The Booster | March 2021 | Volume 94, Issue Four

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THE BOOSTER

SCOTTSBURG HIGH SCHOOL VOL. 94, ISSUE 4 MARCH 2021

Love is...

Students show, explain how love manifests itself in their lives | pg. 8 story by Deegan Cornelius | photo by Abby Doriot

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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the booster Scottsburg High School

500 S. Gardner Scottsburg, IN 47170 812.752.8942 www.theboosteronline.com Volume 94, Issue 4 March 2021

Co-Editors-in-Chief Isabela Diaz Abby Doriot

Business managers Deegan Cornelius Justice LaMaster

Page designers Jocelyne Allen Hailee Bowen Hailey Christoff

Staff writers Jazmin Collier Catherine Rose Alyssa Williams

Online editors Hailee Bowen Catherine Valencia

Adviser Sara Denhart

The Booster is published as a forum by the newspaper students at Scottsburg High School. Each issue is available online. The Booster is a member of Quill and Scroll and the Indiana High School Press Association.

Letters to the editor must be signed; names will be withheld upon request.

The staff reserves the right to edit letters due to length, libel, privacy or copyright laws as long as the meaning remains unchanged. Editorials and reviews are staff opinions and are not the opinions of the faulty, administration or school.

OUR CREDENTIALS & AWARDS SISPA Newspaper of the Year 1998-2011, 2013, 2016, 2018 Hoosier Star Award Winner 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016

ON THE COVER Love manifests itself in many ways.

People show their love through actions, words, shared memories, and self-expression. Senior Cherydan Hyden sat in a tattoo artist’s chair to add the handwriting of her mother and her mother’s birthstone-colored flower over her heart. She did this to honor her mother, and her mother had a similar tattoo done to honor Cherydan.

COVER PHOTO | ABBY DORIOT

Letter from the Co-Editors-in-Chief

Our lives pass by in a series of key moments.

These moments in time hold a special place in our hearts and minds as we value and remember our loved ones and spending time with those loved ones. While some people look at photographs to remember these moments, others get tattoos in remembrance of their loved ones.

We may remember in different ways, and it is

Opinion

important to realize what brings us all together.

We all may come from different backgrounds and have different experiences, but we all want to remember our loved ones and special experiences.

We would like to ask our readers for suggestions in the content you would like to see. We value our readers’ opinions and would like to

say that any given input is valuable to our staff.

For anyone wanting to suggest ideas, feel free to contact us at our email at booster@scsd2. k12.in.us or through social media.

Sincerely, Isabela Diaz & Abby Doriot

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3 Cornelius’ Corner Future plans stress students Learning at home adds challenges The Way We See It 4 Fact or cap

news 5 Before getting the COVID-19 vaccine 6 SHS leaves New Tech Network 7 District cancels snow days Prom moves to June

fEATURES 8&9 Tattoo You 10 Humans of SHS 11 What is love?

Working full time while completely online

Photo by: Lily Walsh

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Sports 12 Pandemic impacts athletic budget Sports programs starting earlier might lead to P.E. programs Sport camp pros, cons for athletes 13 Athletes miss fans cheering Seniors reflect on final games 14 Athletes debate on starting sports at early age Boys basketball 15 Girls basketball Cheer 16 Wrestling Swim sburgbooster

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Photo by: Hailey Christoff

Photo by: Jazmin Collier

1.) Homecoming king Treyton Owens (12) and queen Kady Clancy (12) remain in shock after winning this year’s crown. 2.) Senior Morgan Newman cheers during the homecoming game in Meyer Gym; the crowds and cheerleaders were limited this year due to the pandemic. 3.) U.S. Representative Trey Hollingsworth (R-Indiana) spoke to teacher Jason Bagwell’s psychology class this morning about what is happening in Congress and the nation.

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OPINION CORNELIUS’ CORNER

SHS should add martial arts Deegan Cornelius staff writer Whether you are learning for self-defense or for sport, martial arts can be a great way for people of all ages and sizes to be trained mentally and physically.

In many martial arts, students are taught core values such as determination, responsibility, sportsmanship, and discipline. Those core values can give high school students big advantages after graduation, whether it is in their workplace, or in their home lives.

Martial arts can also be very beneficial for high school students and adults to stay active, serve as a form of self-defense, if ever in a situation where it is needed, and also give students or adults an outlet to release stress.

Physical education classes already teach students different sports such as basketball, soccer, football, and others. Adding a martial art — for example, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — could teach students about a different culture and sport while also keeping the students active and exercising. Many schools have a program similar to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu currently in the form of wrestling. If a sport such as wrestling is commonly accepted as a sport, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu should be accepted as well.

Some martial arts, like boxing and taekwondo, contain sparring that could potentially harm peers. Instead, they could be taught on proper training equipment (pads, training dummies, etc.), and not require the use of sparring or striking upon another student.

Giving students different opportunities to find a skill or talent can help students learn more about themselves and adopting a martial art can give students one more opportunity to try something new. Some students at SHS actively participate in at least one martial art, and schools should look further into martial arts for the future of high school sports.

Future plans stress students Staff editorial Students often feel the overwhelming stress of being told they need to grow up and grow up fast. Upon entering high school, students feel the pressure to have pathway for the rest of their lives picked out and feel the pressure to go to college immediately after graduation in order to have a successful life.

In Kindergarten, schools and parents begin pressuring their student to figure out what they want to do with their future lives. The focus on the future leaves little time for children to enjoy being children. Children should spend time socializing, finding a passion for learning and being curious about the world around them.

Parents and schools should shield the pressure students feel to grow up too fast. Children have not had the chance to mature and develop, let alone have the ability to choose what they will do after graduation.

Having too much pressure to grow up from the start of a young age could lead to future issues, such as people-pleasing and workaholism.

In most cases, parents tell their child to start think-

ing about their future and what they would like to do in the future. The advice rings both true and false.

While as students grow up, they find interests in a variety of things. Students should know what intrigues them. Often, parents pressure their students into a specific career or what the parent believes will result in financial success for their child.

However, a difference remains between leading and guiding a child in one direction and having the child do what their parent wants them to do. Instead of being constructive, the choices made by these adults can have more of a destructive side.

One of the main goals parents and schools have for children after graduation focuses on the student being successful, independent, and mature. These people play vital roles students’ eyes.

We, The Booster staff, believe not only do parents make impacts on students, but teachers do as well.

An adult’s help should not consist of degrading the child’s choices or lack of choices. Parents and teachers should help their student achieve the child’s goals and dreams, not the adult’s. Adults should consider whether they help or hurt the student with their comments, guidance, or direction.

Learning at home adds challenges Hailee Bowen staff writer This semester has honestly been one of the toughest ones yet. As someone who tested positive for COVID-19, I felt missing classes to prove challenging. Making sure we stay safe and healthy along with school work, students feel so much stress that it can make students not want to work.

One reason that online learning becomes difficult for students stems from some of the Canvas modules lack organization. When students quarantine or switch to online learning, instructions for work becomes more difficult to comprehend as we have to carefully read the instructions and other materials provided. When students have classes in-person, they have teachers with them while they work on class work and have the ability to ask questions and have further explanations given to them. Students also

have the opportunity to listen to other students’ questions while in-person, so if they did not think to ask questions then someone else in the class may have instead.

