The View Issue 6 Vol 22

Turning the Page Park Hill South Riverside, Mo. May 8, 2020 Vol. 22 Issue 6

table of

CONTENTS

05 07 08 14 17 20 23

NEWS Early Bird Special SPORTS Major League Loss FEATURES Summer for the Seniors

on the

ENTERTAINMENT Enter-change-ment

COVER

ENTERTAINMENT Changing Hair

12-13

STAFF

OPINION Climate Catch Up

Print Co-Editors in Chief Kiana Fernandes & Johnny Sterrett

OPINION Rewriting a Chapter

LETTER FROM THE

editor

There are so many things I could say right now about my time at The View, but none would convey what I feel as well as these two words: Thank you.

To Johnny, my print co-editor, who is the mastermind behind many of the practices we have implemented in the newsroom this year.

To Avery, the queen of Web and design, who has put so much heart into her work on phsouthnews.com that it was recognized at the State level as one of the best student news-sites in the whole of Missouri.

To the section editors, for tirelessly going through every article to make sure it has reached its full potential. You all have been absolutely brilliant, I could not have picked a better group of people to work with.

To the Design Team, who have worked tirelessly to produce every beautiful page that has been published this year. Your designs breathe extra life into every article we write.

To the stafff f of The View. My job was so, so easy because I had all of you with me. Your dedication to this publication rivals my own, which is the best thing I could ever ask for. I know you are all heading toward amazing futures, and I cannot wait to see it.

To Mrs. Palmer, for giving us all the freedom to produce a paper that is less an assignment and more a passion project. Your guidance has been invaluable and I am so grateful I got to learn from you.

And f inally, thank you to the reader of this publication. Whether you have pored over every article or only read one, or even just flipped through the page designs, your support of The View is the reason we are here.

Hearing your feedback, even if it's critical, pushes us to improve with every issue. The soul of this paper is the spirit of Park Hill South... your spirit.

So thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Room C200 has been my home for the last two years, and I cannot be more proud of what we have accomplished within it.

Digital Editor in Chief/Co-Art Director Avery Glover The View is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association and the Designers Missouri Interscholastic Press Association and is printed by Osage Graphics in Parker Rivers Olathe, Kan. Stevie WIlliams Olivia Stone Section Editors Maria Allred Annie Woodson Claire Hoy Jessie Hagen Amy Graham Reporters Garrett Anderson Brandon Cook Laura Distefano Sophia Dunn Dawson Evans Will Fricker Alice Gamble Sadie Hudson Austin Kinsey Sophia Koch Zane Leiker Jake Lazen Georgia McGonigle Nico Leluga Payton Miller Grant Mulligan Lina Navarro Sam Pfeiffer Hadley Uribe Paige Wessel Emily Williamson The View is published six times during the regular school year as the student news Maddie Winkler publication of Park Hill South High School Adviser Megan Palmer

in Riverside, Mo. Opinions expressed here are that of student journalists and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Park Hill School district. To access editorial policies or to submit a letter to the editor, visit our website at phsouthnews.com

By Johnny Sterrett

PHSOUTHNEWS.COM NEWS 3

Obviously you do not go into education if you do not want to help kids, but the way you run a school takes a much difffff ferent twist when you change the conversation from, is this good enough for the kids to is this good enough for my kid?

This was the unique position of Dr. Dale Longenecker, principal, as a father who raised his kids in the district that inspired him to shape things for the better for students at South. His accomplishments, including everything from the drastic increase in standardized testing results to the implementation of PLC meetings, can be traced back to his philosophy that education is the cornerstone of the community.

“When I moved us to suburban Kansas City when I took my job here, I had a hard time ffifff iguring out where the community was, but it was easy once I fff igured out it was around schools--that we were the binding agent in the community,” he said.

But after 30 years of dedicated teaching and administrative work in the district --even predating our building--the man synonymous with South and staple of the community is ready for the next chapter of life and will be retiring from his position as principal ffon June 30.

It is certainly going to be a strange transition, with an interim principal, but South will not be left high and dry.

“There are a half dozen strong internal candidates, so they are going to hire somebody familiar with the organization that knows our setup and knows the plan. So there is not going to be a lot of transition. The machine does not stop without me, we have great continuity.” he said.

Though the timing is unfortunate, something seniors can empathize with, that does not detract from his years of service to students and the community.

While closure is something we might all crave when it is easier to see what we missed out on rather than what we were lucky enough to enjoy.

“I was fearful that last day before spring break that we were heading into a situation and I really wanted to have that assembly if it were safe.

We got clearance to go ahead and do it because I was not sure when you would get to do it again.” he said.

“We have all been worn down by the Zoom culture of online school. It is weird, but there is something to be learned from it. This experience is not meaningless and life will go on,” he said.

Though his last few months were extremely unique compared to the many years before, Longenecker is grateful for all his moments.

“I had a great ride. It has been a pleasure to be Only the second principal in South history, part of Park Hill for Dr. Dale Longenecker announces hi sretirement 30 years.”

A King Passes on his Crown

4 NEWS

PHSOUTHNEWS.COM

Many seniors are trying to figure out their next steps in what to do about their graduation season now that the ceremony was moved to July March 13 was the last day to walk the halls of South for the latest group of Panthers to wrap up their 12 years of education. Sadly, they didn’t know this would be their last day of their high school career. They now are trying to figure out what's next.

Graduation is now planned for July 26, which no one had planned for. How will the seniors go about graduation parties in July? Are they just going to cancel them instead?

“We are moving our grad party closer to the end of July as more of a going away party if everything clears up by then and we will probably have our grad party after graduation because then we will get to see everyone one last time before we head off to college,“ Anna Knitting, senior, said.

A lot of graduation parties are going to look a lot difff ferent this year. Usually, the seniors get all summer to say their goodbyes after grad season is over, but now, grad season will be their goodbyes thanks to COVID-19.

“I think the virus sort of changed everyones plans.

We stopped trying to plan ours for the moment because we do not want anything set in stone. Who knows if this quarantine will be extended. It is also

tough because you want to try and make it to all your friends' parties, but now a lot of them are going to overlap,“ Laurel Burns, senior, said.

Grad season is a stressful and eventful time for everyone, especially for seniors. This is now starting to make it 10 times more stressful. The planning that goes into all of these parties and festivities is time consuming. Now that everything is rescheduled to the end of July, everyone will have to plan accordingly to the very short time they are given before and after graduation to say their goodbyes.

Sadly, for some schools, they are not getting a Prom and graduation at all.

South students are lucky that they have their events rescheduled for now.

“I am so thankful that our district rescheduled Prom and graduation because I know a lot of schools did not do that. It makes me sad that we don’t get those fffff inal moments in the building with everyone before we left to say goodbye, but I know our school is working really hard to make this special for us,“ Knitting said.

