The Hawk April 2020

6 Feet Apart World pandemic leads to major changes in everyday lives

the Hawk

In This Issue: Volume 13, Issue 6 April 29, 2020 Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pflugerville, Texas 78660

District, School Changes, page 2 Senior Stories, page 6 What To Do During Quarantine, page 7 Athletes Adjust, page 8

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News Volume 13, Issue 6

District provides food services to students during school closures Kaitlin Mackey | Co-Editor All around the nation, there are students and families that are not able to buy food and needed resources for their household due to financial issues. As a result, some students only receive meals at different schools - only being breakfast and lunch - and that’s it.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread causing schools to close for an extended amount of time, this causes those students to not have access to food and those resources needed. Taking this into consideration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture authorized procedures to allow parents guardians to pick up meals for their children within that district, calling it the “No Child Present Meal Flexibility Policy.” Pflugerville ISD began serving all meals at certain times as well as handing out toilet paper at

multiple locations around the district such as Pflugerville High, Dessau Middle, Kelly Lane Middle, Park Crest Middle, Westview Middle, Copperfield Elementary, Northwest Elementary, Pflugerville Elementary, Wieland Elementary, and Windermere Elementary Schools. At all of these locations, the food services have served about 11,500 meals a day.

“This is something we take very seriously and I am proud of our teams and leadership,” Director of Aramark Food Services Geoff Holley said.

“All of our employees are food handlers and Serve Safe trained (National Restaurant Association) and all of our sites are inspected monthly by our supervisory staff. Health Departments visit twice a year and inspect as well. I am proud of Aramark and our district for embracing

the safety of our employees, district teammates, and those we serve through diligent care and concern. Our staff wear gloves and approved

“

I am proud of our district, the plan our department came up with before closures were announced in PfISD."

Geoff Holley facial masks, double-down on hand-washing and glove replacement, and all of our carts are sanitized between each meal delivery. We have also ensured our staff know

our process of remaining a safe six foot distance while working and serving. Each week we send out a safe brief - an Aramark standard where staff discuss weekly safety topics daily. We are also, during this closure, sending daily texts to staff to remind them of our safety practices.”

These food services offer breakfast from eight a.m. to nine a.m. in the morning and lunch from 11 a.m. to one p.m.

If a parent wishes to pick up all three meals at once for the whole day, they can pick up the meals during breakfast or lunch that include how to heat up the meal or prepare it. Parents are able to go pick up the meals via car or walking and take them to however many children they have in that district. Parents are not allowed to pick up meals for other children and must provide evidence that the children attend school in

the area. These food services provided by the district help out families in need during this chaotic time, overall helping out the community as a whole.

“I do believe this has made an incredible impact,” Holley said.

“I have been in Pflugerville ISD for thirteen years and worked through Hurricane disaster feeding shelters, offered help during water shortages and power outages.

In my opinion, what we are incurring is unprecedented, and takes a similar response.

I am proud of our district, the plan our department came up with before closures were announced in PfISD, and the dedication of our staff and PfISD employees to those we serve. The feedback from those taking meals has been emotionally moving and motivating.”

COVID 19 affects all ACT, SAT testing nationwide School district moves to virtual learning Landon Self | Reporter Governor Greg Abbott announced on April 17 that all public schools in Texas will be closed the remainder of the year, therefore PfISD is following that order and schools will be closed until then. Several school districts are following the orders of health officials with most schools across the United States being closed.

“Updates seem continuous as authorities (federal, state, county, local) collect real data on positive testing, cases and what is happening,” School Board President Vernagene Mott said. “Superintendent Dr. Douglas Killian engages

in conference calls with his cabinet and nearby superintendents to evaluate and make necessary decisions on school closure.”

During the school closures, the district has set up an online learning system for students to continue learning.

Google Classroom, which many students are familiar with, is being used for most middle and high school students.

“Already proactive with technology in the classroom, Google Docs and some online experiences, the curriculum and instruction department in collaboration with other departments. worked non-stop

to be ready for teachers when spring break was over,” Mott said. “These are uncharted seas so it is important for all to work in unison patiently, collaboratively, [and] responsibly to make the best in these very uncertain times.”

The school district is also providing breakfast lunch and dinner to students who would normally eat at school.

Students must be present in order to pick that up at one of 10 schools across the district.

