Table of Contents Letter From the Editors Happy From Home The Class of Compromise Gaming Apart: Together The Sides to MCYT Quarantine in the Kitchen Senior Blues An Outbreak of Musical Discovery Coping During COVID-19 Teen’s Voices Get Heard Trending TV Shows Spring Torch Staff Our Mission Statement
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Letter From the Editors This school year has been undoubtedly hard. Since first entering quarantine, students and teachers alike have faced struggles and hardships beyond predictability. Story after story has been written about lost hope during the pandemic. Death has plagued the lives of so many. Seemingly constants have been ripped from our grasp. Yet, only focusing on what could have been is a waste of time. Instead, we must look at the positives. We must look at the ways we persevered. The way we kept hope alive. Without that shred of optimism, all that remains is fantasy and misery.
Throughout this magazine, we look at the various ways that we were able to keep a positive outlook through these dark times. Whether it be thorough cooking, gaming, television, or self-care, we walk through more than just the sadness that COVID-19 gave.
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Happy From Home
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quarantine that lasts over a year can be draining, but I’m sure people know that already. It does the mind well to switch it up. It’s not smart to physically change your environment in a pandemic. That’s the point of quarantine, to keep the risk of COVID-19 low by isolating yourself. It’s true that location has a lot of impact on environmental wellbeing, but there are ways to make your space feel fresh without going anywhere. First things first: how do you decide how to change your environment? According to Medium, it’s best to determine how you want to feel in that space. It’s your environment, you have complete freedom decorating it. If you see some trinket you think is cute, or it boosts your serotonin for unknown reasons, just buy it. Put it in your room. If it makes you happy it will be worth it. Art creates an emotional response, says medium.com and interior design elements have that same effect. Only indulge in decor or art that makes you feel positive, otherwise your room will only be a place to sleep.
“A room can have a great emotional impact on a person. A room can make you feel safe, loved, provided for, and a part of something,” Lauren Dunlay, Interior Design teacher at Kennedy High School said. “On the other hand, it can also make you feel negative emotions as well. It all has to do with what is in the room, what the room looks like, the people who may be in the room, and the purpose of the room.” Your room should be more than a place to go when you’re tired. Having the mindset that a room is only for sleeping can be unhealthy. According to Forbes, you must pay attention to the way you feel in certain places. If you feel negative in that space then you need to make a change. Your room needs to be a space that makes you happy. Besides spending money on trinkets, this can be achieved by simply tidying up a space. “I would make sure to have the space free of clutter and organized. This means having the bed made and no dirty clothes on the floor. Everything should
have a place and be in its place. Having a clutter-free space can help improve productivity,” Dunlay said. If nothing else has worked for you, this last step just might. Get a plant. Plants make people happy. “Plants can brighten up a space by bringing life to a room. You do have to be careful to keep your plants well cared for. Live plants look great but dead plants can give off negative vibes,” Dunlay said. The Royal College of Agriculture found that students show 70% greater attentiveness when in a room with plants. A little plant never hurts anybody, so why not bring a piece of nature indoors to increase motivation? It takes effort to freshen up your environment, but it’s worth it in the end. A clean and healthy living space can improve your mindset and make you happy.
Claire Beaman
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he first time students walked Kennedy’s halls since the pandemic and the devastating derecho felt different. There were expectations of a completely different school. They expected feeling a little out of place after being gone for so long. Instead the halls seemed as if no time had passed. Display cases filled with snowflakes and christmas lights from pep assemblies past. Almost as if time had frozen. By the time seniors could return to school, they were halfway through their year. Smiling faces stared through the glass and memories of the calm before the storm came flooding back. The students in these pictures had no idea. 04
2021’s senior year has been filled with hopeful moments, changed to unfortunate compromises. We were optimistic by the time our senior year started we had hopes of a normal football season. Instead, we were met with reduced crowds and mask covered students. We were hopeful to be back at school at the beginning of the year. Instead, the derecho forced us online. We wished for time in the classroom, with all of our friends. Friendships are split apart. They are divided by our place in the alphabet. The class of 2020 didn’t get to end their senior year the way they had wanted. The class of 2021 never got to start. The class of 2020 received sympa-
thy from all of America and rightfully so. The class of 2020 missed out on the memories of graduation and prom. 2021 has missed some of the most important parts of being a senior and have not been met with sympathy, but instead mountains of homework and the expectation to succeed even in these unfamiliar times. The class of 2020 missed out on their prom and graduation. The class of 2021 has missed out on every school dance and pep assembly that would have occurred thus far. Seniors are not given a school sponsored prom or any pep assemblies. Graduation only allows four guests per person. Even if and when these events can happen, they won’t be the same as they were before the pandemic.
