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WHAT?S INSIDE? See SCS Athletic s Dec ision a nd Ha nd ling Review

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A student publication of White Station High School, 514 S. Perkins, Memphis, Tenn.

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White Station Scroll

@wshsscroll

Vol. 66, Issue 1

November 2020

Stud ent ra c ers ta ke the w heel

By Grant Baxt er With fingers firmly wrapped around the wheel and a steady foot on the gas pedal, the driver bounces his eyes methodically to survey his quickly changing surroundings? the track, the speedometer and the accelerating cars in his rear-view mirror. Student race car drivers Ethan Shepherd (12) and Payne Mednikow (11) have fully immersed themselves in the sport of race car driving, committing themselves to learning the logistics, gaining the necessary skills and enduring the financial burdens of the sport.

Mednikow?s interest in race car driving sparked at the age of four when his father, an ex-racer, introduced him to the sport.

Since then, Mednikow has taken the reins of his racing career. ?Basically, my dad really wanted me to learn for myself and find my own feel,? Mednikow said. ?I kind of fell to it naturally and I picked up experience over the years.?

For Shepherd, though, experience with competitive race car driving began in August last year. What started as an uncertain novelty quickly transitioned into an exciting hobby as Shepherd advanced in this

new activity. ?I?m one level away from being able to be an instructor, which is when you start to get more serious. I?m working on getting to become competitive, but right now it?s just for fun,? Shepherd said.

Currently, Shepherd competes at three tracks: Memphis International Raceway, Road Atlanta and also Barber Raceway in Birmingham, a much higher-end track than the other locations. Because of the distance between Memphis and two of these tracks, racing competitions are typically limited to once a month.

Mednikow, on the other hand, specializes in racing on dirt tracks.

Racing at locations such as Atoka Raceway Park in Munford, TN and Batesville Motor Speedway in MO, Mednikow?s vehicle of choice is a race-built, modified car, which resembles a go-kart.

While Shepherd races once a month and Mednikow competes as frequently as every weekend, the greatest demand of this sport is the financial commitment rather than the time commitment. ?It?s not a serious time commitment for what I?m

ETHAN SHEPHERD//USED WITH PERMISSION

Ethan Shepherd races in an event at Barber Motorsports Park, battling to keep his lead over the other racers far behind. These competitions can attract racers ranging in age from 15 to 75, with an average age of 45 typically.

doing, but it is a serious monetary commitment because you?re running through your brakes and your tires,? Shepherd said. ?If you want to get faster? you really have to spend money.?

The expenses for invested racers like Shepherd and Mednikow multiply quickly from the need of efficient tires, brakes, engines and gear. ?Everytime we go to the track, we?re taking probably six sets of tires just for different conditions.

During the week, we?re

putting a couple hundred dollars worth of chemicals on those tires for different track conditions,?

Mednikow said.

Shepherd estimates that $1,000 worth of tires could last him four to five races. He also uses his own car, a BMW M3, for competitive racing and is slowly converting it into a circuit racing car.

Though the races boast a valuable cash prize that can help pay for equipment and vehicle management, money is a secondary thought for

most racers. ?Whenever there?s a big-money race, say it?s $1,000 to win or $15,000 to win, nobody cares about the money? not even in the slightest.

That?s really what it?s about at the end of the day? proving that you?re the best,? Mednikow said.

While competing against racers around the region, there are essential skills and abilities Shepherd and Mednikow must have to separate themselves from the rest. ?You have to have

focus and confidence in your ability. A lot of people...could do it if they had the motivation for it,? Shepherd said. ?It takes an incredible amount of focus and a pretty good amount of skill too.?

While there is much room for improvement, both racers have high aspirations for the future. Shepherd hopes to gain the credentials to become an instructor soon and continue in college.

Mednikow, on the other hand, wants to continue racing throughout his life and hopes to qualify as a NASCAR racer.

Cross c ountry sea son c ontinues throug h Mem p his Youth Athletic s

By M ichelle Le Under the supervision of Memphis Youth Athletics (MYA), the cross country team found the opportunity to continue competing under a new name: the Sparta Running Club.

Despite Shelby County Schools? decision to postpone all fall sports, club members have practiced amongst themselves and competed against opponents from various schools on Saturdays at Shelby Farms.

MYA thoroughly developed safety precautions, such as a new course, mask mandates and spectator limits, in order to eliminate unnecessary risks to student-athletes. ?MYA has done an outstanding job,? coach Ernie Shadow said. ?They filed an 18-page report with the Shelby County Health Department that was approved, and they have it open to review for all parents and runners who are willing to read it and feel safe.?

Meets organized by MYA allowed runners to showcase

AJ WOLFE//USED WITH PERMISSION

For the final meet of the season, the boys?team stretches their legs with a brief jog around a loop. Runners are required to keep their masks on at all times except when they are warming up or running the modified course.

their combination of summer conditioning, determination and endurance through their completion of 5K races. ?The goal was to have five girls under 24 minutes? for the first meet, and we got it,? captain Zoe Wolfe (12)

said. ?We did so much better in training, and we ran so much better than we anticipated.?

Despite the regulation of social distancing, the team maintained close-knit bonds and developed friendships with new teammates.

?Since we ran together every day, we got to know each other a lot better pretty quickly,? Gabrielle Shirley (9) said. ?All of the girls are really sweet, and they were very open to having me on the team?

Most of them were interested in getting to

know me since we can still talk with a mask on.?

In Shadow?s eight years of overseeing cross country, this unparalleled season stands out due to the challenges of COVID-19 that the team overcame as they found strength through working together. ?Just making the best out of adversity? I think that?s the most memorable thing? that we were able to have the fastest team possible despite all of the adversities we went through,? Shadow said. ?No one gave up.?

The loss of the opportunity to compete in the state championships because of their club status failed to deter students from reaching their aspirations, some of which had been in the making for over four years. ?I just wanted to go out strong my senior year,? captain Darryl Higgins (12) said. ?I?ve been battling injuries my whole high school career. My

freshman year was the last time I had a completely injury-free season? This year I?m battling through it a lot better? previously I hadn?t [set a personal record (PR)] since sophomore year, but I ran an 18:20 last week, [setting a new PR].?

And for new coach AJ Wolfe, though his first season was an atypical experience, it has left a profound impression on him. ?The season is not what we had hoped for it to be? so we?re just really grateful for the opportunity to be able to run at all,? coach AJ Wolfe said. ?The most rewarding thing for me coming out of this year was just getting to know these kids? and that?s really cliche? but the athletes that I got to meet have really been a delight. They?re smart kids; they?re kind, nice and fun to be around. Competing is all well and good, but for me, it?s just as important to foster a lifelong love of running and promote a healthy lifestyle.?

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CROLL THE SCROLL STAFF Editor in Chief Charlie Huebner Managing Editor Emlyn Polatty Arts and Entertainment Team Leader Graham Ross Sports Team Leader Ian McMillin News and Features Team Leader Katie Stanek Viewpoint Team Leader Maadhu Krishnan Copy Editors Molly Yuan Senior Layout Editor Autumn Bobo Layout Team Autumn Bobo Alice Willard Online Editor Jackie Ann Crislip Social Media Lead Katie Lamm Business Manager Grant Baxter Writers Sophia Aiello Hannia Antunez Kingston Barber Renata Bayazitova Rebekah Butler Sophia Campbell Amelia Holt Hannah Lam Michelle Le Ellie Pappas Chase Pittman Kyla Randle Sari Richmond Katie Robinson Jessica Sahota CJSanto Clara Thompson Dottie Young Adviser Scott Harrison The mission of The Scroll is to report accurate, impartial, and engaging content that increases awareness, reflects diversity, and promotes school unity.

The staff is dedicated to making ethical decisions and to maintaining a standard of excellence reflective of the school it serves.

Novem b er 2020

Ed itoria l: SCS d ec ision w a s toug h, b ut the ha nd ling of it w a s fa r w orse

By Edit orial St af f 2020 has been a year defined by heartbreak.

Almost everyone has lost something (or someone) to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the postponement of fall sports, which is effectively a cancellation, serves as a reminder that we are not numb to these losses. It hurts, and Shelby County Schools? (SCS) decision-making process only made things worse.

This editorial will not be about whether or not sports should be played. It seems that there are ?experts? and evidence on both sides, and I for one am content to admit that both sides are right (and wrong) in their own way.

All in all, the SCS decision was likely more responsible than the decisions made by other schools in the county. And it wasn?t even that surprising of a decision.

SCS has repeatedly demonstrated cautiousness regarding COVID-19, whether it was the closing of schools after Shelby County reported two cases, or transitioning to fully online. But the handling of this decision was nothing short of atrocious.

On August 4, SCS

RAY PADILLA//USED WITH PERMISSION

Protestors, including Cameron Blaylock (12, left) took to SCS headquarters following the announcement to postpone fall sports. One common worry was the potential denial of a college education via sports.

announced that it would only allow conditioning until Labor Day weekend, when it would ?reconvene discussions.? But when the long-awaited Labor Day deadline arrived, it was crickets from SCS. In fact, the announcement was made almost a week later than expected.

