Talisman vol 56 iss 1 December 10, 2020

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TALISMAN a student-edited newspaper

Self care, like an evening walk, during the pandemic page 6-7

Benefits of Sports page 5 Sheldon High School │ 2455 Willakenzie Rd. Eugene, OR 97404

Distance Learning page 9 vol. 56 │ iss. 1 │ December 10, 2020

2 December 10, 2020

opinion

the Talisman

What happens to a gun violence epidemic during a pandemic?

Sofia El-Shammaa page editor As of October 15, 2020, there have been 501 mass shootings in the United States in 2020, already surpassing the 417 mass shootings in 2019. Gun violence-related deaths have more than doubled in the past year, from 15,208 to 33,726. This raises some eyebrows---most mass shootings happen in crowded places, like schools, places of worship, and businesses. During quarantine, nearly all of those places have been shut down. So why is the gun violence epidemic increasing rapidly?

Some experts point to what is called the “Ferguson effect.” The name comes from the 2014 shooting of Micheal Brown, a black man murdered by the police, in Ferguson. The Ferguson effect states that protests against police brutality makes police officers more unwilling to do their job. However, many other experts believe the opposite: civilians have more distrust in the police after high-profile police brutality cases, and are therefore less likely to call the police out of fear, or even hatred.

Senior Chloe Driver said, “There is definitely nationwide distrust of the police force, and that has a large effect on things like this.

I think, however, it’s a lack of preparedness for situations like these. We’ve been in quarantine since March, and I think it’s affected how prepared we are for shootings.” Driver, along with others, point to the unique situation of our quarantine. Even in other pandemic situations, guns have never been as advanced. And even in other pandemic situations, there hasn’t been such a political divide. The political centre has almost disappeared.

Needless to say, things aren’t ending well. Or perhaps we’re not having a good beginning.

For instance, as said by sophomore and former Students Against Gun Violence (SAGV) CoPresident Helen Creswell, “He [Kyle Rittenhouse] committed more crimes than killed two people.

And I hate how our ‘law and order’ president wants

to completely neglect that… He shot three people for no reason. He wasn’t ‘defending property,’ he wasn’t defending anyone because there was no reason.” Creswell is referring to Kyle Rittenhouse, a white 17-year-old, who killed two and injured one during protests for Jacob Blake. The victims were Anthony Huber, 26, and Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Gaige Grosskreutz, 26. Grosskruetz was shot in the arm, but survived. Grosskreutz was a street medic who was well known to frequent protesters in the area. He helped treat those wounded by cruel tactics used by the police, such as rubber bullets and tear gas. Huber and Rosenbaum were protesters.

The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (or ACLED) has confirmed that 97% of Black Lives Matter protests are, in fact, peaceful, despite what Donald Trump and various conservatives have said. However, the damage has already been done. Not only has there been a dramatic increase in gun violence, but also in gun purchases. In late spring, more guns were bought during that time period than

illustration by Sofia El-Shammaa

ever in a similar amount of time in recorded history.

It seems like America is accelerating towards a future that many thought wasn’t possible: one more enamored with guns than it already was. However, not everyone thinks that’s the case. For instance, now that Joe Biden has been elected, plenty of people in the pro-gun control community are very excited.

“If you look at the two of them [Trump and Biden].

Trump barely has anything on his campaign website, but Biden’s got this whole plan.” said sophomore Stella Hergenreter, another founding member of the SAGV. As we step into an uncertain future, we are all hoping for the best, but only by acting can we achieve change. Background checks and gun safety regulations are important to a safer future that America can reach with lots of effort.

social media and mental health

the Talisman

December 10, 2020

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Is social media good for mental health?

Lucy Dale editor

It is no surprise that young people today are in love with social media.

Some of the most popular platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Despite its prevalent use, is social media really the best for kids’ mental health? Social media can be a double edged sword. Junior Ethan Quesada said, “People could comment on things I post that can hurt me in an emotional way, but at the same time it can affect me in a positive way if they say something nice.”

The majority of students believe social media is a positive thing in their lives. It allows you to connect with new people and to stay in touch with friends and family who live far away. Social media is a good way to spread awareness for events and concerns for the community. But do these positives outweigh the negatives?

Many studies have shown that social media use has been tied to increased rates of anxiety and depression. Health teacher Ann Hettick said, “Youth are set up to become addicted to [social media] and then feel badly about themselves due to the overwhelming power of self-talk.

