The Northwest Passage
N W P
Issue 5 Vol. 53 Jan. 27, 2021
COVID-19,
ONE YEAR LATER
2|ads
Jan. 27, 2021
TABLE of CONTENTS smnw.com
4
Divided We Stand
Political division is ever-present in America
Columns
5
We Heard You
6
Crucial Step
7
New Year, Same Sports
8
Student reactions on the COVID-19 vaccine
Details on the COVID-19 vaccine
How winter sports are doing midway through their seasons
In The Zone
9
Democracy’s Day
10
A look into the life of basketball commit Kennedy Taylor Joe Biden and Kamala Harris inaugurated as 46th president and vice president
COVID-19: One Year Later 11-13 One year after the discovery of COVID-19
The Mental Barrier
14
Aquatic Center
15
Migrating North
16
Bringing awareness to neurodivergent students
The SMSD Center adapts during the pandemic
NORTHWEST PASSAGE
ToC | 3
Issue 5 Vol. 52 January 27, 2021
OUR PASSAGE: The purpose of the Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, administration and students of the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. As a news magazine, the Northwest Passage will cater to the interests and concerns of the student body. Outside concerns and activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. The Northwest Passage is a 24-page news magazine. The paper will be distributed every four weeks as possible.. Subscriptions will be available to the community for $25. The Northwest Passage firmly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. The content of the newspaper will be determined and created by the entire staff. When questions concerning word choice, legal problems or ethics arise, the editorial board and adviser will discuss the problem to find the solution. In these cases, the editor-in-chief and editorial board will have the say in all decisions. Letters to the editor will be accepted and encouraged. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammatical mistakes, length and good taste. Letters may attack policy but not people. In no way will ideas or viewpoints be changed. The editor-in-chief and editorial board reserve the right to refuse any letter.
Ally Urich’s experience studying abroad
Upcoming Events
17 18
December In Photos
19
2020 Movie Reviews
A Look Back
STAFF PUBLICATION OVERSIGHT: Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief
Rory Dungan Elizabeth Kuffour
CONTENT MANAGEMENT:
This month’s package focuses on the current news surrounding COVID-19, just over one year after the virus’s life-altering discovery. The topic is approached from a variety of perspectives, including healthcare, education, development of vaccines and the introduction of new variants.
Photo Editor
Claire Moore
Ass’t Photo Editor
Sophia McCraney
Copy Editor
Emily Alexander
Copy Editor
Stella Grist
Online Editor
Ruth Demeke
Online Editor
Ally Pruente
Design Editor
Erin Albers
STAFF WRITERS: STAFF
DESIGNERS:
Alex Barfield Yeretzy Blanco Michael Owens Veronica Meiss Morgan Tate Grace Logan
Karmela Davis Olivia Linville Kasi Maniktala Olivia Nagorka Alden Norberg
ADVISER: + Cover photo by Erin Dory + Cover design by Olivia Nagorka
Susan Massy
Junior Jack Baldwin backstrokes down the pool Jan. 11 at SM Aquatic Center. Baldwin competed in the 200 Medley Relay. “To me, swim means that you have to work hard to beat the guy swimming next to you,” Baldwin said. + photo by Josie Torres
4 | opinion
Divided We Stand Political division is not a new presence in American culture
You’ve heard it in every news headline, every class discussion, every Twitter reply section for the last five years: America is more divided than ever. Many of us take that statement at face value. As high school students, we haven’t seen enough of history firsthand to truly dispute it. But if one were to look back at this nation’s most pivotal events over the last two centuries, it would soon become evident that the exacerbated political divisions present in our society today are not out of character. As the saying goes, history repeats itself. Firstly (and perhaps most obviously), the racial tensions that have been pushed into the limelight over the last year are the result of centuries of injustice and discrimination.
20/2 for against The modern-day police descended from slave patrols, so racial bias has plagued law enforcement from the very beginning. Surface level and temporary solutions such as implicit bias training (education with the goal of increasing awareness of unintentional discrimination) or general calls for “reform” with no plans to reallocate or repurpose funds are simply not enough to undo the years and years of antiblackness that have tainted American law enforcement. But these issues aren’t the only things that have been around for a while — so have the platforms. Black Lives Matter is nowhere near a new idea or phrase. Those three words were first used in July 2013 in a Facebook post by organizer Alicia Garza, who would later go on to cofound the Black Lives Matter Network. Just like this year, stories of police brutality spread like wildfire across social media — the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter first appeared on Twitter the same month, used in response to the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in February 2012. And, like this year, the phrase was met with countering statements such as “All Lives Matter” and “Blue Lives Matter.” Like this year, very little reform actually came from the instances of
police brutality that sparked the movement. For so many to have just opened their eyes to racial discrimination and police brutality is disappointing. There have been so many opportunities, from learning about 1960s civil rights demonstrations in elementary school to having the ability to participate in them in high school. Furthermore, the Trump-Biden transition is not the first rocky transfer of power. When President James Buchanan made a promise in his inauguration speech not to run for a second term, Americans knew the election of 1860 would be a turbulent one. Northern and Southern Democrats couldn’t agree on a singular candidate, so the North nominated Stephen Douglas and the South nominated John Breckinridge. John Bell, a Constitutional Union candidate, also threw his hat in the ring. Although Abraham Lincoln had a very small chance of receiving any Southern electoral votes (Republicans didn’t even appear on some ballots in Southern states), the sectional split in the Democratic Party worked to his advantage and he won the election that November. The outcome triggered violent outrage among Southerners, who immediately started preparing for a civil war. To make matters worse: the 20th Amendment, which places the inauguration on Jan. 20, had not yet been enacted, meaning Lincoln wouldn’t be inaugurated until March, four months after the election. Seven states seceded from the Union and began seizing federal armaments in that time. Buchanan, despite being an anti-secession Unionist, did very little to stop the South’s mobilization during the lame-duck period. Parallels can be drawn between the BuchananLincoln transition and the Trump-Biden transition. Ideological splits divided both parties; some liberals backed more progressive candidates like Bernie Sanders while moderate Democrats went for Joe Biden, and some Republicans remained loyal to incumbent President Trump while others vehemently disagreed with his policies. The outcome of the election was seen as unfavorable by Trump’s supporters, who immediately prepared for violent opposition. In 1860, this manifested in the seizing of federal armaments, but in 2021 this was seen in the storming of
Jan.27, 2021
+Design by Kasi Maniktala
the Capitol building on Jan. 6. Much like 1860, the sitting President did very little to quell this unrest, even going so far as to tell insurrectionists, “We love you. You’re very special,” in a recorded message on his since-suspended Twitter account. So the question arises: What’s next? What is the way out of this corner we’ve backed ourselves into? The straight answer is that there isn’t one. If history is bound to repeat itself, then que será, será. Solving the issue of division takes a nationwide perception shift, an expansion of the Overton window that I’m not sure we are capable of. But there are ways we can ensure that any conflict that arises is for good reason, that the divisions between us are due to actual disagreements in ideology and not stemming from an untrue expectation that we should be divided. Simply shouting “unity” is not enough, especially when the conversation on both sides over the last few years has been meant to push us further apart. The first step is a healthier relationship with the media. Increased accessibility to information has allowed untruth to become increasingly pervasive, but it also has the power to keep society educated and informed from varied perspectives. The second step is a healthier relationship between oneself and the government. The way we interact with each other at any given time often mirrors the way our elected representatives are interacting with each other, and while it’s great that the populus is impassioned and civically engaged, many have expressed a concern that politics consume us. We may be more divided than ever, but we also have more resources than ever to appropriately engage with each other. It’s simply a matter of perspective.
opinion | 5
smnw.com
Bigger than me
Get Spiritual
Self motivation is hard, especially on the run My toes were frozen. The cold air snuck its way into my lungs with every step I took. My watch hung loosely on my wrist, soaking wet with what could’ve been sweat or raindrops. The sun was shielded by large gray clouds whose only + by Ally Pruente intention was to ruin my afternoon. Every breath became heavier, and I couldn’t help but gasp for air as I turned the corner. 200 meters… 100 meters… 50… done. I hunched over and inhaled bigger than I ever had before. I let the rain dump onto me as I contemplated why I do this. Since the age of eight or nine I’ve been on the run. That’s quite literally the truth. Elementary through middle school, I raced 5k “fun runs” with my dad every chance we got. That feeling was unlike any other. Running gave me a strong connection with my dad and introduced me to a new world of people. On the occasional weekend we didn’t have our own race, my dad would wake me before the sun. We would drive, park and wait. Wait to see runners just like me and to cheer them on. It felt good to see people pushing themselves. I wanted to be just like them. In seventh grade, running became competitive. Joining the middle school cross country team boosted my confidence to a new extreme. I made friends and met good coaches. I felt good about myself and about my running. It slowly became a major part of me and I didn’t even know it. Middle school led to high school and high school led to a new level of running. I started to get injured and trained harder than I was used to. The confidence boost was gone. I was relying on self motivation.
