FEATURE

feature. braille braille master master

Freshman Brooke Petro adjusts to life at Sion a little differently as she reads all her schoolwork in braille and experiences the school uniquely due to her visual impairment.

BY SOFIA AGUAYO PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

On the phone with her Teacher for the Visually Impaired (TVI), freshman Brooke Petro types her math answers into her braille writer in her own private study room adjoined to the music room, affectionately known as “the braille room.” Petro is a master braille reader and writer, as she is a blind student. She began learning at the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired at a very young age, and started working with her TVI in first grade. Learning was not only a different experience for Petro, it was also a learning process for her mom, Lyn Petro, and the rest of her family.

“The biggest thing that I had to learn when Brooke started school was patience,” Lyn said. “Sometimes it’s patience in waiting to see how things might be adapted for Brooke, sometimes it’s waiting to see if books or tests are already available in Braille, sometimes it’s waiting for answers from teachers or administration and sometimes it’s hoping that Braille supplies and materials will arrive in time for Brooke to use them. There are a lot of prayers for patience in our house.”

Petro learned how to read braille at the same age other children learn how to read print. Braille is not its own language; rather, it is a code made up of dot combinations punched into thick paper to create a texture for feeling words instead of seeing them. Braille takes up a lot more space than print- about three times more, so you can imagine how much more binder and notebook space is necessary.

“I’m usually in class most of the time and I do most of my work on my computer just because it’s easier and I can send that in to teachers,” Petro said. “I usually send my work in emails just because, unfortunately, Google Docs doesn’t work very well with my screen readers.”

Additionally, Petro learned a special type of braille that is used for math and science notations called Nemeth Code. Although she is in math teacher Reynold Middleton’s Algebra I Honors class, she communicates on the phone with her TVI in the braille room, where the lesson is explained via audio and Nemeth Code.

Petro’s TVI has been with her since first grade and is named Jill Bamber. Bamber was a special education teacher and reading specialist in middle schools when one of her twins suffered a stroke that left him with a visual impairment. She then decided to become a braille teacher to help him and other visually impaired students succeed in school. Already having a minor in math from her undergraduate degree, Bamber was drawn to this area of braille instruction and helps Petro with her math every day.

“When I was working in special education, I spent half of my day in math and the other half in reading,” Bamber said. “Brooke presented a challenge to me as she was always exceptional at math and I have always been sure to stay a half-step in front of her.”

Although being blind presents Petro with some challenges, it also opens up unique opportunities, such as the Braille Challenge, a competition designed to motivate visually impaired students to practice and master their braille literacy skills. There are five age group categories consisting of first through twelfth grade, and only the top ten students from each age group make it to the finals at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles, California. Petro made it to the finals seven out of the eight times she participated, although this past summer it was held virtually.

“Brooke told me on the ride home from a practice test in Kindergarten that she was not only going to place first in Kansas the next year, but that she was going to go to Nationals also,” Lyn said. “She accomplished that goal and won second place in her age category and had the top score in the Reading Comprehension portion of the test for all participants 1st-12th grade.”

Since reading braille isn’t as common as reading print, Petro orders her textbooks from certain distributors. According to Lyn, there is a national database for Braille textbooks coordinated by the American Printing House for the Blind. She contacts the Kansas Instructional Resource Center to see if Petro can borrow a book that is already printed in braille. There are also libraries for the blind where Petro can borrow braille novels. If she needs something that these resources don’t have, Lyn asks a braille publishing company to transcribe the material for her. A prisonbased organization called the Michigan Braille Transcribing Fund transcribes all of Petro’s math materials each year.

“If I would have been told that I would rely on a group of incarcerated individuals to make sure that my daughter could make it through school, I would not have believed it, but that is the case,” Lyn said. “We are forever thankful for the gentlemen that do that work.”

Petro and her parents were tasked with the decision of which high school would be the best fit for her earlier than other students and their parents, because of the different requirements that needed to be taken into consideration.

When beginning to look into what high school would be the best fit for her, Petro knew from the first time she visited in seventh grade that she wanted to attend Sion. This decision was based on many factors including the smaller buildings and campus which make it easier to get around, the small number of students and also the willingness of the teachers and administration to learn to work with her and meet her needs. Petro came with Bamber over the summer to walk through her schedule and learn her way around the school.

