Kingwood Park Times - Dec. 2020 by KP Times

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THE KINGWOOD PARK TIMES DECEMBER 2020

Volume 7, Issue 2

Kingwood, TX 77339

Humans of KPARK COVID edition

With renderings courtesy of PBK Architects, community members can see the vision for the main entrance of the building, which is expected to be completed by 2022.

Renovations in works throughout the next year By Gabby Norman Managing Editor

n the past few months alone, Kingwood Park has gone through its fair share of changes with many more ahead. In addition to renovations already completed over the summer, such as changes to the LGI and COVID-19 precautions, the school will be renovating the main office and Larry Cooper Athletic building entrances, creating a workspace for the Big Heroes, Tiny Homes project, completing a third gym and more. “All of the additions will be fantastic,” Wesley Solomon, associate principal, said. “Every few weeks, Mrs. Drabing and I get on a Zoom call to talk to people from the district and work with them to figure out what will work best.” In addition, there will be a criminal justice mock courtroom built and a culinary arts center with an industrial kitchen set up. The front of the school serves as the hub, and the modernization it is about to undergo will give it a much-needed

facelift. In terms of construction, some items are still waiting to be approved by the school board, thus the process will most likely not be completed for a few years. “The first thing that will be finished will most likely be the third gym,” Solomon said. “It will help the most because when it rains, our current fields will act like retention ponds. With six or seven different sports going on at once, having that gym will give our athletes yet another place to go.” COVID actually sped up the process. With students home in March, renovations began full time and were finished earlier than expected. Since the renovations are funded by a bond, all of the other high schools in the district are currently undergoing or will be undergoing renovations. Students from other campuses are now expected to be visiting the campus for classes such as culinary arts, like they already do for auto collision. Solomon is excited about the

KPTIMES.COM / DECEMBER 2020 / NEWS

A third gym is likely the first addition completed. Courtesy of PBK Architects.

renovations, hoping that the new aspects of the school will bring back some of the school spirit lost during COVID-19. “It’s nothing dramatic, but with these renovations, we are definitely getting our fair share,” Solomon said. “Hopefully these will spike some curiosity from our students.”

In addition to renovating the front of the school building, the athletic center entrance will also get a facelift by 2022. Courtesy of PBK Architects.

Tutoring available through math NHS By Crosslin Silcott Editor-in-Chief

inals week, often consisting of little sleep, hours of studying, and heightened levels of stress is typically a dreadful time for students. This year, additional worries rise among virtual students. To relieve some of this stress, Mu Alpha Theta, the math honor society, is offering a student-tutoring program for all students in math classes. Mu Alpha Theta has offered a student-tutoring program each spring as a service to students and as a way for its members to earn points. This year, however, the mathematics honor society is offering it as a way to help students prepare for final assessments, despite the tests no longer being able to impact grades negatively. “As a virtual student myself, I understand the detachment a student can feel from the classroom/tutoring setting, so I hope that a one-on-one student tutoring program allows these students to feel a semblance of normalcy and find success in their classes,” said Jack Logan, president of Mu Alpha Theta. Students in Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Algebra 3, Academic Statistics, Algebraic Reasoning, and AQR will be able to receive

In his seventh period pre-calculus class, Jim Dang prepares his students for their final summatives of the semester. He is also helping with the tutoring plans through math NHS. Photo by Crosslin Silcott.

tutoring via a Google Form presented by their teacher, whether they are virtual or in-person. “Hopefully students take advantage of this opportunity given our situation right now,” said co-sponsor of Mu Alpha Theta, Jim Dang. “Hopefully with the offering of virtual tutoring, that gives them another reason that they should get help if they need it.” In-person students will be able to sign up for one-onone tutoring sessions at

school, while virtual students will be able to sign up for one-on-one tutoring sessions over Zoom. Instead of receiving tutoring from a teacher, it will be coming from student members of Mu Alpha Theta. “Sometimes, teachers can come across as intimidating to some people, scaring them away from asking for extra help,” said Logan. “I think that with other students people will feel more comfortable saying that they don’t understand something

or need more explanation.” Although final assessments this year aren’t mandatory, they still offer students an opportunity to improve their grades. Students will be allowed to take the last exam from home or at school Dec. 16-18. If their project or test grade is higher than another summative during the second 9 week grading period, the higher grade will replace the lower one. “We need students to make good choices, and be able to help themselves out,” principal Lisa Drabing said. “[Final assessments] are going to be shorter than the typical final exam and [students] are going to be able to stay home. There’s really no reason not to take them. [Students] have people wanting to help them, so I think it would be the right thing to do for them to make that decision and that choice to take advantage of that opportunity that’s being presented to them.” Teachers hope students take advantage of the rare opportunity being handed to them. “I know this is cliche, but the secret to doing well is being prepared,” Dang said. “I want to make sure that students are prepared [by doing] whatever we can to make sure they earn credit or earn a high enough score for them to be able to move on.”

Editors capture first journalism all-state honors By Maria Landy Garcia Photography Editor

enior Crosslin Silcott and junior Kathleen Ortiz, the newspaper co-editorin-chiefs, became the first two Kingwood Park students to earn membership onto the UIL All-State Journalism Staff. “It’s really cool because Crosslin and I put a lot of work into it so it’s exciting to see all that work pay off,” Ortiz said. To earn the all-state title for journalism, students have to accumulate at least 50 points by winning awards in UIL, state and national journalism competitions throughout the year. Silcott and Ortiz reached that point with a number of photography and writing awards. “My favorite thing about being part of

SILCOTT

ORTIZ

the [journalism] program is the community that we have,” Ortiz said. “I know that when I’m shooting photos or writing a story everyone in the program is there to help me. We are all really good friends and the environment makes me want to come in every day and work my hardest.” The two girls have helped lead a newspaper program back that didn’t publish a

newspaper in the 2017-18 school year. “I love everyone on staff and I just enjoy being able to capture pictures and tell the stories of people at school,” Silcott said. Ortiz is also the school’s first representative on the Quill & Scroll Student Advisory Board this year. She and Silcott are both members of the Quill & Scroll National Honor Society for High School Journalists. This is their third year on staff after taking journalism and photojournalism two years ago. For anyone wanting to get involved, Ortiz told kids to sign up for the intro class. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions and just put yourself out there because you never know if you will be successful at it,” Ortiz said.