And how did SCS give the heartbreaking announcement that sports were postponed? How did they share the news to seniors that their last season was gone? Through a YouTube video. A

YouTube video in which a surprisingly chipper Superintendent Joris Ray explained, ?We must lean on the guidance of health experts and not emotions.?

And when the video ended, there was not an FAQ section, not an announcement for a Q&A, not even a comments section for people to use.

Understandably, this made people upset. Twitter exploded with plans of protests, and athletes pointed out that the SCS decision was made after the deadline for students

to transfer, which is a theory I find believable, and one that suggests that SCS knew what they were going to do the entire time.

The SCS decision also appears to apply to non-contact sports, such as cross country and golf, which are, according to any medical expert, some of the safest activities one can do.

It is worth noting that student-athletes and their families should not be viewed as selfish for being upset. As cliche as it sounds, for some, high

school sports are more than a game. The loss of sports means the loss of a chance for seniors to compete for something they?ve worked for their entire high school career. The loss of sports means the loss of camaraderie amongst teammates and coaches, many of whom are like a second family to athletes.

And, most troubling, the loss of sports almost guarantees that some people will lose their opportunity to go to college via an athletic scholarship.

Overall, SCS was put in an impossible position.

Whatever decision they made would be met with criticism. But the manner in which the decision was made, whether it was the lack of communication, the late decision so students couldn?t transfer or the unfair treatment of non-contact sports only contributed to this criticism and has given both students and parents a valid reason to distrust SCS and favor schooling somewhere else.On behalf of The Scroll editorial board, mask up, and, most of all, don?t be stupid. If everybody can do that, then this could be the last article we have to run about sports being canceled.

Fa ll 2020: the sea son w ithout sp orts

By M ichelle Le After months of contactless practices, temperature checks and mask mandates, Superintendent Joris Ray made the difficult decision to suspend fall sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic on Sept. 15. The decision granted no exceptions to football or even contactless sports. ?Our decision to postpone fall athletics until further notice is another unimaginable consequence of an unprecedented time,?

Superintendent Ray said on Twitter. ?We will do all we can to return to play SAFELY.?

For some student-athletes, the initial reaction was one of frustration, as the measures taken to condition safely would not yield opportunities to compete. ?[I felt] a lot of anger and confusion,? four-year soccer midfielder Emma Meadows (12) said. ?I had prepared myself for the past three months that this might happen, but I wasn?t very prepared to be the only district in the state of Tennessee not able to return to playing.?

If they were in Superintendent Ray?s position, most athletes agree that they would have adjusted the timeframe of the news delivery. ?I wish, in the beginning, [the board]

EMMA MEADOWS//USED WITH PERMISSION

Unbeknownst to the Lady Spartan soccer team, they stretch for one of their final practices. Socially distanced conditioning over the summer required many safety protocols and restricted the use of shared equipment, such as balls and water dispensers, so athletes adjusted accordingly to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

would just make a decision instead of pushing back the deadline of when they?re going to cancel fall sports because at that point, it was just a tease,? cross country runner Luke Nalos (12) said. ?I think the decision-making and the time it took to make that decision was just a little too long.?

Many athletes and coaches anticipated a successful season but have now lost the opportunity to find out how they measure against competition. ?I know our seniors expected to make a legitimate run to the state

championship, and as a coach, that is the kind of confidence you like to see in a group of players,? head football coach Reid Yarbrough said. ?The work ethic and leadership of guys like Danny Gwin (12) and Jeremy Boyland (12) put us in a position to be favorites in our region, but we all know that we play in the hardest classification in the state, and nothing is guaranteed.?

The suspension of sports also means that athletes lose a full season that could be looked at by college scouts. ?I had two offers from my last season, but this

season was the season to get the majority of my offers, but I don?t get that opportunity no more,? linebacker Daniel Gwin said. ?Now, I?m kind of stuck.?

From a freshman point of view, while the decision does not prematurely terminate a high school career, it still weighed heavily. ?I feel like it has impacted me a lot less than the seniors and juniors who are applying for college; however, I feel as though we are all sad about the outcome,? volleyball player Hattie Miller (9) said.

Besides the obvious physical benefits derived from sports, student-athletes vouch for the positive effect playing a sport has on their mental wellbeing. ?I think the whole reason to have sports, honestly, is the mental health benefit,?

Meadows said. ?A lot of underprivileged students don?t get the love and the support [they need] in their homes, and I feel like sports is a really good way to manage their mental health and to teach them values of life.?

Although maintaining fitness is a focus of athletes, they continue to consider the dangers of playing amidst the conditions of COVID-19. ?Being active is part of human nature? but I mean, in this case, people are dying because of the coronavirus, so I think it?s more important to stop the spread,? Nalos said. ?There are plenty of alternatives besides being in each others?faces.?

Overall, for many athletes, the greatest loss was not the opportunity to win a championship or to wear their jersey on game days ? it was the loss of a season with their teammates who they consider to be like family. ?I wanted to play with my brothers,? Gwin said. ?It?s not just about me? at White Station, we have built a family and a brotherhood? I was going to dedicate the season to my brothers.?

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Virtua l sc hool g iving you treb le? Music c la sses c op e online

By M olly Yuan How many trumpet players does it take to change a lightbulb? Five. One to handle the bulb and four to tell him how much better they could have done it. See anything wrong with this joke? No, it?s not the ruthless jab at a trumpet player?s ego (band kids can attest to this); it?s the fact that nowadays, five musicians can?t actually gather in one place due to the ongoing pandemic.

Music making in 2020 has never looked more different. Choirs, bands and orchestras all over the world have had to find innovative and often inconvenient ways to create music remotely. So how are the music departments at school adapting to a virtual setting?

To mute or not to mute?

Confined to the cold comfort of one?s home, playing live with other musicians is impossible, but that doesn?t stop students from making music altogether. Students in choir, band and orchestra all have opportunities to sing or play during class, whether they?re warming up while muted or performing individually for the entire class to listen. ?For most choirs, warm-ups take place live with us directing and students singing along with their mics muted. From time to time, I like to let individual students show off their abilities and come off mute,? choir director Daniel Massey said.

Band and orchestra follow a similar process for warmups, and sometimes,

ADAM BROOKS//USED WITH PERMISSION

Adam Brooks (12) plays his trumpet, sheet music and laptop at hand.

Restrictive virtual policies and snarky trumpet jokes alike haven?t stopped students from making music.

others in the class will provide feedback on a student?s playing. ?We warm up by tuning, and we do everything on mute. Then [Dr. Palmer] usually volunteers one of us to play what we?ve been working on, and we critique each other,? violist Abby Cassius (11) said.

Whatever the case, students can still make music, just not at the same time. The lag created through video chat makes it virtually impossible to sync up tempos or play in unison.

For now, practicing on mute or going solo are a student?s only options, but that doesn?t mean ensemble music is completely out of the question.

Putting it together For group or ensemble pieces, the music classes will use editing softwares to stitch together individual recordings.

Rehearsal for these pieces

mostly takes place independently. ?We upload a PDF of each piece and create and record learning tracks for all parts of the choir. These tracks have a metronome in the background for them to consistently practice and record their own voices to submit to us,? Massey said.

Eventually, these recordings will be edited together to emulate a full performance. ?We will be using digital audio workstations to compile and edit singers? submissions of their choral part. This way, we can edit them to make everything sound more together,? choir director Joseph Powell said.

Choir, band and orchestra all have plans to create virtual ensembles, though the process will vary slightly for each class.

These recordings can be showcased during future performances or simply

?We?ve lost tha t sense of kinship in a room w hen everyone is w orking on a p iec e.

Som eone m a y not know how it g oes b ut then they hea r the p erson next to them , a nd they kind of feed off ea c h other, help ea c h other a nd just ha ve tha t c olla b ora tive w ork ethic ,? Sim s sa id . held as a keepsake for students.

The individual vs. the ensemble Although students are missing out on playing together with the group, submitting recordings where teachers can provide personalized feedback

gives students the chance to improve at a fundamental level. ?We use Seesaw, which is a free website you can directly record music into.

That allows them to submit music to me, and I can give feedback like a private lesson,? band

director Brian Sims said.

In Orchestra, there's also time during class for the whole group to learn about technique and other basics. ?We watch a professional violinist talk about her different techniques she learned growing up, and we have assignments on it? he?s focusing on our individual skills and getting better,?

Cassius said.

There has been a greater emphasis on other musical topics as well, such as music theory and music history.

Even so, with the conventional, full-group rehearsal gone, students are missing out on the essence of a performing arts class. ?We?ve lost that sense of kinship in a room when everyone is working on a piece. Someone may not know how it goes but then they hear the person next to them, and they kind of feed off each other, help each other, and just have that collaborative work ethic,?