So far, grad season is happening, it just will not be the same. It might be a little more stressful, but South is lucky that they are still able to celebrate the seniors

We stopped trying to plan ours for the moment because we do not want anything set in stone.

July 26th, 2020

Paige Wessel

PHSOUTHNEWS.COM NEWS 5

l a i c e p S d r i B y l r a E die

By Mad

er Winkl

They say the early bird gets the worm, and that may be true for those who coincidentally chose to graduate early before the global pandemic. Imagine not having to wake up at 9:00 a.m. for a Zoom call, not having to do quizzes on Go Formative and not having to listen to an awful 20 minute video of John Green talking about God knows what.

That is the life of a senior who left the South halls earlier than their peers.

There are many reasons people decide to leave after the fff irst semester of their senior year. Saving up money for college, working more hours, or even attending college early for credit. For several students, that extra time is needed. Now that everyone is in quarantine, that could very much affect the plans of those individuals.

“COVID-19 has affected the ability to work, which was a part of my original plan. I was serving at Red Robin when the lockdown of all businesses had happened but I still wanted to fgure out a different way to make money. I am now doing Instacart which allows you to shop groceries for other people for a pretty good amount of money!“

Cassidy Taylor, former senior, said.

Even though this virus has put a halt on their future plans, these students are still content with their decision to leave early.

“Since the virus, I am happier that I graduated early.

While school has been moved to online, I do not think I would have excelled my best academically considering I learn and comprehend way better in a face to face setting,“ Cami Grant, former senior, said.

Just like the rest of the class of 2020 the future is unknown, but all they can do is hope that everything turns out how they wanted.

“If nothing changes, I am attending Mizzou, and I am very excited to go to college after a long 12 years of school,“ Evan Oathout, former senior, said.

“I am planning on attending Rockhurst University and majoring in biomed,'' said Grant.

In life everything happens for a reason, and everyone's path might not be how they wanted. The pandemic may have afffff fected some early graduates, but that is not stopping them from what they set out to do.

6 NEWS

PHSOUTHNEWS.COM

Curly Intentions

Consumers file lawsuits against $300 million company DevaCurl Settling on a good hair product brings people a feeling of relief. But when a person with curly hair f inally ffif inds that one product that allows them to embrace their natural curls it is a feeling that can’t be explained.

So what happens when that one product that you spent a ton of money on and completely trusted is causing you hair loss, scalp issues and your curls to lose their look?

DevaCurl is that product for hundreds and thousands of people. Summer 2019 was when consumers for the product started speaking out. They were experiencing hair loss, scalp irritation, breakage, thinning, excessive shedding and balding.

Ayesha Malik is a social media influencer. Malik is a part of the curly hair community. She started to gain a lot of popularity because she would post haircare tutorials on her Youtube channel. Malik would freely post about DevaCurl and how wonderful it was for the past f ive years. She started losing more and more hair and uncontrolled frizziness. So what did she think was going to correct it? Add more Deva products!

But little did she and other consumers know the wonderful, healthy, gentle DevaCurl was the common denominator.

“I experienced hair thinning and looser curls. I also never had dandruff until I started using the product. It never occured to me that DevaCurl could have been the cause of these problems because it helped my hair the f irst couple weeks I started using it,“ Olivia Judah, junior, said.

Judah used DevaCurl products for 10 months. At month six her hair started losing its curl. She quit DevaCurl and is currently in the process of trying to make her hair healthy again.

There is a page on Facebook for the curly hair community that have experienced problems due to DevaCurl. As of now, there are over 60,000 people who

Olivia Judah’s hair after 6 months of DevaCurl

follow the account. They all claim to have had or still have problems.

Although there is a huge amount of people that have had problems, some curly haired people are experiencing none with Deva products. Zoie Costello, junior, had her f irst DevaCurl haircut back in Oct. of 2019. She is aware of the lawsuit but has not experienced any problems so she is continuing to use it.

“Since I have been using DevaCurl, my hair has been the healthiest it has ever been. Especially since I used to straighten it all the time,“ Costello said.

Kerrigan Meehan, senior, is part of the curly hair community. However, she is in the opposite boat of Costello. Meehan used DevaCurl for six months. During that time, her hair lost its volume and became frizzy. She stopped using the products and is now using different brands to get back the curls she once had.

DevaCurl is a $300 million company and their products are not cheap. By spending that much money on hair products, people expect high quality. I was a DevaCurl user for six years and using those products taught me how to embrace and love my natural hair. I experienced and still am experiencing scalp itchiness.

Having to “break up“ with my beloved DevaCurl was hard and discovering new products and spending more time and money is even harder. And I think that goes for everyone who has had issues with DevaCurl.

Curly hair can be a blessing, but it can also be a burden. Learning how to embrace your natural curls is tough. It takes time, patience, and money to choose the right products and achieve the look you want. I know how I felt when I saw my hair after using DevaCurl.

And I thought, wow my hair can actually look that good.

Having to throw all of that away hurts. To the curly hair community who have used DevaCurl, I hope you are able to get your curls back.

By Sophia Koch

Zoie Costello’s hair after first DevaCut

PHSOUTHNEWS.COM SPORTS 7

A Major League Loss

By Sam Pfeiffer

How professional sports have been impacted by these times In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, people across the world are starved for entertainment as most of the world outside their homes continues to be closed, and for good reason. This has left sports fans, among many others, waiting with bated breath to see what’s next for their competition of choice.

“Even though I don’t actively follow a lot of sports, it is still odd knowing that almost all of them are completely on hold.

It is strange knowing that I could not even watch baseball if I wanted to, for example,“ said Luke Moyes, senior.

For several sports leagues, the pandemic has dealt relatively minimal damage to players, workers, and fans; for example, the NFL losses are mostly mitigated by the season ending earlier in the year.

However, the severity of the f inancial losses varies widely from sport to sport. The MLB, NHL and MLS are all dealing with complete stadium shutdowns and are currently negotiating ticket refunds, compensating stadium workersff and

By Zane Leiker

players, and much more.

“I feel like short-term, the pandemic will be devastating for pretty much every sport you can imagine. Long-term, it will show people how bored they would be without them,“ said junior Sam Cornelius.

Most major league sports have weathered the impact of crises like the market crash of 2008 and several other viral outbreaks, though not quite to this extent. Another topic that has many people on edge, particularly for this summer, is the likelihood of the Summer Olympics being cancelled, as they have already been postponed to 2021.

“Since everyone has been stuck inside for almost a month, I would hope that things are back to normal by summer,“ said Alexis Nigro, senior. “A lot of people do not just sit around waiting for the Olympics, but it will be really boring not having anything new to watch if quarantine drags on.“

The Finale has fallen

Reflecting on a last hoorah for Senior athletes that will never come All the preparation was for nothing: all the swings you took, all the time you spent running around the track, all the time you practiced dribbling, was all for nothing. Or at least that was the knee-jerk reaction for a lot of athletes when they heard that the spring sports season was cancelled.

