Marian High School Network Student Newspaper - September 2020

THE NETWORK MARIAN

VOLUME SIXTY-SIX • ISSUE TWO •September 2020 MARIAN HIGH SCHOOL • 7400 MILITARY AVENUE OMAHA, NE 68134 • WWW.MARIANDIGITALNETWORK.COM

When you cast your vote, thank a suffragist MaddieGenoways

V

oting: one of America’s most cherished practices, considered one of the core rights of any U.S. citizen. This is why it comes as such a surprise to many that this basic right was only made available to all citizens around 45 years ago.

At first, the right to vote was only extended to white, male property owners, until this was extended to include all white men in 1856. The initial voting system acknowledged neither the rights of women nor people of color.

Then, after years of fighting, on Aug. 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was passed. The U.S. proclaimed that “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied...on account of sex,” signifying a victory for women’s suffrage. The U.S. made no such promises about denying the right to vote on account of race, however.

Even after such a monumental step in the direction of equality for the U.S., the amendment still excluded millions of citizens of color, men and women alike, and kept a significant percentage of the population voiceless in its own government. “We as citizens of the United States are awarded the great opportunity to have a say in

who leads our government and how it functions. We owe it to all those who can’t vote, both in America and abroad, to exercise this privilege we have been given,” sophomore Elizabeth Foreman said.

Even while this percentage still could not vote, there were further steps taken to prevent people of color from voting. Many states, primarily those in the South, put in place voter suppression laws, set voting taxes and began

requiring literacy tests to keep Black Americans from voting.

But slowly, progress was made toward a more equal America. In the 1950s, Asian-Americans gained citizenship and the right to vote after thousands had been forced into internment camps during WWII. Then, in 1962, Native Americans gained citizenship and their right to vote, soon followed by Black women in 1965. Finally, in 1975, Latina women joined the voting populace of the U.S.

Even in today’s government, the voices of women of all races often fall beneath others, especially in the political sphere. According to the Center of American Women and Politics, out of the 126 women currently serving in Congress, only 47 are women of color.

“Young women are not typically included in the calculations elected officials are making,” Dr. Erin Feichtinger, representative on the MCC Board of Governors and ’05 Marian alumna said. “If more young women voted, then they become a constituency to be reckoned with.

And that’s critically important if we would like to see a country that works for more people than just old, rich, white men.”

Now, a century after the 19th Amendment and years of fighting for the rights of women of color, the political world is the most open to women that it has ever been. The right to vote was fought for by those without a voice so that their descendents could have a say in their government.

“100 years ago, hundreds of women worked extremely hard for future women to be able to vote,” senior Katie Corpuz said. “If you aren’t voting for yourself, vote for them.”

Ruth Bader Ginsburg leaves lasting female legacy NatalieCusick

O

n the evening of Sept. 18, Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died.

Known as “RBG,” Justice Ginsburg empowered women of all colors, classes and political parties.

RBG was the second woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court, and she took that responsibility into

every decision she made during her 27 years as a justice.

Ginsburg entered D.C. and made room for every woman in America.

She famously said that “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made... It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.”

RBG’s death is a hard loss for

many Marian girls who she inspired.

“Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a pioneering advocate for women’s rights in America who persisted throughout her career and inspired generations of women with a legacy that will never be forgotten,” senior Ashlee Czyz said.

19th Amendment conference to be rescheduled for fall 2021

MaddieGenoways

S

tudents present at Marian last year may have heard about the Young Women’s Leadership Conference, a celebration of the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote and female leadership in the community.

Unfortunately, like most major events this year, the conference and all of its group festivities had to be canceled, but there’s hope for the celebration.

“We are going to reschedule the Photo on the 19th Amendment conference, most poster located near the Haddix. likely for the fall of 2021,” English Department Chair and organizer of the conference Ms. Susie Sisson said. “In the meantime, we plan on hosting a series of video conferences this school year. We’re also going to host a panel discussion about women in politics that we plan on showing sometime around Election Day in November.”

The video interview with Margaret Peterson Haddix, author of this year’s all-school read, Uprising, this August was the first of this series of conferences for the three Omaha all-girls schools: Marian, Mercy and Duchesne.

While the conference’s reschedule date is undetermined, the activities planned will continue. “The conference will include a keynote speaker, breakout sessions on a variety of topics, an activity fair, and a parade,” Sisson said.

This conference is one piece in Marian’s effort to encourage students to use their voices and make themselves heard in their community. “It’s so important for all of us to know and understand our history so that we can better know and understand what’s going on in the world today,” Sisson said.

Students are taking the message of empowerment to heart and encouraging others to use their voices.

“People have fought and died just for women to be able to vote, so I think that you should utilize yours,” freshman Ava Blaine said.

Fotric 226B infrared camera: an investment in student safety AnnaKidder

Anna Kidder’ 21 shows off the new infrared camera in the front lobby.

Photos by NaomiDelkamiller

M

arian has implemented many precautions to ensure students can still attend school in person this year.

One of

those precautions cost $4,500. The Fotric Infrared Imager and Integrated Temperature Scanner (FRITS) is a thermographic monitoring system that detects abnormal body

temperatures as individuals pass the camera. Marian uses the FRITS, with the help of paraprofessionals Ms. Hannah Hennings and Mrs. Sarah Timpe, to check students, teachers and visitors’ temperatures as they enter the building. It is set up right inside the main entrance to ensure everyone gets checked.

Instead of using a handheld thermometer, “we decided to invest in [FRITS] so that individual temperatures would not have to be taken every day,” Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Ms. Rochelle Rohlfs. “Handheld thermometers have a wide range of user error and touch handling, so this was a good solution for that.”

Marian used grant money they received to help with

COVID-19 related expenses to purchase the FRITS. The system makes for efficient temperature checking and allows people to stay socially distanced. “It can scan a number of people at once if necessary. It is very high-tech!” said Principal Susie Sullivan. When a student comes to school with a high temperature, she is taken to the isolation room and her parents are called to pick her up. So far this year, no students have been sent to the isolation room.

Along with the FRITS system, students and faculty are filling out the Symptom Checker on the Children’s Hospital website every morning before school. Marian has also advised everyone to do self-checks from home.

pg 3

pg

6

pg

14

02 News

September 2020

Coast to coast, communities learn to recover from natural disasters during pandemic MaddieGenoways

R Hurricane Laura caused $8-12 million in damages and led to the deaths of 10 people in Texas and Louisiana.

ecently, many communities in America have been suffering from natural disasters, such as Hurricanes Laura and Sally in the Gulf Coast and wildfires spreading across the West Coast.

Although Hurricane Laura has already made landfall and has now died down into a tropical storm, communities in the Gulf Coast are still feeling its effects. “Hurricane Laura was a bad hurricane, category 4 at landfall. [Lousianians] were fortunate that it hit a relatively unpopulated part of the state,” KETV-7 Chief Meteorologist Bill Randby said. According to NPR, Hurricane Laura has caused around $8-12 million in damages, and 10 people in Texas and Louisiana have died.

This hurricane may have been isolated to the Gulf of Mexico, but many Marian students have family and friends living in these natural disaster hotspots. “Our family friends had to evacuate their home,” junior Fiona Gautschi said. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and power outages, communicating with their loved ones became quite a challenge.

However, the complications due to COVID-19 go beyond difficulty communicating. The virus also impacted evacuation missions. “COVID-19 played a small part in Laura as some people who tested positive could not be evacuated on some of the buses or housed in some of the shelters,” Randby said.

People who could not be evacuated and the rest of those who stayed behind face a whole new wave of challenges.

Many stores, already low on supplies during the pandemic, cannot provide for families searching for the provisions

“

Graphic by MaddieGenoways

Acres of land have been burned in total

1,000,000 750,000 500,000

g

m

tn

Co

gh

N

or

th

Li U LN

gh Li U SC

pl

in

g tn

Fir Cr

ee

k

pl m Co st gu Au

in

e

ex

0

ex

250,000

they need to stay safe. “They have to maintain health regulations while supplies and space are limited, which makes them vulnerable to COVID-19,” junior Bailey Kollasch said.

Some students have experienced hurricanes and the damage they bring firsthand, but for most, the idea might seem pretty foreign. However, students may have had a taste of the hurricane experience in August. “I believe the recent Iowa derecho was as bad as the hurricane from a wind damage and power outage standpoint,” Randby said, referring to the powerful wind storm that hit Iowa and parts of eastern Nebraska on Aug. 10.

In 2020, wildfires in California have consumed around 7,000 square miles, and 10 percent of the state’s population of 4.2 million has been forced to evacuate, according to USA Today. Fires spanning from Washington to California have also struck a major toll on the air quality in the surrounding area.

Even as Hurricane Laura has calmed into a tropical storm and the wildfires are in the process of being contained, the damage that trailed behind will still take time to repair.

Communities along the West and Gulf coasts are working to heal from these tragedies, but many still need supplies and a place to stay while they wait for the danger to pass.

Even from Nebraska, people can offer aid to those in need due to natural disasters. Donations can be sent to victims of the wildfires through donation centers like The Red Cross and the California Community Foundation’s Wildlife Relief Fund. Hurricane relief donations are delivered most effectively through Louisiana’s local charities such as Junior League and Second Harvest Donations.

...the recent Iowa derecho was as bad as the hurricane from a wind damage and power outage standpoint.

KETV-7 Chief Meteorologist Bill Randby

“

Omaha students give sustainability a try; making change one step at a time EmilySalzman

A

t the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, Marian’s administration decided to invest in a new sustainability program which added composting to the daily lunchtime routine for students. With this addition to the school, Marian got the chance to expose students to the reality of living a more sustainable lifestyle and how beneficial being sustainable is for the environment.

Though this addition is a great way for all students to participate in making the school community more eco-friendly, there are many other ways that Marian students can get involved in sustainability in the Omaha community. One group in particular, which was just recently formed and has already made its mark on the city of Omaha, is Students for Sustainability (SFS).

SFS was founded in 2019 by recent Mercy graduate Cate Kelly.

“The environmental destruction I witnessed happening around the world and the lack of responses to climate change from leadership made me so angry that I decided to do something myself !” Kelly said. The group is made up of about 30 students from schools all around Omaha. Some of these schools include: Marian, Creighton Prep, Westside, Central, Millard North, Duchesne, Mercy and Concordia.

Since its start, SFS has been working to bring the issue of climate change in Omaha to the attention of local government officials including Governor Pete Ricketts, Mayor Jean Stothert and the entire Omaha City Council. A few of these efforts have included petitioning for the Omaha plastic bag ban- which would ban the use of single use plastic bags in stores all around the Omaha area- writing letters to elected officials and those who are running for public office about the importance of having a sustainable community, and rallying in front of the courthouse in solidarity with the worldwide climate strikes that went on for much of last year.

SFS is currently planning some big events

coming up in the near future that Marian girls will be able to get involved in. The current president of SFS, Camille Beaulieu, a senior at Westside, says, “Currently, SFS is focusing on the Second Annual Omaha Youth Climate Strike. It will be Friday, Sept. 25 at 9 a.m. This is a great way for high schoolers to connect with the community and tell local legislators how you feel and what is important to you.”

This event is once again going to be in unity with the global school strike started by Swedish student and climate change activist Greta Thunberg.

To join SFS, students can reach out to the group through the SFS Instagram (@omahasfs) and voice their interest in becoming a part of the organization. If they would prefer to just come and support the different events that SFS hosts, they can go to the official website (studentsforsustainability.com) and keep an eye out for the information that will be posted for each event. However, joining SFS is most definitely not the only way that students can get involved with creating a more eco-friendly environment.

“Writing letters to your representatives in support of climate action, and against fossil fuels is also beneficial. When you turn 18, VOTE for candidates pledging to take climate action.

The first step is the most important part; raising awareness of the severity of the issue of climate change. So talk to your family and friends and try to make small changes in your daily life. It’s more important to have lots of people practicing sustainability imperfectly than a few perfectly,” Beaulieu said.

Marian girls have an opportunity to make change in both the Marian community and the greater city of Omaha. When students take action, they have the potential to make a huge difference in their local community that will benefit all who live there and could ensure a healthy environment that is suitable for living in the future.

SFS table set and ready to recruit new members with flyers, pins and a raffle.

Photo by Emily Salzman.

SFS sets up shop in Elmwood park for a thrifty clothing swap.

Photo by Emily Salzman.

An assortment of pins give style to sustainability.

Photo by Emily Salzman.

