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Mask up Students, staff follow governor’s mask mandate to return back to school | pg. 8
THE BOOSTER
SCOTTSBURG HIGH SCHOOL VOL. 94, ISSUE 1 SEPT. 29, 2020
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 1 Sept. 29, 2020
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 Ariel Hunter 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 month, 700 physical copies are distributed and each issue is available online. The Booster is a member of Quill and Scroll and the Indiana Student 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 Students have to wear masks to walk through the hall, go to lunch, during class, and to participate in extracurricular activities and sports. Pictured, from left to right: Kiarra Crook (11), Emily Mohammed (11), Kennedy Stivers (11), Lane Hancock (11), Carl Petty (11), and Noah Smith (12). COVER PHOTO | ISABELA DIAZ
Letter from the Co-Editors-in-Chief COVID-19 has spread profusely over the course of just a few months. With this being said, the world has had to try and adapt a lifestyle that fits the regulations COVID-19 calls for. Places of business and public gathering have required face masks to even enter. As a school, we feel the impact immensely. New regulations like temperature checks and wearing masks have been put in place due to COVID-19. As a staff, we wanted to focus on how COVID-19 has impacted us — as a school and as a community. We all need to do our part to make sure we stay healthy. Wearing a mask properly is essential to keeping us healthy. Do your part. Though everyone has been impacted dif-
Opinion
ferently, it all connects back to us in the end. Whether you are a teacher who has to find new methods for eLearning or a shopper walking into Walmart, we all feel the impact. We would like to ask our readers for suggestions in the content you would like to see. We value our readers’ opinions and 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, leaving comments on theboosteronline. com or through our social media accounts. Sincerely, Isabela Diaz & Abby Doriot
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3 Cornelius’ Corner 3 Staff editorial: SHS holds back on virus spread; room for improvement 4 Masks muffle communication in class 4 Sports should halt until vaccine 4 The Way We See It
news 5 Aiming for Accuracy: Fluctuating readings leave students unsure 6 COVID-19 Safety Guidelines 6 PBIS moves to online ordering
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fEATURES 7 8&9 10 11
Photo by: Isabela Diaz
Photo by: Deegan Cornelius
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Humans of SHS Online vs. in-person learning Glow up Band season update Q&A with Dr. Cramer
Sports 12 First win of the football season Fans follow new rules 13 Life of a player 14 We’re back: Sports return 15 College season & COVID-19 delays Quarantine scheduling problems 16 True colors
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Photo by: Catherine Valencia
Photo by: Hailey Christoff
1.) Boys football preparing to defend the end zone at the scrimmage line during the Sept. 4 game against the Salem Lions. 2.) Becky Foster (10) racing to the finish line on Aug. 19 at Corydon Central High School. 3.) Ryan Gibson (12) performing a forehand to his partner on Sept. 1 at home. 4.) Nick Murphy (12) battling against Providence on Aug. 25 at home.
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OPINION CORNELIUS’ CORNER
Students need to ride together Deegan Cornelius staff writer Students should have the option to ride with other students to after school sports and clubs. When you see two or more students in a car on their way to a practice or a game you might think to yourself, “That is a safety hazard,” or “They are putting everyone at risk,” but for some students that is the only way to their events. Students do not have the option to drive themselves or have a family member drive them around. In most sports that Scottsburg offers, the participants make contact with one another regardless, so a restriction on students being in the same vehicle should not be necessary. Some students, including myself, have had difficult times figuring out how he or she will go to and from their after school events. By restricting the option for students to ride with one another, some students will have no option and remain stranded at school until a family member can arrive. Restrictions on carpooling may also make it harder for students to socialize and make connections that could help them progress and grow throughout the rest of their lives. If there must be restrictions on students riding together, then the same rules should apply for bus rides. It is impossible for students to socially distance themselves in any vehicle, including a school bus packed full of people, but wearing a mask allows some protection for students. Therefore, students should be able to ride together in cars just as they can on the bus to and from school and to and from sporting events. Overall, students riding together to and from school-related activities provides an efficient way for them to get to their destination. As long as they are following the safety precautions set out by the health department and state law, students should be allowed to ride together in cars.
SHS holds back virus spread; still room for improvements Staff editorial
CASES STATS
Cases throughout the nation Cases throughout the state Over the course of a couple months, COVID-19 has impacted nearly everyone’s Total Cases life. As a teacher, a student or a parent, life has changed drastically. If you are like Scottsburg High, going solely online was not an option. Due to regulations, all public schools need in person schooling to stay open. Total Cases As a public school, we need the funds provided by the federal and state government to continue to be a public school. Through a worldwide pandemic, schools were forced to open back 300-1,000 confirmed infected up, disregarding all the red flags COVID-19 has 1-1,000 cases 10,000-100,000 thrown up. With that being said, what precau1,001-3000 confirmed infected tions can a school take that would really make 1,001-10,000 More than 100,000 the school “safe”? 3,000+ confirmed infected Walking into SHS, you will be greeted with a thermometer and masked smiles. Wearing masks spread: Cases throughout the nation and the state as of mid-September. Statistical inforthroughout the day is just one of the many re- COVID-19 mation from John Hopkins University and the Indiana State Department of Health. Scott County has quirements to even enter the school. Every per- had 54 weekly cases per 100,000 people according to ISDH’s Coronavirus Dashboard. The county has nearly 400 cases confirmed and 11 COVID-related deaths since the start of testing last spring, acson before entering the building must have their had cording to ISDH data. Meanwhile, the nation totals reached beyond 200,000 COVID-19-related deaths, temperature checked. While this is an essential and several models nationwide predict totals of cases and deaths will continue to rise as cold and flu key to determining whether someone should be season approach the United States. So far, 22 states are on the rise for Coronavirus cases. at school or not, how efficient are these devices that determine whether a student has a tem- desks or tables that can be placed six feet apart, be together for 15 minutes even with masks on. perature (a big indicator for COVID-19) or not? which means students can take off their masks. However, students can be shoulder to shoulReadings like 80 degrees, 180 degrees and even When masks cannot be taken off because der for the entire class period in some classes. 33 degrees have been horrifyingly heard but not desks or tables are too close, some teachers allow Whether in these situations for a few seconds or reported. With this being said, are students who students to take a five-minute break or more with for the entire class period, germs can still spread may have a fever getting a “free pass” being let their masks off for a breather (which is well need- with contradictions existing throughout these into the school beed), allowing guidelines that are put in place to keep students cause of the fluctuonly a cer- safe. ating thermometer THROUGH A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC, tain number To end on a different note, Scott County readings? You can SCHOOLS WERE FORCED TO OPEN of students District 2 has been doing a lot better than most go to page 6 for BACK UP, DISREGARDING ALL THE RED (distanced) schools. As a staff, we agreed that yes, there are more information FLAGS COVID-19 HAS THROWN UP. at a time. some faults and flaws, however, we are doing the on that topic. H o w e v e r , best we can do as a district. That’s what’s most With masks being when masks are important. As students, we all need to do our part a mandatory mandate and while social distanc- off for those few students and the teacher says to make sure we can stay open for as long as posing cannot be practiced at all times in the class- switch, there becomes a time frame where a lot of sible. Whether that means staying home or wearroom due to class sizes, masks have to be worn the students have their masks off all at one time. ing a mask properly (covering your nose as well) most everywhere in SHS. Some classrooms have While working in groups, students can only to Walmart, we need to do our part.