Mainly, negative self-talk…. which we are biologically wired to listen to more than positive self-talk. Overall, I feel the trends are harmful and cause youth to falsely compare themselves to other false comparisons… ending up in a mess of self-doubt, feelings of worthlessness, and anxiety.”

Hettick is very concerned with the mental health of students attending Sheldon and strives to remove distractions caused by social media in her classes. While classes were still in person she offered a “phone hotel” where students could put their phones down for the class period and charge them.

Senior Caitlin Ewing joined her first social media platform at age eleven, which is the average age that kids today open their

photo and illustration by Lucy Dale first profile. She has since closed a majority of her profiles and has been off social media for almost three years. She said that while she was still on social media,“I found myself comparing every aspect of my life and therefore my worth to other people. My followers were equal to my friends, my likes equal to my importance and worth.”

This feeling of self worth is common, because social media platforms create a numerical value to its users. This is damaging to many kids and young adults who begin to see their only value as a person as that numerical tally of likes and followers.

As we have more and more time to spend on social media, we must be sure to take care of our mental health.

This means putting the phone down and staying away from the pressures that social media can cause for extended periods of time. It may be surprising how staying away from your phone can increase one’s mood and help someone’s mental health.

4 December 10, 2020

sports during the pandemic

the Talisman

Water polo continues to persevere Audrey Chamberlain staff writer It’s not easy playing a high-contact sport like water polo when the players have to observe social distancing restrictions in the pool. The Sheldon season was cancelled.

In fact, in-pool practice wasn’t even an option for the first half of the summer. Players had to substitute with dryland practice. It wasn’t very popular with the team, Junior Bergen Walker said, “I understand why we had them, but there aren’t a ton of ways to emulate the effects of water exercise. I also have VCD, along with connective tissue disorders so it wasn’t the easiest on my body and lungs. I still attended, but it was rough.”

Sheldon players now have an option to practice with Eugene City Water Polo, but all tournaments and games have been cancelled. This has taken a heavy toll on the team. Senior Celia Van Den Wymelenberg said, “I don’t have words for how badly I want to play a game right

photo by Audrey Chamberlain

now.” Practice alone can’t give players what they want from the sport.

Social distancing guidelines have made it difficult to do drills. Players have to swim in one-way lanes. Passing and shooting wasn’t even an option for the first part of the season, and even now is still tightly controlled. Practices are short, only an hour long, which doesn’t allow for nearly enough time to do the limited drills available to the team.

The short practice times and limited contact with other players has affected the players’ social lives. The Sheldon team has always been very close, and being apart has been challenging for all of the players. Senior Sophie Ulm said, “This pandemic has helped me realize how much I rely on my team; they are some of the best people I’ve ever met and it was really hard having little contact with them in the beginning.” The team used to do team dinners, movie nights, and other activities together. That is not an option anymore, so some of the players have been delivering care packages to teammates and are trying to plan some sort of socially distancing gathering. Unfortunately, it is just not the same. Social distancing seemingly makes water polo

impossible, but the players have been able to stay on the bright side.

Van Den Wymelenberg said, “I just hope that the team gets a season next year, I have come to terms with the fact that I will likely never get my senior season, but the juniors, sophomores and freshmen deserve to have one.”

While water polo is limited for now, the players still have hope that things will get better, and that kind of optimism is what will keep the team strong through the challenges that COVID has thrown at them.

Doing socially distanced practices is hard for the team, but the players have kept in mind the important reasons for following the COVID safety guidelines. Ulm said, “I think that the six-foot social distancing requirement is good; just because we are in a pool doesn’t mean that COVID isn’t still happening or that we are safer than any other team.”

Ulm’s statement is corroborated by one from Walker, who said, “I’m high risk due to my health, and so is my family. But I’m careful, maybe a little overboard... Better safe than sorry.” It has been crucial for the team to recognize that their sacrifices are for a reason, and that everything they are experiencing will hopefully be worth it.

Sheldon water polo team members (L to R) freshman Abbie Kidd, junior Bergen Walker, and sophomore Madeleine Hoke pose for a socially-distanced photo at practice at Amazon Pool.

Sports are back - well, sort of Zach Carter staff writer Sports are back! We know that sports mean a lot to the Sheldon community, and so we have asked different Sheldon students about how important sports are to them and the community. Sports are able to get kids together to have fun while also getting exercise. Sports are great for young kids because it gives them opportunities to make friends at an early age and shows them how to work as a team. We do not know for sure if high school sports will be happening yet but what we do know is that some teams are getting together for some practices or scrimmages. For example, the football team is having a 7v7 league so that they can continue to play with the team.

