The Spoke April Issue 2020/2021

Seniors celebrate graduation at drive thru

sTUDENTS CREATE FILM FOR national COMPETITION

Page 2 Conestoga High School, Berwyn, PA

Volume 71 No. 6

April 29, 2021

page 5

Photo Gallery: boys and girls lacrosse continue season

Page 10

spoke.news

Survey results keep Wednesdays virtual Shreya Vaidhyanathan Staff Reporter

Abby Bagby/The SPOKE

Ready to be vaccinated: A receptionist at the Chester County Health Department questions junior Mike Bagby about any allergies he has before allowing him to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Bagby got his second dose of the vaccine on April 26.

chester county MOVES TO PHASE 2 Students ages 16 and older begin to get vaccinated

By Zakiyah Gaziuddin, Ben Shapiro and Reese Wang News Editor, Staff Reporter and CoManaging Editor With a feeling of anticipation, sophomore Dahlia Broberg arrives at the site: a towering warehouse next to an abandoned baseball field in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania that sits completely empty save for lines of individuals administering and receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. After being

prompted to show her ID and answer some precautionary questions, Broberg feels a pinch as she finally gets her vaccine.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, as of April 26, Broberg is one of the 258,029 individuals in Chester County who have received at least one dose of the vaccine. In the entire state, that number stands at 5,559,900, amounting to more than 40% of the eligible population. With the Chester County Health Department (CCHD) opening

eligibility for everyone ages 16 and up on April 9, more of the student body have sought out the opportunity to get their vaccine. Students ages 16 and 17 are only eligible to get the Pfizer vaccine, while students ages 18 and older are also eligible for the Moderna vaccine.

“I’m just starting to feel way safer. When I’m out and about, I used to feel a lot more anxious just because I was thinking, ‘I’m going to get (COVID-19). I’m going to give my mom and then she’s going to hurt people,’ or ‘I’m go-

ing to give it to patients and end up being responsible for old people dying,’” Broberg said.

“For me, it’s just a big mental thing: I feel a lot safer now.”

Broberg, who is part of a music therapy team at a local hospice organization, became eligible to receive the vaccine in January due to her work with at-risk seniors, but had to wait until March to actually receive it because she was only 15 at the time. After turning 16, Broberg’s mother helped her sign up by calling different facilities to inquire about

where people were getting vaccinated.

In December 2020, Pennsylvania administered the first doses of vaccines to health care workers and nursing home residents. By January 2021, the CCHD was administering the vaccine to individuals in Phase 1A consisting of essential healthcare workers. On April 12, three days after the CCHD, Gov. Tom Wolf announced the expansion of eligibility to include everyone 16 and older across the state, prompting teenagers to begin getting their own shots.

Continued on page 3.

The results at Conestoga were clear: 97% of students, 95% of staff and 76% of parents voted to continue asynchronous instruction on Wednesdays for the last few months of the 2020-21 school year.

At the Education Committee meeting on April 8, the school board passed a new plan for Wednesday instruction. The plan had elementary and middle schoolers returning to five days of in-person instruction on May 5 and May 19 respectively, following the full-day schedule. Conestoga will be continuing with four days in-person, leaving Wednesday afternoons asynchronous.

Students utilize the extra time to attend club meetings, complete or get ahead on work and take a break from screens. For juniors, connecting with teachers during asynchronous time is especially important for college recommendations. English teacher Nicole Zachorchemny uses the asynchronous time to reach out to students, attend meetings and plan future lessons.

“Virtual lessons are important for the connections that happen during asynchronous time,” Zachorchemny said. “Students are still learning, (and) it’s

so valuable to have everyone on the same page.”

Juniors Hailey Leon and Kaitlin Campbell created a petition to show administrators that students and teachers find Wednesdays to be productive and useful. Gaining over 600 signatures, it gave students a chance to express their opinions on the matter.

“Wednesday is a general mental health day, a day to relax, clear your mind and reset for the next 2 days,” said Leon. “Having that break in the middle of the week — it definitely makes school a lot easier.”

The district sent out a survey to staff, students and parents regarding Wednesday instruction for the remainder of this school year.

Staff K-12 and students in grades 5-12 favored virtual Wednesday, as the survey showed 93% of both groups voting for the asynchronous option. Parent votes were split exactly 50-50 between the options for the rest of this year, with elementary and middle school parents preferring five-day instruction more strongly than high school parents.

“High schoolers’ voices should be made very clear, and we should be the primary voices,” Campbell said. “The survey allowed people to have easy, firsthand access to having their voices (heard).”

Maya Shah/The SPOKE

Virtual Wednesdays: In-person students take their seats in Personal Finance. The majority of high school students voted against five-day in-person instruction.

Internships persist despite challenges businesses and students face Brooke Kennedy and Nishka Avunoori Staff Reporters

Every year, Conestoga seniors are given the opportunity to attend an internship for the last month of their high school career in order to gain experience in their field of choice.

This year, the internship period will take place regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic beginning on May 11 and ending on June 4.

“The internship prepares (the seniors) for a world outside of school. It’s just an opportunity at the end of senior year to learn about yourself and branch out (to) get some real world experience before you head off to college,” said Jeanne Braun, the senior internship coordinator.

Though internships are scheduled to take place as usual, the process of actually finding an internship has been significantly more difficult due to the lack of open businesses as well others who are unable to take interns as they usually would due to the pandemic.

However, in an effort to maintain Conestoga’s long standing tradition, for the first time in the program’s history, more students are turning to independent projects allowing students to gain experience in a field of their chosen interest by writing essays, independent research research on topics of their choice, building an object like a shed in the backyard, video or photography journals, and more. For seniors pursuing this option, Braun plans on holding week-long senior seminars for students to learn more about a certain subject during internships. Some seniors however, have still chosen to opt out of internships altogether.

