KEQ Winter 2020-2021

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Letter From the Editor

Hello, everyone!

Welcome to the Quarter 2 KEQ! Thank you so much for your support of our first publication–I hope you appreciated reading it as much as we loved writing it.

Similar to the first issue, this quarter’s KEQ has no theme. We do, however, have a couple of focuses. Pages 9 through 15 (wow!) are full of information about our new RED Capstone, featuring the amazing projects of our seniors.

Flip to these stories for projects that range from windmills to recycled purses to fantasy writing. And if you’re confused as to what RED is, page 8 has a wonderful overview of the capstone class.

Of course, it’s been a difficult year for all of us. If you make your way to page 22, you’ll find some vital information about self-care in a pandemic. Check our staff editorial, found on page 20, for more suggestions as to maintaining strong mental health during the winter months.

Once you’re nice and sick of intellectual prowess and heavy mental health issues, skip straight to page 21, where four seniors fight tooth and nail over which is the worst bird on God’s green earth. Or you can peek at page 28 for a couple previews to the most pertinent reviews of the quarter–if you’re a fan of The Queen’s Gambit, you have to take a look.

As always, I have to thank our amazing writers for continuously producing such incredible stories. Extra thanks to Jackson Bisson and Andrew Lyons, who worked on the cheating feature on page 26. All of my respect goes to our talented graphic designers, Mason McGonigle and Andrew Lyons, for making our KEQ as beautiful as ever. Also, huge shout-out to staff members George Wolfe, Jackson Bisson, and Sadie Witterschein for taking on graphic design despite their enrollment as writers or photographers. My last thanks goes to our incredible Knight Errant advisors, Ms. Joseph and Ms. Koshiol. Without you two, there’s no way we would have been able to organize anything like this.

Thank you again for opening up our KEQ. Happy reading!

Jackie Bucaro, Knight Errant Editor-In-Chief

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In This ISSUE THE CUBE PG. 4-5 pause in winter sports pg. 6-7 Red cAPSTONE pG. 8-19

Cheating pg. 26-27

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n December 14, The Cube officially opened to the students of Benilde-St. Margarets. The Cube, a new dynamic learning space located near the junior high, occupies what was once a rock garden in the center of the building.

The building is well-prepared for a conventional learning environment; however, the administration hopes this will be a space for more dynamic learning. “It’s designed to promote collaborative pursuits, primarily. When you look at our building, and how we’re teaching, and how people are learning, we’re pretty well set up from a conventional classroom perspective, right?”

BSM President Dr. Adam Ehrmantraut said.

The need for the construction of The Cube came from a lack of any spaces devoted to teamwork at BSM. “When you look across the building we don’t have any sort of spaces devoted to teaming and collaboration. Now some classrooms are better situated for that than others, but we

don’t have a space that’s designed for that and that’s the intent here, to really promote the idea of teaming,” Ehrmantraut said.

The school wants to promote collaboration among students in the building, and The Cube will help students reach their potential in that regard by creating a space specifically designed to facilitate teamwork.

The administration has envisioned many uses for The Cube and hopes it can provide a more effective working environment for students. “Thinking about this space I see scenarios where you’ve got students from... a specific class working on a marketing project, but they’re in The Cube versus sprawled out in the hallway. You might have people from the outside meeting with groups of students on the inside about X, Y, or Z using The Cube; you might have students from a range of Catholic schools engage in a conversation about Catholicism and theology in the adolescent world,” Ehrmantraut said.

The Cube does not need to be signed out for students to utilize it; anyone can

walk in and work on what they need to.

However, only a certain number of students can be there at a time, and there are always adults present to ensure everyone remains on task. “Right now, it’s a place that does not need to be signed out; let’s say you’re sitting in your Knight Errant class, and you and three others have to go work on a specific story, or you’re editing the print edition or whatever, and you need a better space to do that with tables that are six feet long, [so] you’re off to The Cube,” Ehrmantraut said.

Going forward, the school has envisioned the space being expanded and becoming a central part of the building.

“We knew we wanted it in a central part of the building. Our master plan looks at potentially creating one central area of the school that combines The Cube with a renovated cafeteria space, so you could open those both up and have this huge space in the center of the school. But that’s down the road, you know, that planning is down the road,” Ehrmantraut said.

Curiosity Creativity, & Collaboration: Welcome to The Cube

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Writer: Flint Frohman Designer: Mason McGonigle Photography: Mason McGonigle, Flint Frohman

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So many changes have occured due to the ongoing global pandemic, But the decision to postpone winter sports haD students in the blues.

Writer: Jackson Bisson Photographer: Malik Jaiteh Designer: Andrew Lyons

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ith the rise of C OV I D - 1 9 cases in the state, and after the conclusion of fall sports, Governor Walz put a pause in winter sports. Walz put the restrictions

n

in place in hopes of flattening the curve, so that winter sports season could resume on January 4. During the pause, many athletes, especially the seniors, tried to keep faith, believing they would play again.

Students play sports in order to stay occupied and ensure mental health during these hard times. Pausing winter sports was therefore very stressful for some high school student athletes. “It’s had a large impact on me for sure. Not having practice everyday and games throughout the week is pretty foreign to me. I love basketball, so not playing makes me sad,” senior basketball player Charlie Juckniess said.

When all of the rinks, gyms, and team practice shut down, working to keep skills sharp and staying in touch with teammates was very important to many of the winter sport athletes. “It was really hard at first, but I found ways to stay connected with my team and stay in shape during this pause,” senior hockey captain Abby Hancock said.

Student athletes, who missed out on

bonding with their teammates, also gave up the memories that come with the sports they love. Students missed not being able to train, worried about being out of shape, and were saddened about being unable to bond with their teammates and coaches.

“I understand why the season was delayed, but I am still very sad about the decision because our senior season [was] cut short,” Juckniess said.

The pause was very difficult for winter sport athletes, especially seniors. “It [was] obviously really disappointing, but I [had] to look at the bigger picture and understand that this pandemic affects more than just high school kids,” Hancock said.

The winter sports seasons resumed in January with new safety protocols that required athletes to wear maskes even while competing. Having to play in masks is in everyone’s best interest but definitely is not ideal. “It gets easier everyday and you forget about it after a while,” junior basketball player Lindsey Layton said.

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“It is an ambitious and personalized class where students use design thinking and the agile management process to bring a personal project to life.”