Professional sport leagues, such as the NFL are having players and coaches getting COVID tested every day, so

in theory they shouldn’t get it, right? Wrong - players and coaches are still tested positive for the virus which is very concerning. Even with all of the positive tests, the NFL is still having games be played. Is it a good thing or is this a mistake to continue playing? There are many people who are concerned and not happy, but for the most part people are happy that sports are back and they get to watch their favorite team in action. Senior Cameron Mirabile said, “I think continuing to play sports is a good idea because the players are consistently getting tested so there is a very low risk of an outbreak happening with a team.”

The entire 2021 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will be held in one location. The NCAA said it is in talks with Indianapolis and the surrounding metro area to be that location. This would be great for college basketball because this may be the only way to have a postseason tournament. While Oregon Basketball was set to open the 2020 season hosting Eastern Washington on November 25

at Matthew Knight Arena, but that game was postponed due to two Eastern Washington starters testing positive for Coronavirus.

With Kate Brown’s new guidelines, don’t be surprised if we don’t see Oregon basketball play for another month or two. Junior Cole Benson said, “I would really hate to see Oregon’s season get postponed because I have been waiting to watch them play ever since the end of last year’s season got cancelled.”

We are still not sure if high school sports are happening or not but many student athletes here at Sheldon are eager to start playing their sport again. Senior basketball player Nash Kuykendall said, “I am very hopeful that we will have a season. It doesn’t need to be a long one; I just want to be able to enjoy my senior year with my teammates. It would suck if I wasn’t able to have a senior night because that is a game that you will never forget.”

As you can tell, sports mean so much to so many different people. It gives a sense of freedom when you are doing what you love and all of your problems seem to disappear, so sports coming back is a huge win for many people.

benefits of sports

the Talisman

Life as a college athlete Ella Thomas staff writer The life of a college athlete is one of the most physically and mentally challenging experiences, yet one of the most rewarding. According to former Oregon Duck safety Aaron Thomas, “The best years of my life came from my experience with Oregon football. I made my lifelong friends through the program and [had] experiences that will serve me well in life.” Thomas raved about his experience.

He also described the hardships he dealt, “Balancing school with practice six days a week honestly sucked.”

Thomas was a political science major who graduated in ‘88. He played football all four years, until being sidelined by tearing his ACL and meniscus.

Being a college athlete during current times adds a whole

new dimension to a student athlete’s life. According to Kenady Leighton, a freshman soccer player at Colorado State University, “My experience has been not quite how I always imagined, but we’re making the most of it!” All student athletes at Colorado State are tested weekly for COVID-19, many being forced to quarantine. The athletes still fight on, attending practices and weight lifting sessions in a safe and socially distant manner.

Ex star Oregon football player Lavasier Tuinei said “The college football experience was a time period of fun and growth.” Tuinei was a major component to the powerful Oregon squad; he even won the defensive player of the game at the Rose Bowl. He says that Oregon football opened up so many opportunities for him to follow: he practiced with the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots after college, catching passes from Russel Wilson and Tom Brady. He now uses his popular name in the area as well as expertise from his football career to train local athletes through MVP Performance Center, making a very successful and respected business for himself.

Through all of these different perspectives and stories from different collegiate athletes, the great parts and the difficulties really shine through. The experience is suitable for some, but definitely not all. It takes so much sacrifice, work and dedication to make the dream of being a college athlete work. Especially during these crazy times, the job of a college athlete is much more stressful and unknown. The sacrifices do come with rewards though.

After having an experience of being a college athlete you have an even wider range of career opportunities through doing what you love. So in the end, the hard work you put in all pays off; relationships, memories, accomplishments are made that will last the athlete a lifetime. photos by Ella Thomas Two Oregon football games are pictured here.

The 2019-2020 season ended with Oregon beating Wisconsin 28-27 in the Rose Bowl.

December 10, 2020

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Sports help students Josh Merriman staff writer Have you ever wanted to know what affect school sports have on students? Sports for students can be a safe haven, somewhere that they feel comfortable, and accepted. More coaches now than ever are making a huge impact on students’ lives in helping them become better people on and off the field. Freshman and student athlete Luke Leighton said he likes school sports because “I like being outside and doing something, being around my friends, and just letting my feelings go.”

High school coaches all across the US are changing the lives of their athletes on and off the field. Freshman and student athlete Jake Jankowski said, “Coaches make a huge impact on my academic performance, and they just push me and teach me to give everything my all.”

