60 minute read
THE NEW NORMAL
from Issue 1 2021-22
In this issue, Spark investigates permanent changes from the COVID-19 pandemic from the education gap following two years of virtual learning, to the rise in virtual medical appointments after the world shut down.
The goal of the photography in this package is to reflect the disparity between the pre-pandemic times and the “New Normal.” In these photos, pictures of the previous ways of life is projected onto sources reflecting their New Normal, meant to display the past and present simultaneously.
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East senior McKenzie Watson has been learning virtually since March 2020.
BEYOND THE CINDER BLOCK WALLS
The sudden lockdown Spring of 2020 caused a shift in educational practices. Online and remote learning imposed new challenges for students and teachers.
“I TOOK TWO ONLINE COURSES IN COLLEGE, AND I SAID NEVER AGAIN; THAT WAS CHALLENGING ENOUGH. NOW, A WHOLE CLASS HAD TO DO A WHOLE SEMESTER OR A WHOLE ACADEMIC YEAR ONLINE. THAT WOULD BE THE MOST CHALLENGING THING I PROBABLY WOULD EVER HAVE TO GO THROUGH.” - ADMISSIONS COUNSELOR AUSTIN MARTIN
For the first 10 years of her education, East senior McKenzie Watson spent every day in her familiar school desk and chair, listening as her teacher gave instruction. Now, as she wakes up at home every morning and opens her school-issued Chromebook computer, the pixelated screen of Canvas with her materials and assignments is the only tie between her education and East.
“[Going remote] was a big adjustment. I felt a little bit behind starting off because I didn’t have that one-on-one interaction with my teachers as often as I would have liked,” Watson told Spark. “It was just hard knowing that they had other students as well. So sometimes, a lot of my questions wouldn’t get answered until days later, when I would have already figured it out because I had to turn the assignment in.”
Due to the challenges of online learning, many students experienced a gap in education. In a Spark survey of 170 East students, 74% of students felt that the COVID-19 pandemic affected their academic growth and/or achievement. Additionally, 86% of students felt they did not learn content from remote learning at the same capacity they would have if it were in-person instruction.
“[An education] gap was felt by everyone, everywhere,” Lakota K-6 Director of Curriculum & Instruction Christina French told Spark. “I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that not only were we virtually learning, which was new, but we also had students in and out of classrooms.”
East Principal Rob Burnside agrees that an education gap was felt, and it is something Lakota is aware of.
“I think every school has experienced [a gap in education],” Burnside told Spark. “The data we have from testing has indicated that there was a drop, and I think that this is something we have to be very aware of to try to play catch up.”
Ohio State University Admissions Counselor Austin Martin commends students who have had to do online coursework the past few years due to COVID-19.
“I took two online courses in college, and I said never again; that was challenging enough,” Martin told Spark. “Now, a whole class had to do a whole semester or a whole academic year online. That would be the most challenging thing I probably would ever have to go through.”
But, for some students, their decision to go remote had nothing to do with preference, it had to do with logistics.
When given the chance for the 2020-2021 school year to return to in-person instruction, Watson and her family chose to stay remote to protect her immune-compromised sister, taking advantage of Lakota’s Virtual Learning Option (VLO).
“I kind of knew that if I decided to stay VLO, it would be strictly independent learning, and I wouldn’t get as much help as I would being in school and getting that assistance from a teacher in-person,” Watson says. “I knew I would be giving that up, but it was a sacrifice I was willing to make.”
However, Lakota had a different education experience for the 2020-2021 school year than most schools across the country because students were still given the choice to return to in-person learning.
“I don’t think [the lockdown] affected us as much as it might have in other school districts,” Lakota 7-12 Director of Curriculum and Instruction Andrew Wheatley told Spark. “Many schools across the country were 100% virtual for all or part of the year, and we were one of the few schools that were actually able to stay in person for the majority of our students for the whole year.”
Burnside agrees that Lakota handled the lockdown better than many districts, but there is still room for growth and change.
“One thing we have to keep learning about, that we still struggle with institutionally, is remote learning,” Burnside says. “You can’t just simply replicate what you do in the classroom.”
As a VLO student, Watson found this a challenge because she wasn’t able to access the same resources as in-person students.
“I feel like VLO students have it a tad bit harder since we don’t have access to the same tools, immediately, as the in-person students have,” Watson says. “I feel like that does cause a bigger gap for VLO students.”
Penn State University Admissions Counselor Jordan Garrigan has found through students’ applications that several students note the same difficulties with gaining resources in an online setting.
“The only difference [in applications] that I have heard from students and through reading essays is that they don’t have as much access one-on-one with their teachers,” Garrigan told Spark. “I have noticed that the extra help that students usually get when they’re comfortable in the classroom is not as great as it was whenever
students who submitted test students who submitted test scores through common app scores through common app
2020 2021
77% 44%
source inside higher ed
For Watson, independent learning affected her differently in different subjects.
“In some subjects, I felt like I might have been a little bit more behind, and, in other subjects, I might have been a little bit more ahead,” Watson says. “To give an example, I felt like I was ahead with English, Psychology, and Sociology, and I felt like in Math, I might have been a little bit more behind than my other classmates who were in-person.”
Due to students being in varying places in their education and testing facilities being limited due to the pandemic, many colleges, including Penn State and Ohio State, have had to adjust their usual ACT and SAT score protocols.
“As far as the admissions process, we’ve definitely had to be flexible with a lot, such as changing deadlines and utilizing students’ time properly. We understand that there are circumstances where students have a test that was taken in November, so we had to extend that deadline to Nov. 15,” Garrigan told Spark.
Both universities decided to remain testoptional to allow students flexibility with these unprecedented times. Approximately 60% of Penn State and 53% of Ohio State class of 2021 applicants chose not to submit test scores on their applications.
“I think [waiving test scores] is a good idea for students who don’t necessarily want to have to go through the process of retaking the ACT because it is stressful, but for students who know that retaking the test is something that they can do and have the time for, I think it’s a good idea to pursue [submitting scores],” Watson says.
Even though some students did not provide their test scores to Penn State or Ohio State, they are still guaranteed the same level of consideration as students who submitted test scores. Ohio State ensures this by having separate admissions counselors to review applications without test scores as they do applications with test scores. Penn State applications are not reviewed separately; however, they instead focus on other aspects of the application, such as activities, to consider acceptance.
Penn State has extended their test optional policy for two years until 2023, whereas Ohio State is still currently test optional, but has chosen to take it year-by-year in regards to continuing the policy.
“I think what Ohio State, our leadership team, and a lot of the leaders in our office and undergraduate admissions have said is that we want to give these two classes the best opportunity for admission,” Martin told Spark. “If more opportunities arise, and if the world starts to open up more, I think Ohio State might shift back to requiring those test scores. We want to do what’s right for the student first and then we want to make it work for Ohio State; that’s our motto.”
Although the past few years of schooling have not been ideal to many, Burnside notes that it had some advantages as well. He says that Lakota’s new online approach will help students keep the educational process moving forward, even when not in the building.