This feeling especially resonated with seniors who were not continuing their careers past the high school level.

“Hearing the news was def initely a shot to the gut, I just wanted a chance to touch the field one more time.“ said senior baseball player Brenden Schutter.

Schutter, like many other athletes, will not be continuing his athletic career in college and will focus on an academic career at KU. Not being able to play for the last time is a gut wrenching experience but for some students it did have some positive outcomes.

“Not having to deal with balancing season and school and instead being able to do things on your own time.“ said senior tennis player Raj Thaker.

This is for sure one of the few positives that have come out of the quarantine as students have been able to get a taste of the real world, and are able to focus on their futures earlier than they would have. Though it might not be what students

want, this quarantine period has made everyone grow up and mature a little bit earlier than they would have.

On the other side of the spectrum this quarantine has also equally afff fected athletes who will be continuing their athletic careers into college. Without this much needed high school season many athletes will only be able to rely on their summer training to prepare for their freshman season of college.

“It is def initely tough losing out on that extra preparation you were expecting to have, it just makes my summer that much more important.“ said senior and Mizzou baseball commit Will Fricker.

This quarantine has taken so many things from us and the sports season is just another one of those things. It is tough to accept and hard to digest, but the loss of spring sports was necessary.

It might not be something most athletes want to hear but when everyone ref lects years later down the line it should become evident that this quarantine saved so many lives, and in the end that is all that will truly matter.

8 FEATURES PHSOUTHNEWS.COM

It has been a very hard time for the class of 2020. Most people wait 12 years knowing that those last two months of school are the most precious, fun and special moments they may get.

But now it feels like it was for nothing. Not one thing is going to happen on the date it was originally planned. So how is this senior class going to make up for it this summer if they get the chance?

After talking with some seniors, it is easy to tell they are very restless and want to get back to normal. This quarantine has felt like a decade to some students and the seniors all have come to the conclusion that they are going to make this summer of 2020 the best one yet.

“I am going to try and hang out with people I love the most. Trying to make some of our last memories before college the best ever,“ Brooke Jones, senior, said.

While these seniors thought about their last summer before adulthood begins, almost everyone talked about leaving their friends they may never see or get to hangout with again. The seniors at South did not get the last months of high school that are the most memorable. They did not get that last day of high school feeling with their best friends; them leaving South with the windows down, blaring-music-while-looking-atthe-skyline feeling.

“The f irst thing I am going to do when this quarantine is lifted is hangout and spend time with all my friends that I will not see in college,“ Ty Rouse, senior, said.

The seniors are going stir-crazy to go meet up with their friends, and this amazing weather is making it even harder to stay isolated in the house. Many cannot help but think what if this quarantine continues throughout the summer and what they would do with themselves.

“If this quarantine continues throughout the summer it would make me very upset since the summer is the last time I would be able to see my friends before college and would lessen the amount of time I would be able to bond with my new teammates before the beginning of the collegiate season,“ Jamison McClaran, senior, said.

The seniors at South are begging for their summer to not come down to this. They want to have the same excitement that every other class got prior to college and to be able to plan and meet their future roommates or teammates. Once this quarantine ends, the seniors can promise to make this summer the best one yet. Instead of the last two months of high school being the most special, they will make the last two months before college the most special!

by Jessie Hagen

A SUMMER for the

SENIORS

PHSOUTHNEWS.COM FEATuRES 9

SOME THINGS SOUTH STUDENTS WILL MISS...

B R O N Y E E C R K N R D A Y IVY S W -Seeing people’s faces in the hallway every day

-Saying hi to my favorite

teachers on the way to class -Running to my car at the end of the day

E N S A A RY CH

“What I ewill miss most is seeing my cross country teammates around the school and just the overall environment of South.“

Y Y E M K SAM HIC

-I am gonna miss having Mr. Timmerman as a sub

-The excited jitters I got walking

into an assembly -Running as fast as we can down to the athletic hall to beat the after school traffic

-Talking to Dr. Zamzow

-Seeing my coaches in

the hallway -The Rage Cage

-Lunch outside when it is

nice out

LUC I STEE L

“I think I am going to miss the stuff we don’t really think about, like fire drills on a beautiful day, Arrive Alive day with all the outdoor stuff, that end of the school year vibe where everyone is just sentimental/ happy, my tutorial, and even just the chicken nuggets and pasta bar.”

E

SOUTH

SENTIMENTS

After you leave the halls of South for the last time as a student, there are a lot of things to say goodbye to that will undoubtedly be missed. The sports events, lunch with friends, seeing people you grew up with every day, etc. But, there are so many little things to be missed about South that are not always the 1st to come to mind when reminiscing.

by Maria Allred; photos by Sadie Hudson & Cameron Gentry

10 FEATURES PHSOUTHNEWS.COM

F

ho s w her d n t e r fri ll toge o f a is mc Zoo

U

d u an o y r is fo

me

N

and e s u e ho during h t r in all, is fo ime at ine t t any quaran this

By Hadley Uribe

F is for friends who Zoom call together. anyway,“ said Atkins.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, everyone has been Atkins found new friendships with two old staying inside of their homes. However, that sure did not acquaintances through Snapchat. Snapchat, among other stop these South students from building connections with apps, has been especially helpful to teens during this time. others.

“I have made three to five new friends over Snapchat Hayden Glover, sophomore, has made four new friends and Instagram,“ said Amy Montalbano, senior. during this pandemic all because of a Zoom call.

Montalbano’s new friends are from all over the “My friend invited other people into the call that we country and plan to attend Michigan State, along with her, were on,“ said Glover. next year. Although they would have more to talk about if They connected through sharing stories and playing they were not stuck at home, being in quarantine has had games. Without quarantine, the status of his new friends some positive efff fects on their friendship. might have been a little different.

“We are on our phones and talking to “If it was not for quarantine I do not If it wasn’t for each other more than ever, so it’s very think we would have been able to become to talk to them,“ said quarantine I don’t think convenient friends,“ said Glover.

Montalbano.

The new friends were from schools all we would’ve been able Quarantine has made Montalbano over KCMO. Glover had never heard of more appreciative of the relationships to become friends,” she had them before but shut his laptop with new before; however, she said she friends and memories. cannot wait for college football games Without COVID- 19, things might have turned out with her newfound friends. difff ferently for Glover; however, that is not the case for all This pandemic has been frustrating and scary for all, but South students. these students showed that one positive was the chance to Maddie Atkins, junior, believes quarantine has not become more social. impacted her newfound friendships too much.