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Sept. 2020, Issue 1
Opinion
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OPINION Masks muffle class communication Ariel Hunter staff writer Wearing a mask can make it hard for students and teachers to communicate with each other — whether it be, talking, teaching, or helping a student out. Social distancing can be hard especially if a student wants to talk to their friend, but they cannot because they have to socially distance if they do not wear a mask. Some people talk quietly in general, and with a mask on, it makes it more difficult to understand and hear them. During class when students can talk quietly, it is really hard to hear others. Friends and classmates cannot hear each other, which makes it really hard to communicate, especially during group activities. Wearing a mask can be distracting when a student’s mask does not fit properly or if the student has asthma or any other health problems. Many students in classes sit six feet apart at one table, so students have to project their voices when working together in groups. Then, when every student projects, it makes the classroom noisy, making hearing one another more difficult than before without the masks.
guest writer
Photo by: Isabela Diaz
Can you hear me now?: Students, like Kaidan Whittaker (11) and David Gaffney (11) pictured above, must wear masks as they walk the halls and sit in classes, if they cannot be socially and physically distanced at least six feet. When wearing masks, communication becomes muffled, making classes, such as Spanish and French, harder to hear and understand and group or partner projects difficult as every student tries to raise their volume to be heard through their mask.
Hailey Christoff staff writer
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Opinion
Tests should move to open book option Rachael Mount
Sports should halt until approved vaccine released With sports occurring this fall, many students and parents speculate on whether they should permit athletes to participate in seasonal sports. As of Sept. 14, the state of Indiana has reached more than 109,000 cases, with only 736 deaths confirmed. In most sports, a remarkable amount of physical contact occurs. For example, the amount of physical contact in football or the
THE WAY WE SEE IT
bursts of contact in soccer as players brush up against the other when there is a skirmish for the ball. As for tennis, the home and visiting teams will have to manually touch the scorecards, and they also distribute a pair of tennis balls that will be touched when serving. Cross-country has a large number of athletes packed together before they take off. Volleyball players can barely socially distance each other, only allow-
Sept. 2020, Issue 1
ing a couple of feet apart while on the court. The best solution is to only allow non-contact sports, such as golf, to continue with their season. This will decrease the likelihood of a large outbreak within the school, allowing the school to continue in class. As a whole, however, schools should postpone all sports until a vaccine has been tested and approved by the Centers for Disease Control.
Online learning has made the ability to cheat greater than ever because they do not have any proctors or guidance on exams; therefore, all tests should be made open book to make the situation fair across all students. In class, teachers can walk around and monitor student activity during important exams; however, when students perform online exams, that ability is no longer present. Although teachers should be able to trust their students, cheating is nearly inevitable because they have much more freedom than students in the classroom. School officials should allow standard classroom students to utilize open book resources on exams. This will allow the system to be equal and fair for both online and in-class students. Teachers should put guidelines on this allowance, such as limiting the time available and making the questions harder for all students: online and in-person. Guided open book exams will teach students to collaborate and learn to access the right resources. Teachers could make more application questions, so students simply do not restate memorized facts that they see in their notes. For science and math classes, students would receive the formulas needed to answer the question and they would have to apply that and show their work. Students, in-class and online, would learn more from this method of testing than how it works currently. Universities around the country realize this same issue as institutions cannot obliterate cheating for this year with students attending online and in-person, so they have authorized open book tests for their students. Many schools have tried online software systems to monitor activity on exams but none have proven adequate and students are creating an uprising due to testing anxieties. We should seek to level the playing field for in-person students. School administrators should consider making the change to open book exams to prepare our students for higher levels of schooling and equip them with testing skills that will last.