“As an institution, education is now better at meeting the needs of our students who don’t function as well in a brick and mortar building, which is a good thing,” Burnside says. “[These new online advances] lead us to helping our students be better prepared for the next generation of professional work. Workers of the future aren’t going to be going to the office nine to five, every day, like they have in the past; it’s a new world.” •
Below: Watson completes her school work from her laptop, reflecting on pre-pandemic classroom experiences.
THE DOCTOR IS LOGGED IN
East senior Dania Hantush attends a virtual therapy appointment.
Following the halt to in-person care visits in March 2020, medical personnel were forced to adapt in new and innovative ways.
Usually when Megan Davis turns on her school-issued Chromebook, it’s to complete her AP homework or to check her schedule for marching band afterschool. Before March 2020, the East senior never thought she would have to use her computer for much else; especially not to Zoom with her doctor.
Davis, like millions of others across the country, was forced to adopt a previously uncommon medical treatment at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic: telehealth. After the first wave of lockdowns in March 2020, telehealth, the distribution of health related services and information using electronic and telecommunication technology, started to grow in popularity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC), telehealth visits went up by 154 percent in the last week of March 2020 compared to the same time period the previous year.
“I was worried about what a [virtual] appointment would be like, because I had only seen [my doctor] in person before, and I wasn’t sure if it would be the same or not,” Davis told Spark. “I was worried about the level of connection, too. It’s a lot harder to lie or hide something in person than it is over a computer.”
Compared to the long history of face-toface appointments, telehealth is a relatively new medical technique. One of the first methods of telehealth was used in the 1940s when radiology images in Pennsylvania were sent between two different townships by telephone lines. Since then, scientists and medical professionals have been slowly adapting new telehealth technologies in their practices. Director of the University of Michigan Telehealth Research Incubator Chad Ellimoottil, who started experimenting with telehealth at his urology practice in 2016, says that the pandemic greatly accelerated this adoption.
“By January and February 2020, [my practice] was doing a low level of video consultation. In March 2020, when the pandemic hit, that’s when everything changed,” Ellimoottil told Spark. “I got a call from our administrator who said that the COVID-19 numbers were not looking good and that [my practice] was going to convert [the next day] to virtual care and cancel all in-person care unless it’s an emergency.”
Forced to get creative, Ellimoottil and thousands of other doctors across the country made the quick switch to 100 percent virtual care. However, the abrupt switch came with an initial set of problems, particularly when it came to accessibility among patients.
“You need a certain type of broadband connection to be able to have adequate video, and there are a lot of parts of the country that don’t have that,” Ellimoottil says. “Even if you do have broadband internet access, areas with lower incomes may not have the internet
subscription or device to connect. Also, rural providers may not use telehealth as often. If your doctor is not offering [telehealth], then you’re not going to use it.”
According to a 2016 U.S. Census report, 81 percent of American households had access to broadband internet, and 89 percent had access to a computer or smartphone. Additionally, virtual care prohibits certain types of practices that inperson appointments might include. Physician and Medical Director for Maven Clinic, the world’s largest virtual clinic for women and family medicine, Jane Van Dis has been working in telehealth medicine since 2012 and has seen these obstacles first hand.
“Those that need an aspect of a physical exam like laboratory on-site testing or imaging [should not participate in telehealth],” Van Dis told Spark. “Lack of human contact, limits of not having a physical exam, and lack of on-site testing services [are challenges].”
East senior Dania Hantush started telehealth therapy this summer and can relate to these obstacles.
“It did feel very strange since I’m more used to being in an actual office rather than my own home,” Hantush told Spark. “It felt strange and not as authentic to meet over a screen.” A recent Spark survey found that 67 percent of respondents preferred inperson medical appointments over virtual appointments. However, Van Dis says that there are still major benefits to telehealth practices that can outweigh the negatives. “[Benefits include] ease of use and the ability to schedule, greater variety of providers available via telehealth, cost savings, no hassles of transportation, taking time off work, arranging childcare, parking, or waiting,” Van Dis says. “The flexibility, for some, is game changing.” A 2017 study through the California Health Care Foundation found that the average telehealth visit costs $79, compared to $146 for doctors visits and $1,734 for emergency room visits. The price is a major benefit for patients, although at the expense of the providers. According to the American Hospitals Association, hospitals nationwide lost more than $323 billion from March to December 2020. According to Senior Director of Telehealth at Cincinnati Childrens Jennifer Ruschman, patient benefits of telehealth such as price have had a significant impact on patient care. “Patient and family responses [to telehealth experiences] have been overwhelmingly positive,” Ruschman told Spark. “Young
patients are pretty comfortable with things like Facetime, so video visits are usually very well accepted.” At Cincinnati Children’s, all specialties offer some sort of virtual care option. Ruschman explains how to best decide if telehealth is right for you. “For specialty visits, you should ask at the time of scheduling if telehealth would be appropriate for the visit type you are trying to schedule,” Ruschman says. “You can also always discuss with your doctor if your next visit could be done using telehealth. Typically, things that will require additional laboratory testing or minor procedures should be done in person. Other visits like speech, mental health, and follow-up visits work very well using telehealth.” Five Top Rated Telehealth Since the beginning of the pandemic, Lakota has adopted Mobile Apps several forms of telehealth within the district. For instance, Lakota 1. GoodRx Care has partnered with MindPeace, • Apple rating: 5.0 a non-profit that serves as a • Free to download facilitator for connecting its • No health insurance required network of professional mental • Offers prescription refills by health providers with schools to mail or at local pharmacy offer virtual therapy appointments for students. East MindPeace and 2. K Health Cincinnati Children’s therapist • Apple rating: 4.7 Michelle Quarry has been • Free to download meeting with 15 to 18 students • Illness Symptom Checker virtually each week since the start • COVID-19 Screening tool of May 2021. “If kids can’t get here, 3. Doctor on Demand [telehealth] is a wonderful option • Apple rating: 4.9 because then I can say ‘Go to your • Free to download room, close the door’ so we have • Services available 24/7 a private space, and we just meet • Treatment for issues including that way,” Quarry told Spark. “It’s cholesterol and depression a win-win for everybody.” Quarry says that while most 4. Teladoc students prefer face-to-face, • Apple rating: 4.8 some students enjoy the therapy • Free to download experience from the comfort of • App provided by your their own homes. She has found insurance plan, employer or that even from the provider side, other organization telehealth can have its perks. • Visits have no time limits “I had hand surgery this summer, so my hand didn’t 5. MDLive work, but my brain was great,” • Apple rating: 4.7 Quarry says. “I was still able to • Free to download see my students, especially the • Offers short term prescription ones that I know really need that refills weekly meeting and not have • Provides mental health to worry about driving. I could support with licensed therapists still see them face-to-face using and psychiatrists telehealth. I could see weight source apple app store gain, weight loss, if they’re clean, if they’re not showering, and [other] signs of depression.” Still, for Quarry, it was difficult to make the switch to virtual. “I thought it was moderately
Above: East senior Megan Davis completes a virtual health assessment.
difficult, not impossible,” Quarry says. “It’s so hard because we’re so used to seeing our kids face to face.”