F is friends who Zoom call together. U is for you and “My friendships would not be different without me. N is for anywhere and any time at all, during this quarantine because we probably would not have hung out quarantine.

Getting SOCIAL While SOCIAL

G N I C N A T S I D How the communication MVP of 2020, Zoom, has created friendships and fun for students stuck in their houses

Quaran-Te

PHSOUTHNEWS.COM FEATuRES 11

aching

by Grant M u

lligan

School: People either love it or hate it. Whether it be in a classroom or through a laptop screen in quarantine, school is still school. Students at South are pretty fortunate to go to a school f illed with teachers and staf fff who are here because they love what they do every day. For the teacher, the classroom is their family. It may change every year, but the sense of family stays the same.

"There is so much that I miss. Smiles, hugs, high f ives, seeing their faces and the daily engagement with kids," Jennifer Mattison, social studies, said.

Teachers have been lacking that daily social interaction and have found ways to reach out to their students.

"I have been keeping in contact with my students through their class journals. It helps me keep that relationship piece that I am missing with my students," Pam Jurgensmeyer, ELA, said.

The staf fff at South have spoken out about life in quarantine and they have a lot to say From Zoom calls to discussion boards, teachers have had to adapt to many changes in making their living room their classroom.

Some teachers have made the best out of this crazy time. Foreign language teachers Amanda Roth, Spanish, and Meredith Williams, German, have been experimenting to f ind what is best for their students.

They are using Zoom, discussion boards, new online tools--anything to best suit the needs of their students.

Beneath all of the stress and technical difficulties that may arise, some teachers have looked at the positives of a virtual class.

"I have discovered that many kids have said that they like being able to work at their own pace," Jared Byrne, social studies, said.

Not all pros involve the schoolwork though. Abby

h's

out S f o e life uring h t e Insid chers d tea ine t n a r qua

Bozarth, FACS, and Katie Jones, science, have noticed that being able to sleep in a little and go to work in their pajamas is a plus of online teaching.

As teachers have been changing their interactions through Zoom, whether it be with a class, faculty meeting, or with friends, some teachers have experienced some crazy sights on camera.

"One student did a Zoom call shirtless, and did not realize we could all see him," Andy Cantrell, psychology, chuckled.

Students get to see teachers in a little more "real" setting.

"I showed up to my very first tutorial Zoom late, my tutorial joked at me for being 15 minutes late to my own party!"

Mattson joked.

Teaching can only take so much time out of the day. Some days are lighter than others which can result in a lot of free time.

Cantrell said he has been up to the usual with his daily walks with his family and digging through his musical instruments at home. Chris Farmer, science, has been keeping up with yard work and binge watching reruns of The Office and Seinfeld with his family.

Part of the math department, Somer Stuhlsatz has been kept busy with family game night, movie night and walks with her family, and Jennifer Schoenfeldt has been on a puzzle marathon in quarantine.

School might not be like it used to be at South, and that is alright. It only lasts until May 22. So whether online school is something students love or hate, it is safe to say that the 2019-2020 year will be one that the Panthers--both teachers and students-- won’t soon forget.

12 FEATURES PHSOUTHNEWS.COM

South seniors reflect on the cancelation of the rest of the school year and the closure that they are missing in order to close this chapter in their lives

By Claire Hoy Out of the 12 years that South students spend in the history. We set the tone for the year. I can truly say that I Park Hill School District, the last three months of senior had a blast all four years at South,” Inzenga said. year are the ones that the majority of students most look Spring Sports were lost to the virus as well, as their forward to. seasons were canceled before they could even start.

With the excitement of the future buzzing through the “I was really excited to play one more season with my senior class, they get to finish out their secondary school best friends, and hopefully win State. When I found out career: their last Prom, senior skip day, last yearbook the news, I was so upset. I couldn’t wrap my brain around signing, official last day of high school, graduation, the fact that I would never play South Soccer again,” graduation parties, etc. soccer player Aubree Koren, senior, said.

But the Class of 2020 had all of that ripped from their Koren will be attending Baker University in the fall arms when the ongoing global pandemic, known as where she will be continuing her soccer career. Her COVID-19, splintered through the planet. teammate Laina Cunningham, senior, does not plan Now South seniors are trying to figure out a way to on playing soccer in college, ending not only her South find the closure that they soccer career, but her soccer “Even this pandemic can’t career in general. need to end this chapter of their lives. take away the memories and “The main piece of closure “The biggest missing piece I am missing is that I did friendships that we have that of closure for me is not being not know that I had played my able to finish out the plans I all created over the years.” last soccer game when I did. We had as STUCO President. I never got a last game and that had all these things I wanted to say and do in the last few really sucks,” Cunningham said. months and now it is just gone,” Anna Knittig, senior, Despite the heartache that all of the seniors are said. feeling, it is important to try to stay positive through this Although it feels as if the lives of the seniors are in a difficult time, and search for silver linings wherever they standstill, many students are planning to attend a college are available. or university in the fall, whether they are ready or not.

“Finishing high school is a huge milestone in our “The cancelation of school has affected my readiness lives and it is unfair that we had to get ours cut short. for college. It makes me feel like I don’t have closure However, even this pandemic can’t take away the on high school, almost making me feel stuck in it. It is memories and friendships that we have all created over hard to be excited for the next chapter when you are still the years. Class of 2020, thank you. I love you, and I will grieving the loss of the things taken away,” Knittig said. miss you,” Inzenga said.

While there is much sadness within South’s senior While the Class of 2020 will be known as the class that students, Joe Inzenga, senior, looks back on his years at never got to finish, it will also be known as the class that South, trying to find a silver lining. was able to persevere and come out stronger than ever.

“Class of 2020 did not take their time for granted. We opened up the year with the most lit assembly in school

PHSOUTHNEWS.COM FEATuRES 13 For South seniors in the arts, the last few weeks of school are full of celebration. Final concerts, the Art Fair, recognition for all that they have done with their time here.

However, COVID-19 has upended that, leaving the senior artists feeling a bit lost because the traditions they had been promised as freshman have been completely altered.

“At the end of the year, Band always has a concert in May. This concert is to recognize the accomplishments of the senior class and say goodbye to the students and teachers we’ve been around for six years. We will not get to experience that in the same way this year which makes it a difficult time for many of us,“ Toby Frick, senior, said.

Band is not the only music program to feel the loss of senior traditions.

“Usually seniors are given f lowers and a letter from a younger member at the end of the concert. It is always a really sweet and emotional experience for the seniors and it is sad that we do not get to experience that in the same way as past classes,“ Claire Coats, senior, said.

While the music department is an important part of South’s f ine arts program, there is another set of students who have dedicated themselves to honing an artistic craft. For many of the students who set their focus on the tactile arts, the ultimate goal is to be a part of AP Studio Art and earn a display in the Art Fair. These talented students are also struggling with the impacts of the Stay-At-Home order.