Others such as senior Spencer Schenkel continued to pursue an internship regardless of potentially facing difficulty in finding one.

“The process was a lot harder and I definitely feel for a lot of other seniors as well who are trying to get into their field of interest (but are) not able to find an internship,” said senior Spencer Schenkel.

Attending Temple University for media studies and production next school year, Schenkel’s internship focuses on his passion for journalism. He plans on filming a virtual tour of the Tredyffrin/Easttown schools complete with pictures and 360-degree videos of the hallways and buildings themself. Schenkel explains that his first choice was to find an internship at WHYY or NBC 10.

“When I first started (looking for internship projects), I was added to a course at the beginning of the semester and went through orientation where Mrs. Braun explained everything that we needed to know. With my experience, I knew not many were doing my field of broadcast journalism and I kinda knew I was going to run into a dead end but I didn’t think I would run into as much of the dead ends as I thought I would,” Schenkel said.

In the professional world, many in the workforce are still working from home and haven’t yet returned to their offices, which has narrowed

the choices for seniors and reduced the number of seniors pursuing the traditional model of internships.

“It’s been really hard, a lot of our students do medical internships and all of those have been shut down. Maybe 50 seniors do medical internships with the Paoli hospital, surgery centers, doctors offices, but more have not been available,” Braun said. “I have about 200 seniors lined up with an internship and normally at this point we’re further along than that. Normally it would be around 400.”

Senior Ashley Wenger will be interning at the UPenn hospital working in the social work area for 2 days helping up at the front with COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

Due to Wenger’s father being employed at the hospital, she was able to confirm her internships with more ease than others but noted her struggles.

“The process was definitely a lot harder but my dad got me in contact with the people in

charge of the internships there and it started from there. I had an interview over the phone where they asked me questions where I want to go next year, what are my plans for the summer, and what I intend to do in

the internship,” Wegner said.

Even with help from the Conestoga counselors and Braun, Braun says it has been hard for the students to get their internship opportunities. With the pandemic still

affecting most parts of a regular high school experience for this year’s graduating seniors, finding an internship or alternative option will be yet another obstacle the class of 2021 will have to face.

Courtesy Jeanne Braun

A helping hand: Senior internships coordinator Jeanne Braun assists senior Eamon Walker with his internships. Due to the pandemic, a limited number of businesses have been open to taking students in.

2

A BRIEF LOOK THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN T/E NEWS

district sends out survey to gauge opinions on virtual instruction for 2021-2022 school year

For the upcoming school year, TESD is planning on a return to five days in-person learning with 8 periods per day. The district plans to accompany the traditional learning model with a virtual model that would cater to virtual students only. The model would be completely separate from in-person learning and would require full year committment from students and their families. sunrise berwyn hosts in-person earth day events

On April 22, the youth-led local environmental justice organization Sunrise Berwyn hosted events at Wilson Farm Park. Participants attended the trash pick up around the park and a meal-packing mutual aid event to celebrate Earth Day. 50 meals will be sent out to local food banks to help those in need.

Read more at

NEWS

HOSA’s new initiative helps students lean on each other

News

First two Asian Americans run for a seat on the school board during his time at Conestoga, Li was president of the Asian American Culture Club. He says that Staff Reporters throughout his life, his mom has According to the U.S. Census been there to support him and Bureau, as of 2019, approximately his sister.

16.4% of the Tredyffrin/Easttown “Selflessness is a big part of why School District is Asian American.

I admire my mom; she’s always unBut in the past 112 years since the conditionally loved us,” Li said. formation of the district, no Asian Three years ago, Wang estabAmerican representative has ever lished her leadership in the Asian run for a position on the school American community by founding CAPA-TE (Chinese American Parent Association of Tredyffrin/ Easttown School District). In order to share Asian culture in the district, CAPA-TE held a Teacher Appreciation Dumpling Fest last year, where Conestoga parents, students and teachers had the opportunity to attend a cultural exhibit.

“I feel that as a leader in (the CAPA-TE) community, I have the responsibility to lead our group of Chinese parents to get more engaged in the wider community,” Wang said.

As a representative for parents in the district, Wang hopes to convey more transparency in the decision-making process. If elected, she aspires to incorporate community expertise and better budgeting to slow the tax increase and make the taxing process more streamlined.

“16 years straight of tax increase does create a lot of financial burden on certain parts of the community, so I do hope that part of the process can be improved,” Wang said.

Courtesy Robert Singh Representation: Robert Singh, a Democratic candidate for the school board, Although he’s been a Pennsylvania resident for 17 years, Dembelieves in the power of Asian American representation to inspire others.

Maya Shah and Kate Emmanuel

board. This year, that changed as Republican candidate Deana Wang and Democratic candidate Robert Singh launched their bids, making them the first Asian Americans to run for seats on the school board.

Wang moved to the district in 2009 with her two children and husband. Her son, Aaron Li, recently graduated in Conestoga’s Class of 2020. Currently at the Military Academy at West Point,

The Senior Sunset Gala: The first of its kind

With the cancellation of 2020’s prom event, Conestoga has scheduled an alternative celebration, the Senior Sunset Gala. The event is a celebration of this year’s seniors and their accomplishments throughout their years at Conestoga.