“Education, involvement in positive opportunities remains a core value. In these times, it is a unique and vital opportunity,” Mott said

Brisa Espinosa | Asst. Editor As the Coronavirus continues to make changes to how the United States will proceed with life and accommodate to slow the spread of the virus, it has affected college admission and requirements.

The U.S has implemented many new rules, such as social distancing and limiting the number of people that can be together, the government and its officials have highly recommended people postpone any large gatherings and events until further notice because of the risk of spreading the virus.

Because of the risks, College Board has cancelled all SAT testing until August, modified the AP tests for this year by removing the multiple choice section and making all tests available to take online and from home. Though these changes have been made in attempt to follow

the government and health officials recommendations, current seniors and juniors are now having to adjust how they will apply to colleges.

With no SAT tests available, colleges such as Brigham Young University, are not requiring SAT/ACT scores for students applying for the fall 2020 semester. Other colleges are also beginning to no longer require the SAT/ACT scores or are making them optional for juniors applying for the fall 2021 semester. The University of Texas, Texas A&M, and UCLA are some of the 1000+ colleges that are implementing these changes to their admissions. While the Coronavirus still continues to spread throughout the U.S, colleges are making accommodations to make sure students still get the chance to continue their education despite the changes that are happening.

News April 29, 2020

Band, dance respond to shut down with virtual performances Bryan Ross | Asst. Editor In the fine arts world, spring is an important time. In dance and band, spring is when each has a show or concert to put a cap on the year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these events will most likely be canceled or postponed.

But despite the current state, these groups are still working hard.

“I’m feeling a little disappointed because we were working up to our spring show which can’t happen on its original date because of school closures,” junior silver dancer Karina Deleon said.

“But I’m also hopeful because our directors are working to find a new date for the show.

Overall I’m just glad that our officers are pushing us to continue dancing despite social distancing measures and that the team has continued to stay in contact through texting.”

The Spring Show was

originally scheduled to be April 24 and 25, but with public schools closed now through the end of the school year that will not be able to happen. So while the directors find a new date for the show, the dance team uses their group chat where an officer sends out a warm up video, technique video, and a video of themselves performing and explaining a routine of their own to keep the team active and flexible.

“COVID-19 has definitely made this semester very weird,” senior trumpet player Nick Arrellano said. “School being closed has resulted in many events being canceled such as the band trip to Disney and performances that I have been looking forward to since the beginning of the year. Despite what seems like a lot of negativity, we have teachers that are trying their best to keep us engaged. Our band directors are working

on a virtual concert where the band kids are still able to create music, even though we can’t be with each other.”

For the virtual concert, each member of the band, depending on which concert band they are in, will record themselves playing their part of a song, to be edited together so that there is a recording of each band virtually playing a song.

The recordings will be released on May 15.

Additionally, Jazz Band 1 will record a song to be released May 15 and has another song already released.

“The only thing that is keeping me together at this point is jazz band,” senior trombone player and jazz band guitarist Thomas Lopez said. “It reminds me that I’m still a senior in high school and not just left without a graduation and a canceled school year.”

Members of the Jazz Band virtually perform “Autumn Leaves” on the Hendrickson Hawk Band Youtube Channel.

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STAAR tests suspended for school year Hector Santos | Reporter As of March, Governor Gregg Abbott has suspended the State of Texas STAAR requirements for the 2019-2020 school year. All STAAR testing in April, May and June 2020 have been canceled due to the school shut down. Districts will decide whether or not to allow seniors missing a STAAR passing score to graduate.

Students who have not passed up two of their required STAAR EOC assessments can still graduate through the individual graduation committee process under normal circumstances. The tests high schoolers are required to pass in order to graduate are English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology and U.S history. This year,

credits will be awarded to students if their two semesters average out to a 70 or above..

“I think that even though the end of this school year will look different than we’re used to, we can use the rest of this school year to look forward to the next one,” English teacher Sarah Smith said. “I want students to think about the things in those STAARtested classes they want to focus on and improve on for themselves before they start again in August.”

Districts determine if a student has met all other graduation requirements including successfully completing curriculum requirements or successfully completing an individualized education program.

AP Exams change due to COVID 19 Landon Self | Reporter Due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19, the College Board announced that AP Exams would be taken online instead of in person.