Manager of Health Services at Lakota Lauren Brown says that, in addition to MindPeace therapy, there are a few technologies involved in health care practices that are used in the district. “[Lakota] has become more creative in supporting students in their classroom,” Brown told Spark. “For example, students with diabetes can connect to the nurse’s iPad so they can communicate during the school day.” According to Doximity, a networking service for medical professionals, the financial value of telehealth is expected to reach $106 billion by 2023. McKinsey & Company, a nationwide research and consulting firm, projects that up to $250 billion of current U.S. healthcare spending could eventually shift to virtual. While major medical companies and hospitals have made a switch, Brown says that the long-term adoption of telehealth within the
“I COULD STILL SEE THEM FACE-TO-FACE USING TELEHEALTH. I COULD SEE WEIGHT GAIN, WEIGHT LOSS, IF THEY’RE CLEAN, IF THEY’RE NOT SHOWERING, AND [OTHER SIGNS] OF DEPRESSION.” - MINDPEACE THERAPIST MICHELLE QUARRY
district has been limited. “We haven’t adopted or implemented any new [telehealth] services at this time,” Brown says. “We are just focusing on meeting the needs of students and families through the pandemic.”
In a recent Spark survey, only 21 percent of respondents have used telehealth. Still, Ellimoottil believes that telehealth is here to stay, even as in-person visits return to prepandemic levels. “Based on our research, 1 in 6 health care encounters will continue to be through telehealth,” Ellimoottill says. “Patients are going to become more familiar and comfortable [with telehealth]. Once they do one [appointment], they’ll do another.” For most, the path to fully embrace digital care is a long one, but Davis believes that students should be willing to give telehealth a try. “[Telehealth] worked well and made me feel a lot safer than going to an office during the peak of the pandemic,” Davis says. “I would definitely tell [my peers] to do it.” •
SMALL BUT MIGHTY
80% of the country is made up of small businesses. Due to COVID-19, some small businesses declined rapidly while others grew to their fullest potential.
story abbey bahan | photography riley higgins | infographic mary barone
Family Dentist Thomas Nymberg walks into his practice like any other day, excited to see his patients with smiling faces. After a morning of drilling people’s teeth and an innocent lunch break, jarring news flashes onto the TV. Nymberg is being forced to shut down his business entirely for a week because of a newly discovered deadly virus. Soon enough, one week turned into seven.
Owner of All Smiles Family Dental (ASFD), Nymberg was appalled to hear that he would have to shut down his business due to COVID-19 after 34 years of smooth sailing. When first hearing the news, he didn’t believe it; he stayed open for the rest of the day. When he tried to come in the next day, other businesses in the area had also shut down. That’s when he realized that the crisis was actually happening. The immediate concern that popped into Nymberg’s head was his five children.
“I couldn’t fathom [shutting down] because I have five kids at home,” Nymberg told Spark. “I’m not paid by [Procter & Gamble] who gives [its employees] sick pay. If I don’t work, I don’t get paid, and that was very worrisome.”
The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States conducted a survey with more than 5,800 small businesses; 43% of these businesses had temporarily closed, and almost all of the closures were due
Above: East senior and food service worker Vanessa Sims sits at an empty restraurant table, one that was filled with customers before the pandemic.
to COVID-19. In addition, Nymberg worried about the long-term impacts of the shutdown on the operations of his business and employees.
“[I wondered], will people come back when we open up? What’s that going to look like? Are they going to trickle in or are they going to flood in?” Nymberg says. “I employ nine other people who rely on me for their food and utility bills and there would be millions of people devastated without [financial help].”
The government quickly relieved his financial worries. They allowed him, along with other small business owners, to withdraw money from retirement funds without penalty which is exactly what Nymberg did to survive. The government also put together relief packages for small businesses.
“[The government] would send you a check that would allow you to continue to pay your employees and you could continue to pay your bills and have some personal income to sustain you,” Nymberg says. “It was remarkable. They allowed me to survive during a catastrophic time. They found a way to allow even a mom and pop little dental practice in Mason, Ohio to remain functional.”
After a couple of weeks, the government allowed dental offices to reopen for emergencies only. Nymberg was open every Thursday to handle emergencies with extreme precautions.
“[Reopening] not only allowed me to ease the pain that people were in, but it also allowed me to produce a little bit of money to help [ASFD],” Nymberg says. “But we had to have these extraordinarily strict regulations like six feet spacing, a one-way flow, and a COVID questionairre.” Nymberg did not take the recommendations lightly. In fact, in order to avoid a potential outbreak in his dental office, he required all staff members, including himself, to wear hospital gowns. At the end of the day, he would wash all of the gowns in the washer and dryer he bought specifically to fight the infection. However, Nymberg is not the only business owner that needed to follow guidelines.
East senior Vanessa Sims has been working for the Donut Dude since March 2021. The Donut Dude opened at the beginning of the pandemic which changed some of the ways that the business planned on running things.
“[The silverware] has to be individually packaged, but [the owners] originally planned to have spoons, forks, and coffee stirs out,” Sims told Spark. “They also originally had tables to sit at, but they took them out because it’s such a small place.”
Unlike ASFD and other small businesses, the Donut Dude was able to stay open because it is a food business; that meant that Sims was considered an essential worker. As a result of staying open, the business immediately started to prosper.
“Everybody’s always wanted a donut shop in the Liberty Township area,” Sims says. “Donuts are a comfort food, and people during COVID were just trying to get out of the house. So the business did better than it would have been if it opened sooner.”
The Donut Dude was one of several small businesses in Liberty Township that benefited from the pandemic.
Liberty Township Trustee Christine Matacic said that Liberty Township was fortunate to be able to expand and take advantage of the pandemic. Since the start of the outbreak, 17 new businesses have opened in Liberty Township.
“There’s opportunities for businesses all over the place,” Matacic told Spark. “It’s just a matter of how you take your opportunities. [Businesses] have all of a sudden sprang up during COVID because [business owners] saw an opportunity to start producing something.”
On the other hand, there were plenty of small businesses in Liberty Township that were struggling. Economic Development Director of Liberty Township Caroline McKinney helped create the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program in December 2020. Through this program, small businesses could receive up to $10,000 in grant money. The program utilized funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to help small businesses in Liberty Township that needed aid. The CARES Act, passed in March 2020, provided fast and direct economic assistance for American workers, families, small businesses, and industries.
“The goal was to get [money from the CARES Act] into the hands of these small
“[SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SHOULD] KEEP A SMILE EVERYDAY AND WORK AS HARD AS THEY CAN BECAUSE THEY ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF THIS COUNTRY.” - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR CAROLINE MCKINNEY
businesses to try to help with workforce, lost income from having to be closed, or utility bills,” McKinney told Spark. “We awarded 46 small businesses in Liberty Township and, in total, we gave out $442,000.”