THE KINGWOOD PARK TIMES December 2020 Volume 7, Issue 2 4015 Woodland Hills Kingwood, TX 77339 281-641-6696

Editors Crosslin Silcott, Editor-in-Chief Kathleen Ortiz, Editor-in-Chief Gabby Norman, Managing Editor Maria Landy Garcia, Photo Editor Writers & Photographers Sean Garvin, Veronica Gonzalez, Taylor Nethery, Camille Blair, Khamille Jones, Haylee Rankin, Richard Rivera, Sadie Lewis, Madison Mena, Aubrey Marsden Adviser: Megan Ortiz Principal: Lisa Drabing The Kingwood Park Times is a public forum for Kingwood Park High School and is distributed free to all students and staff. Staff Editorials will not be signed as they are a consensus of the staff. Signed editorials are the viewpoint of the writer and not necessarily a staff or editorial board consensus. Guidelines to write letters to the editor will be available online at KPTimes.com. Letters to the editor may be submitted to room 1504. See more news, features, opinions and multimedia pieces online at KPTimes.com Cover photos by Crosslin Silcott, Eliza Gonzalez, Kathleen Ortiz, Sadie Lewis, Katie Gerbasich, Alicyn Logue. Cover designed by Crosslin Silcott.

NEWS / DECEMBER 2020 / KPTIMES.COM

With their business suffering due to the pandemic, Material Wonders adapts

Working from

LindaSue and Shelby Laird stand in front of Shelby’s living room. They moved Material Wonders into Shelby’s home this fall. Photo by Kathleen Ortiz.

Home A 2013 alum renovated her entire home to keep her business up and running. By Kathleen Ortiz Editor-in-Chief

here Shelby Laird used to have a living room, she now has embroidery and heat press machinery. The screen printing machine displaced her car when it moved into the garage. Equipment lines the walls and fills the counters throughout the two rooms. Laird and her mother LindaSue Laird moved their company Material Wonders into retail space five years ago when they bought the business, but due to the coronavirus pandemic they have relocated it into Shelby’s home. “I’m a single person and I live in a pretty big house,” said Shelby, a 2013 graduate of Kingwood Park. “I didn’t want to have Material Wonders as my roommate, but it happened.” After schools went completely virtual in March, Material Wonders had to do a lot of adapting since schools make up 80% of their revenue. Shelby did not take a paycheck for two months and had to live off of her savings to try to keep some of her employees. “It was scary,” Shelby said. “We didn’t know what we were going to do. For about two months we really had no work. I had to lay off my employees so they could collect unemployment and make some money elsewhere.” She and her mom tried to just make ends meet by closing down their storefront while hoping some sort of normalcy would return in time to keep the business afloat. It was a pleasant surprise when they found out students would be going back to in-person classes and play sports in August. Material Wonders works with the soccer, cross country, track and girls basketball teams. While Shelby wasn’t involved in much in high school, now she works with many of the coaches and teachers. “I enjoy working with all of the

Shelby Laird works in her garage on the screen printing machine. Due to the high temperatures it requires, it is the only machine in Shelby’s garage. Photo by Kathleen Ortiz.

coaches. They know me on a firstname basis. Every time they come in it’s a great working relationship,” Shelby said. Shelby met the previous owner of Material Wonders, Connie Michelle, when she was only 3 years old. She worked part time cleaning the embroidery and trimming projects at Material Wonders before graduating high school. Shelby moved to Kerrville after high school to go to Schreiner University. She soon decided that she wanted to return home. “Shelby likes walks at East End Park. She likes going to Jesse Jones, so she’s also a country girl at heart,” LindaSue said. “She really enjoys that outside and that small town feel, so

4 KPTIMES.COM / DECEMBER 2020 / FEATURE

Kingwood has been a really good fit.” After moving back home, Shelby got her associates degree from Lone Star College. She and her mom bought Material Wonders. Shelby knew the machines, programs and the customers already. That is one reason Michelle was thrilled when the Lairds showed interest in taking over the business she had grown for the previous 12 years. “While I know that embroidery work may seem like a simple sewing machine, it’s quite intricate and you really have to know what you’re doing,” Michelle said. “It’s not something that you would just want to hand over to somebody who hadn’t been exposed to it or had experience in it before.” When they became owners they

split jobs up based on their strengths. Shelby is the CEO, and LindaSue is the CFO. “I think it’s cliche to say that my child is my best friend, but she really is,” LindaSue said. The first year was difficult for LindaSue because forgetting the regular mother-daughter roles was hard. For a while customers would come in and assume that Shelby worked for LindaSue. Now that assumption is rare. Watching Shelby mature has been what LindaSue is most proud of. Not only does she look older, but she holds herself differently. They have adapted quickly to their new office space in Shelby’s home. They are filling heat press, screen print and embroidery orders for schools, groups and events. Their recent restructuring means they are no longer doing individual orders for customers. The Lairds enjoy the flexibility of not having a retail space with set hours. Now Shelby and LindaSue are available via phone and email anytime, anywhere. “I’ve been wowed by her because it’s really great to see somebody pick this up from something you’ve lived off of and created and really expanded on it even further,” Michelle said. “Especially for a young person coming in she’s taken it really seriously, she’s gravitated to it and I’ve been very impressed and happy to see all the results that have come from that.”

Visits offer community for virtual students

In their words...

By Gabby Norman Managing Editor

In a recent survey, 264 students talked about ways they have relieved stress and dealt with anxiety and depression during the pandemic. Here are some of their responses:

How I dealt with issues like depression and anxiety:

Counselor Gina Sanchez tries to stay connected with virtual students as COVIDrelated challenges remain.

ogging onto a Zoom at 11 a.m. every Thursday to see the smiling face of Gina Sanchez, Kingwood Park’s at-risk counselor, has been a treat for the few virtual students that stop by every week. These meetings, dubbed “30-Minute Thursdays” are just one instance in which students can develop a relationship with counselors and other students. Sanchez has been the at-risk counselor since 2015 and actively tries to have a relationship with as many students as possible. “I’m able to work with students on different ways to help cope with anxiety, depression, self-harm,” Sanchez said. “I just try to get the students to help themselves to see the best methods to get them through the school day. Kids cannot function academically when they have mental health issues, not because something is wrong with them, but because they need help.” Sanchez’s job differs from that of house counselors in that house counselors help students with academics. Sanchez is more focused on students with mental health issues, students with housing issues, unaccompanied youth, and many more things that often go unnoticed. In addition to the social aspect of virtual school, Sanchez says that the school is now seeing more zeroes than ever before due to virtual school. “My preference is face-to face,” she said. “Most kids learn better from someone being right there. Kids feel like they can do online because it’s easier. It’s not. You need a lot of discipline. We have more zeroes now than ever before.” Many students are unaware of the services that the counselors offer, whether it be just talking, helping with academics or providing strategies to cope with issues. One big concern of the staff was how to maintain communication with virtual students and how the staff could keep tabs on them, making sure they were OK. “We really depend on the teachers,” Sanchez said. “The teachers will let us know. They are our eyes and ears for everything. They tell us