Instead of the exams covering what has been taught all year, they will cover what has been taught in AP classes from the beginning of the school year to March.

“Our AP class was changed dramatically as a result of COVID 19,” AP Seminar teacher Kirsten Nash said. “I don't see the changes being permanent as they pretty significantly shift focus away from part of the course, which is developing better presentation skills.”

Each test will be 45 minutes long and will be taken using a phone, computer, or any device that can access the exam. The College Board announced they will have online practice courses for

students to prepare for the exam in the absence of being taught in person. The College Board announced on April 3 that the test will be offered on two dates for each subject between May 11 and May 22.

June 1 to June 5 will be the time where students can make up the exams if they are not able to take them on the given test date. The test will also be “open note” as stated by the College Board. Exams will have relaxed grading requirements but will still be scored on the 1-5 scale.

Students who wish to cancel their test may do so with no cancelation fee.

“I miss interacting with my students and I think that they benefit from having a teacher in the room to answer questions,” AP English teacher Emily Overton said. “I hope that our city and district will make the best choice to keep all of our students safe.”

PfISD announces grading policy for second semester including GPA Bryan Ross | Asst. Editor PfISD announced their grading policy for the second semester of the 2019-2020 school year on April 17. The decision states that for high school students and middle school students in high school classes, second semester

grades will not count towards GPA or class rank.

“The new grading guidelines are in response to the unprecedented new world we live in,” Associate Principal Michael Grebb said. “When we are looking at grades we have to decide what is fair

for all students. I was happy that the 2nd semester will not be included in GPA and class rank, because it would have put some students at an unfair advantage.”

Students from pre-K through eighth grade will receive a passing or incomplete grade

for the spring semester, while high school students will receive a numeric grade.

Incomplete grades or grades below 70 will need to be made up over the course of the summer.

“This policy also helps students gain credits or have

an incomplete,” Grebb said. “I am hopeful that all students will take advantage and complete all of their work so they don’t fall behind heading into next year.”

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Feature Volume 13, Issue 6

6 Feet Apart Editor describes being essential worker during pandemic Ikram Mohamed | Asst. Editor Being an essential worker is having to pry the motivation to finally sit down and write this personal column which you volunteered to write on the first day off you’ve had in eight days. While most, if not everyone, can spend their quarantine lounging around in their home bored out of their minds I continue to have my days spent on my feet providing service to the people who make up my community.

This entire situation has been surreal. One day I walked in for my regularly scheduled six-hour shift only

to leave with an additional four hours on my paycheck.

From the Thursday we left school to our first Monday of spring break, I had managed to work five days in a row working about 12 to 14 hours each day. It was brutal. My body was unable to handle it and I was dangerously close to breaking down.

Every morning I would walk into work seeing our once normally unoccupied store be met with lines wrapping around the parking lot.

Though the overcrowding has ended, thanks to max occupancy limitations, the rush of it all have yet to

end. Long days spent on my feet, aiding customers with their many questions and concerns, and providing all service necessary. Since this pandemic has begun, our store has been left with the motto of ‘all hands on deck’.

Though we are all under a lot of pressure right now; stress from customers, rude remarks, and the nagging fear of potentially catching the virus, we have all stood together.

My managers and coworkers have all stood together in a way that I have never seen before. We have always been a close-knit store but facing

this type of stress together has allowed us to be bonded together in a new light. We continuously make sure that everyone is okay, and have made it clear that we are there for one another no matter what.

Though this has been a very stressful time within my life, I am so thankful to be able to play a part in helping my community in such a fearful time. The stories I’ve heard at the register have brought me to tears; people being laid off, not having left their homes for weeks out of fear, etc. And yes, while I’ve had a lot of rude encounters, the good has

outweighed the bad. People have gone out of their way to give us small gifts; drinks, snacks, at one point a man offered me a scratch-off card.

This time has allowed many to see these essential workers in a new light.

So while I have been pushed to new limits, and have been overcome with so much fear of the unknown, I’ve pushed through because this is what essential workers do. We look out for our community no matter what.

HOW TO AVOID EXPOSURE Ethan Tittle | Reporter Good hygiene plays an important role in staying safe in times like these. Simple things like washing your hands regularly, using hand sanitizer, and drinking water can protect your immune system and keep you from getting sick.