September 2020

College decisions shake student mindsets RyleeGregg

F

all is usually a time for new beginnings, and one of the biggest shifts that a person can go through is moving into college. With this in mind, college freshmen this year have faced a particularly difficult challenge with all the uncertainty that comes with living in this pandemic. Students were unsure if they would even be moving out of their homes come August, or if they’d move hundreds of miles only to be quarantined in a dorm room. Many are still questioning what might happen if their campus shuts down altogether.

Emma Johnson ‘20 is a freshman at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, which is roughly a 22-hour drive from Omaha. She lived with uncertainty for months as the date for the release of housing information continued to get pushed back. She found out that she would be able to move in

on September 8, but that was provided she followed extremely strict guidelines. “They had us all sign an agreement saying that if COVID-19 got really, really bad, Dartmouth has the right to tell us all that we have twenty-four hours to get out and get on a plane to go home,” Johnson said.

She had to take four COVID-19 tests as a part of her move-in procedure and the college will be doing weekly tests. So far, out of the roughly 3,100 students on campus, only two students have tested positive, which is fantastic news for all who hope the college will stay open.

Connor Gregg is a freshman at Duke University in North Carolina, roughly 1,200 miles away from Omaha. He was thrilled when he found out that he’d still be moving into his dorm room in August, but when registration came around, he was only able to register for online

classes. While still happy for the opportunity to be there, he was disappointed that he wouldn’t be getting the “full experience,” and this development left him unsettled about the possibility of the campus shutting down altogether and what that might mean for him.

On the other hand, students like Sydney Dell envy Gregg’s situation. Dell was over-themoon when she found out she had been accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Her happiness faded when she found out that she would have to stay at home and take online classes for the foreseeable future.

In the meantime, Dell has made the best of her situation, converting a basement bedroom into her “dorm.” She looks forward to the day when she can move to the campus and officially start her college journey.

Pandemic diversifies college applications AnnaDailey

A

s juniors and seniors approach the end of high school, talk of the next step becomes more and more relevant.

From taking the ACT to going on college visits, a lot of stressful preparation goes into applying for college. Due to COVID-19, the college application/admission process may look a little different this year.

“I haven’t taken the ACT yet and I have been trying to take it since March, but it’s been cancelled every time, and the website is constantly crashing because there are so many people trying to sign up,” senior Ola Hezel said. “I was hoping to take it three or four times before I applied, but now I probably won’t be able to take it at all.”

Colleges understand the unpredictability of this situation and many of them have decided to go test-optional, meaning students won’t need to submit their test scores. “We understand that fewer people are going to have test scores this year, which is

totally fine by us,” Assistant Director of Admissions at Creighton University Chris Slocombe said.

“If a student has shown consistency in the classroom, can write really well and has a recommendation from someone who

“

I haven’t taken the ACT yet and I have been trying to take it since March.

Ola Hezel ’21

“

has taught them or can vouch for them, those are typically better indicators that a student is going to be successful in college. . .We don’t want someone who is an excellent student, but otherwise didn’t get what they wanted on the test to stop them from applying to an institution like Creighton,” Slocombe said. Creighton University adopted the test-optional policy beginning with the Class of 2020.

College visits are another aspect of picking the right college that has drastically changed this year; most have been transformed into a virtual experience.

“I haven’t really narrowed down where I am going to apply to, because I have not been able to visit anywhere,” senior Anna Ambrose said.

Slocombe’s advice to college applicants this year is to “try to visit your school either virtually or in person, depending on how comfortable you are with an institution’s protocol surrounding campus visits, mask-wearing and that sort of stuff.”

Information about colleges’ most recent application requirements can be found on Naviance, the Common Application website, specific college websites and other college search resources.

Marian counselors and the staff members of Student Services are also available for any college-related questions about admissions and scholarships.

COVID-19 causes college sport cancellations EmilySalzman

C

ollege sports have always been a huge part season has been cancelled, it is counted as a redshirt of American culture, whether it be through season. We then have another year of eligibility,” households watching an exciting rivalry or the athSaalfeld said. letes who spend their high school careers preparing However, while Saalfeld’s team is still practicing to play at their dream college. When many college in preparation for their upcoming indoor track seasports seasons were cancelled due to COVID-19, son, some students were not as lucky. Claire Hartley thousands of students had their dream ‘20 received an athletic scholarship for college experience taken away from diving at the University of Iowa this year, them. but that is no longer going to happen.

One of these students is Emily “Our [dive] team, and a few others, Saalfeld, a 2020 Marian graduate and actually got cut due to the budget and current freshman at Northwest Mismoney cuts the university had to make souri State University. Saalfeld received since football isn’t happening,” she said. a scholarship to run cross country and This means that some students might track, but received the news on Aug. 5 not be able to afford their college tuition, that there would be no season for her which could lead to some students Emily Saalfeld ‘20 to run in. “I was in absolute disbelief. I was excited to compete transferring and completing their school year elsewhere. could not believe that something I had for Northwest MisThe loss of the fall sports season was been looking forward to for so long had souri State Universigotten cancelled,” Saalfeld said. ty. Unfortunately, her felt by college athletes all around the The cancellation of college sports has season was cancelled country. However, there is still opportunity for a winter and spring season this begged the question: What happens to due to COVID-19 year, which offers hope for a brighter the students who are on sports scholon Aug. 5. Photo by year ahead in the world of college sports. arships but aren’t having a season? “We HannahSaalfeld. still have our scholarship, but since the

CORONA ON CAMPUS

News 03

Positive case clusters in Greek life lead to shutdowns, blame

NatalieCusick

W

hen schools started back up in August, headlines immediately began to report clusters of positive COVID-19 tests in various teams, schools and groups across the country. A common factor throughout many of these stories was Greek life.

At the University of Washington in Seattle, more than 100 students living in fraternity houses tested positive for COVID-19, according to the US News and World Report. Hundreds of coronavirus cases have been linked to the Greek systems across the country, including the University of North Carolina, UC Berkeley, and the University of Southern California.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is no exception.

Students came back to campus during the week of Aug. 10-16, started online classes on Aug. 17 and switched to in-person classes on Aug. 24. On Aug. 23, Kappa Alpha Theta reported a cluster of five cases. A few days later, Delta Delta Delta reported five more, and the list kept growing. Since the first cluster on Aug. 23, 11 houses have reported clusters of positive cases. All have served a two-week quarantine, according to the university’s Twitter page.

Laura Tooley ‘19 was living in one of the 11 houses, Alpha Phi, before being placed into quarantine on Aug. 30. “This was done by the Lancaster County Health Department, but we were already prepared to be in shutdown,” Tooley said. “As soon as girls test positive, they let our president know and they contact girls who they were in close contact with.

Our president then reports it to the necessary people at the university.”

“Testing is up to girls to decide,” Tooley said. “Before school began, we all filled out a form explaining what our plans were if we were in contact with someone who tested positive or if we tested positive, as we cannot quarantine at the sorority house.” Tooley feels completely safe living in the house. “We all wear masks in common areas, eat meals in shifts and are spread out in the dining room. No guests or friends [come] inside the house, our meals are no longer self-

“

Laura Tooley ‘19 smiles big with Payton Moore, her Alpha Phi sister. The two girls were disappointed to find much of the blame for an increase in on-campus COVID cases had been placed on sororities and fraternities. Photo from LauraTooley ‘19. serve to avoid spreading germs, [and] our cleaning people come more often,” she added. Tooley noted that many girls are taking responsibility for themselves and others by “leaving the house as soon as they show symptoms or as soon as they know they were in contact with someone who is positive.”

Though there are many Greek houses that have been shut down due to positive test results, they do not account for even half of UNL’s 727 total cases from Aug. 12 through Sept. 21, according to covid19.unl.edu. Aside from one report at a dorm, the university has not reported any other clusters outside of Greek life. This has caused many people on Twitter and in the Greek life system to question if blame is being placed disproportionately on sororities and fraternities. “I do feel there is an emphasis on blaming the Greek system. You can kind of tell just based on where they are reporting the clusters of cases. They aren’t really reporting athletic cases to the public, at least that’s what it seems like,” Tooley said.

Following the two weeks of quarantine for these 11 houses, six Greek chapters were suspended on Sept. 8 due to a lack of social distancing on their bid day.

According to a statement from UNL, these houses will not be allowed to participate in any events, and an investigation will be held to determine disciplinary punishments.

As soon as girls test positive, they let our president know, and they contact girls who they were in close contact with.

Laura Tooley ‘19

“

04 Opinion

September 2020

Female rappers work to spread empowerment one verse at a time Column by JessicaBrusnahan

F

lo Milli. Cardi B. Nicki Minaj. Megan Thee Stallion. Lizzo. Saweetie. I’ve named just a few, but each one of these female rappers have the incredible ability to fire up women everywhere and show them that they should be their most confident, powerful selves. I respect it 100 percent.

Rap music is now one of my favorite genres. A couple years ago, I listened to a lot of country, so I never thought I’d get to this stage. Now here I am, blaring Lizzo’s “Like a Girl” while cruising down the interstate and singing every word. Yeah, there are probably people looking at me, but that’s just the power of Lizzo and so many other female rap artists: they make you want to feel their confidence.

The industry wasn’t always like this.

Once upon a time, rap was for guys to write and guys to sing, period. There were women around, but they weren’t taken as seriously as their male counterparts. Even today, when I look through my queue, I’d say about 75 percent of the rap songs are by male rappers such as Eminem, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Post Malone and Migos. And would you look at that, I just listed several more male rappers than I did female. It’s almost sad,

Females are strong and not afraid to speak up anymore. Whatever amount of controversy their songs get them into, female rappers won’t stand idly by anymore and talk about the same things over and over.

I have never thought women should have to defend what they do and how they do it, but in today’s culture, there are few uncontroversial topics. The rap genre is the top arena I can name in which women are either censored for sharing their opinions or entirely drowned out for being “too dirty.”

But I don’t want to take this anymore.

I want equality to be the reality, not just a faraway dream. Profanities aside, I want women and men to be able to have meaningful conversations with each other.

I don’t want one side to have to tear down the other just to build themselves up.

Women are an integral part of the future, and today I feel empowered to see them rise up: in politics, on social media, in the environment, and all other places where decisions are made. In the studios, female rappers are furthering their message of self-confidence for everyone, everywhere.

Above all else, they have taught me that I can rule the world, on my own.

how intuitive my response is when I think of rap: male-dominated.

I’m not the only one who loves rap music, even here in the Marian community. Out of the 200 students who answered the September Network survey, 119 said they listened to rap music.

Out of those 119, 42 said they listened to female rappers more often than male rappers.

I wasn’t surprised: Marian fosters a great sense of empowerment in girls that challenges them to stand up for themselves and make meaningful changes in the world. Still, if only 21 percent of Marian girls prefer to listen to music by their own gender, this means that the

overall rap-loving population is much more divided.

The female rappers who were most liked by girls included Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, and Nicki Minaj, who are all outspoken critics of gender inequality in the music industry.

At least 119 Marian girls support them.

That’s my favorite part: knowing that many girls agree that feminism (especially in such a male-dominated music genre like rap) needs to be at the forefront of conversations.

This rant may sound like just another girl complaining about male dominance of the popular media, but I’m serious.

Graphic by MaddieGenoways

with the community, when I transferred from Central to Marian my junior year, I knew things would be different in that regard.

As we brainstormed coverage for the September Network and bounced around ideas about what was new this year, one of my fellow staffers mentioned that some people had asked which pronouns Marian students preferred. This made me happy, not because it impacted me personally, but because it is important to me that no matter how someone identifies as an individual, they deserve the decency of respect from everyone. I understand there can be issues surrounding that concept; if something goes against your religion or your political view, it can be difficult to find acceptance in yourself for that thing. However, an individual’s choice of what faith to follow or party to vote for should in no way discredit another human’s choice for what they identify as. If everyone did this, followed the rule of common decency for one another,

it would make the world a safer place.

Although this idea seems attainable to me, it can be difficult for a lot of individuals to put aside a prejudice they have for someone else. I can easily relate: on a much less serious level, an example in my life is that I hate peas. They disgust me, and I cannot for the life of me understand their existence in the vegetable world.

Now, some people would disagree and think those statements were atrocious and unfair to an innocent pea who wasn’t doing much harm. And I can’t bring myself to put aside that dislike for peas, similar to how someone may feel about their dislike for using preferred pronouns.