“Honestly, I try to distract myself by watching movies or reading and it works until I’m alone again.” “I cried a lot and started trying to take care of myself.” “I just tried to sleep it off sometimes. Like I said, ‘breathe right,’ and watching certain shows that I’ve seen a million times always helps.” “It’s very hard to deal with all my emotions at times. Sometimes I’m scared and other times I’m optimistic for the future. But most often than not I’m dreading having to go to school. I spend a lot of time with my best friend. It gets my mind off things that are going on.” “I have used music to calm me down when I get panic attacks.” “When I get anxious I feel sick to my stomach, so it starts hurting and then I feel cold, so I go under warm covers and sweat until the pain is gone and my breathing is controlled; but if I’m in public I have to wait it out silently.” Counselor Gina Sanchez created a special float in the Homecoming red wagon parade to showcase her virtual students she keeps in touch with during Thirty-Minute Thursday sessions. Photo submitted by Gina Sanchez.

if anything seems off.” Sanchez encourages students to talk to their parents and guardians in order to have someone understand what is really going on. “If we take control of it, it won’t control us,” Sanchez said. “If talking to parents isn’t an option, I can teach them how to better cope with anxiety and different activities to do when they’re stressed.” Sanchez said COVID has caused issues not only the students but the faculty and staff as well. People are generally more stressed, and more health issues have surfaced in the past eight months. “In the beginning everyone was like, ‘It’s so cool,” Sanchez said. “It was the general consensus. Now, there is frustration; kids are afraid.

In general, kids are equally stressed from COVID either here or at home. People here fear getting sick, while people at home are so alone.” Sanchez encourages students to look more to the counselors for help or even just friendship. There are multiple online resources on the counselors’ website; and Sanchez sends out a Zoom link every Wednesday for the 30-Minute Thursday the next day, which she strongly suggests students join. Her door is always open, and she is always willing to have a call with the students. “Normal life is changing,” Sanchez said. “Education is changing. We have a new world.”

How I have relieved stress: “Cross stitch or watch videos of this Japanese dude who makes kitchen knives out of weird things. It’s oddly relaxing.” “Write, play piano, watch YouTube/Great British Bake Off.” “I read or I talk to friends.” “Listen to music or play basketball.” “I watch kitchen nightmares and watch Gordon Ramsey yell at people.” “I listen to music, watch TV or YouTube, or I skateboard. When I am especially stressed or anxious, I will throw soft plushies or squishies at a wall as a form of stress relief.”

FEATURE / DECEMBER 2020 / KPTIMES.COM

By Maria Landry Garcia Photo Editor

ver the past two years, junior Alicia Brizuela has found a hobby in K-pop dancing. “I met a friend who was a K-pop dancer, and then she introduced me to the community of K-pop in Houston,” Brizuela said. “It is such a big community. I liked it, so then I auditioned for the group and I made it.” Brizuela is part of a K-pop dance group called the Golden Lights. They perform at skate nights, cafes and, at their biggest event, the Korean festival. “The Korean festival is a huge festival where different groups perform at the big stage, which is a big deal,” Brizuela said. “So a bunch of groups do cover dances; and if we are lucky, we get to perform at it, which my group did last year,” Brizuela loves performing with her dance group. Her favorite things about K-pop dances are the visuals, choreography, music and style. “I don’t really exercise so it’s nice; and it’s a thing that helps me keep my brain healthy because it takes a lot of memory to remember, and I’m learning new things everyday,” Brizuela said. To learn their dances, each member of the group must watch a video of the dance by themselves and try to learn it by mimicking the moves in the video. During practices, they

set forms, walk through formations, clean up the choreography and perform. “I love performing, and the people there are very nice,” Brizuela said. “It’s just such a loving community. We are all friends, and getting to perform with each other is pretty awesome.” Most kids rely on having a friend group and activities at school, but Brizuela recently transferred from Kingwood High School and doesn’t know a lot of people at Kingwood Park, so her dance group has become her friend group as well. “Since I have this huge community outside of school it adds a little more interesting aspect to my life because it separates me from thinking I only have school,” she said. “It opens up a bigger world. I get to meet different people I would have never met if it wasn’t because of my dance group. It is very refreshing and helps a lot with my mental health.” Brizuela’s parents are very supportive with her choices. They try to attend as many performances as they can and always make sure she likes what she is doing. “My dad is Asian, so every time I need an opinion on my dances I do them in front of him and he gives me critiques,” Brizuela said. “I was really shocked when he got into K-pop -- I thought he was going to make fun of me, and my mom is always supportive as well with anything that makes

Photo by Maria Landy Garcia

COVID edition

Humans of KPARK

Junior finds home in K-pop community

me happy.” Brizuela said that at the beginning of the pandemic their practice schedule was very slow and they didn’t get to perform for a long time, but people have started hosting small events with COVID precautions for K-pop dance groups and others to perform. “If anyone is interested in the events, I can introduce them to it,” Brizuela said. “People just need to have a more open mind to it and leave the stereotypes aside. The events are so fun.”

By Madison Mena Special Contributor

ophomore Devin O’Neal, who started fishing when he was about 5, is very passionate about becoming a professional bass fisherman. “I want to win tournaments and practice to be the best that I can be,” O’Neal said. O’Neal is currently enrolled in the Texas High School Bass Association, an organization for students to begin

their careers in professional bass fishing. This organization gives students the opportunity to compete for scholarships ranging from $2,000-$20,000. “The most stressful thing during the tournaments is the counting down of the last hour or losing a big catch before the time is up,” O’Neal said. O’Neal’s grandfather is his fishing partner in these tournaments. They have been fishing together since he was a little boy. “Me and my grandfather have a bet-

KPTIMES.COM / DECEMBER 2020 / FEATURE

ter relationship and have grown a lot closer,” O’Neal said. O’Neal loves fishing because it is fun and reduces his stress and gives him self-esteem. He likes to spend time outdoors with his friends and family. He has become more involved with other people his age who have the same interests. “My goal in fishing is to compete in the highest level of professional bass fishing, The Bassmaster Classics,” O’Neal said.