gyms and spirit sticks. Seniors don’t get to experience using the extra swept up confetti. There will be no cheering with their classmates. Seniors relish the idea of dancing once again in a humid, brightly lit gym with dreadfully outdated music blasting over the speakers. There wouldn’t be complaints about not winning the spirit stick, instead just enjoy the fun competition. There would be no complaints of the beaming fluorescent lights turned on during school dances, instead there would be dancing and singing to the oldies. Although there would still be complaints about waking up early, stress about taking tests, and wishes for SMART Time, the ability to experience being a senior would be enough.
Alyssa Friedley
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Gaming Apart: Together T here was a time not too long ago when teens playing video games was discouraged. Last summer, when it was not safe to spend time with friends in person, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, video games were an ideal replacement for communication and killing time. Games such as Among Us and Fall Guys skyrocketed in popularity during quarantine. They are accessible, competitive online games which are easy to play with your friends. Playing games such as Minecraft, NBA 2K, Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite and Grand Theft Auto (GTA) with friends has been an outlet for many people during quarantine. “Video Games still let me connect with my friends without breaking the protocol of 6 feet apart,” Gunner Sparks, jr. said. “It was still fun to play video games with them even though none of us could leave the house,¨ A special type of comfort is found when you’re at a casino in GTA online with your friends. Everyone yelling because someone is behind the wrong wall, or berating your friend after they make the wrong move. It presents a unique form of camaraderie. You and your friends had to work together defending your island
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in Minecraft treasure wars, figuring out the impostor on Among Us, or winning in Fortnite, as all of them require teamwork. Gaming helped during quarantine as a stress relief. Single-player games were seen as an escape from the grim reality of life during COVID-19. Games like NCAA Football, Civilization, Pokémon, and Fallout, take you out of your world, and into its own. It distracts the player from their own problems and presents them with solvable problems in-game. It also gives the player something to feel proud of, after they put time and effort into the game. It continues to be one of the most effective ways to communicate and stay close with your friends. “The effect video games had on my well-being was that it helped me keep my last bit of sanity from not being able to go outside, or see my friends which got to be really hard and made me a little sad at times,” Sparks said. “Overall though, video games helped me still be connected to [my friends].”
Noah Hargrafen
The Sides to MCYT T
he popularity of the Minecraft YouTuber community (MCYT) has spiked with teenagers. They give youth a healthy environment to connect through common interests no matter their background. However, there are cons to the community that should not be overlooked. One only needs to search the internet for “MCYT animation” and you’ll be shown a plethora of artists making music videos, edits and compilations. The community provides an outlet for artists and editors. Anyone with a creative spark fits in. You’ll never fail to find something new in the content flow. However, these creative opportunities sometimes turn obsessive. Creators like Tommyinnit had to confront the public about their inappropriate behavior, like sexualizing him, even as a minor. People have since quieted these behaviors, but they still oc-
cur. Dream, another popular creator, was doxxed — someone intentionally shared his address without permission. “I think one thing a lot of people forget is that even streamers are people,” Calliope Matta, fr., said. “Dream has all rights to his privacy and the fan base shouldn’t take that away from him.” MCYT functions as a safe space for youth, despite the occasional toxicity of viewers. There’s low tolerance for racism, sexism, homophobia or other exclusionary behavior. Diverse creators make content for viewers of all kinds. MCYT helped bring youth together during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving teenagers the opportunity to cope they needed.