My love for running declined. The relationship with my teammates and with myself became focused on the win rather than the joy. Slowly I realized that I wasn’t running for anyone but myself. I was so worried about my time, my place and my record. I could feel all my hard work and motivation slipping away. Maybe it was time to move on, time to put my running days behind me. I thought of that little girl I used to be, cheering for strangers who ran simply because they loved it.
If running has taught me anything, it’s the importance of moving past the bad moments. Over the past two years, I’ve rediscovered my love of running. I had forgotten why this was so important to me in the first place. Most runners run for something bigger than themselves. I knew that to move away from my slump, I had to remember when I ran just because it made me happy. Every now and then a day comes along that breaks my stride. A day where the rain won’t stop pouring. A day when the same world that pushed me along yesterday turns its back. If running has taught me anything, it’s the importance of moving past the bad moments life brings. The key to moving forward is true, selfless motivation. I remember those strangers I cheered for who weren’t really strangers at all. I remember running with my dad and feeling proud of doing something that made me push myself. I remember the bonds formed and the amazing individuals running introduced me to. That is what keeps me going.
Shot Down
Sometimes I try my hardest and just end up disappointed I hold in my urge to just run to music class. Instead, I walk in the straight line. Today, the cast list for “Three Piggy Opera” comes out. I’ve seen it twice, and I really want to be the Mother Pig. She gets a solo and everything. + by Morgan Tate When we finally push through the door, the whole group runs over to the bulletin board where the list is posted. I scan the list to find my name. It’s next to the words “Narrator 4.” I’m mad. I tried and didn’t get squat. I’m somewhat friends with the girl who got the part. So I give her a friendship breakup letter. My teacher realizes how I’m feeling and makes me the “understudy.” The night of the play comes, I wait and the girl doesn’t come in. I’m gonna be the Mother Pig! Then she comes in at the last minute. I’m disappointed. My first show, and I barely get to do anything. *** I try out for the fifth-grade musical, this one’s about music over the decades. The musical has awesome songs and even a full dance routine to “Footloose.” And in-between the songs, the musical has scenes I auditioned for. I refresh my email. Finally, the cast email pops up. But I’m not there, I’m just in the ensemble. I start to cry on the laundry room floor. I’m not sure why I cry, sometimes I just take a show a little too seriously. Instead of saying a line, I just stand on the risers and sing. It’s a little disappointing. ***
Now I’m in eighth grade. It’s late, and they haven’t emailed out the cast list. I’m nervous. I know I’ll just be a Who or a Wickersham brother in “Seussical.” Then I get a text from a friend, “Congrats!” He sends me a picture of the cast list. My name’s next to Gertrude McFuzz! I’m freaking out! I run over to my mother, so excited about the role. Mom tells me, “Wait to see the cast list for yourself.” The next morning, I finally get the email — I am Gertrude McFuzz! I work hard so I can be the best, instead of being useless. This time, I finally feel happy. I’m able to do so much, and I know the crowd cheers for me. *** Now I’m in high school, I try out for “Clue: On Stage.” I’m just back from callbacks. Maybe I’ll get something good this time. After all, I’ve proven I could, at least, get a lead. But high school is a whole new domain – a new teacher I want to impress, a group of upperclassmen I so want to avoid annoying, and a big difference between playing Mother Pig and Mrs. Peacock. I nervously refresh the Google Classroom page. I always think I’ll stop being nervous when I wait for the cast list, but I never am. I sit and refresh the page. The cast list finally shows up…. I’m not on it. I never quite get used to the disappointment either. But I learn something from those disappointments. As long as I try my hardest, I just might get better at this whole theatre thing.
There’s more to moden spirtuality than pretty crystals and tarot readings I started my spiritual journey while in quarantine. Being in isolation from my friends was hard and I found myself wasting hours just scrolling through TikTok. The lack of social interaction made me slowly slip into a depressive state. One of my best friends had been getting into modern + by Yeretzy Blanco spirituality during that time and, after a long FaceTime call, I decided to start Spirituality learning by myself. What is modern spirituality? It isn’t is truly really structured like religion, in fact, about you can practice modern spirituality improving while practicing your own religion. Many parts and methods of it stem yourself from Buddhism. It’s important to not in order to only acknowledge this but respect it and do the research. The great thing someday be about modern spirituality is that you have the ability to pick and choose able to help what helps you and practice that. others with It could be ‘aligning your chakras, manifestation, meditation or other their own aspects of spirituality. journey. There isn’t a list of rules for spirituality, instead, there is a focus on healing the mind. This is what draws so many people to it. Spirituality is truly about improving yourself in order to someday be able to help others with their own journey. When you heal psychologically, you heal physically and overall improve your well-being. Although misconceptions about spirituality exist, a its increasing popularity means beneficial information is also out there, as well as even more misinformation. Take everything you see and hear with a grain of salt. Finding a spiritual mentor allows you to learn is through other people already going through their own spiritual journey. Hearing their personal experiences is so much more impactful than just reading about it. The most important part of spirituality is also the scariest: you confront your traumas and you let go of attachments in order to truly begin your journey. This part is called shadow work and it’s all about confronting the “dark side” of yourself, the side that deals with negative emotions and impulses. It’s scary and hard to even begin doing shadow work because the things that might be the most toxic are sometimes the hardest to let go of. Butso much beauty comes with letting go and dealing with all the emotions and scenarios. It gives you a completely new perspective. This really helped me out especially in my hardest moments. You never know what others have gone through, and this journey gives you a better understanding of how people function and behave due to their circumstances. Personally, it’s been a rollercoaster of a journey. I’ve questioned the decisions I’ve made due to my shift in beliefs, but looking back I realize every decision I have made has had purpose and meaning behind it. I’m still impulsive at times but I’m becoming a better person. I think about other’s feelings more while still prioritizing my well-being. Sure, I still get really depressed and unmotivated at times. Modern spirituality doesn’t magically solve all of my problems, but it really has helped me become more in tune with my emotions. I now know when it’s time to ask for help and when it’s something I have to confront by myself. + design by Kasi Maniktala
6 | feature
Jan. 27, 2021
WE HEARD YOU The COVID-19 vaccine is here, and it’s all about choice + by Ally Pruente
Thirty-eight students responded to questions about the likelihood that they would be vaccinated against COVID-19. Eleven said they would not, 21 said they would be vaccinated and six still aren’t sure.