According to the World Health Organization, the Coronavirus spreads through contact with someone who is infected, when they cough or sneeze. It can also spread when someone touches a surface or object that has

the virus on it, and then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth. The Coronavirus causes respiratory illness with symptoms similar to the Flu, such as a cough and a fever. In more severe cases there could also be difficulty breathing.

Social distancing and good hygiene are two good things to do to stay safe and help prevent the spread to other people.

Social distancing doesn't necessarily mean to lock yourself inside your house, although that is the best way

6 FEET APART

you can help stop the spread.

People can still go outside to exercise and do other things but it is recommended to distance yourself about six feet away from people, because if someone coughs or sneezes they spray little droplets from their nose and mouth. These fluids could contain the Coronavirus or other diseases in them and if you are standing too close you could breathe them in and risk getting the virus or spreading it to someone else, distancing yourself can protect you and help stop the spread.

WASH HANDS

Hygiene also plays a role in staying healthy. The World Health Organization recommends that you regularly wash your hands for twenty seconds with an alcohol based rub or soap and water to kill whatever is on your hands. Be sure to also avoid touching your face, because once you come in contact with something that is contaminated, your hands can transfer the virus into your body through the eyes, nose, or mouth and get you sick. It is possible to be a carrier of the virus and not

show symptoms, especially because the virus takes about two weeks before the person that has it starts showing symptoms. In those two weeks someone could contaminate multiple objects and people before they feel sick, to help the people around you, cover your mouth and nose with a bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze to make sure that you aren't putting anyone around you in danger.

WEAR MASK

Feature April 29, 2020

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Editor finds new job, responsibilities during virus shutdown Brisa Espinoza | Asst. Editor As businesses began to close down, many people were left with the question of, “What do I do now?” The Coronavirus pandemic has caused America to come to a halt; the highways are clear and families are now all at home together waiting for the “all clear” so that they can finally go back to their normal lives. But yet for some, they aren’t able to just put their lives on pause and wait for the virus to end, many have to come to the realization that they’re going to need to find a new job, I ended up being one of those people.

Businesses one after another began to close and furlough their employees as the companies response to the virus and its spread. These businesses weren’t seen as ‘essential’ meaning that there wasn’t a need for them to stay open because people could, in a sense, survive without them being open. I worked at

Kaitlin Curtis | Reporter

a mini golf place so it made sense when we were told that we were going to close until further notice, I understood and really didn’t think it would make that big of a difference in my life since I just worked to have some extra money. But then soon after my mom's job also closed down, leaving my dad to be the only one working, the only income supporting a six person household.

My parents were quick to reassure us that we would Vy Bui | Artist be fine but just like the rest of the country these next couple of months life would be different as we begin to adjust to the new ‘normal.’

With schools beginning to

close, it left me with an empty schedule and not much to do.

My parents didn’t ask nor

mention to me about getting another job, but after seeing many ads that H-E-B was hiring, I decided to apply so I could at least start to help my parents as much as I could.

I got the job under the terms that I would just be a temporary hire, meaning that I would only work at H-E-B until there was no longer a need for extra workers. The job was believed to only last about eight weeks but as the virus continues to spread and dates keep getting pushed back, there’s no telling when I'll be able to go back to a job I worked at for fun and not to help my parents with bills and expenses.

Over 16 million people in the United States are currently unemployed and being affected by the virus.

As the U.S. continues to rise in numbers and surpass other countries with having the highest number of fatalities

and cases reported, there is an uncertainty as to when the country can start to return to normal. There have been multiple acts passed within the states to help ease the spread such as requiring everyone to wear face masks, putting shelter-in-place orders, etc.

But if people continue to not follow the new protocol, they’re not only harming themselves but as well as the 16 million people that can’t work until the pandemic has lessened in its spread.

Though I was lucky enough to find a job, during this hard time, many are stuck at home in self isolation wondering what to do so that they can still afford to pay their bills and have food. It’s very hard having to stay at home and adapt to this new lifestyle, but it’s part of our job to help flatten the curve and stop the spread of the Coronavirus.

Kaitlyn Nash | Reporter

How are you handling Coronavirus ?

