Volume 47, Issue #4

Vol. 47 Issue #4

The

February 11, 2022

Knightly News

p. 2 Black History Month at Pace

p. 10-11 Valentine’s Day

p. 15 Superbowl LVI Predictions

“Love Becomes Our Legacy”

This February, The Knightly News strives to embody the words of poet Amanda Gorman as we celebrate the histories and voices of our growing, diverse community.

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Pace News

February 11, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 2

Pace Celebrates Black History Month

Photo: Mary Amelia Weiss

Every February, the United States celebrates Black History Month to honor the triumphs and struggles that Black people have had over the course of American history. Beginning in 1915 as only a weeklong acknowledgment, the civil rights movement in the 1960s brought this annual occasion to its current prominence, extended it to the entire month of February, a strategic choice in order to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

This historic event is a nationally recognized observance, and is celebrated in many countries abroad as well.

At Pace, students will celebrate through student-led assemblies and discussions in history classes surrounding the impact of Black culture and actions throughout history. In addition, assemblies primarily led

by Upper School English teacher Bailey Player and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) officer and History teacher Duke Sherrell will tell the story of the history of Pace and its connections to the Jim Crow south, the civil rights movement and integration at Pace. “More than anything, the DEI team is trying to raise awareness and get out information about simply what’s around them,” said Mr. Sherrell. “I think

Mr. Player leads the first introductory assembly to Black History Month and the history of Pace. it’s important to understand the context of the school that you go to and its place in terms of the history of the United States.”

Co-leader of the Black student Alliance (BSA) and junior England Meadows shared similar sentiments. “BSA hopes to increase knowledge of Black history by providing open spaces to engage in discussion about Black people and their influence,” Meadows said. “In doing this, we look forward to continuing to provide the broader Pace community with opportunities to

immerse themselves in aspects of Black culture like literature, music and more.”

When asked about her perception about the overall goal of this month long observance, Meadows detailed that “society is changing constantly, and we as people within the Black diaspora are changing too — our perspectives, our opinions and our experiences. To say there is a goal implies there is a definite ‘ending’ we would like to reach when in reality this month is a time of highlighting the im-

portance of the contributions of Black people.”

However, Black history month is not the only time the Pace community can and should learn more about Black history.

“The minimesters are a great tool for that,” Mr. Sherrell said, referring to the weeklong classes taken at the arrival of winter break. “We can also do better at encouraging more discussions about the curriculum as it is constructed. For example, how can we actually make our curriculum more inclusive and reflective of

the experiences of the different students we have here at Pace in addition to the dominant white European perspective.”

“I would argue that a big portion of context and historical interpretation is needed in order to understand the situation of Black Americans in society,” Meadows added. “Education systems need to discuss the culture of Black Americans before slavery to dismantle the misconception that our culture was solely developed as a result of slavery and being a ‘benefit’ to other people. These discussions can be uncomfortable, but if we come into it with open hearts and minds, I do believe progress can be made.”

Meadows also noted the importance of people taking it upon themselves to learn Black history and genuinely appreciate its value even in the small ways to avoid “blatant ignorance.”

Mr. Sherrell agreed, saying that as long as people are intentional in wanting to learn, it is easy to pick a topic within Black history and learn about it fully to contextualize it. “Depth is more important. That’s some of the good work we’re looking for.”

Black History Month is a time to celebrate Black accomplishments and fully recognize the indelible impact that the Black community has had in American society. “It’s so important to have this time where some of that lost history can be found again,” Mr. Sherrell concluded.

The Pace Community Honors the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Photo: @pace_icgl on Instagram

believed that change should be opportunities like Lost-N-Found possible through nonviolent Youth: Thrift Store Volunteer, means and inspired many people Blue Heron Nature Preserve: today. Even in the face of opTrail Cleanup and Stream Remepression and ignorance, he chose diation were canceled. “Through a peaceful path to achieve his this kind of experience, you As a way to celebrate Martin goal. Dr. King’s legacy inspires actually gain a better underLuther King Jr. Day and his everyone to fight inequality standing of this broader Atlanta legacy, the Pace community par- and to speak up for what they community that we’re all a part ticipated in a weekbelieve. of,” said Ward. end of community “Through this kind The Pace Along with the community service all around the of experience, you Community Enengagement, the Office of Divermetro Atlanta area actually gain a better gagement Board sity, Equity and Inclusion invited and the annual MLK understanding of this came together to the Pace community to particiSunday Supper. broader Atlanta com- plan community pate in Sunday Supper to recMLK Day is the munity that we’re all service opportuni- ognize and continue Dr. King’s only federal holiday a part of.” ties throughout the legacy. This event was not that is a national day weekend and into exclusive to Pace and occurred of service. As a way of honorMLK Day. Associate Director of all over Atlanta through Hands ing the great legacy of Martin ICGL Ted Ward helped organize on Atlanta. Normally this dinner Luther King Jr., this holiday these community engagement is a potluck style, but this year events. “I hope that students take the event was virtual because of encourages people to serve and volunteer in their communities. this opportunity as a COVID-19.

Community engagement can be learning experience “I hope that stu“This year’s any activity as long as it helps to either learn a new dents take this oppor- theme was “What and improves the community. skill or new area,” said tunity as a learning We Teach Our Martin Luther King Jr. Day Ward. experience to either Kids About Race” takes place every third Monday The organizations learn a new skill or which allowed of January. This federal holiday that held events were new area.” us to take time to was passed in 1983 but was not the InCommunity reflect on our racelebrated across the nation until Atlanta: Center Revitalization, cial history, racial identities and 1986. Martin Luther King Jr. Ebenezer Baptist Church: Old how we can support our children dedicated his life to fighting for Fourth Ward Cleanup and Books in creating a brighter future,” racial equality and social justice. for Africa: Sorting and Packsaid Chief Equity and Inclusion He grew up in Atlanta and ating. Unfortunately due to the Officer Joanne Brown. Hands on tended Morehouse College. He bad weather, some volunteering Atlanta recorded their version of

Pace students volunteer at Ebenezer Baptist Church to help clean up the historic neighborhood. the Pace Sunday Supper discussion with many speakers if you are interested in watching or

couldn’t attend the event.

Pace News

Vol. 47, Issue #4

The Knightly News - Page 3

Church League Basketball Rises In Popularity

As the clock counts down to midnight on Dec. 31, 2021 and people across the nation vow to become better, a disheartening fact looms over the new year: over two-thirds of Americans will abandon their New Year’s Resolution within the first month. The overwhelming optimism from the first two weeks that motivates people to exercise more, spend less time on social media and study harder, gradually loses momentum and these resolutions prove to be unsustainable in the long term.

Increased disillusionment with the “new year, new me” mindset has bled into recent statistics.

According to CBS News, only 29% of Americans have set a resolution this year, compared to the 43% from the last year.

However, despite less than a third of the country having set these objectives, this group is more likely to have prepared properly and been realistic about their abilities. On campus, Pace students are also doing their best to commit to their 2022 goals, and although success is achievable in a variety of ways, many

are undertaking set plans in order to encourage a better version of themselves to greet the new year.

Sophomore Priyanka Thotakura has declared that 2022 will be her year to catch up on her sleep, “I’ve been very sleep-deprived, and it’s important to recover, so I’m shooting for at least eight hours every night.” Her approach to set a clear number is backed by science, with sources such as Psychology Today stressing the importance of setting specific and measurable goals. However, it’s important not to fall into the all-or-nothing track: one night of failure to complete these eight hours could lead to a complete abandonment of the goal.

Junior Charlie Fleming is another example of a Pace student with clear determination to accomplish his resolutions: all A’s on his spring report card. Sophomore Drew Crumley shares a similar resolution, hoping that implementing more study time will allow for a higher grade in his chemistry class. His teacher Mr. Smentek even expressed that Crumbley “has continuously been making forward progress.”

Junior Davis McMillan’s resolution was both straightforward and concise: “it’s my year to secure the bag.” When asked

Photo: Harrison Leusink

Outside its usual religious services, Peachtree Road United Methodist Church has a longstanding tradition of setting up an annual winter high school basketball league. This league is filled with teams from local Atlanta schools, composed of players who are looking for a fun, entertaining environment without the stress and long hours of high school basketball. This enjoyable, casual environment allows players to participate in a playoff game among all grades after a series of games against other teams. The end of the winter season comes with a crowned champion to the winner of this game.

Recently, two Pace Academy teams faced off against each other. These teams included the PRUMC “Troops Lovers,” captained by junior Porter Kendall, and the PRUMC “Potato Farmers,” captained by junior Niall Lehane. Kendall, the Troop’s rebound specialist enjoys watching the NBA, and claims to mirror the professionals’

skills in his games: “The Pistons are a lock.” This inspiration is apparent, as shown through his 17 rebounds and singular layup against the “Potato Farmers.” On the opposing side, junior Benjamin Schrager said: “Everybody wants recipes, but all they do is make cooks: we only make chefs here.” Schrager’s philosophy provides him and his team, the “Potato Farmers,” with a motive to play for something bigger than themselves.

After layup lines and stretching, the “Potato Farmers” and “Troops,” were ready to compete, after the traditional prayer prior to each game. Both teams joined, bowed their heads, and listened as junior Simon Gerber led them in a heartfelt prayer.

Each team started off strong and the score remained close.

However, junior Charlie Fleming and junior Niko Karetsos of the “Troops” began to heat up, taking over the game, and both finishing with 20 points and a handful of assists and rebounds at the buzzer. In a thrilling comeback, junior Lucas Klopp of the “Potato Farmers” responded by dropping 17 points with 7 assists, and helping juniors Ben Leach and Forest Pollard score 7 points each. However, the Troops

The sophomore team, the “Oppa Stoppas” poses for a group picture after a big win. out battled their enemies, and with help from Conner Phelan and Jack Janko’s combined 23 points and Nick Klein’s defensive pressure, this team ran away with the game and won by 20.

However, this league is bigger than wins and losses, it is an entertaining way for

high schoolers who enjoy the game of basketball to play in a formal setting without any pressure from schools, coaches or parents. Alex Karamanolis the leader of the senior team, the “Cheezie Weezies,” says, “The key to success is 6AM practices with Mr. Ballard on

Friday mornings,” explaining how he moved his talents from the Pace basketball program to the PRUMC league. In its essence, this league is a great way to continue playing basketball in high school if AAU or high school teams are too demanding, and you still enjoy the sport.