Liberty Township eventually ran out of the money from the CARES Act provided by the federal government, but there were still small businesses that applied and qualified for the grant program. McKinney went to the Liberty Township board of trustees and introduced the idea to use Liberty Township’s own CARES dollars to help the small businesses and that’s what ended up happening. Another way small businesses could get financial help throughout the nation is by Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The PPP authorizes up to $669 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses during COVID-19. However, in addition to the struggle for financial stability, businesses around the area also faced a larger problem: lack of workforce.
“We first saw a lot of workers being furloughed or losing jobs,” McKinney says. “Then people had to look at what they were getting from unemployment versus what the job was paying and make that decision [if they wanted to go back to work.]”
According to the Labor Department, 1.6 million people reported that they did not look for jobs during the pandemic solely because of the virus. Those 1.6 million people were not considered unemployed due to the definition of unemployment, so they weren’t given any unemployment benefits. As stated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment is people who are jobless, actively seeking work, and available to take a job. Unemployment is not only a problem for the workers that lost their jobs, but for the people that want to support small businesses.
“We’re seeing [the effect] right in stores and restaurants,” McKinney says. “[Businesses have] reduced hours or simplified offerings because they just don’t have the staff. I think a lot of businesses are having to make those tough decisions of what the right hours are to be open, and what the minimum staff is. I’m sure many of them are looking at efficiencies and where they can do more with less people.”
According to the Congressional Research Service, the unemployment rate in April 2020 rose to 14.8% which it had not reached since the 1930s. The unemployment rate lowered to 5.4% in July 2021 but is still higher than the February 2020 rate at 3.5%. These high unemployment rates have caused ripple effects that have an influence on everyone.
“That is the biggest concern, not only getting a workforce and getting people there who can do the job, but who will stay there,” Matacic says. “We’ve seen the bonuses that businesses are offering, but it adds to the cost of that business.”
McKinney says that small businesses have experienced highs and lows during the pandemic and offers a piece of advice to all small businesses across the nation.
“[Small businesses owners should] keep a smile everyday and work as hard as they can, because they are the lifeblood of this country,” McKinney says. “You hear about the big businesses but it’s the small businesses that make this country run.” •
72.2% 70.8%
62.4%
54.6%
43.7%
Education Entertainment Health Care Food Services Retail Trade
70.5%
68.2%
59.1%
49.2% 48.4%
Food Services Entertainment Education Oil and Gas Health Care
source united states census bureau
TECH BUT NO SUPPORT
The COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed the ways technology is utilized in the classroom and workforce.
Donovan Sweeten was thrilled to be taking Honors Chemistry, a class full of experimentation and hands-on learning. When the East junior checked the box to sign up for the class, he had no idea what the next year would bring. A year spent as part of Lakota’s Virtual Learning Option (VLO), meant Sweeten would never learn a staple of chemistry: how to light a bunsen burner.
Sweeten chose to participate in VLO for a multitude of reasons. Two of them were protecting his grandparents from COVID-19, and putting himself in an environment that would better replicate a real life work day. However, after a year of relying solely on technology to learn, he began to regret this decision.
“The negatives outweighed the positives for me personally,” Sweeten told Spark. “The bulk of that revolved around my reliance on technology to do everything, which obviously I knew was going to happen; it’s virtual learning. But I didn’t expect it to be as emotionally taxing as it was.”
Sweeten faced an emotional toll as technology became all-consuming, but, for some, it was a lifesaver. Technology has found an increased presence in the workforce and the school system over the past decade, but the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated its use. According to Telegeography, a telecommunications market research company, the pandemic drove up global internet capacity by 35% between 2019 and 2020. Before the pandemic, the use of technology was a choice, but lockdowns and stay-at-home orders meant technology was the only way to move forward.
Before the pandemic, 1 in 5 people were impacted by a mental health disorder, but this figure has risen to 1 in 4, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI). Associate Director of NAMI of Butler County Alyssa Louagie worked from home during the pandemic and has had to adapt to provide support for those who need it. This meant turning to digital platforms for support groups and fundraisers.
“Beyond the pandemic itself, what our society has gone through is essentially a giant group trauma,” Louagie told Spark. “The ramifications of that don’t just go away when the virus gets under control.”
NAMI of Butler County began transitioning back to some in-person events in August 2021, but Louagie says they expect to continue to offer online support groups in the future.
“It’s easier for people to get [online] because they don’t have to commute or find transportation,” Louagie says. “But I think that on the flip side, it is sometimes harder to build those connections in the same way that you would in-person.”
Above: East junior Kelsey Retzsch uses her laptop to complete her school work and research.
While participating in VLO, Sweeten struggled with finding these connections. Sweeten, like 62% of East students according to a recent Spark survey, felt largely negative about virtual learning. Even though platforms like Zoom grew exponentially, with Zoom grossing $671 million in profit in 2020, compared to $21 million the previous year, Sweeten says he used the platform less than a handful of times throughout the entire school year.
“Not being able to see or physically interact with any of your teachers or peers just took a lot of the motivation away for me to get up at a normal time, start work early, and finish things on a consistent schedule,” Sweeten says. “It became a constant struggle to force myself to work.”
During the pandemic, Lakota mainly utilized Canvas, Seesaw, Zoom, Google, and Microsoft Collaboration Suites, according to Chief Technology Officer Todd Wesley. While these tools will still be utilized, Wesley recognizes there needs to be a balance with technology in the classroom.
“As a district, we promote the purposeful integration of technology to support learning in each course,” Wesley told Spark. “No one wants to be on a computer all day, as shown by the findings in multiple studies during the lockdown. Balanced learning, as determined by the teacher, along with student voice, is the sweet spot.”
In a Spark survey, 72% of students prefer using pencil and paper, yet 94% of students say that their technology use increased during the pandemic.
For some, physical interaction does not feel necessary in the school or work day. Translation recruiter for ZOO Digital Vicki Dick, a provider of subtitling, dubbing, and media localization services, says she and her team work completely remote.
“[ZOO Digital] got a lot bigger [during the pandemic]. We grew by 100 employees in a year,” Dick told Spark. “Everybody needed what we had to offer. I had a much better ability to adapt because I had already been working from home, and the company I was working for was only growing.”
Dick works solely from her laptop, but that means she has the ability to work from anywhere, whether that be in the car before picking her kids up from school or anywhere in her home. Access to technology has led ZOO Digital to hire associates from across the globe without compromising productivity.
“[ZOO Digital] has online resources that anybody from around the world can gain access to,” Dick says. “They understand that everybody’s in different time zones so that they need to be a 24-7 company.”
Unlike ZOO Digital, Paymo, a platform for online work management software, found that working remotely was not best for the growth of the company. Chief Marketing Officer of Laurentiu Bancu says that Paymo is able to help other companies work remotely. With features like time tracking, team scheduling, and invoicing, the platform lends itself to aid companies who work in-person or remotely.