O I T N A N I C AC V R O F
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I think that it’s great that we have a vaccine so soon. I don’t know if there will be I’ve already seen news reports of people having any hazards, but if it’s FDA-approved, I think that allergic reactions to [COVID-19]. What if the people don’t have a reason to be super nervous about vaccine makes it worse?” it.” — Hank Kniggendorf, junior — Abbi Hamilton, senior I think it will eliminate I’m hoping that we will start to see an impact If the virus has a 99.99% survival rate, then I don’t COVID-19 but I once all healthcare workers and essential workers need a vaccine.” think it has unknown/ get the vaccine, but I think we’ll see a huge impact — Tamara Harris-Webster, junior underlying side effects.” around July of 2021.” — Kiera McDonald, junior
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I don’t have concerns with the vaccine because I know that scientists have done a lot of research on it to make sure it is safe.” — Rose Cox, freshman I believe a vaccine this early in the game is groundbreaking. I am very impressed with the trials outcome, even if it’s only 95% effective.” — Lillian Bowen, senior
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— Landyn Luttrell, senior
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I think it will be like the flu shot, something we get every year, but might still catch the virus.” — Adrienne Johnson, junior
I hope the vaccine will help return life to normal in a short time. [I am] not sure when that will be, though.”
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AGAINST V ACC I NA
I will not get it because I do not know the side effects three years down the line… vaccines are typically tested for years. This one has barely been tested.” — Audrey Bennett, senior I think they have rushed it too much, we still don’t have complete knowledge on this virus.” —Kendall Toomay, senior
I am very excited about the vaccine… I am not afraid of long term effects as our environmental aspects will kill us quicker than this vaccine.” I work in healthcare and I will not be — Ali Windoffer, senior — Jackson Reese, senior receiving the vaccine. The fact is we are in I think that everyone who can and feels a pandemic and multiple steps in the comfortable getting the vaccine should get it. vaccination approval process were allowed I trust in the scientists who tested and created to be bypassed in order to push it out faster.” the vaccine and believe it is very safe to use.” —Grace Rippee, senior — Megan Freeman, junior
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NEUTRAL
+ design by Olivia Linville
Crucial Step
smnw.com
feature | 7
Concerns arise as more people receive COVID-19 vaccinations across the country + by Stella Grist
Two COVID-19 vaccines, one produced by Pfizer and Biotech and the other by Moderna, acquired approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for distribution in the United States in December. These vaccines are administered in two doses. Some people across the country have already begun to receive their second shot. “With the availability of two vaccines now for the prevention of COVID-19, the FDA has taken another crucial step in the fight against this global pandemic that is causing vast numbers of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States each day,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen M. Hahn said in a press release issued Dec. 18. Healthcare officials have already received the vaccine, including Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) nurses. SMSD Director of Health Services Shelby Rebeck received her vaccine on Jan. 6. “The process was super smooth,” Rebeck said. “When you arrived, there was a form that you had to fill out online that asked if you had allergies to any of the vaccine ingredients, if you’d ever had a reaction to a vaccine and just some safety type questions. Then, there were approximately 15 stations where you sat down with a nurse who was giving the vaccine from the health department. I think I was seated for maybe 15 seconds and then I went to the checkout station, where they gave me my vaccine card that said the date I received the vaccine, the type of vaccine I received, a lot number and the date that I should receive my next vaccine.” Rebeck experienced a slight headache and some soreness in her arm after receiving the vaccine. However, Rebeck still believes that any possible side effects of the vaccine outweigh the consequences of contracting the virus. “I always felt that the FDA process and the scientists working on it, of all people would have been worried about the concern [that the vaccine was developed too quickly],” Rebeck said. “Even though it went quicker, I still think it went through all of the correct processes that a normal vaccine would go through. For me personally, it was the fear of contracting COVID-19, and either dying from it or having a serious long-term side effect. That fear was greater than the fear of getting the vaccine.” The FDA regulates food, medical supplies and medicines that are manufactured and sold. “The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products and medical devices,” the FDA says in their mission statement. These vaccines received approval from the FDA because it is known that they are effective in reducing the spread and transmission of the virus and have no major safety concerns. “Guided by science and data, the agency’s career staff determined that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits clearly outweigh its known and potential risks,” FDA Center for
Biologics Evaluation and Research director Dr. Peter Marks said in a press release issued Dec. 18. Rebeck understands concerns about the safety of the virus, but she believes that whoever is eligible and able to receive the vaccine should. The health department is requiring 70% of the community to get the vaccination. Otherwise, mitigation efforts such as masks and social distancing will remain in place. “I would tell [those who are worried about the safety of the vaccine] to do their research with reputable sites,” Rebeck said. “Social media is not a great place to find accurate scientific information. So, go to the CDC [Center for Disease Control], go to the FDA information and talk to their personal physician.” Rebeck believes the only way to return to normalcy is widespread distribution of a vaccine. “I just don’t see another path out of this COVID-19 nightmare that we’re living right now,” Rebeck said. “We don’t want to keep these mitigation measures in place [next] school year. So, I want to encourage people to do their research and look at ‘is this vaccine safe for me, and what does my physician say?’ If they’re eligible, and their physician says it’s okay, then I hope those people will take advantage of it.”
Statistics 23.5 million shots given in the United States
1.25 million doses given per day in the United States
7.1 doses administered per 100 people in United States
5.4 doses administered per 100 people in Kansas
56.6% of the available shots in the United States have been used Kansas has administered 45.2% of the shots available, the lowest rate in the country + design by Kasi Maniktala
8 | sports
New Year
Take a look at how the winter sports teams are doing midway through their seasons +story by Rory Dungan and Mike Owens +design by Kasi Maniktala
Jan.27, 2021
Same Sports
Boys’ Swim Senior swim captain Brian Harrell and the boys’ team have been excelling in meets this season, and are set to compete at the state championship in February. Harrell individually qualified for two events at the state competition. Additionally, the team qualified for three medley events. “I qualified in the 50 free[style], the 100 butterfly and then three relays, the medley relay, the 200 free[style] and the 400 free[style],” Harrell said. “I went to state last year doing the 100 [butterfly], and I didn’t end up making the finals. This year, I want to continue to improve.” Each relay is made up of four people, a combination which Harrell says may vary based on who is doing the best at the time. “We pick the best person for each stroke: freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke and backstroke,” Harrell said. “So far, our medley relay has Alex Duewel, Alex Savincov, Grant Edmonds and me. Our 200 free has the same people, then our 400 free I think is the same, but it might vary. The fastest will get swapped in and out.” One of Harrell’s goals, aside from placing on the podium at the state competition, is to break the school’s 100 meter butterfly. “I’m proud of my 100 fly,” Harrell said. “I’ve been dropping time
Bowling
The girls’ and boys’ bowling teams are adapting to less practice time with the same amount of meets they attend. “Last year we would all practice from 3-5 p.m., so we’d get a lot of work done and get the kinks out,” senior Grace Bradley said. “But this year, the girls practice from 3-4 p.m. and the boys go from 4-5 p.m., so we don’t get as much done as we’d like to and we only practice a couple days a week. It prohibits us from being able to bond with each other, because the girls barely see the boys and they barely see us.” Bradley, who has been bowling on the NW team since her freshman year, has continued to work on perfecting her game as much as possible. In bowling, a perfect game is 300 points. A perfect series, the total of three games combined, is 900 points. “My high game right now is a 265, and my high series... is 694,” Bradley said. “I definitely think it reflects my abilities because it shows that I can be a leader. It also shows that I’m
on that and hopefully I can drop more. If I’m lucky, I can beat the school record – I’m two seconds away right now, but I think that would be nice if I could get that.” The team’s success in qualifying for the state competition isn’t only down to one person, however. Harrell credits the rest of his team for their hard work, especially co-captain junior Alex Savincov. “We get new swimmers every year, so you never know how you’re going to do, but I think that this year is going well,” Harrell said. “Alex Savincov has been working really hard. Last year he made state, but this year he’s ranked second in the 50 yard freestyle, and that’s really good. I’ve really seen a lot of improvement from him.” Harrell is also grateful for his coach, Ryan who has been at Northwest as long as Harrell has. “Coach is always finding new and creative ways to challenge us,” Harrell said. “His first year was my freshman year, so this is his fourth year coaching with us. I feel like he has definitely gotten creative with his sets compared with my freshman year. He really enjoys what he does and I’m proud of him for it, because he just makes it more fun and it’s a blast every day.”
dedicated to bowling, and I’ll push myself more and more every day and set big goals for myself.” Bradley is optimistic about the outcome of this year’s season, as she thinks that some of the team’s newest players have exceptional talent. “We’ve had a lot of good people graduate, but we have a really good team from new and [existing] people,” Bradley said. “It’s a chance to show that we are a great team, even with a lot of people graduating who were some of our top bowlers.” Senior Evan Battles, who plays for the boys’ team, is also impressed with how the team has performed so far this season. “This season, we seem to have more enthusiasm throughout the entire roster than in the past,” Battles said. “People have always been into it, but this year seems like something special could really happen.”