This seems silly in comparison to such an important issue in one’s life, but it gets across the point that some people have a difficult time respecting something they don’t understand.

Coming from public school provides a very different atmosphere for how I view things at private schools. Ideas that are being introduced at Marian have been in place since before my freshman year

at public facilities. It seems unfair, in a way, to compare two things so different, and I have no place to judge a Catholic school for taking strides so large within its community. The fact that some people started asking for preferred pronouns is incredible; it fills me with so much joy and hope for the future wellbeing of our fellow underclassmen and the legacy of our generation to continue on with such inclusion.

It is important for the community to strive for change, if we wish to see it happen. As we get older, we are entrusted with massive amounts of responsibility, one part being the way we treat each other and how it will affect those around us. It is important we view each other with at least an ounce of dignity and courtesy. Acceptance can come later, as it remains difficult to agree with the choices of others. The respect of everyone, regardless of race, sexuality, political or religious affiliation, or gender, is necessary in order to ensure a sense of peace and unity, and that is beginning inside Marian.

Preferred pronoun use becomes a case of human dignity, respect Column by GaeaKaan

T

hroughout recent years in American history, the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community have become more prevalent as the individuals of the community persist in their fights across the country.

Although there are still groups of people that continue to disrespect these human beings, small forms of kindness and respect make all the difference to members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Given the difference between how public school and private schools approach situations dealing

Tired traditions need to change Column by RyleeGregg

H

istorically, a woman’s life consisted of finding a suitable husband, marrying him and taking his last name, and then maintaining his household and raising the children. In more recent years, so many things have changed about a woman’s life. We can have our own careers and support ourselves, so our whole life doesn’t have to be a quest for the right person to marry. That being said, why hasn’t the tradition of taking his last name changed with it?

The origins of women taking their husbands’ last names can be found hundreds of years ago. In fact, the name change was a symbol of the woman going from being a part of her parent’s family to being her husband’s property. I know that it has long ceased to mean this, but I don’t like the idea of taking my future spouse’s last name based on this frankly offensive tradition.

As a result of this, many choose to sim-

ply keep their own last name, but I’m not a fan of that idea either. The good thing about the tradition of name change is that it’s a public symbol of the union that has just occurred. If both partners keep their last names, it seems that the marriage is already off to a divided start, whether that’s true or not.

For these reasons, I love the idea of hyphenation. Neither of the newlyweds is sacrificing more than the other, but both are changing something about themselves. Furthermore, their names are quite literally joined together, which is a fantastic symbol of a fair and balanced relationship. Compromise is key in any partnership, and hyphenation accomplishes just that.

Changing your last name should always be something you and your partner choose, not something done blindly based on an archaic societal norm. Marriage is a new beginning to a chapter of your life, so it’s worth discussion and compromise to make it what you and your partner want.

Paranoid pandemic predicament ChloeHerbert

“She probably has COVID.”

“Her cough sounds bad.”

Editorial Cartoon by GaeaKaan

Have an opinion on something you see in this paper?

Send us a Letter to the Editor. netpaper@omahamarian.org

September 2020

Opinion 05

Stuck in your thoughts: A talk about mental health under quarantine

Column by SophieStevens

C

orona 2020 is never something I personally thought I would be going through. Well, really, nobody did. A global pandemic never seemed to be something I would have to worry about. It seemed surreal to have to stay in my house all the time and wear a mask around even my closest family and friends.

Being isolated from my best friends, school and sports was devastating. I am always on the go, and never really allow myself time to think about much of anything. Going from never being able to stop and think, then all of a sudden, being stuck with your thoughts was not a good feeling.

In July of 2019, I lost my sister, and thinking about it seemed like the worst thing. After she passed away, school started, and it felt like my life was back to normal. Obviously nothing was normal about it, but it gave me some time to grieve and not think about only her.

She was a huge light in my life, so it was hard to have to begin a new normal.

School and sports were a get-away from myself, and helped me not be consumed in my thoughts. Therefore, going into self-isolation about eight months after

she passed away did not seem like the best idea for my mental health.

My sister, Macy, was born with a serious heart condition and had three open heart surgeries in the first three years of her life. When she was 10 years old, she had a heart transplant and had to live in St. Louis for four months. After Macy’s heart transplant, she recovered in about three weeks and was right back to the regular life she was used to living.

The week before Macy passed away, my family and I were in Greece. Macy started to catch a cold, and for Macy, a cold could mean heart failure. When arriving back in Omaha on July 1, Macy and I drove together to the hospital. This is the last moment I remember talking to her as the Macy that I knew her as. We got to the hospital and the doctors started to run tests, hoping that it was just a regular cold.

Macy did not have a cold, and was going into heart failure. She was in the hospital for approximately 11 days before she passed away with our family and friends around her. Macy was a strong, light hearted, loving and sassy girl. She never let the big things get to her and lived the life I strive to live.

Going into quarantine for me was something that seemed horrible, but in the long run, it forced me to think of the things I needed to.

Continually not having to think about my sister was not good, and I needed closure.

Sophie Stevens pictured with Macy at the hospital on the day Coronavirus, after their little sister, Mia, was born. for me, was a closure, and I am grateful I was given time time of healing to heal. and growth. A time to sit back and think; These last six months of quarantine think about the good and the bad times made me realize how much time is limI had with Macy. It was a time to sit in ited.

It showed me that the 15 years of her room and not hold in my emotions my life that I had with Macy were taken because other people were around. She for granted.

I never thought I would lose will always be a big part of my life, and Macy, and losing my sister opened my continuing life without her still doesn’t eyes. feel real. But for now, I have a sense of

vatorship at the age of 38. Spears has no control of her finances, despite being one of the biggest, most well known celebrities in the world. In early 2020, fans began to take notice, and the hashtag “FreeBritney” started gaining traction. Despite the public support to end her conservatorship, it was extended by a court on Aug. 21 until February

under conservatorship can be assigned guardians they don’t even know, or people who don’t even need a conservatorship can be forced to give up control of their lives if the court thinks it’s necessary.

We need to start taking Britney Spears’ mental health seriously Column by MiaDunker

B

Marian High School, 7400 Military Ave., Omaha NE 68134 netpaper@omahamarian.org MHSbeat

mhspub

mhspub

The Network is

by GaeaKaan

TheNetwork

2021, right as it was set to expire. #FreeBritney has shone a light onto conservatorship in the United States, and because of it, people have become aware of the flaws in the system. While conservatorship can be a good way to help people who are unable to manage their money by themselves, in theory, the system can, and has been shown to, be abused to control the money and lives of the vulnerable.

Without proper regulation, the people

Britney Spears sings “Slave4U” in her 2001 VMAs outfit.

Illustration

ritney Spears’ music was ever-present in my childhood and preteen years.

My friends and I all loved her music, though I wouldn’t have considered myself a die-hard fan — I was 10. What I didn’t know at the time was that Britney had gone through a serious, highly publicized episode a couple years before in 2007, ending in 2008. Many people call this her ‘breakdown’ but I’m choosing to call it what it was — a young celebrity’s struggle with mental health and substance abuse that was not taken seriously and continues to be mocked to this day.

In 2008, Marian girls would have been anywhere from 2 to 6 years old. It’s safe to assume that a bunch of toddlers weren’t caught up on the latest celebrity drama at the time, so I don’t know if everyone our age grasps the extent to which the entertainment industry publicized and made fun of Spears’ struggles with mental health when she obviously needed help. At the time, Spears had been a singer for almost a decade and had been in the spotlight since she was young. It was normalized in 2000s culture for paparazzi and celebrity news outlets to have little to no respect for famous people’s privacy, so when her mental health deteriorated in the early 2000s, it was put out there for everyone to see, speculate and judge. Generally, it seemed that people at the time also were not as understanding or sympathetic to mental health issues as we are today.

In 2008, Spears was admitted into rehab and was placed in a temporary conservatorship by her father, Jamie Spears.

Conservatorship is a system in the U.S. where if a person is not able to control their finances because of a physical or mental impairment, a guardian is chosen to do it for them. To this day, more than a decade later, despite the personal growth and improvement Spears has shown over the past 12 years, she is still under conser-

Because of the lack of oversight by the system, the elderly, as well as physically or mentally disabled people, can have their autonomy disrupted and their rights taken away.

On Aug. 19, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) tweeted that they were willing to help Britney’s case, and that, “People with disabilities have a right to lead self-directed lives and retain their civil rights.” As of Sept. 3, Britney Spears has said she supports the #FreeBritney movement, and stated she wants to choose her

a monthly publication of the journalism students at Marian High School, Nebraska’s only Class A Catholic, AdvancED accredited college preparatory school for girls. The Network is a member of the N.H.S.P.A and the N.S.P.A. It is our goal to provide an accurate and informative news source for the student community.

Students, faculty and friends are invited to voice their opinion in Letters to the Editors. Letters must be typed, signed, and sent to the address below. Or call us at 402-571-2618 x1134. An electronic version of this paper and exclusive content can be found at mariandigitalnetwork.com

own conservator to handle her finances, as well as calling for reform to the conservatorship process to make it transparent and fair. The fact that Spears is using her fame and influence to make a change and improve the lives of people dealing with the conservatorship system should show anyone doubting her progress how far she has come over the past decade. As a fan of hers and a long-time listener of her music, I am glad to see people speaking out against her conservatorship.

#FreeBritney goes beyond helping a well-known celebrity take back control of her life — it’s a movement for mental health rights.

Managing Editors: NatalieCusick & NaomiDelkamiller Copy Editor: RyleeGregg Photo Editor: AnnaKidder Graphics Editor: MollyMonahan Online Editor: LexiKetcham News Editors: MaddieGenoways, JessicaBrusnahan & EmilySalzman Feature Editors: AnnaDailey, MollyMonahan, SophieStevens & AnnaKidder

Opinion Editors: RyleeGregg & GaeaKaan Indepth Editor: QuinnFindley Sports Editors: MaryCateTabor & SophiaVirgillito Entertainment Editors: FrannieCihunka & MiaDunker Photo Essay Editor: GraceVirgillito Reporter/Photographer: CourtneyThompson Adviser: Mrs.MarshaKalkowski

06 Feature

September 2020

Students meet challenge of raising money during pandemic LexiKetcham I n order to make Walk-A-Thon (WAT) happen this year, unique approaches were made in hopes of maintaining its tradition and purpose.

The Student Board members and administration worked hard and decided to continue the annual fundraiser despite the challenges of the pandemic.

Together, the school raised almost $70,000.

“WAT has always been important to Marian... in terms of the class and overall school spirit, as well as the sense of tradition that it fosters, and because it is a significant fundraiser that is completely student-run,” President Mary Higgins said.

She wants students to know how important WAT is in that it generates money that goes directly toward tuition assistance.

Some students expressed their concerns with Walk-A-Thon because of the heavy impact COVID-19 has had on many people. According to the Network survey, 61 percent of the 200 students that responded think WAT should have been moved to the spring in hopes that the effects of COVID-19 would be decreased.

Senior Grace Clark supports this idea due to current restrictions such as social distancing. “As beneficial as social distancing can be, it will be difficult to monitor students during the WAT celebration and may take away from the fun and celebration of the tradition,” Clark said.

She feels the money we raised should go towards first responders and organizations working to help with COVID-19 relief instead of using it for Marian tuition. “We need to recognize that the money we are collecting should be put towards something more beneficial than just spending it on our school,” Clark said. She had hoped that the number of COVID-19 cases would be decreased by the spring in order to hold a typical WAT and celebrate the tradition like previous years.

Higgins acknowledges this concern as a fair statement, but does not characterize WAT as spending money on Marian. Rather, it provides tuition assistance to students who otherwise would not be able to attend Marian. “It is a commitment to help as many individual students and their families who just simply would not be here without such financial help,” Higgins said.

Another concern for some students was the mandatory donation of $40. “With the current state of the economy during the pandemic, and the potential for students’ parents to not even have jobs at this point, it is not the wisest time to ask for money,” sophomore Claire Bentley said. As a Class Officer, she asked businesses to partner with Marian for restaurant nights, but many were not in the financial spot to do so.

Claire, along with 65 percent of students in the survey, were uncomfortable asking businesses, family and friends for donations when jobs have been lost and worried that donors wouldn’t understand

why Marian was seeking money while knowing that it may not be easy for some people to write a check at this time.