Natalie Ruggeri
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Quarantine in the Kitchen I
n an always-busy society, taking time to go to the kitchen to bake is rare. There is always an appointment you need to go to or a friend you are meeting up with. When COVID-19 shut the world down, those busy schedules disappeared and baking became a source of entertainment during those endless hours stuck at home. Some aspiring bakers tried new diets. Others experimented with viral baking hacks from TikTok. Long-neglected kitchens became filled with the smell of rising bread, flour-dusted countertops and the sound of sizzling onions on the stove. “I improved a ton over quarantine and it almost became a hobby,” Isabel Poggenklass, fr., said. “I got very experimental when working with frosting and colors for my cookies or cakes.” Along with the rest of the world, cof08
fee shops closed down in March 2020. Instead of stopping at Starbucks on the way to work, whipped coffee — sweet iced coffee brewable in the safety of one’s home — went viral.. Whipped
coffee is a combination of instant coffee, sugar and hot water whipped until fluffy and placed on top of a glass of ice and milk. Some who didn’t enjoy coffee hopped aboard the trend as well. The most popular non-coffee variations included whipped strawberry milk and whipped hot chocolate. These variations replaced instant coffee with another drink powder such as hot chocolate mix or Strawberry Nesquick. Others found they could be more creative in the kitchens. One of the most popular concoctions was the pancake cereal trend. This combines two staple breakfast items, cereal and pancakes, in a new breakfast item. Pancake cereal is a collection of small, cereal-sized pancakes. It is served with either milk, like cereal, or syrup and butter, like pancakes. The trends that went viral around the world were not just a way to fill empty hours, but to stay connected throughout these times of social distancing. Millions shared their attempts at baking on social media. Others cooked with friends and family through the computer. Food became a point of connection for people across the globe. “I used baking as an excuse to go over to my friend’s and hand them part of a cake of some failed cookies,” Poggenklass said.
Being in the kitchen has helped people across the country to cope with the immense amount of changes in the world around them. The joy of cooking has been discovered by a new generation.
Anabel Bradley
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Senior Blues A
s the class of 2021 nears the end of our four-year journey at Kennedy High School, it’s hard not to look back and reflect. Our successes and failures are what shape our lives and help us decide our futures. This past year has proved to be a challenge moving from an unfinished junior year to a stifled senior year. Stripped of both firsts and lasts, we have yet to truly experience high school. Four years of late nights finishing homework, tears and anxiety over tests, and working to the point of illness all for a grade point average and to be ranked high in comparison to my classmates. Carlie Mather, sr., has found that grades have been her priority during her time at Kennedy. She found that crucial moments are left behind when a GPA becomes the cornerstone of personal achievement. “I have found myself stuck in thinking academics defined me,” Mather said. “Don’t get me wrong I made so many amazing friends and created the most
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fun memories, but throughout a good majority of those times, in the back of my mind I was filled with anxiety about due dates and the next paper I would have despite having good grades.” It is difficult to escape that mindset. So often, students conflate self-worth with their academic achievements, leading to unhealthy mentalities. A bad grade becomes more than a small mistake, evolving into the embodiment of a student’s insecurities. Letting go of that attachment to success can seem next to impossible, but much is lost when numbers are the only priority. “One of my biggest life fears is not living life to the fullest. Being completely absorbed in work and never learning to let go of the things I am unable to control,” Mather said. It’s not only grades that kept us isolated. Whether it was social anxiety, prior commitments or sheer laziness, there was always a reason to avoid school events. It’s heartbreaking to look back at these missed opportunities, ignorant to
the fact that everything can be taken in the blink of an eye. “I was always the type to want to stay in on a Friday night football game, but sometimes wish I would’ve sucked it up and just went,” Lydia Heskje, sr., said. “I will never get my High School days back, now that they’re almost gone.” I wish I had gone to more school events. I wish I had talked to more people. I wish I had complained less. I wish I hadn’t been afraid of judgement, living as myself unapologetically. I wish I could go back and tell myself to treasure what I had. I wish I could go back and live my high school years to their fullest. But, as everyone knows, that is not possible. There’s no going back. All we can do is live with our actions and move forward. Did we lead the perfect life? No. Did anyone? Surely every student has regrets about their time at Kennedy. There were failures of all kinds. Failures of academics. Failures of sportsmanship. Failures of athletics. Failures of kindness. Merely accepting our consequences feels like a resignation of defeat, another
failure to add to the pile. Yet, it’s all we can do. We can remember our shortcomings, and use that knowledge to prevent these mistakes from repeating themselves, but we must move on eventually. “I am excited to see where the next chapter of my likes takes me. I am excited to use the knowledge that I have obtained here at Kennedy and apply it at college next year and beyond,” Heskje said. “Most importantly, I am excited to see myself accomplish the goals and dreams that I have had and established for myself at such a young age, and making that little 10-year-old Lydia proud, would mean and make the world to me.”