Students Aspire to Stick to 2022 Resolutions

Photo: Bianca Vaneri Junior Charlie Fleming sets a goal for better grades in the new year. about his plan to accomplish his resolution, the man of few words answered with a simple, “Don’t worry about it.” This objective seems to be a popular resolution, as Freshman Kai Cotton also an-

swered that this was his year “to stop chasing girls and chase the money instead.” He continued to elaborate that this coming year is a fresh opportunity to focus on himself and “become a better

person.”

However, as previously mentioned, resolutions are likely to fail unless the objective is reasonable and executed with purposeful habits, so the “fresh start” mentality might not be successful.

Doctor Paula Pontes has decided to approach this year differently: “I am not setting resolutions, rather positive intentions. Intentions are kinder to yourself, because if you drop resolutions you feel bad.” This attitude of rejecting resolutions is becoming increasingly popular, as it prevents setting yourself up for disappointment.

Breaking your objective down into a smaller goal and being gentle with yourself if you make a mistake is a healthier way to go about 2022.

Whether you are choosing to set a defined resolution or instead focusing on maintaining positive intentions, the start of this year is an occasion to refocus and accomplish anything you would like to. By establishing healthier habits and allowing yourself to slip up once in a while, you’ll be more likely to accomplish your objectives and consider the year a success by the next new year!

Pace News

February 11, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 4

Minimesters Return for History and Science Photo: Marley Venturi

With the start of a new semester comes the start of the beloved minimesters! Inspired by “Jan-mesters,” a month long special course taken by college students in January, Pace introduced “minimesters.” Although only a week long, minimesters follow the same concept as Janmesters by exposing students to out of the box experiences and topics.

Starting on Jan. 5, students began attending their assigned minimester in place of their typical history or science class.

With an abundance of classes offered on a diverse variety of topics, this year’s minimesters were engaging and entertaining.

The history department offered 19 different courses to choose from, while the Science department offered nine. On a “first come, first serve” basis, students selected their top three desired courses in each subject and were placed accordingly.

Happening at the same time as spirit week, minimesters serve as a break from typical class, helping students to balance the chaos and stress of a new semester, along with daily spirit week rehearsals. Since minimesters do not involve homework or testing, students are able to fully engage in the topic

Junior Brooke Brumfield and Sophomore Rebecca Thompson pose with their model glider plane before sending it across Inman. for the entire week. This year’s minimesters delivered fun and excitement.

Although many courses presented this year were new, many also returned. A fan favorite every year is Mr. Kevin Ballard’s Swamp Ecology class. A fully immersive experience, students suit up in waterproof gaiters and drive to the Pace Swamp in order to get up-close and personal with the organisms inside! Junior Camille Caton said, “Swamp Ecology was the highlight of my week! My favorite memory was catching a minnow by dragnet fishing.” This minimester is sure to return again next year to continue educating students on the local wildlife.

Another favorite in the Science department is Mr. Ben

Ewing’s Science of Cooking class. Not only do students get to be hands-on and connect science to everyday tasks, but they get to eat the final product as well! The class covers the basics of cooking, ensuring that students of all levels of expertise can enjoy.

Junior Maddie Swartz said, “I loved Mr. Ewing’s minimester because I got to learn even more about biology as I cooked.”

A recent addition to the Science minimesters is Dr. Tasheen Kazi’s “Take Flight! Model Glider Planes” course. The name says it all, as this course teaches students all the steps in building their own model glider plane. And of course, the planes are flown from the balcony of Inman at the end of the week to display and test their efforts.

plete with an 100% vaccinated cast and a hybrid of live performances and pre-recorded scenes projected on stage, the night guaranteed a safe and entertaining production as well as an opportunity for the performers to prepare for a live audience.

With the Georgia Thespian Conference in Columbus, GA next month, the cast was given the chance to present student-directed work where the actors were passionate and involved in their subject matter before refocusing to the traditional play format.

This production was certainly a night to remember, kicking off with a speech by director of fine arts, Sean Bryan, who expressed his pride in the participants. “This truly is a studentdriven showcase. They took on a huge amount of responsibility, between organizing a matrix of rehearsal schedules and taking the creative directions of each scene into in their own hands.”

Months in the making, these two

nights were composed of late night rehearsals and long hours of preparation. Bryan summarized it best in his opening speech: “Tonight, it’s not about the presentation, it’s about the journey.”

Senior Rebecca Kann was the first director of the evening, and with three years of showcase directing experience, she chose to take a different direction than the conventional live performance this year. “I decided I wanted to do a film, and I stumbled across a fascinating script called ‘Original Relocation,’ written by Jack Berry.”

With the help of her co-director senior Ryan Varma, who filmed and edited the clips, this short movie hilariously hypothesized the scene between Adam and Eve after the Garden of Eden.

With junior Chris Mason playing the role of an irritated Adam, and senior Caroline Brown as the defensive Eve, this piece was packed full of sarcastic comments and witty dialogue. The blooper reel, titled “Man and Woman trying things for the first time,” completed the movie just as comically. Clips of Chastain park dog-walkers interacting with the costumed actors and the biblical characters attempting to take on the monkey bars had the audience doubling over in laughter.

The second scene, drafted from the play “Present Laughter,” starred junior Alex Go-

Sophomore Rebecca Thompson said, “Taking flight with Dr. Kazi was a very interesting and informative experience.”

On top of the thrilling selection of Science minimesters, students also took a wide array of history courses. Covering topics from LatinX History to the Brooklyn Dodgers, these history minimesters included a class for everyone’s interests.

Explaining the history of our own city, Mr. Ted Ward led a minimester on “The Atlanta Way.” This class not only went in depth about the history of Atlanta but went even deeper, connecting race, money and politics to its growth. The course begins with the 1906 Atlanta Massacre and takes the students on the journey, ending with

the present day. Junior Ronak Lalaji said, “Mr. Ward’s Atlanta History minimester was a great class because I was able to learn so much that I did not know much about the city I live in, and I get to see the history in-person whenever I’m driving around.”

The head of the history department, Mr. Tim Hornor taught multiple minimesters.

One of these included the fascinating topic of “An Introduction to the Art of Africa, The African Diaspora and the United States.”

Throughout the week, he took the class on a tour of the most popular African and African American painters and their work, revealing the inspiration behind every piece as he went.

Freshman Avery Berman said, “The minimester I took taught me so much about types of art which I don’t usually learn about, and it was very interesting to learn about the biography of the painters and the history.”

Ending on Jan. 12, minimesters did not disappoint. With courses on every possible topic in both History and Science, the week was full of creativity and curiosity. Every teacher led amazing discussions mixed in with experiences and activities. Despite finishing recently, students and faculty are already anticipating next year’s minimesters, hopeful of both the returning and new courses to come!

Student-Directed Winter Showcase Amazes Audience

Photo: Bianca Vaneri Sophomore Peter Davis, Junior Lindsey Davis and Junior Alex Goodrich play the roles of three characters stuck in a complicated affair.

Photo: Bianca Vaneri

Pace Academy campus came alive on the nights of Jan. 28 and 29, as a lively audience showed up to watch a staple of the Upper School drama department: the Winter Showcase. Rather than experiencing just one play or musical, attendees witnessed the production played out in the Fine Arts Center as individual snapshots, four distinct scenes, all student-directed, two of which were student-written.

This event was a standout display of Pace performing arts talent, complete with comedy, tragedy, and introspective works.

Addressing anything from the illusion of choice to the long sought after question: what did the conversation between Adam and Eve look like after being kicked out of paradise? Com-

Nicolas Demba, Liam Nagle and Oliver Loree perform in “I Saw it Coming”. odrich, skillfully playing the role of an exasperated actor, struggling in an attempt to find some peace and quiet and convince the people around him that he isn’t always acting. Senior Nikki Byrne directed this piece, while offering a look into the central character in her introduction speech. “All he wants is to be left alone, and lucky for him, he is leaving the next morning to go on tour in Africa, where he can finally hope to be freed from all the crazy people here at home.”

This scene was played out with a beautiful set that transported the audience, and the cast was otherworldly. Sophomore Jackson Allegra’s role, in particular, provided passionate outbursts and his amusing and almost lunatic character was a standout performance.

One of the most widely acclaimed highlights of the night was senior Mollie Meyerowitz’s

original written piece, “I Saw it Coming.” Meyerowitz spent her summer composing and pondering thoughts which inspired her work, “What are our dreams trying to tell us? Are they manifestations of our hopes, our desires, our fears? Could they be fragmented memories of the past, or maybe a glimpse into the future.” A distinct break from the previous more lighthearted pieces, this heart wrenching play allowed the attendees to bear witness to junior Oliver Loree’s full potential as an actor. The audience saw Loree reliving the car crash that fatalized his parents, drifting in and out of consciousness, interacting with mysterious characters and finally discovering the power he holds to turn back the clock (Continued on page 7)

Opinion

Vol. 47, Issue #4

The Knightly News - Page 5

Are Virtual Running Challenges a Scam?

The Knightly News 966 West Paces Ferry Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327 (404) 262-1345 knightlynews@paceacademy.org Published by students at Pace Academy Member of Georgia Scholastic Press Association

Photo: The Conqueror Virtual Challenges Advertisements for The Conqueror Challenge program show off brightly colored medals with moving pieces such as a twirling windmill.

Though social media has a knack for its targeted ads, sometimes they miss the mark. My Instagram algorithm somehow got the idea that I was into running, and for months, filled my feed with advertisements for The Conqueror Virtual Challenges, a program that rewards users for running with a real medal. Curiosity got the best of me, and I did some research. After looking at what vague information I could find and reading some mixed reviews, I decided to test it out for myself and see if The Conqueror is a scam.

The concept of the program is simple: Users pay to register for a challenge that requires a set number of miles to be completed. The miles are logged on a paired app that keeps track of progress. Once the number of miles logged matches the challenge’s requirement, a medal is shipped to the user’s home as a tangible reward.

This idea is apparently popular in the fitness app industry as I was promptly bombarded with ads for similar programs after registering for my challenge. I looked into another program, Pacer Virtual Challenges, and didn’t see much difference outside of the medal designs.

Speaking of medals, I noticed that a lot of the reviews on both programs’ pages mentioned the high quality of the medals they “won”. Judging by the photos attached to the reviews, I would say most of the consumer base for The Conqueror is middle-aged, with a good percentage having previously completed other challenges from the website. The matching app has an average rating of 4.45 stars between the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store but is not available through Amazon’s app store.

While some users reported issues with shipping and poor app functionality, most reviews seemed pleased with the program. Beyond niche fitness communities and blogs, however, there wasn’t much information about The Conqueror to be found.