- Anne Dougherty

B

SM’s RED department is a program at BSM where students learn how to solve problems that could come up in real life. They learn how to think on their own and use their imagination and curiosity to solve problems that come up in their creations. The class is unique to each student who takes it at BSM. Last year, BSM engineering launched a department called RED, which stands for research, entrepreneurship, and design. It is an academic department that is set up like the modern and evolving workplace. “Students are challenged to solve real problems that impact their world,” RED teacher Ms. Anne Dougherty said.

The flagship class is the new RED capstone project. “It is an ambitious and personalized class where students use design thinking and the agile management process to bring a personal project to life,” Dougherty said.

Each student has many different ideas.

Students in the class all think differently, and each project is going to be unique and exciting in its own way. “Students’ projects

are as varied and exciting as publishing a book of poetry for a McKnight Fellowship, founding a beverage delivery bike business, creating an upcycled clothing line, and designing a therapeutic robotic exoskeleton,” Dougherty said.

This course is unique because not everybody learns the same thing. The class is basically student-run and very active. Students aren’t just sitting in a classroom sitting and listening to a teacher. “No two engineering students will ever have the same experience because no two students in our program are the same,” Dougherty said.

In the class, students get to use their own ideas. They may be given a rubric to follow, but it is usually broad so the students can use their imagination on what

they would like to create. “Students get to follow their curiosity and passion, and that’s usually quite inspiring to witness,” Dougherty said.

Engineering has many different opportunities for each student depending on what their interests are. “Whether you are interested in robotics, invention, game design or even if you just like to make things there is a place...for you!”

Dougherty said.

, p i n h s o r e u e ak n e ts t r p . n s e r e y t d a , n s u E w t s m , e h e l u c M r b q i S a o n e n: B pr u s in Re sig rld m o e e D l w th a e r lving so

Writer: Julia Schwartz Designer: Mason McGonigle

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a 3D t. s n e s e e l u m c l l y a l c e fi r e r r e o to l b W r a s e m u T To edd nto r i h s s int pr

Writer: Nate Charles Photographer: Mason McGonigle Designer: Mason McGonigle

om Worrell’s RED project was originally an unfinished engineering project, but the previous group’s project had some flaws.

“I pretty much restarted from scratch. I started by building an all-new frame,” Worrell said.

Worrell is building a 3D printing material extruder & shredder. In simple terms, a 3D printing material extruder and shredder shreds plastic and then creates the 3D printing material used in Benilde-St. Margaret’s 3D printers. The shredder can shred all types of plastic and is the essential first step of Worrell’s project. “It will crush through any plastic we give it; the thing that is stopping me is the motor has so much power it is slipping over the axle,” Worrell said.

Worrell created the shredder because in engineering students create a lot of 3D prints, but some prints fail or break, so Worrell’s shredder reuses and reduces BSM’s plastic waste. “Because we have so many prints that don’t end up working… being able to recycle our own film sounded like a good thing to save money and plastic,” Worrell said.

The second part of Worrell’s project is the 3D printing material extruder which will use the old plastic to make new plastic film that can be used to print again.

Worrell has been ordering parts for this machine and has even collaborated with a group at St. Paul Academy that is also creating an extruder.

Worrell’s project is aiming to help make Benilde-St. Margaret’s a more self-sustaining school and add one more attraction for the engineering room.

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enilde-St. Margarets has maintained a diverse selection of courses and classes for many years; this year’s integration of the RED capstone class into the curriculum has allowed for BSM seniors to dive deeper into personal interests and research a project that will further deepen their understanding of the topic.

One senior, Oriana Sampson, is researching the ways that YouTube creators and streamers lie and how their behavior changes when playing a popular video game called Among Us. “I have always been interested in the ways people lie, so it was super beneficial to my experience in the class to be able to pick a topic that sparked my interest,” Sampson said.

Sampson sampled various YouTube videos and streams from a spread of creators and analyzed the differences in behavior among the population. “I used programs to identify changes in pitch and tone from audio files and YouTube clips online between people lying and telling the truth.

The software identifies those differences, and I can compare between all the various streamers and YouTubers,” Sampson said.

Though Sampson is researching changes in behavior when lying when playing Among Us, it is reasonable that this research is not far off of the behavior of someone who was lying about something greater than just a game. “Among Us is a lot more low stakes, so lying doesn’t have a big impact. Most studies on lying are centered around pathological liars, so I wanted to see the behaviors of people who don’t lie as regularly,” Sampson said.

Lying isn’t a skill that someone is immediately comfortable with: their behavior can shift or their personalities may change.

“People need practice to tell lies. They need to get comfortable doing it over and over again, whereas telling the truth comes as a natural instinct,” Sampson said.

Despite the challenges of COVID-19, students like Sampson in the RED capstone class are impacted less because they don’t rely on the assistance of a teacher or the need to be at school to continue with their research. “I am able to work almost completely from home. My project is less hands-on, so I can progress my research whether I’m home or at school,” Sampson said.

Because of the individualistic structure of the RED capstone class, Sampson has been able to conduct thorough research and continue developing and analyzing the data for concrete results at her own pace, further allowing her to take angles at research that are unique to her project. This freedom gives the her the ability to study what she is interested in.

“I have always been interested in the ways people lie, so it was super beneficial to my experience in the class to be able to pick a topic that sparked my interest.”

- Oriana Sampson

Writer: Joshua Sullivan Designer: George Wolfe

s y e v i d d u t s n o to s p ” s. s m r a U S a i g l a on of n a i m s r n O o “A ter t t in pa e h t

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Among Us logo used under Fair Use guidelines

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s rn e s u t u r p l e e m h e to a r r K e n w a . o y n p R d S e e n gr i w M BS

enior Ryan Kraemer, with the help of BSM’s RED capstone class, is taking the Red Knights

green.

Kraemer has been an engineering student at BSM since his sophomore year; as a result, he was one of the first to hear about the RED program: BSM’s latest elective that falls underneath the engineering umbrella.

Designed to allow students to create something for the real world, the RED capstone class allowed Kraemer to take this opportunity to build a functioning windmill that will be used to power something at BSM. Preliminary thoughts are a small weather station or to have it act as a charger of cameras at the stadium; either way Kraemer and the whole RED team are very excited.

The windmill will be made in house by Kraemer. He has been charged with handling the construction and the zoning with the city of Saint Louis Park. He has also had to clear this with the administration.