Being at home causes a great lack of motivation when it comes to online learning. Even though students have the same amount of time and workload, it seems like more work. With the amount of responsibility, reading, and workload, students’ minds can only handle so much before they go into panic mode.

To me, it seems teachers do not understand that; it seems as if teachers think students only have their class to do work for.

School should not cause students to have mental breakdowns every week. While high school prepares students for the real world after graduation, the amount of responsibility on students’ shoulders differs from what parents and teachers remember of high school. Students have to worry about school and not worry about COVID and spreading it.

THE WAY WE SEE IT

Users can learn from TikTok videos Ellie Bryson guest writer I am on my phone more than anything. I use my phone for everything, but the one app I use the most is TikTok. TikTok is an app where people post videos that can be funny, sad or informative. I love watching TikToks where they cook. I love learning new recipes and trying new things.

I am a huge procrastinator as well, so I am usually on TikTok if I am not doing my work. But, it is not all procrastination: Some of the content on TikTok can help me with my school work. During part of my school day, I am at Prosser for nursing; the class work and tests there can be pretty difficult. Some creators on TikTok are in college for nursing or went to college for nursing. I have had so much help on how to prioritize my study for school, even regular English and math classes.

TikTok can also help me with everyday life or adulting situations. I do not know too much about my car, so I am always asking my friends who do.

However, sometimes they are busy and cannot help me right away. Since I’m on TikTok a lot, sometimes a video about how to change your tire, jump start a car, or change your oil can be found on there. Many different accounts on TikTok exist just to help viewers fix things or know more about them.

TikTok can help me stay current on things going on in the world or in the country, such as the forest fires, the BLM protests and the presidential election. I know a lot of people think the internet is full of “fake news,” but platforms like TikTok have actually taught me about things happening in other parts of the world that news stations do not have time to broadcast.

I can say I have learned so much from TikTok and will continue to do so. TikTok is more than just entertainment; it can teach us about community, more about our interests, help with real world scenarios, and staying educated about the topics that matter to us most.

March 2021, Issue 4

Opinion

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OPINION FACT OR CAP

Conspiracy theories make truth hard to discern online Isabela Diaz co-editor-in-chief Over the years, conspiracy theories thrive in wondering minds and fall where truth and misleading details meet. From the “Birds Work For the Bourgeoisie” to the Mandela Effect, many wonder what is fact and what is fiction.

TikTok, an everyday, rising social media platform that has influenced many people’s perspective on a number of topics, can help popularize conspiracy theories. These online creators do not require accountability or credibility to change one’s mind, just a TikTok account and a catchy video.

Conspiracy theories boil down to propaganda.

Propaganda moves beyond government wartime movies, videos, or Rosie the Riveter, but it infiltrates people’s everyday lives. The propaganda the world sees today online still promotes a particular point-of-view, works to change behavior, and motivate action even though some of the information ends up being misleading, biased, or false. Propaganda makes discerning fact from fiction difficult.

Because of the power of social media, people can create targeted ads with biased information or misinformation and coordinate efforts to change ideas

and thoughts about a specific topic, group, or fact.

For example, personally, TikTok has made my opinion on a lot of subjects change, such as the exaggeration of Helen Keller’s achievements.

As we all know, Helen Keller was blind and deaf.

She did many astounding things throughout her lifetime. From properly learning how to speak, to learning five languages, to flying a plane, one can say she was truly an American hero and national icon. What if someone told you some of her achievements are overly exaggerated? Like flying a plane. It is a lot different to have someone sit in the nose of the plane and maybe touch the steering wheel for two seconds than someone grabbing the controls of the plane and steering it for 100 miles. Or the fact she knew five languages. How can someone who barely knows how to properly speak English be able to speak five other languages? For that matter, who could have taught her other languages and how to speak them properly?

Because of the lack of modern technology, only one video recording of Helen Keller seems to exist.

In this video she stands with her teacher, Anne Sullivan. Keller speaks only a couple of sentences, and it is very evident that her speaking was very impaired, almost incoherent. The video led me to read many articles stating that Keller was very well at speaking.

Photo by: “Helen Keller 1948” | uppityrib | CC BY 2.0

Fact or cap: High school students doubt the existence or achievements of Helen Keller, pictured above in 1948, through internet conspiracy videos on TikTok.

Hearing with my own ears how she spoke, can these details be an exaggeration of her life?

Do not get me wrong. I believe anyone can do any-

thing. I certainly believe that she learned Braille and did many of the other things stated about her life. Words may be forever, but an exaggeration is an exaggeration. It just bothers me that one may never know the truth about this national icon.

When users find themselves on an app they typically trust because users’ friends and family post most of the information they see, users become less likely to question what they see. People do not click on the majority of links posted online; they only read the headlines, misleading or not. Users share away without thought or checking it.

Because people receive news and information from a variety of sources and not just credible news sources, misinformation becomes rampant, making conspiracy theories more popular and widely shared as truth. The wrong information can lead to dangerous misinformation, such as Pizzagate, QAnon, 5G technology, and COVID-19 vaccines and denial. The important focus in all of this remains in checking the sources and the information. Find information from credible sources and not just in videos posted by random users. Just because something appears first in Google searches, trends on TikTok or YouTube, or aligns with one’s worldview, it does not make it true.

Famous theories

Conspiracy cult

The Mandela Effect, an unusual phenomenon where several people recall something differently than how it originally occurred, was named after the erroneous belief that activist Nelson Mandela died in prison in the 1980s.

Mandela died in 2013 as a free man. Mandela Effect theorists believe the false memories show alternate realities exists, but psychologists said the Mandela Effect proves the brain uses memories and other elements to make something make sense to humans, whether the information has truth or not.

What started as a conspiracy theory has blossomed into an entire community. QAnon, occasionally referred to as Q, began with in 2017 on a message board. The message said Hillary Clinton would be arrested; the source claimed they had security clearance within U.S. government to make themselves sound credible. However, no arrest was made.

The group pushed its agenda into social media, such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, creating videos posted online. The videos became popular, especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as people spent hours online trying to find out more about virus. QAnon featured videos of conspiracy theories, such as making claims that politicians and celebrities work with global governments to commit sexual abuse against children and how 5G cellular networks spread the coronavirus.

QAnon has roots in anti-establishmentism and focuses on religious conspiratorial thinking. People who affliate with QAnon feel society has failed them, they stop trusting experts and institutions, and start trusting less credible and reliable sources.

Popular mistakes:

1. “The Flinstones” vs. “The Flintstones” 2. “Looney Toons” vs. “Looney Tunes” 3. Mickey Mouse with a tail vs. no tail 4. “Coco Puffs” vs. “Cocoa Puffs” 5. Mr. Monopoly with a monocle vs. without a monocle 6. The Berenstain Bears vs. The Berenstein Bears 7. C-3PO has a silver lower leg vs. entire golden body 8. Febreze vs. Febreeze

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Opinion

March 2021, Issue 4

NEWS Before getting COVID-19 vaccine Hailey Christoff staff writer

Facts

In Indiana, any resident ages 16 and older becomes eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine comes at no charge.

Anyone younger than the age of 18 must receive the Pfizer vaccine.