When I first looked at The Conqueror’s website, I was impressed by the variety of challenge options. There were 38 to choose from, not to mention a separate page

to suggest and vote for new challenges. Each challenge is themed after a location, and ranges in distance from the 20 mile Angkor Wat Challenge to the 2,485 mile Pacific Crest Trail Challenge. I chose the Flower Route Challenge because that was the one I had seen the most in the ads. I paid $29.95 to register for the challenge, which got me a virtual race bib, discount referral links and an access code to open an account on The Conqueror app. I was also charged $4.95 of shipping fees to get the medal to my house. After accessing the app, I answered some questions about my current activity level and inputted some information about my height and weight. I also chose between planting a tree or stopping ten plastic bottles from entering the ocean after every completed fifth of my challenge. According to The Conqueror’s website, around 4.9 million trees have been planted and nearly 860,000 plastic bottles have been stopped from entering the ocean through the program.

I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of features in the app. My challenge included a map of the path I was “running” in the Netherlands accompanied

by Google Street View that allowed me to see the cities I was progressing towards. I could also see the progress of other participants of the Flower Route Challenge. Each milestone was associated with a city in the Netherlands, and throughout the challenge I received four virtual postcards and an extremely detailed history of each location.

There were many different types of activities I could log my miles under from running to elliptical to even using a wheelchair. The Conqueror didn’t hesitate to send me a dozen emails informing me of my achievements. While these features were interesting, the app itself was clunky and made simple actions like scrolling difficult. These issues often frustrate new users, myself included, and make the program look inconvenient.

In the interest of time (and in the bigger interest of not running 41 miles), I ended my go with The Conqueror early, only completing about 30%. I went ahead and entered the number of miles I needed to complete the challenge so I could ensure my medal arrived on time, and awaited the answer to my question: is The Conqueror and similar programs a scam? During the shipping process, I noticed the same issues as with the app’s functionality. The entire system is unpolished and

Co-Editors-in-Chief: Megan Hardesty

Sports Editor: Niko Karetsos

Megnha Singha

Current Affairs Editor Emmy Mininberg

Managing Editor: Amalia Haviv

Web Content Editor: Gabriel Kadoori

News Editor: Mary Amelia Weiss

Multimedia Editor: Stella Nelson

Lifestyle Editor: Jack Wagreich

Photos Editor/Social Media Editor Emmy Mininberg

Staff Writers: Alice Gash, Amdrew Swann, Avery LIpman, Bianca Vaneri, Caitlyn Pinsker, David Fu, Ellie Sisken, Hannah White, Harrrison Leusink, Kaci McCray, Marley Venturi, Reed Millner, Zachary Meyerowitz Faculty Adviser: Tamara Neiley Tech Adviser: Matt Walker

Editorial Policy The Knightly News is the student-run newspaper of Pace Academy. For over 40 years it has reported the news that affects Pace, as well as the opinions of students.

The Knightly News is published by the students of Pace Academy, and approximately 600 copies are printed by School Publications Company.

The Knightly News welcomes letters to the editor and guest opinions, which may be edited for spelling and grammar, as well as space constraints.

Neither Knightly News-generated opinion pieces nor guest opinions are reflective of the official policy of Pace Academy.

Every effort is made to publish accurate facts, but if you recognize an error or omission, please email knightlynews@paceacademy.org. a bit confusing. The Conqueror’s website has virtually no information about the company’s origins or location. I used the tracking number I received to trace my package back to Pontiac, Michigan, which was the only clue I could find. It took three days for my order to arrive in a slightly shredded bag, and I finally got my answer.

No! The medal was real, intact and gorgeous! It looked exactly as it did in the advertisements, and had the same functions too - a spinning windmill that changed the back side image from night to day. On the front was a small inscription of the challenge and the 41 miles I (did not) run.

So, no, The Conqueror Virtual Challenges is not a scam, but the program is plagued with small issues that make it seem unreliable and hard to use. It will need to make some major changes to the app and be a lot more transparent before it will be taken seriously as a legitimate fitness app. I personally would not recommend this program, even though it’s legitimate, simply because it’s unnecessary. The price isn’t worth it, even if the medal is nice. If you’re looking for motivation to exercise, run a race, get a workout buddy or find a fitness activity you love. The Conqueror might not be a scam, but that doesn’t mean it’s worth it!

Check Out More Stories Online “Kyrie Irving’s Return Sparks Controversy”- David Fu

“Legendary Coach John Madden Passes Away at 85”- Gabriel Kadoori

“Summer Internships Are the Way To Go”-Caitlyn Pinsker

“Aaron Rodgers is Not a Winner” -Gabriel Kadoori

“School Canceled in Chicago after Teachers Go on Strike”-Reed Millner

“Betty White Dies Only Weeks Before Her 100th Birthday”- Kaci McCray

“‘Spiderman: No Way Home’ Soars Through Theaters Worldwide”- Zachary Meyerowitz

“Four Teams Compete for 2022 College Football National Title”- Harrison Leusink

Current Affairs

February 11, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 6

Omicron Emerges, Creates Deja Vu on the original date of Jan. 31, 2022. Beijing has begun to place restrictions on and halt Winter Olympic ticket sales. “Given the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to ensure the safety of all participants and spectators, it has been decided that tickets should not be sold anymore but be part of an adapted program that will invite groups of spectators to be present on site during The Games,” said the International Olympic Committee. But continuity also remains within government aid efforts. For example, the Biden administration launched its website in early 2022, allowing people of the United States to order up to four free at-home COVID-19 tests. New York Mayor Eric Adams continues to encourage COVID-19 safety protocols, allowing the state to keep more than 75 percent of students in school (rather than only the 67 percent of students that returned after the winter break).

But, this cycle of new variants reveals the uncertainty that lies within the future of COVID-19. Physician-scientist and

Photo: Scott G.Wimterton

As 2022 approached, the first Omicron COVID-19 variant case in the United States was confirmed on Dec. 1, 2021 by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). As of Dec. 20, 2021, Omicron had been detected in most states and territories at a rapidly increasing rate. By late December, the seven-day daily average COVID-19 case count in the United States surpassed the Delta variant summer surge. “The variant’s unusually high number of mutations makes it significantly more contagious and capable of eluding the body’s first line of immune defenses,” said The Washington Post. This high transmission rate is due to the fact that Omicron also has more than 30 genetic changes in the spike protein (the part of the virus that binds to human cells and provides it with entry). However, early research suggests that despite Omicron’s

higher rate of transmission, Omicron’s symptoms have been that of a common cold, and those infected with Omicron were almost 60 percent less likely to be hospitalized than those infected with the Delta variant. This can in part be explained by researcher and biological engineer Venky Soudararajan, who claims that “as a virus evolves to become more transmissible, it generally ‘loses’ traits that cause severe symptoms,” said The Washington Post.

Along with the new COVID-19 variant comes the returning cycle within the decline or even shutting down of businesses, global events and attempts of aid and support by the government. This year, according to The New York Times, these setbacks are reoccurring with Omicron. Staff shortage, stemming from a relentless surge of COVID-19 cases, recently led the Smithsonian and National Zoo to operate on a reduced schedule indefinitely. The 64th Grammy Awards will now take place on April 3, 2022 in Los Vegas rather than in Los Angeles

People in Utah wait to be tested for COVID-19 by NOMI Health personnel. immunologist Dr. Anthony Fauci continues to express the inability to know exactly what will happen next regarding this pandemic. Written in May of 2020, Gavi (the vaccine alliance) predicted three potential scenarios for the future of COVID-19. Scenario one predicted mini waves of smaller outbreaks every few months, claiming that the location of the outbreaks would depend on the mitigation measures in place. Scenario two predicted that the first COVID-19 outbreak would be followed by a

large second wave, as seen in the past with 1918 Spanish flu that peaked later in 1919. And finally, scenario three claimed that the same variation of COVID-19 outbreaks would continue by the end of 2022. While the article contains truth and falsifications supported by today’s Omicron variant, the underlying uncertainty and confusion of the virus, in part, continues to remain among scientists today.

America Reflects on Political Issues One Year After Capitol Insurrection

Photo: @thenytimes on Insta-

On Jan. 6, 2021, or what should have been a normal afternoon in Washington D.C., a violent mob attacked the Capitol building in rebellion to President Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. The protesters attacked law enforcement and made it past the outer lines of security and into the building, halting the Congress session and causing around $1.5 million worth of damage to the infrastructure, according to the US Department of Justice.

They vandalized and destroyed offices, furniture and broke into the senate chamber during the 7-hour attack.

Since then, the US Department of Justice has charged around 730 attackers for assaulting officers and ruining property in the last year. The FBI continues to search for around 350 other participants, according to CNBC. In addition, the utter scale of the investigation is one of the largest in American history, requiring the probing of massive amounts of online data, the issuing of thousands of search warrants and involving almost every FBI office across the country.

The Jan. 6 Committee, a panel of nine lawyers in charge of investigating the attack and questioning potential attackers and involved politicians, is currently looking into former President Donald Trump’s claims of a fraudulent election in 2020 as

Lawyers and congressmen share a moment of silence and reflection in front of the Capitol building on the anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection. well as his knowledge of the riot.

Public records also demonstrate forged declarations of victory for Trump in the swing states of Michigan and Arizona. FOX News opinion host Sean Hannity, among other politicians and confidants of the former president, will also be questioned due to their closeness to Trump and records of communication with him about the insurrection.

The panel is currently trying to garner as much evidence as possible before the first trial on Feb. 24, 2022.

While the committee and

Department of Justice are doing their best to establish adequate punishments and create a comprehensive report of what exactly occurred, the long-term issues that caused this national crisis have not diminished. It is no secret that American politics in recent years have been extremely polarized, and the country faces fundamental differences in beliefs across political parties all the way down to the issue of basic human rights, as opposed to the small political disagreements of the past.

Another issue that the nation

still must attend to is the spread of misinformation. The Capitol insurrection was based on the false narrative that Joe Biden “stole” the election from Trump, and social media and general political strife allowed for this information to be not only spread, but encouraged by President Donald Trump. After all, Trump’s message to his violent supporters on the night of the riot included the sentiment that he “loves” them and that they “are very special.” He went on to claim that the election was a “landslide” despite overwhelm-

ing proof of Biden’s victory.

According to NPR, a study from the University of Chicago details that around 21 million American adults believe that Trump won the 2020 election and that violence would be justified to correct this error.

On the other hand, much of the rest of America believes that the election was fairly conducted and that Biden is the rightful president. It becomes more difficult for Americans to unify over policy when they cannot even agree on a leader and have faith in the over 200 year-old American democratic system.