NEWS AIMING FOR ACCURACY Fluctuating readings leave students unsure
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise nationwide, places everywhere — including schools — have had to adapt to the guidelines and precautions with temperature checks and a mask mandate for entering the building. While the temperature checks work to ensure safety, the thermometers can create inaccurate readings depending on the quality of the thermometer and the use of the thermometer in relation to distance from the subject and the temperature of the environment. “The temperatures were inconsistent at best. However, as I have gotten more comfortable with the thermometer, I have more confidence in the readings. I am getting more consistent temperature readings, and
Abby Doriot
Isabela Diaz
Deegan Cornelius
co-editor-in-chief
co-editor-in-chief
staff writer
I believe it is largely due to me using the thermometer correctly,” said Adam DePriest, math teacher and morning temperature taker. The Booster staff tested the Simzo thermometer, the thermometer used by the school, and an infrared thermometer model, the YHKY-2000. Both are non-touch thermometers used to keep safe distance. On the infrared model when a person is too far, the thermometer will not even give a reading. However, on the Simzo model, it will give you a reading regardless of distance. With this being said, many temperature takers try to keep their distance to keep safe for personal health reasons, disregarding the notice of how close one needs to be to get an accurate measurement. The closer the person using the thermometer moves toward the subject, the more accurate the reading becomes. “The thermal scans sometimes are not really accurate. They’re just an indicator. We use oral to make sure you really have a temperature,” said Karen Anderson, Scott County School District 2 health coordinator and registered nurse at SHS. The designated temperature takers, who consist of teachers and staff members, received training before the first student day in August, Principal Chris Routt said. “If [the student] is good, they’re good. If they’re 100.0 degrees or above, what’s the next step? We have a process where you fill out a form that alerts administrators… With contact tracing, the family connection is important, so we have a system set up where it alerts all buildings,” Routt said. If a student has either a high temperature or an inaccurate temperature, the first step is to test it on a different thermometer. If they still register as high or
Photo by: Isabela Diaz
Temperature check: Before entering the building, students, like Ava Lytle (9), above, must have their temperature taken using a non-contact, forehead thermometer. Teachers and staff members use the thermometers to take the readings. Students with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher must go home and follow the Indiana State Health Department guidelines on when to return back to school.
inaccurate, they call the nurse to the scene, Routt said. Many students have had mixed experiences when it comes to their temperatures in the mornings. “My temperature has been accurate a majority of the time. However, probably about once a week, they are extremely inaccurate. I have been walking into school before, and they recorded me as high as 115 degrees or as low as 65 degrees,” junior Tierra Combs said. However, the occasional inaccuracy leaves some wondering if the thermometer checks present as helpful as hoped. “I have mixed feelings about whether the thermometers are keeping students safe. I definitely think
it is an effective way to monitor every student before they come into the building. However, the thermometers have had a record of being inaccurate, and I’m just afraid they will send someone home or not let them into the building because they were recorded as having a fever, when in actuality, they did not,” Combs said. The outside weather is one factor that plays into the inaccurate readings, and temperature takers have had to start considering this when checking people. The instruction manual included with the Simzo thermometer details the fluctuating readings and
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Sept. 2020, Issue 1
News
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News 1.) Masks must be worn as soon as the student arrives at school. 2.) At 7:45 a.m., students must immediately walk to class. 3.) During the passing period, students should follow the arrows to keep a social distance of six feet — if they can. 4.) When students come into their second class, they must wash off desktops using school-provided sanitizing wipes; this must be done every class after the first period. 5.) Students are only allowed to take off masks during lunch and if a teacher permits them while in class: a. Classes where students can take mask breaks, if permitted by the teacher: Bagwell’s, Sims’ and Stuckwisch’s. b. If seated six feet apart, students can take off their masks when everyone has stopped moving and seated and have been approved. 6.) If a student is experiencing any of the COVID-19 symptoms, which are posted in class, they must tell a teacher and be checked out by the nurse. 7.) Students must have a temperature of 99.9 degrees or less to attend school. 8.) When a student is sent home by the nurse, they must follow Health Department guidelines. If the individual is not a known close contact to a COVID-19 case and has not tested, then they must remain home for at least 10 days since the first symptoms began and be fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications for 24 hours. a. If diagnosed with another condition that explains the symptoms, the student does not need to isolate–doctor’s note required to return to school. b. If the individual is not a known close contact to a COVID-19 case and has tested negative, then the student can return to school if they are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications, unless otherwise advised. c. If the individual is not a known close contact to a COVID-19 case and has tested positive, then the student must isolate at home for at least 10 days since the first symptoms began and be fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications for a day.
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News
recommends “staying still indoors for about 30 minutes.” “Earlier in the school year when the sun was getting up earlier and was quite bright, I felt that consistently scanning facing the east was causing the temperature readings to gradually increase,” DePriest said. “Also, Mr. Deaton has mentioned that at football practice if the thermometer is sitting out with the sun beating on it, they will get unusually high readings. In these cases, they simply move into the shade to get more accurate readings.”
12 inches away
temperature in degrees F
COVID-19 guidelines
air temperature. The manufacturer recommends the thermometer be “placed indoors for about 30 minutes if ambient temperature varies a lot before using” and the thermometer should not be used in air temperatures less than 59 degrees or greater than 104 degrees. When temperatures drop below 59 degrees as the season changes taking temperatures outside might result in problems for the thermometer. Simzo also notes in the instruction manual that “exercise, eating, or bathing” before measurement will impact the results; to fix the issue, the manufacturer
Infrared thermometer SHS thermometer
Low
Six inches away
temperature in degrees F
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Infrared thermometer SHS thermometer
Less than one inch away
temperature in degrees F
>>>
Infrared thermometer SHS thermometer
Test results: Using two thermometers, the SHS and Infrared, The Booster took 12 students’ temperatures using the students’ foreheads at varying distances to compare the data. All data was collected indoors.