T/E LIFE

Junior’s documentary wins at National History Day

Courtesy Deana Wang

Public engagement: One of the first Asian Americans to run for school board, Deana Wang, speaks to a group of people at a CAPA-TE event on Oct. 25, 2019. ocratic candidate Singh moved be better served. or demand an issue, there will alto the district two years ago with “I would love to hear some ways be resistance,” Singh said. his wife and three children. After passionate discussion on how (stu- “I think it’s just a natural reaction attending his residency and fel- dents) made it through this last as humans that, you know, you lowship, Singh became a vascular year. It should be an open forum can’t climb that mountain, well, surgeon. Throughout his career, with the ability to listen, really di- guess what, I’m going to climb that he has won many awards for gest the material, to review and mountain.” teaching, and has also published to actually come up with a plan,” Senior Bridget Xu hopes that peer review articles. fellow Asian American students Singh said.

“When you see another Asian Born in Guyana, Singh moved will be inspired to pursue positions person either accelerating or going to New York at age nine. Since then, in government as adults by the canforward, I (hope others feel) in- he’s lived in New Jersey, Pennsylva- didates. spired that if they can do that, then nia and the Carribean in pursuit of “Overall, Asian Americans are I can do that. That’s how I would furthering his surgical career. On underrepresented within governlike to be regarded,” Singh said. the school board, Singh says that ment (and) positions of power,” Xu With his candidacy, Singh some of his main issues to focus on said. “So I think that having a role hopes to create a platform where will include mental health, budget- model will encourage kids to purstudents feel comfortable reaching ing and racial equity. sue (those options) when they’re out about how their needs might “Whenever you try to force older as well.”

Parent committee hosts drive-through celebrating seniors Becky Tang and Melissa Fan Staff Reporters

A stressful period even in normal times, AP exam season is proving to be even tougher this year as many students don’t have the contact and support systems they would have had. HOSA, however recognizes this and has found an innovative way to fill the gap: the AP Care Packages.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

On April 18, the class of 2021 parents committee held a “Senior Surprise Drive-Through Event” to celebrate the students’ success and bring fellow classmates and parents closer together after an atypical school year due to COVID-19.

Carol Zeller-Henderson, mother of a senior and event cochair, worked with other parent volunteers to set up car stations around the main parking lot for the 15-minute drive-through, an activity inspired by the Halloween trick-or-treat spinoff, “Trunk or Treat.” To follow COVID-19 guidelines, seniors were required to wear masks and stay socially distant from each other in their cars during the entirety of the drive-through. They were not allowed to get out of their cars for any reason.

“Because there have been so many things canceled this year, we were just looking for anything that feels like it was a way to celebrate,” Henderson said. “Hopefully, (seniors) will get a laugh out of it, get some fun little treats and feel special for a little,” While Henderson and other parents were still developing their drive-through idea, they worked with Princiapl Amy Meisinger and Jeanne Braun, Community and Volunteer Ser-

Becky Tang/The SPOKE

Gone fishin’: Students are encouraged to play a fishing game set up at the drive-in. vices Coordinator. ents based on what they thought “The parents of the Class of students would enjoy. Designs 2021 have been really patient featured include Mardi Gras, and caring. They’ve just been a Disco Inferno, Oh the Places joy to work with because they re- You’ll Go and more. ally care about the kids and care Additionally, there were about the school. It’s a great class games like trivia and “Spin the of parents,” Braun said.

Wheel” at multiple stations to In total, 13 different- further enhance the seniors’ exly-themed stations were set up, perience. Parent volunteers also each concept chosen by the par- passed out bags, each containing

a “Congratulations” card made by elementary students, to each senior at the entrance.

“I think (the parents) were just desperate to do something that would pull students and parents together in a fun activity to show solidarity among the class because, at that point, there were a lot of students still virtual,” Braun said.

Although COVID-19 precautions were followed, parents still tried to include as much detail for each car station setup as possible.

At multiple stations, seniors were surprised with water guns, candies and other snacks.

“You definitely see how much work all parents put into setting everything up. It was just nice, you got to see everyone, it was great to see parents’ faces that you haven’t seen since elementary school,” senior Cassandra Latoff said.

After their experience, many seniors reflected positively on their mini graduation celebration, finding it unique and engaging. For many students and parents, it also was a chance to greet some familiar faces that they may not have seen in several years. “(During the drivethrough), it was nice to see everyone being happy and smiling. It shows that even though our senior year wasn’t exactly as planned, it was still good,” senior Nusayba Chowdhury said.

“We made it through.”

Becky Tang/The SPOKE

Smiles from seniors: Students hold up a bag passed out by parents to store the treats their recieve throughout the event.

When junior Sofia Khugaeva entered her documentary, “Yuri Levitan: The Voice of Hope,” into the National History Day contest, she was not expecting to get an award. To her surprise, the documentary would score second in the southeastern Pennsylvania.

AP exams then and now: Test-taking tips

Becky Tang/The SPOKE

Love Stoga’21: The first station students see after entering the drive through is one centered around Philly Love.

Break out the Barron’s AP review books and make appointments with the Achievement Center because AP season is finally upon us.

SPORTS

Senior assassins is definitely, absolutely, 100% a sport

We are faced with a crisis unparalleled by anything in our history. A crime so egregious and jaw-dropping that it took one with an IQ of over 150 such as myself to see it in its full extent and horror. Senior Assassins is not considered a sport.

Becky Tang/The SPOKE

Becky Tang/The SPOKE

Cheered on: At every station, parent volunteers cheer on the seniors and distribute candies and snacks. Seniors also participated in games like “Spin the Wheel” and ring toll at several setups.

Oh, the Places You’ll Go: A Dr. Suess themed setup built by 15 parent volunteers wishes seniors well at the end of the drive through.

Maybe the SAT and ACT will just go away??