The whole project is self-driven and challenges Kraemer to be his own advocate; that’s not to say this would be possible without the engineering teachers. They have worked hard over the past couple years to get administration on board with this innovative type of class. *Check out the video at bsmknighterrant.org*

Writers: Charlie Damberg and Sam Decker Photographer: Mason McGonigle Designer: Jackson Bisson

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ans Backes, a BSM senior, has been on the boys varsity soccer team for 3 years. As a soccer player it is always important to practice, so in engineering class he has been trying to find creative, challenging and cost effective ways for players to up their game.

One difficult part of soccer is the free kick. A free kick is awarded to the other team if a player kicks or attempts to kick, trips or attempts to trip, jumps or pushes at an opponent. The player then can kick the ball freely from the spot of the foul,but the opposing team is allowed to line up 10 yards away from the spot of the foul and in front of the goal. To get a good shot on goal takes a lot of practice and skill, so Backes wanted to create a cheaper and a more available way to practice it. “One element of soccer is shooting a free kick, which you must shoot over a wall of people in order to score. Some sort of wall is necessary in order to properly practice taking these, and many comparable options on Amazon go for upward of $100. My aim is to keep my product under $30 so that people of all incomes are able to effectively practice,” Backes said.

To make this wall, Backes wants to have it transport easily but at the same time be sturdy. It is key that it is lightweight so a player can switch the

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position of the wall when wanting a different angled shot. To start, Backes has been using common items to make the wall, which causes it to be way more cost effective. “I am building a lightweight, transportable, sturdy, and cost effective soccer wall. I am purposely using materials that can be found at most any hardware store such as PVC piping, a tarp, eye screws, and sand bags,” Backes said.

This is no easy task. When a player shoots the soccer ball and it happens to collide with the wall, it must be sturdy enough to withstand the hit. This causes issues because the more items that are used to keep the wall steady the more money required to build it, which then raises the price of the wall. This is a constant battle that Backes has faced during the construction of this project.

“The main struggle I have faced so far is optimizing cost while keeping a sturdy structure. The wall needs to be able to stay upright when struck with a soccer ball traveling 40-70 miles per hour.

This causes issues, as adding support

means more materials needed and consequently a higher cost,” Backes said.

This is a long and tedious project; it requires a lot of analysis, trial and error and time to create something like this, and Backes has been doing all of that. “So far I have done market research and brainstormed/sketched out multiple designs. I estimate that I will have a prototype wall in the next several weeks, and a finished product within the next two months,” Backes said.

Writer: James Callahan Designer: Jackson Bisson Photographer: Nick Marinaro

r o f s r n g e i s c c e o d s s f e lo k c ve a B e l s t n x a H ne . g e n h t ini a r t 2/4/21 2:30 PM

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here have been many different changes to BSM this year. Students and teachers have to wear masks, and part of the school population is split into separate cohorts. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is BSM students doing things that are quite impressive.

Seniors Andrew Forby and Max Hoffman are building an exoskeleton for their RED (Research, Entrepreneurship, Design) project. “Our RED project is a lower body exoskeleton made to increase the maximum load a person can carry, as well as provide ease of movement while carrying that load. It will also allow someone to work for longer; machines don’t get tired,” Forby said in an email interview.

Building something as complex as this takes a lot of hard work. One way Forby and Hoffman are able to successfully get through this project is by focusing on their

specialized roles as they build the exoskeleton. “The two of us are working on the same project, but our past work means we have different areas of expertise. We work together on the overall design and concepts of how it will work, but we each have areas we are in charge of. Max is in charge of most of the physical design, things like the frame and how the pieces we make will fit together. I’m handling the sensors, electrical components, and code,” Forby said.

A project this challenging and complex can build up quite a bit of excitement. “I’m excited about their work because they are both exceptionally self-motivated, and it’s fun to see them explore ways to problem solve their prototypes. I’m also looking forward to the spring product launch when we can show off all the work that our RED capstone students have completed. Hopefully the spring isn’t the ‘end’ of these projects, but just the beginning,” RED techer Ms. Anne Doughertly said in an email interview.

As Doughertly points out, these projects do take a long time to complete, but Forby and Hoffman are both ready for the commitment. “The next step is to assemble the prototype. After that we’ll test it out to see what needs improvement and how to do so. I already have a couple ideas related to sensors, but for now it’s most important just

to have something. After our first prototype is finished, we will enter a new design phase and begin talking with companies,” Forby said.

As quarter one wraps up at BSM there is still a lot of progress to be made on this project. But Forby and Hoffman feel confident that they can finish their exoskeleton and do it in impressive fashion.

“After our first prototype is finished, we will enter a new design phase and begin talking with companies.”

- Andrew Forby Writer: Colin Strauss Photographer: Colin Strauss Designers: Andrew Lyons

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wo seniors at BSM, Hampton Weber and Alex Bronkala, have teamed up to create a website designed to help high school and college entrepreneurial students build and manage small businesses through their platform.

Weber and Bronkala, two entrepre-

“Students who have the intention of starting a business but don’t have the tools to do it can get help on our website and simplify what is usually a complicated process.”

neurial students themselves, noticed many younger people may have good ideas for businesses, but are left at crossroads with no answers once they start. For their RED Project, the duo set out to fix this issue with a handy website. “Students who have the intention of starting a business but don’t have the tools to do it can get help on our website and simplify what is usually a complicated process,” Weber said.

Hatch, the website name, was originally aided by a college-student developer; however, he got too busy. Weber and Bronkala decided to take complete control of the operation of designing their website, and are currently working toward finishing their prototype website. “We will hopefully pitch to some upper level business students or administrators,” Weber said.

Starting in September at the beginning of the 2020 school year, Weber and Bronkala hope to achieve some of their early-stage goals by the end of this semester, but this is only the beginning for their startup website.

“Ideally we want our website to be all set up by the end of the year,” Weber said.

The idea for this website stemmed from conversations with peers that had aspirations of starting a business, but didn’t have the resources, information or contacts

to get their project off the ground. Starting a business themselves was the perfect opportunity for Bronkala and Weber, as they shared similar interests in this field.

“Alex and I are both very business minded and both of us share similar passions into starting a business,” Weber said.

The website is being built online by Bronkala and Weber on a service called Hostgator; however, they are designing through Wordpress because it gives them the ability to fully design their prototype website. “We’re looking to hire other developers, maybe other students at our school who would be interested in helping us continue our project,” said Bronkala.

Writer: Brady Wine Photographer: Brady Wine Designer: Andrew Lyons

x e l A e t d i s n b a e r w e eb h’ a s.