Photo submitted by Devin O’Neal

Bass fishing becomes a favorite pastime, passion for O’Neal

Woods works to stay safe, adapt to masks By Sadie Lewis Staff Writer

Dad’s influence remains strong in all Blair does By Maya Ortiz Special Contributor

hen a golf tournament goes well, sophomore Camille Blair wishes her dad was there to celebrate. When she gets new animals at the FFA barns, she wishes he was there to see them. “[I miss him the most] in the moments when you want to be like, ‘Hey, look what I did!’ and you can’t,” Blair said. Blair’s father passed away while she was in eighth grade after a stroke caused swelling on the left side of his brain Despite her father not being here anymore, his impact on her life is evident. He introduced her to golf and fueled her passion for FFA. She misses not only telling him about high school but also just spending time with him. “If people were uncomfortable, he would figure out a way to make you comfortable,” Blair said. “He was really nice.” One of the people who has helped her the most since his passing is her

father’s friend Scott Goodell. Goodell helped Blair get back into golf. “[My dad] took me golfing,” Blair said, “which is why I’m involved in that now.” Though it was her mom who first encouraged her older brother to join FFA, Blair’s dad was the one who encouraged her to start showing sheep in fifth grade. Blair has continued to show lambs every year. “He was like, ‘Hey Camille here’s a lamb,’” Blair said. “[Showing lambs] is really fun for me.” Blair’s connection with her dad hardly stops there. His health complications are one of Blair’s driving factors for choosing to work in the medical field. He used to have to inject shots, and he let Blair help measure out the medicine in the syringes. Her father had been hospitalized 12 different times, and Blair was always awed seeing the nurses in action. “It was just watching them,” Blair said. “I thought, I just wanted to do what they did.”

FEATURE / DECEMBER 2020 / KPTIMES.COM

Photo by Crosslin Silcott

Sophomore Camille Blair takes a break with her latest lamb at the FFA barns in early November. She has raised lambs every year since her dad first suggested it in fifth grade. Photo by Maya Ortiz.

hile hearing people have learned to adapt to the minor inconveniences of masks, the deaf and hard of hearing have to also adapt to losing a key source of communication by covering facial expressions and losing their ability to read lips when needed. “The intent of a message is based on facial expressions and nonmanual signs,” Darnell Woods, American Sign Language teacher, said. “With the mask, it’s like everyone is signing with a blank face. Facial expressions are the rise and fall of a person’s voice.” One of Woods’ major concerns has been how to communicate at school. He has spent much of the past lip reading. He said some teachers are accommodating and lower their mask so he can see what they are saying, but others do not want to risk it. Also, some of the teachers on campus already know fluent ASL, which is helpful. Being able to communicate with staff members and students isn’t the only struggle Woods faces at school. He wears a clear face mask that gets in the way of him being able to properly sign. Woods said he always hits and pokes it while signing. Woods takes all of the concerns for safety seriously. Earlier in the pandemic, Woods’ mother spent 70 days in the ICU and another 20 days in a rehabilitation center due to COVID-19. It was a very emotional time for him and his family. “She is on a full road to recovery, slowly but surely,” Woods said. Even though there are communication barriers between the hearing and deaf communities, Woods said he hopes one thing hearing people will remember is empathy and patience. “Be willing to write, type, or even gesture if you can,” he said. “Having patience is what I model daily.” Despite all the challenges, Woods is optimistic. “Our community has experienced some hard times over the past few years,” Woods said. “If any people can overcome the current situation, it’s us. We got this.”

Photography fuels Ngo’s creativity

Morin misses fa By Aubrey Marsden Special Contributor

By Maria Landy Garcia Photo Editor

Photo by Maria Landy Garcia

unior Sharna Ngo started doing film photography a year ago. Despite the limitations of not being able to go out and do photo shoots due to COVID-19, quarantine has given her time to learn, expand her photography abilities and relieve her stress from school. “It is kind of sad that I can’t go out anymore; but even when I’m inside, I also take pictures because I have to constantly be thinking about this stuff,” Ngo said. “You have to think about what you are looking at; and, mainly, when you are staying at home, it kind of changed my perspective on things.” Ngo’s interest was triggered by other photographers, movies and art. She likes to put a lot of effort into her pictures for her own satisfaction. “I just like having things that I made, and I feel so proud of them,” Ngo said. “Even if they are bad, I will always learn from them.” Photography has become an outlet for Ngo to relieve her stress from school. She even started a photography Instagram account to share her pictures with the world. “I was going to post more on my main account, but then I realized that is more of a personal thing,” Ngo said. “I want my hobbies to be separate so that is why I created a whole account of just my work for other people to enjoy.” Ngo’s photography is raw. She doesn’t edit it or add filters to embrace the natural colors of her work. Landscapes are her favorite things to shoot because of the variety of colors, shapes and perspectives. “If I could photograph anything in the world I would photograph all the rural areas of other countries, take pictures of ginormous landscapes, oceans, carnivals -- anything that has a specific tone for a specific place,” she said. Ngo has finally found a hobby that has stuck with her longer than any other hobby. “I just saw so many pictures that made me feel something,” she said. “It made me realize that I really want to get into something that I can make, like photography, and capture these specific moments in my life.”

Photo by Crosslin Silcott

s Cristina Morin left her home and flew all alon on her journey to America, she thought to hers “What am I doing with my life?” Morin is a junior this year at Kingwood Park High School. She moved 335 miles away from her fami Piedras Negras, Mexico, to come live here in King wood. Morin’s biggest challenge about moving to Amer has been leaving behind her parents and her eldes brother, Armando. Her mother, Norma Josefina, is nurse and is Morin’s biggest inspiration in her life. Morin came to America for bigger and better op tunities in school. She wishes to attend college in Antonio to follow in her mother’s footsteps and be a nurse. She left behind her mother and her father to beg new adventure in America with her uncle, Luis, an two daughters. Before coming to America, Morin h

Jolly hopes to follow in By Khamille Jones Special Contributor

or generations, Jolly men have enlisted in the military. Junior Jacob Jolly plans to follow in their footsteps by joining the Navy boot camp in Chicago. “Going to the military is something that I’ve always wanted to do since I was a little kid,”Jolly said. Jolly grew up listening to his relatives tell stories of their time in the military. It‘s his goal to join right after he graduates. Although Jolly is excited to join, he does have concerns as to what will be going on in the world in the next couple of years. “The world is getting crazier and crazier, so by the time I’m in the military there could definitely be something crazy going on,” Jolly said.

Norris ta By Haylee Rankin Special Contributor

Freshman Alex Norr woke up at 2:32 a.m. to see their house filled water. After the city of Lake Conroe dam, wa Kingwood. “Hurricane Harvey w the San Jacinto River release water from Lak The Norris family had a lot of flood damage after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Photo submitted by Alex Norris.

