2 | NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021 | HILLTOPVIEWSONLINE.COM

Austin enters Stage 5, AISD faces obstacles to keep students, teachers safe

By KRYSTA HERRERA

As COVID-19 cases rise across the state of Texas, students, teachers and parents are learning to navigate school life all while facing unprecedented circumstances.

Meanwhile, the debate over masks continues. Mere weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott issued a ban on mask mandates, State District Judge Catherine Mauzy of Travis County temporarily blocked Abbott’s executive order, GA-38. This allowed 20 school districts, including Austin ISD, to require students, teachers, visitors and all other employees to wear masks.

AISD, is attempting to restore normalcy even as the number of Texas students testing positive has increased since last year.

“Two fourth grade classes have had to go into quarantine and pockets of kids in two or three different classrooms have had to quarantine because they’re getting exposed,” Letty Alvear, a kindergarten teacher at Barton Hills Elementary, said.

As a parent to three AISD students, Alvear chooses to wear a mask to protect not only herself and her class, but her son Jacob, who at 11 years old, is currently too young to receive the vaccine.

“As a parent I agree we need to have a mask mandate, and as a teacher I was still going to wear a mask regardless of what happened with Abbott because we’re there to protect the kids,” Alvear said.

However, it appears that in the midst of all of this uncertainty, where many critical decisions are left to individual districts, parents are forced to make tough decisions in order to serve the best interests of their children.

Kim Fry, a former AISD parent, has a third and fifth grader and recently made the decision to transfer her children to Eanes ISD. Like other parents deliberating over what choices are best for their kids, it was ultimately the lack of communication and uncertainty with AISD that contributed the most to her choice.

“The communication from the district as well as the elementary school just lacked completely. And now that we’ve switched and just knowing they [Eanes Elementary] would enforce in- person learning, the teachers would be in person; it’s just a lot more efficient then what AISD was.….The masks or no masks was not the incentive, it was the communication and the type of education that they’ll be receiving, and the assistance with the teachers is where we see the big difference,” Fry said.

“Even as an employee of the school they don't really give us specifics… Things change from day to day; one day they [students] are allowed to eat their snacks inside and the next day because there are rising cases, we’re asked to eat outside,” Alvear said.

KRYSTA HERRERA/HILLTOP VIEWS

Many elementary schools, like Barton Springs, are facing rising COVID-19 infections. Both teachers and parents face new challenges as the school year begins.

Students return to campus, RecWell faces continuing challenges

By ANALISA FLORES

After a year and a half of fully remote classes, the student body has finally returned to campus. In Jan. of 2020 the newly renovated and expanded Recreation and Athletic Center (RAC) opened. Only a few months later, classes went virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The renovation of the RAC was a part of the 2018 Master Plan. The renovations provided more facility space for all students, not just athletes.

Recreation and Wellness, often referred to as RecWell, is an integral part of the St. Edwards community. Recwell provides a large range of activities for students to get active and involved in the campus community. They offer club sports, fitness programs such as GroupX and Personal Training, recreational sports and Wellness Services such as Peer Wellness Champions.

In light of the risk that COVID-19 still poses to the St. Edwards Community, the RAC maintains protocols that are in place for the other facilities on campus. Students and faculty who want to participate in activities are required to reserve a spot using the IMLeagues portal. Reservations need to be made in advance, but walk-ins can be added to a class if there is space available.

Additionally, students have to show their updated TopperSafe badge and student ID at checkin. Reserving spots in advance for classes as well as workout times in the gym ensures a safe number of students in the facilities at any given time.

Marco Martinez, Recwell’s Social Media Marketing Coordinator, explained how the new facilities have helped recwell. They are able to have more participation because of expanded space as well as growing and expanding their outreach to the community. In reference to COVID-19 safety protocols, Martinez explained that RecWell staff also clean in between classes and require masks to be kept on at all times.

This semester, students can expect a lot of the same programs and facilities that RecWell offered in pre-pandemic times. However, Martinez did outline that some club sports are no longer offered and their Outdoor Adventures program, which used to facilitate overnight and day camping trips, is not currently available. Instead, they are offering camping equipment rentals by reservation.

For the Fall 2021 semester, all GroupX classes are free. GroupX offers classes like Vinyasa yoga, BOSU strength, spin, cardio, barre and dance classes. There is also prerecorded GroupX content available on YouTube that can be done from the comfort of one's home for those uncomfortable participating in in-person classes.

Exercise is a great way to improve mental health and getting that exercise in with RecWell activities can also help students make new friends and get involved in the St. Edwards community. To stay up to date about Recwell, follow their instagram page @seurecwell.