W c e t s n a s o h t e ‘ n p i a s m l u a a b k H n l l o a Br sm r o f

- Hampton Weber

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s i h n s a e th k a wi . t s t i s e l r e i r k p a la l s h C e a i h e r t t u a o e t n N e e r k i p b tre en

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he Minne-Soda Beverage Bikes business all started when Charles was influenced by a tour guide at a college visit in Chicago over MEA break last year. The tour guide spoke about a current student at the college who had started a cold brew bike business. “My dad said I should make a business around a bike, and I decided that I would use Minnesota’s best resource–– the lakes––as a hypothetical market and a bike to deliver cold beverages to people,” senior Nate Charles said in an email interview.

As this idea was sparked, Charles was working on his Business Professionals of America (BPA) club events. One of those events was to create a “fake” business plan.

“Little by little this fake business seemed very do-able, I presented this project and went to state for BPA,” Charles said.

As juniors were applying for classes and learning about all the different classes

they were able to partake in for their senior year, engineering teacher Ms. Anne Dougherty informed students about the new RED capstone class––a student-run class that presents a unique chance for students to carry out ambitious projects. “I knew this would be the perfect opportunity for me to make this idea a reality. I explained my idea and she loved it,” Charles said.

As Charles was piecing together his idea, he looked online for bikes he could get for his business. He found one and bought his current bike in June. He also spoke with some local business owners that helped him understand the business life more clearly. “Over the summer I searched the web for bikes and found some mentors in Mr. Lothenbach and Mr. Gallivan who offered great business advice and legal help,” Charles said.

Charles plans to travel with his bike to different lakes in Minnesota. “The idea was that a lot of Minnesotans work out at lakes and sometimes would want a cold drink, along with people who just lounge around at the lakes might want something cold and refreshing,” Charles said.

He took his beverage bike out for its first ride on October 14, 2020 to French Park in Plymouth. Since this was his first sale it was hard to predict how it was going to go. “The weather and the lack of aware-

ness of the business made it less than ideal, but I am very optimistic about this spring and summer,” Charles said.

Charles has a variety of cold beverages he plans on selling. “Currently, I am planning on selling an assortment of drinks from water, sparkling water, Gatorade, and an assortment of sodas,” Charles said.

Going forward, Charles plans on finding an alternative for the Minnesota winters. He plans to create a winter bike that he would hopefully have by next winter.

“The winter is going to be a great time for me to plan and raise awareness for the upcoming spring and summer where I really hope to blow up,” Charles said.

“Little by little this fake business seemed very doable, I presented this project and went to state for BPA.”

- Nate Charles Writer: Alli Voss Designer: Mason McGonigle Photo Courtesy of

Nate Charles 15

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enior Sage Waymire-Rozman has taken the pollution problems brought on by the fashion industry into her own hands. As her RED project, Waymire-Rozman has chosen to recycle used jeans and turn them into bags.

Inspired by the extreme pollution caused by the fashion industry, Waymire-Rozman sought to improve the way consumers and the fashion industry handle textile waste. “An average consumer throws away 70 pounds of clothing per year. Globally, we produce 13 million tons of textile waste each year; 95% of which could be reused or recycled. In addition to all this, the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world,” WaymireRozman said in an email interview.

Waymire-Rozman has high aspirations for this project and hopes to continue it through college. She hopes to bring greater awareness and action to this pressing issue.

“I am excited to see where this goes and how much I am able to sell. I want to create to bring awareness to this issue so that people can learn the importance of recycling their used clothing,” Waymire-Rozman said.

Although Waymire-Rozman’s commitment to the project has brought about much excitement and commitment, making these bags has been somewhat difficult considering her lack of sewing experience.

“What has been difficult is making the bags.

I have never really done much sewing before, so making bags that are good enough that people would want to buy them has been a challenge,” Waymire-Rozman said.

The class she is doing this for the RED

capstone class. The goal of which is to encourage students to independently create something they are passionate about.

“I love being able to explore my interests and learning to become comfortable with failing and making mistakes,” WaymireRozman said.

Writer: Grace Eigner Designer: Mason McGonigle Photo Courtesy of

Sage Waymire-Rozman

“I want to create to bring awareness to this issue so that people can learn the importance of recycling their used clothing.”

- Sage Waymire-Rozman

s e k a t

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u s r u p ha f r t i o w d en am W re l. i im g d ove M itin n y r s w ta n a f

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hrough the RED capstone class, BSM students have the opportunity to pursue projects at their own pace. Senior Mimi Wendorf is using the class and its guidance to work on writing a fantasy novel.

Although the novel is still in the rough-draft stage, Wendorf receives guidance from Ms. Dougherty, the RED capstone advisor. Dougherty is an engineering teacher at BSM, but she still works with students who have arts-focused projects, like Wendorf ’s book. “I meet with Ms. Dougherty pretty much every week, and she helps me set up interviews with authors and she wants me to get connected with publishers and stuff like that, which is cool… I’ve been able to connect with them and ask questions about their

writing process,” Wendorf said.

The capstone program is loosely structured. Wendorf only has to meet with her advisor once per week; the rest of the days, she can treat the RED capstone as independent work time. Wendorf knows that some students may prefer more support, but the structure works well for her project. “I would’ve written this either way. The RED capstone just gave me class time to do it, and it gives me more motivation because it is a class, so I think ‘Oh, I need to write today…’ otherwise I would’ve procrastinated,” Wendorf said.

The RED capstone’s support structure is helpful, but there is stress associated with sharing personal writings with a mentor. Since she is still writing a first draft, Wendorf feels very vulnerable to criticism. “I do not like sharing my writing with people in general, just because it’s something that’s personal to me. Right now, I just don’t want criticism about it… Any criticism and I’m like, ‘Okay, the entire thing sucks.’

It’s like you put a lot of your heart and soul into something, and then putting it out there is like a whole new step,”

Wendorf said.

Despite the stress, Wendorf feels a sense of accomplishment now that she has put her ideas to paper. “You get all of these ideas, but you don’t ever go through with it, and it’s really satisfying to get an idea and write it down and keep developing the idea… when you finally get it when you’re like, ‘Yes! That’s exactly what I was thinking!’”

Wendorf said.

For Wendorf, the benefits of the class far outweigh the stress. She appreciates how the RED capstone offers a new style of education rarely found at the high school level. “The education system in general is pretty rigid, and you have to meet these requirements of the classes you have to take, English, Social Studies. I think the RED capstone gives you an opportunity to do something you’re really passionate about… If you want to do it but you’re questioning it, I think you should definitely do it,” Wendorf said.