“Overall, to be honest, we’ve noticed a decrease in productivity and efficiency [when online], and we were among the first in our region to return to the office,” Bancu told Spark. “We believe that remote work and collaboration are not for everyone, and it takes time until an organization can master this situation.”
Head of Brand and Content for Hive, a productivity platform for centralized workflow management and insights, Michaela Rollings works remotely from Florida, However, the Hive team is a hybrid organization with some employees inhabiting coworking spaces in New York City and others fully remote. This situation has lended the brand this ability to innovate new technologies that will make life easier for other companies working remotely.
“As much as we’re community driven, we’re also heavily influenced as a product by our ways of working internally. That’s actually how Hive Notes, an app integrated with Zoom, came to be,” Rollings says. “We realized that we were taking part in so many more remote meetings, and we needed a way to keep track of notes and next steps, so Hive Notes was born.”
Starting in the 2021-2022 school year, 1:1 technology, like providing chromebooks to all students, has expanded down to third grade. K-2 students have a ratio of about 2:1, meaning two students per every chromebook or other technology, technology in Lakota. “[1:1 technology] provided a great foundation to continue to build on once the world locked down,” Wesley says. “We subsequently returned to school last year with almost 25% of our students online in our VLO program, and then our return this year with around 2% of our students online.”
For Sweeten, returning back to in-person learning felt like a much-needed next step.
“The way I view social interactions was severely damaged by the fact that I was surrounded by technology,” Sweeten says. “When you’re at home, the only social interaction you get is through the entertainment you watch. You start to view those conversations, those person-to-person interactions, as solely entertainment, where you do not have to participate. And when you do that for an extended period, and then you’re thrust back into normal functioning society, it’s very jarring.” •
“THE WAY I VIEW SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BY THE FACT THAT I WAS SURROUNDED BY TECHNOLOGY. WHEN YOU’RE AT HOME, THE ONLY SOCIAL INTERACTION YOU GET IS THROUGH THE ENTERTAINMENT YOU WATCH.” - EAST JUNIOR DONOVAN SWEETEN
Zoom Daily Meeting Participants
10 Million 200 Million 350 Million
2019 Mar. 2020 Dec. 2020
source business of apps
Left: East senior Brenda Fofie reflects on the environmental impacts of the pandemic.
PRESSING PAUSE
During the pandemic not only were the lives of individuals around the globe impacted, but also was the globe itself.
As she opens the social media app, Tik Tok, Brenda Fofie watches with a grim expression. Countless videos of clothing hauls from cheap online stores; she smiles and knows they are playing a role in the current environmental crisis.
During the pandemic, the environment was impacted on a large scale. Whether the impacts are long-lasting, more positive, or negative is still up to adebate.
East senior and leadership team member of Lakota Environmental Activates Forum (LEAF) club, Fofie, believes the environment is suffering due to the waste and fast fashion in society. However, she says that the pandemic gave the environment a much needed break
“COVID-19 allowed people to take a step back and stop harming the environment; it made people aware that our environment is not doing well, the climate is not doing well, and animals are going extinct at a rapid rate,” Fofie says, “However, we still saw places where the rivers have been dirty for years clear up because everybody took a month off and stayed inside.”
According to a National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) report, the reality of the social and economic slowdown resulted in reduced fossil fuel consumption, waste disposal, transportation and industrial activities. In simpler terms, the environment suffered less pollution and realized an increase in air and water quality. On the contrary, NCBI states that some of the negative impacts consisted of increased medical waste and lessoned recycling, leading to increased haphazardous and plastic waste.
The Southwest Ohio Regional Director for the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC), Kylie Johnson, says that it will realistically take years to know exactly how the pandemic has affected the environment and climate. However, in relation to the air, land, and water issues, they do know a few things.
“During the early months of the pandemic, we saw major reductions in air pollutants as communities went into lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Travel restrictions and limited commercial activity were also cited as reasons for improved water quality in some places during those early days,” Johnson told Spark. “As restrictions have been lifted, we’re seeing an increase in emissions and pollution once again harm our environment.”
Johnson believes one of the largest negative impacts on the environment locally is the poor quality of water.
“In the Cincinnati region, eight billion gallons of raw sewage mixed with stormwater enter our waterways every year,” Johnson says. “This happens because most of our region has an outdated sewer system that combines both sewage and rainwater in the same pipes. When it rains, the wastewater treatment plant cannot handle all of the water entering the sewer system. Instead, the water is diverted to combined sewer overflow pipes, where it enters our local waterways and backs up into people’s homes or on the streets.”
Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, Ana Rule, analyzes the initial impacts as positive but says that negative aspects arose as time went on.
“Initially, [the impacts] were positive because we realized we didn’t need the things that we had been previously relying on. But along with that started to come all of these other needs,” Rule told Spark. “For example, substances that we use to reduce the risk of COVID-19 on the [table] surfaces are considered pesticides that are [harmful]. We are impacting the ecosystem by putting too much of those chemicals out there.”
In terms of water clearness, canals in Venice cleared up due to the lack of traffic in March of 2020. According to CNBC, this
allowed the sediment to remain at the bottom. CNBC also reported that people were able to see the Himalayas for the first time in India, “a view that had been blocked for decades by air pollution.”
Johnson thinks that positive practices were picked up during the pandemic, and these are feasible actions that can be maintained moving forward.
“During the pandemic, we limited travel— from cross country trips, to trips around the block, to the grocery store. As we emerge from the pandemic, we should plan our travel carefully, especially as travel can lead to increased air pollution,” Johnson says. “There has been an increase in single-use plastics, sanitizers, and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). We should always make sure to dispose of these items properly, recycling whenever possible and turning to reusable items.”
One of the overlooked ways Fofie believes the environment is being impacted is in relation to fashion.
“I think that the rapid rate of growth for fast fashion was something big that happened during COVID-19 because people were [buying cheaper online],” Fofie says. “It has a negative impact on our environment because of the amount of oil that it takes to create these clothes.”
According to the Business Research Company, the fast fashion market was worth approximately $25 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach almost $31 billion in 2021. This is in part due to the increase in online ordering during the pandemic, where, according to the Facebook-Boston Consulting Group (BCG) joint study, approximately 90% of consumers made online purchases during the pandemic for clothing.
During the pandemic, Miami University Freshman Emily Mueller was able to apply environmentally-friendly practices to something she enjoys: fashion.
“I try to be sustainable by shopping second hand. Recently, my mom wanted me to get business clothes [for my major, Business]. We went to Express and there was a button-up for $44, but at Goodwill I found one for $5,” Mueller says. “[Just] do not buy coats during winter, and do not buy bathing suits during summer. Buy off-season so that the people who actually need them can get them.”
Another way to be proactive in fighting issues Johnson says is focusing on our state having an increase of clean energy.
“We can reduce carbon and other pollutants that threaten our communities by increasing investments in energy efficiency by utilities, local governments, businesses, and citizens,” Johnson says. “Cutting methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is good for Ohio’s communities and our climate. OEC is working with impacted communities to advocate for strong state and federal standards for methane pollution coming from oil and gas operations.”