Sims said.

Ultimately, while virtual school can provide new learning opportunities and even challenge students for the better, music classes are meant to be ensembles ? they thrive on the togetherness of people. ?I miss interacting with the band as a whole, seeing my friends and maintaining that family aspect that the band has? being able to see each other in person just makes the experience a lot more fun and unique,? percussionist Kyndle Lee (12) said.

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Novem b er 2020

Mem p his?s b est b ub b le tea shop s MOLLY YUAN//THE SCROLL

By M olly Yuan

Pop pearls or tapioca?

Slushies or tea? Fruity or sweet? With the diverse selection bubble tea offers, first-time, casual and avid tea drinkers alike will have to make tough calls, and that includes choosing the right shop. To make your decision easier, here are The Scroll?s top picks for your bubble tea cravings.

Tenn Tea ? 17 S. Highland St., Memphis, TN 38111 Bigger quantities, better prices. Tenn Tea gives you more tea for your buck, but the downside is that they tend to emphasize quantity over quality. Even so, while the tapioca pearls are less fresh and less chewy than those from other shops, the taste of the tea itself is still enjoyable. My go-to flavor is the classic milk tea, always a reliable choice.

Bubble tea is a social drink; most don?t crave the flavor, but rather the experience shared with friends. That?s where proper aesthetics are required.

Clean and chic, the warm lighting and modern decor add a peaceful vibe to the place, making Tenn Tea a great hangout spot. The shop does not offer dine-in at this time, but do keep the location in mind for future plans. ?I?m looking more for the

Poke World specializes in bubble tea, rolled ice cream and Poke Bowls, a concoction of seafood, veggies and sauces. The shop is one of many in Memphis that serve top-notch bubble tea.

experience, and at almost any bubble tea shop, you can enjoy yourself with friends,? Lily Zeng (12) said. ?Especially at Tenn Tea, they have this cute corner couch and little coffee tables. They also have board games you can play with friends. That?s one of my favorite parts about Tenn Tea.?

Bubble Bang ? 420 S. Germantown Parkway #103, Cordova, TN 38018 There aren?t any negatives to Bubble Bang?s

drinks: they?re made with care, the taste is consistent and the tapioca is just right. However, what stands out the most about this location is its atmosphere. With cotton candy walls and cutesy decor, this pastel wonderland takes the prize for best hangout spot. Plop down on one of their comfy couches or snag a seat among the rows of chalk white tables. Though orders are currently restricted to grab-and-go, there?s nothing stopping

you from taking in the atmosphere as you wait. I usually order the taro or matcha milk tea, staples in the bubble tea world.

On top of the aesthetic ambiance, the service is quick, and the workers make you feel at home. ?The owners ? since it?s just two workers, husband and wife ? they?re very open, and it?s very friendly. You don?t get this feeling that they?re strangers,? Jake Du (12) said.

Poke World ? 1605

?I?m looking m ore for the exp erienc e, a nd a t a lm ost a ny b ub b le tea shop , you c a n enjoy yourself w ith friend s,? Lily Zeng (12) sa id .

N. Germantown Parkway Suite 111, Cordova, TN 38016 A bubble tea shop is not complete without proper decor, and Poke World fulfills the requirements.

Wooden chairs, walls and floors are illuminated by gentle lights along the ceiling, giving the shop a comfortable atmosphere.

Poke World specializes not just in bubble tea, but also rolled ice cream and custom-made Poke Bowls.

Customers choose their own ingredients, their selection including salmon, cilantro, mangos ? you name it. Think Subway, but for a seafood salad.

As for the bubble tea,

Poke World?s brown sugar milk tea is a customer favorite, and the shop boasts the best tapioca pearls, always made fresh. ?We do care about the [tapioca pearls] a lot. We make our [pearls] whenever we need it as opposed to making it before, so it?s always fresh. I might be biased, but I personally think we have the best tapioca,?

Poke World employee Laura Shi (12) said.

Whether you?re looking for a refreshing drink to fulfill your cravings or just a place to relax with friends, these shops will have you covered.

Must-w a tc h m ovies of q ua ra ntine

By Sophia Aiello After much conversation, Skylar Robinson (10) logs into Netflix Party to watch a movie with her friends, despite their continued physical separation. Since quarantine began, there have been many social changes, even down to the way one watches a movie. The shutdown of Malco Theaters in late March has led many students to explore new movies and shows available through online streaming services such as Hulu or Disney+. Summer 2020 held many new titles that wowed and intrigued watchers, including this top 4 list of movies, all available through the streaming platform Netflix.

The F*ck It List Centered around all the goods and bads of graduating high school and viral internet challenges, The F*ck It List is the perfect summer movie for Gen Z. It follows the life of Brett Blackmore, who unintentionally starts an internet trend similar to the recent ?Until Tomorrow? challenge from Instagram.

The ?Until Tomorrow? challenge prompted users to post something casual or embarrassing, keeping it up for 24 hours and deleting it after.

In the movie, Blackmore posts a video with a list of everything he wants to do, practical and not. After going viral, he faces several repercussions from his post, while

MEDIUM, THE TEMPEST, INDIEWIRE, NETFLIX MEDIA CENTER//NOVEMBER 2020

Netflix provides users with plenty of new movies to watch while staying safely socially distanced at home. With this list of 4 extraordinary movies, there is one to entertain every person.

simultaneously inspiring others to make their own list. Although cheesy, there is a perfect ratio of romance, light-heartedness and even the topic of choosing a path after high school. ?I took away that you don?t always have to do what society says is the right thing to do,?

Robinson said. ?I feel like everyone could watch this movie, but it definitely resonates more with this

generation.?

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga If you are looking for a musical comedy complete with Will Ferrell?s shenanigans, this is the movie for you. The audience follows aspiring singers Lars and Sigrit?s journey from a small town in Iceland to a global music competition. The combination of Icelandic accents and extravagant

costumes allows for a humorous tone to complement the growing romance between the musician duo. ?It?s got a bunch of singing and drag queens, so you can?t really go wrong there,? Felix Gilbert (10) said.

I?m Thinking of Ending Things If you are searching for a more serious, mind-boggling movie, I?m Thinking of Ending Things

is a great choice. Similar to episodes of Black Mirror, this movie takes the audience on a confusing and interesting path. What starts off as a seemingly normal story of the unassuming couple Jake and Lucy, it takes a turn for the worse when Lucy accompanies Jake to meet his parents. After the meeting, unnatural behavior and events repeatedly occur. This film lacks the obvious scary

characters that most horror movies consist of, but it does not fail to keep viewers on the edge of their seat, wondering what is going to happen next. ?I definitely think you have to be interested in this genre and that not everyone would get it,? Olivia Morgan (10) said. ?I?m still thinking about some parts, but I like that it is one of those movies where at the end, you just stop and think, ?What just happened???

The Lovebirds Last but certainly not least, The Lovebirdsis perfect to watch with friends and family. With representation of interracial couples, this romantic comedy tells the story of Lailani and Jibran, a couple who wind up getting tied to a murder. While trying to learn more about what actually happened, the couple ends up with more trouble to deal with. Their relationship grows stronger along with the many comical incidents they encounter. ?I enjoyed The Lovebirds because of the representation of people of color in the movie and how funny the movie was in general,?

Tejasvi Epuri (10) said.

Although it?s very difficult to pick the ideal movie for every Netflix user, this list of 4 new summer-release films will leave everyone with at least one new favorite.

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Tra nsc end ing w ushu: Sisters ta ke m a tters into their ow n ha nd s

By Kat ie Lamm

For a moment, time seems to stand still. Molly Yuan (12) launches off the ground, flipping, her back shunning the ground beneath.

Sticking the landing, she regains balance and embodies her powerful pose, ready to nail the rest of her routine.

Molly Yuan is part of Memphis Wushu: an organization that teaches the Chinese martial art Wushu to local children and adolescents. Many join this physically-demanding martial art when they are young and continue through high school.

Recently, Memphis Wushu has taken a different shape, adjusting to the pandemic. ?[Memphis Wushu] was an established team with an established master and teacher, but due to COVID-19, right now we?re not able to officially meet as a class,? Molly Yuan (12) said. ?A few of the students are volunteering to teach kung fu, practice together

and generally making sure we have a practice while still following social distancing guidelines.?

Molly Yuan and her sister Nancy Yuan, a junior at Vanderbilt and a White Station Alumni, have participated in Memphis Wushu since they were little. They fell in love with the martial art, but they noticed a problem: students?time at Memphis Wushu ended once they graduated, with their only option to move on. Instead of dropping it, Nancy Yuan dug her heels in and created Wushu Transcend, a martial art group that goes beyond age and location. ?Wushu Transcend is this club with the idea to transcend time and space,?

Nancy Yuan said. ?I was able to round up all these people who hadn?t touched wushu in years.