KPTIMES.COM / DECEMBER 2020 / FEATURE

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never met her uncle and she admitted that it was difficult to get used to living with someone she had never met before. “I’m grateful for my uncle, but I’d never known my uncle,” Morin said. The most difficult part of coming to Kingwood for Morin has been being away from her family. Her brother, Fernando, lives with her aunt and attends college in Florida; but Morin only gets to see him on vacation. The move has been hard on other family members as well. “My mom was sad,” said Morin. “She missed me. I talk to my family every other day. I want to visit on Thanksgiving or Christmas.” Even though this has been a scary, nerve-wracking change for Morin, she is still excited and grateful to be here to learn English and the American culture. “I’m nervous because my whole life changed completely, but I will be grateful for this experience.”

family footsteps

Photo by Crosslin Silcott

hen Arleigh Doehring was in third grade, she started noticing difficulty with reading and went to one-on-one tutoring. Her mom thought it was because she was in the Spanish Immersion program during elementary school, but Doehring knew there was something more. “Reading never came easy to me,” Doehring said. “If we’re driving on the highway, your side of the road you see clearly; I have thunder and storms on my side.” Doehring got diagnosed with dyslexia last year at the beginning of eighth grade. That November she went to a 504 meeting which explained her accommodations. She received extended test taking time, tests read to her, and help to get to the same level as everyone else. “I wasn’t surprised,” Doehring said. “This kind of put all the pieces together, it was basically a light shined on an issue that I never knew was there.” Doehring works hard to overcome her struggles in reading. She’s in the dyslexia class where they help students slowly progress through reading. The students she learns with in the dyslexia class have known longer about their dyslexia. Doehring’s story is just getting started. “I’m at the beginning of my journey,” Doehring said. Doehring’s mom also has dyslexia. It’s said to be hereditary. Her mom helps her out with her struggles and they even bond over it. “She’ll read me things,” Doehring said. “It’s just funny when I pronounce something wrong, we always get a good laugh.”

COVID edition

While the Navy is very hard, Jolly is preparing by being in football at hool. When Jolly is done with the Navy, he wants to go to college and come an orthopedic surgeon “The military has good benefits such as paying for college,” Jolly said. Jolly’s uncle has inspired him the most to join the military because he fought outside of Sadar City in the second Iraq War and was a Cavalry Scout in the 2/2 Armed Cavalry. Today his uncle has PTSD. “Even though there are a lot of people in my family that went to the military, my uncle fought in Iraq and got a purple heart medal,” said Jolly. “He’s just a big inspiration to me because he came back alive.”

By Taylor Nethery Special Contributor

Humans of KPARK

Freshman amily after move tackles new challenges

akes action after house floods during Hurricane Harvey

ris and her family on Aug. 29, 2017, d with 4 feet of f Houston opened the ater rushed toward

was wrapping up and Authority decided to ke Conroe, and that’s

what flooded my household and Kingwood High,” Norris said. Norris’ neighbors kayaked into their house that morning to get them. The Norris family stayed with their neighbors for a week before getting a rental house. The family soon started renovating. “I learned how to put in insulation and

do electrical wiring,” Norris said. “I learned a lot on how things work and how to be a family.” After a year of hard work to get the house ready, the Norris family moved back in May of 2018. “Then it all started to kind of chill,” she said “We got a contract on our house and it started to function as a house. When we moved back in May, we moved in without electricity and floors though.” Because of what happened to them,

Norris wanted to talk in front of the San Jacinto River Authority. She told them that it was wrong for them to open the dam just to save a few homes when they destroyed hundreds in Kingwood. After talking to the committee, she got letters from a senator with names of organizations and groups that focus on raising awareness for natural disaster recovery, and Norris is still a part of Texas Youth Preparedness Council today.

FEATURE / DECEMBER 2020 / KPTIMES.COM

Linebacker leads by example in senior year Wyatt Sheppard pressured offenses all season and dominated defensive statistical categories. By Gabby Norman Managing Editor

yatt Sheppard’s major philosophy on the football field is to put his teammates first. After that, everything will fall into place. The senior linebacker has been a three-year varsity player. As one of the stars of the team, he is the leader in eight of the 12 defensive stats categories. “It’s not about how good or technical you are,” Sheppard said. “It’s about how much you want it.” He wants it. The further into the season they got, Sheppard started to realize he didn’t want his football career to Senior linebacker Wyatt Sheppard takes a break during an offensive series in the 27-18 win against Santa Fe on Nov. 19. The team end; and he started to realize he finished the season 4-6 and ranked fifth in the district. Photo by Eliza Gonzalez. should contact coaches in order to further his dedication to the sport. Sheppard’s dedication is a reflecmy friends and having a good time. tion of this year’s varsity team. After Quarantine gave me a lot of time to a rough start, Sheppard said he work on myself: I lost 20 pounds.” believed the team Even with quarantine’s would find its groove positive aspects for in its new district. Sheppard, he is upset Varsity defensive line about all the opportunicoach Jeff Knight ties he has missed out agreed with him. on -- like a homecoming “We have a team dance -- and is hoping of very hard-working for a prom. With the kids,” Knight said. future uncertain, he Senior quarterback “They have great Hudson Dezell has decided to focus fights for extra chemistry and are on present goals, like yardage as two dedicated to being breaking the tackling Dayton defenders successful.” record that was set last jump on his back Despite the year by Christian Leierer. late in the first chemistry, the seaAccording to defensive half on Dec. 4 at son had a bumpy coordinator Mark Miller, Turner Stadium. start. Games were The Panthers won the effort Sheppard their final game of delayed because of shows is an example for the season 45-6. COVID and then the the whole team. In the Photo by Maya Panthers had to play first nine games, ShepOrtiz. the best schools in pard led the team with the district right at 117 total tackles and the beginning of the 16 tackles for loss. He season. With a 45-6 was second on the team Wyatt Sheppard, with 39 assisted tackles. victory in the final senior linebacker Sheppard also led the game of the season against Dayton, the team with 21 quarterteam finished 4-6 and ranked 5th back pressures, four sacks, nine in the district. They missed the playstrips, four fumbles and two fumble offs, snapping a three-year streak of recoveries. reaching the postseason. “I just do my job,” Sheppard said. Beyond football, Sheppard has “Hustle makes a good football high hopes for his senior year and player, but ultimately it takes a lot wants to leave with no regrets. of heart and wanting to be a great “I’m trying to have as much fun player. It’s not how fast you are, but as I can my senior year,” Sheppard how much you want it.” Senior tight end Brady Cole celebrates Sophomore returner Pierce Richards said. “I just like hanging out with as he scores against Dayton on Dec. 4

LAST GLANCE

“

I just do my job. Hustle makes a good football player, but ultimately it takes a lot of heart and wanting to be a great player. It’s not how fast you are, but how much you want it.

“

10 KPTIMES.COM / DECEMBER 2020 / SPORTS

at Turner Stadium. Photo by Maya Ortiz.

tries to gain a few yards on special teams for the offense. Photo by Eliza Gonalez.