Coaches help athletes push through tough situations and athletes can correlate what they learn on the field to everyday life activities.

Sports help players physical/mental health outside of sports, helping them learn leadership skills, it helps them set academic goals, and just all around helps them demonstrate self-respect. Freshman Isaac Peters, who is a football player at Sheldon said of his favorite part about sports, “I like that we all just have each other’s back, and just forming a bond with your teammates.”

Sports not only help students have a successful mindset but they also help them with time management, having to deal with practice, and game times. Overall, students learn a lot from sports on and off the field/court.

photo by Josh Merriman Sophomore Jake Taylor (R) and senior Hayden Bass participate in football practice.

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December 10, 2020

self care

Self care takes many forms Meghan McMahan editor-in-chief Everybody has been dealing with the effects of this long-lasting pandemic. However, each person is dealing with it in their own way.

Some are making masks, picking up a new instrument, or blocking out more time for their favorite hobbies. Self care has always been important, but being stuck at home has made it more so. Spending some time doing activities that you like is great for your mind, body, and soul.

Junior Emily Mitchell has been going through it these past few months, as everyone has. She started out not liking last spring’s version of online school. The chaos was overwhelming, and her parents and dog were away at her grandparents house because it was easier to do online work there. She was dealing with a lot of stress. Then she started making masks. Although Mitchell got frustrated with the sewing machine, masks were fun to make and she felt good about helping other people.

She also started listening to one of her favorite podcasts about her faith.

Mitchell said, “It has been super beneficial to my mental health and it really helps to just de-stress and stay calm.” Mitchell has also been dealing with all of her new (and difficult) classes. Hearing from her friends that junior year is the “best/ worst year of your life,” she’s sad that it can’t be in person. But she’s happy that she has more time to spend with family, more time to go on vacations, and plenty of time to get all of her work done. Her advice to her past quarantine self, or to anyone dealing with stress is to

remind yourself that things may be difficult right now, but they will get better.

Senior Celia Van Den Wymelenberg has picked up playing the guitar and has been practicing physical exercise to take care of herself. Originally, she enjoyed the first few weeks of quarantine because she got to stay home, there was no school, and there was more time to spend with family. However, being the oldest of six children got stressful quite quickly. So far, she has enjoyed online school, even though technology is an occasional struggle for her and her teachers.

Being a senior, Van Den Wymelenberg has found herself worrying about the future. She is excited about getting out to college, but also worried because she doesn’t want to stop being a kid. During quarantine, she started playing guitar to escape her mind as well as continuing to play piano. She said, “Music has always been a great outlet for me; it’s so easy to get lost in it practicing for hours, which was really nice during the first few months of quarantine when we were making the really tough adjustment to the ‘new normal.’”

Along with using music as self care, Van Den Wymelenberg has also been keeping up with her physical activity to keep taking care of herself. Her best tip to fellow students is to take breaks. During regular school, the bell schedule had breaks made for students for socializing while walking to other classes. With online school, it’s hard to know how to take breaks when there is no socializing or places to go. The ten minute break that students are given could be used by going to the bathroom, getting some water, grabbing a snack, taking a moment to connect with family, video chatting with a friend, or maybe a quick walk with a pet. A walk around the house, a breath of fresh air, a dance party in your bedroom, or any physical movement can make you feel recharged and ready for your next task.

Mountain biking is a sport of off-road bicycle riding. Senior Kyle Rirodan has a passion for the sport and he has gotten the chance to spend more time doing it during quarantine.

Mountain biking has always been one of his favorite hobbies, and he got to learn about it more during these times. Riordan learned how to make his own frame for his bike. Although Riordan is not very stressed about school and life, he still finds time to take care of himself. To him, self care is allowing yourself to pursue your hobbies. Riordan has kept mountain biking a consistent priority in his daily life for the past few months.

Self-care is a very important health component. Everyone takes care of themselves differently, but it’s important to take time for yourself regularly. This year has not ended up how we expected it to, so it’s important during these times to keep pushing through.

illustration by Tawny Thomas

Junior Emily Mitchell makes masks. Senior Kyle Riordan rides his bike. Senior Celia Van Den Wymelenberg plays her guitar. photos courtesy Meghan McMahan

self care

December 10, 2020

Strive for personal growth

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Tawny Thomas editor

“One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” - Abraham Maslow As Maslow said it so well, his idea that each and every day must be a choice to fulfill your best interest, he simply uncovers one of the great secrets of life. The ability to actively choose the reality we want to create for the day ahead of us is a beautiful freedom - one that seems to be underappreciated. The concept of waking up each morning and having the individual ability to choose our attitude toward the world is immensely empowering. People seem to get so caught up on the conveyor belt that life drags us upon. However, in doing so, we give up our birthright to inner happiness, joy, and self love. In a world so magnificent, we ought to experience the beauty gifted to us, even when times are challenging. Instead of allowing ourselves to surrender to such conveyor belts, we must do ourselves a favor and fill our lives with happiness, joy and self love in order to live life to the fullest.