The students who wanted to continue with WAT at this time felt it was important to preserve the tradition as long as there were precautions. “I think that WAT should still take place, because it’s a Marian tradition, and the fact that we already lost [2020’s] Field Day has left a big impact on students,” junior Sydney Schroeder said. She believed postponing WAT to the spring would interfere with other Marian traditions, and students need something to look forward to now. Slightly more than 35 percent of survey respondents thought it was okay to have WAT at this time,

Freshmen Peyton Gregg, Mia Ramirez and Ava Schroeder pose for their first ever Walk-A-Thon. Photo by LexiKetcham.

Senior Faith Lodes blows bubbles for her last WalkA-Thon. Photo by LexiKetcham.

while 25 percent didn’t have an opinion as to when it was.

“I think it’s important we have WAT at this time because it shows how strong our community is for staying together, and it shows that no matter what, we stay united,” Schroeder said.

Despite the controversy of Walk-A-Thon this year, the administration and Student Board members thought it was important to maintain the tradition and raise money for tuition assistance. Although the school goal wasn’t met, Student Board will host an outdoor movie night for students on Oct. 2 in honor of their hard work in raising money during a pandemic.

The junior class finishes their route after scoring first place at Walk-AThon this year.

Sophomores Ellie Cusick, Audrey Ehlers, Courtney Long, Olivia Strako, and Hannah Cusick on the route at their second Walk-A-Thon.

Freshmen enjoy their first Walk-A-Thon by waving to the drone before they start their walk. Photo by LexiKetcham.

“Thank you to EVERYONE for your hard work on Walk-A-Thon. . .Students and teachers will still get a day off.”

- Principal Susie Sullivan

Unusual school year creates challenges for freshmen AnnaDailey

“I

think the hardest part about being a freshman during the pandemic is not being able to have many school events yet. It’s a lot harder to meet new people, and classes are all socially distanced, so it is not as easy to get to know the people around you,” freshman Samantha Bourne said.

Freshman year always comes with new challenges, from finding the right classroom to figuring out the lunch schedule.

Starting a brand new school is already difficult, let alone amidst a pandemic.

This year, the freshmen have to adjust a little differently to a new school than past classes have.

One of the biggest aspects of freshman year is going to school with new people.

With half of the class at home and the other half sitting six feet apart, it’s more of a challenge to meet new people this year.

“I would say it is difficult for [the freshmen] to get to know each other, because we can’t really do small group work and half of them are in Zoom, so I just think meeting their classmates is hard,” fresh-

man class co-moderator Halli Tripe said. the freshmen to get to know each other.

Joining a sports team has helped some “Between the Big Sisters cheering [the freshmen get to know their classmates freshman] on while they handed out their who are not in their half of the alphabet. ice cream in May, the personal letters, “I play volleyball, so I know quite a few the July Bash and their beautiful lockers, girls from I hope the there, and I freshmen can already knew tell their Big a couple with Sisters really M-Z last care about names before them and attending want them Marian,” to succeed,” freshman Mrs. WoodAbby Drexel man said. said.

“The only Over the time I have summer, seen some of Marian hosted the freshsocial events men not in planned by my half of Director of the alphabet Admissions was the July Tripe teaches Introduction to Speech and Debate with Molly Woodbash,” Bourne freshmen in the classroom and on Zoom. Photo by man and the said.

AnnaDailey. junior class for

Teachers at Marian have been especially helpful in trying to introduce both halves of the alphabet to each other.

“Almost all of my teachers made us make presentations explaining a little bit about ourselves to share with the class so we could get to know the people on Zoom,” Drexel said.

Upcoming events will help freshmen meet more people as well. “They should join a club when all that information comes out so they can meet people with interests of theirs,” Tripe said. “I have encouraged them to talk to their neighbors next to them since they can’t really move around, and I have tried to do things where we put padlets on the board or put them in breakout rooms in Zoom.”

Junior Daley Mayer gives the freshman class the advice to “have an open mindset and know the COVID-19 restrictions aren’t permanent. Introduce your friends to others and they can reciprocate as a way to meet new people. Everyone wants to make friends and is in the same position, so don’t be afraid to introduce yourself !”

September 2020

Feature 07

Women express themselves through different hairstyles MollyMonahan F rom the famous Audrey Hepburn’s iconic ‘beehive’ hairstyle in the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” in 1960 to Billie Eilish’s streaks of green hair in 2018, female hairstyles through the years have shaped generations.

When someone says the “Rachel hair” every girl immediately knows exactly what hairstyle is being talked about. The “Rachel hair,” brought to life by famous actress Jennifer Aniston in the T.V. show ‘Friends,’ consists of hair falling directly curved to shape a woman’s face in a long bob.

Empowering women in television, magazines, music, and movies can alter generations just simply by their hair. Whether it is the 1980s movie character Princess Leia’s iconic space warrior “cinnamon buns” in the Star Wars series or singer Rihanna’s 2016 infamous faux dreadlocks, celebrities can shape young women’s styles and hair just by wearing their hair with confidence.

“I like to put my hair up in a ponytail or leave it down depending on my mood,” sophomore Persephone Prochaska said.

“I also feel empowered and inspired by Beyoncé because I love her hair and her style.”

Parting, or sectioning of their hair to fall where they want, is important to women styling their hair to make themselves feel confident, comfortable Graphic by and like themselves.

MollyMonahan

Manifesting produces positivity

Stylists may tell you that there are five different sections to parting: the far left part, the left part, the middle part, the right part, and the far right part. Most girls have natural parts, which is most commonly in the middle, but whether they want to keep their natural part or change it is completely up to them.

“I remember all through middle school I would force my hair to part to the left side because everyone else in school had theirs on the side,” senior Bridget Gerards said. “However, one day, I parted my hair in my natural middle part, as a joke, but I ended up really loving it. Then, I noticed more and more girls parting their hair in the middle in high school.”

The middle part started trending more and more around high schools, with posts and Tik Toks saying “Changing your part from the side to the middle is when you start to grow up.” Tik Tok has become a social media oulet that has started to create its own trends within its users.The trend of wearing a middle part started because many Tik Tok users noticed that changing to different parts in a woman’s hair can create a sometimes drastic change in their face shape, confidence and attitude.

“I have noticed slowly over the last year more girls have changed their hair to a middle part, which I really like that girls can split their hair down the middle or go to the side and feel confident with both,” Marian 2005 alumn and professional hairstylist Jennie Baker said.

“When I was younger it wasn’t like that, so hair parts have really taken a big leap in exspecting whatever the perosn feels comfortbale and confident in wearing which is really exciting because it gives girls so many more options in how they can wear their hair.” Baker said.

GraceVirgillito

H

ave you ever thought about someone, and then they randomly texted you? If so, you may have manifested them. Manifesting is something that is put into your physical reality through thoughts, feelings and beliefs.

It’s the law of attraction, or the belief that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences into a person’s life.

The idea that thinking about and displaying thoughts of happinesswill gravitate those happy vibrations toward you.

Manifesting can be done using many different methods, but a popular one is the 3,6,9 method. All you need is a piece of paper and something to write with. First, you will write down a certain name three times, then, your intention six times, lastly, what action you want to happen nine times.

“I found manifesting through one of my close friends. I’ve only tried manifesting a couple times just writing down my intentions on a piece of paper. Every time I try, nothing happens, and it hasn’t really worked for me,” senior Katie Mashanic said.

“I discovered manifesting on TikTok and tried the 3,6,9 method. To my surprise, manifesting actually worked out for me.

What I wished for came true, but not in the exact way I was expecting. Since Corona I never expected school to be the same, but I really wanted to be with my friends freshman year. I manifested that we would all spend our freshman year together and I guess it came true halfway with hybrid learning,” freshman Ruthie Barrett said.

Evidence of manifesting has been found in ancient Buddhist texts and throughout Christianity. The 19th Century is where the law of attraction became popular and started to branch out, which led to concepts like manifestation coming into public knowledge.

Current Catholic teachings also have a specific reaction to the practice.

“At first glance, the practice of the law of attraction or manifesting can seem a healthy way to focus your mind on achievement and to become alert to opportunities that life offers you, and make ready and able to take action to achieve your life goals,” said Mrs. Lori Spanbauer, theology teacher. “However, when you look more closely at the tenets, the main principle is that we are able to ‘manipulate the universe’ and, in essence, control God. Trying to control God goes against the First Commandment.”

“Practicing manifestation in its true form goes against Catholic teaching,” Spanbauer said.

Social media consumes high school students MollyMonahan

W

e live in a society focused around social media. Society today has turned away from what is now considered “old fashioned ways.” From the first invention of the mobile phone in 1973, technology has shaped younger generations who now could not tell a boombox from a typewriter.

With the power of the whole internet in the hands of people, the possibilities are endless. However, change can bring some bad. Although social media can be used for making friends, sharing a cute video of your dog, or opening people’s minds, it can also have a never- ending downside of fake news, bullying, and status consumption.

Social media apps like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat have become huge outlets for sharing. The most popular with Generation Z or your college kid, high schoolers, and middle school kids, is by far Snapchat and Instagram.

Twitter appeals more toward the older Generation A’s and millennials (ranging from people born in 1981 to 1996). The app Facebook is more accustomed to moms posting their kids, college finding, and people trying to stay in touch.

High schoolers right now can be completely held captive by social media’s standards. Most

teens today are overwhelmed by wondering if they have enough followers on Instagram, have a high enough Snapchat score, if their follower to following ratio is even and if they are considered “popular” by social media standards.

However, this is not completely true for all teenagers, especially boys. Girls seem to care about how they are perceived on their social media more than guys. It is more standard for guys to be considered attractive, even if their only social media post is them holding a fish when they were 13. In a girls case, it is almost considered uncommon or rare to not have recent updates on her Instagram, and therefore, she is considered “unpopular.”

This common perception of popularity through social media is why people instantly notice if they lose a follower on Instagram, or if they notice one person who they have known for a long time does not follow them back.

Freshman Phoebe Meier said, “I think a following is a big deal to some people. Maybe if they don’t have a big following they feel as if they are not ‘popular’. If you have a bigger following you could feel more confident and put yourself above people with a smaller following.”

Sophomore Ellie Cusick smiles in her latest Instagram post in Phoenix, Arizona.

Junior Karly Freed poses for her Instagram while in the Old Market in downtown Omaha.

Freshman Phoebe Meier travels to Colorado and stops to take a picture with the boulders.

Senior Cleo Wear and her sister Maddie Wear stand outside of their house for a before school Instagram post.

Graphic by MollyMonahan

08 Indepth

September 2020

1918 Schools’ Response

W

dé·jà vu pandemic

a f e e l i n g o f h av i n g a l r e a dy e x p e r i e n c e d t h e p r e s e n t s i t u at i o n .

We’ve been here before NaomiDelkamiller

F

or most of us, the pandemic marks the first time that the whole world is having one shared experience. Human existence as we knew it came to a halt in early 2020, and comfortability has not returned since. Every day we face new uncertainty, struggle and change with the hope that our adaptability will be enough to curve the spread of the virus.

However, what feels like a never-ending cycle of uncertainty is not without precedent. Humanity has lived through and overcome difficult times like these before.

In 1918, women were fighting for the right to vote throughout the United States and Europe, notable natural disasters struck and the Influenza pandemic ran rampant around the world... not to mention that World War I was happening simultaneously. In the United States’ schools closed, women were sent off to become nurses and soldiers were spreading the virus around the globe.

The 1918 Influenza pandemic “the Spanish Flu” has served as a reference for the year 2020 with the notion that “we’ve been here before.” Many scientists, politicians and health care workers have used

research and statistics from the Influenza pandemic to guide their decisions in response to COVID-19.

The purpose of this In-Depth is to showcase the similarities and differences between the two pandemics that have rewritten history in the areas of physical illness, resources available and societal responses to outbreaks.

Both viruses have reminded humanity of its collective vulnerability against novel illnesses and tested its ability to unite as a species to fight a common enemy.

he Spanish Flu is an influenza that attacks the respiratory system, similar to COVID-19. The virus can be transmitted through the air or by touching the nose, mouth or eyes after being exposed to an infected surface.

The flu began in 1918 near the end of World War I. Despite the name, it did not originate in Spain. During the war, Spain was neutral, which led to the responsibility of reporting much of what was occurring around the world. This made Spain look accountable, which led to the title: Spanish Flu. While the exact origin of this virus is still unknown, the first confirmed case was reported from Fort Riley, KS on March 11, 1918. It is believed that a portion of the transmission, especially in the beginning stages of the virus, was due to soldiers crossing overseas on compressed ships and spreading it in other countries where they lived in poor conditions. These soldiers then brought the virus home to their friends and families where it continued to be spread and became detrimental.