Jami Martin-Trainor Olivia Riley-Schmelzer
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An Outbreak of Musical Discovery
new music and found a love they did not know existed. “I don’t care for what’s on the radio these days,” Riana Kraft, fr. said. “So I was curious about more of the music that the artists (with only 1-2 widely known songs, an hen we couldn’t see friends, example being couldn’t travel, couldn’t do ac- The Neighbortivities, we still had music. We could plug hood), have in headphones and drown out the ques- created, and tions we had for the future. We could it turns out turn on a speaker and let the music take I like them us somewhere, anywhere else. more than I “I would say that music has helped me thought!” a lot through the pandemic because it’s This past a really good distraction from reality,” year, we’ve Maddie Hodgins, jr. said. “Like lots of had the times during quarantine I would just put time to dison music and listen to the words, with- cover what out doing anything else, because they genres we enhelped distract and get my mind off all joy and broadthe scary stuff happening in the world.” en our musical Like Hodgins, Trisiyah Hurt, fr. also horizons. Spotify, used music to improve her year. “The which curates a varimusic that I’ve listened to has been dis- ety of playlists for your covered through friends recommending taste, earned 1.25 billion songs to me and TikTok,” Hurt said. users in 2020 alone. Hurt isn’t the only one. Many teens “I’ve definitely found out I have a have found new music in the past year wider music taste than I used to,” Jersey through TikTok. Due to the trends that Bileyeu, fr. said. “I used to just listen to TikTok produces, songs can go from pop, but now I listen to pop, classic rock, underground to climbing the charts in musical theatre, indie, even a little bit of weeks. Teens have been introduced to disco.”
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Elise Hrabik 12
Elise’s Top Songs of 2020 “ROCKSTAR” by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd “Roses – Imanbek Remix” by SAINt JHN “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” by Jason Derulo and Jawsh 685 “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles “death bed (coffee for your head)” by Powfu, beabadoobee “Rain On Me” by Lady Gaga featuring Ariana Grande
“Toosie Slide” by Drake
“Breaking Me” by Topic, A7S
New Local Music Peyton Marie Kach, sr. has released her own songs on Spotify. Check them out using the barcode! 13
Coping During COVID-19 S
tudents have been hit hard by quarantine. They can’t see their friends, go to school or participate in activities. After losing the activities that structured their lives, students have begun unhealthy coping mechanisms. These mechanisms manifest as binge eating comfort foods, going on social media binges, staying in bed all day or napping more often. When repeated as a coping strategy, these behaviors can damage students, leaving them feeling depressed and unmotivated. According to Healthline, “Parents during the pandemic have reported negative changes in their teen’s sleep patterns, withdrawal from family, and aggressive behavior.” 46% of parents reported worse mental health conditions like depression and anxiety since the pandemic began, according to a C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on children’s health. It can be hard to ditch negative habits, 14
but it is still possible to adopt positive ones. Experts suggest trying to engage in social interactions, maintaining a stable routine, getting fresh air and allowing yourself to take breaks according to Munson Health. Zoey Olson (sr) stated that in the beginning of quarantine, she struggled with her mental health. “I went from seeing friends everyday to being almost completely alone, and I didn’t know how to handle it,” Olson said. After trying out different coping techniques, she found that by channeling her emotions through music, her mental health improved. “I made different playlists for different moods. I usually tried to listen to happy music when I was feeling sad to try and cheer me up, and it usually works,” Olson said. Elise Kim (jr) stated that she usually resorted to hanging out with friends as
a way to mentally relax, but due to the pandemic she had to find other ways to do so. “I usually would resort to running as a form of self care and drawing while listening to music,” Kim said. Kim had to find new ways to relax. As she found those techniques it helped her mental health improve. A lot of students ave developed bad habits during the pandemic. Sleeping, binging, lounging around in pajamas have become past times that have not helped. Although it may be difficult, it is time to kick the old habits and work towards finding a new happier post pandemic you through healthier techniques.
Grace Neimuth
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Teens’ Voices Get Heard
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rom picket signs to phone calls, teens are taking responsibility in politics. It’s never too soon to take action. In politics, the right to vote isn’t necessary to make a difference. When everything is a political decision, teen voices must be heard.