+photo by Evan Johnson Junior Grant Edmonds swims across the pool Jan. 9 at SM Aquatic Center. Edmonds swam in the 50 yard freestyle race. “I really like how you can feel like you’re going much faster while swimming freestyle,” Edmonds said. “I usually think about trying to go as fast or faster than the guy next to me.”
Senior AJ Makkalya fists bumps one of his teammates Jan. 11 at Park Lanes Bowling Center.
+photo by Kate Reese
Wrestling Senior Alvin Horner, the only returning varsity wrestler, continues to be a leader to the newcomers on the squad. “I think we’re 0-5 [as a team],” Horner said. “My record is 9-0 as of right now. Our team is very young this year.” Horner recognizes some areas of improvement that the team needs to work on to be more successful. With most of the wrestlers being new to the sport, they have to work hard to perfect their technique. “We need to improve on taking shots and maintaining stamina,” Horner said. “I’m
trying to get guys to work outside of the room, so instead of playing video games they need to go for a jog.” Although the wrestling team is still competing at meets, Horner misses the aspects of the season that he was able experience before the pandemic. “This season doesn’t compare to any season I’ve ever played,” Horner said. “It’s weird. I miss the tournaments, hotels and the team bonding.” Horner is hopeful for success in the upcoming regional and state tournaments.
+photo by Kyra Highlander
Sophomore Wyatt Coats against a SM West Varsity wrestler Dec. 22 in the SM Northwest Main Gymnasium. Coats won all his matches that night. “I would say my biggest accomplishment so far is getting my first win in a varsity match this year.” Coats said.
smnw.com
profile | 9
IN THE ZONE The basketball journey of Division I commit Kennedy Taylor
+ by Emily Alexander
Senior Kennedy Taylor dribbles between her legs Jan. 12 in Stage Gym. Taylor is the starting center for the Lady Cougars in their exciting 7-0 start to the season. “My favorite part about basketball is the way it can help you relieve stress,” Taylor said. “It makes you forget all your problems when you step on the court.”
The sounds of shoes squeaking fill the gym as the clock hits five minutes during a junior varsity Lady Cougar basketball game. In the stands, senior and University of Colorado basketball commit Kennedy Taylor pulls one AirPod out of her bag and plays Queen’s “Killer Queen”. She then grabs a banana to eat before taking the court. “Basketball is a whole other place you go to,” Taylor said. “I know when you think basketball, you think dribbling up and down the court, fancy dunks and three pointers, but it’s more about having a place to go to detox from your day.” The buzzer shrieks, marking the end of the junior varsity game. It’s time for Taylor and her teammates to take the court to play Olathe South for the 2019 substate championship title. At 6’2”, Taylor was born to play basketball. She didn’t begin playing until the fourth grade when she was recruited by a fellow classmate’s father. As Taylor fell in love with the sport, so did the rest of her family. They spent many of their weekends shooting hoops together at the gym. “When my brother was actually shorter than me, we’d play games and it would just kind of be a family thing,” Taylor said. “We’d just play and my brother would hang off of me as we were playing.” Ever since, Taylor has worked hard spending up to six days a week at the gym training. Over the past year, Taylor received 13 Division I offers–including one from every major NCAA conference. “I knew from the start that she would be a really good basketball player,” assistant varsity coach Elissa Ojeda said. “She’s a strong asset on the bench and a strong asset on the court.” When she was in eighth grade, Taylor began playing for KC Dream, her first competitive basketball club. She started out on the developmental team. After a lot of hard work and practice, Taylor made her way up to the club’s gold team two and a half years ago. “Club basketball has been very hectic
[because] you’ve got girls that are basically the same skill level as you and we’ve got to figure out how we can all work together to play as one,” Taylor said. “It was for a good cause because playing with my club coach has really developed me from the scrawny eighth-grader that I was to now going to a Division I college.” As a senior, Kennedy is the only one who has played varsity all four years, pushing her to assume a leadership role on the team. “She’s one of our top leaders,” Ojeda said. “She’s the most vocal kid we have. She just helps take our team to the next level.” However, being the starting center for the varsity basketball team is just one of Taylor’s many responsibilities. She is also involved in Link Crew, Black Student Union, Track and Field, band and is highly committed to her church. “It’s hard to try to manage everything and some things slip through the cracks, so I try to be as organized as I can,” Taylor said. “I have this full-length mirror [where] I write down every single thing I have [to do], and once I finish it, I check it off.” Motivation and organization are often the toughest parts of being a student-athlete. Taylor, however, strives to keep pushing through even when her plethora of activities gets to be too much to handle. “There are going to be some days where you would rather sit at home and watch Netflix,” Taylor said. “Then you realize this is what [you] signed up to do, so [you] need to continue to push through with this no matter how hard it is.” The clock slowly ticks down with 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Teammate Kylie Dunn catches the ball thrown from down the court as the buzzer sounds. The girls begin to celebrate their victory, but the officials continue blowing their whistles, signaling the game is not over yet. “Don’t step over the line,” Taylor repeats to herself as Dunn takes her final free throw shots. The ball goes in and the cougars are substate champions. “It was my favorite win that we’ve ever had,” Taylor said. “That’s probably one of my favorite memories ever.” Two years later, Taylor prepares to play in her fourth substate championship in hopes of ending her high school career with a state title. “She really cares about [basketball],” Ojeda said. “My advice to Kennedy is to never forget how much she loves the game, and to think about what she can do for others on top of what she can do for herself.”
+ photo by Micah Reeves + design by Erin Albers
10 | feature
Jan. 27, 2021
DEMOCRACY’S DAY Joe Biden and Kamala Harris inaugurated as the 46th president and vice president + by Rory Dungan On Jan. 20, the United States turned a new page by inaugurating Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the 46th president and vice president. Harris is the first female, black and AsianAmerican person to become the vice president. The star-studded ceremony featured a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner by Lady Gaga, as well as a performance of “Amazing Grace” by Jennifer Lopez. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar introduced the performers, as well as the new president and his family. As usual, the oaths of office took place on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building. This year, however, the inauguration was followed by the riots that took place at the building only two weeks before. The events of Jan. 6 left Congress, as well as the American public, shaken – but did not prevent the peaceful transfer of power to the new president. “This is America’s day,” Biden said in his inaugural speech. “This is democracy’s day. The will of the people has been heard, and the will of the people has been heeded. We’ve learned again that democracy is precious. Democracy is fragile. And at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.” After Biden and Harris were sworn in, they made their way to the White House, where Biden was not met by former President Donald Trump. Trump did not make an appearance at the event, but instead flew to Palm Beach, Florida after delivering his final speech. “I will always fight for you,” Trump said in his remarks. “I wish the new administration great luck and success. They have the foundation to do something really spectacular.” Upon arriving at the White House, Biden made his way to the Oval Office, where he took action only hours after being sworn in. “There is no time to waste when it comes to tackling the crises we face,” Biden said in a Tweet on Jan. 20. “That’s why today, I am heading to the Oval Office to get right to work delivering bold action and immediate relief for American families.” Biden signed 17 executive orders on his first day in office, according to the New York Times. Biden’s orders included the U.S. rejoining the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate agreement, ending the Keystone XL pipeline, relief for those facing eviction and student debt, a mask mandate on federal property and rescinding the Muslim and Africa bans, to name
a few. One day later, Biden announced his COVID-19 National Action Plan, which is aimed to vaccinate Americans as quickly and efficiently as possible, while also safely reopening the country. “Reopening schools, businesses, travel, and our economy will require major, unified federal investments in rapid testing, an expanded rapid response public health workforce, clear guidance and protections, and support for people to stay home when they are infected to stop the spread of COVID-19,” the Biden administration said in their National Strategy for COVID-19 Response. Meanwhile, after briefly visiting the White House with President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris made her way to the Senate chambers, where three new senators were sworn in. Harris swore in Sen. John Ossoff and Sen. Raphael Warnock, both from Georgia, as well as Alex Padilla of California, who took over Harris’s seat. “It was an honor to return to the Senate to swear in Senators Padilla, Warnock, and Ossoff,” Harris said in a Tweet on Jan. 20. “They are dedicated to lifting up all Americans – and I look forward to working with them.” Even after a day filled with activity, it wasn’t over quite yet. Later in the evening, Tom Hanks hosted the “Celebration of America” event, which was a hopeful tribute to the Biden administration and the United States. The event also starred Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Demi Lovato, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and other performances.