The first wave of the flu resulted in symptoms such as a fever, chill, fatigue and typically a speedy recovery. However the second wave, which was much more contagious, turned skin blue and filled lungs with fluid leading to suffocation.

The number of deaths spiked resulting in an estimated 50 million deaths worldwide, without any scientific knowledge of what made it so deadly.

Finally in 2008, according to history. com, researchers identified the fatal factors of the virus: “a group of three genes enabled the virus to weaken a victim’s bronchial tubes and lungs and clear the way for bacterial pneumonia.”

Similar to COVID-19, different cities handled the virus in different ways. Some, such as Philadelphia, continued with events and gatherings, which caused the flu to spread to people much faster. Other cities chose an alternate route by closing businesses and schools, banning public gatherings and putting mask mandates into effect. Some cities even fined people who didn’t follow this precaution. The flu eventually ended in the summer of 1919.

By using information from the 1918 Spanish Flu, scientists and officials today are able to learn more about safety measures and precautions that may help decrease COVID-19 cases, despite the lack of information known.

Source National Archives, 1918

19 20 18 20 PANDEMIC HISTORY

T

Source the Library of Congress, 1918

1918 Spanish Flu Regulations

LexiKetcham

Resources Spanish Flu

- Early sterilization methods - Some established vaccine research - Microscopes had been invented - Gauze and masks were introduced - Nursing care was widely practiced - Aspirin was readily available - Blood typing and matching developed - Red cross available to the public - nonpharmaceutical remedies

T

COVId-19

- Mechanical ventilators and tests - Global surveillance of virus spread - availability of antiviral drugs - Manufacturing capacity for PPE - Advanced disinfecting supplies - 100 years of pandemic research Prior - Developed medical infrastructure - Public health programs in place - communication through technology

Ada Dyer’24, Sky Achola’24 and Christel Lare’24 wear masks in class. Photo Courtesy of MollySmith, 2020

schools closed down completely during the few weeks.

Though some schools allowed their campuses to stay open as long as students remained quarantined to their dorms, there was not the same technology as there is today. The students during the 1918 pandemic were given vacation time for the few weeks that schools were closed down. Even though the flu had only gotten worse, schools returned to normal. Sadly, a lot of students didn’t make it back to the classroom. Justman said, “The Spanish Flu also affected younger people, so in some schools, teachers and students never returned.”

After students returned to school, more nurses were hired and authorities offered health care to public schools.

The home quarantine only lasted a few weeks, but when students returned to school, rates were higher than ever and more people were getting sick. Similarly to today, the masks started to become a political issue and led to debates about their necessity. The mask ordinance remained in bigger cities, but some rural schools slipped by without enforcing them. Nonetheless, social distancing was still encouraged in most regions of the country.

With the overarching lack of information about the Spanish Flu, many schools were unsure of how to continue education safely. Now, more than a century later, society is again faced with these same uncertainties and difficulty to continue education.

2020 Schools’ Response

QuinnFindley

Source Zenefits.com, 2020

hen the 1918 Spanish Influenza epidemic came to the United States, Nebraska was not immune to its inevitable effects. After the first few cases were confirmed in Fort Omaha, a previous military supply surplus in North Omaha, the city understood the seriousness of the virus following the deaths of a few citizens. That same day, an emergency quarantine went into effect, and all public schools were ordered to close.

At the time, the State Health Board was in charge of making the final decision. According to Nebraska Quarterly’s article related to shutting down campus at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, “The Board of Regents had resisted shuttering the university even as the Spanish Flu infected more and more students.”

Finally, the deaths of a few students persuaded the school to close down. The university sent all students home until the stats deemed it to be safe to come back a few weeks later.

However, not every college closed its doors. Ben Justman, Executive Director of the Sarpy County Museum, said, “Bellevue college didn’t fully shut down, however, students had to quarantine their dorms and movement was very restricted.” Similarly to Bellevue College, Creighton University kept the students on campus in 1918. Pictures even prove that the nursing school may have stayed open during the pandemic and the young nurses received their training practice through nursing the flu patients back to health. However, almost all urban high

Source University of Calgary, 1918

QuinnFindley

he 1918 Spanish Flu and 2020 COVID-19 viruses have many similarities, however. The school quarantine for the flu lasted a mere few weeks, whereas the current has covered months.

Now, schools across the world have the technology to continue education during a pandemic; the answer to all questions, Zoom.

This fall semester, colleges and universities have been thinking of creative ways to allow the school to continue, some adapting to a “hybrid” schedule in which students partially study through Zoom and in person. Schools are requiring students to be tested before entering campus and trying to limit contact with other students.

At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, positive cases are updated every day to inform the student body of what is happening around them. Right now, the university is following a hybrid system.

Grace Olsen ’20, living on campus right now, said that, “It depends on the class, but for most of them we have to Zoom two days a week and are in-person on the third.”

However, Creighton University’s classes have been 90 percent in person. To keep the students safe, the university has put in place multiple safety precautions.

The President, Father Daniel Hendrick-

Indepth 09

son, explained, “We have people who are quarantined if they’ve tested positive, and people who suspect any kind of exposure or they sense symptoms. They can quarantine on an isolated area of campus, or stay at the Hilton DoubleTree.”

Soon, Creighton will be setting up a mandatory testing system. Father Hendrickson said, “Our new testing program will operate like a lottery. It’s a way to test randomly around campus to reach all the different populations.” In order to keep everyone on campus as safe as possible, testing will become more common.

High school students around Omaha have been following all types of schedules.

Marian’s hybrid system currently allows the students to be in-person for roughly half of the week. Omaha Public Schools are completely remote for a few more weeks, giving students iPads and internet access if needed. Some schools, like Papio La Vista and Millard schools, are fully in-person. However, all schools practicing hybrid and in-person learning are requiring students to wear a clean mask every day.

All schools have had to adapt to the current changes. Luckily, compared to 1918, technology has grown to allow learning to continue. Remote learning has changed the day-to-day life of students nationwide.

2020 COVID-19 Regulations

LexiKetcham

C

serious complications. Just 2-14 days after exposure, someone who has tested positive can experience a fever, difficulty breathing, fatigue, body aches, loss of taste or smell, a sore throat or a runny nose. However, the CDC states that 30 percent of those with COVID-19 are asymptomatic, which creates transmission complications.

In the beginning months of 2020, the U.S. started receiving reported cases of COVID-19. Several precautions were taken regarding suspending U.S. entry in some areas where recent outbreaks had occurred in the last 14 days. More regulations started to take effect as the number of cases increased. The amount of people allowed to gather continued to decrease while social distancing became a crucial concept. Schools and businesses temporarily closed down and in turn changed everyday life.

Since then, cities have begun to loosen regulations. Now, mask mandates are still in affect in over half of the states in the US. Testing is easily available in thousands of locations. To make testing easier to access, many locations are utlizing drive-throughs.

Now that over 9 million cases have been reported worldwide, nations are trying to develop a vaccine. In the United States, doctors are looking into drugs that have already been used in the past, out of the fear that it could take up to over ten more years to develop a working vaccine.

With numbers still steadily increasing in the Nebraska area, the CDC is recommending to continue safety procautions and get a Source Sky News, 2020 flu shot.

oronavirus comes in many different forms, but the most recent is a respiratory illness known as COVID-19.

Although much is still unknown, researchers have found that it is spread through droplets in the air making it a threat worldwide.

The first case of COVID-19 appeared in Wuhan, China in December 2019. According to an article from John Hopkins Medicine, the coronavirus that originated in bats, SARS-CoV-2, found its way to humans at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market. Samples of the virus were found on surfaces at the market but not in any of the animals, creating uncertainty about where exactly COVID-19 originated.

Some scientists believe that the virus jumped from bats to other animals, finally reaching humans. Others are curious if the amount of people and live species clustered at the market caused transmission. Despite the lack of knowledge relating to the cause, it is clear that the virus quickly spread around the world.

The symptoms of Coronavirus can differ based on the age and health of the individual. Those with heart disease, lung disease or diabetes may experience more

10 Feature

How vaccines are made SophiaVirgilito

Y

ou know when you were little and have the information they need to fight had to go to a doctor’s office each off the virus if it were to enter your body. year to get a flu shot? This is the flu vacWhen a modified version of the cine, which is essentially injecting the flu virus is injected into you, it isn’t powerful virus into you...but there’s more to it. enough to get you sick, but it is strong So where’s the coronavirus vaccine? enough for the good cells to take its Why are they not done yet? How long information and produce antibodies for it. will it take?

These antibodies work against the virus if A virus is not a living organyou were to get sick with the real thing. ism, so it needs a host to But, why do you need some vaccinalatch onto and live. The tions every year? Vaccines and viruses virus can spread through air are constantly mutating, so your body circulation, human contact, has to learn new information to fight and can live on surfaces it off. for a certain amount of So about that coronavirus vactime. cine…

Once it has entered According to The New York a host cell, it begins to Times, researchers are currently manipulate that single testing 38 vaccines with human cell’s DNA. trials.

These new virus A known trial leading to cells begin to multiply success is the mRNA 1273... in your body. Good fancy right?! thing your immune This trail vaccine uses the system kicks in! Your coding of the proteins on the good cells from your outside of the virus to train immune system start the immune system to create to take note of the antibodies. bad cells’ informaOnce a vaccine is tested tion. This is where a with successful results, it will vaccine is important. begin mass production and What if your good make its way into the world. cells already had the Distribution of the vaccine Graphic by MollyMonahan information they needed will give the world a spark of to know to fight off this hope. It will put the people at virus? What if your immune system was ease, lower tensions, lessen chaos, and trained to fight the specific virus off ? hopefully prepare researchers in future A vaccine is a modified, weaker scientfic discoveries. version of the virus. It is injected into the Although this time is full of unbloodstream and seen as a threat by the knowns, there are many things to be good cells. They treat it how they would hopeful for in the future. treat an illness. The memory cells then

September 2020

Sophomore Retreat builds community at Marian

MollyMonahan

S

ophomore Retreat has connected Marian girls in ways that go beyond the walls of the school and has become an anticipated event.

The retreat took place on Sept. 9 and 10 for the Class of 2023. In contrast to the hype and excitement circled around Freshman Retreat, Sophomore Retreat is a time for calming down, centering yourself, and spiritually connecting. Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, sophomore retreat was split alphabetically to reduce capacity, but this did not affect the atmosphere or smiling faces as the sophomores experienced the retreat. Mrs. Anna Kolterman said, “We were really grateful to have it and see the class come together even though they had separate days.

We were really happy that the girls and leaders were troopers because we knew that it was going to take extra rules and precautions to have the retreat.”

The main focus of the retreat was to connect yourself with relationships to

others, God, and yourself. The Campus Ministry team took the sophomores through a spiritual journey through mediation, speakers, Mass and music.

“I enjoyed Sophomore Retreat because it was a nice break in the middle of the week.” sophomore Abby Pelan said. “It’s hard to feel connected to the other half of the alphabet, but I did feel more connected to the girls on my side of the alphabet.”

The special guest and keynote speaker, Sarah Hart, shared her story and her gift of song to the sophomores through Zoom this year. Despite speaking through a screen, Hart connected with the sophomores as she shared heartfelt, personal stories in order to get them thinking about their own faith journey.

Sophomore retreat has continued to empower sophomore girls and connect Marian students to their class and community.

Sophomores gather for Sophomore Retreat in the chapel at St. Leo’s church. Photo courtesy of MeganHoppe.

Concerts adapt during the pandemic MaryCateTabor

W

hen concerts all around even though we all can’t be together, the world were canhaving socially distanced concerts is a celled due to the pandemic, great idea to still have fun while being the music industry took a safe. At least personally, I know that I substantial beating. According would rather there be a couple restricto WBUR Radio Station in tions, than no concerts at all.”