To schedule a vaccination appointment, call 211 or go online at www. coronavirus.in.gov/vaccine The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved three different companies to make the vaccine: Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. The government continues to review the trial information from AstraZenca’s vaccine even though parts of Europe have approved it.

Not all vaccines have the safe efficacy: Pfizer and Moderna have proven up to 95 percent effective. These vaccines are two doses, scheduled three weeks apart.

Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine comes as a single dose. It has an efficacy of 74 percent.

All of the vaccines protect 100 percent from hospitalizations and provide less severe outcomes if one contracts COVID-19 after being vaccinated.

Myths Side effects of the vaccine feel worse than the actual disease.

No need to get a vaccine if it is not 100 percent effective.

Preservatives used in the vaccine cause autism.

All of the recipients will no longer need to wear a mask after receiving vaccine.

If a participant is pregnant and receives the vaccine, the unborn child will be harmed.

I had COVID-19 earlier this pandemic. I do not need the vaccine.

Getting the COVID-19 vaccine means one gets COVID-19.

March 2021, Issue 4

News

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NEWS

SHS to leave New Tech Network next year Justice LaMaster staff writer After a decade of being part of the New Tech Network, Scottsburg High School will sever ties with the national organization based in Napa, Calif., but will keep the key tenets — project-based learning, community service, and school culture — that New Tech has ingrained into the Scottsburg High School community.

“We decided we did not want to make a quick decision and spent time thinking about it,” Principal Chris Routt said during the Scott County School District 2 Board meeting on Feb. 23. “Going forward, we will not join the New Tech Network. Teachers who teach at New Tech will still be teaching at Scottsburg High School. Teachers will still be teaching PBL, project-based learning.”

French teacher Ondra Couch, one of the original and current New Tech teachers when the first New Tech class started in 2010, said New Tech’s culture pushes beyond project-based learning. The culture focuses on respect, trust, responsibility, family and real-world involvement.

“I’ve been a teacher in the New Tech program for the last nine years, and it will always have a special place in my heart. I was able to create some amazing, authentic projects with my students. My favorite project came from our World Perspectives class (who are now seniors) where we raised money for a water purifier to be placed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa. That was amazing,” English teacher Tiarra English said.

“We are working to bring that strong sense of culture that New Tech has to the whole campus at Scottsburg High School,” Routt said during the school board meeting. “Next school year — assuming we are in a post-pandemic school year — we want to have the whole campus involved in community service.”

The discussion about moving to one learning management system versus using two started last spring, Routt said. When the school decided to use Canvas alone and not Echo and Canvas, the talk moved to leave the New Tech Network altogether. Each year, the school pays about

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Photo by: Abby Doriot

Keeping what we love: Even though SHS will leave the New Tech Network for the 2021-2022 school year, Principal Chris Routt wants to keep the culture, project-based learning and community service that Scottsburg New Tech High School has become known for during the last decade. Above, the New Tech building houses nine New Tech teachers’ classrooms. Students walk to and from the two buildings each day for classes and meals.

$16,000 to the New Tech Network to be part of the national network, according to school board minutes.

Couch said another reason to leave the New Tech Network works as a way to create a unified campus, where all the teachers work under one roof, one building.

“We have been told that a major reason is we all need to be safe under one building and not divided under two, which promotes student safety. We were also told that when we are in two buildings it divides the staff and does not promote good staff culture,” Couch said. “They also told us that we could still teach our project-based learning; however, we were still to be eventually put in the main building after construction takes place at the main building.”

“While we’ve made some unforgettable memories as a program, I am excited to be a part of the whole campus. There are a lot of kids I

News March 2021, Issue 4

haven’t had the opportunity to teach because we have had two separate programs. By having one campus, I will get the opportunity to teach more kids and that’s exciting. The New Tech program ending is bittersweet for me,” English said.

While the decision to leave the New Tech Network will start for the 2021-2022 school year, some Scottsburg New Tech High School graduates took to social media, even creating an online petition, to keep the high school part of the New Tech Network.

“As an Education Major at Hanover, I cannot count how many times I have given praise to New Tech in my classroom or explained what New Tech was, and the bonds it creates between people,” graduate Brittany Cunningham said on a Facebook post. “New Tech teaches more than just the normal curricula, it teaches students about real-world scenarios. From working with others, taking responsibility, creating roles in a

group, being able to publicly speak and present amongst peers are just a few of the things New Tech does.”

On Feb. 3, Cunningham created a Change.org petition, where 250 people supported her cause and 328 people signed the petition, to “Give New Tech a Voice.”

“Lots of students reached out because they were taught to have a voice and they used it. It wasn’t just the A-average students, but all students. I am very proud of them to have come together because it was like their last real-world project. They were ready to do whatever it took,” Couch said.

Although the New Tech program is coming to an end, Couch said she will always take what she has learned from this program and will use it in her education career.

“Sometimes it’s hard to let good things go,” Couch said.

NEWS District cancels snow days, replaces days with eLearning Abby Doriot co-editor-in-chief Scott County School District 2 decided to implement eLearning days for snow days and next year, the school district calendar will have no built-in snow days.

“Historically, if you missed a day, you made it up. In other words, you tacked it on to the end of the school year or used makeup days.

Presidents Day, or spring break for us, you would add those days in. In extreme conditions, it was actually added to the end of the school year,” principal Chris Routt said.

Now, instead of tacking days onto the end of school or using makeup days, Scott County schools will operate on an eLearning schedule using Google Meet sessions.

“Technology has emerged and we’ve shifted everything to Canvas for our sake. We can pretty much continue what we’re doing from home. The dynamics change a little bit because those days we’re going to ask you to be on a Google Meet. It’s no different than walking into a classroom with the teachers there,” Routt said.

Many teachers and students enjoy the use of eLearning days for snow days because they allow people to stay connected and invested in their work like they would be on an actual school day.

“I enjoy using snow days for eLearning. It is a way for me to connect with my students and still have the ability to teach even though we can’t be in school,” English teacher Angela Bray said.

For some people, it is not just the connection between the students and staff that helps promote the idea of eLearning snow days.

“I think it is a great way to keep everyone safe on snow days. I enjoy not having to be concerned with driving to school or getting stuck at school with a dangerous drive home,” French teacher Ondra Couch said.

Others, however, miss the old snow days and want to be able to go outside and enjoy the snow.

“I definitely miss the old snow days. When I was little and we didn’t do eLearning, I remember waking up and being excited that we had a snow day because we didn’t have to do anything other than play or chill. Even though it helps us in the long run, I still miss being able to be a kid and have fun in the snow,” ju-

nior Kennedy Stivers said.

Implementing the eLearning days in place of full snow days will eliminate the previously set snow makeup days that had been built into the school calendar. Next year’s schedule will not have any built-in makeup days, including the extra week of spring break. Because of that, school will dismiss for the summer before Memorial Day. “I’m really looking forward to getting out of school earlier. Those last few weeks are always rough, especially when most of the other schools around us are already out of school,” junior Johnathon Perkinson said.

While regular snow days are a thing of the past, these new “snow days” have become a way to ensure that students and staff stay safe and productive during inclement weather.

Prom moves to June in hopes to allow more capacity Abby Doriot co-editor-in-chief

Prom will move about two months ahead of its originally planned date of April 17 to a Thursday night in June, following graduation. The hopes of moving prom to June 10 will allow more students to attend in light of the same global pandemic that canceled prom last year.