Sheldon graduate Jaya Clausen said, “Now that things are difficult, more specifically in 2020 [with] Corona, I find myself working harder for my goals.” With this being said, one might relate to this directly. With so much going on in the world around us, staying determined to achieve what is important to you is one of the most significant goals to prioritize. Lack of self prioritization inevitably leads to the downfall of our mental health and well-being. In order to rise to the top; in order to devour the tastefulness of life, we must remain determined to choose ourself and our goals first. Otherwise, one might beg to ask the question; how does living for other people’s needs before your own serve any purpose? As time and experience have proven, we must fill our own cup before we fill anyone else’s, and in order to do so, starting by staying determined to achieve our goals isn’t a half bad idea.

Graphic designer and former Sheldon student Brooke McClurkin said, “I partake in waking up early, going to the gym, and doing art or DJ-ing. The amount of time I have, with the changing effects of this time period influenced

by Covid-19, has added about two extra hours of personal time to my day. There’s more mental well-being because I don’t feel like my time is crunched.” With an emphasis on “mental well-being,” one can agree that having a more self-indulgent schedule has benefitted almost all our lives to be more individual to our personal interests and passions. A heap of stress, obligations and extra time-consuming tasks have been eliminated from our daily lives due to so many societal modifications within the last year, leaving the perfect opportunity to adapt our schedules to prioritize our individual needs. Putting an effort to get to the things we enjoy, but had previously put on the back-burner due to such high-demand life-styles, has shed light on the fact that having the ability and freedom to explore new interests and hobbies lights up our hearts and souls. Having no other choice than to focus on things that serve ourselves is one of the silver linings bestowed upon us by our life-changing acquaintance, Coronavirus.

For a lot of us, this time period has pushed us far beyond our comfort zones. Junior Lily Koenig said, “ I feel like quarantine has really forced me into getting to know myself… I like to write, think and talk to my friends… I try to prioritize my health.” As Koenig mentions this, it brings to mind the comparison of those experiencing quarantine in our daily lives; it seems as though we are all coming to the conclusion that enduring the societal changes Coronavirus has brought forth is teaching us all to value ourselves and our time a little more. Koenig being completely spot on, brings off the point of us being forced to know ourselves in a deeper sense.

This experience has been mutual among the whole world; with the greater amounts of time we have on our hands, the deeper relationship within ourselves mutually forms. This allows us to shed light on the things we really enjoy and even the things that make us more complete versions of ourselves, like writing, thinking and deepening the relationships with those we care about, as Koenig empathized.

Quarantine life has left us emotionally and mentally raw. Yet, it has left us no other choice than to personally get familiar with this concept: hard times cause drastic change. The inevitableness of this is somewhat uplifting when contemplated thoroughly. Whether or not this year has been pleasant for individuals, each and every person has grown tremendously during these challenging times. The effects that Coronavirus has left on the world is the mutual growth we’ve all endured. It has brought the world closer, having gone through something so foreign to the once-normal ways of the collective society our world knew. Growth. Healing.

Learning. Time to ourselves. Isolation. Hardship. New opportunity. Chaos. Miracles. All of which have been presented to each of us during this year. Our world is changing, and so are ourselves each and every day, so once again, consider this: “Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” In the words of Maslow, choose to soar above whatever hardship you may face, make beauty of it, and experience growth and let it whisk you away into becoming the best version of yourself. Stay safe, stay strong, and create the life you deserve no matter the obstacles you face.

8 December 10, 2020

online education

the Talisman

Online learning is tough

Teachers adjust to teaching online

Gracie Parosa staff writer Most people believe quarantine and online school seems necessary, but will online school ultimately benefit students? School has always been an important aspect of

Jaylen Gaboriault staff writer

children’s lives. It’s where they learn, they grow, and they make gains in lots of aspects of their lives. But with online school, does it make it more difficult for struggling students? School helps students with social aspects of their lives, it helps students make friends and learn to go out into the world.

But if we take away that from them, are we setting them up for failure?