“Obviously a lot has been put on hold thanks to COVID-19, such as the Art Fair. Many of us have been hoping to have displays there for four years now, and that is a shame. It feels strange and a little sad, since AP Studio was such a nice environment to work in. I really miss it,“ Isobel Ellis, senior, said.

In spite of these unprecedented times, students and staf fff are doing their best to honor the seniors and continue working toward improvement in their various mediums.

“This year, Mr. Gillespie is having one of our talented seniors, Mary Garrett, put together a video to honor us and our plans after school and let us thank our directors for their hard work. Our directors have done everything they can to continue our education and give us opportunities to make up for the ones that we have lost. While it is not the same and I had been looking forward to our spring concert for a long time, I am trying to readjust my mindset to make the most of the situation,“ Sydney Boutz, senior, said.

Another dedicated director is Diane Markley, orchestra.

While her approach is a bit different to the one taken by the band directors, the end goal is the same: to support the seniors.

“One thing that we usually do is the Senior Piece. This one was a little sad for me. All the senior orchestra members would get together and with Mrs. Markley perform a chosen piece. This year, we will not be able to do this so instead, she is having the Seniors record themselves playing their part and she is going to digitally piece them all together into a video

instead. We’ll be doing Lean on Me,“ Megan Ritchie, senior, senior, said.

On top of wonderful teachers trying to recognize their students, sometimes the seniors themselves are working together to improve this last leg of high school.

“A few students have run art supplies to each other’s doors before leaving since not all of us had everything we needed,“ Ellis said.

Delivering supplies is not the only thing the AP Studio students have been doing.

“Our class relied on each other heavily. We helped each other with our pieces and we critiqued together and COVID-19 has made that diffif f icult. Everyone is staying super positive and our teacher, Mrs. Carson, has done an amazing job working with us and she has been finding new ways for us to connect,“ Lily Robertson, senior, said.

Seniors are missing out on a lot right now, and it is perfectly reasonable to be upset about it. However, the arts programs have not given up on a meaningful conclusion to high school, and neither should anyone else. Even if the celebrations happen dif ffferently, it is so important to recognize the individuals who have spent their time at South building skills and establishing communities that they will never forget.

Four years of hard work and dedication culminate in...this.

by Kiana Fernandes

By Austin Kinsey

ovies and T V

The top 5 m

Coronavirus is in full force these days and no industry has been hit quite as hard as the entertainment industry. From movies to music to television, all we have seen from these creative outlets in the past several weeks is reaction and adaptation.

The most catastrophic ef fffect on the industry in the wake of big ‘Rona is that on movie theatres and live music. As two subsects of entertainment that require large social interaction, the climate of social distancing has led to a complete shutdown.

AMC Theatres, the largest chain of multiplex cinemas across the country, has taken massive hits to its infrastructure and is even rumored to be closing dozens of theaters nationwide.

Another megacorporation who have been shaken by the virus is that of Live Nation and subsequently their popular subsidiary Ticketmaster.

As one of the largest proprietors of online ticket purchases, a sudden shortage of live shows has struck the internet vendors for more than they could handle. In an attempt to maintain a revenue stream in the black, and at the expense of the customer, Ticketmaster revoked their option for full refunds through their service--an option that had previously been available to users for all events unless otherwise specif ied.

Faced with immediate and sharp backlash, Ticketmaster reversed the change, but has urged users to use the option sparingly.

On the f lipside, home media options have been thriving.

Many ffif ilms that were expecting a theatrical release have found a home on streaming services like Disney-Pixar’s “Onward“ which made its debut on the company’s platform Disney Plus.

Late-night television hosts have made a shift to operating from their own homes with the likes of Conan O’Brien, Stephen Colbert, and Jimmy Fallon attempting to adapt their weekly talk shows from the comfort of their couches.

It’s undoubtedly a precarious future for in-person entertainment. I cannot imagine a world without movie theatres, or live concerts, or a multitude of other grouporiented venues. One can only hope that this industry is as tenacious as it is creative, and they can continue to adapt and change to stick around in some capacity.

Grant Mullig an’s

Enter-Change-Ment

a so n.

shows to w atch this qu

arantine se

Must-Watch L ist

14 ENTERTAINMENT PHSOUTHNEWS.COM

PHSOUTHNEWS.COM ENTERTAINMENT 15

TV Shows Breaking Bad NETFLIX

It’s a shame that a lot of people haven’t seen this masterpiece.

Django Unchained

1.

Criminally underrated. Next best thing to “The Office” and “Parks and Rec.”

A Tarantino classic. Some of the best acting of the 21st century tied along with a great story and message.

The Lobster

Arrested Development NETFLIX

NETFLIX

2.

NETFLIX

Unique story. Dark comedy at its finest. Also gives you hope that you will someday find love.

Rick and Morty

Circle

HULU

NETFLIX

A cartoon for everyone... and I mean everyone.

Don’t judge a book by its cover on this one.

3.

Chernobyl HBO

Breathtaking. A short series of only 5 episodes which covers the tragedy at Chernobyl.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape

4.

Mindhunter NETFLIX

This dark story gets under your skin with its subject: serial killers.

The definition of horror. Not even an hour and a half long, you will be on the edge of your seat for every second

NETFLIX

A relatable story filled with sadness while still making the most out of life. How did Leo not win an Oscar for this?

Ex Machina

5.

NETFLIX

SciFi masterpiece. The main reason why I fear the future and technology.

Movies

16 ENTERTAINMENT PHSOUTHNEWS.COM

In the world of quarantine let-downs, no group has “I am hopeful we will have a good turnout for Prom,“ suf fered more than the endangered species, otherwise Longenecker said. known as the senior class. The breed should be evolving Those that took the survey sent via student emails back into freshmen this May, but the senior title this year showed strong interest in attending and giving input on will live on for a few extra months due to the cancelation of ideas for the dance. Hopefully, as more students take the graduation. survey interest will increase.

Fortunately, the cancelation turned into a postponement, “I think it is amazing the amount of ef fffort Park Hill unlike North Kansas City School District who permanently [School District] has put into wanting to move these events canceled their Prom and have graduation up in the air. for us in July. Even though we don’t know what July On April 7, Nicole Kirby, Director like, it is amazing they want to try and “I think it is amazing the looks of Communicative Services for the accomplish this,“ Kerrigan Meehan, senior, district, announced new dates for amount of effort Park said.

Park Hill and South’s Proms and Hill [School District] has As president of Senior Exec, she and the graduations in a widespread email. rest of the Exec team, along with STUCO, The tentative junior/senior prom put into wanting to move are also planning to have the traditional is now scheduled for July 18, and senior picnic sometime before the graduation these events for us graduation July 26. ceremony, featuring yearbook distribution in July.”