“The concern about prom in April — prom was originally April 17. As of right now, Floyd County’s capacity is about 100 kids. Well, if you do the math, there are more than 100 kids that want to go to prom. So, the capacity restrictions were too unpredictable right now. We’re hoping by June, the restrictions will be lessened so that we can have more capacity,” Principal Chris Routt said.

Not only would the capacity situation

become a major problem if prom were held during the school year, but the other issue would remain with quarantining after prom ends and students would return to classes. Contact tracing would prove difficult as people dance and socialize together inside a venue at prom; one would not know who to quarantine if someone contracted COVID-19.

“The second reason, and probably one of the most critical reasons, is if one person at prom had COVID, it would quarantine everyone there. You could potentially take 350 people out of school for two weeks,” Routt said.

While two key issues of having a prom in a pandemic would become easier to control by moving prom to after graduation, other questions remain, such as who will be allowed to attend prom, how will discipline work as students have graduated, how many people can attend prom, and would dates from other schools be allowed to attend prom.

Photo submitted by: Abby Colson

Prom in a pandemic: Last year, prom was canceled due to the global pandemic. Some students, like Abby Colson, took photos at home.

“I don’t know about any specific guidelines just yet because it really depends where we are, like orange or red. That would deter-

mine what the specifications are for prom.

The same people can still go, though. Juniors and seniors can buy tickets, so if a freshman or sophomore wants to go, a junior or senior has to buy their ticket,” said Tiara English, English teacher and class sponsor.

Along with prom, after prom will continue but with the COVID-19 twists students have come to know since the beginning of the pandemic.

“As of right now, everyone will have to mask up. We’re in the process of figuring out entertainment stuff for it. It’ll be here at the high school, in the gym like it’s always been. It’s going to be $10 per person, and I’m going to start selling tickets whenever prom tickets go on sale,” said Angie Richey, SHS secretary and after prom committee member.

Even with the changes to prom, students should remain optimistic as at least a prom will happen unlike last year.

March 2021, Issue 4

News

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Features

Tattoo You

Getting inked gives deeper meaning to personal moments, memories

Photo by: Isabela Diaz

Deeper meaning: Science teacher and assistant varsity volleyball coach Alex Johnson shows her tattoo on her wrist. The tattoo represents her last name and has the year she was born.

Her sister has a similar matching tattoo. Their entire family went to watch the sisters get their tattoos when Johnson was 21. “It ties us to our native name,” Johnson said.

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Features

March 2021, Issue 4

Features Students get tattoos to remember loved ones Deegan Cornelius staff writer Tattoos, a form of body art, can serve as an outlet for many people. Students use tattoos to tell stories and share life experiences all while keeping their tattoos aesthetically pleasing.

Senior Tristian Rowland got his tattoo on his forearm in remembrance of his aunt Kim who used to be part of the high school newspaper. His aunt died when she was only 16 in a fatal car accident. Rowland got this tattoo done in the summer of 2020 in her honor.

“She is family. It drags me down knowing I never got to meet her. I got her date tatted to represent respect and love. She was taken way too early, and my tat is the only thing of her I have to keep,” Rowland said.

Sophomore Madyson Richey had an interest in getting a tattoo, but she could not find a reason to get one.

“I had always wanted a tattoo but never found a good reason to get one. My great aunts and grandmother were very close before the eldest two passed. We all like butterflies and flowers, so it seemed fitting to get a combination of both,” Richey said.

Richey had the tattoo placed on her shoulder.

Senior Cherydan Hyden got her first tattoo in middle school.

“I was really open about it,” Hyden said.

At the time, Hyden played sports, and the adults watching her play did not like the idea of Hyden having a tattoo.

“A few of my teammates’ families were against it,” she said.

But, Hyden does not regret it. All of the tattoos she has have a deep personal meaning to her.

With the first tattoo, Hyden decided to have one word put on the base of her neck where her shoulders start — continue, but the “I” was replaced with a semicolon. The semicolon, like when used in punctuation,

means the writer could have ended the sentence but did not.

In this metaphor about mental health and hope, the writer or “author is you and the sentence is your life,” according to Project Semicolon.

“Suicide really affected my life,” Hyden said.

When she was in middle school before entering high school, Hyden remembers Austin Middle School student Alex Wolfe, who died in 2017. While Hyden did not know him personally, his story impacted her life.

“I’m really empathetic. I have a lot of friends who struggled with [suicide]. I have always tried to help people and be an advocate,” Hyden said.

Hyden’s latest tattoo was added at Halloween when she and her mother decided to get similar tattoos. The tattoo on her chest is in her mother’s handwriting, saying “I love you.” The line leads into a flower that is in her mother’s birthstone color.

“All of my tattoos are something I will always hold close,” Hyden said.

She hopes to get a new tattoo of a soundwave. Recently, Hyden found a DVD with her grandmother’s voice saying, “I love you, Cherydan.” The soundwave could be scanned with an app that will lead to the digital file of her grandmother’s voice telling her that special sentence.

Hyden said she also plans to get a tattoo of her younger sister’s initials behind her ear.

“I was old enough to take care of her,” Hyden said.

While each tattoo tells a story, the process to get inked comes with some pain and commitment. People can feel scratching, stinging, burning, tingling, or dullness while being tattooed, and depending on the size of the tattoo, the process can last hours or several sessions to complete.

“It was relaxing, but the last hour gave my

arm a little tingle,” Rowland said about getting his tattoo.

Once pushing past the pain, those getting their first or their fifth tattoo have a permanent piece of artwork that lasts a lifetime.

Tattoo trends Birth dates A popular trend in 2021, according to Tattoo Influence, for birth date tattoos.

With the losses of the pandemic, birth dates become a simple way to remember those one has lost or have importance in their lives.

Spiritual symbols While spiritual symbols have remained a constant in tattoo history, the prominence of the tattoo will become the trend. Common trending tattoos include mandalas, crosses, scriptures and sayings, and stars.

Nature With people spending more time outdoors when the pandemic kept the public at home or limited on travel, people found a new appreciation of the outdoors and nature. Plants, animals, and astronomical symbols continue to trend.

Visible Many people throughout the years have kept their tattoos concealed by clothing.

Now, the trend focuses on showing the body artwork. Thanks to famous actors, influencers, and musicians having highly visible tattoos, the trend continues in 2021.

Top photo by: Isabela Diaz Above photo submitted by: Tristian Rowland

Memories bring back you: Top, senior Cherydan Hyden got a tattoo of her mother’s handwriting and a flower in her mother’s birthstone color. Her mother get a matching a tattoo in Hyden’s handwriting and a flower in Hyden’s birthstone color.

Above, senior Tristian Rowland shows his tattoo he got in honor of his aunt Kim, who died at the age of 16. Even though never met her, Rowland still wanted to remember her always.

Simple lines In 2021, keeping the aesthetic of modern, clean lines bleeds into the tattoo word with minimal shading, thin lines, and clean appeal. The simple line option would make a good fit for anyone worried about pain as people spend less time in the artist’s chair.