“Every decision in our life is a political decision. Everything that is made for us — whether it’s attending school, following attendance policies, up to student loans, borrowing student loans, to paying your water bill, to driving on roads, to wearing seatbelts —” Melissa Feilmeier-Marzen, a social studies teacher at 16
Kennedy High School, said. Teens’ lives are shaped by political decisions, but what ideas are teens debating? Black Lives Matter was a movement championed by Democrats. While teens are often stereotyped as Democrats, Marzen has seen other results. “I see all ideologies and perspectives on government. One of my favorite activities that we did [in Government Class]... I had people first identify ‘Are you a Republican, are you a Democrat or are you an independent, what do you think you are?’ Then when you get a survey that was a little more nuanced and we realized that we’re not necessarily just a Republican, we’re not necessarily just a Democrat, and so it was actually really interesting and it was weird how the pie chart was almost equally distributed,” Marzen said. Political discovery doesn’t have to happen by chance. Marzen has activities where she encourages her students to express their political opinions. “In the classroom, I do believe that everyone has the right to express their thinking, and so we either do that through civil conversation or one of the activities we do in government is a po-
litical resume,” Marzen said. “You have to understand, ‘Hey, I believe in these things. This is what’s influenced my beliefs. These are things that I also do that exhibit that.’ I think that’s one of my favorite activities...” Jeffrey Fuchs, senior at Kennedy, wants to see civil discussion used amongst teens. “Having more civil discussions would be one way to start [informing teens about politics]. Something I’ve been looking into is trying to see if we could have town halls where students, The Young Republicans Club and The Young Democrats Club can get together and talk about certain issues in a civil manner,” Fuchs said. Although civil discussion is a great way to develop and share ideas, putting them into effect is another beast. Fuchs has been campaigning for new legislation. “I’m very involved with contacting our state legislators...and just meeting with them. Not so much on a national level yet.” Fuchs said. Anyone can get what they find important heard by legislators. In Iowa, people can engage with their senators or representatives over phone and email on the Iowa legislature website legis.iowa.gov. Opening a dialogue with representatives is the first step to getting ideas put into law.
“I just contacted them and said ‘Hey, can I count on your support?’ or ‘Will you file this for me?’ because I don’t have the power to file it myself. So basically just to reach out and get support for a piece of legislation,” Fuchs said. Fuchs was campaigning to remove a system in Iowa that keeps third party candidates from being voted into important positions. Once he sends out the message, he sees action. “Most recently, I got a piece of legislation into the [state] House… it was to try and get rid of the Winner-Takes-All system here in Iowa,” Fuchs said. Teens can join clubs like Iowa Youth Congress for an introduction to the political process. Beyond that, joining or starting a club is a way for teens to collect a group of people with similar ideas to act collectively. Teens want their ideas heard. Just because they can’t cast a vote doesn’t mean they can’t make a difference. “Don’t try to compromise… Be kind, but if you believe in something, don’t compromise it,” Fuchs said.
Dylan Sines
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Trending TV Shows
Whether it be a comedy, anime, or horror, teenagers find refuge in the consistency of television. When the stress of life grabs a hold of you, TV shows keep you grounded, and help you handle anxiety. ntertainment plays a big part in “COVID has made times rough but teenagers’ lives. What you watch [Gilmore Girls] has helped me get through affects your state of mind, helps you the anxiety and loneliness. It can always cope with hard times and builds your make you laugh and lift your mood during character. hard times,” Anabel Bradley, so., said. Television teaches us life lessons. Watching a funny show, like senior AbIn 2017, the average viewer spent four igail Pape’s favorite TV show Family Guy, hours a day watching TV. That time incan increase production of immunoglobvestment shapes our lives. ulin A, an antibody that “[Ginny and Georkeeps away viral infecgia] teaches you love tions in the mucous and shows you what membranes. In other hate looks like,” Anaywords, laughing keeps sia Perkins, fr., said. you healthy. The average family “I enjoy the humor it spends 37 minutes a presents. It is primarily day with undivided satire, so I enjoy laughattention on each othing at current events,” er to strengthen relaPape said. tionships. In comparLaughter is the key to ison, the average teen happiness. Television shows invite us on spends 4 hours and 44 minutes watching a journey with the characters. We laugh, TV daily. Instead of learning from adults, love and cry beside them. teens are looking to the characters on the other side of the screen. Escapism can be a coping mechanism for handling stress. When the COVID-19 Elizabeth Hawkes pandemic threatened our sense of normalcy, television helped us through.
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Spring Torch Staff Editors Jami Martin-Trainor Olivia Riley-Schmelzer Neenah Al-Yassiri Claire Beaman James Belding Anabel Bradley Joel Dillman Alyssa Friedley Noah Hargrafen Elizabeth Hawkes Jasmine Hite Elise Hrabik Merideth Langton Molly Martin Lindsey Matus Samuel Miranda Grace Niemuth
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Kaylia Richards Natalie Ruggeri Ayrianna Sherwood Dylan Sines Maggie Talbott-Malone Alexiyah Waybill
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The Torch publication, website, official social media and broadcasts serve as a public forum produced by the students in Journalism-Newspaper. Student editors make content decisions consistent with the Torch Editorial Policy, Iowa Law and ethics of journalism.
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