“I’m making bad decisions because I have nothing else to do. I’m in tennis and our district tournament got cancelled, I’m sad about it because it’s my first [district tournament] but there’s also seniors on our team and it’s their last so I feel bad for them. Quarantine is making me make impulsive decisions which is bad for me, but it’s making me bored enough to exercise so that’s a good thing. Watching Netflix sure does makes time go by. I also redid my room which took three days but it gave me something to do. [This whole thing makes me] miss my friends a lot, I learned not to take my time with them for granted because right now I won’t get to see them for another month.”

Taylor Adamek, 10

Tam Ly, 9

“I’m handling the virus pretty well, I’ve been trying to stay home as much as possible, it’s just weird to see so much change so quickly. I think that people will be more aware about germs and how the impact of taking events like this seriously can affect people.

I know some people who aren’t taking the virus seriously and it’s more annoying than anything, people act like it’s business as usual when others are getting seriously affected. I’ve been watching a lot of Netflix and working out to stay busy. I am in track and soccer. My soccer team is lucky that we were able to finish our season before it was canceled. I am missing being able to hang out with my friends and going to school, I’m a pretty social person so having to social distance has been hard.”

“We have to handle [COVID-19] in an odd way. My father has a compromised immune system so we need to be extremely careful. It’s proven to be quite stressful and time consuming, but I believe we can do it. [Staying at home] I don’t have much fun that’s for sure. It’s been a handful taking care of my brother and father while my mom is at her job so I don’t need to come up with anything to do. Normally I do MMA outside of school and a few other things. For obvious reasons we can’t do that anymore, but I’ve actually made do by having a grappling dummy, punching bags, and practicing on my own. ”

Mckenna Robertson, 10

Nicholas Fernandez, 10

“I don’t think others are handling it well mainly because nothing like this has happened before.

I don’t think things will be different after. I think the first couple of weeks people will be happy and celebrate a lot but after that, I think we’ll go back to normal. Softball season was canceled entirely.

It is sad but it’s for the better safety of the girls and parents. I’m gaining better mental health before school ended I needed a long break from the stress school brings to my life, and with this free time I have been able to focus on myself and do what I want.”

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Opinions Volume 13, Issue 6

The New Norm

Editors respond as global pandemic affects livelihood, senior year

Kaitlin Mackey | Co-Editor Senior year can be considered iconic to many. In both movies and reality, it’s expressed to be a big deal, for it’s the last year of grade school before venturing off into the world by oneself. It’s the year that most people look forward to. It’s the year full of lasts. So many memories are made during senior year such as senior skip day, prom, graduation, senior celebration and senior trips. Most of which are now on the verge of being canceled due to COVID-19.

From the beginning of my high school career, I’ve looked forward to my senior year. I tried my best to do well in school. I didn’t skip, I didn’t slack off. I stressed and pushed myself knowing that all the hard work would pay off once I could walk across the stage during graduation. The beginning of this year did nothing but escalate that feeling. And now, all of that hard work and dedication just to learn there’s a possibility of me and my fellow seniors that I grew up with won’t be able to do that. They can’t get that feeling of pride and accomplishment for finishing one of the first milestones in their lives. They don’t get prom, something that is specifically for them.

Some may argue there isn’t much anyone can do. They may argue that it’s a sickness and it's inevitable.

Except it’s not. Governor Greg Abbott, the CDC, President Trump, all of these people emphasize for people to stay home unless it’s an essential need such as food. Yet all over social media I see friends and acquaintances going out to other peoples’ houses and going to the lake, as if it’s summer. It’s not summer break. It’s not an extended spring break. It’s the most frustrating thing. For someone to be so selfish Vy Bui | Artist to not only risk spreading the virus resulting in not only a longer break from school (meaning a higher chance of no graduation and prom) but also getting others in danger of getting sick. If people simply stay in their houses, the sooner all of this chaos would end.

To say that every time COVID-19 is brought up I get nervous is an understatement. Not because I’m worried about getting it, but because I’m anxious about how it’s going to affect my senior year. Nobody deserves to get their senior year taken away. Yes, this pandemic and online school allows us to have more sleep, time, and freedom from school. However, as much as I dislike school as most do, if I were to say I don’t miss school, I’d be lying. If anything, this pandemic taught me that we take things for granted. We don’t like school yet when we are forced to stay home, it shows how much we miss out on. There’s that possibility that we won't ever get to walk the halls of our school again. We won’t get to see our friends again and have those in-school memories. We don’t get to thank those teachers that made an impact on our senior year, which is heartbreaking. Even more so to know that that could be changed if people simply listened to the rules. We’re in a lockdown; stay home

Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pflugerville, TX 78660 http://www.pfisd.net/HHS (512) 594-1100 Student Population: 2,134 Staff: 180 Adviser: Kari Riemer Principal: Daniel Garcia www.facebook.com/HawkNewspaper

The Hawk, the official student newspaper of Hendrickson High School, is an open forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions.