GRACIE WATT/HILLTOP VIEWS

Topper Safe Badges are required to enter many areas on campus including certain areas of Ragsdale. RecWell now requires a yellow Topper Safe badge to access their facilities.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021 | HILLTOPVIEWSONLINE.COM 3NEWS 3 3 | NEWS / SPORTS

Hurricane Ida causes catastrophic damage to Louisiana, nearby states

By SYDNEY TREAT

Hurricane Ida made landfall on Aug. 29 as a Category 4 (130 to 156 mph winds) storm with a surge of 12 to 16 feet, and winds gusting as high as 172 miles per hour. The storm left more than one million people without power and arrived on the 16th anniversary of the massive and destructive Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Ida was the twelfth hurricane to hit in an already busy hurricane time resident of the city of New Orleans. Video chatting with her from Atlanta, GA. where she and her fiancée relocated just before the storm reached the Louisiana coast, Cochran described in detail the hurricane and how it compared to previous ones she experienced (including Hurricane Katrina in 2005). A big difference, according to Cochran, was in the billions of federal dollars in investments to the levee system which held and protected the city from flooding, and

season. The storm made its way across the southern U.S. and to the northeast, leaving more than 40 people dead in New York before reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

Hilltop Views interviewed Katherine Cochran, a longthe preparation by residents who had lived through Hurricane Katrina.

Another big difference between Hurricane Ida and previous storms is the attention this storm got from crisis-fatigued Americans. With COVID-19 , Af-

ghanistan, climate-fueled fires and other crises vying for collective attention, Ida and the damage left in its wake quickly became a distant memory. According to Cochran, the coverage that Hurricane Ida received depicted a need for help but did not convey a full understanding of the horror of being in the midst of a natural disaster. “The news is covering things in a dramatic way which is good for bringing assistance. It’s kind of telling everybody, ‘We need help.’ But they’re still not really feeling it.” Cochran said. Compounding the already devastating state Louisiana is in, many are still suffering the consequences days after the storm. Louisiana is heavily dependent on tourism to support its economy, and until electricity, buildings and lives are restored, the state and its people COURTESY OF WIKICOMMONS will continue to Ida was ranked as a Category 4 Hurricane according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane suffer. Wind Scale. Hurricanes in this category cause catastrophic damage to the regions hit. Financial resources such as the Hilltopper Help Line, Aunt Bertha, Emergency Aid Fund and the HOOF Fund are available to students impacted by the disaster.

COURTESY OF SEU ATHLETICS

Tran is currently majoring in Marketing and pursuing a minor in Psychology. As Tran prepares for graduation, the future seems bright for the young player.

Emily Tran enters senior season with high expectations for herself, teammates

By SAGE WARE

Whether it’s on the court or in the classroom, St. Edward’s student athletes are working hard towards their future. Emily Tran, senior setter for St. Edward’s women’s volleyball team is no different. In 2020, Tran was added to the Lone Star Conference All-Academic team. Originally from Eagan, MN, Tran has been a part of the Hilltop community for a little over three years. The time she has spent at SEU is filled with memorable moments which helped create the person she is today. Eager for the upcoming season, Tran expressed how the team has “high expectations, wants to go to conference.” Tran, like many other athletes, is thrilled by the progressive shift towards a normal sports setting.

As for how COVID-19 affected the way that she views her sport, Tran gained a new perspective. “It made me a lot more grateful, especially because other university teams couldn’t play,” Tran said. Last year brought a lot of limitations but as more universities are able to compete, the team is motivated to do well and have “a solid year.” Tran also mentioned the challenges COVID brought to their team dynamic by emphasizing how tough it was to bond as a team. However, with this year’s new rules, getting to know teammates is much easier and their friendships are stronger than ever.

Most would agree that college is an unforgettable experience. Therefore, we felt it imperative we ask Tran about her favorite memory from her years on the Hilltop.

“My sophomore year. I think it was one of the best years we played,” Tran said. The women’s volleyball team had recently been introduced to the Lone Star Conference (LSC), which is connected to the NCAA, and that same year they won the trophy for the LSC Division Championship. This victory was without a doubt the product of hard work. “We had a tough pod and we came out on top,” Tran said.

Tran compared her first two years of college volleyball to her junior year when describing the feeling of being on the court. During her freshman and sophomore year, Tran described playing as “mostly muscle memory.” Due to the absence of fans, adjusting to people in the stands may be a challenge. “When spectators are allowed, I know I’ll have a lot of nerves and will have to shake some of it out,” Tran said.

With such strong goals and determination for excellence, it is only natural to have something or someone that inspires you. For Emily Tran, that’s her best friend and teammate: Steffy Walls.

“She is like the ultimate, elite person,” Tran said, “Have you ever met someone who can grind out everything? She inspires me because I want to have the same positive attitude and energy that she does.”

Along with inspiration from her peers, Tran is also looking to the future. Her ideas for post-graduation include studying for her masters, playing another year of volleyball with St. Edward’s or seeing where her internship will take her.

“I definitely am going to be playing volleyball, some way somehow,” Tran said