Transcending time and space, you don?t really need to be in the physical location of Memphis or

Nashville.?

In Wushu Transcend, Memphis Wushu and the Nashville branch meet once a week to review and practice, but the community communicates, critiques and encourages online.

Each member sends videos of progress, writes critiques of other videos and communicates with their fellow members no matter how far away. ?In addition to a-synchronous video compilations, we hold regular in-person practices,? Nancy Yuan said. ?We learn from online resources, and we relay our learning through video recording to others in the club. Members are also tasked with critiquing each other's regular practice videos.?

The Memphis Wushu branch holds weekly practices at Shelby Farms Park. Students spend an hour applying advice and critiques from members or

KATIE LAMM//THE SCROLL

Molly Yuan adjusts Allen Xie?s cat stance during in-person practice at Shelby Farms Park. Reviewing stances, practicing kicks and learning different forms are usually on Wushu Transcend?s weekly agenda.

pushing themselves by going through multiple forms, kicks and stances. ?A regular practice starts off with some various stretching? then we break off into different groups with the more advanced people and the more novice people,? Allen Xie (9) said. ?The novices work on some of our more basic forms, such as the

five basic stances, and then we go into some more specifics like? some kicks, some new forms or just some general stretching and other helpful advice.?

In a normal year, Memphis Wushu?s work would earn them a highly anticipated performance at the Memphis Chinese New Year Festival. According to Molly Yuan, it is always a

high-energy event, whether you are watching or performing. ?Everyone is looking forward to it, and when you?re walking out on stage you know that all eyes are on you,? Molly Yuan said. ?It?s your moment to shine because the work is really grueling beforehand.?

Without this year?s festival, this group finds motivation elsewhere through structure, communal support and enthusiastic leadership.

These components bring passion and most importantly, growth to the students. ?Helping maintain this level of passion and not turning them away from [Wushu Transcend is important],? Nancy Yuan said. ?I?m really happy that my presence, maybe my teaching this organization [or] something about Wushu Transcend is able to help them continue to fight the hardships or the newness of it.?

Ja w neh enc oura g es c ultura l p rid e throug h jew elry b usiness

PAMODOU JAWNEH//USED WITH PERMISSION

By Jackie Crislip Most teenagers spent their elongated summer vacation binge-watching Netflix and procrastinating on homework. Jara Jawneh (12), on the other hand, became the CEO of her very own business. ?When I was younger I always wanted to start a boutique and I wanted to do something that would also help people,? Jawneh said. ?There were many trials and errors? Finally, I decided to start with jewelry.?

Thus, Kala Boutique was born. Today you can shop for rings, anklets, and necklaces at Kala boutique. Along with being affordable and outright cute, Jawneh?s products have her personal touch stamped all over them. ?Most of the stuff I sell reflects me as a person. The first products that I sold were these ankle bracelets. I have a bangle that I wear every day and they just looked like me,?

Jawneh said. ?I also use Wolof words to name my jewelry because my Zambian American family speaks Wolof. I wanted to use the language to express more of who I am.?

Jawneh utilizes her Instagram platform to reach out to customers and ask what type of items they would like to see next. She cares about her consumers?

"The w hole id ea b ehind the b usiness w a s to p rom p t m od esty, not just c lothing -w ise. But b eing m od est in the w a y w e a c t, m a king sure tha t w e trea t others rig ht, a nd b eing the b est tha t w e c a n b e,? Ja w neh sa id . opinions and feelings, and, as a result, they adore her. ?I ordered the ?Melah letter ring?in gold with the letter ?K.?The ring is such a cute and simple piece that goes with all my accessories. She delivered it to me within three days and it came in the cutest packaging and a handwritten note,? Kyah Mckinney (12) said.

Not only does Kala Boutique strive to provide modest yet fashionable jewelry, but it also works towards a bigger purpose. ?I've always felt bad that I couldn't really help people, so when I started this business and started

making money from it, I could finally give money to those who are less fortunate,? Jawneh said.

And help them she has.

Kala Boutique donates one-third of all its proceeds to reputable charities to help those in need. ?A part of your money from your purchase goes towards different charities.

For example, House of Innocence, Save the Children, St. Jude and more,? Jawneh said.

Not only has Jawneh started her own business, but she has poured so much of herself into her products. By including

Jara Jawneh (12) poses wearing one of Kala Boutqiue?s africa kerr necklaces. Kala Boutique was founded by Jawneh and offers africa kerr necklaces and other jewelry products for sale.

components of her culture and religion in her jewelry, she hopes to inspire others to accept their own identities. ?Kala is a Wolof word

that means hijab. The whole idea behind the business was to prompt modesty, not just clothing-wise. But being modest in the way we act,

making sure that we treat others right, and being the best that we can be,? Jawneh said.

Novem Novem b b er er 2020 2020

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Stud ents a nd a lum ni a d voc a te for b la c k lives NOAH STEWART//USED WITH PERMISSION

By Emlyn Polat t y ?Dedicated to excellence?.

The message that encourages Spartans to strive for the best in everything they do. In the cases of junior Talisa Elliott and alumni Allyson Smith and Jordan Occasionally, that dedication is focused on black excellence.

In a summer of protests and pandemics, the Black Lives Matter movement gained media traction worldwide following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless others. However, the fight for black lives is not new. For 2019 graduate Smith, passion for activism started in 2014 after the shooting of Mike Brown and has grown under the mentorship of Tami Sawyer and her friendship with Occasionally. ?We were talking about the activism scene in Memphis because it was very convoluted with personal interests and trying to make it about profit and trying to make it about individuals when we?re trying to fight for a very holistic community,?

Smith said. ?That?s really what pushed us into doing our own protests and to having these press conferences.?

On August 1, 2020, Smith and 2017 graduate Occasionally led a peaceful protest through famously gentrified areas, Cooper Young and Overton Square, calling for the defunding of the Memphis Police Department and the reallocation of funds to marginalized communities in the city. While physically marching is nothing new in terms of civil disobedience, Occasionally recalls the initial nerves of being on the ground. ?Before you get there, there?s all types of bubbles in your belly. But then you get there and you see 50 people that want to help amplify your message -- that have their own stories to be told.

And so you start walking and chanting. And the sound of fifty voices, young and old, turn into 100. It seems like you are resilient, even without weapons. And where you once felt weak, you are now stronger than ever,?

Occasionally said.

Despite their peaceful methods and dedication, Occasionally and Smith have both experienced the negative aspects of activism, including burn out, police resistance and even death threats. ?This isn?t easy. This isn?t an easy thing to do; it?s not easy putting your life on the line,? Smith said. ?It?s always scary, but I try to keep a level head, I try to make sure everyone around me is also safe because I feel like I have a responsibility for them. So like when anyone gets agitated or there?s a situation that needs to be deescalated, I always jump to do that.?

Both Smith and Occasionally have also turned to art as a form of resistance, through slam poetry and singing

Marching down Madison Avenue, Jordan Occasionally and Allyson Smith lead chants calling for the defunding of police. Their August 1st protest drew both support and resistance from the Midtown community as they travelled from Overton Square to Cooper Young.

respectfully. Talisa Elliott (11), on the other hand, has found her call to advocacy in storytelling.

Her new podcast The Culture Edition seeks to highlight the talent and drive of her peers and mentors. ?The idea came about three months ago, and it just came to mind. What if I did a podcast?? Elliott said. ?We weren?t going to be in school; we were going to be virtual. I was meeting all of these crazy talented people in these crazy high places, and I was like well what if I talk to them.?

Getting her start as a Facing History and Ourselves Ambassador, Elliott was also a panel speaker for the Memphis Grizzlies Amplify Youth Voices this summer. Elliott and other panelists focused on topics such as stereotypes, youth advocacy and, most importantly, their stories. ?Being on that panel also helped me to know when to be quiet. I tend to talk a lot, and sometimes I think it?s a prideful thing that I want to kind of jump at all the questions,? Elliott said. ?But it really helped me to kind of take a step back and be like, I really need to listen to all these people?s stories, and I need to hone in on what they have to say because it might resonate with what I have to say.?

Although Smith, Occasionally and Elliott have different approaches

to their advocacy, all three were moved by personal experiences at White Station, including being tokenized in their Advanced Placement and honors classes and noticing disparities between the optional and traditional program. ?I think White Station showed me that this is the world we live in,? Smith said. ?There?s going to be allies here, and there?s going to be aggressors there, and these aggressors have these big positions, these administrative positions, so what do I do as a student, how do I use my voice to fight??

With the Black Lives Matter movement taking even greater precedence recently, activists stress the importance of contributing to the cause with whatever resources are available. ?As of now, there is no way you can not be involved.

Petitions, websites, GoFundMes, there?s so many ways to be involved, whether it?s with our active war of racism, or if it?s with politics,?

Elliott said. ?We have eyes, and I understand that sometimes it?s really hard to see things, and sometimes we don?t even want to see them, but the tools are right in front of us. We just have to know how to use them.?