In light of the anniversary of the Capitol attack, politicians and citizens alike remember the infamous day. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, led a moment of silence on the House floor, and a vigil took place outside of the Capitol building. President Biden delivered a speech, insisting that “the will of the people was under assault,” but they finally “prevailed.”

A year since the insurrection, extremism continues to become more of a norm. People are more willing than ever to believe conspiracy theories and misinformation, an issue that extends beyond this attack and into concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine and more. Far-right groups continue to congregate, and the investigation is far from over. The attack proved to be one of the greatest challenges to democracy in history and served as a visual representation of the widespread lack of faith in American systems and media.

Vol. 47, Issue #4

Current Affairs

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Georgia Bids Farewell to Sen. Isakson

Photo: USA Today

On Dec. 19, 2021, Georgia’s beloved US Senator Johnny Isakson (Republican) passed away after serving 14 years in the Senate. When I was in eighth grade, just before Sen. Isakson resigned his post for health reasons in 2019, he agreed to be interviewed by me for a project I was working on. Sen. Isakson’s optimism about life and America inspired me. “To be an American means you’re free, you have the opportunity to do and pursue whatever you want to,” Sen. Isakson told me. “You sometimes fall, you sometimes don’t get there, but you have the chance to try, and nobody else in the world has it as good as Americans do.”

Although he dedicated much of his life to serving in the government, Sen. Isakson was quick to teach me the importance of individuality. “Anytime you depend on the government to be the primary source of anything, you breed mediocrity and you stifle innovation. That’s true in anything.”

Pace Academy Parent and Alumnus Austin McDonald, also the president and COO of the McDonald Development Company, was a nephew of the senator. “I knew him primarily as my uncle, but I thought he was a really genuine person to everybody he met, whether it was political or not political, and he deeply cared about people he met,” said Mr. McDonald.

Over the course of his career, Sen. Isakson worked on many major committees including the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Foreign Relations, as well as the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. In his final years of office, Sen. Isakson was also the chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and chairman of the Committee on Ethics. It was Sen. Isakson’s active role in supporting the community

US Senator Isakson working in office. and overall kindness that increased his popularity by both Democrats and Republicans.

“A lot of senators who were totally opposite of him on the political spectrum; he was always the person they would reach out to try to understand the other side. I thought that was always really cool, that he was wellrespected by everybody,” said Mr. McDonald. “I don’t think he got into politics to do anything other than to help and be involved and hopefully be someone who

Holmes Found Guilty, Theranos Terminated

Elizabeth Holmes, CEO and Founder of Theranos, was found guilty on four federal charges.

Student-Directed Winter Showcase Amazes Audience

(Continued from page 3)

Photo: @cnn on Instagram

When your friend mentions the word “billionaire,” you probably instantly think of Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. But what about Elizabeth Holmes? On Jan. 3, she was found guilty on four of her 11 charges. The jury concluded that she was to be held responsible on one count of conspiracy and three counts of wire fraud.

Now, she awaits her sentence, which includes a potential maximum of 20 years in prison and a quarter-million dollar fine.

Holmes dropped out of Stanford University at the age of 19 and in 2003, started her own major biotech corporation: Theranos. The company, based in Palo Alto, CA, claimed that only a few drops of blood were needed to further understand one’s current medical conditions.

Seen as revolutionary, Holmes’s company eventually became valued at over nine billion dollars. Holmes, the CEO, and Ramesh Balwani, the COO and her ex-boyfriend, refused to provide reasonable demonstrations of the outrageous medical claims through simple bloodtesting. Balwani, also known as “Sunny,” is currently still undergoing his court trials, which have been delayed due to the surging of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

According to CNN, the prosecution sought “to prove its case that Holmes intended to mislead investors and patients about the company’s capabilities and business deals for financial gain.” Over 25 witnesses testified against Holmes, and lead prosecutor Jeff Schenk successfully revealed a series of lies and a history of deception among the leading figures of Theranos. Holmes lied about the company’s relationship with the military, claiming that their medical tactics had been employed by the armed forces.

During the trial, Holmes rose to the stand in her own defense, denying all accusations of the prosecution or claiming that she has no memory of making incrimi-

brought people together.” Today, people are quick to ignore the opposing side, but Sen. Isakson took it upon himself to recognize and learn every perspective. “He seemed to get along with most everybody and certainly had a politician’s opinions and positions but always worked well with other people and respected what other people thought and said. Just an all-around nice guy.”

nating statements. On the stand, Holmes broke down crying, reflecting on her abusive romance with Balwani, whom she claimed also to be responsible for the fraud of Theranos. “He impacted everything about who I was, and I don’t fully understand that,” said Holmes while testifying.

Hulu and Apple TV have already begun developing a television miniseries and a film. The tv series, starring Amanda Seyfried, will be available in March, and the film, which has yet to begin production, will be directed

by Adam McKay and star Jennifer Lawrence as the deceptive, Machiavellian billionaire.

The sentencing of Elizabeth Holmes is set to take place on Sept. 26.

The choice which Loree’s character executed in the final minutes of the show was punctuated by its anguished effect on the other characters and forced the audience to face the question of what they would have done in the same position. Traipsing between hospital beds and mysterious street names, as well as the main character’s lifetime, this striking piece demonstrated the power which a studentwritten work such as Meyerowitz’, could hold.

To close off the night, senior Jayla Wideman presented “Agape.” Exploring the nature of platonic versus romantic relationships through the famous Achilles and Patroclus, this piece used an ancient example to express a timeless message. Wideman’s direction and script provided touching entertainment, and she expressed her gratitude to the actors who made her vision come to life, “The heart and the vision and the love which they’ve put into this show is what really made this piece. I am so excited to have such an amazing cast and be able to fondly show the product of all our hard work.” Juniors Lucy Bybee and Kabir Singh’s debate acted as a narration for the scene displayed, and their dialogue provided a guide for the audience to truly understand the meaning of love in its purest form.

As the entire cast pulled back the curtains for their final bows, they were greeted with overwhelming applause, as friends, family and theater fanatics alike cheered them on. Outstanding participation, free tickets and heartwarming performances: the 2022 winter showcase was a spectacular success.

Spirit Week

February 11, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 8

Spirit Week 2022 Freshmen: Star Wars For their first Spirit Week, the Class of 2025 chose a daunting yet doable theme: Star Wars.

After some minor setbacks in casting characters and costume

designing, the freshmen pulled through with a fun and engaging performance.

The Class of 2025 did not stop there though as their banner wowed the audience. Initially, freshman Sydney Lettes intended to paint the banner with a group of friends, but a positive

COVID-19 test forced her into quarantine. The banner then became a family activity for the Lettes family, as they spent much of winter break crouched over the 10’x10’ piece of paper.

“Honestly, it was a mildly stressful, but very fun bonding experience for me and my family,” said Lettes.

Sophomores: Teen Beach Movie

COVID-19 led to a cancellation of Spirit Week dances last school year, so Spirit Week 2022 was the first Spirit Week for this year’s sophomores. Despite having little to no experience, the Class of 2024 pulled off an impressive show.

While Teen Beach Movie presented difficulty in the banner department, the committee

pulled off the no-faces look quite successfully. And, the dances were absolutely adorable and just so much fun. Each lead character was cast perfectly with JD Maske as Brady, Mia Williams as McKenzie, Wells Howe as Giggles and so many other characters.

Featuring several dance battles, the sophomore’s skit

was fast-paced and enjoyable.

However, the costume committee put the surfer characters in sunglasses that kept falling off, littering the blue tarp with plastic sunglasses for the remainder of the shows. Class of 2024, consider this a friendly reminder to pick up after yourselves!

Juniors: Shrek

With only one Spirit Week under their belts, the Class of 2023 pulled off yet another impressive performance with their theme as Shrek. Jack Schmitt played the role of Shrek, with Janie Cross, Sophia Mador, Cele Camp, Connor Phelan, Ava Byrne, Frank Caldwell and Brea Craft as other leads.

While the juniors made

some … interesting… choices with their Spirit Week this year, by far the strangest was their decision to cast Sophia Mador as Lord Farquaad. But, Mador killed the game with her energetic, enthusiastic performance.

Undeniably, the Class of 2023 had the best costumes this year. With fun dresses, headpieces and t-shirts, each char-

acter was easily distinguishable by their costume, even for the people who were not leads. The juniors presented yet another impressive banner with the only criticism being for the minuscule Puss in Boots.

Spirit Week

Vol. 47, Issue #4

Seniors: Toy Story

Coming off of a devastating previous Spirit Week when their music cut off, the Class of 2022 was ready for redemption. Right off the bat, they were presented with a bump in the road. The junior class had originally chosen the same theme as them, making it challenging to keep the theme a secret, but still, they persisted.

Throughout the winter break, choreographers, painters, decorators and planners worked hard to put together the skit, banner, decorations, costumes and more.

Veteran choreographers Eddi Aronson and Grace Heineman put together the Class of 2022’s dances for the third time, and once again wowed the crowd. With just a few people working on the 600 square-foot banner, it turned out to be a crowd-pleaser, filled with several grade-wide inside jokes.

Also over the winter break, the video committee put together

an undeniably hilarious video, edited by Amalia Haviv. However, the junior class, once again, threw a wrench in the plan when they showed up to crash the filming and saw the secret theme. Nonetheless, the video amused its watchers, with features from Donavan Johnson, the “freshmen girls” and, of course, the beloved Watts Johnson.

Throughout the first week back at school, the senior class practiced every night for hours, working to perfect their skit.

With dances still being created and finalized during the senior sleepover, stress levels were running high that night.

To add to the increasing stress, around 8 pm during the sleepover, the seniors discovered that they just did not have enough decorations to cover the entire school. Several last-minute trips to Party City were made and, by midnight, the Upper

School had been decorated.

The next morning, as seniors were waking up on their air mattresses on the track, Aronson and Heineman were helping the morning dancers prepare for their appearance on stage. The boys delivered a show-stopping ballet performance, complete with colorful tutus and leaps across the FAC stage, followed by some energetic dancing from the girls and a very fun partner dance.

For their final skit, the Class of 2022 pulled off their best performance yet, despite very little cheering from the underclassmen. For the senior class, Spirit Week represents the beginning of the end of their time at Pace.

“I am really proud of how our grade came together for Spirit Week,” said Aronson. “I’d say it sets an exciting precedent for how the rest of our last semester will turn out.”

The Knightly News - Page 9

Valentine’s Day

February 11, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 10

Pace’s Most Eligible Bachelor and Bachelorette Search for Love by a post-workout meal at either Goldberg’s or Star Provisions.

For all the men out there taking notes, bagels are a favorite food of Thobani’s. Later in the day, Thobani likes to hang out and go on drives with friends.