Senior Jaiden Duke thinks that online school is making it harder for students to ultimately learn and achieve academic goals. Duke said, “Being a full IB student makes it very difficult to complete assignments. Online school has made it harder for us seniors to even finish the year.”

Duke also stated, “With our senior essay coming up it makes it difficult to take the time to balance the school work and talk with our teachers at office hours.”

Freshmen seem to have this distance learning the hardest due to their lack of experience with high school and the workload. Freshman Colby Parosa said, “It’s difficult to attend the Zooms when I have low motivation for the work.”

Football is Parosa’s passion and due to the current situation at Sheldon due to Covid-19, he has been upset and not feeling as work oriented. Parosa said, “I am attending IHS and it is difficult doing many group assignments online due to other students not completing their portions of the work or just goofing off in breakout rooms.” Another factor is that it makes it more difficult to talk one-on-one with teachers during distance learning.

With all the challenges of distance learning, students hope that things get better soon.

2020 has been a weird year for everyone, and it has been especially hard on teachers. Most teachers have been teaching in person for their whole careers and now all of a sudden are tossed into the middle of a Zoom and Canvas formats.

Sheldon teacher Mike Washburn said, “I think the biggest difference is not seeing students every day.”

This could make things hard on students as well because having the ability to simply turn a camera off can allow students to get distracted by everyday things like their phones.

When asked if the transition from summer to school was difficult at all, Washburn said, “Yes it was; we didn’t get into our Canvas accounts until two weeks before school started.”

This shows that the success we’ve had this term was put together by a hardworking staff and an excellent student body.

Sophomore Grafton Robinson works on schoolwork in his study space at home. photo courtesy Grafton Robinson

photo by Gracie Parosa

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distance learning

the Talisman

December 10, 2020

9

Online learning tips

Jessica Johannesen page editor

photo by Jessica Johannesen

The Coronavirus pandemic has had an effect on many things, school being one of the most significant. Due to Covid-19, most Oregon schools are closed for in-person learning and have moved online. This has caused a major shift on students’ everyday lives as learning that was once done in person is now all of a sudden online, which comes with its struggles. Although things get tough, there are many things that can help.

One thing that is extremely helpful for online learning is finding a good way to stay on top of your work. Investing in a planner is a great way to do so because it helps you stay organized. Senior Makayla Dreyer said, “I use a planner to help me stay on top of my assignments. I also do my homework for the day right away after Zoom so it’s out of the way.”

Completing work right after it is assigned is a great strategy because the information is still fresh in your mind.

When it comes to your at-home learning environment, having a quiet place to do work can be very helpful. Trying to complete schoolwork in a noisy environment can be very distracting and keeps you from doing your best work. Senior Sophia Calevi said, “I do school work in either my bedroom at my desk or in the office next to my room. I think switching locations definitely helps

because if I didn’t change up where I did my homework, I feel like my days would feel even more repetitive than they already do. Having a quiet place to study is extremely important because it helps me focus.” It is also a great idea to switch up where you do your work as it can improve your headspace and can lead to better motivation.

Although the switch to distance learning has been a difficult adjustment, it is important to stay focused on your work and make sure you are staying on track.

Since there is definitely an increase in distractions while doing schoolwork at home, it is especially important to take steps towards keeping yourself dialed in. Senior Meg Hubbs said, “If you want to succeed in your online learning experience, start by engaging in your class by participating and following along. Also try to stay off of your phone during Zoom because it helps you stay focused and eliminates distractions.” Doing so will allow you to produce your best work.

Even though the transition from in-person learning to distance learning has been anything but easy, there are many ways to make it better and less stressful for yourself, including implementing the usage of a planner into your daily life, starting your schoolwork as soon as it is assigned rather than waiting until the last minute, finding a quiet place to work, and engaging in synchronous class time.

Dealing with distractions Grafton Robinson staff writer In a traditional school environment students would have minimal distractions, but with online learning, where students are learning from their homes, the environment isn’t as ideal. In terms of distractions, Sophomore Brock Thomas said he is dealing with, “My family doing things around the house that are loud and distracting.” He keeps his door closed and gets everything he needs for the day before school starts so he doesn’t have to leave his room. Another important thing for students is to have a designated work space for school that is fairly isolated so they can give all of their attention to the work they are doing.

Sophomore Zach McEwen said he does not always have enough time to finish the work handed out because of sports and other extracurricular activities. McEwen talked a lot about how the best skill you can have for online school is time management: “If you don’t have good time management skills you will find yourself behind very quickly.” This is a very important statement to listen to because a lot of students are struggling with having to be more thoughtful of having enough time to get everything they need done before it’s due.