Awareness and involvement in the fight for black lives is a road with many lanes, allowing young people a chance to explore which path to

advocacy works for them.

While not all actions are obvious, any steps towards ending racism are important. ?If you believe that something is worth noticing, make people pay attention the best way you know how. You don?t always have to walk on the frontlines,? Occasionally

said. ?All of our roles are different and unique. They require persistence and patience, so be patient with yourself when you gain the courage to fight for what you believe in and never fight alone.?

Students at White Station are surrounded by black excellence, whether it be their peers, teachers

or alumni, so it is vital that students step up in the fight for black lives. ?You?re already a part of the movement, it?s just time for you to move,? Elliott said.

ALLYSON SMITH//USED WITH PERMISSION

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All lives m a tter. Tim e to foc us on the b la c k ones

By Aut umn Bobo ?I can?t breathe.? These words, gasped repeatedly, marked the death of George Floyd and the beginning of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. These words were the last not only of George Floyd, but also Eric Garner, Javier Ambler, Manuel Ellis and Elijah McClain along with countless others whose deaths went unrecorded and unreported.

Even before the revival of protests in 2020, Memphis was far from unfamiliar with unrest. In 2016, BLM protesters blocked off the Memphis Bridge. Unlike the 2016 shutdown, however, recent protests have not remained peaceful. Arrests have been made and injuries have been inflicted, including multiple instances of people attempting to drive trucks through crowds of bystanders; in the case of Anthony Marcuzzo, who was successful in doing so.

Though footage was captured and the offender apprehended, such actions remain unacceptable when it is clear that others have and will continue to follow.

Justice for lives lost should not depend on a passerby with a camera. In the case of seven-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones, murdered a decade ago in her own home, retribution becomes more and more unlikely as time passes. Little black children are taught to be home before the street lights come on lest they fall victim to hate crime. Little black children are taught to make themselves look less intimidating, taught to tame their features so as not to be judged by eurocentric beauty standards, taught to mutilate their names to fit better in the mouths of people who refuse to recognize them for who they are, and despite all these teachings, are ridiculed

and killed for daring to exist.

Many of these injustices persist into adulthood, evident in the case of Breonna Taylor, murdered in her bed on March 13, 2020: yet another victim of police brutality. A law has been passed in her name, a hashtag created, merchandise produced, but it was ruled that the bullet holes in her neighbors? walls were more important than those that riddled her body. Stanley-Jones, a child, and Taylor, an ER technician, good people; either way, black people should not have to prove worthy of their own lives.

And yet, the outrage is gone. All the black squares and hashtags mean nothing without actions backing them.

Accountability for police brutality is important. It affects most people in the United States, but it is difficult to demand responsibility with racial tensions, class divides, and performative activism marring genuine attempts being made.

Brands changing logos and names, such as Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben?s, do not do so out of real desire to better themselves, but rather as a means of deflection and to placate the black community.

While attempting to educate yourself and those around you is important, posting black squares of solidarity and videos of brutality is not always the best route to do so.

Circulation helps raise awareness, yes, but unnecessary emphasis could be damaging to black viewers?mental health and a repellent to others. Everything must

come in moderation.

There is also a clear difference between not being racist and being anti-racist. When you are simply not being racist, that means you do not hate someone for the color of their skin or where they came from; however, in anti-racism, you actively push back against the demeaning stereotypes and systems in place. Both are important, but only anti-racism will properly bring about necessary change. The narrative that racist people are poor or uneducated must also be erased, as racism truly is everywhere. Arguments like ?I can?t be racist; I have? ? are delusional as well as incredibly insulting. You cannot learn if you don?t listen.

Microaggressions, like confusing black people, shortening their names, or asking to touch their hair because it is ?exotic? or something new to you is also not acceptable.

Chances are if you wouldn?t ask a teacher or employer that question, it should not be present in your daily interactions with people. Black people are not your pets. Not anymore, at least.

Changing the system means a conversation about police reform as well. Defunding the police does not mean taking away all their funding and leaving citizens to be shot on the street. It means a reallocation of funds to programs meant to prevent crimes before they start. Instead of calling the police after you are robbed, you would have access to counselors and social workers who can feed the hungry child who otherwise would have gained a criminal record.

You keep your goods and they keep their lives.

Defunding the police would mean money used to buy taser shields for the Memphis Police Department would instead be put towards personal protection equipment like masks and face shields for teachers, or reliable wifi for students working from home. Abolishing the police, on the other hand, is completely eliminating the police force instead of continually trying to make changes and adapt them. It is difficult to reform the former slave patrol to view black people as anything besides slaves who must be punished.

To be a good ally, you must listen to black people when they speak about black experiences. Outside education makes a difference, but it is crucial that your voice does not overpower those of the oppressed. Your voice will have an influence, and it is important that black people benefit from the power you hold.

Remember that history repeats itself, and know on which side you want to stand.

Word s to Know Tokenized - trea t (a m em b er of a m inority g roup ) a s if they ha ve b een c hosen b y w a y of tokenism . via Oxford La ng ua g es a p erson w ho is c onsid ered a s rep resenta tive of a soc ia l g roup , suc h a s a lone ind ivid ua l or one of a sm a ll num b er of em p loyees hired p rim a rily to p revent a n em p loyer from b eing a c c used of d isc rim ina tion. via free d ic tiona ry

Polic e

Bruta lity-

p olic e b ruta lity in the United Sta tes, the unw a rra nted or exc essive a nd often illeg a l use of forc e a g a inst c itizens b y U.S. p olic e offic ers. Form s of p olic e b ruta lity ha ve ra ng ed from a ssa ult a nd b a ttery (e.g ., b ea ting s) to m a yhem , torture, a nd m urd er. via Brita nnic a

Perform a tive p ersona l

Ac tivism -

g a in ra ther tha n g enuine

sup p ort

Mic roa g g ressionsor unintentiona l La ng ua g es

d isc rim ina tion

a g a inst

a form of a c tivism

tow a rd s a m ovem ent,

a sta tem ent, m em b ers

a c tion,

of a m a rg ina lized

used to inc rea se

issues, or c a uses.

or inc id ent g roup

reg a rd ed

one's soc ia l c a p ita l or

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a s a n insta nc e

suc h a s ra c ia l or ethnic

of ind irec t,

m inority.

sub tle,

via Oxford

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Novem b er 2020

No ob sta c le too b ig for JROTC tea m Jerry Hiem er JROTC Lea d ership Course c onstruc ted d uring COVID p a nd em ic

By Kat ie St anek In the face of a global health crisis and an increasing number of COVID cases, many organizations around the world have had to cancel events. However, one student refused to let COVID-19 thwart his plans. And although no students are on campus to witness the achievement of his mission, the magnitude of 2nd Lieutenant Chris Phebus?s (12) accomplishment is no less impressive. ?...He did everything from start to finish,? JROTC instructor Sergeant Major (SGM) Bolden, said. ?Of course, it isn't finished yet, but when I say start to finish, I mean all the planning, contacting key people in the community, putting in for the grant. Those are things that you would expect a high-level executive to do, and he did that.?

After returning in early November from the 2019 National Raider Competition, Raider commander Phebus knew that something needed to change: the WSHS Raider team needed an extra push in their training to prepare for next year?s contests. The National Raiders Competition consists of a 5k run, a one mile cross country rescue run, a river crossing, the ?Gauntlet? (a smaller obstacle course) and a three-quarter mile obstacle course with 50 lb crates and 40 lb rucksacks. While some might have simply assigned more strength training or running during practice, Phebus took the challenge a step further. ?Chris, he originally came to me with the idea of creating an obstacle course.

He had a passion for not only for being a part of the Raider team but taking command of it? ? JROTC instructor Sergeant First Class (SFC)

HUGH FERGUSON//USED WITH PERMISSION

Barry Page said. ?He was like ?Sergeant Page, what do you think about the idea if we built our own obstacle course, and even further, not just to work out on it, but maybe even host competitions here in Memphis.? And so I was like ?Chris, that sounds like a great idea, but that sounds like something between a hope and a prayer, so I?m not sure how far you?re going to get with that.??

Although the planning and approval process raised more questions than solutions, Phebus persevered. To strengthen the likelihood of his proposal, Phebus began to research the endeavor. ?The first step was talking to other schools and seeing what they had, what they wanted, ways they would?ve preferred to do things,? Phebus said.

Phebus looked at many obstacle courses, particularly the Army Ranger Training Course in Fort Benning, Georgia. ?We just looked around and found obstacles that we had competed on?some that would be exciting, some that would be challenging?and just decided on a healthy mix of each one,? Phebus said.

Next came the planning stage. Phebus requested the help of the TN National Guard and Habitat for Humanity with the construction aspects of the course. Ted Poplos, former project manager at Habitat for Humanity, worked with Phebus during this phase. ?When I took the project, Chris had put together a proposal that had descriptions and? photographs of all of the obstacles and also a spreadsheet of material needed,? Poplos said. ?...It

was probably about 80% complete when I got handed the project...?