No, no, that’s just wishful thinking, you’re still going to have to take it. Many schools that are “test optional” this year won’t be next year. So time to start thinking about a plan for getting really, really good at it, even if you really, really hate standardized tests. Find out more at CrimsonReview.com.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

News

3

Students consider receiving COVID-19 vaccine Continued from page 1.

Immunocompromised students and students with immunocompromised family members seek vaccinations Despite having underlying health conditions, junior Jack Mara had difficulty scheduling a vaccine appointment. Mainly searching for open slots through findashot.org, he was concerned that there was no way to specify that he has viral-induced asthma. Because of this, the website provided minimal help as it did not deem him qualified to receive the vaccine early.

“When I had my first asthma attack, I was coughing the most heavy coughs for two minutes straight to where I was drooling, gasping for breath on the ground. I even had induced vomit, so it was shocking to see that I wasn’t considered at risk,” Mara said. “Even though I’m a teenager and you’re supposed to have that feeling of invincibility... the asthma attacks that I’ve had really kind of put that into perspective. I think I got that lack of invincibility feeling earlier than most people I know.”

After finally booking an appointment through Nemours, his pediatrician practice, Mara received his first and second doses on March 23 and April 19, respectively.

With immunocompromised individuals at a

higher priority for vaccination, junior Abid Shaik, who has Type 1 Diabetes, received his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on April 15, with his second dose scheduled for May 6. Shaik was flagged by the database of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where he has had many appointments, as eligible to receive the vaccine.

While both of his parents had already received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine prior to his appointment, CHOP’s offer to get the whole family vaccinated helped Shaik’s brother get the vaccine as well.

Others, such as junior Ananya Krishnan, received the vaccine earlier due to immunocompromised family members.

“I also knew that I just had to (get vaccinated) Sophia Pan/The SPOKE too because I have two After the shot: Chairs in the waiting room of a CVS pharmacy where members of the public can get the COVID-19 vaccine have signs that read “COVID-19 vaccination patients only.” people in my house that Following a vaccination, COVID-19 patients must stay in the waiting area for 15 minutes before they leave to make sure they do not have any adverse reactions to the vaccine. can’t leave because they are so paranoid about how Mara plans to attend Villanova University as- see information that we the Pfizer vaccine might be Bakery, interacting with life threatening (catching sistant professor of mass disagree with or that chal- linked to a form of herpes.’ about 50 to 100 people on New York University, which COVID-19) would be for communication Dr. Ally- lenges our notions, we of- I just saw that today. I was Saturdays while bringing announced on April 19 that them,” Krishnan said. son Levin cites the misin- ten find ways to discredit like, ‘oh, thank God, I got cakes out to customers’ it would also require its stucars. As a food worker, dents to be vaccinated, with formation spreading on it or otherwise not accept Moderna then.’”

Some students are hesi- social media platforms like this as truth,” Levin said.

While some individ- Hopkins qualified for the exceptions similar to those tant to receive the vaccine TikTok as the reason vacMara believes the un- uals signed up to receive vaccine as part of phase 1B. of Northeastern. Mara is checked claims circulat- their vaccine as quickly as “Even with masks and looking forward to getting a cine hesitancy is surging.

According to a March “Motivated reasoning is ing online may be the possible, some students as much social distancing full college experience with NBC vaccine study, 26% often to blame for expo- cause of rising COVID-19 still say they do not want as possible, it’s still a lot of the security that comes with of Generation Z individu- sure, attention, retention cases among teenagers to get the vaccine. Stud- people that I’m interacting a vaccinated student body. als (anyone born between and sharing of misinfor- nationwide, as he has ies from Johns Hopkins with. I just thought that “I think that just being the years 1997 and 2012) mation. We are all moti- seen and heard people Medicine show that, while (getting vaccinated) would able to cordon off a section say they will not get the vated reasoners who seek say “dumb” things about young people are less be the safest thing to do,” of that huge pie of New COVID-19 vaccine no out material to support what is in the vaccine. likely to be hospitalized Hopkins said.

York City and go, ‘yeah, matter their eligibility, our perceptions and ideas.

“I was never hesitant to for COVID-19, they are Hopkins hopes that you can feel perfectly safe contrasting with 6% of the When we encounter mate- (get vaccinated) because I equally as likely to catch more people will be able around these guys, there’s same demographic when rial in line with our beliefs, wanted my life back,” Mara COVID-19. Still some to get vaccinated soon, not gonna be any problems.’ the study was carried out we are less likely to scruti- said. “There are fear arti- students, like sophomore especially if they interact I think that’s very valuable,” last March. nize it, whereas when we cles coming out saying, ‘oh, Derek Sandin, would rath- with lots of people due to Mara said. er wait out the pandemic their jobs.

Likewise, Valencia before deciding to receive “I qualif(ied) because I hopes to get the full expea vaccine. interact with so many peo- rience of attending college “I’m a child and have ple at once all the time, so if in Boston, from going to extremely low chances of I got it, I could spread it to in-person classes to attendgetting the virus and low- a ton of people. If you have ing sports games at Fenway er chances of having seri- the opportunity to (get the Park with friends. ous symptoms. The vac- vaccine) and if you’re high “College is something cines are new and there risk or interact with a lot of that I’ve always looked isn’t much data on them. high-risk people like me, forward to. I’m incredibly In the future I may take it, it’s a good decision to get excited about the classes I but since there is no need it,” Hopkins said. want to take, and I want to to now, I’ll wait and see if be able to take them in-perthere are negative side efUniversities require son, even if I’m still wearfects before considering it,” proof of vaccination to re- ing a mask,” Valencia said.