Biden’s Executive Orders Since taking office, President Joe Biden has signed 44 executive orders including these:
Protections for transgender people Federal agencies and other institutions will not be limited in holding diversity and inclusion training. One of Biden’s orders is aimed to make sure everybody, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, has access to government resources.
Federal mask mandate Biden is requiring social distancing and mask wearing on federal property.
Immigration reform Biden rescinded Trump’s Muslim ban, which blocked travelers from some predominantly Muslim and African countries. Another one of Biden’s orders increased the presence of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and he intends to provide immigrants a pathway for citizenship.
Re-entry in world organizations The United States will once again be a part of the Paris climate accords, which works to reduce the use of fossil fuels. The U.S. was also re-entered in the World Health Organization.
Environmental reform Biden revoked the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, which was planned to bring increased volumes of crude oil from Canada to the U.S. He also enforced a pause in oil and natural gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
*All sidebar information from nytimes.com
COVID-19,
ONE YEAR LATER
“State Public Health Laboratory in Exton Tests for COVID-19” by governortomwolf
COVID-19, 12 | feature
One year after the discovery of COVID-19, the virus has changed every aspect of life
+ Story by Elizabeth Kuffour, Emily Alexander, Grace Logan
ONE YEAR LATER
Just over a year after the first case of the virus was discovered in Wuhan, China, COVID-19 has forever changed life around the world. For many, the disease has taken everything— family, friends, money, jobs, life experiences and so much more. But with a speedily developed vaccine beginning the first stages of distribution worldwide, there seems to be an end in sight for the first time since December 2019. The first known case of COVID-19 in the United States was diagnosed Jan. 21, 2020. That same day, Chinese health officials confirmed that the virus could be transmitted personto-person, and that the disease had killed four and infected 200 in China. The escalation in cases and deaths in the days that followed prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a Global Health Emergency on Feb. 3. By March 11, COVID-19 had met all three of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s criteria to be classed as a pandemic: illness resulting in death, sustained person-to-person spread and worldwide spread. March 13 was the next turning point for COVID-19 in the United States — President Trump declared a national emergency, which allowed the government to unlock funds and enact policy to fight the spread of the disease. What happened next was something most Americans have never experienced in their lifetime. Work shifted to a remote setting, school was postponed and eventually cancelled, civilians were placed under lockdown and masks became a commonly used item during limited public outings
HEALTHCARE
Jan.27, 2021
The sudden escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic stunned many, especially those working on the front lines in the medical field. “In the first week of March, we had one patient come in with a cough who had suspected she had COVID,” Overland Park Regional Medical Center Nursing Supervisor Fred Opuni said. “We sent in one nurse in a full protective suit to treat her. She tested negative. We thought that was the furthest this would go.” But that was nowhere near the furthest this pandemic would go. OP Regional has had to take drastic measures to reduce the spread of COVID within its facilities and limit strain on healthcare workers. They’ve temporarily closed their free-standing Emergency Room of Shawnee, in an effort to consolidate resources and employees at their main building. They’ve required that all their maternity navigation appointments, meetings with a labor and delivery nurse to plan for the birth, take place over the phone. They’ve also had to limit patients to only one visitor per stay, meaning each patient gets only one designated visitor each day and they are not allowed to change their designated visitor from day-to-day. Additionally, visitors must check in at one of three screening points and are not allowed to check in after 9 p.m. “The visitor rule has been one of the toughest parts of it all,” Opuni said. “Kids have to come in for procedures with only one parent. Moms are having babies with only one person in the room.” Despite the drastic changes in procedure, OP Regional and other local
hospitals remain bustling centers of activity and continue to play a vital role in helping the community through this pandemic. OP Regional is accepting community donations of N-95 and manufacturer-grade surgical masks (they cannot accept homemade masks), disposable gloves, goggles and eye shields, industrial soap and antibacterial wipes. They encourage those who wish to make financial donations to send them to the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Healthcare Hope Fund, which provides aid to healthcare workers and their families.
VACCINE
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized two vaccines for emergency use to prevent the spread COVID-19. The Pfizer vaccine is approved for use in individuals age 16 and older, and the Moderna vaccine is approved for ages 18 and older. Both vaccines are administered by injection into the muscle, typically in the upper arm. Both are given in two doses; the Pfizer doses are given three weeks apart, while the Moderna doses are given one month apart. Both vaccines may result in side effects including fatigue, headache, fever, nausea and injection site pain. Recipients will likely be asked to stay at their place of vaccination for a period of time after receiving the vaccine for monitoring in case of an allergic reaction. Vaccine rollout procedures vary by state, with some states moving faster than others. As of Jan. 22 at noon, Kansas has administered 143,856 vaccines, including first and second doses. Kansas has divided the rollout into five phases, prioritizing essential workers and elderly residents. Phase one includes health workers, long-term care facility residents and pandemic response workers. Phase two covers people age 65 and older, high-contact critical workers and people who work or live in congregate settings (facilities licensed by the government, such as homeless shelters and correctional facilities). Phase three includes people aged 16-64 with severe medical risks as well as other critical workers. Phase four covers people aged 1664 with other medical risks. Phase five will vaccinate the rest of the Kansas population aged 16 and older, as well as children, if research of vaccine effectiveness indicates that children may receive the vaccine at that time. Kansas is currently in phase two of the rollout plan. The vaccine costs are also completely covered by all of the major insurance companies. For those without insurance, the government is working on programs to minimize or eliminate all out of pocket costs. The plan for mass vaccine distribution will ideally be the same for any other vaccine—walk in, fill out information, get your shot and go on your way. “I think there will be a rush, just like when an iPhone comes out,” Rempel said. “The first four days its a rush, day five and six it’s busy, day seven and on you can just walk in.” Some of the biggest questions facing the distribution teams are: when exactly will the vaccine be distributed to the mass public and more importantly, when can people get back to “normal” life. The answer however, isn’t that simple. “[Production] probably won’t happen in really big numbers until early spring,” Walgreens senior vice president of technology Steve Rempel said. “I think it’s probably not going to be until summer [that] we get down to the healthiest.”
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EDUCATION
For the Northwest community, the way COVID-19 has changed education has been a primary influence in our lives. The jarring shifts between remote and hybrid learning throughout the school year have severely damaged student morale. “Hybrid is the worst of both worlds,” sophomore Savannah Miner said in a poll conducted by the Passage. “You only get to see your teachers a limited number of times a week and the switching from home to in person halfway through the week is tiring. At least in remote you can be settled in at home.” Though the changes in teaching style this year have taken a toll on most Northwest students, some are willing to endure it to ensure the safety of others in the community. “I obviously prefer hybrid, as I'd like to finish my senior year as normally as possible,” senior Trevor Hale said. “But if the situation doesn't improve, I'm glad to sacrifice a small fraction of normalcy to help in possibly saving lives.”