A vital part of online school are breakout rooms.

Breakout rooms give kids a chance to discuss with students in their own groups without a teacher there. This is

something that is very important to school because it can be hard to ask for help in front of the whole class. With breakout rooms you can just ask a peer. Sophomore Ayoni Nunley stated something that a lot of students have been struggling with: “A lot of times you will join a breakout room and not a word will be said until you get back to the class.” This problem is very common because sometimes students can be too shy to be the first one to talk.

Things some teachers are doing are taking off late penalties for assignments or not making them as harsh, giving students more time to turn in work than they usually would in a normal school environment, and trying their best to check in on kids with low scores who have missing assignments or frequent absences. Most students are very appreciative of these efforts, and know that the teachers are trying their best to help students be successful.

Sophomore Colten Garges said, “I was way behind on a lot of assignments and my teachers would send messages to me through Canvas and have Zoom call meetings to get me back on track.”

As of now students will continue to adapt to their environment and learn good habits to succeed in an online school environment. Hopefully, students will soon be in a different environment such as a hybrid class schedule, where communication will be easier and students can get more work done distraction free, with help from classmates photo by Grafton Robinson and teachers in person. Hopefully, due to the circumstances we are in now, students can learn some new things that Gandenn Robinson (left, grade 7 Cal Young MS) they would have never learned before in a classroom. and sophomore Grafton Robinson at home.

10 December 10, 2020

jobs and clubs

the Talisman

Students finding jobs during Covid Alex Seydel staff writer Getting a job has always been a stereotypical nightmare for high schoolers. As one of their first introductions to adult life, it can be challenging. Now imagine having to do that during a global pandemic. Unfortunately, a lot of students are having to do just that during the hectic year of 2020. One example is senior Reece Morgan, who’s spent a lot of this quarantine hunting down jobs. Morgan looked at many places such as Chipotle, Old Navy, Starbucks, and attended multiple interviews. He finally landed. Morgan said, “They pay really well and were also somewhat desperate for employers at the time.” Like for all businesses now, Morgan had to comply with the COVID safety rules and wear a mask, keep a safe distance between himself and others, and make sure surfaces are well kept and sanitized.

Luckily, getting used to his job wasn’t so difficult for Morgan, who said, “The training was long and I had eight hour shifts, but [supervisors] were very patient with the learning process and treated newcomers well.” Morgan also learned more about interacting with customers and helping guests with activities such as handing out masks to photo by Alex Seydel people who didn’t have one. He also learned about Target’s Senior Reece Morgan stacks merchandise when contactless shopping system, and other customer service operations. After working at Target for a couple months, he worked at Target earlier this trimester.

Morgan decided to move on due to reasons of his own and hopes to work towards a more remote job that he could do at home such as selling products to companies.

When it comes to helping students set up careers and getting ready for college, Sheldon’s own Kim Johannsen knows the most about it. As one might guess, with her role as the College and Career Readiness Director, Johannsen’s job has been quite different during the pandemic.

Going from face to face interactions to online calls from home has been a defiant challenge. Johannsen said, “Since we have been home and away from the building, everything I do is strictly through email and Zoom. The personal interaction is gone and I miss it very much.”

Although there have been some big challenges to Johannsen’s job, it still hasn’t stopped her from giving great advice to students. In terms of if it is a good idea for students to look for jobs even if it would risk exposure to the virus, Johannsen responded, “I would never encourage any student to risk themselves and their health in any way.

However, with a 99.9% recovery rate [for age group 0-19], this virus is beatable. If a student needs a job to support her or himself during this time, I would be happy to help them find one in any way I could.”

Times are tough right now and every single one of us is finding a way to push through. Johannsen’s biggest piece of advice for students is to push forward and “wake up every day with a purpose.”

School clubs still a way to get involved Aaliyah Gaboriault staff writer

School clubs are a great way to get involved in your school, and there are many benefits that come with joining them. When you join a club, you join a group of people you grow to love and trust after spending that extra time with them. Junior Mikey Newell said, “My favorite part is the people in it; they are the reason I feel we are making a difference and because we trust one another.” You get to spend a lot of time with people that have the same passion or interest as you. There are multiple clubs already created at Sheldon so you have a lot of options if you’re thinking of joining one.

Other than meeting new people and finding something you enjoy to do, another benefit of joining is it looks great on college applications. Colleges like to see students be involved in their school and becoming a member of a club is an easy, fun way to do so.