Opinions expressed reflect the beliefs of the student author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire Hawk Staff, the Hawk Adviser, the Hendrickson Faculty and Staff, or the Principal.

Letters to the editor are welcomed, and may be dropped off in E211. Corrections will be printed when brought to the attention of the staff.

The Hawk is printed monthly at Community Impact in Pflugerville, Texas. 1,000 copies are printed each run, and are distributed to the student body for free through an advisory period and on newsstands throughout the building.

Abigail Hill | Co-Editor At the beginning of my senior year I remember thinking, “Alright. This is my last year. I can do it. I’ve made it this far, nothing can stop me now.” Little did I know that all the monumental things that come with being a senior would be stripped away during the month of March. If someone told me in January that a global pandemic would occur and life as we knew it would come to a screeching halt, I would have laughed and said, “Yeah, right.”

I don’t consider losing prom and the possibility of losing a graduation ceremony to be earth shattering news for me. I will get my diploma, I will get the opportunity to say goodbye to the teachers that have shaped who I am, and I will get the chance to dance one last time. I do, however, recognize the much greater impact this pandemic is affecting peoples’ lives. In fact, I consider myself lucky.

I still have parents that can support me, I have a roof over my head to protect me, and the technology required to finish the work I need to do. Yes, I know it isn’t fun, but my life is and will go on. Just because I’m not given the things we as seniors deserve whether it’s going to prom or walking the stage, I know that my hard work paid off.

I know that things will be normal again, even if it’s not in the timely manner I would prefer. I hear all the time that life isn’t fair, and that is especially ringing true to me now.

We can only control ourselves and our own actions. I can’t control the spread of COVID-19. I can’t control that it even came up in the first place. I was angry for a while, don’t get me wrong, but when I realized this was something far out of my control, I had to take a step back and reassess my feelings about what’s going on.

It’s up to each and every one of us to decide what we’re comfortable with and what risk we're willing to take when it comes to going out or getting groceries. As for myself, I don’t necessarily fear the possibility of getting sick, but I do fear getting others sick, therefore I limit my contact with other people, unless I absolutely need to go somewhere. I believe that if you know you’re at a greater risk of getting sick or you have health issues that you know would increase your risk to this disease, then it’s your responsibility to not go out and be around other people you aren’t in quarantine with. Overreacting during this pandemic is just as bad as having no reaction at all.

I lost my job, just like many others have, but I don’t let that hold me down from working toward my goal. All of us have to work together during this difficult time and not let this pandemic get the worst of us. I’ve been spending more time with my family than I ever have before, and for that I am grateful.

I’ve picked up new hobbies, and I feel more connected to the people I love more than I ever have before.

Editorial Staff Co-Editors: Abigail Hill & Kaitlin Mackey Assistant Editors: Seth Deaton, Brisa Espinoza, Ikram Mohamed, Angelyna Rosales, Bryan Ross

Reporters

Hannah Brubaker Kaitlin Curtis Kaitlyn Nash Hector Santos Landon Self

Artist Vy Bui

Ethan Tittle Zachary Valdez Kyla White Evelyn Wilkosz

Associations Interscholastic Press League Texas Association of Journalism Educators Journalism Educators Association National Scholastic Press Association Columbia Scholastic Press League

Six Feet Apart

Honors

ILPC Bronze Star, 2014 & 2015, 2017, 2018 Columbia Scholastic Press League, Gold Medalist 2016, 2017, 2018 Silver Crown, 2017, 2018 Pacemaker Finalist, 2018

the Hawk

In This Issue: Volume 13, Issue 6 April 29, 2020 Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pflugerville, Texas 78660

Art by Vy Bui

District provides meals, page 2 Working during Covid, page 4 Seniors miss milestones, page 6 Sports’ seasons end early, page 8

Entertainment April 29, 2020

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Bored In the House

Staff provides, reviews ways to prevent boredom during COVID-19 Evelyn Wilcosz | Reporter Although many places are shut down and practice for sports may be canceled due to COVID-19, exercise while still practicing social distancing is very possible. New technology has made it possible to take workout classes online from the comfort of your own home.