Sandin said. “If I can im- turn to campus “There are probably peoprove my natural immune ple who are at high risk for response to it now, that Senior Gabi Valencia COVID and I don’t want would also be good.” remembers her reaction me trying to move on with Teenagers like junior when Northeastern Uni- my life, go to school and Mike Bagby, however, versity announced on have a normal social college cannot emphasize the im- April 6 that they would experience interfere with portance of everyone get- be requiring proof of their health.” ting the vaccine as soon COVID-19 vaccination as possible enough. Bagby to return to campus in Looking forward received his second dose the fall.

“I was so excited, I texon April 26, and considers Even though Bagby mitigating the effects of ted my friends and my stresses the importance of the pandemic an issue of family. I was like, ‘Yes! I’m everyone eligible to receive gonna have a somewhat the vaccine doing so in orutmost priority.

“The pandemic has normal college experi- der to get the pandemic been such a widespread ence!’” Valencia said. under control, he bears in thing. It’s affected basicalNortheastern University mind that it will take time ly everyone,” Bagby said. was the first university in for vaccination efforts to “I had the opportunity to the Boston area to require rectify all that’s been lost to get (the vaccine) early, and the vaccine, referencing the pandemic. it just felt like the right “the value of face-to-face “It will take some time, thing to do. If everyone interaction” and “achieving obviously, and it won’t were to just get it as soon herd immunity” in a let- be an immediate fix. But as possible, then we could ter from the Chancellor to hopefully, the more people get this under control, university students. North- we can get vaccinated, the which I think is the most eastern is on a growing list less opportunity the virus of universities across the will have to spread,” Bagimportant thing.” country that plan to require by said. “And gradually, I Individuals in the vaccines for all students re- think we’ll see a downturn workforce get the vaccine turning to campus, with the in virus cases overall. Mayto feel safer on the job exception of students who be a few years down the are unable to or elect not to road, we will see a genuine Junior Emma Hopkins take it due to medical or re- return to normalcy as we knew it before this.” works part-time at Clay’s ligious grounds.

T/E LIFE

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Taking a stand: Faculty participates in BarWE discussions Umar Samdani Co-T/E Life Editor

BarWE (Building Antiracist White Educators) is an organization in Philadelphia dedicated to encouraging teachers in

The meetings contain seminars and discussions regarding racial equity matters in the classroom.

“We’re working together as a collective to support each other and hold each other accountable,” Hauer said. “We want

“When we had the first meeting, I really didn’t know what to expect, especially because the pandemic had just started.

I had been participating in equity work and anti-racist work like BarWE and webinars and

It’s kind of hard to facilitate self-reflection, because people will say really great things, and you want to ask questions that are really good questions, but not necessarily serving the purpose of self reflection.

tions reached a fundamentally deeper level.

“It’s kind of hard to facilitate self-reflection, because people will say really great things, and you want to ask questions that are really good questions, but not necessarily serving the purpose of self-reflection. And so sometimes these conversations would go and they’d be great

conversations, but they were kind of pulling us away a little bit from our main purpose,” Phillips said. “By changing it and giving everybody a chance to do that self-reflection first and hearing from each other, I think we found that we were getting good questions, and we’re able stay on task with self-reflection and staying in protocol.”

Hauer and Phillips are grateful for the support they have received as they facilitate BarWE. They hope to continue to hold meetings regularly and support their colleagues. Phillips wants to increase member participation and encourages other Conestoga educators to join the organization.

“I want to see us grow.

There is space for people who haven’t been coming to join, and there is no reason why someone who stopped coming can’t rejoin,” Phillips said. “It’s a model and system that’s set up where you can come in at any time, and learn and grow from it, And most importantly, you are able to do good.”

Keri Phillips English teacher

the area to dismantle white supremacy. English teacher Keri Phillips and school librarian Brooke Hauer created and run the BarWE branch at Conestoga.

Every month, Hauer and Phillips compile a list of “readings” that teachers are encouraged to look over. These “readings” can range from articles about fostering a comfortable teaching environment to firsthand accounts of black educators. Teachers can also participate in one of the two monthly meetings, typically at 7 a.m or 3 p.m on a specified Wednesday.

to find deeper meaning in our inquiry and have multiple perspectives as far as our individual experiences with race and the work that we do at Conestoga.”

Hauer and Phillips recognized the need for a space to discuss, do research and ask questions about racial equity in the classroom. After opening a branch in March of 2020, Hauer held the first official meeting in May of that year. As a conversation facilitator, the school librarian educated teachers about BarWE and hosted preliminary discussions.

all kinds of things, but I had not yet been in a place of a facilitator,” Hauer said. “So that was a new experience for me.”

After hosting several successive meetings, the organizers decided that a change was needed for the discussions during Feb. 2021. Hauer and Phillips decided to incorporate more self-reflection during the meetings to offer more meaningful discussions. Phillips remembers that originally, the self-reflection hindered a flowing discussion. However, after some adjustment the conversa-

Conestoga Faculty takes a stand at Barwe Courtesy Brooke Hauer

Building bonds: BarWE is an organization dedicated to helping teachers foster a more equitable environment in the classroom. Last year, librarian Brooke Hauer (left) and English teacher Keri Phillips (right) opened a branch at the school.

Adapting to change: How the library functions during the pandemic staff, masks must be properly worn, hand sanitizer and wipes are readily available for use and desks are all facing the same direction. However, a key differ-

Abby Carella

Multimedia Editor Along with most other aspects of life, the library has adjusted to a new reality with COVID-19. From social distancing restrictions to take-home craft kits, the library has introduced countless new steps and activities into its space.