Sept. 2020, Issue 1
PBIS moves to online orders Justice LaMaster staff writer This year due to COVID-19 concerns, SHS made some changes to the PBIS Warrior booth system. According to Jennifer Morris, everything — except for pickup — will be done in an online Google form to help prevent lines from forming and contact of students. “Each week by Friday, students will complete the Google form to request their items in exchange for Warrior points. On Wednesdays during their lunches, they will pick up their bags with their rewards at the old slushy shack table by the cafeteria lines,” Morris said. Like previous years, Morris’ entrepreneurship class will continue organizing the PBIS system and taking on the responsibility of making sure students receive the requested items. However, this year, the students have more tasks to perform in light of COVID-19 safety protocols. The students must review the Google form with everyone’s requests, review the amount of points the students have, and review what the student asked for and find out the item’s availability. “...The entrepreneurship class, writes out on a sticky note the items requested by the students and puts them in individual bags; students check their amount of points in the HERO system, if they do not have enough points or the item they requested sold out, they will be contacted by email to notify the student. Entrepreneurship students will take out the points out of the Hero system, orders will be bagged up using gloves and with students wearing masks, and orders will be picked up during respective lunches on Wednesdays,” Morris said. If students are having issues with their Hero accounts, Morris encourages students to ask one of their teachers to see how many points they have available. Although the PBIS system is running slower now, Morris said with the new PBIS system, students will have a better variety of what they want, rather than running out all in one lunch period. Students can expect to get their requested items on Wednesday where the old slushy shack counter sits by the cafeteria lines.
Features HUMANS OF SHS
Isabela Diaz co-editor-in-chief
CHANCELA KEY FACS
BOBBY ASHLEY JAG
Being a cross-country coach for many years has turned into becoming a teacher for Bobby Ashley. To Ashley, coaching and teaching go hand-in-hand. “Some people disagree with it, but it’s a lot of the same thing. You’re still wanting them to be the best that they can be,” Ashley said. Ashley is the new JAG teacher. JAG stands for Jobs for America’s Graduates, and the program helps students with the transition between school to a career. “The idea is to motivate and inspire young men and women to be the best they can be. Some may not think so much of themselves, but we show them they can be what they want to be,” Ashley said. In JAG, Ashley continues to live by the idea of motivation and inspiration. “We did a thing called Dress for Success last week. When the kids realize they did a good job, and you didn’t have to tell them, but then you tell them, ‘You did a nice job,’ and they sit down and realize, ‘I did what I’m supposed to.’ That’s a big deal,” Ashley said.
Scottsburg has always been home to Carrie Daniels. As a job position opened up at Scottsburg High School, so did opportunities for Daniels to move closer to her family. Daniels, a SHS Class of 1991 graduate, could not pass up the opening to become the new physical education teacher and girls varsity basketball coach. “When the opening became available, I have to admit it was so appealing to be able to come back home, be around family, and come and try to impact the kids’ life with the same opportunities I had as a student,” Daniels said. Remembering when she was a student herself, Daniels was always involved in sports, such as basketball and track, and a banner hangs in the stands near the track in her honor
of her state championship win for long jump. After being a basketball coach for 25 years, Daniels decided to continue on the physical route of teaching. “I think it’s such a joy to see the students who don’t play sports just to be able for them to tell their getting more lean lifting weights and getting stronger. They set their goals and to see them accomplish that and make changes with their lifestyle is very rewarding,” Daniels said. Being a new teacher in the midst of a pandemic can be hard; however, Daniels has kept a positive attitude through it all. “I am just the type of person that instead of focusing on the negative parts of it; we have to make the most of it,” Daniels said.
Transitioning from middle to high school was quite a change for Chancela Key. Key, a SHS graduate, taught sixth grade before switching to the high school. “I think middle schools seem more skittish. They’re just going through understanding the transition from elementary to middle school where they’re getting more independence. High schoolers are already used to that flow of things,” Key said. When deciding on what course to teach, Key wanted to make an impact on students’ lives — more than what the four main courses could give. “I really felt like I was missing a mark. I wanted to do something that matters right now. I prayed about it, and God opened the door for FACS. Which I feel like is life skills, something that’s important right now,” Key said. Through life changing experiences and a rough past, inspiration came right from SHS itself when deciding on becoming a teacher. “I had a teacher that really made a difference in my life. It’s actually Mrs. Walton. She showed me I can be successful,” Key said.
VICTORIA HALL
“You prepare as much as you can for things like this, but everyday is something different,” Hall said. Playing instruments throughout middle school, high school and college, Hall’s love for music never died. Hall’s talents focus around brass instruments. Her main forte is bassoon; however, she played jazz trombone in college for three years. Hall has won two state
marching band championships where she played baritone. She left her old Kentucky home to move to Indiana, which was a change for her. “I don’t think there’s anything I don’t like about Scottsburg. We have great people here. I have great students. I work with great staff. I don’t have anything bad to say about Scottsburg,” Hall said.
CARRIE DANIELS
PE & GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH
BAND
Beginning one’s first-year of teaching during a pandemic does not come with a textbook, training, or guide, and for the new assistant band director, Victoria Hall, she tries to keep a positive outlook on things.
Sept. 2020, Issue 1
Features
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Features
DIVIDED BUT ONE STUDENT BODY
Students choose between in-person, online learning Abby Doriot
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co-editor-in-chief This year has taken a turn that no one had expected. One day, students were going to school, hanging out with friends, and going to sporting events. The next, students move to being quarantined in their homes for what seemed like an eternity. Now, students wonder what will come next, how long they will stay in school, and whether things will go back to normal — before the pandemic.
in-person learning While some students chose the online learning experience, many students chose to return to the classroom to do their learning in-person, at the school building. However, returning to the school came with many new changes to the way school
now operates due to the guidelines placed by the health department, state, and school district; therefore, students had to relearn how to go back to school. “The hardest adjustment would have to be social distancing. I was used to walking to lunch with my friends and sitting by them. Now, we have to spread out and it was hard to get used to,” sophomore Sonya King said. Another big adjustment has been wearing the masks. With as many rules and regulations that come with the masks alone, it can be hard to keep track of when to put them on and when to take them off. “It has been really hard to get used to. We’re obviously not used to wearing masks around school, or anywhere else, so it’s just a lot to keep track of. My classes all differ on the mask policy, too. I
have some classes that are socially distant enough to take them off, some that we have to wear them all the time, and some where we get mask breaks,” junior Mella Neace said. While it may differ for each student, many chose the traditional learning experience because of the social aspect, such as getting to see their friends, connecting with teachers, and the ease of moving from the classroom to one’s extracurricular activities after school. “The thing I enjoy most about traditional learning is the social aspect of if. I really like getting to see my friends each day and being able to connect with them on a daily basis without having to make outside plans,” junior Johnathan Perkinson said. Slowly, students learn to get used to the way
things are now and are falling into normalcy.