“Everyone was really nice and willing to do what needed to be done and send all this stuff to my mom,” Petro said. “All the teachers were super nice and helpful, so I think that was a lot of my decision.”

JUST KEEP TYPING

Typing on her braille writer, Brooke Petro works on her homework at her house. The braille writer has only a few keys that each make a different dot pattern, and Petro combines them to make words and sentences. Photo submitted | Lyn Petro

feature helpful things to do for brooke

Introducing yourself to blind people is necessary for them to know who is speaking to them. Even if you are just standing in a conversation with her, make sure to introduce yourself to Brooke when you arrive and say goodbye when you leave.

Even though Brooke has a cane that helps her navigate through any obstacles in her way, making sure to keep classrooms tidy and chairs tucked in is very helpful and important to ensure Brooke has a straight path to walk through.

Although it can be intimidating to ask to someone about a topic you do not know much about, Brooke encourages people to ask her any questions they might have about her visual impairment and daily life because of it.

THE BRAILLE WINNER

Modeling her 2021 Braille Challenge shirt, Brooke Petro smiles after winning first place in her age group for the ninth year in a row. Although the finals are normally in Los Angeles, this year they were held online to maintain social distancing. Photo submitted | Lyn Petro

BRAILLIANT BROOKE left

Celebrating on stage, Brooke Petro holds up her first place sign at the finals of the National Braille Challenge. Petro has competed in the Braille Challenge since she was eligible to in first grade. Photo submitted | Lyn Petro December 2021 // 21

mental

Music is an effective and accessible coping mechanism as long as it is used to calm emotions rather than ignite them.

STORY BY AVA ALBRACHT WEB EDITOR-IN-CHEIF DESIGN BY ELLE SIMON EDITORIALS EDITOR

Windows rolled down, as the air warbles through the moving car, a group of teenage girls blast the quintessential breakup and general angerexpression song. As Carrie Underwood begins her first line of “Before He Cheats” everyone begins to sing, more like scream, and use every bit of their voice to release their anger during that three minute and nineteen second period of raw, emotional singing.

What do you turn to when you are stressed out? In the mood to cry? Overjoyed? Dancing around? One of the most portable sources of emotional support, no matter the situation, is music. Music can be used as a distraction from the outside world, to express anger or sadness, or to find comfort and solace. We are constantly surrounded by music; people walking around wearing AirPods, the return of concerts, and window-shaking car experiences. With the invention of Spotify Wrapped, we can also see the tens of thousands of minutes we spend listening to music annually. Needless to say, it is easier than ever for our generation to access music at any time of the day. For many teenagers and adults alike, it has become a type of coping mechanism that helps them deal with or avoid an array of emotions. Music is shown to improve mood, sleep, and well-being, according to Time. All of these benefits make music an extremely effective strategy for allowing ourselves to become more grounded and in the moment. However, music will not have the same relaxing benefits if you do not take a pause from other stressful or overwhelming activities such as looking at social media, according to Time.

Additionally, the type of music we choose to listen to is also crucial when using music as a coping mechanism. According to a study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, listening to sad music while in a depressive state led to an intensified depression. So, next time you think to turn on “Before He Cheats” when a teenage boy acts as they do, think first and realize that it will likely only intensify your anger and you will likely end up in a worse emotional state than before. All this being said, music can still be positive; when calming music was played while participants were stressed out they were able to shift their moods, according to NCBI. As long as you remain cautious about the music you choose to listen to and try to find music that will either lift your mood or relax you, music is an easy, effective coping mechanism.

Music is being increasingly used in clinical therapy and has proven to decrease stress, anxiety, depression, and improve mood in patients with a variety of severe mental health disorders, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Sion’s own music teacher, Elizabeth Mulkey, played and listened to music with elderly patients with Alzheimer’s and veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“Family members would visit when music therapists were there because they would have moments of clarity that they couldn’t have normally. So that was really special, especially if a spouse could be there to kind of see a glimpse of who they used to be” Mulkey said.

It is apparent that music can be used to help people who are struggling with chronic mental illnesses and is a perfectly healthy way for anyone to handle their feelings. However, just like any other coping mechanism it is crucial to make sure that it is not taken too far or done in a way that causes further harm. So, the next time you feel upset, don’t be afraid to open your music app of choice and pump up the positive jams, because everyone needs to belt a song for fun every once in a while.

feature. JUMPING AHEAD

Freshman Greta Martin grew up spending time with horses, and for the past four years has trained and competed as an equestrian.