Massachusetts, the music inWith lots of artists doing online, dustry will be the last to open streaming concerts, there is no denying back up in some sense of northat it is not the same as being there malcy. It is nearly impossible in person. Getting big name artists to social-distance from others performing again and having people not only in the audience, but back in the audience is the goal for those backstage as well. Slowly the music industry. “Talking about my outdoor concerts are starting favorite concerts and artists with my to come back but arena tours peers has been a great way to bond will take longer because of all with those around me,” junior Audrey the variables that go into one Van Dyke said, “With proper precaushow. tions I think we will all get to see our Many fans were left disapfavorite artists again soon. Van Dyke pointed by the sudden event said that the social distanced platforms cancellations. Concerts were are a great alternative because, “it no longer profitable or safe to would bring back a little taste of the continue for the time beconcerts we all love going to.” ing. “I bought tickets to the According to mahafestival.com, Billie Eilish concert and I was Photo of an outdoor concert at Virgin Money Unity Arena in Gosforth Park, Newcastle, where people begin this upcoming fall will be the return to settle down in the new viewing pods for the concert. Photo by Virgin Money Unity Arena (used with really sad to hear that it was of live music. Slowdown + Maha is a cancelled. I didn’t know if and permission). fall concert series that will run from when it would be rescheduled, Sept. 18 through Oct. 3 on Fridays but I understood why it was and Saturdays. These outdoor concerts el, Virgin Money Unity Arena is the UK’s staggered arrival times to diminish the postponed,” sophomore Kathryn Storbeck first social distance-dedicated venue for will provide socially distanced viewing chance of people being exposed if a person said. Other big concert cancellations in pods, so people can have the concert concerts. The venue has all the amenities who attended was exposed to COVID-19.

Omaha included the Lumineers, Dan + experience once again. While this method of a regular concert venue, but in the mid- This method provides a sense of commuShay, and Blake Shelton. Now, after sevof concerts might not last forever, right dle is a series of fenced-in raised platforms nity because everyone shares one common eral months of empty stages, the United now it is a safe and effective way to enjoy that up to five people can be on to view goal: to get back to a semi-normal routine.

Kingdom (UK) is determined to bring popular music live. the stage. With 2,500 in attendance, they Junior Brianna Dovali said, “I think that back the music. According to CNN Trav-

Feature 11

September 2020

Homeschooling, double time:

Workers learn lifelong skills AnnaKidder

Marian teachers balance students, kids M JessicaBrusnahan

L

ife as a parent is crazy. Now try it in a pandemic, as a teacher. There’s just no way to win every day, and there’s inevitably going to be struggles. When you add the confusion of online learning, any sense of routine is thrown out the window. But maybe that’s the silver lining in this pandemic: no routines. I have loved spending some long-overdue time with my family these past few months. This summer I forgot a little about what it’s like to go out of the house and do things with friends every day.

Even now, when it gets scary to go out of the house and into the real world, I try to remember that no one knows exactly what they’re doing right now. Four Marian teachers weigh in on what it’s been like to parent and work during this unprecedented time.

“Sometimes I just have to use the TV [as a] babysitter long enough [to] get stuff done,” Mrs. Stacy Tunink said. In the spring she found it tricky, to say the least, to teach her online classes while wrangling her “two monsters,” Bethany in second grade and Jonah in first grade. “I got a lot done in those 15 minute passing periods during the day,” Tunink joked of her extreme time management skills. Her biggest struggle was keeping up with four curriculums each day, sometimes coming from Marian chemistry all the way to elementary school science. “There’s a lot of brain shifting happening.”

Even with all the changes brought on by the pandemic, Tunink has stayed optimistic about the new and completely different school environment. She said one of the bonuses of online learning has been seeing “a lot about how [her] own children learn that [she] didn’t know before.” Today, Tunink is excited to see her kids back in school full-time and anticipates leaving school early each day to miss the hassle of the Marian parking lot at 3pm. “[My kids] built a ‘fort’ out of all the couch cushions. We also have LEGOs everywhere,” Mr. Matthew Winterboer explained of his pandemic home situation in April. The Winterboers made the most of the extra family time during quarantine, and with his two boys Lucas (fifth grade) and Coby (fourth grade), Winterboer, a seasoned science teacher, saw experimentation in a whole new way.

Mr. Winterboer wasn’t too worried about sitting down with his kids during school hours, noting that his boys “are old enough that for

the most part they can work independently on their own school work.” But he has been working on getting away from the teacher mindset, taking his lunch block during the spring semester and a few hours after school now to spend time with his family. WinBethany Tunink worked hard through terboer is hopeful for the end of the spring semester to keep up the future of schools with her homework and stay connected during the pandemic, but he is also worried with her classmates. that his kids may not “truly understand how long this ‘new normal’ could last.”

“You’re my mommy’s students?” was one of many questions from Mrs. Alee Cotton’s young children this past spring during Zooms at home. The family worked hard to create a fun routine Gavin is the newest addition to the for their kindergartner Hayden and preschool- Cotton crew, coming in the midst of the spring quarantine April 30. er Micah amidst the craziness of the spring quarantine with “free playtime, reading, math, simple science activities, and outside time.” Cotton said the hardest part of the spring school days was managing to fit snack and bathroom breaks for her kids within Marian’s 15-minute online passing periods.

After school, the kids spent time staying connected with friends through FaceTime and online gymnastics lessons. Today, the Cotton home is busier than ever: baby Gavin joined the family on April 30. The Roger kids hang out on a slide at a local park to beat the heat and Cotton said the most important thing right COVID-19 worries. now is focusing on social distancing and parents while learning from home sanitizing. She is thankful that since the spring. When Roger was “[her] kids know that they have teaching a class at home, “[her to be careful because of ‘the virus’ husband would] take the noisy and they take the precautions... kids… to an upstairs room” so she without too much trouble.” Her could focus and they could have biggest regret is that she can’t fun. Sometimes, though, the tempbring her therapy dog, Tucker, into tation was just too great and the Marian. With his celebrity status kids would jump into their mom’s in the halls, “he would become a Zoom conferences to talk with her ‘high touch surface’ that [Cotton] students. Now that Roger is back couldn’t just sanitize every hour,” at Marian every day, the kids have so Marian girls will just have to different schedules: Theo (an OPS wait for his triumphant return! student) learns from home or at a “We start every neighbor’s house, while younger school morning sisters Junie and Willa “are also with a [YouTube] at home with a part-time nanny kid workout video. [in the morning] and [their dad] I’m doing a lot in the afternoon.” Despite all the of jumping jacks shifts in their routines, the Roger and downward family has been trying to adjust. dog poses,” Mrs. They turned their disappointment Jillian Roger said, over cancelled swim lessons and describing her fam- trips to the zoo this summer into ily’s daily morning happiness with “backyard sprinkler routine. The Roger fun, bike rides, and trips to outkids (Theo in door playgrounds wearing masks.” kindergarten, Junie The Rogers are excited to continue in preschool, and having extra family time this fall.

Coby Winterboer builds with Legos during toddler Willa) have entertained both a break from online classes in the spring.

anaging a job while in high school can be challenging. On top of homework, extracurricular activities and a social life, it can seem impossible to manage too. If anyone could do it, it’d be a Marian girl.

Of the 200 Marian girls who filled out the September Issue Survey, 84 of them are currently working. Of those 84 girls, 14 of them are working two jobs.

“There are times I have a lot of homework and sports going on, so it can be hard to balance all of it,” freshman Eva Kriener said. On top of babysitting a few times a week, Kriener plays soccer and tennis and participates in speech. “I am mostly babysitting right now, but I will probably get a job at Baker’s this fall when I turn 15.” In the meantime, Kriener’s hands are full with babysitting and her first year of high school.

For some, time management comes easily. Sophomore Meghan Bartness works at Premier Gymnastics three times a week where she coaches dance and directs gymnastics, which includes trampolining and tumbling. Besides working, she also dances, so her schedule is often full. “I have always been good at time management so it hasn’t been that difficult this year,” Bartness said.

“It is very hard to man-

age my schedule,” junior Lily Fuglsang said. She works at Vitality Bowls in Aksarben five times a week and occasionally babysits. Her school schedule this year has helped her find balance. “I like having classes online because that means I can be more productive during passing periods and breaks.”

Although it can be difficult at times, she found it important to be productive during school hours so she can minimize her evening work load.

Senior McKenna Blaine also works two jobs, one at Juice Stop and the other at Brookhill Country Club.

Balancing two different work schedules can be a job in of itself. “I put in my availability for Juice Stop after I know when I am scheduled to lifeguard.”

Planning ahead has helped her avoid any overlaps in her schedule. Managing work and school hasn’t been a huge challenge for her this year. “I usually get all my homework done before I leave for work so I have some free time afterwards.”

Managing a job as a high school student might seem impossible to some. However, do not let a busy schedule deter you from working. The time management skills you will gain from balancing work and school are tools you will need for the rest of your life.

Boomer v. Zoomer

Generational gap grows exponentially during pandemic

GraceVirgillito

W

e’ve all heard of the generation gap, but how big has the gap grown with all the chaos in America these days?

Generation Z has recently been nicknamed “Zoomers.”

“Zoomer” is a play on words referring to Generation X’s nickname “Boomer,” given to them because of the boom in population growth at the time.

Gen X or “Boomers’’ were born in the years 1946-1964 and Gen Z, also known as “Zoomers,” were born in the years 1997-2012.

The generation gap between boomers and zoomers is evident. Baby Boomers are seen by Gen Z as being more traditional and sticking to the books. On the other hand, Gen Z is seen as radical and too distracted with recent technology.

Gen Z is associated with technology because they have grown up with new advances

Graphic by GraceVirgillito

and modernized lifestyles.

Also, they have recently been learning online through the app Zoom due to the COVID-19 shutdowns.

Baby Boomers are associated with being somewhat of a “Karen.”

What’s a Karen? The name Karen basically refers to an impatient, passive-aggressive mom who wants what she wants and will lose it if she does not get it. For example, if you give a Karen the wrong salad, she will tell you to take it back and make her a new one and she might even complain to your manager after.

Gen Z and Gen X don’t exactly see eye-to-eye when discussing current matters.

Though different generations may never understand Gen Z, we can try to come together and share different experiences as we grow up in different generations.

September 2020

12 Sports

The National Basketball Association designs a solution to play professional basketball, the NBA bubble SophieStevens

W

hen theCOVID-19 virus entered the United States, sports became a question. The National Basketball Association (NBA) and many other sports organizations suspended play on March 11, 2020. When sports and schools were getting cancelled, COVID-19 became very real. Further into quarantine, many questioned the future of sports. A suggested solution was to try a “NBA bubble.”

Mr. Kent Bray, Marian’s former assistant Varsity coach said, “I think that many of those organizations, like the NBA, had to get really creative to try to be able to hold the season. I believe they thought the best way to protect the players was by putting them in a bubble and playing without any fans!”

The NBA bubble consists of all players,

coaches, and essential personnel. The goal is that if each person comes into the NBA bubble without being infected with COVID-19, they could continue playing. No people outside of the bubble are allowed in, and there are no fans.

During the games fan noise is used to make the games feel more “normal.” Allowing no fans, the NBA’s goal is to keep the entire group clear of the virus and not contribute to the spread.

Many teams arrived on July 7 and were scheduled to play on July 30. If a team is to make it to the playoffs, they will be in the NBA bubble until Oct. 12. After a team is eliminated, they are allowed to leave and return home.

The NBA bubble is hosted in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

located in Orlando, Florida. Each of the teams stay at one of the three hotels hosting.

Twenty two teams were invited, and all of them are inside the NBA bubble. Disney World is a very isolated place, making it easy to be used as a “bubble.”

When each team arrived, they were all tested twice for the coronavirus, and each person had to stay isolated from everyone for up to forty eight hours.

The only way to get out of isolation was to have two negative tests.

Out of the 332 players inside the bubble, only two tested positive and were sent home to quarantine by themselves, and were not al-

lowed to reenter into the bubble.

As of now, no guests are allowed in the bubble, but as they continue throughout the playoffs, more personnel will be allowed to join. If certain teams make it past the first round of playoffs, they can reserve a hotel room for four guests.

Each guest is allowed one ticket per playoff game.

If any player is to leave the bubble or get caught leaving, they will have to self-isolate for 10 days. If they have to leave for a family emergency, they stay quarantined for four days and get tested twice. After getting tested, they must receive two negatives to be able to return to play.

For the Marian basketball season ahead, Miss. Jessica Abel said, “I am

extremely hopeful that Marian will have a basketball season this winter! The key to having a full season is being safe and smart as a team.

This year we have much more to consider when staying healthy. With COVID-19 still present in the community, players and coaches will need to be diligent to follow safety protocol at practices and games, and even in their own time away from the team.”

The NBA’s goal for the bubble is to continue sports without infecting anyone with COVID-19. The goal is for a team to leave Orlando as the 20192020 NBA champion.