“They have to be willing to hang out with my friends as they are really important to me,” she said. “Any guy also has to be approved by Alexandra and Megan, which can be a definite challenge” Thobani’s perfect and ideal man is someone who is both charming and athletic. “I would like them to be sweet, have a good taste in music and food, be pretty tall and preferably have fluffy brown hair,” said Thobani. “I also would not mind if he played basketball,” she added. Thobani would like the males out there to know a few things about her as well. “I am caring, good at cooking, have cute dogs and will support you at all of your sports games,” said Thobani. For those interested, Thobani says to just reach out, start talking to her and then just throw all caution into to wind and ask her out.

Photo: Megan Hardesty

Do you really want to spend Valentine’s Day alone … again?

You could always give up the tiny bit of dignity you have left and ask your mom to buy you a tiny heart-shaped box that contains three pieces of cheap chocolate. For some reason, those candies never seem to taste as sweet as if they were given to you unasked for by a love interest. Well, fret no more, for the Pace Academy’s 2022 Most Eligible Bachelor and Bachelorette, seniors Xavier Agostino and Shalizeh Thobani, might just be the dates you have been searching for.

Currently single due to the fact that he was not previously actively looking for someone, Agostino is quite the catch for the ladies. Agostino is the perfect combination of smart, kind and athletic. What more could a girl ask for? He will attend Harvard next year to play football and study computer science.

Some of his hobbies include working out, chess, art and hanging out with friends and family.

Agostino is looking to go on dates that are not awkward but instead relaxed and comfortable.

His ideal date is not at one specific place or a certain activity.

“I like to go on dates that fit their personality or my personality,” said Augustino. “So that ranges from fancy dinners to art dates if they like to paint things.”

Agostino is looking at personality as he continues his search for a recipient of his final rose. “I am looking for someone who is caring, has a sense of humor, has good communication skills and someone I can rely on,” he said. Agostino exhibits these characteristics as well and wants the females out there to know that he is a good guy. “If any ladies are looking for a guy with good character, they know where to find me,” he said.

Thobani is also in search of her perfect man. A typical Saturday for Thobani includes waking up around 8 a.m., and she is a very productive and timely person. She then goes to the gym to work out, followed

Thobani stands between a group of males fighting for her final rose.

Five Minutes: Valentine’s Day with the Maskes friends first.

DG: Yeah, we were lacrosse buddies.

KN: JD, how did you feel about that?

ESM: He yelled at me.

Photo: Meghna Signah

Knightly News: Hey y’all! We are going to give a quick disclaimer for the readers. This is Emma Stewart and she’s dating David, and her brother, JD, is dating Ava. Anyways, how’s it going?

David Grice: I’m just so good.

KN: Glad to hear it, David. Do y’all have any Valentine’s Day plans yet?

Emma Stewart Maske: No. I do not believe in Valentine’s Day as an institutionalized holiday. I just think it’s dumb.

Senior Emma Stewart Maske kicks her brother in the head while her boyfriend David Grice watches. answer.

KN: Have you gotten each other’s gifts yet?

ESM: David, your gift is going to be the same as your birthday gift.

JD Maske: Yeah, it’s pointless.

KN: Aw, David’s almost 17!

DG: Wait, why?

ALL: Awwww.

ESM: You would be the one here that loves Valentine’s Day.

ESM: Yeah, I’m just a cougar.

DG: No, I don’t love Valentine’s Day, I just admire the work of St. Valentine. *giggles* KN: So, y’all are not going to go on a double date?

Ava Byrne: Probably not.

ESM: “Probably not” is a good

KN: It’s fine, so is Meghna.

DG: Yeah, he didn’t talk to me for a week.

JDM: David, that was because of something else.

DG: Wait, what? Oh, wait yeah, that was because of the Chickfil-a incident.

KN: Please elaborate.

AB: No.

KN: Well, I am actually going to be with you, Stew. So, what is y’all’s favorite thing to do together?

DG: What else do we do together?

JDM: We go to Pasta Vino a lot.

DG: No.

ESM: JD and I drive around blasting “Hot Girl Summer”

by Megan Thee Stallion while David and Ava just cry in the backseat.

AB: Yeah. And we play a lot of... games...

ESM: David and I locked JD in the backseat and we were being all lovey-dovey.

AB: That’s actually very accurate.

KN: You’re one to speak, Megan.

Anyways...

ESM: Me and JD sing every word perfectly, and they just stare at us like we’re psychopaths.

ESM: Yeah Meghna, what are you and Carter doing for Valentine’s Day?

KN: Can you give us a preview?

ESM: I don’t think that’s appropriate for the newspaper.

KN: That was so cryptic.

JDM: No.

*nervous giggles*

JDM: It was actually so criminal.

DG: Yeah, we play a lot of JackBox Games.

ESM: I feel like we should tell the Walgreens story.

ESM: What’s your next question?

DG: I feel like we shouldn’t.

KN: Okay, so who started dating first?

JDM: Stew and David did, but David and I were actually

KN: Do Jimbo and Allyson (Maske’s parents) enjoy this dynamic?

Valentine’s Day

Vol. 47, Issue #4

The Knightly News - Page 11

KN Plays Matchmaker: Kanye or Pete? isn’t as focused and doesn’t live in the real world; their world views no longer line up. Still, Kardashian and West have stayed close for their children.

“They have more of a friendship and working relationship as they co-parent,” said Us Magazine. Although Kardashian has requested to be legally declared single, West has made public

closer because Pete’s sympathizing with Kim throughout this ordeal,” said the source.

It is extremely important to recognize that although West and Kardashian shaped the definition of the “it” couple of the twenty-first century, they had toxic moments. West publicly ridiculing Davidson even while he was in another relationship

Left: Kardashian and West attend the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party in 2020.

Right: Davidson and Kardashian ride a rollercoaster at Knott’s Scary Farm in CA in October.

However, this is where West’s antics come into the conversation. He has often made drama-filled headlines and been ridiculed for his controversial behavior. Despite Kardashian either ignoring or defending this behavior, it could be what led to their split in Jan. 2021. A source explained to Us Magazine that the former couple developed a difference of opinion. Kanye

comments about wanting to get back together. “I’ve made mistakes,” said West in Nov. 2021. “I’ve publicly done things that were not acceptable as a husband, but right now, I’m here to change that narrative.”

When Kardashian hosted Saturday Night Live in Oct. 2021, she and Davidson kissed in an “Aladdin” sketch. Since then, the two have been seen

Top Five Rom-Coms riencing heartaches from their previous relationships.

The 1999 film, “Notting Hill,” stars Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. William Thacker owns

to be dating again as well, as actress Julia Fox shared a photo of her and West kissing via Instagram story. However, West still proceeded to throw shade at Davidson in his latest song “Easy,” featuring rapper The Game.

A source close to Kardashian responded to the diss, explaining that Kanye’s not doing any good and that she wants Pete to ignore it. “It’s only making them grow

demonstrates that he might not be maturing as he said he was.

Moreover, West vowed to change the narrative just a mere two months before. For now, West is not a stable fit for Kardashian.

As Davidson and Kardashian continue to deepen their relationship, could they become a better power couple than Kimye? Right now, it seems possible.

Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas 1. For Mom

to be Mrs. Warner Huntington III. However, Elle is met with disappointment when Warner breaks things off because she is too blonde and immature and

Searching to find a present for mom? Priced at 19 dollars, this personalized birthstone necklace from Amazon is perfect!

2. For Dad

Photo: @imbd.com

Valentine’s Day is around the corner on Feb. 14, and what could be a better way to spend the holiday than watching a romantic comedy! There are many classic romantic comedies out there, but here are five favorites: “10 Things I Hate About You” was released in 1999 and stars Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Patrick Verona and Larisa Oleynik. The plot is simple: Cameron James attends a new high school in the Seattle area where he immediately falls in love on the first day of school.

However, it is a challenge for Cameron to date Bianca because her overprotective father forbids dating until his undateable daughter Kat goes out too.

Cameron hires a student named Heath Ledger to take Kat out on a date so that he can have a chance with Bianca.

“The Holiday,” made in 2006, stars Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Jack Black. This rom-com is set during the holidays when two women swap houses for two weeks to escape their relationship troubles. Iris is from England living in a small and quaint countryside home when she switches houses with Amanda living in a Hollywood California mansion. The change in scenery allows both characters to find happiness and love after expe-

together on multiple dates and were spotted traveling to the Bahamas. In Nov. 2021, an inside source confirmed their relationship to ET Online. “Pete is a romantic and goes out of his way to make Kim feel special. Kim thinks Pete is hysterical, and he’s constantly making her laugh, but they also have been connecting on a deeper level.” West appears

Photo: People Magazine

As the holiday of love approaches, singles all over the world will watch as celebrity power couples display their public romances. When thinking of the celebrity power couple, no one better comes to mind than Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. Starting with the mere alliteration of their names, Kardashian and West have been the celebrity “it” couple for almost a decade. However, after their recent breakup, fans are wondering if they should still be considered a power couple. Could Kardashian’s new romance with “Saturday Night Live” star Pete Davidson take Kimye’s place? It is only right to compare which match displays true A-lister love.

After starting to date in 2012, Kardashian and West had their first daughter North in June 2013. The couple tied the knot in May 2014 and went on to have three more children. Through the years, the world has been drawn to this socialite and rapper relationship because of their bizarre lifestyle together. According to Highsnobiety, “People have tended to look at their relationship as something that tran-

scends reality.” Kardashian and West built individual empires while simultaneously building one as a couple. “Together, they were an American phenomenon.” Although they have had mishaps, as every public couple does, they renewed their vows in May 2019. They seemed to have stuck together through internet scandals and marital issues.

Don’t want to leave dad out? Well, Yeti has a simple and inexpensive gift. The Rambler Colster by Yeti is only 25 dollars and will keep your dad’s drinks cold!

“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” is a great movie to watch on Valentine’s Day! a little bookstore on the streets of Notting Hill, England when one morning at work, William encounters a famous American actress named Anna Scott, with who he immediately falls in love.

A relationship soon sparks between the bookstore owner and actress but is met with struggles on how to navigate their completely different lifestyles among each other.

“Legally Blonde” was made in 2001 starring Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blaire and Matthew Davis. Elle Woods is a fashionable sorority queen who desperately wants

he wants to focus on Harvard.

Determined to win Warner back, Elle applies to Harvard and gets accepted so that she can be in the same law school as Warner.

Harvard makes Elle realize her true potential and that there is more to her than just her looks.

