of meeting either intrinsic or external factors,” states Teverbaugh. There are three ways to help calm or lessen these anxieties. The first way is to prepare for it. Do not overthink the task at hand, and when beginning to feel overwhelmed, take deep breaths. The second is to visualize what is going to happen. Visualize taking the

shot or making the run. Lastly, find rhythm and pace within. Tap out a beat, find something that keeps a steady pace. The number of hours poured into coursework, a job, chores, and family and social time, all while playing a sport can be overwhelming for student-athletes. Communication with teachers when struggling, developing a routine and taking advantage of study halls are all ways that will help any student, not just athletes, in creating success in the learning environment. Teverbaugh, who played high school and college soccer, suggests sticking to a routine. “It’s a really valuable life lesson early on to have routine and be disciplined,” he says. “If you have routine and discipline, no matter what you do in your life, whether it’s teaching, becoming a doctor or a professional athlete, you’re going to be really good at it. Discipline and structure are the ways to succeed in whatever you are trying to achieve.”

Ciera Street {Instructor’s Name} {Course Title} 3 September 2021

INTO THE GREAT UNKNOWN:

Nowadays, it can seem as if college is the only option encouraged after high school. College propaganda is plastered on every wall, and staff push for higher education. College and career counselor Rebecca Shull understands that college isn’t in the cards for everyone and tries to connect students for other post-secondary options. “I help with getting employers into the building to talk to students about apprenticeship programs or job opportunities,” she says. This way, she claims, students are able to assess their options, since just knowing about these programs can lift a weight.

At the start of freshman year, students are asked to create a plan for what they want to take throughout high school as well as what college or career they would want to pursue. But for many students, like senior Awa Niang, the future is hard to predict. “I wasn’t ever thinking about going to college until my junior year,” Niang explains. “At such an early stage in high school, thinking about life after high school was a distant thought.”

The College and Career Room is located next to the South Office. School counselor Rebecca Shull offers a variety of services to help students plan for the future.

THE COVID EFFECT The pandemic has continued to created challenges for those just graduating college. According to the Pew Research Center, the number of 2020 college graduates participating in the workforce is 9% less than college graduates in 2008, following the Great Recession. Between 2019 and 2020, however, there was not a noticeable drop in employment rates for high school graduates who did not pursue college.

Students search opportunities beyond traditional college path Since freshmen are new to the building, they have little idea about anything other than college or what they plan to do, or even about the other opportunities that are available. “I didn’t know about anything other than college, but then I learned about trade school and community schools like Ivy Tech,” Niang adds. But Shull hopes to make other choices evident. “We are definitely pushing all options after high school, not just one over the other,” she says about how the administration has been offering more for the students in the last year or so. “We want to make sure that you guys have as much

information as possible to make those decisions and what is in your best interest.” In today’s job market, this perspective is needed more than ever. And not knowing what comes next is often part of the decision making process, though it is never too late to figure it out. “I changed my mind multiple times,” Niang says. “I had different things I wanted to do, and I’m still not 100% sure.”

On display in the College and Career room are reminders of different colleges and secondary education options.

FAST FACTS In the summer of 2020, teen employment dropped nearly 6%. 66% of unemployed adults in Jan. 2021 considered changing careeres entirely. Between 2019 and 2020, Black adults age 18-24 saw a 5% drop in college enrollment, and Asian students age 18-24 saw a 4% drop. Enrollment for white students remained the same, and Hispanic students saw a 1% increase. ***Information comes from the Pew Research Center.

The Path Forward

Discussions about sexual assault and domestic violence shape the Chin community

By: Bawi Len Zing & Van Sui

Photos provided by Thin Hnem Par (instagram: artbyahem)

hat happens to cultural norms when introduced into a growing, developing environment? When thinking about the Chin Community it is important to note that it is made up of a substantial number of Perry Township students. Sexual assault and domestic violence are topics traditionally unspoken about in the Chin community but have started becoming more predominant in discussion as the Chin culture grows more immersive within the American culture. The Chin community’s roots are mainly centered in cultural norms and customs with foundations in Myanmar. The majority of Chin families grew up in socially conservative households, where topics such as sexual assult, rape, abuse and mental health are minimized because they invite discomfort and tension. A negative stigma surrounds these topics, which means victims stay silent, pressured to disregard their abuse. These issues, however, have been resurrected by two Perry alumni, Thin Hnem Par Lian (2017) and Sui Len Par (2020). Lian, an artist , more commonly known as Artbyhnem in the art community, opened an Instagram account March 2017 to share her artwork with her community aiming to spread awareness but to also give hope to Chin youth . In 2018, she started spreading awareness about the judgment that Chin youths face from adults, in addition to sexism towards women and the privilege ChinAmericans have.

On July 7, 2021 she released a thread opening up a discussion about sexual assault, along with a survey that allowed individuals to open up about their stories. “I decided to talk about this topic because I have met a lot of people in the community who have to deal with the aftermath and effects of things like sexual assault, harassment, and so on,” she says. “I hope that their stories will offer strength and guidance for anyone who remains silent. I hope to ease their suffering and give them some kind of relief knowing that they are not alone.” Upon reading submissions, a similarity evolved in the causes of sexual assault that parents are “too trusting of their surroundings” and that they do not believe the people and/or adults in their lives are capable of committing such acts.

Photo provided by Thin Hnem Par Lian. Lian is wearing a modern take on the traditonal wear.