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Teachers work to adapt to in-person, online classes Teachers, too, continue to have to change their plans During the school day for 30 minutes, teachers have and adapt to all the new changes and guidelines that to host Google Meet sessions and answer emails or are thrown at them. This year, teachers not only have Canvas messages to help with online students during to manage their in-perthe school son classrooms, they day and in the have to manage their TEACHERS STRUGGLE WITH FINDING evenings. On virtual classrooms to A BALANCE BETWEEN MANAGING top of that, accommodate online THEIR ONLINE STUDENTS teachers have students. Each week, AND THEIR IN-PERSON STUDENTS. to keep up with teachers have to cregrading and ate online content on following up with Canvas, so students can students to make learn using modules whether in-person or online. The sure they have a successful year. teacher continues to teach in-person, but the online With all the new requirements and performing learner learns the same lessons being taught in the twice as much work, some teachers struggle with classroom, synchronously. finding a balance between managing their online stu-
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Sept. 2020, Issue 1
dents and their in-person students. “I feel that my in-person students get the most attention because they are present with me in class and so they will ask me questions that I can address immediately. Whereas, my online students do not get that benefit, and my response time lags because I am most concerned about in-person students since they are present. Also, figuring out ways to deliver direct instruction to my online students in a timely manner is challenging,” chemistry teacher Deonna Puckett said. Another issue has been finding ways to teach that correlate to students’ learning styles, so that they are able to get the most out of their lessons. “I teach two different levels of classes. I have kids that I’ve had before in my AP Environmental class,
and then, I have kids that I’ve never had before and don’t know anything about in my chemistry class,” chemistry teacher Alex Johnson said. “I would definitely say with those chemistry kids that it’s hard to gauge the type of learning they’re doing and what type of learning they are to know if they’re being successful online.”
Features in-person vs. online student 1.) Masks: To enter the building, students and staff must wear masks. Masks must be worn throughout the day. 2.) Temperature checks: Students must have their temperature taken before entering the building. 3.) Lanyards & IDs: Students must wear their school-provided lanyards and IDs when in the building and walking to and from class. 4.) No dress code at home: Online students do not have to wear any of these requirements and can wear what they would like as they are at home. Photos by: Isabela Diaz
Online students try to stay on task while at home This year, students had the opportunity to choose between online learning and in-person learning — that is something that is not only new to our school district but to many other school districts around the world. Any students or parents who did not feel completely comfortable going or sending their child could opt for eLearning. “The biggest factor that went into that decision [online learning] is the Coronavirus still being as big as it is,” junior Ginny Allen, a virtual student, said. Some students, however, chose eLearning based solely on the fact that it is what works best for them. One thing that senior Shaye Ritchison enjoyed most about online learning is the freedom. “I like being able to schedule when I’m going to do my assignments, and I like
being able to work on them throughout pline and dedication, and some find it difthe day. I always used to get so bored in ficult to balance life, working more than class, and I would just waste all my time, part-time hours or participating in extrabut I feel a lot more productive at home,” curriculars, and staying motivated to finish Ritchison said. their work while at home. Along with the Some students freedom that have found they comes with onSOME STUDENTS, HOWEVER, do not have the line learning, CHOSE ELEARNING BASED same grades, Ritchison also SOLELY ON THE FACT THAT IT IS even lower likes that she WHAT WORKS BEST FOR THEM. grades, than they is able to focus did if they were more on her school coming to school work. in-person. “Right now, my grades “In school, I always talk to everyone, aren’t as good as I’d like them to be,” and never pay attention to what’s going on. Ritchison said. “But, I couldn’t say I blame At home, I can control my environment and that on the fact that it’s online. My classes make sure I’m focusing,” Ritchison said. this year are a little more challenging, con However, online learning takes disci- sidering I am a senior now.”
Parents deal with disconnect between classroom, home Students and teachers are not the only ones affected by COVID-19. All of the changes heavily affect the way parents look at school. Many parents have specific reasoning behind their decision to keep their students at home to do online school. “It was because my youngest daughter has a low immune system, so we had to keep her home to keep her from getting the COVID-19 because she cannot have the medicine without it making her sicker,” said Deanna Rose, mother of a SHS online student Catherine Rose and an elementary online student. This year with the way COVID-19 affects each person differently, those populations who are at greatest risk must isolate as much as possible. If those at greatest risk are living at home with students, families had
to prioritize the health of their loved ones above attending in-person. With all of the changes and risks, returning to school whether online or in-person adds extra stress to parents, leaving many questions unanswered. Parents have to figure out childcare, meals during the day, and help for their child with school on top of their pre-existing responsibilities. During the start of governor’s stay-athome orders in March, parents found themselves at odds trying to figure out their students’ homework, daily lessons, and where to go to see grades and progress. Memes and other internet viral videos showed parents teaching their students how to do math the way they learned it 20 or more years ago, not the number of different methods used today to help all learners figure out how they can
best solve the problem on the paper. With the amount of technology, parents found it hard to keep up with all the tools available, so they could help their students at home finish assignments or learn the material. Parents also had trouble trying figure out what their students were doing each day and how to check grades and progress. Many parents had never setup observer accounts on Canvas to track their child’s work online until the spring stay-at-home time happened. Parents sent emails and called the school to make sure their children were staying upto-date on tasks and keeping their grades on track. This year, the issues of the spring were addressed with the redesign of how content was delivered to students, making it easier for parents to track progress. Teachers had to
created modules, so parents could easily see the green checkmarks of completion beside each task their student finished. The communication for parents and students has become easier as students can send Canvas messages or emails to teachers. They can also join daily Google Meets to have a dedicated time to ask questions with their teachers. With high school students, however, the situation is a little different. Most high school students are completely capable of taking care of themselves for a day and completing their own work. “We didn’t really have any issues or challenges. If Lily had questions, the teachers responded via her Canvas messages,” said Paula Walsh, mother of SHS student Lily Walsh.