BY SOPHIE GROMOWSKY COPY EDITOR

Dressed in an aqua polo, long tan pants and tall black riding boots, freshman Greta Martin sits poised atop her horse moments before entering the jumper ring. She pays special attention to her breathing and heart rate as she runs through the course in her head, calculating all her jumps and positions one last time. Taking a final deep breath, she raises her head high and struts into the ring.

Martin has been spending time around horses since she was young. Her mother, Christine Bowmaster, developed a love for the animals as she grew up riding her grandfather’s horses, and she began sending Martin to Pony Camp when she was three years old as a way to introduce her to horses. Martin quickly fell in love with the sport and the animals, and when she was in fifth grade, began taking horseback riding lessons once a week from her trainer, Sarah Good. One year later, she bought her first horse, an Appendix Quarter Horse named Jake.

“When I began training Greta four years ago, I recognized that she had what it takes to be a very accomplished rider,” Good said.

Slowly she began to build up her skill set, first learning to ride in a western saddle, a style of saddle which is long and wide with a horn on the front. She mastered walking and trotting before later progressing to cantering and jumping. As she rode, Martin began to strengthen the muscles in her legs and core.

“You learn the basic steps and after it’s a lot harder too because you have to build up your leg strength,” Martin said. “It’s a whole different set of muscles that a lot of people just don’t use. No other sport works these.”

Martin and her current horse, Frisco, compete throughout the year, most frequently in the summer when she travels to attend competitions every two or three weeks. Martin says that her favorite event is the jumper ring, a timed course where the objective is to complete a series of jumps as fast as possible without knocking any rails. She loves the thrill that comes from a good round in the ring and says that nothing feels better than knowing that she did well at the end of a great ride.

“It’s been amazing to watch Greta grow in her equestrian skills,” Bowmaster said. “I had no experience with the hunter and jumper discipline which Greta wanted to pursue. And her goal to ‘jump meter fences’ seemed very aggressive to me. Now she and Frisco compete over meter courses, and they continue to improve.”

As she has progressed in her riding, Martin’s training schedule has become more rigorous and more difficult to balance with her schoolwork and extracurriculars. She currently practices five times a week, fitting in short practices in the evenings after basketball practice and multiple longer sessions on the weekends. Though scheduling can be somewhat challenging, Martin loves getting to spend time with her horses, each of whom she says has a strong personality once you get to know them. She describes her beginner horse Jake as being very smart and food-motivated and her current horse Frisco as a ‘total pleaser’.

“He loves to get treats, but if you rub his face, he’ll stick his head down and he’ll fall asleep,” Martin said. “It’s so fun. He’s a cuddly horse, as much as that happens.”

Martin says that caring for her horses has taught her important life skills like responsibility. At competitions she has to make sure that her horse is well taken care of throughout the day, bringing them their grain in the morning, giving them supplements, making sure that they always have hay and water, and ensuring that they are uninjured and sound to ride. She also says that the experience of riding is helping her to learn how to take control of her emotions and stay calm.

“You just have to pay a lot of attention and the responsibility is huge because it’s a living creature,” Martin said. “I also think it is teaching me as I go how to just kind of level out my emotions and keep calm in high stress situations. It’s still a work in progress.”

TAKING THE REINS Right

Freshman Greta Martin leads her horse Jake. Martin and her family purchased Jake three years ago as a beginner horse for her to train on. Photo | Douglas Busby Photography

HORSING AROUND Middle

Freshman Greta Martin poses with a horse at Pony Camp. Martin began attending Pony Camp when she was three years old. Photo Submitted | Greta Martin

LEAPING FOR THE SKY Left

Freshman Greta Martin and her horse Frisco soar over the jumping rails as they compete in a timed course. Photo Submitted | Greta Martin

Have A Bones Christmas

Christmas is coming up, what will Noodles the Pug predict?

BY MEGAN KELLEY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

The new TikTok trend, Bones or No Bones, is helping

people all over the world treat themselves to rest and relaxation and be productive when necessary. Now, it is time for Sion students to treat themselves this holiday season. To have a “Bones Christmas,” you will need the following: a classic Holiday movie, a good gift wishlist and a great place to buy gifts for friends.