The games can be watched on NBA TV, and games are played throughout the week. Many sports are following the NBA’s lead, like professional baseball and hockey organizations.

Attendance is expanded at events in Metro area, but is there a bias in high school sports?

Sports Column by SophiaVirgillito

T

he attendance for a girls high school volleyball game is noticeably lower than a boys high school football game. Is this because football is such a popular sport originating in America?

Is this because the teams’ roster size is bigger, increasing their fan base?

In the majority of high schools, most boys are given an opportunity to try out for fall football.

Increasing the number of teams also increases the chances of being placed on a roster. According to a Prep football player in the class of 2023, in football, athletes are placed on a roster, no matter skill, athleticism, or knowledge of the game.

For a Nebraska Class A football team, 70 medals are awarded after the state championship game, but the roster can exceed 70 suited players. “A school may dress any number of players,” according to NSAA. This means boys football teams allow for an extensive amount of players to be added to their roster.

As for volleyball, the roster is limited to

GOLF

no more than 14 girls during subdistricts, districts, district finals and state games.

Most sports rosters are limited in Nebraska. These include volleyball, softball, swimming and diving, basketball, soccer, and tennis, with the exceptions of track and field and cross country.

I think that it should be encouraged to attend other high school sporting events, despite the popularity of football in America.

Girls do not have a sport with a wide-ranging roster that embraces culture beyond the game.

Football is a male dominant sport with a large fanbase surrounding high school, college, and professional teams. This culture amplifies the attendance and energy of the sport.

High school sports in the Metro area have recently been allowed a limited senior-only student section during the pandemic. Students are encouraged to attend these events, but how can we destroy the bias that comes with gender and sports?

I think that there is no manageable solution; girls simply don’t have a sport parallel to football.

I myself am guilty of attending football

Captains: Anna Ulferts ‘21, Jeslynn Baumgart ‘22, Sophie Morehouse ‘22 What makes this team special???

Coach's Quote: “What makes this years team speicial is how young we are and how much potential we have. 12 of our 16 golfers are freshmen or sophomores, and two sophomores are regularly playing Varsity (Gabby Johnston and Brielle Abboud). The freshmen golfers are focused and improving every week. Also, we are playing more tournaments this season in order to give our larger team more competitive experience. Our emphasis this season is building for the future!” - Coach Robert Davis

@marian_golf

Watch the Sept. 3 M-Beat for more golf info!

and boys basketball games over volleyball and girls basketball games. I see a lot of my classmates do this as well. We are perpetuating the bias in sports every time we choose “friday night lights” over Saturday morning volleyball tournaments. Why isn’t supporting our own classmates and school enough to make us consistent fans?

How can you say you “love sports,” not attend your own high school’s volleyball game, but tailgate at a college football game the next Saturday? For many, it seems as though the event’s popularity draws people to a game more than an interest.

High school sports may involve a bias with girls and boy sports, but fans coming together shows organization and unity. The Class of 2021 is given an opportunity not everyone has, to be allowed to go to these games. They are granted a new atmosphere of sports, new opportunities, and no excuses.

To those seniors who missed Marian events and school spirit during their months in quarantine, why wouldn’t you be in the stands at every game you can?

Although the bias in high school sports is evident and possibly unbreakable, it is still an opportunity worth taking to help change this for your current friends and future Marian girls.

Committed Check!

Five Marian fall sport athletes committed to play college sports MC Daubendiek

Marian’s rightside hitter, MC Daubendiek is commited to play volleybell at George Washingon University in Washington, D.C.

Abby Russell

Abby Russell, Marian’s shortstop, is commited to play softball at Southern Minnesota State University.

Kaydence Skiles

Marian softball’s catcher Kaydence Skiles is commited to Northern State University in South Dakota.

Sidney Sledge

Marian’s rightside and setter Sidney Sledge is committed to play volleyball at Bellevue University.

Tatum Villotta

Marian’s third baseman,Tatum Villitta is committed to play softball at the University of South Dakota.

Photos courtesy of athletes

Cross Country

Captains: “We do not have team captains. I have found that leaders rise to the top naturally and become the true captains of the team.” - Coach Roger Wright What makes this team special?

Coach's Quote: “This team is a special combination of experience and youth. We have five returning runners from the squad that ran at state last year combined with the best freshman class of runners in many years. The freshmen won our intersquad meet this year and will help out right away.” - Coach Roger Wright

@CountryMarian

Watch the Sept. 10 M-Beat for more XC info!

Sports 13

September 2020

Rule Changes for Sports

Mask are now required to be worn by players, coaches, and referees during matches and games.

Sanitation of equipment is required after practice and games.

Sanitation of personal equipment is also recommended.

Electronic whistles may be used by referees to prevent germs by mouth.

Switching of benches after quarters/halves/sets is not permitted.

Post game handshakes with fans, family, and other teams is not permitted.

Softball players are not allowed to leave the dugout, for congratulations, after a run in scored.

Cross country races, if needed, will begin with a staggered, interval race start.

Golfers should return to cars, rather than the clubhouse, if weather meets unsatisfying conditions.

Source: NSAAhome.org

Can Marian student body bring back energy of sports that college students deliver on game days?

Sophia Virgillito

T

he most anticipated fall sports in Nebraska include football and volleyball, particularly at the collegiate level. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has a division one athletic program that attracts fans from all over the state to see their sports event compete.

Nebraska’s football arena, Memorial Stadium, has the longest sellout streak in NCAA, with 375 consecutive games dating back to 1962.

Both the Memorial Stadium and the Bob Devaney Sports Center are home to five national championships, volleyball’s most recent being in 2017. UNL’s volleyball team has reached the national semifinals on 10 other occasions.

JV volleyball freshman Ellie Smith enjoys watching Nebraska’s volleyball team broadcasted on T.V. whenever she can catch a game. “Every game is a good game to watch,” she said, no matter who they are playing. Her favorite rivalry game is Nebraska versus Stanford each year. Smith said she

loves the energy of the fans, noting how dedicated they are. The Devaney Center has a capacity of almost 8,000 and has sold out every home game since 2001.

So, where is this energy in Marian’s high school sports?

Varsity basketball coach Peter Cunningham reflects on the attendance and energy levels of his past years at Marian. He said that basketball attendance has increased, the most popular being at school night home games.

Cunningham urges a unified and organized student section at home games for all sports at Marian. In fall 2019, Marian’s Varsity Volleyball team played rival, Millard North, in the district finals. For each team, this would be their ticket into the state tournament.

Cunningham says this game is “the most energy I

have seen in the gym here at If you cannot attend a game, Marian in my seven years... support in the hallways and The student section was filled asking how the team played in to the top row. It was standalways nice too!” ing room only. Every point High school sports energy felt like it was game point. may be different than the That kind of energy is average state college game day, college level energy.” but it doesn’t have to be.

Marian’s varsity Marian fans can bring back libero Ellie Miller the intensity that surrounds has played in packed ADJ sports. The spirit can be stadiums and empty brought back into gyms, onto stands. She notices the fields. The student bodies’ difference in her team’s chants can be heard again, play when the crowd’s roaring through stadiums, energy is intensified. leading the Crusaders to “I believe that a large victory! crowd that is involved Whether game days are in the game does a win or a loss in the reenhance our play because it cord books, sport games are creates a certain atmosphere something you aren’t going to that gives off a feeling of forget in your lifetime, nor are adreneline,” said Miller. you going to get back.

She encourages students, teachers, and fans to “attend games and be loud.

When the students get into the games and doing Marian cheers it creates Marian girls cheer on the Crusaders in the an atmosphere that the volley- District volleyball championship in the fall of ball team loves. 2019. Photo by NaomiDelkamiller.

The fall and rise of the Big Ten through one fan’s red-tinted sunglasses Sports Column by CourtneyThompson

I

t was an outrage.

As a Nebraskan, I was already set up for a life of at least semi-boredom.

As a Nebraskan in a pandemic, I was at even more of a disadvantage.

As a Nebraskan in a pandemic, without the potential of Husker Football, I was not only bored; I was furious.

Football is basically the one thing we have to entertain ourselves in Nebraska, aside from corn of course, and without it, I didn’t know if I was going to make it.

Husker fans everywhere

shared my views, including parents of players and players themselves. Freshman Zavier Betts spoke out on practices without masks and mandatory COVID-19 tests twice a week, which were proven productive in pre-season training. If training was safe and other conferences were playing, why couldn’t the Huskers have a safe and normal season, even if it is one without fans in the stadium?

Not having this season meant that the Big Ten colleges and universities would have to have given

every player another year of eligibility, costing taxpayers more money for scholarships. That’s all fun and games, though, compared to the disappointment of hundreds of thousands of people who have been stuck inside during COVID-19, just wanting a little escape from quarantine. All we want is a good ole Husker football game.

Well, somebody out there finally listened.

On Sept. 16, the Big Ten announced that a unanimous vote of the league’s presidents and

Softball Captains: Abby Russell ‘21 Kaydence Skiles ‘21 Tatum Villotta ‘21 What makes this team special?

Coach's Quote: “Chemistry has been great. We only have 10 on Varsity due to COVID response but they get along great and work really hard.” - Coach Chad Perkins

@ CrusadersSball

Watch the Sept. 17 M-Beat for more softball info!

chancellors will make it possible to start a football season. The season will kick off on the weekend of Oct. 24 and each team will attempt to play eight games in eight weeks.

There were initially reasons not to play. I understand that, but I don’t understand why the Big Ten teams, including UNL, couldn’t have used the same process that was effective in practices all summer in games. ESPN reports that a return to competition task force reviewed daily antigen testing, enhanced cardiac

screening and proposed a way. The Huskers kick off data-driven approach to at Ohio State on Oct. 24. make decisions about prac- I’ll have my red ready to tices and competition. go, and pray that we don’t Big Ten football keeps get beat too bad. me and the rest of Nebraska going during the fall, and I need it.

Coach Frost, thanks for never giving up. Parents, thanks for being willing to push the Big Ten, even if it meant a lawsuit. Players, follow the rules so that you can play safely. Fans, do whatever you can to support the system that Ballons are flying high in the listened to how much sky on a Husker game day. we needed this football Photo by NaomiDelkamiller. season. There had to be a

Volleyball Captains: MC Daubendiek ‘21 Ellie Miller ‘21 What makes this team special?

Coach's Quote: “I love the motivation and determination of this team. During practice they are very focused and determined to improve both as a team and individually.” - Coach Amy McLeay

@MHSCrusadersVB

Watch the Sept. 24 M-Beat for more volleyball info!

14 Entertainment

September 2020

Where do I belong on TikTok?

TikTok dives off deep end

T

W

Review by FrannieCihunka ikTok has become a worldwide phenomenon. What makes this app so special is that there’s a place for everyone. Whether you’re a fashionista, book nerd, dancer, or just looking for a fun time, there’s plenty of people on TikTok just like you. Unfortunately, our beloved video app may be taken away. So while I have this precious time, I decided to find where I belong within these TikTok communities.

With my time constraints, I focused on three mainstream communities of TikTok that I thought could apply to me: Alternative, Fashion, and Charli D’Amelio. I figured the best way to decide where I belong was by making a TikTok in each community.

According to Margaret Kelly, a self-described alternative,”Alternative TikTok is all about aesthetic and anarchy.”​I was mostly interested in Alt TikTok because I wanted to do my makeup like an E-Girl, but Alt-Tok is much more than the fashion. “There are people who just like the music and fashion and that’s cool,” Kelly said. “And then there are the people who like the ideology. And then there are those who like both.” Alt TikTok is just a group of people brought together by alternative or punk inter-

ests and beliefs. Although Alt-Tok was very intriguing to learn about, I don’t think I necessarily fit in with the community, but I was ready to try anyway. 30 failed cateyes and five pounds of blush later, I was ready to make my first Alternative TikTok. I honestly had no idea what I was doing, but I had fun while I did it.

ic by GaeaK

aph Gr

aan

Next, I tried Fashion TikTok, which makes up the majority of my “For You” page. I’ve always loved fashion, and everyone on TikTok has such a cool sense of style. I decided to try to do the trend where you show what you would wear in different TV shows. Then I realized I have no cool clothes. After some thrifting, and a couple sweaty hours of trying on outfits, I made my fashion debut. This was definitely my favorite TikTok to make, although it did cost me a little money.