“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” was made in 2003 and stars Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. Andie Anderson is an advice columnist who wants to spice up her column and write about something different from her typical stories.

She decides to write a piece on how to lose a guy in 10 days, and

3. For that “Special Someone” Looking for a gift for that special somone? For her, the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer Hot Air Brush will give the gift of effortlessly volumized hair and only costs 45 dollars. For him, the JBL Go 2 portable bluetooth speaker will instantly elevate his music listening game. Fully waterproof and priced at 40 dollars, it is the ultimate gift!

her editor loves the idea. Andie finds a guy named Ben Berry who she can use for her experi-

ment, but Andie’s article does not go as planned and leads her to regret it.

February 11, 2022

Lifestyle

The Knightly News - Page 12

Don’t Watch “Don’t Look Up”

Photo: Gabriel Kadoori

The Netflix Original “Don’t Look Up” carried heavy expectations of being an incredible, satirical movie reflecting the polarization of today’s political climate pertaining to disasters. The excitement around the movie was driven by the decorated cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Jonah Hill, Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande and others. After scoring some of the biggest actors in Hollywood, everyone assumed that the film, directed by Adam McKay, would be nothing but great. However, it would be an understatement to say that the movie was a disappointment.

The film follows DiCaprio and Lawrence, two lowlevel astronomers, as they discover a planet-sized comet barreling through space on course to hit the Pacific Ocean and eliminate humanity. However, this pressing issue of extinction is politicized by the ridiculous president played by Meryl Streep. The public takes three different angles toward the issue: some refuse to recognize the comet, others want to destroy it and a group elects to harvest the resources of the comet. A billionaire CEO of the leading technology company leads the category and convinces the president to choose his plan.

McKay attempts to draw the similarities between the problems of extinction and political polarization as it pertains to COVID-19. Also, he tries to expose the

immortal life of current politics. However, the movie becomes too populated with comedy that the main objective becomes completely abandoned. The president employs her son played by Jonah Hill whose character is exclusively present for comedic relief. This dynamic along with her persona makes Streep a completely unrealistic president. The comedy begins to overpower the movie in a way that the watcher forgets that the fate of the universe is on the line. Instead of being a serious movie that uses comedy as satire, the film becomes a ridiculous comedy.

Along with the increased comedy, the plot goes wrong with too many sub storylines in one movie. The long two and a half-hours is plagued by too many stories to keep track of. DiCaprio has an affair with one of the ridiculous television anchors while Lawrence is ostracized and takes Chalamet as a love interest. Even though this movie goes in so many different directions, McKay tries to pull it all together in a manner that just seems unrealistic, as DiCaprio’s wife takes him back in a matter of minutes. Another plotline emerges about halfway through the movie as the billionaire CEO attempts to pull together a plan to harvest comets for monetary gain.

The ambitious plot is just too much to watch on screen.

The acting obviously is not the problem in the film.

DiCaprio does a good job playing a stressed astronomer, but the character he plays is not extremely emotional.

There is a scene though when he breaks down, showcasing Leo’s incredible talent. Lawrence does a great job with her character, and Streep of course plays the persona well, but the plot makes the character too ridiculous

Netflix shelled out 55 million dollars just to pay the two lead roles in their newest film, which only earned a 54% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. to take seriously.

Lastly, the ending is nothing short of bizarre. Streep and the billionaire CEO fly into space leaving everyone else to suffer the disaster. Eventually, they all emerge on a planet in the nude, and Streep gets eaten by a bird creature, a simply weird ending to a bad movie.

Netflix’s “MAID” Breaks Records

Photo: @maidnetflix on Instagram

Netflix’s “MAID” premiered on Oct. 1, 2021, receiving a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. Since then, the tenepisode show saw 67 million viewers within the first 28 days of release, breaking the record for viewers of a limited series. “MAID” also remained in Netflix’s Top 10 shows in the U.S. for almost three consecutive months, making it one of the Top 10 most viewed and rated shows on Netflix in 2021.

Created by Molly Smith Metzler, the story itself portrays a single mother, Alex, played by Margaret Qualley, as she turns to cleaning houses to make ends meet. Alex has escaped an abusive relationship and must avoid homelessness to provide her toddler, Maddy, with a better life. In this time of desperation, Alex turns to her free-spirited but flaky mother, Paula, played by Andie MacDowell, for help.

Throughout the series, Alex deals with custody issues, returning to her abusive and alcoholic ex, the overarching pressure to take care of her childlike and bipolar mother, depressive episodes, anxiety attacks, pursuing her love for writing, befriending a seemingly insensitive boss, homing and financial issues, the unsettling but rekindling relationship with her previously neglected father, a need for purpose and a journey of short-lived highs and seemingly endless lows.

The relationship and moments that Metzler creates between Alex and Paula defy the idea of an idealized parental figure and familial bond. Alex’s mother has a creative and free-spirited side that, while it did bring her instability and flakiness, beautifully contrasted Alex’s pessimism and practicality. The roles of the child and parent are almost reversed here, yet both continue to learn from one another, as is relevant in any motherdaughter relationship. Alex’s mom provokes a liberated and risk-taking persona in Alex, whereas Alex pushes her mother to stabilize her life and find self-respect.

Despite Alex’s frustration regarding her mother’s lacking communication and ability to settle, this refreshing, modern and yet realistic mother-daughter relationship adds to the personal intent of the show.

But taking a step back from the specific details that develop the plot line, the series deep dives into the reality of a struggling individual, Alex, and the usually unspoken of and hidden hardships that plague most young adults. Mental health issues are a clear-cut theme throughout each episode, but Metzler portrays these

Netflix’s “MAID” makes its mark in the television industry. psychological inflictions in such a unique and relatable way. When Alex reached a low that included a persisting, abusive partner and lack of employment, the scene cuts to a dark hole in a tree stump. Here, Alex lays in gloom, silence and decay, representative of a depressive episode.

Metzler’s ability to commemorate such a personal and mental experience in a way that almost every viewer can understand continues to prove “MAID’s” incredible rawness that is necessary for film.

The relatability of a viewer to such a dark topic may portray the show as unremittingly bleak and painful

to watch. However, the darkness of the plot allows for the moments of joy that surface, such as when Maddy gets into preschool or Alex gets a scholarship to college for writing, heighten in meaning and satisfaction. The traumatic events that derail Alex’s life allow the small victories along her journey to reveal “MAID’s” message which is the usual cliché saying of “appreciate the little things in life”.

Lifestyle

Vol. 47, Issue #4

The Knightly News - Page 13

Fortnite Has Epic Return every night,” said Sophomore Christian Johnson. Fortnite gives teenagers satisfaction they cannot find anywhere else, especially when they are good enough to win the desired Victory Royale.

Senior Kargil Behl also seems to enjoy playing Fortnite at night, as he said, “There’s nothing quite like a night where all of us are playing late.” Fortnite is a game where friends can bond in a way they can’t anywhere else, which is why it is so special.

Watts Johnston wanted to share his opinion on Fortnite.

“Fortnite is such a fun game to play with your friends, and there are so many types of game modes you can play,” said Johnston. “You can play squads when you want to play with your four homies, trios when one of your homies cannot get on right away, duos when you want a little action but not too much action and solos when you just want to rack up some XP and chill,” he said. “There’s all types of game modes up to 16 People!” Finally, Johnston left his remarks on how important Fortnite is as a game to players, saying “At the end of the day, Fortnite is every gamers Package, it’s so dope!”

Photo: Ross Bernath

Fortnite, the once epic battle royale game that had teenagers staying up past 3:00 a.m. attempting to win a Victory Royale, has officially made its return. Fortnite was an extremely popular game back in 2018 when it had just started and had kids playing nonstop. However, kids began to think that the creators of Fortnite, Epic Games, were adding too much into the game and making it less about winning the Victory Royale and more about other, random things.

Therefore, Fortnite died down for a while.

Fortnite then released “Chapter 3” at the end of 2021, which returned the game to its old ways, so kids began to play more once again, as they had done back in 2018. “Fortnite has influenced my life to a point that nothing else really matters, meaning that Fortnite is all I care about,” said Junior Charlie Fleming. It is obvious that Fortnite has always been a popular game since it was released back in 2017, however, gamers have

not been this serious about the Battle Royale game in a long time.

Fortnite has sprung back into popularity because they reverted to their original map. Fortnite had become so unpopular due to its excessive amount of new locations and random spots to drop down at, leading to the disappearance of old, beloved locations. Notably, Epic Games added back inarguably the most popular destination, Tilted Towers, which had not been seen in its original version since Jan. 18, 2018.

Additionally, with the release of Marvel’s’ Spider-Man: No Way Home, the creators at Epic added in a new feature that allows players to search for webslingers and use them around the map to move quicker. “I love the feature,” said Sophomore Ross Bernath. “It allows me to perfect my skill of rushing the memes I’m playing against for some sick clips. If you do not know what that means, basically I’m a baller. I always finish my Victory Royales with a sick nasty dab.”

The refound craving for Fortnite has made its way into our school as well. “Playing Fortnite with the boys gets me hype

A Victory Royale appears on the screen as a player wins the Battle Royale.

People Around the World Plunge into the Metaverse Photo: seekingalpha.com

For decades, technologists have been envisioning a time when our virtual lives are as significant as our physical ones for decades, and today it is known as the Metaverse. So what exactly is it? The Metaverse is the coming together of two longstanding concepts: virtual reality and a digital second life. In theory, we’d spend most of our time in virtual space connecting with our friends and co-workers.

In this digital world, we would spend money on different items for our digital avatars as well.

To access this second life, a virtual reality headset is needed along with a set of motion sensing controllers that are used to interact with virtual objects.

The idea of the Metaverse is still an extremely new concept, but a similar concept has been known in the gaming community for some time. In 2016, Sony released the $400 PlayStation VR, a virtual reality headset that plugged into its PlayStation 4 console, and they recently announced they are releasing a

Virtual Reality is becoming this first steppingstone toward the Metaverse. second-generation headset in the near future that is compatible with the PlayStation 5. But this is just the beginning foundation for what’s to come of virtual reality technology. “Being in the real world is very important, but the Metaverse is about making quasi-real in the virtual world, and I can’t see the point of doing it,” said Ken Kutaragi, inventor of PlayStation. “You would rather be a polished avatar instead of your real self? That’s essentially no different from anonymous message board sites.” He is not very enthused by the way major tech companies are shifting to expand into the Metaverse and thinks that PlayStation has no business following along.

Another way to enter the Metaverse is by using the Oculus

Quest 2. This virtual reality headset goes for $300 with standard storage and accessories.

Unfortunately, all the games do cost money and purchasing games can rack up a large sum.