“Dr. Cowherd and both high and signing. school principals understand the “We are still figuring out all of the details, importance of these two events for our students. It was but it should be really fun,“ Grace Andrews, STUCO Vice pretty easy to get open dates in July. We purposely picked President, said. dates in late July to allow for the best chance to get approval Through all the chaos of what this spring can be referred from the Jackson and Platte County Health Departments,“ to as strange times, one thing is certain: this breed of Dr. Dale Longenecker, principal, said. seniors is resilient. Their births marked the period of time Not only are seniors feeling grateful, the juniors also surrounding 9/11, and this educational milestone has been lucked out on getting to have a Prom in July. A new rule was bracketed by an unprecedented pandemic. implemented by the district: to keep the attendees at a lower Through it all, the seniors continue looking to the future number, so only district students will be allowed at Prom. and the hope of a July where they can have the events they have waited so long for.

PHSOUTHNEWS.COM ENTERTAINMENT 17

Pandemic Pastimes South Students’ New Hobbies in Quarantine Quarantine has left South students with extra time each day to do whatever they please, which many are using to binge Netflix or TikTok. Other students, however, are using this newfound free time to pick up new hobbies or work on existing ones.

Many have turned to working out to get outside and get exercise while stuck at home, like Nakiya Woodley, sophomore.

“I get more fresh air when I go outside and run. It also helps me wake up and get ready for the day, and make quarantine a little more bearable,“ Woodley said.

Exercising is not only good for physical health, but mental health, too.

“Working out has helped my mood a lot and it has helped me stay in shape since the track season got canceled,“ Woodley said.

Working on that postquarantine summer body is a common theme, but there are other healthy activities that do not require exercise.

Ally Scribner, junior, has been making aesthetic fruit plates, which entails placing fruit in eyecatching patterns.

“Strawberries and grapes are my go-to snacks, but now I get fancy and put honey and chocolate chips on bananas. It has been so nice having time to make a healthy snack and make it look pretty,“ Scribner said.

Staying productive and busy may be a problem for some amid the availability of TV at all hours, but Scribner does not seem shaken by such distractions.

“I feel refreshed after eating my fruit plates, and they have improved my overall mood and productivity level during the quarantine. I have also had a lot of time to work on other hobbies since quarantine started, like painting, crocheting, and reading,“ Scribner said.

Some hobbies are even more creative and unique, as is the case for Ali Thatcher, sophomore, who writes songs. This creative release helps Thatcher with the mental strain that comes with being quarantined.

“Whenever I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t sleep is when I get most of my ideas,“ Thatcher said. “It helps me pass the time, especially when my mental health is at its worst.“ Students have picked up on an assortment of pastimes to fill their waking hours, distract them from these unusual circumstances, and make life feel just a little bit more normal.

by ALICE GAMBLE

18 ENTERTAINMENT PHSOUTHNEWS.COM

AT-HOME HAIR-DOS

By Annie Woodson

South students show off their new quarantine looks as they change their hair during the pandemic

Riley Parman

Riley Parman, sophomore, switched up her locks by giving herself bangs and adding in streaks of purple to spice up her hair during the quarantine. “I was doing my algebra homework, and it was really boring, so I got on Tik Tok and the f irst video that came up was someone cutting really awful bangs. I thought to myself, I bet I could do that right? And then I tried it,“ said Parman. Parman said quarantine had little ef fect on her new look but gave her something to do while locked inside.

Alex Laderoute

Alex Laderoute, junior, was in need of a change and decided to add racing stripes on the left side of his head just above the ear. “I originally wanted a mullet but there were things holding me back,“ said Laderoute, “but things cleared and quarantine came at the perfect time. I decided to start my journey and add some f lare in with the racing stripes.“ Laderoute doesn’t seem to mind if people like his new style or not; he had fun in quarantine and has a new look to go with it.

Morgan Homoly

With previous locks that fell to her hips, Morgan Homoly, junior, decided to switch up her classic long-haired look to a new sassy shoulder length.

“I used to originally have short hair and mine was getting really long so I just cut it of fff,“ said Homoly. “I was bored and the process was timeconsuming and fun.“

PHSOUTHNEWS.COM ENTERTAINMENT 19

By Sadie Hudson

a y d s d n o f To Tre

With all of the trends out there, a lot of people try to focus on the most recent fad or the trends they feel could pull off really well.

“I don’t think I have a favorite trend but I know that ‘mom jeans’ were a thing for a while. I think they were probably my favorite because they’re cute and they pretty much go with everything,” Amelia Cogswell, senior, said.

Most people tend to go toward trends that are cute or fancy. However, some people say otherwise. Some believe comfort is the best thing when it comes to trends.

“My favorite trend is probably athleisure because it’s casual, comfortable, and cute at the same time,” Ashley Blevins, senior, said.

Despite Birkenstocks, matrix glasses, fanny packs and ‘virginity rocks!’ t-shirts being huge trends from the past four years, some believe that trends aren’t necessary to follow, no matter how many of their peers do.

“I don’t keep up with trends because honestly, it doesn’t affect me,” said Cogswell. “I don’t dress toward a specific trend, or do my hair/makeup. I just dress however I want and I don’t listen to opinions I might get about it.”

Influence can come from a lot of different places,

social media being one of the biggest ones. There are also big trendsetters all over the world that some believe are the main influence on trends.

“I think the most influential trendsetters are internet famous or on YouTube or TikTok because a lot of people watch them or look up to them,” said Blevins. “I also think that huge celebrities are a big influence.”

There are a lot of things that go into a person wearing trendy clothes and accessories or doing their hair and makeup, let alone just simply following a trend, and there are a lot of reasons people do that.

“I think others follow trends because they think it’s cute, or think they would look good in it. There’s also that aspect of wanting to be involved in a popular thing, or wanting to feel included with everything,” said Cogswell.

Eliana Rosario

Laurel Burns

Laurel Burns, senior, switched up her luscious gold locks to a bright, vibrant pink during quarantine. “I was so bored and every day was literally the same for me,“ said Burns.

"When we were still in school I had change every day and that is what would keep me sane, so needed something different to happen so I decided to change it.“ Burns had been wanting to change her hair for a while, and the lockdown gave her a perfect reason to do so.

Eliana Rosario, senior, is no stranger to changing her hair and decided to change it up once again while being locked in her home by adding bangs to her bob and changing her natural brown hair to a more ginger color. " I have always liked to dye my hair but I was getting really bored,“ said Rosario. "I thought that bangs could do the trick and spice it up a little bit."