March 2021, Issue 4

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Features HUMANS OF SHS Isabela Diaz co-editor-in-chief Abby Doriot

How COVID-19 affect students this last year

co-editor-in-chief

I

t has officially been a full year of COVID-19. It all started in March when we were so innocently dismissed for a week off of school, so the virus could diminish by itself.

However, as week after week rolled around, the world realized it would be more than just one week of being quarantined.

As this anniversary rolls around, students recall their experiences with the virus.

Mella’s story While some have not felt the full effect of COVID, many students and staff have tested positive. Junior Mella Neace is one of many who has previously tested positive for COVID. Of the five senses, smell and taste become noticeably affected by the virus. Many lose their sense of smell and their taste even after the effects of the virus have worn off.

“I lost both, but it changed my taste. Now, I can’t really stand to eat barbecue because that’s what I ate when I realized I had lost it,” Neace said.

Thousands of people have shared their experiences with their COVID symptoms that range from severe to mild. Neace had a mild case of the deadly virus.

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“I HAD A MILD CASE, BUT PEOPLE ARE DYING FROM THIS.” “I was weak. I had a fever and chills. I was really, really tired all the time, and I had no energy. I was constantly uncomfortable,” Neace said.

Like thousands of others who have tested positive, Neace’s journey with COVID-19 started with flu-like symptoms; she decided to get tested after someone in close contact with her tested positive for the virus. Because no one knows how the virus will affect them with some people feeling severe, life-altering effects and others being symptomatic, people still need to treat the virus seriously, Neace said.

“It differs with different people. I had a mild case, but people are dying from this. It is really serious and people need to know that it is,” Neace said.

Johnny’s story Many people have felt the strain of being quarantined this year, whether it was because they were sick themselves or someone around them who was ill. Some students, however, have had to be quarantined more than a few times.

Junior Johnny Perkinson, for example, has been quarantined three times now. While he has never gotten COVID-19, some of the people Perkinson was sitting around or associating

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with caused him to go into quarantine.

“I never actually had it; I just was around people that did. Two of them were people at school that I sit by or talk to and the other was a family member. I was actually out for a month at one time back around Thanksgiving time,” Perkinson said.

While the first few days of being home from school might have been a refreshing change of pace, the days soon started to drag on. To pass the time during his quarantines, Perkinson spent a lot of time scrolling through Netflix or sleeping.

“I didn’t really binge any specific TV shows or movies, but I definitely spent a lot of my time

watching different things. I just watched whatever was on at the time, really,” Perkinson said.

Another factor that played into his time at home was his schoolwork and online learning.

“I did not enjoy online school because I just don’t really like it. I feel like it’s a lot harder to stay motivated and on top of all your assignments when there aren’t any teachers checking in with you and making sure you’re actively working,” Perkinson said.

With all these drawbacks, Perkinson managed to stay on top of his grades and schoolwork.

“Though it was challenging, I finished all my assignments on time and kept my grades up,” Perkinson said.

Features What is love?

l ov E Abby Doriot

Hailee Bowen

Deegan Cornelius

co-editor-in-chief

staff writer

staff writer

Love is supportive and always there to pick you up when you fall. Love always has your back, and it is not afraid to stand up for you. It fights and argues but does not hold grudges.

Love is cookie days and Hallmark movie marathons. Love is early mornings for baseball games, cheering from the outfield. Love is sacrifices, compromises, long drives, and dance recitals.

Love is New Year’s sleepovers, with cook offs and card games. Love is Christmas scavenger hunts and bingo. Love is inside jokes and stupid fights. Love is snow days, sledding, chili, and homemade marshmallows. Love is Disney trips and birthday dinners.

Love is shopping trips, waiting rooms, porch visits, and sidewalk chalk. Love is church on Sunday mornings and trips to the Smoky Mountains. Love is fireworks and camping trips, sandy beaches and the St. Louis Arch.

Love is dance parties and babysitting, tickle fights and karaoke. Love is ice cream trips and designing dresses on Betty Body. Love is Wonder Valley and Holiday World. Love is Snapchat filters and funny faces, FaceTimes and thank you cards. Love is birthday parties and weenie roasts, ice cream bars and Mousse in a Minute.

Love is unconditional.

Over time, love has been unconditional.

Love is being there for someone no matter what the situation is. It’s being able to think about someone and just smile. It’s loving every single little thing they do. Love is an emotional roller coaster that causes you to be so attached to someone that you couldn’t see yourself with anyone else.

The person I love makes me feel like I have a purpose. He cares about me so much and always makes sure I’m doing OK. He knows how to make me laugh on a bad day and continues to support me in every decision I make. The person I love shares the same goals as me and the same humor as me.

He gives the best hugs and always tells me to have a great day after we see each other. He knows when something is bothering me and always talks things out with me. His smile is everything. It really makes my day better when I see him happy. He’s my best friend and boyfriend all in one. I’m so grateful to have him by my side for everything.

Validatory love.

Love is coming together to overcome an obstacle. Love is having one another’s back through thick and thin. Love is honesty. Love is forgiveness.

Love is the late nights and early mornings. Love is cooking out and mosquito bites. Love is silly arguments over card games. Love is early practices, bus rides and tournaments.

Love is the bonfires and messy S’Mores.

Love is road trips, the gas station stops and fast food restaurants.

Love is facing fears.

Love is shopping sprees and dining out.

Love is lake days and tubing. Love is fishing trips and backyard football games.

Love is trusting.

Love is celebrating the holidays together.

Love is warm, sunny days.

Isabela Diaz co-editor-in-chief

Every door opened, every smile given, every wave passed, love is there.

Love is patience. Love is kind. Love is hopeful.

Love is selfless. Love is unchanging. Love is caring.

Love is laughing. Love is being there, always. Love is all these things and so much more.

Love is unconditionally felt by every single one of us. Whether that be a football game, parties, chocolate, person, place or thing, we have all felt or feel love. My love just happens to be my person.

He makes me feel the way a sunny day feels on your skin. He makes me melt like ice cream on a hot summer day. He makes my stomach feel like it is my first time at an amusement park. He makes my hands sweat like a jogger who wears a tracksuit. He makes my legs feel woozy like I sat down criss-cross applesauce for an hour straight. He makes my hands shake like I am standing in front of a crowd about to give a speech, fumbling my paper in hand. He makes me feel love like I have never felt before. He feels like a win at a basketball game. He feels the way chocolate tastes. He feels like the first bite of fresh fruit. He feels like my head hitting a pillow after an all nighter.

He is by far my favorite thing to have ever been on this Earth. Without him, I would not remember what love is at all.

Students work full time while completely online Hailee Bowen staff writer

While some students have chosen the online option for school this year due to COVID-19 concerns, other students have chosen online school to put themselves into the workforce, full time or close to it.

“Working a full-time job and still having to complete my virtual classes really depends on if I have the motivation honestly. Sometimes it’s a struggle to do my work because I personally would rather sleep,” senior Cailyn Wells said.

For Wells, being an online student allows her to experience what it will be like working while tackling school.

“Being a virtual student helped me get a better full-time job because I’m actually able to work a full, eight-hour shift or longer. If I were to still be going to school I could only work roughly four to five hours a day,” Wells said.

Finding the balance between working at or near full-time and school challenges the online student to manage their time and have discipline and motivation to complete their school work after putting in a full day’s work at their jobs.