With a plan clearly in mind, Phebus moved on to funding. He applied for the annual Nike Community Impact Fund, which awards up to $10,000 for youth athletic activities, and was awarded the full grant. In addition, the course was financially supported by the Assisi Foundation, the SCS School Board Member William ?Billy?

Orgel and other groups to make the course a reality. ?I think it?s great for the students, male or female, who are interested in careers in the military.

It gives them a taste of what it?s going to be like in training,? Orgel said.

Phebus then purchased supplies and began the construction process. This stage of Phebus? plan proved to be the most difficult because of the coronavirus pandemic. ?Our original plan was to have the National Guard construct the course, but they couldn't because COVID canceled their summer training,?

Phebus said.

Instead, Phebus enlisted his fellow students to help build the course.

From Aug. 17-21, students volunteered to become a part of WSHS history.

More than a dozen answered the call, including Cadet Captain Alexandra Shirley (10). ?So we were building all of the obstacles. On the first day, we helped cut and transfer wood. We dug out holes in the ground for the posts, and then we filled the holes.

We put the wooden posts in and filled them with cement. And then on the second day, we wet the cement and let it set, and

Axel Miller (9) and Jordan Kirby (9) dig holes in preparation for wooden posts for an obstacle. Over the course of five days, volunteers came and helped construct the Jerry Hiemer JROTC Leadership Course at WSHS.

?Those a re thing s tha t you w ould exp ec t a hig h-level exec utive to d o, a nd he [Pheb us] d id tha t,? SGM Bold en, one of the JROTC instruc tors, sa id . then we started building the individual components of the obstacles...? Shirley said.

Not only does the course offer a significant opportunity for the WSHS Raider team, but also for the JROTC program of

WSHS and other Shelby County schools. ?The goals of the course? number one, grow the White Station JROTC program? ?

Phebus said. ?Our secondary goal is to grow all units across Shelby

County?

Our third objective is to see stronger, both physically and mentally, stronger leaders in the community coming out of JROTC and high school in general across Shelby County and through that build up the community as a whole to a greater level of physical endurance, mental fortitude and tolerance.?

Even before the course was completed, it accomplished its first objective. Many of the volunteers were not initially enrolled in the JROTC program but decided to switch their schedules at the end of the week. ?With all the people around me, I felt inspired to join the ROTC class,? volunteer Jordan Kirby (9) said.

With such a promising start, there is little doubt that the obstacle course will be able to meet and exceed its goals.

05/ 31/ 21

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Not just horsing a round Crislip a nd Sha rp p a rtic ip a te in Gra nd Entry Tea m

By Kat ie St anek Some dream of performing in front of crowd-packed stands with glaring lights streaming down on them. For Becca Crislip (10) and Natalie Sharp (10), performing in front of large crowds is a reality with two notable additions - a dirt floor and a 1,200 pound horse. Welcome to the Old West Special Trails Grand Entry Team. ?Our [Old West Special Trails] Grand Entry team combines speed, agility, coordination and excellent riding skills choreographed into intricate patterns and performed to music,? says the Grand Entry Team?s website.

Crislip has been a part of the Grand Entry team for two years, while Sharp joined this year. ?Online school was definitely a big part [of my decision to join the team] because I didn?t know if I was going to be able to do anything, so I was just like ?Why don?t I join Grand

Entry?? and another big part was to start going out to the barn more to spend more time with my horses,? Sharp said.

Both have a long history with riding horses; Crislip has been riding for seven years, and Sharp has been riding for eight. Their expertise is essential for the group. ?You definitely need to be an experienced rider to join one [Grand Entry Team] cause it is really fast-paced most of the time,? Sharp said.

The routines that the group performs are far from easy. For Crislip, they are one of the most challenging aspects of being on the Grand Entry Team. ?...It takes forever to get the routines that we do down, cause you have to do it fast, cause if you do it slow it?s boring. So you have to do it fast but you have to keep your pacing and make it look good,?

Crislip said.

While the team

practices every week and performs on many weekends, it does not compete. Mostly, the Grand Entry Team travels around the Memphis area or to Mississippi to showcase their skills. ?The team is invited to either open a show and pump up the audience or they could be the halftime entertainment for the audience,? coach Debbie Cooley said. ?Sometimes we also do the national anthem and American flag, Christian flag presentation. We have done rodeos, The Germantown Charity Horse Show, Dixie Nationals, St. Jude Barrel Jam, parades, and other local horse shows.?

Not only has the Grand Entry Team made an impact on the community, but it has positively affected Crislip and Sharp, as well. ?It?s given me... better leadership skills because, especially on my team right now? most everyone

JACKIE CRISLIP//THE SCROLL

Becca Crislip (10) glances at the camera during a Grand Entry Team performance on October 10. Crislip and Natalie Sharp (10) perform with the group at rodeos, horse shows, and other functions.

on that team is new, except for me and a couple of other people, ... I lead almost all the routines we do,? Crislip said. ?So it?s given me a better sense of leadership because then I can go help the new people because I know what they

should be doing? ?

For Sharp, the Grand Entry Team has allowed her to grow as a person and as a rider. ?Being on the Grand Entry Team has definitely helped me become more responsible,? Sharp said,

?I stopped going to the barn for a while, and it really helped me get out and get back to riding horses, which I really needed to, because that?s my hobby and I really love it.?

Shib erou c lim b s to the top SAM SHIBEROU//USED WITH PERMISSION

By Charlie Huebner Sam Shiberou (10) just keeps reaching out, whether it be for his next handhold or to become better than he was yesterday. For the past three years, Shiberou has competitively rock climbed for the Memphis Rox team, the Soul Senders.

In competitive rock climbing, there are two seasons: bouldering and top rope. In bouldering season, climbers ascend close to a 10- foot wall without gear. In contrast, top rope season requires climbers to climb an 80-foot wall while being belayed? the exertion of tension on a climbing rope by someone on the ground, usually a judge, so that the climber can not fall very far.

Though the climbing off-season is during the summer, Shiberou continues to climb on a less competitive summit team. Rather than ascending walls inside, summit season involves clambering up a real mountain. To remain in peak physical condition for the different seasons, Shiberou trains frequently and in a variety of different ways. ?We do... a warmup just to get your body in motion,?

Shiberou said. ?And then what ends up happening is we usually do a pyramid, so we?ll start at the easiest level of climbing and then work our way up to our maximum ability, and after that, we?ll work our way back down to the easiest level... And then after practice, we do physical workouts, ab workouts, pullups, stuff of that nature.?

At competitions, climbers have three hours to climb, after which they turn in a

Sam Shiberou (10) holds his grip on a boulder as he figures out his next move. Shiberou climbs year round for the Memphis Rox Soul Senders as he is part of their bouldering, top rope and summit team.

scorecard. Climbers?scores depend on their three hardest climbs? the harder the climb, the more points awarded. The goal is to complete the hardest climbs in as few tries as possible since ties are broken by giving the advantage to the climber with fewer attempts. ?The reason why it?s the top three that you climbed is because if a

person just came in, they could just climb like 20 easy routes and then still be as good as the person who just climbed some really hard ones,? Shiberou said.

Although Shiberou is only in his third year, he has already accumulated numerous top 10 finishes, including one first-place finish and three top-ten finishes. Awards are not

everything, though, as personal growth enriches Shiberou?s climbing experience the most. ?...Watching myself grow through these years has just been really inspiring, from the skill level that I started out with and the skill that I?m at now,? Shiberou said. ?It's really something that I can look back on and just be really proud of myself for.?

?Wa tc hing m yself g row throug h these yea rs ha s just b een rea lly insp iring , from the skill level tha t I sta rted out w ith a nd the skill tha t I?m a t now . It's rea lly som ething tha t I c a n look b a c k on a nd just b e rea lly p roud of m yself for.?

As climbing has provided an outlet for competition and self-improvement, Shiberou has been moved by the sport. ?It?s given me more of an appreciation of the outdoors and really just a respect for the sport,?

Shiberou said. ?...It takes skill, it takes strength, it?s just really inspiring.?

Currently, competitive

rock climbing does not attract a large following in Memphis, a change that Shiberou hopes will occur soon because of the impact it has had on his life. ?I wish that the community were larger,? said Shiberou. ?I just really wish that? people were more educated about it because I definitely feel like more people would be interested in it.?

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Novem b er 2020

Young w om en fig ht for their p olitic a l voic e YANCY VILLA//USED WITH PERMISSION

By Jackie Crislip

Since 1765, with calls for no taxation without representation, Americans have fought to have their voices heard, and yet, around half of the population today doesn?t vote. With the Presidential election creeping around the corner, Ira Sharma (9) decided to change this by founding Young Women Against Injustice (YWAI). ?Young Women Against Injustice is an organization that two friends and I founded in May of 2020. The murder of George Floyd had just happened and we were all very upset about it? we were very fed up and we wanted to do something for our community,? Sharma said.