Designer: Jackson Bisson Writer: Jackie Bucaro Knight Errant File Photo

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lana Kabaka, senior at BSM, is using her poetry skills to bring awareness to important

issues.

As part of the RED program, Kabaka is looking to publish a book of poetry. In the RED class, students use their unique skills to gain real world experiences and become entrepreneurs. Kabaka is doing research into the world of publishing, as well as designing her book and spending time writing poems. “It’s a really fun class. It’s one of those classes that makes me excited to go to school and excited to participate in,” Kabaka said.

Kabaka has always had a keen interest in poetry. She began writing when she was little but did not write her first poem until freshman year. Freshman English teacher Ms. Koshiol and Junior High English teacher Ms. Erin Siats recommended that Kabaka try poetry, and she ended up submitting her poem to a contest. “I submitted [my first poem] to a writing contest and ended up placing. That was what got me into writing and poetry,” Kabaka said.

Kabaka uses her poetry to take stands on social justice issues and write about other topics some may be afraid of talking about. Her poems talk about race and social justice, as well as toxic relationships and the struggles of unhealthy relationships; she also talks about her journey of finding her-

self and her journey of transitioning into adulthood. “I write poetry on the topics that I talk about because I feel like they are important and a lot of people shy away from them,” Kabaka said.

Compiling a book of her pieces is a project Kabaka is excited about, and she is happy with the poems she has written so far. This book will include her favorite pieces from the past and also new pieces she has written this year. “When I write something and I finish it, and I edit it, I feel very proudly about it. I am really proud of all my poems,” Kabaka said.

Preview of “Silenced Screams” written by Alana Kabaka and published in BSM’s Apotheosis my screams are silenced by laughter no’s taken for yes’s my opinion overlooked because of my adolescence i hold my dreams through the night; scared they will run away my head filled with words knocking to come out biting my tongue scared that my words could cause gas to the fire...

s e it

r w a e k a ir b p a s K n i a to n a ry l A et . e po ang ch

Writer: Megan Cornell Photographer: Mason McGonigle Designer: Jackson Bisson

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s e i d

Writer: Flint Frohman Photographer: James Callahan Designer: George Wolfe

u t s . s a t i n n i a e g h tud r t i i V w ss w ng ct e i h e l t f t a dea c af M w i m o h nde a p

T

he changes caused by COVID-19 impact just about every part of the lives of people around the world, but BSM Senior Matthew Virginia and RED Capstone student is interested in how they are affecting mental health locally. He hopes that the information gathered from his survey will inspire change in how we go about distance learning.

Virginia went into his RED Capstone class with the idea to do a research project.

“For my RED Capstone project I’m doing a research project on how the mental well-being of students has been affected by the new schooling model, with the option to go to school in a cohort and meet every other day or to attend school fully online through Zoom,” Virginia said.

Virginia originally came up with the idea back in January, when he was going through the process of planning his RED Capstone project and AP Research. “I was future planning for AP Research and

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RED Capstone because I knew that I was going to take those courses [...] In Biomed 2 we had just done a mental health presentation, and that really interested me so I figured I should do something along those lines for AP Research and RED Capstone,” Virginia said.

Virginia was inspired to undertake this task by the way the measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 impacted his friends.

“When COVID-19 first started to become a real problem and we all got moved online I noticed how my friends were affected differently by it, and I wanted to see how that really played out across the entire school and how other people were affected by it,” Virginia said.

He is hopeful that the results of his survey will help compel change in the school, and allow it to take a closer look at how this is affecting its students. His ultimate goal is to improve the condition of students and workers, and to promote change. “So, at first I want to see if people are in fact overly stressed, and if they are that will be a basis to look for change and make things easier for students that attend the school. When you notice that your students are stressed, hopefully, I mean, I really hope so, there will be some incentive to change and to make things easier for students. To help the general student base out was my main mo-

tivation, find a different way to approach school in this circumstance,” Virginia said.

Though the project has so far been going fairly smoothly, Virginia did encounter some obstacles early on. “I had a slow start, I won’t lie; I was having problems juggling my classes and then this on the side as well, and I wasn’t using my work time super efficiently. I would allot some time to this, but I wouldn’t get much done. On top of that, the wording and the crafting of the survey was pretty challenging because I had to make sure I wasn’t asking the same question over and over again,” Virginia said.

National surveys already exist and cover these issues, but Virginia wanted to focus on the local area. Not only is he sending out this survey to students at BSM, he is sending it out to schools across the state as well.

“So, right now we have Benilde and we have reached out to Cretin-Durham hall; I also want to try and get Maple Grove senior high and then maybe a few other big schools from across the area,” Virginia said.

He is trying to reach out to workplaces along with schools, although it has proven a slower and more difficult process. “For workplaces they have so many other complications, and finding the right people to send it to in the first place is challenging.”

Virginia said.

Virginia has sent out the survey to BSM students as of December 17. “I actually just sent out a survey to grades 9-12 at Benilde through Dr. Pohlen, and it’s just a quick ten-minute survey that is just ten questions, it’s on a scale of zero to four with zero being never to four being very often.

It just asks the common questions that can determine if a person is stressed or not,” Virginia said.

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//Staff Ed//

The StAFF ED IS THE opinion of the entire editorial board of the Knight Errant

With a seemingly never-ending war between us and the virus, self-care is more important than ever.

As the COVID pandemic rages throughout the world, mental health and morale continue to worsen as we attempt to return to normalcy. Young people are strongly affected by the stress the pandemic has created. Students especially struggle to deal with the virus and all the stress that it has caused––on top of schoolwork, sports, attempting to have even a small portion of social life. With a seemingly never-ending war between us and the virus, self-care is more important than ever.

Quarantine, hybrid school, suspended sports, and minimal social lives have only increased anxiety as we continue to live in uncertainty. Many adolescents have limited contact with friends and feel isolated.

It is even worse for those with preexisting mental health conditions. According to the Mayo Clinic, those with preexisting mental health conditions are affected even more, as the isolation and anxiety can become too much to handle.

BSM students are struggling, too–– seasonal depression is worsened by the pandemic, and feelings of loneliness during the dark winter months are higher than ever.

Through these months of reporting during COVID-19, the Knight Errant has spoken to multiple people about their struggles with mental health. We’ve also learned about a number of preventative methods to help people through these times.

Students recommend that we listen to music to take care of ourselves. Allow yourself a few minutes to slip away from the world, and just immerse yourself in the

song. Pick whatever makes you feel better at the moment. Of course, there are many other methods: reading, crafting, watching Netflix. Your mental health is all about doing healthy activities that make you feel better.