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Features GLOW UP
Hallways, bleachers show improvements 1
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Ariel Hunter
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staff writer Changes: 1.) On the last day of being in the building on March 13, students walked the dark hallways for the last time. 2.) As the students were away, the hallways underwent a new paint job to help brighten the space. 3.) While students were away for five months, the custodial staff and other district staff members began to work on improving the hallways at SHS. “The hallways were not very inviting and really dull,” Principal Chris Routt said. In the spring, Routt made a plan to paint the hallways to make them more inviting. 4.) Meanwhile, the old wooden bleachers were replaced. Routt said the new bleachers will benefit students and parents at games and events happening in McClain Hall. The bleachers can move for multiple configurations, allowing sporting, arts, and graduation events to have the setup they need that best suits the event’s needs. With the renovation of the bleachers, McClain Hall lost about 300 seats and now seats 800 people in the bleachers. The bleacher replacement cost about $125,000 to complete.
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feATURES Band marches forward despite canceled season Hailee Bowen staff writer After practicing officially for about two weeks in July, the SHS Band of Warriors marching season was halted after the Indiana State School Music Association canceled this year’s competitions statewide in light of COVID-19. “As a member of the ISSMA State Board, I 100 percent support the decision made by ISSMA. At the end of the day, the health and safety of ALL involved is and should be our top priority,” Band of Warriors Director Curtis Turner said in a letter to the community following the cancellation of the competitive season. “This decision is by no means meant to be a slap in the face to all students, as much as the decision hurts and as much as you, as parents and fans, may feel it is. Not having ‘contests’ to look forward to is a great loss, but remember that there are many other reasons why we love the band.” “It was sad to see it happen but understandable and all the precautions made it harder to have fun but not impossible. It didn’t make it harder to play at games because of how spaced we are. The precautions did make it hard to practice due to how
Photo by: Isabela Diaz
Beat goes on: Band of Warriors continue to play despite their competitive season being cut short due to COVID-19. Zachary Taylor (9) plays a baritone during a home football game.
closed in the room is.” junior Colin Owens said. At past marching band competitions, hundreds of people attend the competition to cheer their school band on and to participate. The competitions allow the students to meet people from other schools,
which now would be considered hazardous as COVID-19 spreads through the air and large public gatherings could increase the likelihood of a spreading event. Despite the cancellation of in-person competi-
tions, the ISSMA provided a virtual alternative option for marching bands across the state. “Groups will video record a performance of their show and then upload the video to a secure platform for three judges to watch and critique,” Turner said. “The judges will assess and provide commentary on the performance, give a score, and award a rating of gold, silver, or bronze. A trophy will be sent to the school of the necessary rating.” The Band of Warriors continues to practice during class time and after school. The band performs Friday nights at home football games and will host a community performance on Oct. 3 at Warrior Field, located at Scottsburg Middle School. At the community performance, the band will record their virtual performance to submit for judging by ISSMA. “Having band cut short was disappointing because the freshman heard so many great stories from years past and they didn’t get to experience those things this year,” sophomore Sonya King said. “The precautions did make some things difficult like block work and condensing things down because we’d have to keep our masks on and that’s pretty difficult when we have to play. Overall, COVID made it hard to stay motivated. We don’t really have an end goal, but we’re all trying to pick each other up and push ourselves to become better.”
Q&A: Cramer shares summer COVID-19 research experience Catherine Valencia staff writer With a background in laboratory research at the University of Louisville, Dr. Daniel Cramer, a biology teacher, worked with a COVID-19 research team over the summer. Q: What is your take on COVID-19? A: It was surprising, and it has almost been a year since it has first popped up. It’s similar to its predecessor SARS. COVID-19 and SARS are in the same family. Originally, I did not think this would be as infectious as it is since SARS wasn’t, but it was definitely mutated from that. Q: What is his opinion on the vaccine? (Coming soon, how effective?)
A: We were promised a vaccine by November. There are three very well established groups, one out of England and two out of the U.S that are very close to finding a vaccine — by that I mean they are at least into trials. They are in their third stage of their trials which is the final stage, but it usually takes several months. The Chinese and the Russians have also both started vaccinating certain populations. We haven’t seen any data from where the vaccine is derived from, so we don’t know much about it. Q: What is your experience working with a COVID-19 team?
A: I was doing model work. A couple years ago when I was at Louisville, I worked with SARS and they are both similar. The main animal models for this are the hamster and the ferret because they mimic us as far as lung capacity and symptoms, better than mice and others. Q: Are masks/social distancing effective? A: The first line we have to this particular virus is masks and social distancing and washing. As long as all of us keep that up, we will eventually turn the corner on this but we all have to be very careful with what we are doing. We could have another outbreak as soon as two weeks if people start being careless.
Q: What do you think of all the school is doing for prevention? Is it effective? A: I am very impressed with the student body here. They have reacted well with this. The fact that we don’t have the same problems that some of the other schools around us have is largely due to the fact that the students are abiding by the rules. The students and staff are being responsible. People are washing their hands as they already should’ve been. There are not many problems with people not wanting to wear masks. I’m hoping that when these students and staff members are outside of school, they are doing the same thing.