The headset has internet and online capabilities and the ability to chat with other online players.

The first world of the Metaverse to be available on the Oculus was Horizon Worlds, and it is free, but the requirement is that players are over 18 years of age.

Many other large companies have begun to get involved with the Metaverse, including Microsoft, who plans on adding Metaverse capabilities to their software and being a place that supports the Metaverse. This company has developed the HoloLens, a $3,500 headset

that shows digital holograms.

They have been developing it for years, and it was originally intended for the application of business and government agencies.

Facebook recently changed their name to Meta, and they are heavily focused on increasing technology and software within the Metaverse. Facebook or Meta does not own the Metaverse, but are working to make it more compatible and widespread.

They devoted $10 billion to the project and are hoping to reach a billion users worldwide. No company owns the Metaverse, but the two technology behemoths, Microsoft and Meta, both want to increase their influence within the Metaverse. They are both working toward better

virtual reality technology and an easier way to access the Metaverse. The futuristic movies and books about an online world are slowly starting to become more realistic.

Facebook has created a page where they discuss the focal points of what the Metaverse is intended for, and Mark Zuckerberg, the Chief Executive Officer of Facebook, discusses his hopes for what is to come.

“You’re going to be able to do almost anything you can imagine.

Get together with friends and family, work, learn, play, shop and create, as well as entirely different categories that don’t really fit with how we think about computers,” he said.

Lifestyle

February 11, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 14

BlackBerry Stops Supporting Classic BlackBerry Phones Photo: Wojciech30 / Wikimedia Commons

On Jan 4, 2022, BlackBerry officially discontinued its support for its software, including BlackBerry 10, 7.1 OS and any earlier versions. Older Blackberries can no longer make phone calls, send text messages, use data or use the internet. BlackBerry has fallen so far from its once-dominant hold on the phone market.

BlackBerry, originally known as Research In Motion, produced its first device in 1999. The BlackBerry 850 was not a phone but was a two-way pager. It had a thumb keyboard and a thumbwheel for scrolling.

BlackBerry’s first phone was the BlackBerry 6710, which launched in 2002. It still did not have color, but it included features like wireless email, phone, internet and text messaging.

In 2003, BlackBerry launched the 7290, which was the first BlackBerry to have color and Bluetooth while keeping the features of the BlackBerry 6710.

However, one of BlackBerry’s

An assortment of Blackberry phone models from the past 20 years. most popular units was the BlackBerry Bold, released in 2009. At the time, it had the best BlackBerry keyboard, a highresolution screen and a sleek and sophisticated design. The high resolution was a large part of the success because it could display videos that ordinary consumers could view; the company was reaching out to a larger audience

than just its business appeal.

These phones were high quality and unique in design, but what set them apart from competitors was their email functionality. BlackBerry provided wireless, secure email on the go, which was a huge innovation for the business world. They pioneered mobile messaging, which also appealed to regular consum-

ers. They loved the BlackBerry Messenger service and became addicted to being connected.

At BlackBerry’s peak in 2009, they had 43% of the US smartphone market, 20% of the global market and sold more than 52.3 million units that year.

BlackBerry’s novel messaging app was quickly incorporated into other phones,

however. The special feature that BlackBerry once had was now commonplace among other phones, and BlackBerry lacked the innovation of other growing phone companies. The fall of BlackBerry started in 2010 when the iPhone 4 was released.

For the first time, iPhone sales surpassed BlackBerry sales, and they have stayed that way ever since. In 2012, only three years after their peak in 2009, BlackBerry had less than 5% of the global market share. BlackBerry continued releasing phones, but none of them had the success of their previous models. In 2016, CEO of BlackBerry John Chen announced that they would no longer produce any hardware and would instead develop software and cybersecurity. BlackBerry’s downfall was mainly caused by the lack of innovation and creativity from previous models.

BlackBerry still had an extremely successful time in the phone market. “We thank our many loyal customers and partners over the years,” said the company after announcing the discontinuation of BlackBerry OS.

Sign Language Grows in Pop Culture

Photo: Healthline

end up finding their little ones understand so much more than they ever would have imagined once they get started.”

Whether it’s in the classroom or at Starbucks, there’s no doubt On 625B H Street in Washthat sign language has hit its ington D.C., roughly fifteen stride in the modern day. In the minutes away from the Lincoln United States, ASL is the third Memorial, there is a Starbucks. most commonly learned lanWhile the store’s menu and pricguage, after Spanish and French. ing are similar to its other locaIt has also become more frequent tions, it lacks one thing: talking. on television; shows and movies That’s because this location, such as Ginny & Georgia, A known as a Signing Starbucks, Quiet Place and CODA explore commences almost all of its the dynamic between hearing business through American Sign and deaf family members by utiLanguage. lizing on-screen sign language American Sign Language, as they do so. Still, destigmacolloquially known as ASL, is tized and accurate portrayals one out of over three hundred Baby Sign Language is shown to promote speech development and parent-child bonding, according to of sign language and Deaf sign language dialects across recent research. culture are lacking. “Descripthe world. Contrary to popular tions of deaf and hard-of-hearing belief, its grammatical strucof sign language called Baby to the nineteenth century, the nication. Nonetheless, research individuals should be based on ture is different from that of Sign Language has received first steps to implement it were suggests that children who use actual assessments of their perEnglish, nor is it a one-to-one high praise from professionals not taken until around the 1980s. this method of communication sonalities just like anyone else,” translation of English. The in child development. Baby Sign Since then, Baby Sign Lanshow an ability to understand wrote the National Association tone of a sentence Language allows guage has been spread through spoken words earlier of the Deaf in its “Signing gives infants and small is carried through various television programs, “Their little guidelines for than those who do babies more re- children to use their websites and visual guides. facial expressions not. Babies may even ones understand media portrayal of fined tools than such as raising and limited motor skills It’s even found its way into cry less because they so much more than the deaf commujust pointing to exthey would have nity. Though many lowering eyebrows to make simple some classrooms, which allows feel they can express press what they’re imagined once popular language and can be used to gestures for their students to express their needs more! “Signing gives thinking” they get started” learning websites signal sarcasm. For needs (milk, hurt, quietly and with less frustrababies more recontroversial topics play, etc.) This altion. However, despite sharing fined tools than just like Duolingo don’t such as abortion, the specific lows adults to understand what many of the same signs, Baby pointing to express what they’re offer sign language courses, sign someone chooses to use the child needs, and gives the Sign Language is not the same thinking,” says Lane Rebelo, a there are many free accessible can even hint at their standing child a way to communicate with as American Sign Language. baby sign language instructor resources online. If you’re someon the issue. The language is the abilities they have. Though It lacks ASL’s grammatical and the founder of Tiny Signs, one who likes trying new things, almost two hundred years old, research backing the benefits of structure and attention to tone an online resource for parents. why not pick up a few signs? and more recently, a new form Baby Sign Language dates back and is used for simple commu“Parents who use sign language

Sports

Vol. 47, Issue #4

The Knightly News - Page 15

Super Bowl LVI Predictions Are in!

Photo: NFL

As the regular season ended, and the best teams in the NFL headed into the playoffs, one team is looking to win it all and be Super Bowl Champions.

Currently, there are two teams left and one big game until one team is crowned champion. One unlikely Super Bowl contender is the Cincinnati Bengals, who prior to this season, many analysts believed would end with less than 5 wins. However, led by star quarterback Joe “Brrrr” Burrow, who connected with rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase 81 times for 1,455 yards, the team garnered 10 wins and made the playoffs. They upset the Tennessee Titans, who earned a first-round bye. The Titans are the new home of Atlanta fanfavorite, legendary receiver Julio Jones.

On the other side of the NFC, the Buffalo Bills were matched up against the Kansas City Chiefs. Quite frankly the Chiefs have been unexciting this year, although players like tight end Travis Kelce and kicker Harrison Butker have had great seasons.

Bengals Quaterback Joe Burrow celebrates after scoring a tuchdown. After not winning a single playoff game since 1991, the Bengals will play in the Super Bowl.

Patrick Mahomes has not lived up to his hype this season. After signing a long-term contract worth more than half a billion dollars, he has not met the expectations of the fans, coaches or organization. However, the Bills were outstanding this season, driven by quarterback Josh Allen, who is unmatched in both passing and running the pigskin.

The Wyoming Alum is a fanfavorite of the so-called “Bills Mafia,” and this was his year to win. However, due to horrific overtime rules, lack of defense, and bad special team play-calling, the Bills lost a devastating game to the Chiefs.

As for the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams played against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ray-

mond James Stadium in Florida.

The Rams have great players, including 4th quarter specialist Matthew Stafford, Pro-Bowl kicker Matt Gay, all-star defensive end Aaron Donald and superb coach Sean McVay. These players lead the Rams to victory in this game. This is because the Buccaneers did not perform.

With strong offensive players in tight end Rob Gronkowski and receiver Mike Evans coupled with an experienced and strong defense, this is an all-around very strong team. However, the best player of all time and arguably cheater, Tom Brady, did not perform at his best. With a game-ending field goal from Matt Gay, the Rams advanced to the next round. where they faced

Rams in the 7th and final round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He still remembers the exciting moment of getting the call in where he was notified that his dream of playing in the NFL would come true. “I wasn’t necessarily expecting to get drafted, and I wasn’t gonna be too surprised if I did get drafted,” said Sloman.

“When the 7th round of the draft started, I got texts from all three teams [ the Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee Titans and New York Jets] I was talking to, and I thought that there may be a chance.” Sloman watched the entire draft, and he was ready to just stop watching until “I got a call from a California number.

I figured it was the Rams, so I answered,” he said. “It was Les Snead, [the general manager of the Rams], and he asked me if I wanted to come kick for the Rams.” Sloman described getting the call as “a surreal experience.”

An important milestone in Sloman’s professional career was kicking the division-winning field goal for the Tennessee Titans as time expired in the last game of the regular season, which was Sloman’s only last second field goal to win a game at any level. “With COVID protocols last year, the Tennessee Titans decided they were gonna have a practice squad kicker, punter and long snapper who were kept completely separate from the rest of the team, so I

would practice with the other two guys and that was it,” said Sloman. He did not know any of his teammates other than the two he practiced with. “Even on the day of the game, I got to my locker and shook hands with the guy next to me and introduced myself ... The feeling was indescribable,” said Sloman. “I didn’t really know anybody, but they did a great job the whole game, just having my back and getting excited for me.”