Clubs have a great environment so it’s easy to be comfortable when you join one. Sophomore

photo by Aaliyah Gaboriault

Chiloh Straub said, “Yes, absolutely everyone is welcome!” Clubs gladly welcome newcomers and encourage people to get involved in one. They are a great way to make new friends and find new interests or passions to enjoy.

Junior Piper Sugg said, “My favorite part about being in the art club was being able to express myself through my art and I really liked being able to make some decisions about the mural.” With all of the variety of clubs it is easy to find one you love where you can feel comfortable and express yourself. They are a great outlet for thoughts or ideas you have, plus if they don’t already have a club for your interest it’s super easy to create one.

Joining a club is highly recommended because it’s an easy way to find people who share passions for things, they look good on college applications and they’re a great outlet.

the Talisman

radio

December 10, 2020

11

Do students listen to the radio anymore?

Holden Eastman editor

With on-demand streaming services becoming more popular by the day, especially among younger audiences, entertainment has never been more personalized. The music industry serves as one of the most prominent examples of on-demand services becoming ever more popular. However, even with newer services like Spotify and Pandora claiming their stake in the entertainment industry, radio is still alive and thriving across the nation.

KRVM’s General Operations Manager Stu Grenfell stated, “We have a wide spectrum of listeners, comprised of people who love good music and have grown tired of corporate radio. Age breakouts are somewhat dependent on the appeal of particular shows (over 35 different programs, in a wide variety of musical formats), but our audience in general would fall into the 35+ age demographic, with a fairly even balance between men and women.”

“The 4J School District provides us with building space, and the station is self-funded other than that,” stated Grenfell. Support comes from three primary sources: approximately 40 percent from Listener-Member contributions, 40 percent from Business Underwriters,

and 20 percent Grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.” KRVM asks that their listeners donate to the radio station in order for them to retain their independence and avoid corporate influence.

Nevertheless, many individuals prefer newer services because of the difference in what is provided. Senior Aidan Thorn stated, “I think radio is pretty much the best radio is going to be; comparing it to streaming services is like apples and oranges.”

Thorn also stated, “It’s the difference between picking out and playing music you like versus having someone else pick out the music and share bits of news with you, sort of like if you had a friend picking the music in the car who was also an amateur news anchor.”

The kind of music that people like to listen to is often a deciding factor for peoples’ listening choices. “I prefer to my taste more often than not,” stated college freshman Samson Vanderpool; “Experimentation is important, but sometimes you just want your comfort zone.” With so many genres ranging from pop to rap to country to jazz, streaming services hold an advantage to many individuals that are not able to find their specific music taste on AM/ FM radio.

While streaming services hold an advantage with providing listeners with music suited to them, there are still people out there who enjoy the variety offered by many radio stations. Hopefully, people will be able to find a way to enjoy both mediums without feeling the need to choose one over the other.

photo by Hoden Eastman

Help longtime Sheldon math teacher and coach Scott Wright and his family in his battle with Covid-19.

Senior Reece Morgan stacks merchandise when he worked at Target earlier this trimester.

Donations help with ICU care, transportation, family accommodations, rehabilitation, and other expences.

gofundme.com/f/miracle-for-scott photos courtesy Elizabeth Clark

Coach Line (R) and members of the Sheldon football team gather in support of Coach Wright.

Run by students, for students.

Jessica Johannesen Holden Eastman

Lucy Dale

Meghan McMahan Frontpage Editor Sophia El-Shammaa Opinion pg.2 Editor Lucy Dale Social Media and Mental Health pg. 3 Editor Greg Cantwell Sports During the Pandemic pg. 4 Editor Greg Cantwell Benefits of Sports pg. 5 Editor Meghan McMahan Self Care pg.6-7 Editor Greg Cantwell Online Education pg.8 Editor Jessica Johannesen Distance Learning pg.9 Editor Holden Eastman Jobs and Clubs pg.10 Editor Holden Eastman Radio pg.11 Editor Meghan McMahan Backpage Editor Meghan McMahan Editor-in-Chief Greg Cantwell Staff Adviser Staff Writers: Zach Carter, Audrey Chamberlain, Aaliyah Gaboriault, Jaylen Gaboriault, Allie Hutton, Josh Merriman, Gracie Parosa, Grafton Robinson, Alex Seydel, Ella Thomas Tawny Thomas

find The Talisman on ISSUU.com cover - photo by Josh Merriman backpage - editor photos as marked

Sophia El-Shammaa

Follow @shs.talisman Meghan McMahan