The final community I tried is what I call “Charli D’Amelio TikTok.” This is

the dance section of TikTok, where Charli is the queen. I decided to learn two dances: “Renegade” and “Say So.” I thought, as a theater kid, dancing would be right up my alley. I mean, how hard can TikTok dances be? It took me an hour and a half to learn “Renegade.” I’m still not even good at it! I decided to tack “Say So” on at the end because it was easy, and I wanted to do at least one of the dances well. Even though I totally bombed “Renegade,” I felt a sense of accomplishment when I could at least get the moves in the right order.

I enjoyed being Charli D’Amelio for a couple of hours. If only I was good enough to make as much money as she does.

The three days it took to conduct this little experiment were really fun, and made me happy. I’m happy to say, I found my home in Fashion TikTok. Making outfits with a theme and showing them off was an enjoyable creative experience for me. I really did love trying all of these communities, and it goes to show there’s a place for everyone on TikTok.

FrannieCihunka

hat do you think of when you think of TikTok? Charli D’Amelio? The dances? The crazy Karen stories? Did you know these things are only the tip of the iceberg? With the time I had left with Tik Tok I decided to go beneath the surface and find the strangest places on the app. I thought I knew TikTok, but after consulting the student body, and doing some research of my own, I learned just how wrong I was.

Are you still a die-hard Hannah Montana fan? Was your favorite character Jackson, Hannah’s brother?

Well, good news! You are not alone!

There’s an entire community on TikTok dedicated to Jason Earles, otherwise known as Jackson from Hannah Montana. Junior Madison Adams found this community by accident, “Well, I don’t exactly know how I got on it... I remember seeing one video that I thought was super funny so I liked it and then every other video on my ‘For You’ page was Jason Earles.” According to Adams, most of the videos in the community are “almost like a cut out of him moving around on screen. It’s pretty weird. It’s more of a joke than a serious fandom.”

As I was scrolling through these strange homages to Jason Earles, I stumbled upon another, possibly even wider community of TikTok. Bean TikTok. I found a TikTok marrying the two communities... quite literally. The video depicted Jason Earles marrying… a bean?

Bean-Tok is people showing their obsession with beans in the weirdest ways. Senior Kate Asselin fell into bean-tok by accident. “It’s literally just like cans of beans. There was an audio that went like ‘beans beans

beans beans beans’ over and over again too. Then people would, like, make beans with [a] face.”

But beans aren’t the only food with a following. Do you like broccoli? If you don’t, how would you like it if it was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson? Welcome to Brock-Tok: starring The Rock as a broccoli.

I’m just as confused as you are. He dresses up, he dances, what can’t the Brock do? Brock is a true inspiration, and a great reminder to eat your vegetables.

After Brock-Tok, my brain shut down. Although all of these communities were a lot to process, they reminded me why we need TikTok. It’s a great way to distract yourself from the world today, and laugh really hard at a bean marrying a forgotten star from your childhood.

Video showing the marriage of Jason Earles and a bean. TikTok by user @fr0ggieluver420.

Possible TikTok ban scares creators, confuses teens until Sunday

NatalieCusick

T

ikTok: the name of one of the world’s most popular apps today and the sound of the time running out on its life in the United States. On Aug. 6, Trump issued an executive order giving TikTok 45 days to be bought by an American company before it would be banned in the US. That 45-day clock ran out on Sept. 20.

When the world woke up that day, millions expected to kiss the beloved app goodbye. TikTok’s proposed deal with Microsoft had been shut down and Trump denied support of a deal with Oracle and Walmart.

Hours before TikTok was to be banned, Trump approved TikTok’s deal with Oracle and Walmart.

Headquarters will now be in the United States, and all data will be on Oracle’s cloud platform, according to CNN. TikTok is the first app of its size and reach to be put in question by the United States government. With more than 100 million users in the United States and billions of downloads, this action caused a lot of controversy, speculation, and opinion.

For the 32.5 percent of U.S. users that are between the ages of 10 to 19, the idea of banning TikTok may seem ridiculous. To many elected officials, on the other hand, it is a necessity. The main assumption surrounding the possible TikTok ban is that “China is trying to steal our data,” but it is a lot more complicated than that.

TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese internet company. Under Chinese laws, their government has access to any company’s servers, which gives them access to the “data” collected by TikTok. Elected officials, including the United States President, believe that this poses a national

security threat.

“I would say TikTok is a lesser threat, but I think that the president and others in the administration still group TikTok in with the Chinese communications infrastructure. The more it’s used in the U.S., the more the Chinese intelligence agencies can get access to our communications network,” Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon said.

But what is this “data” in question? According to the Marian girls who were surveyed, it could range from anything such as “Charli D’amelio’s drafts,” “what we like to watch” to “our names and faces.” According to TikTok’s US privacy policy, TikTok has access to all private messages on the app, your country, internet address, and device type. With further permission, it obtains your exact location, contacts, phone number, and age.

“It could be more than that. If you download their software, how do you know that the Chinese [aren’t} using this as a back door to get into all your other stuff on your phone or computer?”

Bacon said. “That’s what they’re saying they can do overtly, but what they can do covertly is the real issue.”

Since the US government is strongly against the idea of another country collecting its citizens’ personal information, it raises a question of hypocrisy for many U.S. citizens.

“After 9/11, the American government started mining user data from social media and accounts as a counter terrorism measure. This wasn’t supposed to be permanent, but it’s still continued to this day, and aside from certain instances like online safety presentations, I feel like it isn’t addressed that much,” senior Emily Beyer explains.

She is referring to the Patriot Act, which is the overarching legislation that gives the U.S. government permission to the surveillance and search of citizens’ Internet information, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

“It is my personal opinion is that the idea that we should all be concerned about a Chinese social media company mining our data but not our own government doing the same thing is xenophobic and hypocritical. We should still obviously be aware and cautious about TikTok taking our information, but we also need to start addressing how that same issue is being perpetuated by our own government,” Beyer said.

Another question many have been asking of the government is, “Is this constitutional?” The order was issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. This gives the President the ability to control commerce with other countries when it poses a threat to the U.S. For many Marian girls, Sept. 20 was a day of relief. “I’d be sad if it was banned. How else am I supposed to spend my free time?” freshman Chizora Okolo said.

“I don’t think it should be banned because so many people love it, and it’s so much fun to be on,” sophomore McKayla Mandolfo said. She spends hours on TikTok daily, and enjoys the comedy genre on the app.

Out of the 200 students who answered the survey, 60 percent did not think TikTok would be banned. When asked if it should be banned, 72.5 percent of girls still answered no. The many Marian girls who enjoy TikTok and spend countless hours on the app have Oracle and Walmart to thank for their continued entertainment.

20.2 k

670

Share

September 2020

Entertainment 15

Fall musical workshops teach students about theatre, dance, music FrannieCihunka

T

o take necessary safety precautions, the annual fall musical was canceled this year. However, the fine arts will continue this semester. The three directors of Marian productions, Mr. Michael McCandless, Mrs. Michelle Delisi, and Ms. Lauren Morrissey, knew they needed to give the students some theatre experience. In place of a full production, the fine arts department is holding a series of workshops that started Sept. 15 and run through Oct. 29.

Senior Elaina Carleton was the lead in last year’s spring play, Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” Unfortunately, the show was canceled when the pandemic hit in March 2020.

Carleton had a hard time dealing with the cancellations of both the play and

Elaina Carleton discoes the day away to “Mama Mia” at Sept. 16 workshop. Photos by Frannie Cihunka

musical, and is ready to get back on the stage. “I think it is important to have these workshops to keep in touch with the arts and remember what Marian thespians display their we love doing,” excitement at being back on stage Carleton said. together at the Sept. 15 workshop.

McCandless was routine to the song “Mama ready to get back Mia,” and will learn three into theatre as well. “We more routines, as well as decided, early on, that we how to sing the songs in needed to do something the vocal classes. theatre-related for Marian The workshops have students in lieu of a full been helpful and fun for production. The students both the directors and are always the focus of our students.

McCandless is efforts and we wanted to excited for “re-connecting provide an outlet for their with the students!

We creative energy,” McCandmissed you!” less said. The directors Carleton’s favorite wanted “to offer a worksession so far has been the shop of instruction in the acting workshop.

“Mcrudiments of acting, singCandless gives great advice ing, and dancing that we for preparing for auditions ordinarily do not have the luxury of time to do during and just different ways to think about acting,” Carrehearsals for musicals.”

The attendees rotate be- leton said.

With luck, the fall tween acting, singing, and musical will be moved to dancing workshops with spring.

For now, Marian the three directors. During students are learning more the first acting workshop, about how to audition for the group did some breathproductions and become ing exercises and played better thespians.

Although some improv games to help there cannot be an entire students with acting on the production this semester, spot. the fine arts department is At the first dance excited to continue to grow. session, students learned a

Tips

and Tricks

For Spotify

Get a smooth transition between tracks using crossfade. To turn on this preference go to settings--> playback---> crossfade.

Enable Spotify autoplay so that your music never stops. To turn on this preference go to settings---> playback---> crossfade.

Make sure you are getting the most out of your music experience by looping the artist visuals. To turn on this preference go to settings---> playback---> canvas.

Wish you you could fall asleep to music without having to turn it off? Spotify can do this for you. Click the three dot menu at the top of any music selection and press the timer option at the bottom.

Download Shazam from the app store and connect your account to Spotify. This feature finds the title of any song playing around you in seconds.

Happy listening!

Infographic by NaomiDelkamiller

Marian’s Top Podcasts

Recommended by Ms. Susie Sisson and Mrs. Jillian Roger.

This podcast recaps the women’s suffrage movement with stories that weren’t in your textbooks.

Recommended by Mrs. Jaime Piernicky. This podcast goes back in time to revisit the misunderstood people, places, and events in history.

Recommended by Mr. Kory Delkamiller. This podcast shares a conversation between people about what matters most in life.

Recommended by Mr. Nick Miller. Title says it all.

Recommended by Mrs. Katy Salzman. Hosted by journalists of color, this podcast talks about race and society.

A

B

Code Switch - NPR

C

Graphic by MiaDunker & FrannieCihunka

Recommended by Mrs. Jillian Roger and Mrs. Jaime Piernicky. This podcast explores what is necessary to make a better school system.

Playlist managed by FrannieCihunka

according to Marian Teachers

This playlist was curated by the Network staff for you, Marian students! These are our favorite fall songs. To listen, open your Spotify and go to the search page. Click the camera button and scan the QR code!

16 Photo Essay

September 2020

Marian student unites communities

Top Row: Amal Imran (Founder and President), Emaan Khan (Sophomore at Brownell Talbot, Director of Expansion), Sana Ahmed (Sophomore at Elkhorn High, founding committee), Amina Hussain (Freshman at Millard North, Director of Marketing). Bottom Row: Faria Riazuddin (Sophomore at Elkhorn South, Director of Finance), Diya Kishore ( Junior at Millard North, founding committee), Sania Azhar (Sophomore at Millard West, Director of Logistics), Nasrin Elrokhsi ( Junior at Millard North, Director of Advocacy), Nawal Zahid (Senior at Central High School, founding committee).

S

enior Amal Imran inspires others with her nonprofit. Amal and eight other girls created a 501c3 nonprofit, which helps better conditions in developing countries. All founders are first generation immigrants and want to give back to their homes and people. Dear Dunya’s founders are also working with the Red Cross to help Lebanon, following the Beirut attack. As they continue working on their “Lebanon Relief Project” and “Youth For Yemen,” they are in the process of providing supplies and gifts for the people of Yemen. All girls are pictured with the flag of their nationality. For more information go check out their Instagram, where you can learn more about their various projects and donate to their Venmo @DearDunya. Don’t forget to donate or volunteer, and spread the word to others as well!

ot Ph os

by Na om iD

-Amal Imran ’21

“

elkamiller

The nonprofit is called Dear Dunya, which is the Arabic and Hindi word for “world.” We chose this name because it really fits our mission and our group of founders, who are all from the Middle East and share the common language of Arabic or Hindi. Many of them have been labeled “thirdworld” and their issues are put to the side because ‘that stuff just happens over there.’ However, no country or citizen should experience the tragic events that have been occurring in many of these places. So many young people are finally becoming aware of what is going on and they feel they have the ability to do something about it. We tend to trap ourselves in the safety bubble that this country provides for us, but if our country was to go under attack like Lebanon did or go through the famine that Yemen is enduring right now, I would hope other countries in the world would give us their support and to do something about it.

“