The library is following the basic health practices implemented throughout the entire school. A six foot distance is required among students and

ence compared to most classrooms is that when entering the library, students need to physically sign in for contact tracing purposes.

Students have traditionally visited the library to use the printers, which is still currently happening but with a minor change. In past years,

We’ve been quarantining items as they get returned for 72 hours, which is the recommended time from the American Library Association. So once something gets returned, we let it sit for 72 hours before anybody touches it.

Lydia Lieb

School Librarian

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“They can either scan with their High Five ID or there is a clipboard where students can sign in using their own writing utensil,” librarian Brooke Hauer said. “I think it is an important change as well, because we used to have free movement in the space.”

In terms of more library specific changes, there is now a request system for borrowing supplies such as staplers and rulers. A quarantine of returned supplies, including books, has also been implemented.

“We have been quarantining items as they get returned for 72 hours, which is the recommended time from the American Library Association. So once that something gets returned, we let it sit for 72 hours before anyone else touches it,” librarian Lydia Lieb said.

students would send their print job from their personal computer and then release it on a shared computer. Now, students head over to the front circulation desk to have a staff member release it for them.

The new rule eliminates the use of a shared computer so students are not all touching the same keyboard.

Along with the introduction of COVID-19 precautions, the librarians created take-home craft kits as a fill-in for the special activities usually offered in the library.

“The idea is that students can pick up a craft kit and take it home and do it whenever they wish. It’s been really popular. People really like it,” Lieb said. “Also, you know, we saw that a lot of students are looking for low tech activities. Something to do to get a break from

Courtesy Oriana Riley

Sanitized stations: The library offers many opportunities for students to be involved in a virtual setting. Librarians Brooke Hauer and Lydia Lieb organized Conestoga’s Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards in March.

the computer and being on the screen so much.”

The library team works together to create a new craft kit every month, such as lanyard keychains, washi tape treasure boxes, watercolor bookmarks, woven baskets and snowflakes using pipe cleaners and beads. Most recently, the librarians created a painted flower pot kit.

Back in March, the library team organized Conestoga’s own Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards. Students had a month to vote between 15 novels on a Google Form. On April 12th, the winner was announced to be the 2020 One Book, One Stoga novel, “Patron Saints of Nothing” by Randy Ribay. The novel also came in first Abby Carella/The Spoke place in the statewide competition.

Separated studying: Group study tables are placed six feet apart to adhere with social distancing guidelines. The In terms of looking towards library has also established a 72-hour quarantine system for supplies. the future, the librarians hope to

be able to continue using some of the online resources they have acquired during the pandemic.

“We (now) have an additional ebook and audiobook platform, MackinVIA, that we have in addition to SORA. We definitely want to keep that because it provides students with more access to a variety of books to read,” Hauer said.

Along with the use of the online platforms after the pandemic, there is hope that community building activities for students will continue as well.

“We’ve been doing a monthly bingo game and anyone is welcome to join. That’s been really fun, so I think we would want to continue doing that,” Lieb said. “Also, the take home crafts have been really popular.

So I think we would probably do more in the future.”

T/E Life

Thursday, April 29, 2021

5

Teacher Feature: Matthew Miehl Cosmo Thompson Staff Reporter

Because math teacher Matthew Miehl loved to learn and his mother and aunt were both teachers, becoming a teacher was not a hard choice for him.

After attending Edinboro University, Miehl moved to Maryland for one year to pursue teaching.

However, in order to be closer to his wife’s family, he began looking for a job in the Philadelphia area. That was when he accepted a teaching position in the math department at Conestoga 17 years ago.

T h i s year, Miehl is teaching Algebra 2 AB and Math Analysis X. He loves teaching students from all grade levels because he believes that each grade is characterized by unique and interesting traits.

Miehl’s favorite part of teaching is when his students finally understand the material.

“I love getting the response from (students) when they get it and they kind of understand what’s going on, and you can tell that they’re happy about what they’ve done and the time they’ve put in,” Miehl said.

This year, Miehl has had to get used to the reduced amount of interaction between teachers and students.

In particular, Miehl has

little bit shy or just unwilling,” Miehl said. “I think in the classroom, we’re able to read students’ emotions and be able to see when they’re struggling and it’s tough to do that over a computer.”

Outside of school, Miehl is an enthusiastic supporter of our local teams, even though he grew up in western Pennsylvania. He has always been an avid fan of sports; growing up he played both baseball and basketball.

Although he does not play anything now, he loves to watch sports, especially football.

When he’s not watching professional teams, he enjoys watching his own kids on the field: his son plays baseball while his daughter is on a cheer team and plays volleyball. Miehl regards his family as his biggest source of inspiration, whether it’s his kids showing him the latest technology Math teacher trends or his father’s home improvement projfound it difficult to get ev- ects. This has inspired him to tr y some kitchen remoderyone to participate.

“There are certainly stu- eling and other construcdents who would like to par- tion. He’s looking for ward ticipate, but I think some- to the time when he can times the (virtual) setting gather family and friends that we’re in makes them a around his fire pit again.

I love getting the response from (students) when they get it and they kind of understand what’s going on, and you can tell that they’re happy about what they’ve done and the time they’ve put in.”

Matthew Miehl

Courtesy Matthew Miehl

Adding it up: Math teacher Matthew Miehl poses for a photo in his classroom. Miehl started teaching at Conestoga 17 years ago after initially teaching in Maryland for one year.

Lights, camera, action: Students compete in national film invitational Katherine Lee

Co-T/E Life Editor Sophomore Deirdre Cunniffe balances on a ladder as she focuses the camera on junior Emily Nguyen. Despite her mask covering half of her face, Nguyen conveys emotion with her eyes as she says her line. Propped up on a nearby table, Cunniffe’s phone is open on a FaceTime call, from which junior Amanda Hess watches while quarantining at home.