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sports Warriors bring home first win of football season Staff report
Photo by: Hailey Christoff
Ready for the snap: Quarterback Kent Paris (12) prepares the next play to set the tempo for the game.
After a long drought of a winless season, the varsity Warrrior football team defeated the Charlestown Pirates 23-14 on Friday, Sept. 25. “It was super exciting,” running back Traven Crawford (11) said. “It was about time.” Crawford scored two touchdowns and rushed for 226 yards to help bring the Warrior football team to victory at home. “It was a personal best for me. It felt great. Now, I have another goal to beat,” Crawford said. “It was a team effort with a lot of good blocking.” In the fourth quarter, lineman Bryson Grady (12) went down with an injury and was taken off the field by ambulance. Grady suffered a
broken tibia and fibula as well as a dislocated ankle. He had a surgery to repair the injury. As a senior, Grady ending his season early will push the team work harder for a win at the homecoming game on Friday. “We just need to help the younger guys,” Crawford said. Crawford hopes for a win, and the team will continue to “do our thing” and “play as a team.” “We will be using that momentum [from the Charlestown game] to get a win this week,” Crawford said. If the Warriors win, it will result as the first win for the team on its homecoming game.
Fans follow new rules to watch sporting events Jocelyne Allen staff writer Since the start of the reopening plan for the new school year, everything has changed from the way football operates on and off the field to the way fans watch from the sidelines. According to Jamie Lowry, this year, fans must wear a mask when within six feet of someone whether indoor or outdoor. During the football game, only 250 people may cheer together in a bleacher unit. Fans have to leave immediately after the game finishes, and groups on the courts or field are strictly prohibited. Fans and athletes should have their ride ready to leave the games when the event ends. After games, the custodians clean and sanitize the bleachers. Following every home event, the custodial staff uses a sanitizing mister spray. While socially distanced, fans still can buy their favorite game day foods, snacks, and beverages at the concessions area. Athletic Director Jamie Lowry said the concessions workers wear masks and gloves, and all of the food has to be prepackaged following the guidelines set by the
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Photo by: Hailey Christoff
We’ve got spirit: The cheer block responds to the visiting team’s fans during the game on Sept. 25.
local health department. The workers at the concessions have to make the food and then immediately package the items. The number of workers depends on the game and number of people at the game.
Sept. 2020, Issue 1
The sidelines at football games have been extended to the 10-yard line, so players, coaches and cheer can maintain six feet and take their masks off. Volleyball has two lines, alternating between people, for a six-feet distance, so the players,
coaches, cheer members and photographers on the sidelines can be unmasked and safe. However, all of these safety guidelines do not work unless the students, coaches, fans, and parents do not comply. Lowry said fans and players need to follow the rules and regulations set to keep everyone safe. If the community cannot come together and follow the rules for the games there will be no games to watch, he said. “I wish I could get the parents to be more supportive in emphasizing to their kids the importance of observing the regulations in order to help us keep athletics going,” Lowry said. The Athletic Department also offers the ability for students, staff, and family to watch the games online and in the comfort of their own homes. Subscribers pay $69.99 per year for the service. “These [cameras] have the capability of automatically recording and following the action without someone having to manually operate the cameras,” Lowry said.
SPORTS 1
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Photos by: Deegan Cornelius
1.) The girls cross-country team takes off from the starting line to begin the race at Corydon High School. The student-athletes begin their race with masks on and take them off as the race starts. 2.) The official explains to the masked Warrriorettes and others the rules and regulations of the race. 3.) Kelsey Merry (11) talks with Kristen Skelton’s (12) mother after running the race. All close interactions must include masks at events and practices. 4.) The Warriorette cross-country team poses for a group photo before they start the race. Student-athletes sparingly group together because of COVID-19; most of the time they physically distance from each other.
Pandemic changes all aspects of competition Catherine Valencia staff writer
All athletes have had to adapt to a new set of guidelines this year due to COVID-19. Masks are an essential part of everyday life now, but how does that affect athletes? “COVID has affected our whole running season by limiting the number of spectators watching at each meet,” junior Kelsey Merry, a cross-country team member, said. Athletes try to work with what they have and make due with all the adjustments. While try-
ing to still have a good season, Kelsey is not letting any of that get in the way of her goal being for her team to qualify for regionals and for her team to achieve their personal bests at sectionals. Thinking about it one year ago, athletes did not expect to have to go through any of the things that they have had to go through this year. COVID-19 has delayed everyone’s season this year. They have had to start months later
than they typically did in past years. “My season has been going decently so far; the weather has been very hot this season which has affected my times,” Merry said. Meets and practices have changed as well. During cross-country meets, all the girls and guys (at different times) are in one big crowd ready to start their run. They wear a mask all the way up until that point and once the race officially starts, the student-athletes can take their
masks off. When they have finished running, they have to put their masks back on and keep it on unless running. When they are practicing, student-athletes have to have their mask on too unless running. They socially distance any time they can. To continue to play, student-athletes continue to take the precautions that they have received from the school, health department, and state.
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Sports
WE’RE BACK
Sports return after five months hiatus Photo by: Lily Walsh
Second year in a row: The boys soccer team wins the Warrior Cup on Saturday, Sept. 19. The Warriors defeated Corydon Central, 5-1, in the championship game to win the Warrior Cup for a second consecutive year. Senior Noah Smith, junior Lane Hancock, and senior Freidrich Ostertag scored goals.
BOYS SOCCER
GIRLS GOLF
VOLLEYBALL
BOYS TENNIS
Season sticks to plan Team heads to regionals Squad forms close bond Boys beat top MSC team Abby Doriot
Deegan Cornelius
Hailey Christoff
Catherine Valencia
co-editor-in-chief
staff writer
staff writer
staff writer
The boys soccer team has kicked off their season with a record of 7-1 and 3-0 in conference, with strong performances both offensively and defensively. “Our season is going to plan like...