Fofie pinpoints guilt as the reason behind society’s hesitation to make changes and to be aware about their impact on the environment.
“I think it’s more a guilt and shame thing because a lot of people don’t want to feel guilty about their negative actions that have taken an effect toward our environment.t’s a conversation that not a lot of people enjoy having because it makes you feel like you’re the problem,” Fofie says. “But we all are part of the problem; no one is innocent.”
Mueller admits not having been aware of her actions on the environment. But now that she does, she wants to make a change.
“To be honest, I think, before the pandemic, I was just living a life that was harsh on the world,” Mueller says. “I think if everyone just changed their mindset, just a tad, then we could take bigger strides to protect the earth.”
East Environmental Science teacher Mark Folta originally showed interest in life science from growing up going to national parks and recognizing that green spaces are important. Now he is the advisor for LEAF club at East and encourages his students to make sustainable choices.
“I have a courtyard [outside my room]. I encourage recycling, so I tried to model what sustainable agriculture looks like [in the courtyard],” Folta says. “I want my students [to take away] a bigger awareness of the environmental issues at hand. Whatever their future endeavors are, they can apply a lot of what they learn here to their own personal lives. It all starts with education, and I’m just glad to be teaching such an important topic for today’s times.”
Fofie has enjoyed not only learning about the environment in LEAF club but also taking actions to help.
“I’ve really learned that everything that we do really does have a big impact on our environment, and how we go about it is also a big deal,” Fofie says.
Rule recently read what she believes to be a great example of the larger impact everyone has.
“In some science fiction stories characters go back in time and are worried that a single little action is going to have a big impact,” Rule says. “I thought this was a really good analogy that little things have a huge [environmental] impact in the future.” •
“TO BE HONEST, I THINK, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, I WAS JUST LIVING A LIFE THAT WAS HARSH ON THE WORLD. I THINK IF EVERYONE JUST CHANGED THEIR MINDSET, JUST A TAD, THEN WE COULD TAKE BIGGER STRIDES TO PROTECT THE EARTH.” - MIAMI FRESHMAN EMILY MUELLER
Cinncinati Sewage Pipe System
In the Cincinnati region, when it rains the rainwater goes to the outdated sewage The wastewater treatment plant can’t handle seawge and rainwater in the same pipes. The water then goes to sewer overflow pipes where it enters local water ways, homes, and streets. You can reduce sewage overflows by not using water at least 12 hours after a rain event.
COLLEGE BOUND
East senior Lina Miesse researches new colleges following a recent change in her plans post-graduation.
After colleges and universities shutdown worldwide in March 2020, high school seniors began to change their plans for after graduation.
story audrey allen | photography riley higgins | infographic evie colpi
Senior Vice President and Provost of Kent State University Melody Tankersley looks at the once barren and deserted Kent State campus now roaring to life. She sees the empty bleak dorms decorated to perfection and eager students bustle about campus. She talks to students face-to-face for the first time after a year and a half of being remote.
In March 2020, all in-person classes had to move to remote delivery, and most of the staff had to work remotely. KSU wasn’t alone; at least 1,102 colleges and universities in the U.S. closed their campuses due to COVID-19. But now, as campuses across the US re-open, require vaccinations, and add new policies and protocols, colleges are finding that some students are choosing not to return.
“We had to think of new ways to interact and support one another. We wanted to make sure that all of the services we provided to students—like free tutoring, library resources, arts programs, clubs—had a way to continue to engage with students,” Tankersley told Spark. “It was like completely reinventing everything we do in a week’s time.”
HOW IT STARTED
Ohio Northern University immediately closed, per the State of Ohio’s guidance. Within one week, they went from being in a regular academic semester to having a completely empty university with only essential personnel reporting to work.
As colleges and universities moved to clear their campuses of students and offer courses online, many institutions urged students to go home and remain there. However, those efforts have raised concerns regarding students who cannot just easily pick up and go or may not have an actual home in which to return to.
“Students struggled to find room at their parent’s home and transportation to get home,” Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Ohio Northern University (ONU), Julie Hurtig told Spark. “We permitted some students to remain on campus in our apartments, including our international students who could not travel quickly.”
Even if students were able to return home, they still faced difficulties with remote learning.
“Some students, as they returned home, found the internet access to be unstable or slow, making online coursework difficult,” Hurtig says. “Overwhelmingly, faculty [at ONU] had not taught an online course and had to take their skills in hybrid instruction and move rapidly to fully remote learning.”
Kent State wanted to make sure all faculty, staff, and students had access to reliable computers and internet services, as well as cameras and headsets. They provided training for faculty and students who needed support in delivering instruction and learning in a new format.
As the pandemic rapidly spread across the U.S., higher education administrators and stakeholders anxiously wondered what this could mean for colleges and universities. But they weren’t just nervous about having to shut down campuses and adapt to virtual learning— they feared students would scrap their plans to apply to college entirely.
According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center College, enrollment had already been on the decline, with a 2% drop in first-year enrollment in fall 2019. Schools worried this rate would plummet
“SEEING THE STATE OF STUDENT DEBT AND HOW EXPENSIVE COLLEGE CAN BE IS REALLY STRESSFUL. IT DEFINITELY PLAYS A ROLE IN MY DECISION, EVEN THOUGH I’M SO READY TO LEAVE HOME AFTER THE PANDEMIC IS OVER.” - EAST SENIOR LINA MIESSE
even further during the pandemic.
“We did see a decrease in enrollment for fall 2020, and a bit for spring 2021. It’s hard to say how much, if any, of that decrease was due to COVID-19 because the state of Ohio continues to graduate fewer high school students each year,” Tankersley says. “The overall demographics of the state of Ohio are changing, and there are not as many K-12 school-aged children now as there were before.”
According to a recent College Reaction and Axios poll, 22% of college students across all four years say they’re not attending school this fall and instead taking a gap year.
“For fall 2020, we did experience a decrease of about 10% in our first-year class. These are new students entering Kent State directly from high-school,” Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management at Kent State University, Sean Broghammer told Spark. “Similarly, in spring 2021, we saw a slight decrease, but by then students and families had a better idea of the experience and were aware of the approach of the University.”
The Kent State campus community, including their support service areas and academic colleges, worked collaboratively to keep students connected to the university and enrolled again for fall 2020 and 2021. Their concerns as a University was to maintain their retention of students and help support students toward earning their degree.
“For some students, any type of disruption may be the reason they pause or stop pursuing their education. For many students, once they stop, it is a challenge to return to college,” Broghammer says. “Our goal was to continue to work with students on registering for fall classes and making progress toward their degree.”
SOME STUDENTS ADOPTED NEW PLANS
East senior Lina Miesse wants to major in earth sciences and has enrolled in a couple online classes at Miami University. She is used to online learning, so being virtual doesn’t bother her.
“Since virtual classes have become more widespread, I became more used to them after quarantine,” Miesse told Spark. “COVID-19 has made it hard to go on college tours, and some of the schools I wanted to see didn’t have in-person tours available which made it hard to really get to know the campus.”