Reaching new

heights

Skylar Suggitt hopes to break the school pole vault record when her senior season begins in the spring.

junior year school track season ended after just two meets. At the time, her personal record was 10 feet. “This was really disappointing as By Crosslin Silcott it was a key time to try to beat my Editor-in-Chief personal record,” Suggitt said. However, since her practices at ith only a 13-foot pole to help Bay Area Pole Vaulting Club were lift her, senior Skylar Suggitt outdoors, she was able to continue hurls herself more than 11 feet in practicing and competing throughthe air. Her sprint down the runway out the summer. She surpassed her and the precision of planting the personal record of 10 feet and is pole perfectly in the 8 inch box at now jumping 11 feet, 3 inches. the base of the actual jump is the “I had hit a plateau difference between and was stuck at 10 a recording-setting feet for almost a year, jump or a potential so it was a huge relief injury. and a big excitement “Pole vaulting is to finally get over the as much of a mental hump,” Suggitt said. challenge as it is a Suggitt said that physical challenge,” one of her goals for Suggitt said. her senior year is Suggitt began pole to break the school vaulting her freshman record of 11 feet held year after she was reby Pam Murfin and cruited by former asSara Brenner. She has sistant coach James jumped beyond that Higham. Her prior but not in a high school competitive cheer, competition. Her goal gymnastics, and track is to jump 12 feet by skills made her a the end of her senior strong candidate for year. the sport. “One of my goals “I had been a was to get her jumping sprinter and figured high enough so that ‘why not?’” Suggitt she can compete in said. “With [Higham’s] college,” Colivas said. coaching and encour“We’re close to that agement, I found a because she’s starting love for this sport.” former Canadian to get some phone Twice a week, Olympic pole vaulter calls from coaches callSuggitt travels to Glenn Colivas, who ing her about jumping Dickinson to train with trains Skylar Suggitt at the next level.” a former Canadian Suggitt plans to conOlympic pole vaulter tinue pole vault in college and said Glenn Colivas at Bay Area Pole that she is talking to many schools Vault Academy. This allows her to right now. She said she hopes to train and compete all year. Additionpick a school in January. For now, ally, she works on strength and she looks forward to starting track endurance by going to CrossFit four season soon. times a week. “Her dedication and her persever“She’s totally ingrained in the program,” Colivas said. “Her dedication ance [have helped her] because even though she has faults like all of has been through the roof. She just them do, she perseveres to correct always wants to get better, always those,” Colivas said. “I think she’s wants to improve; and she does going to have a breakout year.” whatever it takes to get there.” Due to the coronavirus, Suggitt’s

“

She’s totally ingrained in the program. Her dedication has been through the roof. She just always wants to get better, always wants to improve; and she does whatever it takes to get there.

Skylar Suggitt clears the bar during a practice at the Bay Area Pole Vault Academy. The senior started pole vaulting as a freshman in high school. Photos courtesy of Erik Williams.

SPORTS / DECEMBER 2020 / KPTIMES.COM

“

Guard Matti McDaniel, 10, drives to the hoop for a layup against The Power forward Biva Byrd, 10, drives up the court Woodlands. Photo by Katie Gerba- against The Woodlands in a 71-41 victory on Nov. 13. Photo by Katie Gerbasich. sich.

Guard Aliyah Bustamante, 12, drives toward the basket against The Woodlands on Nov. 13. Photo by Katie Gerbasich.

Center Savannah Wilson, 11, competes against The Woodlands on Nov. 13. This is Wilson’s first year at Kingwood Park. Photo by Katie Gerbasich.

Daniel returns from knee surgery ready for basketball, softball By Khamille Jones Special contributor

uarantine has been anything but uneventful for junior Kendall Daniel. In June, Daniel underwent knee surgery for a torn meniscus. In September, she committed to play softball at the University of Houston. Now with two knee braces on for protection, she is enjoying being a starting forward on the basketball team this season. “At the end of the day, my college coach tells me to do something I love,” Daniel said. “I still play basketball because it’s something I love.” Daniel tore her meniscus while pitching. She has been playing soft-

ball since she was 3 years old and struggled when she had to take time away from the sport because of surgery. She still went to her teammates’ games and supported them, but it hasn’t been easy. “I’ve never taken this long of a break from sports,” Daniel said. In addition to the University of Houston being so close to home, Daniel chose it because she wants to be an engineer and they have a strong engineering program. “Staying close to family and friends is good for me because I’ll always have my support system there,” Daniel said. “It’s nice to show my parents that the opportunity they gave me has paid off, and they can actually come and see that.”

Kendall Daniel, 11, competes against The Woodlands on Nov. 13. They won the game 71-41. The team started the season 10-0. Photo by Katie Gerbasich.

Keller finds stride in senior season By Arleigh Doehring Special Contributor

Senior Jack Keller looks for a pass against South Houston on Dec. 8 at home. The Panthers won 62-28 to improve to 8-1 for the season. Photo by Sadie Lewis.

ack Keller started playing basketball when he was 7 years old and is now a senior captain on the varsity basketball team. “I played other sports before I started playing basketball, but I started playing with the kids in my neighborhood,” Keller said. “I took my own path because my dad and my brother didn’t play.” Keller said he believes he was voted captain because of his leadership skills, the trust his teammates have in him, his determination, and hard work. Captain is voted by the players by a sign of respect. Votes from the coaches count too. It meant a lot to Keller to be voted by not only his teammates but his best friends. “This year’s team is more committed, everyone is buying into our main goal - to win

12 KPTIMES.COM / DECEMBER 2020 / SPORTS

districts and have a memorable run in the playoffs,” Keller said. “The team has not been to the playoffs or won districts in a long time and we think we can be the team to do it.” Kobe Bryant is his favorite player because of Kobe’s hard work, dedication and because no seemed to outwork him. Keller tries to add extra intensity as soon as the game tips off. “Being intense or flipping that switch in a game might give others the wrong assumption about me off the court,” Keller said. “I’m actually a nice person but in the game that might give others a different opinion.” Keller’s favorite memory on the team was his first home varsity game last year. They were losing until the second quarter, when they made a great comeback and won the game. Keller played better than he expected. “That game kind of built an identity for the team,” Keller said.