Even if that doesn’t sound too appealing, going on family walks can be a nice escape from staying inside, even if you can’t necessarily go to places you used to go.

Even though everyday

schedules are changing and a normal day looks quite different now, it is still very important to get a little exercise in, even if that does mean just going for a stroll around the neighborhood.

Many families are taking advantage of neighborhood walks, getting some quality family time in, and keeping a good social distance from other people. However, there are all types of online classes that are using resources like Zoom to stay in touch.

If you’re looking to break a

sweat and not really wanting to be in a class with other people, Youtube is always another option.

Now is a great time to get that summer body when there aren’t as many distractions as there would be if the world wasn’t experiencing a global pandemic. Most of the time, a large space isn’t even needed for a balanced workout.

Although there aren’t the same resources available, like the gym, a workout is still possible. Just in the space of a small bedroom, if you can

lay down completely on the ground, there is enough room to do either just a few ab workouts, or if you’re really bored, you can exercise each section of your abs.

“I’ve been using my treadmill to stay fit,” freshman Ethan Nguyen said. “And run without the risk of human contact.”

There is only so much to do around the house before getting so bored you may explode, so sometimes just going out on a walk or run can be a nice escape from what is the new norm.

“I’ve been going on daily one hour walks, skateboarding for a few hours,” freshman Hazel Burton said. “Stretching in the morning and doing ab workouts before bed.”

There are also exercises all over the internet that can be done in the space of just a room, so there aren’t any excuses to not stay in shape in this time of crises. However, sometimes taking a break from exercises and just being a couch potato can be a nice relief.

https://www.netflix.com/title/81115994

Binge-Worthy TV Shows TIGER KING If figuring out the mystery of how Covid-19 came to be becomes too hard, then one show to binge during the Coronacation is Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. This show is filled to the brim with mystery and draws the watcher in from the beginning while focusing on the tiger king himself; Joe Exotic. There are three very

different perspectives and it is up to the watcher to uncover the truth in their stories.

All three have emotional backstories that connect them to why they fight for their exotic pets. Behind the animal is the monster within it’s keeper and as one progresses deeper into the twisted story of the tiger king, they see these monsters emerge.

The story goes far beyond exotic animals with stories of murder, corruption, and contradiction within the world of exotic pets. This is a great way to keep somebody from worrying about coronavirus and keeps one focused on something other than quarantine.

https://www.ifc.com/shows/that-70s-show

THAT 70'S SHOW A nostalgic show that could take one’s mind off today’s problems is That 70s Show. This show can offer a reminder on how great high school is and living through the characters lives can help relieve anxiety about not

being in school anymore.

Also, you can binge watch this show for a long time and not get bored since each new episode is unique with it’s drama. And it’s always great to receive some comedic relief in situations such as this. It

also gives off a nostalgic vibe if you miss the good ol’ days when Covid-19 wasn’t around and the only thing people had to worry about was going to watch the new Star Wars and the Beatles disbanding. https://deadline.com

PARKS AND REC To take a look at the brighter side of politics and government, watching Parks and Recreation would be the best option. This show is filled with hilarious gems without the laugh track. Along with subtly teaching the watcher

about politics, it also offers a strong female character that could empower anybody.

Leslie Knope, along with her government buddies, assess together the true power of intelligence and teamwork in the workplace. This show is

great to binge when you have some down time after online school. It also shows one how great the government can be when it’s balanced and checked like it’s supposed to be.

8

Sports Volume 13, Issue 6

Programs lose experience, improvise due to quarantine

Seth Deaton | Asst. Editor First impressions are everything, and this year the freshmen lost their chance to make one. Sophomores and juniors lost their chance to use last year's experience to improve their skills. And some seniors never got a chance to have the spotlight in the sport they love.

The quarantine is not only causing seniors to miss their last season of particular sports like softball or baseball, it’s also causing returning players to miss out on game time experience and coaches to be unable to evaluate new players.