Also, although it may sound silly, going outside really does help. If you’re opposed to winter walks, try some outdoor activities.

Ice skating, pond hockey, bonfires, and other cold-weather activities are a great way to lift your spirits––especially if you get some friends to join you.

If the stress gets too extreme, reach out to friends and family. Rest assured, you’re not alone––most of us are struggling with feelings of depression or sorrow that we’ve never experienced before. Find common ground, talk through the issues, and seek improvement.

If you feel stuck, don’t forget about the option of therapy. Now more than ever, we have to recognize that speaking with a therapist or counselor is nothing to be ashamed of. It helps a lot of people––and remember, we have counselors and clinical therapists right inside of our school who are willing to talk.

And if there seems to be no one else there for you, remember that you have a community at this school. Your teachers are here to support and help you; we have groups and clubs for people who want a place to fit in. We have to come together during this hard time. If you think there’s no one out there, no one at all, never forget this: the Knight Errant loves you.

Publication Policy Designer: Mason McGonigle

The role and goal of the Knight Errant staff is to inform and entertain their readers through accurate and factual reports. The KEQ magazines are distributed throughout the school for free. Nine hundred magazines are printed per issue. The Knight Errant aims to be accurate, fair, and impartial in its coverage of all issues. The staff strives to report all issues in a legal, objective, accurate, and ethical manner, according to the NSPA Code of Ethics for High School Journalists. KEQ is written and produced by journalism students at Benilde- St. Margaret’s School. The views expressed in this magazine are the opinions of the writers and not necessarily these of the Knight Errant staff, advisers, or BSM administrators.

The Knight Errant welcomes letters to the editors and general commentaries and expressly reserves the right to edit those letters due to space limitations, copyright laws, or journalistic ethics. Letters should adhere to the same requirements as found in the online comment policy. To contact the staff, please email KnightErrant@bsmschool.org.

Editors-in-chief Connor Rahill Jackie Bucaro

Contributors Andrew Lyons Jackson Bisson Charlie Damberg Sam Decker Meagan Cornell Jackie Bucaro Claudia Scherer George Wolfe Lily Butner Katherine foe Audrey Weber Grace Eigner Alli Voss Juila Schwartz Nate Charles Lucy Hanson Brady Wine Colin Strauss Flint Frohman Josh Sullivan Malik Jaiteh Mason McGonigle Nick Marinaro James Callahan

Designers Mason McGonigle Andrew Lyons Emily Barron Jackson Bisson Sadie Witterschein George Wolfe

Editorial staff Grace Cochran Ava Krueger Emily Barron Flint Frohman Claudia Scherer Mason McGonigle Andrew Lyons

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Emus

George Wolfe

The emu is a fascinating bird. With a top speed of 30 mph, a height of 5 feet tall and a weight of almost 90 pounds, they are one of the most incredible species of birds in the world.

However, they are imposters. The emu is fascinating only until you learn of the glorious and majestic ostrich, superior in every category that the emu could ever consider itself “great” in; the only downfall… is that they look similar. Ostriches should be able to shine in all of their glory and bask in the light of being the world’s greatest bird, yet they continue to be held back by their dismal distant relative the emu. For an emu to go through this world living as if they are not fakes and liars to the general public is quite sickening; they live their lives as clout chasers and clout stealers of the ostrich––never to let anyone forget they are around. It is stomach-turning seeing these wretched creatures blatantly destroy the reputation of the magnificent ostrich.

Cassowary

claudia scherer

By this time, I am certain we’re all aware of the kaleidoscope of failures that is Australia.

The deplorable emu is already found on the godforsaken island nation, and to make the situation worse, so is the cassowary. The cassowary looks similar to an emu-turkey-buffalo-shag rug hybrid, as if God himself had a seizure during the fifth day of creation. And that’s not even considering the dinosaur-like horn atop its head, which presumably takes the place of a brain.

You’d think such a heinously hideous creature would be small and easy to remove from your field of vision, but alas, the cassowary’s smallest size is 3.3 feet long. And that’s a dwarf cassowary. If you’d prefer to avert your eyes from the offense and walk away from a cassowary, I understand completely; unfortunately, you won’t be fast enough to escape. The cassowary can run at an alarming speed of 50 kilometers per hour.

Don’t expect this monstrosity to run away from you––no, the cassowary is known for its vicious attacks against humans and is often labelled “The World’s Most Dangerous Bird.” Although there has been only one documented human death by cassowary since 2003, over 150 brutal attacks have been perpetrated by this flightless beast. Oh, yeah–it can’t fly, which makes a bad situation even worse. Unless you happen to have better wings than a speeding shag rug with eyes of brimstone and hellfire, there’s no getting away from the cassowary.

Chickadees

Nick Marinaro

They say hate is a strong word, only to be used against one’s mortal enemies. This makes it all the more fitting to apply to my feelings about chickadees, or as I refer to them, the mosquitoes of the bird kingdom. However, unlike mosquitoes, who are seldom able to disrupt human slumber, the chickadee’s shrill and persistent call deprives many of needed sleep in the spring and summer months. At least many birds with maddening calls redeem themselves in their visual appeal. However, the chickadee’s appearance has the same intrigue as a pair of 98-cent Walmart flip flops. Unlike mosquitoes, chickadees do not bite, but at least killing a mosquito can give one a sense of triumph over the useless species. Chickadees, on the other hand, are far too cowardly to come near humans, or else I would kill every last one. The only upside of the winter in Minnesota is the absence of chickadees, as they are too weak of little snowflakes to endure the cold. Although some may wish them extinct, I think it is a far greater punishment for them to wallow in their useless existence.

Turkeys

Sure, Australia as a whole typically makes the worst of things when it comes to animals, and birds that make noises are more annoying than birds that don’t, but what makes a bird the worst bird? I’d like to suggest that––while there are many categories that would help us discern which birds have the most unfavorable traits or are the worst in each category to select a universal worst bird––the turkey is actually the worst bird, for the sole reason that it is not the worst in any one specific category. It’s like walking into a Subway when you really wanted Jimmy Johns––that’s how I feel about turkeys (in relation to chickens).

The fact that we have a whole holiday, one about being thankful, revolving around and glorifying this sorry excuse of a bird really makes me wonder where we went wrong as a country. How am I supposed to be thankful for a turkey? They walk around so pompous, despite doing nothing but gathering near highways and intersections. Turkeys are mean, too––get chased by a turkey once and tell me you’re not scared of them, too. They’re not even good to eat––they taste dry and entitled. In my mind, turkeys are just Walmart peacocks, and the disappointment alone is enough to make them literally the worst bird I can think of.