Matt Suchanick

Matt Suchanick, senior, let his girlfriend give him a much-needed trim using a four-guard razor on the sides followed with inches off of the top with scissors after all barbershops closed in the KC area. “My hair was just getting way too shaggy because of quarantine and my girlfriend was like hey I'll cut your hair,“ said Suchanick, “and I was like hey, why not?"

20 OPINION PHSOUTHNEWS.COM The moment quarantine started, people could only think about when they would be free to go about their lives normally without having to worry about catching or spreading COVID-19.

The goal of quarantine is to help restrict the spread of the virus and no one knows exactly how long it will last.

As it drags on and on and we are conf ined to our homes with the odd trip to the grocery store, the only bits of the public world that we get to see are from the news reports and updates on TV and social media. Amid the news of the rising numbers of cases and stay-home orders around the country, news of the Earth and its wildlife coming back from the brink of total disaster have come about.

Many may think that there are very few positives regarding the quarantine, but the environment is showing differently. In areas all over the world, previously polluted air and water has cleared up significantly.

According to Lauri Myllyvirta, an analyst at the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air, restrictions put in place because of COVID-19 have contributed to a 25 percent drop in carbon dioxide and nitrous dioxide emissions in China over the span of four weeks when compared to the same time last year, stated in an article by NBC. This same information was reflected by the satellites that monitor pollution, operated by NASA and the European Space Agency. This trend has been seen

in many other areas around the world, including Italy, Paris and Los Angeles.

Those places, also including San Francisco and New York, have seen reductions in pollution levels varying from 28 percent to 46 percent in these areas, according to The Roanoke Times and NBC. These decreasing numbers are very important for many reasons.

Nitrous dioxide has the ability to cause irritation and inflammation in the lungs and so this decrease is projected to help the health of those who live in highly polluted areas according to NBC. This rapid decrease has also helped the animal populations around the world. Animals have been found in places that they are normally not found, according to The Roanoke Times. Accounts of coyotes wandering down the streets of Chicago’s Michigan Avenue and near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco are not the weirdest occurrences yet. Goats have been seen taking over a town in Whales, a puma was seen in the streets of Santiago, Chile, and jackals have occupied an urban park in Tel Aviv, Israel. These odd occurrences are a result of the lack of people, and therefore, the lack of pollution.

In the efff forts of trying to understand these changes, many groups and scientists have set out to do just that.

Chris Field, the director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, has recently assembled a group of scientists to assess these recent changes

Climate Catch Up

in the environment due to the lack of people according to The Roanoke Times. Another example of this is the efforts that Italy’s government is taking to get together the resources for an ocean exploration in order to explore possible changes in the ocean as a result of the lack of people.

“It is giving us this quite extraordinary insight into just how much of a mess we humans are making of our beautiful planet... this is giving us an opportunity to magically see how much better it can be,“ Stuart Pimm, conservation scientist of Duke University, told The Roanoke Times.

Pimm could not be more right.

This time in quarantine has brought about few unexpected positives but the decrease in pollution is a valuable and meaningful one.

As our time in quarantine eventually (hopefully) comes to an end, let’s try to keep in mind the positive changes that are taking place in the environment and do everything that we can to prevent things from going back to the way that they were.

The truth is that we cannot go back to the way things were. The way we did things before COVID-19 is what got us to where we are now, stuck in our homes, actually looking forward to a trip to the grocery store just to get out of the house.

After quarantine ends, let’s remember to not only keep our hands clean but also our environment.

By Emily Williamson

A look into how the quarantine of the people is helping to heal the environment

As our nation begins the slow process of re-opening, Americans will flock back to their old lives blind to the pandemic they feel is behind them. There was a great deal of fear in the beginning--and justif iably so. It is incredibly hard when you feel out of control, but now those not directly af fffected are getting antsy, cooped up in their homes and ready to consume all of the propaganda that comes their way (the myriad of conf licting stories from the media and the mass marketing of goods and services).

As the death toll rises, so does the angst of those willing to go so far as to protest the stay at home order in a display of outright disregard for our elderly population.

While this is clearly the craziest event to happen in our lifetimes, enough time has passed that we might forget the magnitude of what is going on. For the f irst time in decades, the world stopped. Ponder that for a moment; we went from complaints about too many snow days to a global pandemic wiping out the possibility of return to school and normalcy.

I am not going to go so far as to claim this was a good thing--that would be a disservice to those who lost their lives or loved ones to this tragedy; but unbeknownst to you, this unique opportunity has the potential to be a pivotal moment for the rest of your life. When the world stands still, it is a powerful thing to witness. We have seen the best and the worst of people: from kids shopping for the elderly to people prof iteering from scarcity of goods. But our opportunity is not to witness these events unfold, it is to make a conscious decision of what returning to normal means for you.

This is one of the greatest opportunities to reshape your life for the better that you’ll ever be granted. As the whole world paused, it is easy to get stuck on what you are missing. But have you thought about whether that life was worth your time?

When the country opens back up, you are going to be bombarded by businesses trying to convince you that normal means consumerism, and by the government downplaying the severity of what happened. Do not forget what transpired here, the damage that will not be cured with a $1,200 check and you will not feel better blowing it on things. Instead of focusing on spending money to fill your house with stuff, spend some time with the people that make your house a home.

It is not about what changed during quarantine, it’s about the changes we make as a result. While some people are truly grateful for the newfound time with their families they had to sacrif ice to provide, others f ind their relationships plagued by misgivings with a record number of google searches for how to get a divorce. Stress can let you grow distant if you let it, but

now is the time that the people in your life need you the most.

Our country is plagued by so many issues, whether it is poverty, pollution, sexism, or any of the other numerous problems that go unsolved in traditional life, simply because we do not f ind the time to make a difff ference. It is not an issue of whether or not people care--it takes a truly coldhearted person to look these problems in the face and ignore them. But when the world stood still people found the time: the time to help their neighbor, the time to call their relatives stuck in isolation, the time to drive by someone’s house on their birthday so they know the world did not forget about them.

Seniors: I know this sucks, believe me. I have been mourning the loss of our senior year since the last day of school, which as fate would have it, I stayed home sick. But I promise there is a valuable lesson to be learned behind all of the frustration and anxiety: a lesson that will likely stick with us longer than the memories we could have made would.

In life, you do notalways get closure. Just because you have been promised something, does not mean it isguaranteed, no matter how great the expectation. It is ironic that seniors are the most afff fected when we were the ones living like it was going to end anyway. It is hard to move on when you feel like you have nothing to move on to. There is no real choice except to face the dismal reality of zoom culture making our situation seem exponentially more bleak, or to watch your GPA plummet as you sit idly by wondering where the time went.

Online classes have demonstrated just how much we rely on our peers to uplift us throughout the day. While the primary function of school is to educate us, it is also an integral part of teaching us how to be people. When you get disconnected from your support group it can have serious ramifff ications for your mental health and going through this alone is a burden far greater than just lost time. But why does it have to be?