Now, you may be asking yourself, what is a “bones day?’’ Well, TikTok user Jon Graz uses his slightly dilapidated pug, Noodle, to see if it will be a productive day or a self-care day. If Noodle stands up without falling over, it is considered a “bones day.” These days, you focus on getting tasks done. When Noodle falls over onto his cushy bed, however, it is supposed to be a self care day. Graz has accumulated 4.6 million followers over the course of a few weeks. Through all of his videos, he has gained 57.4 million likes, most of which are on his bones days. Many news outlets have also reached out to Graz. For example, NPR wrote a story on how a 13 year old pug could determine what kind of day you could have. Graz was also featured on the Today Show, where Noodle predicted a bones day.

Agreat Christmas classic is “The Santa Clause”

movie. Scott Calvin has to learn how to be Santa Clause after the real one falls off his roof. In the beginning, he does not believe in Santa Clause, elves or the North Pole. After the first night of taking over for Santa, Scott has to learn how to keep the elves in line and give out gifts. Throughout this movie, he continues to learn how to embody Santa and how to keep the Christmas magic alive. This is a great movie, made unique by the characters. The character that stands out the most is Scott Calvin with how sarcastic he is. His comments about how he doesn’t believe in Santa while giving out toys makes the movie hilarious. This is a great way to start off the holiday season.

Shopping Spree

Looking for a boutique that is near and dear to Sion?

Well in the nook between Briar Street and Roe Avenue is Addie Rose. This boutique offers many gift ideas for friends and family, such as the Carlie Sweater and the Francie Sweater. Other items sold at the boutique are jewelry, dresses, pants and shoes. It was founded by Meagan Doyle, a Sion alumna, class of 2002. Starting in a small house in 2007, the boutique now has a booth at the Mother-Daughter Luncheon. Offering a wide selection of clothes, this shop can be a great place to buy christmas clothes for friends and family.

MOVIE MAGIC

Acool gift idea is the HOMPOW mini projector. Seniors

are thinking about their gifts to help with their first year of college. This mini projector is available on Amazon at $79.99. It’s cheap and affordable compared to other projectors of the sort. This projector can connect to your phone with a cord. You can set up some white sheets or blankets against a wall and turn on the projector. This projector is not only affordable, but it has great reviews. This is highly recommended if you want to watch movies in college.

New Kicks

An idea for Christmas are some Nike Air Force 1s.

They are starting to become trendy again with their color revealing pairs. The woman’s pair of the Reveals are $110. Once you get the pair, you will see a small print text saying tear here. That is where you can tear off the fabric to see the colors underneath. It is a variety of colors underneath the tearable fabric.

HEY, DOLL

What childhood doll are you? Start here:

What’s your flavor profile?

Salty Sweet

Which music would you pick?

Disco Dance Pop Savory What’s your favorite meal?

Spicy Dinner

Do you like roller coasters?

Yes No

Are you a little mischievous? Lunch

Where would you want to live?

City Suburbs

Country

Which color pallet do you prefer?

What region? Yes No

West Coast East Coast

Are you a morning person?

Yes

You’re a Barbie girl in a Barbie world. You are known as the ultimate go-getter. You wake up in the morning ready to face the day, and you hope to be a careerdriven woman who can do it all. You value family and are the coolest caretaker on the block. You’re basically Wonder Woman with a high ponytail, and we salute you. Like Polly Pocket, you are cute as a button and we’d like to pack you in our purse and keep you around all day. You don’t take life too seriously, you love your besties, and you’re out for a good time. For you, it’s not about winning - it’s about the journey and letting your friends run the show. You are the definition of an all-American girl. People know you as a responsible and hardworking girl who hopes to achieve your dreams. You’re a strong leader and an even better friend due to your huge heart and dependability. You are ready to take on the world with a positive attitude and bright eyes.

You may identify with a Bratz doll but you’re anything but. You let your inner diva shine and you are not apologetic about it. People naturally gravitate toward you and you’re the life of the party. We often see you strutting down the halls and owning your fashion on the weekends. You are destined for the spotlight in whatever you choose to do. Warm tones

Cool Tones