Although Sharma and her fellow members, who are all between the ages of 13 and 15, cannot yet vote themselves, they believe that every vote matters. Despite their age, they are determined to help others use their vote and to impact their government. ?Our main goals are to get young people, especially young women, involved in the political process, to provide spaces for people to create and to talk about their opinions and, finally, to provide a way to get young people registered and ready to vote on time,? Sharma said.

YWAI quickly drew the attention of other like-minded girls who understood the importance of politics. Carolina Calvo, an eighth-grader at White Station Middle School, was thrilled to join the group and

Carolina Calvo (8) poses new to two fellow Young Women Against Injustice members and a representative of NAACP Memphis. YWAI?s first voter registration drive was held at Memphis Rox and succeeded in registering 80 people.

to contribute her ideas. ?In this group, I?ve made new friends who have the same interests as I do? and to know that we are making an impact on our community is inspiring,? Calvo said.

Calvo?s motivation for her role in YWAI can be contributed to her passion for politics. ?Politics is important because it's everywhere in our life and if we're not knowledgeable about politics, nothing is going to change.

People complain all the time

about why things are the way they are but if they don't go out to vote or they don't really care about politics then there's nothing you can do about it.?

For YWAI?s first event, Sharma, Calvo, and the other members decided to focus their effort on the upcoming election by hosting a voter registration drive with partner Memphis Rox. ?It was a week-long and we wanted to make it more fun for young people. On the last day,

there were free Mempops for everyone and if you took a picture showing that you registered at Memphis Rox you could get a free day pass,? Calvo said.

Young Women Against Injustice registered 80 people at their first voting drive, and, despite their success, wish to make an even greater impact. The members are already putting new ideas into motion for upcoming events. ?We hope to hold a political debate contest to

?We?re em p ow ering p eop le, esp ec ia lly young p eop le, to g o out to vote. As a g roup , w e a re help ing p eop le to use their p ow er. We w a nt to m a ke them a w a re of w ha t they c a n d o p olitic a lly b y g etting young p eop le exc ited a b out p olitic s,? Ca lvo sa id . increase young people?s engagement in politics. We wanted to do it in real life but corona threw a dent in that for now,? Sharma said. ?We were thinking you would be given the topic the day of the event and you have to come up with an argument based on what you believe in. It is more important and makes it more political than factual.?

YWAI is rapidly expanding, with already 15 new applicants.

By clicking the link in the Instagram bio of

@youngwomenagainstinjustice,

anyone in the community can get involved by offering suggestions or applying for membership. ?We?re empowering people, especially young people, to go out to vote. As a group, we are helping people to use their power. We want to make them aware of what they can do politically by getting young people excited about politics,? Calvo said. ?People say that they aren't really into politics but politics is in everything.

Every choice is politics.?

901 Tutoring offers free test p rep to Mem p his youth KUSH BHATIA//USED WITH PERMISSION

By Graham Ross ACT. SAT. PSAT. If you?re a student, these letters are all too familiar. The multitude of standardized testing options can be daunting, but seniors Andy Chai (12), Haneef Usmani (12), Justin Choi (12) and Aryan Rajesh (12) sought to make the experience less challenging by founding 901 Tutoring, a free test prep service for Memphis-area high school students. ?We found out that a lot of people during quarantine didn?t really have access to as many tutors or resources as they probably would normally,? Chai said.

Establishing this service was no small task, as the students soon discovered.

They first created a website from scratch and recruited 15 tutors to volunteer their time with the program. ?Designing the website and having to start it from the ground up, it was a lot of stress,? Chai said. ?It was a burden on me, and I think the most difficult thing is already in the past.?

After the organization was created, Chai and others recruited Kush Bhatia (12) to work on community outreach. In the beginning, he worked as a tutor, but has since taken a step back to focus on growing the program.

901 Tutoring volunteers hold a team meeting over Zoom. Generally, tutors hold sessions Monday through Thursday of each week.

?I knew that I wanted to get involved and do something for the community,? Bhatia said. ?I?ve never had volunteer experience, and I thought, ?Maybe this is a good way, something that we start.??

901 Tutoring mostly caters to White Station students, but is still an independent organization.

This, as a result, provides

greater flexibility and the ability to guide the program in the direction they choose. ?I think the best part is that we can take this however we want,? Bhatia said. ?In the beginning, we were like, ?Ok, we have to do this with White Station.?

So we got in contact with Ms. Holland, but soon after we realized that we?re

not really restricted to White Station. We can do whatever.?

The founders hope to expand the program?s reach to more students around Shelby County.

Even as more colleges are removing standardized testing requirements, Bhatia still feels that tests are as important as ever during the college

admissions process. ?Even though schools are test optional, we realized that for some students? not sending a score is kind of scary while going through this whole process,? Bhatia said. ?I think students still just want a comfortable or reassuring feeling that they have something to still send.?

The program?s tutors meet with groups of students weekly to cover a wide range of subject areas. William Smith (12) serves as one of the volunteer tutors. For each virtual Zoom session, he creates a presentation and lesson plan centered around a subject area. ?[My favorite part is] how inquisitive the students are,? Smith said. ?They have a lot of questions, and I can use my experience to tell them about it.?

In addition to his standardized testing expertise, Smith sees the program as a way to advise younger students. ?They also have questions that don?t regard standardized tests,? Smith said. ?They?ll also ask, ?How do you balance high school?? or ?How are you managing time better???

Providing a free tutoring service is personal for Smith, who plans on becoming a first generation college student. Since he has received support and guidance throughout the admissions process from others, he feels motivated to give back. ?It just creates a level of personal connection,? Smith said. ?I?ve been through this, you?re going through this, let?s go through this together.?

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Test-Op tiona l p olic ies The Pros

By M aadhu Krishnan The college admissions process is one of many parts of life that has changed in the age of COVID-19. Many colleges have opted to give the class of 2021 flexibility on sending standardized test scores, which have long been a large component in admissions decisions.

These new test-optional policies allow students to decide whether they want to send standardized test scores or not. To many, a positive aspect of test-optional policies is the reduced importance of standardized testing, which many students believe is not an accurate representation of college readiness in itself. ?I'm personally not in favor of standardized tests being a measure of college readiness because these tests don't accurately show how well a student would do once they enter college,? Jacinta Nwokeji (12) said. ?It only evaluates how well a student could take the test, and it's only a one-time performance.?

Another positive aspect of the test-optional policy is how it accommodates students who are unable to take the exams due to the economic and health restraints of COVID-19.

However, this may lead to more competition in the admissions process. ?With the test-optional policy in place, economically disadvantaged students may have a chance of admission compared to some students who have the privilege of taking the ACT or SAT if the standardized test scores are truly eliminated from an individual?s competitiveness for admission,? Johnnie Walton (12) said.

Additionally, requirements for merit scholarships and aid, which

have previously depended on standardized test scores for many colleges, have changed with test-optional policies. Now, more merit scholarships are distributed based on factors such as students?

GPA and extracurricular activities. ?This year, in some colleges, test-optional students will automatically be considered for academic/merit aid scholarships and also admission to their honors program,? Nwokeji said. ?This would really benefit those who don't have the resources necessary like adequate test prep to take the ACT/SAT.?

Like grades and extracurricular activities, test scores are only one part of a college application, and will not completely hinder your chances at a dream school.

Many colleges have a holistic view of every student, meaning that many factors will comprise an admissions decision. ?People associate high

scores with intelligence, misinterpreting the results and putting way too much pressure to attain a certain score,? Zoe Wolfe (12) said. ?Instead, [colleges] should consider the scores like an extracurricular or award, a great addition to your application but not a defining part of you or your application.?

In the end, students have the ability to decide for themselves whether or not they want to send their test scores to their colleges. ?I feel like not sending scores is like not putting an extracurricular on your application. It?s not going to hurt you, but you?re leaving out something that could help you,? Wolfe said.

ANTONIO FELICIANO Y PLEYTO//USED WITH PERMISSION

In 2014, Bill Hiss and Valerie Franks conducted a study on the performance of students who were admitted without submitting test scores versus the performance of students who were admitted by submitting test scores. Based on GPAs, they discovered that submitters often choose more rigorous majors and still outperformed non-submitters.

The Cons

By Sophia Campbell As with many other things, admission processes for many universities have been uprooted due to the ongoing coronavirus. Now a plethora of colleges are offering test optional policies; however, taking advantage of these policies may not be the best option for all students.

Before this year, only a few colleges offered test-optional programs.

Now, virtually every college offers this alternative, which is intended to benefit students who may have test anxiety or those who want to promote other admirable qualities on their resume. ?Some people are really good test takers and that works to their benefit,?

Nanditha Ramesh (12) said. ?On the other hand, some people know the information really well, but may not do so well on tests, which isn?t a proper reflection of their capabilities in their test scores.?