Her original college plan was to stay relatively close by. Now, she is considering going farther away because she is concerned about the cost.
According to The Princeton Review, the majority of students and parents now say affordability and dealing with the burden of debt that often goes hand-in-hand with a degree is their top concern.
“Seeing the state of student debt and how expensive college can be is really stressful,” Miesse says. “It definitely plays a role in my decision, even though I’m so ready to leave home after the pandemic is over.”
According to the College Board, tuition fees plus room and board for a four-year private college averaged $50,770 in the 20202021 school year; for four-year, in-state public colleges, it was $22,180.
Miesse and many other students may be wary about being in groups on campus and the risk of contracting COVID-19.
“Getting used to being around lots of new people even if COVID-19 cases are down and just anxiety surrounding being in crowds or busy areas without masks will be stressful,” Miesse says. “Also thinking about whether there will be any precautions or risks surrounding COVID-19 next school year.”
According to College Crisis Initiative, a research project at Davidson College in North Carolina, more than 1,000 four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. will bring students back to campus in some form, with 45 operating fully in person, another 446 as primarily in person, and nearly 600 offering various combinations of online and in-person classes.
“Our first-year class enrollment is up over last year, and our retention of first-year students who started in fall 2020 is above 80% and only slightly behind where we have been the past few years,” Broghammer says. “I anticipate it will take a few years to stabilize enrollment due to the decrease from fall 2020, and we continue to graduate larger numbers of our students. For fall 2021, nearly 75% of our courses are back in-person.”
COVID-19 has disrupted the U.S. labor market. According to the Monthly Data Review, early data indicates that American workers without a college degree have experienced the most severe impact. Broghammer thinks that it is important for a college to “help students and families see the value in education.”
“Early on in the pandemic, there were immediate changes in employment rates and most often college-graduates were less impacted than those without a college degree,” Broghammer says. “For students, it is important to see value in their degree, the college experience, and believe that completing their degree is worth it. Colleges and universities need to do everything they can to provide support and encouragement to students to persist and graduate.” •
source cdc.gov
story name | Section
Spark investigates East’s dress code and its implications for current and graduated students. Read the in-depth in Issue 2 this winter.
PIC SIX: ROLLERCOASTERS
Spark staffer Kaleb Flood ranked his top six rides at Kings Island.
reviews and photography kaleb flood
#1 MYSTIC TIMBERS
Whatever you do, don’t go in the shed!” is the last thing heard before riding down the 109-foot wooden hill. Mystic Timbers is based on an abandoned lumber company site that riders explore. One thing I love about this ride is the quick acceleration the riders experience once leaving the loading zone. After falling down the 109 ft. hill, you go into a 53.7 degree turn that leads you to 3,265 feet of twists and airlifts, ending with a stop in the middle of a shed. For it being a wooden roller coaster, the sharp turns and airlifts weren’t as jerky and rough as normal wooden roller coasters are. A dark scenery filled with cobwebs, writings of “it’s in the shed,” and an old radio that suddenly comes on while waiting in the shed. The suspense felt when entering the shed makes the rider feel like the snake on the projector is coming out at full speed. What makes it more enjoyable is the great theme. The details of the shed, the surroundings of the ride, and the TV displays of cameras spying on the abandoned lumber site makes the ride that much better.
#2 BANSHEE
Banshee is the world’s longest inverted roller coaster. For it having a record of seven inversions, you don’t feel the blood rush to your head during a loopty loop due to the smooth ride. Never longer than 30 minutes, its efficient rotation gets people in and out of their seats extraordinarily quickly. Banshee consists of three different types of loops that all top at a speed of 68 mph. It’s the sort of ride that roller coaster fanatics will be riding several times over before moving to another part of Kings Island. Although subtle, the Banshee’s theme of a graveyard possessed by a wailing female spirit is noticeable enough to figure out, adding to the ambiance of the ride. Kings Island’s ability to take a normal loopty loop and create it into one of the highest attractions speaks volumes about the overall design of Banshee.
The newest ride in Kings Island, Orion, is a 300foot drop steel roller coaster that tops at a speed of 91 mph. It was aptly named “Best New Amusement Park Attraction for 2020” in the USA Today 10Best.com Reader’s Choice Travel Awards poll. The ride’s theme is a testing site that simulates a transport vehicle weaving through a meteor storm. For it to be successful, the program needs “volunteers.” One thing that is evident while riding Orion was the speed of the train up the hill.
#3 ORION
The train’s quick pace while accelerating to the top of the hill gives you little time to regret the decision of getting on. The only thing that puts Orion third instead of first is the fact that it’s a complete replica of Diamondback. The seat designs are similar and the continuous line of hills are seen in both rides. The only difference between the two is that Orion has a taller hill and a longer ride time. Orion did not live up to the hype when Kings Island announced the opening of the doppelganger of Diamondback.
PIC SIX: ROLLERCOASTERS
6300 Kings Island Dr, Mason, OH 45040
#4 DIAMONDBACK
Representing a snake slithering through the desert, Diamondback has rightfully been ranked among the top steel roller coasters in the world since 2009. Starting off with a 230-foot drop, Diamondback features ten consecutive hills and tops at a speed of 80 mph.
Diamondback has been the fan-favorite for visitors of Kings Island but fell off a little ever since Banshee, Mystic Timbers, and Orion came out. The stadium-style seat design is my favorite of all the roller coasters in the park. There are two seats per row, but the rows alternate in the position they’re in. One row has the two seats close and the other row has them separated, giving the rider the open-air experience. Instead of the traditional boxcar seat design with the cart encased around the seat, the stadium-style design gives the rider open leg space and nothing to hold onto.
#5 THE BEAST
The Beast is the world’s longest wooden roller coaster with a ride time of over four minutes. The ride consists of two hills, a 125-foot long underground tunnel, eight banked turns, and a 540-degree helix tunnel. The Beast has a top speed of 65 mph. The scenery of The Beast makes you feel secluded from the rest of the park, especially at night. The ride is surrounded by the woods that span for 35 acres. The best time to ride The Beast is right before it closes. At night, you can’t anticipate the upcoming turns and the speed of the ride increases because the staff is trying to get everyone out. The only thing I have against this ride is the 1500 punches you experience while on the tumultuous coaster. The ride was made 42 years ago and has been checked annually, but it still feels like you’re riding a bull. As long as you’re prepared for a beat down, The Beast is an enjoyable ride.
#6 STUNT COASTER
Backlot Stunt Coaster is a high-speed car chase that takes off from 0 to 40 mph in three seconds. The trains of the roller coaster are designed as cars with funny phrases on the drivers’ plates. The ride weaves you through a series of highways, parking garages, and gunfire.