“It’s difficult sometimes working and going to school, but it pays off in the long run. I’m working full time so I can get a house on my own after high school. It definitely created some scheduling issues; it actually improved my grades,” senior Gabe Moss said.

“Being virtual allowed me to be able to work one job during school hours and then go to my other job afterward. It has impacted my grades a little.

They vary because of how I procrastinate sometimes, but I also make sure my school work is done before I go to work,” said senior Alyssa Lucas, who has two part-time jobs while going to school online. “It’s hard going to school and work both because you have to manage your time extremely well.”

Some students who have jobs feel more independent by working full time and have to learn how to manage their money to meet their financial goals.

“I decided to get a full-time job because I am currently renting out my own house, and I need to pay my bills,” Wells said.

“I decided to work full-time because I want to be able to buy and pay for my own stuff. It has also allowed me to start saving up for the future,” Lucas said.

Even though being an online student allows students to use their time as they see fit — whether they work full time, spend hours practicing to become a better athlete, or have an alternative schedule that might start later than the regular school day. Still, being an online student does not compare to being at school, in-person. “...I know that it’s a little more difficult trying to teach yourself how to do the assignments rather than having a teacher stand beside you and help you understand the assignment more,” Wells said.

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Sports Sports programs allow for greater physical activity for younger students Hailey Christoff staff writer

Photo by: Hailey Christoff

Supporting the team: The athletic department depends on ticket sales to sporting events for revenue. With restrictions on crowds and who could attend events, the athletic department suffered financial losses this year.

Pandemic impacts athletic dept. budget Hailee Bowen staff writer The COVID-19 pandemic not only impacted the audience numbers at athletic events, but it also hurt the bottom line of the athletic department’s budget.

“Currently, we only get what little money comes in the gate at home contests. On average under red advisory and limiting to just immediate households, we will lose almost $200 on average at each contest after we pay workers and officials. We have gotten a little sponsorship money but not much at all compared to previous years,” athletic director Jamie Lowry said.

Sponsors — local and area businesses and organizations — have been in a difficult situation themselves. Many businesses have not had their typical amount of business income, making it difficult to support others. However, the athletic department held a fundraiser to help generate funds lost due to spectator COVID-19 restrictions.

“We did have one fundraiser recently where I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a PS5 that we raffled off. That helped tremendously. That will help get us through the winter sports season,” Lowry said.

To allow fans an opportunity to watch the games this year, the athletic department teamed up with

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NFHS Network to host the games online. The streaming service provides a portion of its costs back to the athletic department.

“Our live streaming also gets us a little funding, but not enough to offset the loss of each home game.

Sponsors are very hesitant right now. Many haven’t responded back to me like they have in the past and the ones that have are either not sponsoring this year due to their budgets or have given a much smaller amount,” Lowry said.

The building back up of money is going to be a difficult road. The consequences aren’t going to be pretty, but it’s something that has to be done.

“There will have to be cuts and teams that were scheduled to get uniforms will have to wait a while longer to purchase,” Lowry said. “It’s hard to make up the loss of one major season though. We are planning a couple big fundraisers for the spring and summer that will hopefully get us back in the right direction.”

For the future, Lowry remains hopeful the fans will return as the pandemic resolves.

“I think you will see a slow return of fans when it opens back up,” Lowry said. “Many have subscriptions and may just watch the games at home now all the time. I know some fans are anxious to get back to the gym, field, etc to see their sports though.”

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In the last few years, Scott County School District 2 has made youth sports available to elementary students with the addition of basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, track and field, and soccer. The Scott County Youth Football League offers flag and tackle football for elementary students. Not only do these programs provide health benefits from exercise, but the elementary sports become feeder programs for high school sports teams.

With the changes to adding in school sports at a younger age, the evolution of physical education electives at a younger age might follow to allow younger student-athletes similar options of their high school student-athlete counterparts.

“I think physical education should start earlier. If you start it at a younger age then you are able to figure out what you like and what you don’t like,” said freshman Haley Thomas, who plays girls varsity basketball and softball.

“This way, you can have more time to practice your activity, and by the time high school rolls around, you should be prepared for anything.”

Currently, in high school, physical education becomes an elective unless a student fails the course or did not take the course in eighth grade. The high school physical education program offers elective classes with coed and female-only options in the recently remodeled weight room.

“I don’t think a PE program would be good for the high school. Students have the choice to play a sport or to take a weights class,” Carly Helton (11) said.

Helton said requiring a PE class would not be beneficial to those who do not need or want it.

While elementary students start their physical education journey with recess starting in kindergarten with time to play twice per day through fifth grade. Fourth- and fifth-grade students add in one physical education time to their rotation of specials offered to them,

such as music, art, library time, science. Physical activity improves one’s muscle strength, endurance, delivers oxygen and nutrients to one’s body, and promotes better cardiovascular health, according to the Mayo Clinic website.

“I do not think that increasing physical education should be increased, as there are things such as recess and other activities where elementary school students can get physical activity in,” senior boys soccer midfielder Jackson Campbell said.

Avery Lytle (11) said he recognizes the advantages of establishing a physical education program for students who want to better themselves, physically.

“It benefits students by getting them active throughout the day. This builds motivation and self-esteem,” Lytle said.

Although Lytle is not in the weights class, he does work out with the football team after school.

If the school could not establish a physical education program, Lytle said the school should have a designated time where all students do something active for 30 minutes a day.

“[Physical education] benefits students by getting them active throughout the day. This builds motivation and self-esteem” — Avery Lytle (11)

SPORTS Seniors reflect on final games Catherine Valencia staff writer

Photo by: Lily Walsh

Thankful to play: While athletes did not have crowds, cheerblocks, or a student section majority of the winter season due to COVID-19, many athletes were thankful to play as last spring, all high school sporting events were canceled due to the pandemic. Guard Allyson Barger (12) jumps through a hoop the cheerleaders made for senior night.

Athletes miss fans cheering during games Justice LaMaster staff writer The global pandemic caused many inconveniences for sports teams and their fans worldwide with restrictions on players, teams, schedules, and whether fans could attend games. However, the coronavirus could not break down the one key element of sports: school spirit and fan loyalty.

Although many people would prefer to be in the stands cheering on their favorite teams, loyal fans have found many other ways that people can support their favorite sports teams, such as watching live games online, sending an encouraging message to a teammate or a friend, or listening to the broadcasted games on the radio.

Girls basketball center Zoe Zellers (12) said personally playing a sport and having little to no fans in the stands can make it difficult; however, after a while, athletes get used to the silence and feel thankful just to participate in games. Some

schools nationwide do not have a sports season because of COVID-19 restrictions in their states.

Sophomore cheerleader Breana McCowan said the other cheerleaders and herself support the teams on the sidelines when they were allowed to attend games. Yet, she said only having 12 cheerleaders and their parents/guardians does not make the game very enjoyable or exciting for the teams.

Zellers said the COVID-19 guidelines make this sports season an unusual, history-making time to play. All teams are in need of support, she said.

“Everyone needs to go support any sport they can and be there for the players, especially the seniors, on each team. This is a hard way to end their final season here, so we need all the support we can get,” Zellers said.

Zellers said she works on being supportive for the boys basketball team because her brother, Wyatt, is a member of the team.