NEW VARIANTS
Though the introduction of the vaccine has many hoping for an end to the pandemic, the discovery of new COVID-19 variants may dash those hopes.
IMPORTANT TERMS
The first variant, B.1.1.7, was discovered in the United Kingdom in September. It quickly became common in southeast England and has since spread to other countries, including the United States which has had 195 total cases. According to the CDC, it spreads more quickly and easily than other variants, but has not yet been proven to cause more severe illness or increase the risk of death. Another variant called 1.351 was discovered in South Africa in October. It developed independently of the variant in the United Kingdom, but shares some mutations. It has spread outside of South Africa, but has not yet been found in the United States. The third variant, P.1, was first found in four Brazilian travelers at an airport in Japan. This variant contains mutations that might affect its ability to be recognized by antibodies, but has not been proven to increase the disease’s severity. This variant has not reached the United States. CDC officials are currently investigating whether these variants will respond to current treatments and vaccines. “We luckily haven’t had any cases come into our hospital with one of the new variants,” Opuni said. “But I will say that if [these variants] are more contagious, that will only put a bigger strain on our staff and facility, and facilities across the country, when these cases start appearing in our hospitals.”
EPIDEMIC: A SUDDEN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES OF A PARTICULAR DISEASE PANDEMIC: THE SPREAD OF A PARTICULAR DISEASE ACROSS MULTIPLE COUNTRIES, AFFECTING A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE OUTBREAK: A SPIKE IN CASES OF A PARTICULAR DISEASE IN A SPECIFIC PLACE AND TIME
COVID 19 CASES IN THE LAST 7 DAYS
0-1500 1,501-5,500
5,501-11,500
11,501-21,500 21,501-54,500
54,501-250,000
THE MENTAL BARRIER 14 | feature
Jan.27, 2021
Students who are neurodivergent have been forced to navigate school with a “mental barrier”
Imagine you’re sitting at a desk in your room, working on homework. You are typing on your computer, working on your English assignment when you have the impulsive thought to slam the computer closed and destroy your fingers in the process. But you have that small voice of reason in your head, almost like a barrier, to not horribly break your fingers. Even if you want to do it, there’s a mental barrier preventing you from doing it and it’s almost impossible to override. That’s what it feels like to be neurodivergent in school, with an invisible mental barrier preventing you from doing schoolwork or basic tasks, no matter how hard you want to do them. Neurodivergence is a collection of neuro disorders such as dyslexia, Tourette’s Syndrome, ObsessiveCompulsive Disorder (OCD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). All of these disorders can affect your daily ability to do tasks, no matter how big or small. The two disorders most talked about in the school setting are ADHD and ADD. Sophomore Madisyn Wells is a student with ADHD. She’s noticed that a lot of teachers have trouble dealing with students who are neurodivergent.
“
It's almost like they aren't really taught about what neuro problems are unless they have it themselves. Sophomore Madisyn Wells
”
“It’s almost like they aren’t really taught about what neuro problems are unless they have it themselves,” Wells said. “Most teachers [assume that] ADHD is just distractions. They don’t teach you that in women, it’s harder to diagnose because the symptoms are almost completely different from males. Women are more emotional, while men are more physical.” The question is, how do teachers approach dealing with the mental barrier that neurodivergent students face? For some students, school is hard enough without adding the online aspect to it. Many students can struggle with overstimulation, dissociation and attention issues in the school setting. Online school has made those issues a lot harder to overcome. Neurodivergent students wanting to be left alone is often an effect of overstimulation, which is when someone experiences an overwhelming amount of stimulation towards one of their senses, such as hearing or touch. Sophomore Lilly Harris often experiences it with touch. She is an artist, but her
MY SWISS CHEESE BRAIN
+ by Veronica Meiss artistic passion is disrupted when some textures like clay can cause overstimulation. “[Clay] feels like it’s cementing my hands together and I’ll never get it off,” Harris said. “That’s why I’ve avoided taking an art class, because of the clay unit. The feeling of paper also makes my arm feel like it has ants crawling over it. Like there’s a spider on me and I can’t get it off. I sometimes have to touch things with both of my hands to [even out the sensation].” Literary education professor Dr. Rachael Gabriel proposes that some ways to help neurodivergent students are creating peer groups to work on assignments, using a variety of different colors and fonts in online assignments and breaking down bigger assignments into smaller parts. “You can’t take a specific disability label and match it with a list of accommodations,” Gabriel said. “It needs to be up to the kid whether they feel like that is a useful accommodation for this task at this time.” Some professors, like Gabriel, suggest having a checklist at the beginning of class for some students. That checklist can include creating a wellness check through a Google Form, answering questions about the previous night’s homework and going over the schedule for the day. Those small things could help students who are neurodivergent on a daily basis. “You can’t treat them like a baby,” Wells said. “You have to be a friend to them. If they don’t talk, then they may just need to be alone for a while. Don’t push them to a point that they don’t want to go.” Even if you are neurotypical and do not have disorders such as ADHD, learning about how to approach those who do have it is still important. Learning why these things happen and why people struggle with public school is crucial to understanding the mental barrier.
of laundry, I think to myself, “Oh, that needs to be taken downstairs.” So I walk down the stairs and put my laundry away. I go sit back on the couch and a couple minutes pass. Crap, I forgot to get my computer. I walk back up and then feel thirsty. I grab my water and go back downstairs… “Did I really just do it again?” It takes me three tries to do one simple task. It’s exhausting. I’ve heard it all before: I’ve always known that there was something wrong, but I “Just try harder.” “Just do your work.” “The assignment isn’t even that didn’t expect this. hard.” “Why can’t you just remember?” My doctor held up a plastic replica of a brain and told me People with ADHD aren’t lazy. More than likely they want to complete that mine was sort of like this… with an exception. the assignment. The holes in their brains don’t let them. They just simply “Your brain’s kinda like Swiss cheese,” she said. Erin Albers forget. Design Editor The medicine she would prescribe would plug up the Of course, it takes effort to do things and everyone should be able to holes and make it easier for me to focus. “work harder.” But people with ADHD sometimes just can’t. You wouldn’t Although I was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder tell a person with glasses to just see better, would you? (ADHD) less than a month ago, I’ve known something was wrong for a while. I In a lot of aspects, ADHD is the same way. I’ll have an essay to write. An always wonder why school is so easy for others. easy, straightforward essay, but every time I sit down to write it, my brain goes “Oh, they are probably just smart,” I thought. in another direction. A thousand thoughts will race through my head. Did I It turns out that I am smart too, but my wires are a little out of place. My switch the laundry? What’s my grade in math? Did I ever text my boyfriend brain has holes that make me forget the simplest things, make the smallest back? Then I’ll get up and start the next thing and completely forget about sounds distract me, make my feet wiggle and make the easiest tasks difficult. I the essay. always feel like I’m playing catch up. It sucks at times, but I really do love my ADHD. It’s a part of who I am. And I didn’t feel like anyone was paying attention anyway. I don’t think I would be the crazy kid who can always make people laugh My older sister had mental health issues so she was the focus of my parents without it. when we were growing up. My ADHD and I slipped through the cracks. A part You can never tell who is struggling with ADHD, so here’s my advice. of me just wanted to ignore it, because it wasn’t ever “that bad,” but it does Teachers, if you have that talkative energetic kid in class, don’t just assume leave me wondering: if I had been diagnosed earlier, what would high school they are a screw-up. If you notice a student not turning in assignments, have been like? Would I be a straight-A student? I guess I’ll never know. don’t assume they don’t care and, most importantly, educate yourselves on ADHD isn’t just forgetting things and having weird bursts of energy. Of neurodiversity. course, it’s all of that but It also comes with more challenges. It’s caused me Students, if you have a friend with ADHD, telling them to calm down to have extreme highs and extreme lows, sometimes at random. I’m really won’t help. We can’t just calm down. If you notice that your friend has a lot sensitive to sound. I can’t watch TV in one room if the TV in the room next of missing assignments, offer to do them together. If you want to be a really door is playing something loud. My mind doesn’t let me focus on one sound terrific friend, learn about ADHD, what causes it, what it may look like and at a time. I hear everything at the same time and it’s basically information how you can help people like me cope with it. overload. I get really stressed out and sometimes it pushes me over the edge. Then remember no two people with ADHD are the same. I also forget things a lot. I’ll be sitting downstairs on the couch thinking When I or any of the people that suffer from ADHD get distracted, help us ‘oh, I need to go up and grab my computer.’ So I walk up the stairs with one stay focused cause we are easily distra… SQUIRREL! goal in mind: grab my computer. But when I walk into my room and see a pile