(Although, don’t get me wrong, animated baby turkeys melt my cold, dead heart.)

//Reliable Rants// ThESE Are FOR THE BIRDS... OR MAYBE NOT.

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Jackie Bucaro

21 2/4/21 2:32 PM

S E L F As the reality of a pandemic dawns upon the world population, the students here at BSM reflect on their favorite methods of self care and how they exercise them amidst the pandemic.

T

he COVID-19 pandemic presents a time of many uncertainties. However, it also presents a time for people to focus on themselves.

With Seasonal Affective Disorder setting in and the strain of everyday life looming, students turn to their favorite self care methods to boost their mood during these stressful times.

The initial COVID-19 lockdown was a shock for many people. Most students and teachers found themselves thrown into a time of unpredictability, which eventually led to people’s mental health declining. Because a lockdown was something that few had experienced before, people struggled with self care methods. “In general, mental health was down, and I think people didn’t really understand that, so they didn’t know how to deal with it,” BSM counselor Ms. Amy Larson said.

Based on a survey conducted by the Knight Errant, students’ preferred choice of self care is listening to music, with 65% of the 84 students surveyed picking music

as their go-to method of relaxation. Listening to music provides an escape from reality, and is a fantastic way to forget about life for a few minutes.

“I think music is great. I think whatever gets you into the moment is a great way to take care of yourself, and most music is good for that,” clinical psychologist Dr. Jeff Steffenson said.

Students also reported that getting outside as a way to relieve stress and boost their mood. Due to online school, staring at a screen all-day has become the new normal. It (at least for awhile) was hard to get outside since there wasn’t much to do outside of the house. Many families turned

to a simple form of exercise to get outside and clear their minds: taking walks. Almost one-third of students surveyed said that spending time in nature and getting outside was one of their favorite self care methods.

During quarantine sophomore Gabby Nyquist frequently took walks with her family, so she could get out of her room and be outside. “Seeing that there was more to life than just my walls really helped me recuperate,” Nyquist said.

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C A R E Writer: Lily Butner Photographer: Malik Jaiteh Designer: Sadie Witterschein

Of the 84 students surveyed, 57% said that their mental health declined during the initial quarantine. The lack of routine and normalcy in people’s lives made quarantine a tough time to get through. Many students lost things they were looking forward to, like spring sports, and teachers lost their connection with students due to online school.

Staying cooped up in the house also proved difficult for many people. “If you

are an extrovert… quarantine could cause some sadness or depression that you may not normally have,” Steffenson said.

However, over a quarter of students surveyed said that their mental health had improved over quarantine. Many people thought that the initial lockdown was a nice break from the stress of everyday life. Quarantine provided opportunities to get outside, spend time with family, and focus on themselves. “Having a change of pace and getting to focus on myself more was what helped my mental health,” Nyquist said.

The new hybrid model still presents some challenges, but the balance of doing

school virtually and in person provides benefits for many students. At home, students are still able to practice their favorite self care methods, like crafting and spending time with pets, and being back at school provides a sense of normalcy and routine that was absent from people’s lives during quarantine. “This year, I think it’s gotten better… teachers are a lot more understanding,” Larson said.

One benefit of the pandemic’s initial hit is the increased sense of community.

Because everyone is going through roughly the same experience, a tighter-knit community has been formed and more connections have been made. “I remember walking in the spring in my neighborhood with my little kids, and everybody stopped to say hi and honked when they drove by.

And that wasn’t how it was [before quarantine],” Larson said.

Self care provides immense benefits during stressful times.“The pandemic has happened and we need to figure out ways to thrive with it here,” Steffenson said.

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seasonal depression

WRITER LUCY HANSON DESIGNER EMILY BARRON

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DESPITE ITS ACRONYM, SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER GOES MUCH DEEPER THAN JUST FEELING SAD.

S

easonal Depression, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is the type of depression that relates to the change in seasons. It occurs around the same time every year and lasts for about 40% of the year. Though the colorful fall leaves are a pretty sight to see, this is usually around the same time SAD starts, lasting through the winter. Seasonal Depression rarely affects people in the spring and summer.

Along with these seasonal changes, another huge change that affects everyone this year is COVID-19. For many people, this global pandemic has made the change of seasons much harder to bear. “Most years I struggle during the winter because of the darkness and bitter coldness, but this year is worse. Because of COVID-19, we have been stripped from all fun winter activities, leaving me bored and isolated,” senior Piper Ehlen said.

A common symptom of SAD is social withdrawal. With social distancing rules being implemented, COVID-19 makes this condition much more prominent. Mental Health of America did a recent study where they found that the number of Americans who experience depressive symptoms has tripled since the pandemic started. The stress of this pandemic puts people in a more difficult mental state going into the winter season than in previous years. “Winter is always a hard time with the weather getting colder and the sky getting darker sooner. Especially with the pandemic, it’s going to be a lot harder this winter since we are more isolated and lonely,” senior Peyton Murphy said.

Many things are unpreventable, like the pandemic, but there are things that students can do to prioritize self care. Maintaining close relationships with friends and family, exercising, healthy eating, and getting good sleep are all important aspects of physical and emotional well-being.

Another new thing that professionals have been talking about is light therapy. People with SAD tend to lack serotonin with an uneven balance of melatonin, and natural outdoor light can boost serotonin. This is why it is important to get outdoors even in the winter months. “The whole purpose of light therapy is to treat and take care of SAD because there’s less available light during the winter. Every morning I sit in front of a special light source that you can buy on Amazon that gives out 10,000 lumen/lux. The visible light affects neurochemistry and mood,” English teacher Ms. Anna Overbo said.

Two Benilde-St. Margaret’s seniors, Abby Hancock and Ananya Yogarajah, are doing a Biomed Research Study on how Seasonal Affective Disorder affects GPA. They anonymously surveyed BSM students, and they will see how the disorder affects high schoolers academically.

According to The National Institute of Health, young adults, especially females, are put at greater risk for Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD is treatable with a mental health professional.

Common symptoms of Seasonal Depression are feeling depressed most days, loss of interest in favorite activities, low energy, sleep problems, and more that can be found on The Mayo Clinic website.

If you think you may be experiencing SAD, there are mental health screening tests online, or you can contact a professional. There is a 24-hour hotline available for you to speak free and confidential with someone to provide distress and emotional support. The number is 1-800-273TALK (8255).