“I am actually able to attend some boys basket-

ball games due to my brother being on the team; however, there are some gyms that only allow two tickets per player. So, of course, those two would go to my parents. It’s really hard not being able to go to all the games I want to because I know I’ll be at college next year and won’t be able to see every game,” Zellers said.

COVID-19 might have caused tough times for loyal fans because they can no longer be as supportive to friends and family as they would like to, but the virus has also taught people lessons and provided more opportunities for other fans to watch the games from even further away.

“I think it has made me realize what I took for granted. I’m glad for the time I was able to attend any game I wanted to, but I have now realized just how lucky I was. Being able to attend sporting events is such a big part of your high school experience. So, to say it sucks is an understatement, but I know it’s best for the safety of the students and athletes competing,” Zellers said.

Playing the last game of one’s high school career feels bittersweet, wrapped in the positive memories and bonds they have made the last four years and the grieving feeling of playing the final game with the same group for the last time.

“Once the game started to come to an end and I knew it was my last, I was pretty upset,” girls basketball center Zoe Zellers (12) said.

These athletes get the opportunity to play the sport they love for the four years of their high school careers.

With the support of their families and friends, amazing memories and friendships are made along the way.

“I would describe my relationship with my teammates to be like brothers.” boys basketball guard Ryan Gibson (12) said.

Because players spend so many hours together, their teammates become another family to them. Senior baseball and football player Andrew Banet said athletes struggle to have to leave the people they have been playing with for so long.

“What makes me dislike playing my last game is knowing this is the last time I would take the field with my brothers,” Banet said.

Playing these last games feels like an emotional roller coaster as all of the emotions these players go throughout the season comes to an end. Between uplifting and joyous memories the players share, a dread and disappointment of having to go separate ways appears at the last game.

“The thing I hate the most is seeing all your teammates hurting. Every year, it was the same experience but this year was different. It’s so hard seeing them upset because they don’t want you to leave,” Zellers said.

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Sports Athletes debate on starting sports at early age Alyssa Williams staff writer Each year, children start earlier playing sports on an organized team or through a sports camp than they had in previous years.

With parents hoping their child becomes a top athlete by starting early, the price of starting too early or focusing on one sport alone can pose problems for some students.

At the same time, New York Times-bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell said it takes about 10,000 hours to master a skill, so starting early could result in an advantage for an athlete.

“There is more time to gain experience and skill in their certain sport. I started playing soccer at a much higher age than most of my friends, and I was lucky to catch up and

be an asset to the teams I am a part of,” said senior Jackson Campbell, who specialized in soccer in eighth grade. “If I would have started earlier, I most likely would be much better than any of my peers, and have more opportunities in playing college or semi-professional soccer.”

“I think there could be both advantages and disadvantages in starting sports, camps, lessons, and travel ball at a young age,” said freshman Haley Thomas, who plays basketball and softball. “The advantages of this is that you get to meet new people and have friendships for a lifetime.

The disadvantages of this is that it is a commitment. It takes a lot of time from you that you may or may not be wanting to give up.”

Specializing in one sport at an earlier age and playing at the sport year-round inten-

sively causes students and children to use the same muscle groups over and over. According to American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, the specialization in one sport might prove detrimental to students and children under the age of 12.

“Although physical activity is beneficial for overall health, sports specialization can increase the risk of injury and burnout, and decrease enjoyment due to excessive training. It also decreases an athlete’s ability to cross train and gain physical benefits from other sports,” the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine said in a statement released online in 2018.

Sophomore Katelin Conder said she experienced injury in fifth grade after attending a basketball camp.

“Well, everyone was a lot rougher than

me and I fell on my back and hurt myself a lot,” she said. “But I learnt how to throw a basketball behind my back and catch it.”

Attending camps, private lessons, and working with trainers can help athletes improve their game. Not only does sports help improve your game, but it requires student-athletes to have self-discipline as well.

“Since the practices or lessons are throughout the week, then that takes time away from you doing school work, so you have to be on top of everything,” said Thomas, who took lessons and played travel softball since the third grade. “It also takes a lot of time from your weekends considering that is when most of the tournaments are on. Some people are willing to give up their time, but some are not.”

BOYS BASKETBALL

Pandemic does not limit JV basketball’s winning season Catherine Valencia staff writer While having to deal with the downfall COVID-19 has provided challenges for all student-athletes this year, it has not made playing come to a full stop. Having the drive of wanting to fulfill all the goals the boys basketball team has set for this year is what kept their season moving forward.

“Our goal was to improve together as a whole team and not let anything get in the way of having a successful season,” sophomore Jacob Martin said.

Working together as a team involves having to build both mental and physical toughness.

With that comes not letting your guard down in both games and practice as well.

Growing together and playing games has helped the team achieve their goals and come out on top. Having good communication and

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sportsmanship is critical when being a team player.

The boys junior varsity team holding a record of 17-2 and the varsity has a 6-18. The JV team had an exceptionally outstanding season this year.

“This was the first year I dunked for my team and came out with 11 dunks,” Martin said.

Junior Hayden Cutter and senior Treyton Owens joined the 1,000-point club this season as well. The varsity team faced the Charlestown Pirates on March 3 during the Indiana High School Athletic Association sectional, winning 60-54. The Warriors fell to Madison in the second sectional game, 51-68.

The boys basketball team grew close, created memories, and excelled in the jobs they were put to do. While wishing they could have had a season where more fans could attend and they were not limited to certain times, it was yet again another unforgettable season for them.

March 2021, Issue 4

Photo by: Hannah Thomas

Jump ball: Warriors basketball forward Javis Roush (11) fights to take the ball from the Charlestown Pirates during sectionals. The boys won 60-54 to advance to play Madison.

SPORTS GIRLS BASKETBALL

Seniors look back over basketball careers Hailey Christoff staff writer With the close of the 2021 season, the girls basketball team leaves more than a season like no other with players moving online to keep the team healthy and playing, restricted spectators and other teams canceling due to COVID-19.

The season ends with the loss of a few prominent, senior members — these girls making the backbone of the varsity team — Allyson Barger, Kady Clancy and Zoe Zellers. As the season closed, the team learned from each other about loyalty and determination.

Clancy, the varsity team co-captain, said that having a passion for the sport is a key to success and keeping to the grind.

“Basketball has always been important to me in my life. It’s always something I’ve been passionate about and I’ve loved it ever

since I began playing,” Clancy said.

One of the best ways to show their passion is when Meyer Gym holds Senior Night since it is a senior’s last year of playing high school basketball. The event becomes a pinnacle to their high school career as seniors typically play their last home game that night.

“I think some of the best moments of that night was walking out with my parents and receiving all the thoughtful gifts the team made for us,” Zellers said.

The varsity team has an 8–15 overall record.

“Although we didn’t get the victory we wanted, we all still had a great time and got the chance to celebrate some good times together,” Clancy said.

Similar to the boys team, seniors teach the juniors, sophomores and freshmen how to treat the others as a family.

“Without sisterhood, there is no real chemistry on a team. Even if people don’t realize

it, you need team chemistry to win games,” Zellers said.

Many of the younger players appreciate the seniors because of their wisdom that comes with years of playing.

“I started playing at the YMCA when I was six,” Barger said. When it comes to being a team co-captain, having experience is essential, and Barger has had 12 long years of it.