The girls golf team has had quite a successful season — they have won nine matches, placed second at conference and third at sectionals, and have regionals coming up. The team improved since last year...
With three seniors at the helm, creating a sisterhood bond between new and veteran volleyball players has become the key component to keeping this season successful. But with a new group of freshmen...
Having the thought in the back of one’s head of possibly not being able to complete a season can mess up a student-athlete’s mindset. “It kind of worried us because we didn’t know if we would...
Want more? Scan the code, read the rest of the story and see photos at theboosteronline.com
Want more? Scan the code, read the rest of the story and see photos at theboosteronline.com
Want more? Scan the code, read the rest of the story and see photos at theboosteronline.com
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Sept. 2020, Issue 1
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SPORTS College season sees COVID-19 delays; SHS alumni manage freshmen year
FOOTBALL
Team works on growth
Alyssa Williams
Jocelyne Allen
staff writer
staff writer While the varsity football team has not won a game yet, the team pushes the losses aside to make sure they are learning and growing from those experiences. “I am looking forward to our team growing and mentally maturing to the point where success is a product of doing the little things the right way,” coach Kyle Mullins said...
Photo by: Rachael Mount
Focused: Freshmen Jadon Muncy runs at his first home meet at Hardy Lake on Sept. 8.
CROSS-COUNTRY Deegan Cornelius staff writer
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XC savors last meets
The cross-country team is running down the final stretch of the season with the Mid-Southern Conference meet coming up. “This season I was expecting that we would have to convince... Want more? Scan the code, read the rest of the story and see photos at theboosteronline.com
CHEERLEADING Photo by: Lily Walsh
Eye on the prize: Freshmen Isabella Campbell (7) keeps the ball away from her opponent.
GIRLS SOCCER
Team makes memories Isabela Diaz co-editor-in-chief Soccer season is still kicking it and so are your Warriorettes. Though COVID-19 has definitely taken its toll on many sports, soccer has been one of the lucky few to continue on playing without interruption... Want more? Scan the code, read the rest of the story and see photos at theboosteronline.com
Cheer goes virtual Hailee Bowen staff writer The football cheerleading team had to learn some new tricks this year, but not in the way of stunting but in the way of using technology and meeting virtually through the tryout process and practices. “Personally, I had mixed emotions on tryouts. I’ve always liked the adrenaline of an ‘one and done’ scenario, [but] with virtual tryouts, I was able to attempt as many times as I pleased... Want more? Scan the code, read the rest of the story and see photos at theboosteronline.com
Not only does COVID-19 affect how high school student-athletes perform on the field, but the pandemic continues to affect the graduating Class of 2020, who entered college this fall for their first season as college athletes. Class of 2020 graduate Andrew Slaton, who now attends Anderson University to play football, watched last year as his spring sports season disappeared due to COVID-19. Five months later, he experienced the same loss this fall after Anderson University, like many other colleges, postponed his first college football season to the spring. “Even though it sucks right now, I look at it as an advantage because I have months to prepare and workout with the college strength coach,” Slaton said.
Despite not starting the year as planned, Slaton remains positive. He said he was happy about being allowed to practice and build up his strength, so that in the spring, he will be much stronger and better prepared for this year’s football season. Another 2020 graduate, Jaylah Mays, attends Lincoln Memorial University while playing on the women’s basketball team. At LMU, Mays said basketball has not been postponed and continues on schedule. “As of right now, my season is still on. I’m really looking forward to competing at a higher level of competition as well as continuing to improve whilst playing the game I have always dedicated myself to,” Mays said. “I’m very thankful God blessed me with this opportunity.”
Team quarantines result in schedule problems Catherine Rose staff writer Athletic event cancellations during a regular season can cause problems for coaches and athletic directors, but this year, with a global pandemic, cancellations — because a team quarantines — has created a difficult situation for everyone involved. ”The state restrictions have really just made the planning and preparing a lot harder and has created twice the amount of work for a lot of people, but as far as the actually playing of the sport and scheduling, there hasn’t been a lot of issues,” Athletic Director Jamie Lowry said. For example, if a team quarantines and cancels the game, athletic teams would have to wait until a game can be scheduled. When having to reschedule a game, athletic directors and coaches look for other schools that their opponent cancels for the same reason. When having to play a different school than originally scheduled, the change could cause even more issues if
only the available school to play is located three hours away or is three times SHS’ enrollment. “Austin got canceled due to the Coronavirus and so did Silver Creek. All we have to do to make them up is to try to reschedule them, and since both of those are two teams that are our county rival and in our conference, we just found another day to reschedule them,” said Alex Johnson, girls volleyball assistant coach. Despite the changes in scheduling, the volleyball team has managed to keep a positive attitude toward the delays in game play due to teams having to quarantine. “We’re fine. It was honestly upsetting to cancel the Austin game at first, but we’ve rescheduled the games that got canceled,” said Ella Siekman, a sophomore volleyball player. “So, we’re all pretty excited about that. It was nice to have more time to practice to be better prepared for the games that are coming up.”
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Sports TRUE COLORS
Students celebrate touchdowns with purple powder, white shirts
Powder up: As part of the Friday night’s home football game, students in the cheer block celebrate each touchdown with a purple powder explosion. The Warriors won the game 23-14 against the Charlestown Pirates. The win marked the first win this season for the team. When the game neared the end, Cole Atha (12) and Treyton Owens (12) made use of the leftover powder with one big pour. “I wanted it dumped on me because I wanted to be purple,” Owens said. “I was planning it the whole night.” Color powders have become popular after running events, festivals, and other celebrations have used the product. After having a good portion of the 25 pound box of purple powder poured on his head, Owens turned purple. “It took a few showers to get it out,” he said. Last year, the cheer block used a pink color powder during the Pink Out game.
Photos by: Hailey Christoff
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