To many, this can sound like a huge relief.

However, before immediately deciding that this is the route to take, consider what this policy really means. This does not simply allow you to bypass the lengthy process of perfecting ACT and SAT scores. ?Prior to the test-optional policies I didn?t have a score on any test, but test-optional didn?t dissuade me from taking at least one test as I thought it would still be beneficial to take it if I had the opportunity,? Jake Du (12) said.

If students really believe not submitting test

scores is the only opportunity for them, packing their resume with numerous extracurriculars is essential. ?It puts much more weight on students' essays and their extracurriculars, as you can?t disadvantage those without scores. It will definitely be interesting to see the outcome of this upcoming cycle,? Du said.

However, the time spent doing extracurriculars could be better spent perfecting a test score, if the student needs financial aid. ?Although test-optional may be beneficial to many, I think it?s important to keep in mind that this policy mainly only applies for admissions to the university or college. Most colleges still require and consider standardized test scores for merit scholarships,?

Ramesh said.

Every college has different policies and scholarship requirements, so conducting the necessary research beforehand is imperative to the application process. ?Look at what your schools have offered [in the past] and know your numbers. If you?re going test-optional, make sure you have everything they are looking for on time. If you're close to your ACT or SAT goal, you may want to continue to test, because that may be the easiest way to get money,? guidance counselor Leslie Fleming said.

Since scoreless applications have to be analyzed more carefully regarding rigor of classes, extracurriculars and recommendations, the process is much lengthier, and students do not have the comfort of knowing they are guaranteed

acceptance or scholarships. ?Before, you had numbers to understand your playing field. For the University of Memphis, a 25 ACT and 3.0 GPA gave you $3,000. Without having real numbers, you might not have real information for quite a while, you may not know what your financial aid package looks like as early,?

Fleming said.

If a student has good test scores, they are still welcome to submit them. For students who are hesitant to submit test scores, schools cannot hold that against them, but accepting a student who is proud of their scores may seem like the safer option for admissions officers. ?Make sure you are familiarizing yourself with the policy of the school and understand [if] it is test optional for acceptance or for scholarship. Consider how many test optional positions there are there.

Students are really going to have to research what their colleges want,? Fleming said.

Without learning about this new form of admissions, students with test anxiety may disregard testing. This attitude could cost them money or even a place in college without the proper knowledge. ?For students that do shine in their test scores, they can still submit their test scores,? Fleming said. ?So they haven't really lost or gained anything.?

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Novem b er 2020

Stud ent voters use their voic es this elec tion yea r ALICE WILLARD//THE SCROLL

By Alice Willard

Young voters are the future of the United States, but how will their opinions influence this election year?

350,000 people under the age of 25 voted in the 2016 election, but that number is expected to increase this year.

For students, COVID-19, race relations and voting policies are some of the most pressing issues. ?I think that it is very important for teenagers to get involved in politics because we will determine the future of America,? Vance Gieselmann (12) said. ?As cliche as it sounds, it's true.?

Chris Phebus (12) hopes to vote for someone whose ideologies coincide with his own. ?I prioritize the beliefs and character of the candidate,? Phebus said. ?Are they honest? Have they done what they said they would do? Does what they want to do align with what I think

Surviving

By Sophia Campbell

From poll data via the Scroll?s Instagram, the majority of students have agreed that racial tensions are the primary concern this election. As the election approaches, student voters continue to consider a variety of topics, including COVID-19; this is the first year that coronavirus will play a role in a presidential race.

should be done??

Generation-Z and millennials alike have shown a clear left trend towards opinions regarding social justice and tolerance, with 41% of people between the ages of 18 and 34 likely to vote for liberal candidates, according to the 2020 registered voter data. ?With the majority of

the younger generation being liberal, I would think [our nation is headed] more to the left, more legislation on climate change, race relations, etc, but it might take a long time because so few younger people who are eligible to vote are participating in government,?

Maddie Hitching (12) said.

themoremental and physical important. High for the school, I think this

Sore necks, overstrained eyes and fatigue: this is what the day entails for students who see virtual school as one long cycle of physical and mental exhaustion. The sudden changes in students? work environments and decrease of social interaction are strenuous, especially if students fail to adapt to the physical and mental changes of online school.

When the maximum daily recommended screen time for teens is three to four hours, it is concerning that students now have to adjust to at least seven hours of screen time a day. ?Most of us are not used to using our devices for eight hours, so when you're working in the classroom and you have homework on the computer too, it just adds to the fatigue,? English teacher Adrien Alsobrook said.

With students constantly glued to the screen, spending about five hours on average on phones alone, battling the effects of screen time is even

screen times can cause headaches, irritated eyes and blurred vision.

Thankfully, there are many options students have to relieve their eyes, like turning on night mode, which reduces the amount of harsh blue light. ?Try to avoid eye strain. Make sure that you are blinking. Look around and move your eyes; this can be a little exercise to help them from getting so fatigued.

Check the lighting in the room,?

Alsobrook said.

Virtual school is introducing teens to what it is like to have a nine-to-five desk job, and with this experience also comes the threats of weight gain, high blood pressure and many chronic illnesses. ?I think not going to school definitely won?t be beneficial to our physical health since we sit around all day long. However, if we can?t even play sports

will have a major negative effect on students' physical health,? Anna O?Guin (12) said.

If students do not properly use their 15-minute breaks in between classes, they may not get the exercise they need and experience health consequences later on. ?Instead of plopping down on the sofa to watch a movie... walk outside, get some fresh air. Do something that is active to get your face and mind off of the computer,?

Alsobrook said.

Another consequence of the online school experience is a higher risk of mental health issues.

Before the coronavirus, depression rates were already higher than they have ever been in the U.S., but now many teens are almost completely cut off from their friends.

According to a Gallup Poll conducted in June, three out of ten parents

Because her senior volleyball season was cancelled due to the coronavirus, Gieselmann is concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the increased tensions between political parties. ?I see a huge divide in our country that seems to get bigger and bigger between the right side and the left side,? Gieselmann said. ?To be honest, I do not know which side will win in this election, but either way, I think the conflict and division in our country will continue to increase.?

With the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, there has been an increase in racial tensions from talks about police brutality, Black oppression and White privilege.

With this movement comes protesting, sometimes

turning to rioting, which is an issue on the forefront of many voters?minds. ?I am concerned over the violence and failure of the rule of law in cities with riots,? Phebus said. ?If the next president cannot end these in some way, there could be greater unrest and possibly a civil war, though that is an extreme.

The next president must settle the current unrest and ensure the nation can still function under new COVID guidelines.?

Though they may have strong opinions, some choose not to be outspoken about their political beliefs.

Gieselmann may not post about politics online, but she still chooses to use her voice and speak out. ?I am not afraid to speak my mind on political matters,?

Gieselmann said. ?I am

consequences

concerned and interested in politics, but I am not active in any organizations.?

Social media platforms have played a huge role in how voters receive information about ongoing political topics. Through clever infographics, memes and public releases, political information, whether true or false, spreads like wildfire.

Hitching chooses to share some of her opinions through her social media platform. ?... I share information about political topics and educate myself about how the government works, but I don?t participate in politically active groups,? Hitching said.

Though these students may disagree about candidates, stances and parties, they all agree that registering to vote is important. Using one?s vote to project one?s voice is a critical tool, especially for this younger generation.

of online school O?Guin said.

GETTY IMAGES//PUBLIC DOMAIN

Although switching to online school was no doubt the best way to avoid the spread of the coronavirus, the effects of virtual school are still concerning. Increased screen time can lead to obesity, vision issues, chronic back pain, poor sleep and impaired cognitive function.

complain that their child faces emotional or mental harm being away from friends. ?The lack of social interaction is what makes it unbearable. When we were in school, sometimes just getting to talk to my friend for three minutes in between classes could brighten my day. But now I don?t get to see any friends, acquaintances or teachers the entire school day,? O?Guin said.

Adding to this, many students find themselves

extremely stressed trying to complete all the work assigned to them before the 12 a.m deadline. This may be because it is now easier for teachers to assign work in large quantities. ?Other students and myself have felt a greater strain of class and homework since online school has started. Some teachers seem to be assigning more work than they usually would which is definitely not what anyone needs right now,?

Virtual school has made it even more important for teens to find ways to stay mentally healthy. This could be something as simple as listening to music or exercising. ?To stay mentally healthy, I think it really depends on the person. Personally, I rely on my faith to help me, but others may want to explore meditation, mindfulness and/or therapy. Having friends and family close by always helps too,? O?Guin said.

One thing that many parents, teachers and students can agree on is that online school was the safest choice, even with all of the consequences. ?I am glad that the decision was made to go totally remote. It would have been a matter of time before there would have been exposure to COVID-19.

Keeping teachers and students safe should be the number one concern,? Debby Howell-Maroney, a parent of a White Station student, said.