We had a great ride, and this does not have to detract from the time we had. But do not lose sight of what really matters, and though it may not seem like it now, there’s much more important things you could lose than closure.

Your family should be the people you turn to when times are tough. And now, the reality for many of us is we are shut in with the families we have learned to ignore in the digital age. If you do not gain anything else out of this event, try to reconnect with the people in your life that really matter. A house is not a home if you are just living in it. Make a change that lasts beyond the pandemic.

A Year To

OPINION 21

By Johnny Sterrett

Remember

22 OPINION PHSOUTHNEWS.COM

by Amy Graham There were so many parts of my junior year that were incredibly uneventful. So many unenjoyable parts. Prom committee meetings and working concession stands were little more than burdens.

The one thing I dreaded, maybe the most, was trying to convince the rest of our class into volunteering for these mundane necessities as well.

“It’s all for planning a great Prom,” I might have said, like it really had any persuasive force. Prom was always great, and there was no reason for this year to be the exception.

Then everything changed, pivotal moments of our friends’ lives were no longer guaranteed, reduced to things that would hopefully happen.

This left the high school experience of the senior class feeling like a book missing its f inal chapter, and juniors are bearing witness to it all.

COVID-19 robbed the class of 2020 of important closure to their adolescence. Events like senior walk out and graduation are stepping stones, so that teenagers can move into adulthood with stride, and properly say goodbye to this phase of their life.

What has happened should put all of us at unease. But it should also remind us of something incredibly important: the junior class gets to have their senior year, the way we always intended. We were only one year away from having our senior year taken away from us.

I, and many others, feared what graduation and the seniors leaving meant. For some, it meant parting with a best friend, as they moved on with their lives while the rest of us f inished out our f inal year of high school without the person that means the most to us. For others, it meant coming to terms with the fact that soon it would be our turn to say goodbye, and not knowing what the rest of our lives entailed.

This closure, as hard for us and as necessary as it is for seniors, is incredibly important for underclassmen as well. And as much as we might

have dreaded it, without it, many are left not knowing how to move on. Not being able to give our sendof fffs is hurting us, too.

The junior class is lucky. We get to learn from this experience, and understand the importance of our f inal year. And as we enter it, there are things we must not lose sight of.

Keep in mind that there iss nothing about senior year to take for granted. That is a lesson we did not have to learn the hard way. As seniors cope with the loss of their f inal moments, spend time thinking about how we do get the chance to have these moments, and how much they mean to us.

An incredibly important part of making the most of our last year is involving ourselves in the things we care about. As mentioned, I never appreciated the value of getting to be in charge of Prom planning. Now that Prom has been reduced to a maybe, it feels like all the work the Prom committee put into planning a great Prom was something that I should have appreciated a lot more.

I used to think the reason so few juniors volunteered to assist the pursuit of fundraising and planning was because no one cared, and it was frustrating. Now, after witnessing the grief everyone has over this school year, I was reminded that that is not the truth.

I better understand now that the reason for the absence of members is not due to laziness or indifference, but rather the fact that our class is so diversif ied in their involvement at South.

Now I am reminded that we all have our own commitments and activities we are passionate about.

We should not lose our passion for these things; instead, we should amplify it. Let's use our senior year to relish in everything we enjoy about high school. And to remind ourselves, every day, that we have the gift of knowing the value of our moments before they leave us.

PUSHING FORWARD

Lessons for the junior class as we move into our senior year

PHSOUTHNEWS.COM OPINION 23

REWRITING OUR CHAPTER Dear Class of 2020, Ever since I started writing for the newspaper my junior year, I have always imagined writing my f inal article and what I would come up with for it. I always envisioned writing a letter to the Class of 2020, reminiscing on all the memories made together in the past four years.

What I never imagined, though, is writing it from my bedroom as we f inish our senior year through schoology assignments and Zoom classes.

Although this letter to you all looks very dif ferent than I ever thought it would, it all feels more important than ever.

As we all ran to our cars and rushed out of the South parking lot on March 13 toward Spring Break, we had no idea that we had just attended our last day of school at South. We did not know we were saying goodbye to the teachers who we had spent the last four years with. We did not know we were saying goodbye to a majority of students we will not see over the summer. We did not know we were saying goodbye to standing in the senior hallway with our friends, looking out over the city skyline.

There were so many things that we thought we had more time to say goodbye to, but the hard-to-swallow truth is that this happens throughout our whole lives without us realizing it.

There was a last time that your parents came and read to you at bedtime. There was a last time you rode your bike to a friend’s house to go play outside.

There was a last time that you rushed out to play foursquare or tetherball at recess. There was a last time you asked your parents to drive you to a friend’s house for a sleepover.

However, we do not look back and think about the fact that we had no idea what exact moment it was that we were saying goodbye to all of those wonderful things. We look back and smile at those many memories because of the special place they still hold in our hearts.

I am by no means making light of the things I so desperately wish we could all have back, whether that be a spring sports season or our senior skip day.

We all must take the time to mourn these losses. In a matter of days, our lives were flipped upside down.

What we thought this season of our lives would look

like was gone. We must mourn that.

It is as if we have been reading a book for the past 12 years and, just as we got to the f inal chapter, we found that all the pages had been ripped out.

However, this means it is time for us to rewrite.

This loss and change has given our class an opportunity to give people a much needed perspective change. We are an example of the fact that we do not always have control over the pace of life, so we must appreciate the present before it becomes the past. In a time which is extremely hard to f ind purpose in, I believe this is our purpose.

We have learned f irst hand that it is easy to take for granted the things we still have right in front of us, so we must do our best to teach others this lesson.

To refuse to do this is to let our hardships be in vain. To refuse to be examples for the people around us of newfound appreciation would be to let them all down. To continue to take the people and things around us for granted would be to let each other down.

Appreciate every second of this life, because there will be many times when you will not get that last goodbye or f inal opportunity. We have all heard the saying that you do not know which day will be your last, and it used to be easy to see this as a cliche and abstract idea.

Looking back now, though, it is easier than ever to see that this has been the reality all along.

Thank you, Class of 2020, for the past four years.

Thank you for starting of fff this year with the greatest assembly South has ever seen. Thank you for the games spent cheering from the Rage Cage. Thank you for the most entertaining spirit weeks. Thank you for the laughs and the tears and everything in between.

I was not quite ready to say goodbye yet, and I am sure many of you could say the same. But, I truly look forward to the day that we all come to our class reunion and look back, not at the memories we lost, but in appreciation of the endless memories we made.

Of the many many opportunities and memories South has brought to me in the past four years, what I am by far most thankful for is the people that made it all worth it.

With appreciation, Avery Glover