15%

of the abusers were close relatives

75% of Chin Americans age 16-30 have experience some form of somestic violence

10%

33%

60% were under the age of 12

And since rules were more relaxed , it was harder to enforce them and people got away with it easily the victims were children and women.” He thinks being a part of the Western culture has actually done the opposite of causing this behavior and instead has brought light to the problem. A solution he has is for the Chin community is to create hotlines for victims that are monitored by trusted people in the community. “ Additionally, they should educate the community more of what signs of sexual assaults could look like and raise more awareness through their platforms.” The beginning of progress is in session. Leaders like Par and Lian are creating a pathway in the community that lead to growth and more open discussions. And student leaders, like Chanza,are becoming aware and recognizing the impacts of this progress. Cultural norms are being shaped to reach a community that is more understanding, empathetic and changing to learn how to handle important struggles.. “Bringing awareness and advocating is very important,” Par says. “However, it is useless and a waste of time if we cannot bring any effective results.”

were asleep when assaulted

of the users were intoxicated

were in a romantic relationship

of the abusers were women

victims of SA were men

Statistics provided by research paper done by Sui Len Par & survey by Artbyahem

Photo provided by Sui Len Par. Par is wearing the red traditional clothing of Hakha Chin.

of the abusers were church leaders

Lian was heartbroken by the responses and feels this struggle demands a wider audience. In the future, she wants to use her platform to talk about feminism, a woman’s role in the community, generation gaps and mental health. Sui Len Par, Par similarly, conducted a research study looking at domestic violence in the Chin community during her senior year through her AP Research class. Par decided to study this because she notices that such “prevalent topics” like domestic violence are often ignored or neglected by the community. “I have heard stories of domestic violence in our Chin community but are completely ignored by both leaders and people in our community,” Par says. “I knew that this was a perfect opportunity to let my community acknowledge the prevalence of domestic violence and the detrimental effects it can have on individuals.” She feels the reason for the ignorance or lack of acknowledgement is from “a sense of uncomfortability and uneasiness in regards to tackling such issues.” However, a solution she has for this problem is that if a person or a group brings awareness, the community is open for discussion. Since the Chin Community is small and tight-knit, it’s important to talk about everyday problems affecting the community and let victims know they are in a safe environment. American culture promotes fighting for what’s right, and this has been reflected onto Chin youths. Junior class president Chanza Lian believes sexual assault is a problem in the community. “It’s an issue in the community now because back in Burma, the offenders are normally people with more authority over the victims,” he says. “ They believe they can get away with their actions or silence the victims because of their status.

% 550 /20

I’ll just take the 50%

Score Date

With the new school year comes a new mindset. What once was, “My homework is late! I need to make that up so I don’t get a zero!” shifts to “Even if I don’t do my work, I will still just get a 50%, so what’s the point?” The new districtwide grading policy imposed upon students, the inability to score below a 50% on assignments, was put into place, in theory, to reduce the number of students failing or falling into an

tion and work ethic. The no-zero policy also gives students who are struggling with their work the same grade as their peers who do not do the work or are not trying in class. Students who need extra help and who are genuinely trying their best should not get lumped into the same category of kids who simply don’t want to do the work. Receiving a zero provides an incentive to complete work, improving the stu-

inescapable hole of worrying about numbers and percentages. But rather than improving grades and understanding of content, this new policy reduces the severity of late and missing assignments, demotivating students to complete the work that would help with mastery of content. Hearing your teacher on the first day of school tell the class, “Even if you do your homework, it won’t really affect your grade,” is a blow to motiva-

9/3/21

Name Zoë Krebs Period 5

dents’ understanding of the subject, instead of the current mindset of letting it slip past because it does not strongly affect your grade. The no-zero policy, while most likely unalterable, should include new guidelines to help students better understand the material, such as a similar assignment to review the material or adapted quizzes to see where students are struggling.

Get vaccinated or mask up By Anna Blackburn

At the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, there was no mask mandate at PMHS. Masks once again became mandatory for all students on Aug. 19 due to a higher percentage of COVID-19 cases. Since the COVID-19 vaccine was made widely available, some students at PMHS have been fully vaccinated and more are receiving their first doses.If masks were mandated for all unvaccinated students, this could have been avoided. The Pfizer-Biotech COVID-19 vaccine, the only vaccine available to ages 12 and up, is up to 88% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 after the second dose. Those who have this vaccination are much less likely to contract and then spread the virus. Having those students who have not or are unable to get the vaccine to wear masks will greatly reduce the spread of COVID-19 throughout PMHS. Not only would this practice help our school, but it would also help the community around us by preventing students from bringing the virus home and possibly affecting the people they live with. Protecting the community is directly tied to what type of mask mandates are put in place at schools. To fully protect ourselves and everyone around us we should have a mask mandate that states unvaccinated individuals should wear masks here at Perry Meridian High School.

What’s Your Sign? by Elly Kimbual

Aries: Take some time to recuperate and look after yourself. Taurus: Never forget how strong you actually are. Gemini: Be your true self! You don’t have to succumb to those stereotypes of Geminis being two-faced

Cancer: You may often feel as though people don’t care about you, but people care more than you think. Leo: Don’t lose your faith in people. Believe in the goodness of humanity. Virgo: Aim high, but don’t lose yourself in the process.

Libra: Keep spreading your advice. The people around you need it. Scorpio: It’s okay to keep your guard up, but be vulnerable sometimes. Sagittarius: Don’t worry too much about others judging you.

Capricorn: Keep your head down, stay busy, and continue to work hard. Aquarius: Stop overthinking! It’s not worth your time. Pisces: Don’t allow people to push you around. Distribution of Zodiac signs at Perry Meridian High School

-TWEET OF THE ISSUE-