Zelasko pushes to exceed last year’s championship season

By Braydon White Special Contributor

tate champion Frankie Zelasko began swimming at the age of 6 with a local summer league team, which sparked his interest in swimming. By 9, he joined Blue Tide swimming. In the early seasons, he didn’t enjoy swimming because of the rigor and hassle of after school practices, but he stuck with it. Nothing in swimming came natural to him, he said. The hardest skill that he had to learn was the flip turn and he struggled with underwater travel. His hard work and persistence paid off, however. A year ago, he was part of the boys’ state championship swim team. He hopes to return to the State Meet again this year. “I practice four mornings a week with about 10 hours total each week,” Zelasko said. Swimming in the middle of a pandemic proved to be a challenge for Zelasko as prior to September he had not competed since Feb. 15 in Austin at the state championships. During quarantine, he was not able to swim for about three to four months due to facilities being closed. Zelasko was required to do exercise workouts through Zoom meetings. Later on, he finally found an available pool, but it was 44 miles away from his home. Zelasko began practicing there about four days a week. The swimmers were required to space out due to social distancing. The past few months were a little stressful for Zelasko because of the uncertainties and worry about achieving his goal to swim in college. “My goal is to treat my senior year just like any other year and keep working hard so that I can continue with my swimming in college,” Zelasko said.

UPCOMING HOME GAMES Boys Basketball at home Friday Dec. 18 Opponent: New Caney Time: Freshmen - 1:30, JV - 2:45, Varsity - 4 p.m. Wednesday Dec. 30 Opponent: Sam Rayburn Time: Freshmen - 10, JV - 11:15, Varsity 12:30 p.m. Girls Basketball at home Tuesday, Dec. 22 Opponent: Lake Creek Time: Freshmen - 11, JV - 12:15, Varsity - 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 29 Opponent: Splendora Time: Freshmen - 11, JV - 12:15, Varsity - 1:30 p.m. Boys Soccer at home Friday, Dec. 18 Opponent: Kingwood Time: JV - 5:30, V - 7:30 p.m.

Senior Frankie Zelasko competes in the team’s intrasquad meet in October. Photo by Alicyn Logue.

Seniors represent school at cross country State Meet By Veronica Gonzalez Staff Writer

fter a year of hard work, seniors Ada Hammond and Ashtyn Kolenovsky competed in the State Championships for cross country. Hammond was competing for the second-consecutive year, while Kolenovsky qualified in her first year of running cross country. “The ladies had so much fun, you could just see it in their eyes that they were just absorbing this and enjoying it,” cross country coach Cody Cook said. “They also ran very well, with AK [Kolenovsky] getting a new personal record and Ada finishing close to one.” Hammond finished 76th in 19:24.49 and Kolenovsky finished close behind her in 19:39.17. “I don’t even know how to describe it, probably like one of the best experiences ever,” said Kolenovsky, who was a sprinter on the track team the previous three years. “I was very grateful I got to go with Ada and it was just really fun. I feel like I pushed myself to my best abilities.” Even though the team had to undergo a ton of setbacks, that didn’t stop them from working hard and getting things done. “We actually had this season marked as being a special one all the way back to over one year ago with the previous head coach,” Cook said. The runners overcame a lot of obstacles that were thrown their way. During the pandemic coaches sent

Seniors Ada Hammond, Ashtyn Kolenovsky and Trezzie Ivy run toward the front of the pack early in the Regional Championships at Sam Houston State University. Photo by Crosslin Silcott. out workouts and exercises to make sure that the team kept training. “We had to pause coming to practice three times during the season because different people kept getting tested positive for COVID,” Hammond said. Despite the setbacks, Hammond made sure to enjoy her final high school season. “I used to be really focused on my times, especially last year and going to state,” Hammond said. “But I think this year I was more like, ‘Enjoy the moment. It only comes once in your life so might as well enjoy it with everyone around you.”

SPORTS / DECEMBER 2020 / KPTIMES.COM

COVID-19 takes toll on senior’s family Senior Richard Rivera’s family spent much of November dealing with the coronavirus in their home. He kept a daily journal recording the experience.

Nov. 7, Saturday Today started off like a regular Saturday morning. I worked last night and expected to be up early in the morning to work on our land in New Caney. I woke up around 8 a.m. and realized everyone was gone. I messaged my family and found out they were at the doctor’s office. I didn’t think much of it since I knew my grandma was having issues with her throat. My grandma has been living with us for almost a year now. She came when COVID first hit and didn’t leave since the virus got bad in Mexico. She has wanted to go back home, but my dad disapproves of the idea due to her safety. We always hoped that while living with us we could make sure she stayed safe and healthy. Two hours after waking up, my dad called and told me to get me and my brother dressed so we could get tested for COVID. That day, my entire family - aside from my 8-year-old brother - tested positive for COVID-19. Everything around our house changed quickly. We began eating on paper plates and using disposable cups to minimize infected surfaces. We also wiped the house down with bleach on any surfaces that we regularly touch. Nov. 8, Sunday The day started off very sluggish and continued at the same pace. We stayed inside and wore masks so we wouldn’t contaminate each other anymore than we already had. We all slept at different times and didn’t see much of each other since we mostly stayed in our rooms. Nov. 9, Monday Once again we stayed apart and continued to wear our masks. We kept taking our medication that was prescribed to us from the doctors. The food was still very bland, but we would get bits of flavor here and there. Personally, I didn’t feel any symptoms besides my nose being cold, while my grandma and mom had headaches and were very tired throughout the day. Nov. 10, Tuesday My family seemed to be more full of fatigue today; my younger brother, mom and grandma napped 2-3 times

Richard Rivera, along with his grandma, mom, dad and little brother, dealt with COVID-19 in November. Rivera has been a virtual student this year. Photo contributed by Richard Rivera. today. My dad napped once, he seems to keep wanting to go against the fatigue; but I can tell in his face that he is tired. We tend to snack more throughout the day, not because we are hungry, but because we want to see if we can taste any food. Nov. 11, Wednesday Today was my last day of my prescribed medication, both bottles of pills lasted me for five days. I ate eggs for breakfast this morning and I tasted nothing while eating them. It seemed as if I was chewing air. Nov. 12, Thursday Waking up at 7 a.m. today really drained me throughout the day. I drank arroz con leche and had two slices of toast with butter (it still tasted very bland do me). I stayed up for a couple of hours only to find myself napping for two hours out of boredom. When I woke up I ate soup and could pretty much taste the flavors. My family was worried because I was asleep for so long, but it was just too boring to stay awake. Nov. 13, Friday Today was an especially long day; and while I didn’t do much (since my current situation was to be here stuck inside), I spent most of my time in bed or outside with the dogs which helped me get some break from the inside. My grandma and mom are starting to worry me. They’re both very tired for most of the day and barely get out of bed. If they do get out of bed, it is only to do minimal things.