Along with seven other students, Cunniffe, Nguyen and Hess participated in the All American High School Film Festival’s 2021 Spring Film Invitational. The competition spanned over four days, during which time the students received a prompt and were tasked with then creating a five-minute narrative film that encompassed the speci-

fied focus as well as a few required creative elements.

The Conestoga students received an Honorable Mention for their film, “The Spice Heist,” which followed the story of three spies as they carried out their mission of obtaining the spice thyme.

“The festival prompt was the G.O.A.T., or the Greatest Of All Time. So we based the movie essentially around a bad pun. One of the biggest aspects of the festival is creativity and use of the prompt creatively, so we came up with the Greatest Of All, Thyme,” Cunniffe said. “It was a spy/heist movie about a chef hiring these three secret agent types to go retrieve this jar of thyme that was a prized possession and was supposed to be the greatest of its kind.”

After receiving the prompt and paperwork on the first

day of the competition, the students then had four days to write the script, film and edit in order to create their final film. According to Hess, the four-day time constraint proved to be a challenge.

“It was ver y stressful.

So we wrote the script in a day, we edited the script in a day, we shot the (film) in a day and I had to edit in like 24 hours,” Hess said. “ The whole movie production process is ver y long, so when you take that and you condense it into four days, it forces you to be constantly doing something.

So that weekend was kind of packed.”

In addition to the challenge of time, the pandemic posed several obstacles that had to be accommodated.

For instance, only a few people could be present at the filming location, Cunniffe’s house, at a given time.

Courtesy Amanda Hess

Masked-up actress: The film introduces junior Emily Nguyen as the student portraying the character Meg. Along with nine other students, Nguyen participated in the All American High School Film Festival’s 2021 Spring Film Invitational. “(Cunniffe) could only have a certain amount of people there, so it was just like the actors and her and the rest of us were on like a FaceTime call trying to get the lines down and organize everything. So it was difficult, but it was fun,” Hess said.

Another hurdle created by the pandemic was that the

“I’m re a l ly prou d of it . I t h i n k t h at just g iven t he amou nt of hu rd les and ho op s t h at we h a d to ju mp t h rou g h to a c tu a lly get a f i nishe d pro du c t , I t h i n k it lo ok s g re at and I’m prou d of e ver y b o dy i n it ,” Hess s ai d.

According to Cunniffe, the competition was a fun

I had a lot of fun doing the competition. It was really cool to be able to come together and do something as a team.”

Deirdre Cunniffe

Sophomore

Courtesy Amanda Hess

Time for thyme: “The Spice Heist” follows the story of three spies as they carry out their mission of stealing the spice thyme. The plot was formed as a creative interpretation of the festival’s prompt, the G.O.A.T., or the Greatest Of All Time.

actors’ masks covered most of their facial expressions.

“When you act, you have to show some emotion and so the masks covered half of our face, and so it was hard to do that, but thankfully this film was more about action, so it was less about the close-ups and getting emotion,” Nguyen said.

Despite these challenges, the students were able to create a finished product that reflected the hard work and energy they put into the film.

and engaging experience that gave her an opportunity to be creative and work with a like-minded, passionate group of students.

“I had a lot of fun doing the comp etition. It’s great to work on creative projects with groups of p eople who are also really excited ab out this creative project that you’re all doing. And it was really cool to b e able to come together and do something as a team,” Cunnif fe said.

6

T/E Life

R u s h to $ 2 0 2 1 : L E s s o n s f r o m S e n i o r As sas s i n s

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Written by Aditi Dahagam, Co-Web Content Editor designed by Katherine Lee, Co-T/E Life Editor

From hiding in empty trash cans to deceiving their peers, members of the Class of 2021 have picked up creative strategies while playing Senior Assassins in a pandemic-conscious environment. We’ve asked some seniors to share their favorite memories and lessons they’ve learned from the annual, unity-promoting game.

Addi Bucher, Senior “A lot of our friends were talking about senior assassins and usually two or three students will start an (Instagram) account to run it. Since (the game) is not affiliated with the school, you kind of just have to start it on your own and since no one else had started it yet, we were like, ‘Why don’t we do it?’ So we reached out to the people (who ran the game) last year and kind of figured out what they did. And then we started planning and then kind of went with it. I feel like it’s been a really hard senior year and we haven’t had too many things.

A lot of kids might not even be in school — they’re virtual at home. This is just kind of a way to get everyone to come together and play a game and have some fun. It’s a good way to be inclusive to everyone.”

Yoni Teshome, Senior “Trust no one. It’s a part of the game and it’s $2,000, so anybody will turn against you. I mean, it’s a lot of money for a bunch of high school kids. If you’re in a last minute situation and there’s nothing else you can do, then partner up with people. But if you aren’t sure of the person, it usually isn’t a good idea. Don’t partner up with anybody unless you know for certain — during the first round, I figured out who my target’s target was, so I teamed up with (them) and then pretended that he was my assassin, and I was able to get my actual target.”