Backlot Stunt Coaster does a great job of displaying its theme. The ride stops you in the middle of a shootout between the police and your group of “getaways”. At the top of a hill, the ride stops and there is a gun fight where one of the shots hits a propane tank, setting off a fire. The ride then takes you into a dark tunnel where you go through a series of airlifts and sharp turns. At the end of the tunnel, you bust through a billboard that has the title of the ride. I love how much detail the designers put into Backlot Stunt Coaster. The downside to this ride is the wait. The wait time is always 30 minutes or longer. Stunt Coaster does a poor job of rotating people in and out of cars, causing the line to be back up to the entrance. It shouldn’t take 40 minutes of torture for two minutes of fun.
TWICE THE TERROR
review olivia rigney | art ianni acapulco
It has been two years since American Horror Story last premiered, and season ten’s “Double Feature” premiere has fans knowing the wait was well worth it. Creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk always bring something new and fresh to the table, this time telling two stories within the same season.
American Horror Story (AHS) is one of the most widely known horror anthologies on the air. With each season following a different plot and recurring actors playing a range of different characters, there is always a new thrill for fans. After premiering in 2011, with season one “Murder House,” AHS has continued to be a staple in horror television by embodying chilling and appalling fears. Part one of “Double Feature” is titled “Red Tide” and follows Harry Gardner, his wife Doris Gardner, and their daughter Alma, as they move to the town of Cape Cod during the wintertime season. There is a dark and ominous feeling that takes over viewers while watching the first two episodes, which premiered on Aug. 25, 2021. The season’s short cold open plays into this, giving off a sinister vibe while the season is introduced under a pale and seemingly grey filter.
One of the shortest cold opens in American Horror Story history, at just over two and a half minutes, leaves viewers feeling eerie and unsure about what will happen next. There is an almost abnormal sentiment and suspicion that arises as the theme of roadkill becomes more prominent throughout the episodes.
The rest of the premiering first two episodes introduce what Provincetown is like in its off-season, and more of the town’s residences are introduced: Tuberculosis Karen, Austin Sommers, and Belle Noir. These characters are played by long-time cast members Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, and Frances Conroy, respectively. The cast gives phenomenal performances as the characters battle drug addictions and build relationships between the newcomers and the locals. They are joined by a new cast member Macaulay Culkin, who plays Mickey, alongside other new actors. After not seeing Culkin in a television performance since the “Home Alone” movies, it was intriguing to him in a new role 30 years later. Another outstanding performance came from 11-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong who plays the daughter, Alma Garnder. For being so young Armstrong put on an amazing act which made viewers at home love to hate this young hellion.
The episodes of part one will continue to air weekly on FX Network and then be released the next day on Hulu. Live viewership has been at an undeserving, dramatic all-time low for the series due to the episodes being available to be streamed the day after premiering. For comparison, the season 10 first episode premiered with only 930,000 viewers, compared to the season three premiere which surpassed six million views according to the Nielsen Media Research.
While “Red Tide” has me on the edge of my seat, invested in the dynamic of Provincetown, there has been little build-up for how it will be connected to part two. Part one seems like a mystery that is slowly being revealed episode by episode. Although the ghostly nature of the frightening plot may be off-putting for some, the amazing acting paired with the mysterious setting keeps viewers tuning in every week.
Fans should be ready to have their theories and questions answered when part two, titled “Death Valley,” airs on Sept. 29, 2021. The first episode titled “Take me to your Leader,” will star returning actor Cody Fern alongside other recurring actors from part one. Based on trailers and teasers, the plot will follow alienlike creatures, other supernatural happenings, and take place in the 1950s. The alien agenda is not confirmed, so viewers will have to tune in for the rest of the season to see how these stories will intertwine and connect. •
A CYNICAL
CREW review zach shultz | art evie colpi graphic mary barone
The best part about this film is the cast of characters. All seven members of the squad are likable in their own ways, and the dysfunctional family group dynamic between them is really fun to watch. The casting choices were great too; Cena’s captivating performance as a character named Peacemaker is surprisingly good. Another really great thing about them is that Gunn managed to give all seven some emotional depth to their character. You get emotionally invested in all of them, even a witless humanoid shark (Stallone), who has his fair share of heavy moments.
However, the film is by no means perfect. About 45 minutes in, there’s a 15-minute sequence where Harley is captured and becomes foolishly infatuated with the island nation’s dictator. These 15 minutes are a huge waste of time and don’t amount to anything important. It was just a pointless segment that didn’t add anything to Harley’s character, the storyline, or the film itself.
Regardless, “The Suicide Squad” is still an incredibly fun, exciting, and enjoyable film. It also is able to balance both the humor and emotional moments well. Regardless of the amount of bad language and extreme violence, “The Suicide Squad” was probably the best new film I’ve seen this year, and it is sure to be a hit with any comic book or DC fan. •
Picture this scene from “The Suicide Squad”: the main characters are trekking through a dense forest, struggling to reach their next destination. They trade hilariously witty remarks, prompting entertaining reactions. The jokes are funny, the characters are lovable, and the actors give captivating performances. These characteristics are only a few of the many that set this film apart from its failed predecessors in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
When it comes to the success of comic book movies, Marvel has had the upper hand in recent years over the DCEU. Most of the DCEU films have gotten generally average to negative reviews. “Suicide Squad”, released in 2016, was not an exception. James Gunn, known for the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, was chosen to direct the sequel to “Suicide Squad”. However, he chose to abandon the previous film’s set-up narrative and try something new. The movie is similar to “Deadpool” in that it takes the superhero genre and turns it into a violence-filled and irreverent film that isn’t afraid to be overtly obscene.
Produced by DC Films and distributed by Warner Bros., this version of the squad features stern Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) and deranged Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), who both return from the 2016 film along with five more criminals played by Idris Elba, John Cena, Daniela Melchior, David Dastmalchian, and Sylvester Stallone. Their mission is to infiltrate an island nation and destroy an old laboratory.
Aside from having the same premise, “The Suicide Squad” has pretty much no connection to the 2016 film. Even the returning characters are portrayed differently here. The tone is totally different, as well. The 2016 film was dark and somber, while “The Suicide Squad” is loud, absurd, and extravagant. The change really benefits this film, as the constant gore and over-the-top violence is really entertaining, so much so that gritty and gory scenes often make the viewer laugh.
Speaking of humor, this film is immensely funny. It is filled to the brim with hilarious, crude and vulgar jokes that leave viewers laughing uncontrollably. But mixed into the never-ending humor and violence are themes of how important family is and rising against Western imperialism, American foreign policy, as well as government deception and corruption. And, despite having the same premise as “Suicide Squad”, the storyline is unique and has a lot of brilliantly-executed plot twists.
Gunn’s directing is still captivating to watch. He proves that even after two “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, he is still able to show his expansive creativity throughout “The Suicide Squad”, such as the titles for each act in the film being written in the sets. Small things like this make the film more enjoyable.
Zach’s Top 5 Suicide Squad Members
graphic & art mary barone
Bloodsport
Idris Elba
Rick Flag
Joel Kinnaman
Ratcatcher 2
Daniela Melchior
Peacemaker
John Cena
King Shark
Sylvester Stallone