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Since the start of online school, cheating has become a more common occurence. This hasn’t stopped teachers from figuring out ways to combat their students’cheating attempts.

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C

heating has always been a smudge on the face of the education system, and with long-distance learning, it has become even more prevalent. As students attend class via Zoom amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, students find cheating to be an easier option to better their grades. Although cheating has many consequences and risks, it has been a common occurrence in the 2020-21 school year.

Since Extended Online School began, there has been a significant change in students’ grades and work. The start of online school last spring marked a new battle for students and teachers alike. Because of the strategies to combat cheating, academic misconduct has gone down since last spring.

“A huge amount of cheating happened last spring. We hadn’t figured out what you guys were doing. We were so overwhelmed, too. When students went online, they became A students,” math teacher Ms. Joanie Sauer said.

Of a survey taken from 70 students at BSM, more than 55% said they have seen an increase of academic misconduct as a direct result of online school. “If you’re at home taking a test, the impulse to want to look for the correct answer is human nature,” science teacher Ms. Lisa Bargas said.

Since the increase in academic misconduct, teachers have taken on the challenge to combat it. Teachers have been experimenting with different strategies to decrease the amount of cheating. They have started making multiple versions of tests, giving partner quizzes, and setting up the test-taking environment differently. “I’ve been making multiple versions of quizzes and tests, so that students can still work together, but their answers are going to be different,” math teacher Mr. John Groess said.

Some teachers find cheating even within the students’ answers. In a subject such as chemistry, there are often multiple ways to produce an answer. If a student answers a question in a complex way different from how the teacher taught it, it’s usually a sign of cheating. “Oftentimes, there are several ways to answer a question; if I get answers back that are correct, but not in the way I taught it, that’s a red flag,” Bargas said.

For math class, there are several online resources that can solve the problem for the

student and show them the work. These calculators, such as Photomath, are a menace to math teachers. Similar to chemistry, in math there are usually several ways to find the solution to a problem. “It was very apparent they used Photomath from the work that was shown in a way we didn’t talk about,” Sauer said.

If a student is looking for a solution to a problem, most teachers would prefer the student just be honest and to come to them if they are feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

Teachers don’t want their students to be afraid to talk to them, and would prefer they do so, instead of falling back on the shortcut of cheating. “I would rather have it where you ask for more time and help than cheat,” Groess said.

Many would agree that cheating is going to happen no matter the circumstances, and students have found many different ways to get creative with their cheating during online school. Students have been found using their phones off camera, using packets and cheat sheets, and using the internet to find answers and various websites to help with math problems. Students are even on FaceTime with their friends while taking tests. “I have seen people cheat by copying someone’s homework, working together on a test, and sending answers to others through their phones,” senior Lucio Fialo said.

Although teachers have been doing the best they can to prevent academic misconduct, it’s nearly impossible to prevent it all. Students now feel, especially since the beginning of online school, it is easier to get away with cheating, and finding different ways to be dishonest has become normal for some. The teachers have done their best to limit the cheating, but there is clear evidence of an increase in academic dishonesty as a result of online school. “I think cheating has increased because being online, [since] we are now open to many things on the internet. Most tests [and] quizzes were previously done in class, and they are now mostly online. But, I can see where it has decreased because most of our tests and quizzes are open notes, which makes it easier for us to get better grades and to work on our own,” Fialo said.

Teachers agree that in order to create a solution, first you must understand why the student is cheating. There are a number of reasons why a student might feel the need

to cheat. “Cheating happens when students want to do well, but they don’t know how to do something or if they need more time,” Groess said.

Students have found cheating to be an easier way to get better grades. It can also be a way to quickly get through a test they haven’t prepared for, but cheating also has its effects on the student as well. “I feel like it’s easier to cheat nowadays since we’re online, and it’s easier to get away with it. I feel guilty about cheating sometimes. I’ve used my phone and computer during tests and I feel if you don’t know the materials and it’s too late to ask, it’s an easier way to pass.

I feel like everyone cheats,” an anonymous student said.

Cheating may seem to be beneficial for a student, but when a teacher finds a student cheating, it creates a lot more stress.

Having to connect with the student, the school, and the student’s parents can be hard for a teacher. “It’s demoralizing, I think, for a teacher; no parent wants to get told their child was less than honest,” Bargas said.

Not only does it impact the teacher negatively, but the person cheating as well.

There is a feeling of guilt that persists in a student who cheats. The fear of being caught and the guilt of doing the wrong thing tend to make the student even more stressed. “People definitely feel guilty when they cheat. It adds a lot of anxiety to a student being worried about being caught,” junior Teddy Madden said.

The main concern for teachers is the students’ emotional and mental health.

Teachers care more about the students’ well being and making sure they are physically and emotionally healthy. “We want you guys to be physically healthy and mentally healthy and prepare you guys to go on and to be good in the world,” Sauer said.

Writers: Andrew Lyons and Jackson Bisson Photographer: Sadie Witterschein Designer: Andrew Lyons

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FIVE 5-STAR REVIEWS This quarter, the Knight Errant has become a connoisseur of fine media.

Check out these great reviews online @bsmknighterrant.org.

Designer Emily Barron

The Queen ’’s Gambit reviewed by Lily Butner

“I was hooked minutes into this exciting series, and I can safely say that this show is now one of my favorites. The plot is compelling and drew me in right from the beginning, and it was hard to stop watching once I started…”

Taylor Swift ’s “Evermore reviewed by Lily Butner

“I am awed by Swift’s ability to create fifteen incredible tracks in such a short amount of time. Overall, I think this album is beautiful, filled with lyrical depth like no other album I’ve heard before…”

Wonder from Shawn Mendes reviewed by Katherine Foe

“After listening to the whole album multiple times, I’ve decided that it isn’t half bad.

At first, I was skeptical, as it all seemed very repetitive. However, when listening to it for a second and third time, it’s not as noticeable…”

Bridgerton reviewed by Audrey Weber

“One would most likely assume British hierarchy in the 19th century to be solely made up of white men with very close-minded perspectives, but this show makes it a point to break those societal norms and encourage not only racial acceptance, but interracial marriage, too…”

Olivia Rodrigo ’ s “Driver ’ s License” reviewed by Claudia Scherer

“After two days of knowing about its existence, I managed to listen to it more times than hours I had known it, and then some. My family is literally begging me to turn it off.

Even now, this song plays on a continuous loop––I listen to it when I wake up, go to sleep, eat, drink, while I drive, do homework, while I sit and cry in the shower…”

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