“It definitely hurts us to not be able to evaluate our younger talent,” head baseball coach Douglas Pearce said. “We had a couple of freshmen playing

up on Varsity this year and we would really have liked to see them in game situations more for sure. It also hurts not seeing all our freshmen compete because this is our first year with them.”

According to sophomore varsity tennis player Trent Blahuta, the missed time will cause the team to be behind where it wanted to be for next year.

“The whole team is losing practice time but especially the younger players,” Blahuta said.

“They really need this time to build up their skills, so missing out on this practice time will cause difficulties next year.”

In order to compensate for lost practices most programs have installed a workout program via Google

Classroom, but most athletes don’t have access to the same equipment at home that they do during school. However, head football coach and athletic director Chip Killian says that as long as programs are able to adapt they will be fine.

“You can never replace missed practices or workouts,” Killian said. “However, our staff feels confident about our scheme install. As long as the team is staying in shape and learning their football, we'll be fine.”

Missed practice time isn't the only downside to this quarantine. Smaller programs like tennis will not only suffer because of lost practice and game time but their numbers will drop as well. According to sophomore varsity tennis and

cross country player Ava Saad the 4th nine weeks is when they invite younger players from the middle schools to practice with the team to see if they are interested in the sport.

“Now that we don't have that time our numbers could drop,” Saad said. “Usually there's not a lot of kids interested in tennis before we invite them to practice with the team and experience what it’s like. Since we’re in quarantine and not at school we won't be able to do that.”

The time lost means upperclassmen will have to step up as leaders next year to help not only the new freshmen, but the sophomores as well since they won’t have any experience.

“I know I’m going to have

to not only focus on improving myself in the coming season but the lower classman as well,” Saad said. “And I think that’s the same for all programs, everyone is going to have to step up and be a leader next year if we want to keep improving.”

There is some good to come out of this though.

Many programs are installing technologies within their program that they will be able to use in the future.

“The technology we've had to integrate into our learning and coaching systems will continue,” Killian said. “I'm curious to see how our players use and adapt to distance learning. There are some advantages to it if athletes are disciplined enough to take advantage.”

Players lose chance to learn plays, build chemistry called a hawk within the program. In the fall Seth Deaton | Asst. Editor The ball snaps, and the quarterback starts he will be tight end/ h-back. Spring ball and 7 scanning the field, trying to read the coverage on 7 were his chance to get familiarized with and find an open receiver. The time ticks the playbook before the season, but now the best he can do is try and learn down and the whistle is blown through online meetings. signaling that the quarterback “Not only am I losing the was sacked, even though he chance to learn the plays we wasn’t even touched. usually run, but I’m losing the Every year during spring ball Our coaches chance to establish a connection the football program competes in miss our with the QBs,” Lowrey said. “It’s 7 on 7 events with other schools. players! I really important to have a strong The way the events work is each connection with the guy throwing team has seven players on offense miss being in the ball. We’re also losing the and seven on defense with no that hallway chance to compete with the offensive or defensive linemen yelling, get people that are going to be in competing in these events, the our district next year, so we lose quarterback has 4 seconds to out of your a chance to get a head start on throw the ball or is considered walk, 2 them.” sacked. The events are meant minutes, let’s The program won’t know the full to help team practice with their impact missing 7 on 7 and spring receiving core and secondaries in go... ball will have on their season competitive situations. However, We want next year until practice starts in due to school being shut down all to get back the fall. Killian has implemented of these events were cancelled. more football specific drills into “As with spring ball, we lose asap...please the workouts they post online, but the opportunity to install many be socially he says there are qualities that of our pass game concepts both coachable. they look for in 7 on 7 that you on offense and defense,” head can’t see until you’re placed in a coach Chip Killian said. “We #HawkStrong lose the opportunity to evaluate #HawkEquipped competitive situation.

“The number one thing I look younger players and returning Chip Killian for in both lineman competitions players in new positions. To me, and our 7 on 7 tournaments is most importantly, we lose the how do we handle adversity opportunity to compete.”

It’s not uncommon for players to switch and how do we compete,” Killian said. “If we positions during the offseason, as is the case handle those at a high level the wins will take for junior Trey Lowrey. Last season he was on care of themselves. varsity as a linebacker safety hybrid, which is

“

Elizabeth Drost | Photographer