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is more than meets the eye
BY THE NUMBERS
60%
Adults with ADHD are 60 percent more likely to lose their jobs (World Health Organization)
50%
50 percent of employers in the UK admitted they would not hire a neurodivergent applicant (Institute of Leadership and Management)
1 in 6
1 in 6 children aged 3-17 were identified with a developmental disorder from 2009-2017 (CDC)
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feature | 15
TURNING TIDES
1
The SMSD Aquatic Center adapts during the pandemic + by Ruth Demeke & Stella Grist
The rise of COVID-19 forced the Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) Aquatic Center to close for over six months. The effects of the closure are lasting despite the aquatic center reopening in September. “During COVID-19, one thing that was constant was change,” aquatics director Marshall McKinney said. “As information continued to be given by health officials, changes at the SMSD Aquatic Center were made to follow the most current guidelines.” The unpredictable nature of the pandemic caused a lot of the facility’s operations to be up in the air. “Due to facility closure, numerous practices, programs and events were canceled,” McKinney said. “Financially, all of these items bring in revenue that help offset the cost of operations at the facility. Along with lost revenue, we lost experiences at the facility. These experiences are what make this facility special for SMSD student athletes, as well as our community. The closure was not an easy decision, but the safety of the SMSD students and the community as a whole is a priority for both SMSD and the Johnson County Park and Recreation District (JCPRD).” Despite the SMSD Aquatic Center closing, JCPRD recovered financially through their other facilities. “We had to close in March, so we were out of work for a while,” staff member and NW senior Emily Alexander said. “JCPRD was still making money because all of our staff worked at the Shawnee Mission Park beach and marina. We had a record breaking year at the marina this year, financially. JCPRD-wise, we didn’t really take any deficit because we had our other facilities to run.” The consequences of the facility’s finances caused many staff members to lose their jobs throughout the closure period. With the aquatic center reopening, they must find new staff members to fill the openings. “With closure of our facility, we made the tough decision to furlough staff throughout the Johnson County Park and Recreation District,” McKinney said. “This furlough included all part-time staff that work at the Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center. As we began the process of reopening, staff were trained on all new policies and procedures that were a result of COVID-19, and we were pleased to welcome our full staff back with the reopening of the facility. Our staff continue to support each other and have a family mentality that we are in this together to make a special place for all to visit.” Alexander remained on the staff over the course of the pandemic and saw her coworkers come and go. “I started in November 2019,” Alexander said. “There were two or three people when I first started, [and now,] our whole staff has changed. This summer, we had just gotten so many more people and a lot of the old people left… we were still understaffed.” The SMSD Aquatic Center is now open, but many rules and guidelines are in place to
2 1. An SMSD school hosts a swim meet Jan. 7 at the Aquatic Center. The building opened for SMSD use during the 2019-2020 school year. + photo by Erin Dory
2. A swim meet is held Dec. 17 at the Aquatic Center. The spectator seating area is elevated above the pool deck which allows more room for both the swimmers and the spectators. +photo by Erin Dory
ensure the safety of visitors. The full reopening plan can be found on www.jcprd.com. “There are just a lot less people in the building this year,” Alexander said. “Last year, we were super packed. When we had meets, it’d be a big thing because, for Blazers meets for example, a club swim team, we would have hundreds of people from all over. Now this year, our meets are much more low-key and mellow. We also do a lot more cleaning. Every hour, whether I’m working front desk or lifeguarding, I’m always cleaning something when I’m on break. We have SMSD janitors that do cleaning, but we do a lot of it ourselves to make sure everything is good.” With these guidelines in place, the SMSD Aquatic Center’s staff hopes to continue to provide a fun, welcoming environment for its visitors. “These [guidelines] include [having a] limited number of swimmers per lane, restricted use of amenities including changing areas and showers and changing the flow of traffic within the facility,” McKinney said. “We ask all patrons that enter the facility to answer screening questions prior to entering. Changes have been made to day-to-day operations, but everyone that enters the facility does a great job adhering to these new guidelines and understand we are all in it together to keep this facility a safe place to recreate and enjoy positive experiences.”
+design by Kasi Maniktala
16 | feature
Jan. 27 2021
Migrating North Sophomore Ally Urich discusses her experience while studying abroad with COVID-19 cases rising + by Grace Logan
Standing outside NW, sophomore Ally Urich poses for a photo Jan. 21. Urich attended school in Canada for five months. “School was a lot of fun, but I felt like I learned a lot more from the experiences than I did in class,” Urich said. + photo by Ashley Broils While abroad, Urich made many strong connections to her peers at Penticton Secondary School. However, before the first day of classes, this was something that worried her. “I’m a very social person,” Urich said. “The first day of school, I was super nervous, because I knew no one. My teacher introduced me to some kids and then I started building some friendships, but at the beginning I was terrified.”
Just north of the U.S.-Canadian border, approximately 1,400 miles from Shawnee, is a small town known as Osoyoos, British Columbia. This humble town is known for its vast vineyards and astonishing landscape. With Mount Kobau visible from any location in the town, this area has become a popular tourist destination. However, traveling to Osoyoos was no vacation for sophomore Ally Urich. “[My mom and I] flew to Spokane, Washington and then drove four hours to the border,” Urich said. “Once we reached Osoyoos, we immediately had to quarantine for two weeks.” This was not Urich’s first time visiting Canada, but it would certainly be a different experience. Her great grandmother used to live in British Columbia, and Urich visited often throughout the years. With family located in Canada and her mother already a citizen of both countries, the idea of Urich also gaining dual citizenship had been discussed years before the pandemic struck the nation. The main problem her family encountered was deciding on an appropriate time to travel North. In Urich’s case, it would only take one year of residency to gain citizenship, compared to the three years typically required. However, this would mean leaving her life in Kansas behind for a period of time. Opportunity arose when the number of COVID cases began to climb within the states. “[Everything] that I appreciated and loved about school was going to be shut down,” Urich said. “I was thinking I might as well go [to Canada] now when I don’t really have anything that’s tying me to Northwest. Their [COVID-19] restrictions are more strict, so I was going to feel more safe there as well. In Canada, everyone listens, knows the risks and they’re educated on the topic. They want to make other people safe.” After spending fourteen long days in Osoyoos, Urich and her mother drove an hour north to Penticton, British Columbia, where Urich would attend school for four months. “I had met [my cousins] before, which was nice because I knew the family that I was staying with,” Urich said. “That kind of calmed me down a little bit.” Urich originally planned to see her father multiple times during her stay in Canada, as he was planning to periodically visit. However,
Canada placed additional restrictions by only allowing essential travelers to enter their borders. “Our plan was that my dad would come up and bring some of my stuff for the winter,” Urich said. “We got to the border crossing and learned that my dad wasn’t going to be able to visit. There’s a two-hour time difference which made [the situation] worse. It was difficult communicating with people. I would be finishing up school, ready to talk to my family, and they would be going to bed.” For a period of time, Penticton had zero confirmed COVID-19 cases. “Everyone walked around freely,” Urich said. “Masks were recommended, but not required.” However, this quickly changed when the hockey team at Penticton Secondary School brought the virus back with them. “I came back early because [COVID-19] was getting a lot worse there,” Urich said. “My parents and my aunt were very concerned because if I caught [the virus] there was a possibility that I wouldn’t be able to go back to the states. I had a medical card, but I was also worried about what would happen to me [if hospitalized]. I was worried they might decide to not treat me as a priority, because I’m not a citizen.” Despite all the challenges Urich faced during her relocation, she encourages any student interested to study abroad or travel. “Having those experiences is important,’’ Urich said.