During the offseason, Sloman spends his time preparing for the season ahead. “I work out outside of Cleveland with former football player Jason Trusnik and 3 other guys,” said Sloman. “On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, we do conditioning and lifting ... on Wednesday, we do yoga. I kick on Wednesday and Saturday with those guys. I keep that pretty consistent until July, which is when we start getting ready for camp.” In July, Sloman does less conditioning and practices more kicking in preparation for a month long camp.

As a practice squad kicker, Sloman still uses advice he received at Pace to thrive in the NFL; the most valuable piece being, “how to react to things that life throws at you that you can’t control.” Over the course of his football career, Sloman has learned one fundamental lesson that he recommends to others with dreams of playing sports in college and potentially profes-

off against the San Francisco 49ers. With a mediocre performance from Niners quarterback, Jimmy “G” Garoppolo, San Francisco fell short to the Rams.

The Rams’ wide receiver, Cooper Kupp, played an outstanding game, recording 142 yards and two touchdown receptions. In the end, a clutch kick from Gay and an interception from Travin Howard sealed the game and bought them a ticket to the Super Bowl.

The fan-favorite, the Green Bay Packers, had a stellar season, primarily due to Aaron Rodgers, one of the best defenses in the league and phenom wideout, Davante Adams. Earlier this year, the Packers ran into some issues with COVID-19. Rodg-

ers explained to the media that he’s “been immunized” and did as much as he could to keep his team’s season alive. However, Rodger’s did not perform in the postseason and lost to San Francisco.

The Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams are set to play each other at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 13 in SoFi Stadium.

However, this means the Rams will be playing at home, in Inglewood, California, with home-field advantage. However, this will not matter for Burrow’s Bengals; this team is used to playing under pressure and not on their home turf, and they have been successful, shown by their 5-3 away record. Although Matthew Stafford for the Ram’s has had a strong season, the Bengals are playing phenomenally this year, and have something to prove. I predict it will be a close, hard-fought game, but the Bengals will walk away with a victory. The Halftime Show for Super Bowl LVI is stacked with performances from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar, surely better than previous shows. Nonetheless, this is Burrow’s year, and he will thrive and take control of the game, putting a ring on his and his teammates’ finger..

Pace Alum Sam Sloman Is Still Kicking

Photo: Sam Sloaman

Nearly 8 years after kicking his first field goal for his high school team, Pace Alum Sam Sloman is still excelling in his craft in the NFL. Sloman is currently a field goal kicker on the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad.

Sloman’s football career began his junior year at Pace.

In his first two years of high school, Sloman played for the Pace varsity soccer team before making the life-changing switch to football. “I would always regret not playing [football] in high school,” said Sloman, having grown up a Falcons fan.

During his two years of playing high school football, he helped lead the team to win their only state championship so far which he described as “the coolest feeling in the world ... It is still one of my two favorite football memories to this day,” he said.

The second was “winning a MAC championship in college” at Miami University of Ohio back in 2019.

After graduating from the Miami University of Ohio, where he was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award given to the nation’s top collegiate placekicker, Sloman was drafted 248th overall by the Los Angeles

Pace Alum Sam Sloman kicks a field goal for Pace Academy (top) and a field goal for the Tennessee Titans (bottom) sionally. “You have to believe in yourself,” says Sloman, “because in order for anyone else to believe in you, you have to show

that you believe in yourself.

You’re gonna have to work hard, and it’s not gonna be easy, but it’s definitely gonna be worth it.”

Sports

February 11, 2022

The Knightly News - Page 16

Viewer’s Guide to the 2022 Beijing Olympics

Photo: Team USA

If the exciting Tokyo Olympics were not enough for you in 2021, the Winter Olympics are back for 2022 in Beijing along with 200 American athletes ready to compete. This year the seven different sports are biathlon, bobsledding, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating and skiing, with a record 109 different events. For all the Olympic fans to watch, the events will be airing on NBC and can also be streamed on Peacock if the timing doesn’t work, given that Beijing is 13 hours ahead of Atlanta. Many veteran US athletes are back this year to compete again and are looking to keep up the success from prior years.

Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin seeks to add to her Olympic success from the past this year after winning a combined two gold medals and one silver medal in Sochi and Pyeongchang. Despite a decline in her performance

Chloe Kim made history in 2018 when she won the gold medal in halfpipe at age 17, and hopes to repeat her victory.

gold medal at the X Games and a world title. She is now back and ready to compete in her second Olympics and is one of the top contenders for winning the gold medal in the halfpipe again.

The Olympic hockey team will look different in 2022 than in the past as younger players in the NCAA are now allowed on the rosters. Citing the rise of COVID-19 cases interrupting the league as their reason, the NHL announced that their players would not be allowed on the roster for the Beijing Olympics.

In order to fill a team, standout college players such as Jake Sanderson from the University of North Dakota and Matty Beniers from the University of Michigan have agreed to play.

The team will be led by 2010 Olympic silver medalist Bobby Ryan, who had to sit out from the NHL this year but is excited to play in the Olympics again to make up for it. The qualification playoffs are on all day on Tuesday, Feb. 15, and if they make the finals it will be on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 11 p.m. EST.

after attempting this in 2018, Shiffrin decided to compete in all five events again this year, including downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom and combined, because it ensures she can compete even in the case of the often bad weather. Just recently

on Jan. 11, 2022, she won the World Cup in Austria, setting a world record for the most World Cup slalom wins with 47. You can watch Shiffrin on NBC in the finals of the downhill at 10 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Feb. 15.

Since becoming the youngest

competitor to win a gold medal in the halfpipe in Pyeongchang, Chloe Kim is back this year as a favorite. During the break between the Olympics, Kim has been busy, first attending Princeton University while healing an injury then coming back to win a

lacrosse alum. Along with the captains, the heavy senior class will continue the established precedent with the hope of playing well into May. Their schedule includes matchups against hometown rivals but also 7A matchups such as Milton and Johns Creek. With a new coach, the team has high expectations for the spring.

Head Coach Kelsea Ayers, an Ohio State lacrosse alum, returns to Pace for her third year to command the girl’s lacrosse program. Last season, the girls finished with a .500 record in both the regular seasons and in region play. With impressive wins over Mount Paran and Midtown High school, the team looks forward to making another playoff appearance in 2021. This year, big rivalry games against talented Westminster and Lovett teams have been marked on the calendar as huge statement games for the growing program.

The 2021 state champions return to the soccer pitch this spring under Head Coach Lucas Moreno to have another incredible year. The squad will feature many incredibly skilled players who contributed to the previous

title. Coach Moreno always sets up a difficult schedule playing the best teams in the state including 6A and 7A powerhouses Lambert and Dalton. Even with the schedule, the Knights won a total of 15 games with only six losses during their 2021 season.

In the final game of the season, a 0-0 score against Lovett pushed the championship game into overtime. Returning junior Owen Ross made a big save in penalty kicks, and the shooters iced the game. This year will mirror the same style and hopefully the success of the last.

Players on the squad will be in shape passing Coach Moreno’s infamous run test and the schedule will be difficult, but expect big things from the 2021 soccer team.

The girl’s soccer program also has set a precedent for success by making a state playoff final four appearance last spring.

This spring, the girls will be back and better than ever under an extremely talented group of seniors. Marielle Frooman was an incredible keeper last year for the Knights as she looks to make even more saves for her senior campaign. Harper White, Meghna Singha, McLean Eagleson, Carly Appel, Megan Hardesty, Hannah Genser and Morgan Neill round out this amazing senior class. These talented girls play another tough schedule with the season opener against Lambert at home on Feb. 8. Other elite matchups will prepare the Knights for hopefully another deep playoff run.

The girls golf team returns for the 2022 spring season under the leadership of coaches Kevin Ballard and Trevor Smith. The roster consists of three seniors and a strong junior class with

Senior pitcher and Vanderbilt commit RJ Austin throws a fastball against Lovett. lead the squad. This year, the five girls. There are fifteen team’s biggest competition will matches on the schedule with be held on Apr. 15 at Lovett key matchups against rivals against the Lions and WestminLovett, Westminster, and Holy ster. The “Battle of Buckhead” Innocent’s. However, the area always consists of talented gymtournament in late April and the nasts and great competition. all day state tournament on May The girls tennis program is 16 and 17 are circled as the most one of the most successful teams important goals for the squad. on Pace campus. They return to Scott Shupe will come back “Pace Mountain” after winning to coach the talented 2022 boys back to back state titles. Last golf team, a talented group with year, the girls bested Lovett after tons of varsity experience. Last achieving an impressive 10-1 reyear, the team fell short in the cord in the regular season. After Area Tournament, placing seclosing a strong group in 2021, ond behind the Lovett School, senior Kate Jonas will have to but they still punched their ticket lead the team to complete the to the state tournament. Seniors three-peat.

Ben Shelton and William Baker Similarly to the girls prowill lead the team this year with gram, the boys tennis team has the help of juniors Doug Parker had a precedent of achievement and Ronak Lalaji, all players finishing as the state-runner up among the 2021 team’s best. in 2021. Of the 17 boys on the Freshman Jack Mallard will also roster, there are four seniors: be an exciting underclassman to Jude Black, Benjamin Chern, watch this Spring. This year, the Cole Kaplan and Ryan Varma. boys will golf at eight invitation- This year, the squad have plans als before getting ready to take of another successful season area and state. hopefully containing another The gymnastics team will state championship appearance. compete in a six regular seaThe track team will compete son matches before the state in five regular season meets folqualifiers and tournament under lowed by the metro, state and pocoaches Steve Cunningham and tentially even the amm-american Antoinette Datoc. After losing tournament. The Blaha twins, a strong group of senior leaders Columbia University Crossin the 2022 class, Junior Bianca Country commits, and Princeton Vaneri and Sophomore Gabby commit John Catheman will lead Mautener, who compete year the squad in 2022. round, will have to step up and

Spring Sports Prepare for 2022 Season

Photo: Fred Assaf The girls tennis team hopes to complete the three-peat of state championships in 2022.

Photo:Fred Assaf

The baseball team has extremely high expectations for this upcoming spring. Last year, the squad finished with a final record of 23 wins with only eight losses and an unexpected early exit in the second round of the state playoffs. This year, the Knights will be back looking to win it all. College committed seniors Jae Williams and RJ Austin lead the team. Williams committed to the University of Alabama Birmingham earlier this year while Austin announced his commitment to baseball powerhouse Vanderbilt.

This year, the team will play a competitive schedule, hopefully, capped by a championship appearance.

The boys lacrosse team returns after a deep playoff run in the previous year, including a state runner-up placement.

Captains Jason Tapper and Matthew Steiger will lead the team with first-year Head Coach Chase Winter, a Johns Hopkins