For Sonya King (10), the seniors helped the underclassmen in preparing for the incoming eighth-graders. The eighth-grade girls basketball team ended their season with a 48-0 record throughout their middle school careers, winning three Mid-Southern Conference titles together.

“The seniors think we are going to be set for next year because the three of the upcoming eighth-graders are really good players,” King said.

King’s three-pointer moment has become something of a JV highlight, with the girls

earning a win of 36-35. JV team’s record is 11-6 this year.

Clancy mentioned how teaching about respect will help one’s personality in school and how they are perceived by others.

“I have been preparing the juniors by showing them how important it is to be a role model and a team leader,” Clancy said.

Clancy wants the rest of the Warriorettes to have an impact next season so that they can carry it with them for a long time.

For Barger, teaching how to deal with difficult situations becomes a lesson she would like to instill in her underclassmen teammates. The Warriorettes had several close games this season with a win against Charlestown and losses against North Harrison, Brownstown, Mitchell, Seymour and Jeffersonville.

“Personally, one of the hardest things to do during a basketball game is keeping calm during a close game,” Barger said.

COMPETITIVE CHEER

Cheer rolls with changes in competition due to pandemic Hailee Bowen staff writer Competitive cheer has had quite a season with only being allowed to compete by sending in a video of their performance. The team has been able to continue with somewhat normal practices and only making slight adjustments, “At practices, we have to wear masks at all times unless we are six feet apart. At practices, we still do the same stuff, stunting, practicing cheers, jumps, kicks, and learning new routines. We have competed in two competitions, and they were all virtual. I still enjoyed them a lot even though we couldn’t go to the actual place. COVID-19 has affected the cheer season

quite a bit but we are still thankful to be able to participate in competitions and cheer at games with the whole team together,” Brooke Hackett (10) said.

Although the competitive cheer team had to adjust to the new way of competing, many cheerleaders felt happy to be able to do what they love.

For senior Morgan Newman, cheering with the restrictions and changes allows her to cheer in a new way and the changes have become easier for her to deal with as the season moved forward.

“Practice has been okay and it is getting better with the masks. A lot of competitions are currently virtual only, yet some are starting to open

up to in person. Our routine was recorded in the cheer gym and sent to Varsity. It was still stressful considering you can still mess up. A big part of cheer is being loud and leading cheers — with the masks on it somewhat blocks the voice making it a little muffled to hear. I would consider that one big restriction,” Newman said.

However, for others the ‘new normal’ has become a difficult adjustment.

“At first practice, it was really weird because we couldn’t do the things we normally were able to do but now I’ve gotten used to it. I’m not really sure how competitions are going to look like,” Lily Walsh (11) said. “Right now, we are more focused on school cheer and trying to make the most out of this difficult year. It was

Photo by: Lily Walsh

Drawing in the crowd: Allison Zollman (12) performs during the girls basketball game on senior night. The cheerleaders were limited in when they could perform this year during games.

difficult having to wear a mask for our routine because it takes so much out of you but I consider it better than not cheering at all.”

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Sports SWIM

WRESTLING

Swim rises above challenges Catherine Rose staff writer Despite not having a swimming pool, having to leave school before the sunrise to practice in a pool nearly an hour away for only one hour each day, and living with the constant uncertainty of being able to have a season in the middle of a pandemic, the swim team took every challenge in stride, ending a record-breaking season with new school records and personal records achieved.

“I’m honestly not sure how many meets we’ve won this season. A lot of our swimmers are trying to beat our own records and get new PRs, but I know for a fact we did well in conference this year. We had eight girls swimming and got second place out of six teams. Major PRs and a school-record broken that day, we were so proud of ourselves,” senior Taylor Bottorff said.

Each morning, the swim team boarded a bus, leaving the school at 5:10 a.m. to drive 40 minutes to the Floyd County YMCA, coach Brandon Jerrell said. After the Scott County YMCA closed its pool, the swim team had to line up another pool. Last season, the team swam at Charlestown High School. Shortly after last season ended, the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the area schools with pools closed their facilities to outside teams and individuals. The swim team had to come up with another plan as this year’s season began; they had one option — drive to Floyd County to swim at the only available time.

“We were able to get about 50-55 minutes in the water each day before making it back to school at 7:45,” Jerrell said.

“Our swimmers were incredibly dedicated to have done this all season long. Despite spending more time on the road than in the pool this season, we saw a lot of success.”

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“At the beginning of the season, we weren’t able to swim at a pool so our very first meet was the first time we had been in the water as a team. I feel like we did very well as a team, given that we didn’t have very many swimmers compared to the other teams,” sophomore Emily Foster said.

Not only did the lack of a swimming pool, early morning practices, and longer bus rides than time in the pool prove as challenges on this season, but the lack of swimmers, specifically male student-athletes limited the team’s chances.

“I am incredibly proud of our team, but there is no doubt that COVID hurt us this season. Recruiting new swimmers was almost impossible with morning practices, and we lost several returning swimmers because of that too,” Jerrell said. “We desperately need a pool in our county. It is a true detriment for our community to have to leave the county just to swim. The years where we could laugh it off and say, ‘No pool, no problem,’ have passed; at this point it is just an embarrassment for our community. I hope our school, city, and county can come together and do something, or we are going to have an entire county that doesn’t know how to swim.”

Even with the lack of a pool and COVID-19 limiting pool options for the team, they still focused on setting personal goals rather than winning a meet.

“Everyone finished the season swimming significantly faster than when they started and setting personal records in their events. Even more impressive, our 200 freestyle relay team of Makayla Barger, Allie Schmidt, Emily Foster and Becky Foster broke the school record for that event three separate times, which prior to last year had been the longest standing school record. At sectional finals, that same team also broke the school record for the 400 free relay,” Jerrell said.

March 2021, Issue 4

Photo By: Gianna Lewis

Pin to win: Jayden Criswell (12) works to pin his opponent during the IHSAA sectional competition.

Wrestling team members qualify for semi-state meet at Jasper Deegan Cornelius staff writer The wrestling team ended with a Mid-Southern Conference champion and semi-state meet qualifiers. Jayden Criswell (12) was named the MSC champion this season for the fourth year in a row.

“I can’t express how thankful I am for everything this sport has done for me,” Criswell said.

Those who qualified for semi-state were Criswell and Kellan Carter (9). Preparing for a wrestling meet takes determination.

Many wrestlers will cut weight so they can be eligible to wrestle in their weight class.

Carter wrestles in the 113-pound weight class but naturally weighs 120 lbs.

“The weight cutting process was surprisingly smooth. There was a two-pound allowance after Christmas so that helped

a lot,” Carter said. “I had my weight controlled to the point where I stayed at a constant 115 pounds. But the weight cuts before the two-pound allowance to make 113 while being a natural 120 was brutal.”

After making weight, it is time for the wrestlers to face off. The mood of the facility the competitions are held in can be chaotic and warp a wrestlers mindset when preparing for a match, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, the mood changed.

“The environment of the state meet was calm,” Criswell said.

Looking back on the season and the obstacles that the team has had to overcome.

For some, being quarantined was the biggest challenge. “[The biggest challenge was] realizing that my senior season was over after not being able to reach my top goal,” Criswell said.