14 KPTIMES.COM / DECEMBER 2020 / OPINION

Nov. 14, Saturday Today was another long day. Seeing my mom and grandma stuck in bed is not a good sight, I can’t do much but stay away and give them space. My mom is pushing through it while my grandma decides to sleep for most of the day because it’s better than being awake. I didn’t run today because my head hurt too much; and I figured after 8 days straight, I should probably take a break. Nov. 15, Sunday Today wasn’t bad, I can taste more flavors now so that’s good. We washed all my grandma’s covers and pillows because as of right now she has it the worst, and we need to constantly disinfect everything in her room. My mom comes next after her. She stays in bed most of the day and tires out quickly after doing simple tasks around the house. Nov. 16, Monday Seeing my grandma so sick hurts. She’s in her room all day -- only my parents go and check in on her since they don’t want me and my brother getting sick. It makes sense, but it does hurt us not being able to see her. That’s all today honestly. Nov. 17, Tuesday Today was pretty hurtful too. My grandma was stuck in her room all day, and I heard my parents talking about the emergency room for her so that mentally drained me throughout the day. Towards the afternoon my grandma started looking and feeling better so that took a lot of stress off me. At this point in time I feel perfectly

fine; but, following regulations, I will be staying at home. Nov. 18, Wednesday I went to work today which wasn’t bad. Whataburger’s contact center said I had cleared the protocol, which also lined up with the CDC guidelines that say a test is not required to be around others as long as you wait at least 10 days and have no fever for at least 24 hours. My grandma has been looking and feeling better. She’s been going outside to get fresh air, and it makes me happy that she has the energy to go outside. Nov. 19, Thursday Today my dad and I went and got retested for COVID. We both haven’t been feeling any symptoms for the past 10 days so we decided to get tested because he wants to go back and help at work, and I want to go to school to see my track team. We waited an hour and a half to get our rapid test which only took around 15-20 minutes. When the doctor came back, he told us we were still positive with COVID. It made no sense to either of us, but my dad remained at home and I stayed away from school. On a bright note, my grandma was outside for a while today. She was with my dad while he was grilling. Seeing her being able to move around makes me happy and takes a lot of stress off of me. Nov. 24, Tuesday Third time’s a charm, I finally got a negative test!!!

Zoo’s new exhibit offers perfect escape

By Maya Ortiz Special Contributor

he Houston Zoo’s new exhibit gives visitors a rare experience. Visitors can quickly forget they are in downtown Houston as they walk along the cracked pathway and read the “road signs” leading to the bright sign announcing “South America’s Pantanal” exhibit. The exhibit took approximately four years to plan and build, and it shows. It is unlike any exhibit the Houston Zoo has ever created. With a walk-in aviary, a jaguar bridge and many new viewing options, visitors receive an interactive experience while visiting the 4.2 acre exhibit. Most guests come to the zoo to see all different species. In the new exhibit, the zoo introduces giant river otters for the first time. Guests may also get the chance to see the otters playing or sunbathing in their habitat. Another species that guests will enjoy seeing is the oropendolas birds. The birds have built large teardrop shaped nests in the aviary, and guests can see them fly overhead. The blue-throated Macaws and the blue-billed curassows are

Young visitors watch the fish in the aquarium at the zoo’s new Pantanal exhibit. Photo by Maya Ortiz.

Two of the giant river otters relax together in the Pantanal exhibit. There are 51 species and 150 animals in the new exhibit. Photo by Maya Ortiz.

some of the most endangered species in the new Pantanal exhibit. One of the most impressive parts about the true Pantanal in Brazil is the biodiversity. The Houston Zoo does a great job of showcasing it with 51 different species in the new exhibit. Specifically in the birdhouse and the mixed-species habitats, guests have fun trying to pinpoint all the animals in a single exhibit. Every time guests look up in the aviaries,

they find a different type of bird. Not only did the zoo take the visitors into consideration, but they also took the animals into consideration. The Houston Zoo made sure all the habitats in the new exhibit are multi-use spaces for the animals and have areas for the animals to move out of view if they don’t feel like being seen. There really is something for everyone in the new exhibit -- from golden lion tamarins and howler

monkeys to an anaconda and a jaguar. The new exhibit has tapir, capybara, and a giant anteater. Guests also will be impressed with the stingrays and turtles. Overall, this is a perfect time to visit the new exhibit and enjoy the entire 55-acre zoo. “Zoo Lights” is currently going on until Jan. 10, so it is a great time to come to the zoo. Guests should plan to spend a good amount of time seeing all the animals to get the best experience, especially at the new Pantanal exhibit. Due to COVID-19 precautions, guests do have to make reservations for tickets online. Visitors also are required to have a mask on during their entire visit.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Wearing masks properly should no longer be a battle T

he rules and regulations regarding COVID-19 are still to wear a mask and social distance. The daily announcements mention keeping your mask over your mouth and nose. One-way hallways have been implemented to help with traffic flow and distancing between classes. However, even with the reminders and rules, the number of students and adults not wearing their masks correctly is incredibly concerning. More needs to be done to hold students and teachers accountable when the rules are not followed. Our school is not immune to this rise, but we can be part of the solution instead of more of the problem. Especially with the large number of families who traveled over Thanksgiving break and who anticipate traveling over winter break, it’s important that students and faculty do everything in their power to keep themselves and their families safe.

There are plenty of reasons to enforce the rules. Cases in Harris County are rising, and according to the Humble ISD COVID-19 dashboard in early December nearly 3.5% of in-person students and staff members have had the virus. The White House Coronavirus Task Force released statements on Dec. 1 specifically calling on Texas to increase its statewide mandates because of the sharp increase happening in counties across the state. This is an issue regarding public safety. If a student isn’t wearing a mask, don’t hold a conversation with them until they put it on correctly. If a student says

their mask is too big or uncomfortable, direct them to their house office where new masks are kept or show them a way to tighten it. There is no excuse to not have a mask that fits when masks are provided on campus. In the same regard, if a teacher is not wearing a mask correctly, students should feel comfortable going to an administrator to discuss it, if mentioning it to the teacher seems too stressful. For the most part, it all starts with the adults. When students see authority figures not wearing their masks properly it makes it a lot easier for the students to justify not wearing their masks properly. The same is

Our school is not immune to this rise, but we can be part of the solution by wearing masks properly.

also true when teachers wear their masks properly but do not enforce proper mask wearing in their classrooms. When students realize a teacher is not going to mandate a nose being covered or even a face covering being worn at all, certain students will push the limit as far as they can. This not only makes other students in the room uncomfortable, it makes the room unsafe. Adults discipline students for not wearing an ID badge daily and for dress code violations. Properly wearing masks should be just as high of a priority. As the country tries to stop the increase of COVID cases, everyone at school can be part of the solution and less a part of the problem. Follow CDC guidelines and quarantine if you are a close contact. Stay home if you are not feeling well. And if you come to school, wear a mask properly.

OPINION / DECEMBER 2020 / KPTIMES.COM

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