“It was interesting to see how
different their community was, while also having many similarities to our own.” “I was expecting people to be so different, but things like the social groups [at Penticton Secondary School] were basically the same.” After a long journey and once again sitting through quarantine, Urich has been happily reunited with her family and resumed her life in Shawnee, Kansas. + design by Olivia Linville
2020 MOVIE REVIEWS smnw.com
TENET Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” tells the story of a man on a mission to save the world. Time, which is something commonly explored through in Nolan’s work, is seen as something to be fought against in this film. This abstract form of conflict, in which one person was going against themselves back in time, was very entertaining. The logistics of how everything works were explained quickly and not much time was spent on it, so if you didn’t understand it in the beginning, you’d just have to catch up on your own. It toys with the idea of fighting against the consequences of a future by going back and changing the sequence of past events.
ONWARD “Onward” tells the story of two teenage brothers on an adventure to meet their deceased father one more time. Surrounded in a modernized fantasy world where using magic is no longer common, the main characters, Ian and Barley, show you the clear path isn’t always the right one. Pixar always delivers on the heartwarming animations and this year wasn’t different. The emotional punch of Ian accepting that his older brother served as a father figure in place of his deceased father made it a real tearjerker. The concept of a mythological world that’s surrounded by modern technology was comical, interesting to see and looked as realistic as it could get. I wouldn’t say this film is one of the best Pixar movies out there, but it is still a very heartfelt film, perfect to watch with the family.
SOUL A middle school teacher who likes jazz gets into an accident and has his soul separated into another realm. “Soul” is one of the best animations done by Pixar by far. There’s so much detail and diversity you see in every single person making sure everyone looks different. This family film takes on a surprisingly more intellectual concept dealing with the afterlife and souls. The afterlife is a heavy topic for a Pixar film to explore, but this movie manages to make it a colorful, fun and a wondrous experience. The last 30 minutes of this film escape the action and journey between main characters Joe and 22, an unborn soul Joe meets in the spirit realm, and leads to a surprising twist of events. It drives home the message to live every minute of your life like it’s the last. “Soul” can have a lasting impact on those who watch it. It’s an experience that makes you question your outlook and purpose in life.
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2020 delivered a range of good and bad movies. With the difficulty of the pandemic, filmmakers were restricted on releases and sometimes rushed or stalled on their work. Still, the movies released this year were enjoyable to view and allow us to escape reality for a brief moment of time. +story by Ruth Demeke + design by Olivia Nagorka
BLACK IS KING Beyonce’s “Black is King” is a stunning visual album made to accompany her 2019 album “The Lion King: The Gift.” I expected this film to be a compilation of music videos, but was pleasantly surprised to see a narrative that tied the songs together well. The story follows an exiled African prince, who goes on a journey of self-discovery. With the difficulty of tracing lineage because of slavery, the forgotten ancestry of many black people is addressed throughout the film. The message provided is that the ancestors will be waiting for those who are lost. These deep themes, accompanied by the happiness and joy of the music and visuals, really enchant you to never look away from your screen. The colors, choreography, dancing and costumes all blend well together, captivating you to keep watching to see what’s going to happen next. There were moments that awkwardly tried to incorporate clips from the live-action “Lion King,” where dialogue snippets took you out of the flow of the music, however the aesthetically pleasing pictures of this film were able to capture you back into the film.
MULAN Disney made a grave error in deciding to remake the 1998 animated film “Mulan” in a live-action format. Removing the aspects that made the first film special made the remake an underwhelming, lesser version of its predecessor. This movie was simply another cash grab made by Disney, clearly seen by how they charged $30 on top of your Disney+ subscription to view this movie within the first three months of its release. The set and costumes made for this film were time-appropriate and appealing, but that doesn’t make up for the stripped plot. The movie took itself too seriously. Without Mushu, there were fewer comedic moments, creating a more serious tone that just didn’t feel the same. A live action where you don’t completely rip off the original story is a good idea, it’s just not well-executed in this movie.
WW 1984 “Wonder Woman 1984” is the awaited sequel to the 2017 movie “Wonder Woman.” Released on Christmas Day and anticipated by fans of the DC Universe, director Patty Jenkins’ film brings us back to the story of Diana Prince. The film embraced the 80s style with funky clothes and colorful and vibrant visuals. There were moments I’d been taken out from the movie because of the distracting effects. There’s a point where the emotions are reaching an all-time high, showing how Diana is separated from Steve Trevor, her lover, once again for the good of humanity, but when she, after having left him, ran full speed with her powers she’d gained back, it was laughable. She runs in an unnatural way where she’s awkwardly above the ground and it doesn’t feel real. This is one of a few moments during the film where the anticipated action and drama fall flat. “Wonder Woman 1984” is an enjoyable film to watch, but it’s definitely not one of the best movies of this year.
JANUARY
Jan. 27, 2020
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Upcoming Events
All scheduled events are at risk of cancellation due to COVID-19. Check your email regularly for updates on schoolsponsored events. + by Elizabeth Kuffour
Feb. 6 ACT Test
FEB. 8 board meeting
feb. 15 No School
feb. 16 NO SCHOOL
feb. 22 Special Night of Spirit
feb. 22 Board Meeting
feb. 23 Free ACT
The ACT test will be held at Northwest in various classrooms. Students who have registered to take the test should check their email for additional information on testing day procedures
The SMSD Board of Education will hold a meeting at the Center for Academic Achievement (CAA). The time is to be determined.
Shawnee Mission students in grades K-12, as well as teachers and staff, will have the day off from school due to President’s Day.
DECEMBER 17: VARSITY SWIM Shawnee Mission students in grades K-12 will have the day off from school Che due to Professional Learning.
Cheer and Dance Team will host a joint spirit showcase at 7 p.m. in the Main Gym. Parents of cheerleaders and dancers will be allowed to attend, and the event will be livestreamed for the general public.
The SMSD Board of Education will hold a meeting at the Center for Academic Achievement (CAA). The time is to be determined.
NW juniors will have the opportunity to take the ACT for free at Northwest. Juniors should check their email regularly for additional information on registration and testing day procedures.
Senior Sam Steinlicht dives into the pool Dec. 17 at SM Aquatic Center. Steinlicht swam the 50-yard freestyle race. “As I’m diving into the water, I think about all the training that we put in before the meet,” Steinlicht said. + photo by Erin Dory
JANUARY 9: VARSITY SWIM Sophomore Grant Edmonds looks at the scoreboard at the SM Aquatics Center. Edmonds placed 1st in the 100-yard freestyle and 2nd in the 50-yard freestyle races. + photo by Evan Johnson
IN PHOTOS smnw.com
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+ Design by Alden Norberg
DEC. 22 : WRESTLING Senior Alvin Horner his turns opponent Dec. 22 in the SM West Main Gym. Horner won the match. + photo by Kyra Highlander
DEC. 11: BASKETBALL Sophomore Noah VanAuken cheers for his teammates Players are required to wear masks on the sideline. “Because of the pandemic. it’s much quieter,” VanAuken said. “Our team has to create its own energy rather than depend on the crowd.” + photo by Josie Torres
JANUARY 21: BASKETBALL Moving around an opponent, senior Kylie Dunn rushes toward the basket Jan. 12 in the Main Gym. The Cougars beat the Olathe South Falcons 39-27. “My teammates encourage me and keep me going on the court,” Dunn said. I know they’ll have my back no matter what.” + photo by Claire Moore
“My teammates mean a lot because it’s a group of guys I can talk to and have fun despite the pandemic,” Brown said. “It’s somewhere to escape to.” —senior Chris Brown
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