Anna DeVuono, Senior “So the first time I tried to get my (target), she parked in her garage, and one of the rules is that if (the target) is in the garage or underneath a roof of their house, you can’t get them. So, I brought one of my friends who doesn’t go to ’Stoga and I hid in her empty outdoor trash can, which was totally disgusting, but I was committed to the game. My friend was at the end of the driveway trying to get her attention, and then I hopped out of the trash can and tried to shoot her but she was still hiding under her garage so it didn’t work out. And the next time I got her out — I know her neighbor really well and so right before school he pulled his car out past his driveway, blocking the road a little bit, but enough that other cars could get by, and he popped his hood. When she pulled up, she asked him, ‘Hey are you okay,’ and he had his jumper cables in his hand and said, ‘Hey listen, I’m trying to get to school, my car battery died, can you please help me jumpstart my car?’ And she was so nice, which I feel so bad about. She got out of her car, and I was hiding in the bushes around the driveway, and I ran around the car and shot her right as she was jumping into her car, so it was pretty chaotic.”

JT Zellefrow, Senior “You have to have your family members look around in bushes and stuff outside or near your cars every morning or every time you’re about to leave your house. I got out because it was really early in the morning, and I decided not to wake my mom up to check in the bushes. If she had checked, she would’ve seen (my target) there and I wouldn’t have gone outside. Scope out (your target’s) house a couple times before you try to actually go and get them so you know where the hiding spots are and stuff like that. Looking back on it, I’m disappointed, but it was early, and I was tired, so I didn’t think about it as indepth as I should’ve probably.”

Ben Yang, Senior “Don’t try to do anything when you’re not ready to. Know where your target is going to be and have one exact time that you want to get them because once they find out who you are, they’re going to know that you’re after them, and who’s their assassin, and they might call your assassin and ask them, ‘Finish them off.’ Never trust the information from people you don’t know very well since there’s a good chance they are coordinating with your assassin, your target or both. My friend group was basically helping each other out as much as we could throughout the first round. For example, I did the deception tactic with one of my friend’s targets, and we drive each other around so there’s always backup, and we don’t have to use our own cars. It also helps for gathering information. I nailed down where and when to get my target since one of my friends is on the same rugby team as (my target) is, and (my friend) gave me the entire practice schedule, and I was able to successfully get (my target) because of it.”

7

T hursday, April 29, 2021

Club Hub

Written by Sally Murphy and Tashikaa Senthilkumar, Staff Reporters Design by Umar Samdani, Co-T/E Life Editor

Computer Science Club The Computer Science Club caters to students who are interested in learning more about computer science regardless of skill level. The club meets weekly for entirely student-run meetings where members can present ideas and topics that they have researched. Normally, there is more than one presentation at a time and members can choose which one they attend based on their own interest and skill level.

This year, the Computer Science Club hosted two Code Fests, which take place over a week- to month-long period where stu-

dents create and submit projects in teams or individually. In a normal year, the club participates in local competitions at other schools or in company-sponsored Code Fests and Hackathons.

Computer Science Club adviser Edward Sharick’s goal for the club in the following years is to expand the club and get more students interested in computer science.

“I’m trying to get more people interested in computer science, even those who didn’t take courses at Conestoga but are still interested,” Sharick said. “It’s about try-

ing to get more people checking out the subject matter but it’s also about being a place where experienced coders can come and show off their projects and ideas.”

For x in range 12, require “x+2” redact “y” with.library.recall config.integrate(x) Deriv.(x-2) Sum.all

Academic Competition The Academic Competition Team, both varsity and junior varsity, participates in trivia competitions hosted by the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) during the fall and winter. Seasons run from November to February and feature 3 regular season matches followed by playoffs.

This year, all of the matches were held on Zoom. The team holds weekly meetings to practice sample questions, gain question recognition and improve buzzer speed.

If the team wins the Chester County competition, they can move on to states. In the last 15 years, the varsity team has gone to states three times and has won once.

Academic Competition Team adviser Michael Cruz said that the varsity team did very well this year.

“We had a pretty good regular season. For the varsity team, it was eight wins and two losses, and considering the challenges, things went really well,” Cruz said. We

also had some success in the playoffs and only lost by two questions in the quarter finals.”

Neuroscience Club The Neuroscience Club allows students to participate in neuroscience-based activities ranging from presentations to physical lab work. Some of the more interactive activities and competitions such as the Brain Bee and dissections couldn’t be done this year due to COVID-19.

Instead, this year, the club’s activities have involved group discussions, Kahoots and diagramming. Recently, the Neuroscience Club has tried looking for ways to give back

to the community through volunteer work.

Junior Nikkita Pandey, one of the presidents of the Neuroscience Club, expressed excitement for next year’s activities.

“COVID-19 has been hard for all of us, and we hope the Neuroscience Club can be an enjoyable club for anyone who joins,” Pandey said. “Of course, our ideas were cut short due to the pandemic, but that is nothing to worry about when we have next

year. We hope to make our club as great as can be when everything is safe and everyone is well.”

Math Competition

The Math Competition Team provides students with a way to participate in both local and state-wide math competitions.

Team members don’t meet very often outside of competition days and are expected to practice on their own. Usually, the team travels to other schools and participates in competitions in the area as well as in state-wide competitions, such as the PA Math League, in person. This year, the competitions were either held online or were not held at all.

The competitions are designed to allow any good math student

to participate and have a rewarding experience, but it takes considerable skill and dedication to achieve the highest scores. This year, the team was one point away from a perfect score overall and won the state championship for the fourth time in a row.

Math Competition Team adviser Vincent Russo and the rest of the team found that switching over to online competitions was challenging.

“Trying to do these pencil and paper contests, which we have done for a very long time, in an online fashion was a little bit of a

challenge in the beginning. The website that we use is pretty strict,” Russo said. “When it’s contest day, the only thing you can do on the website is log in and participate.”

Model UN Model UN is a place for students interested in debating, researching, politics, and public speaking. Usually, the club would have long conferences ranging from 3-5 days long, competing against other schools. With a large range of events, students learn how to utilize quick thinking and gain deeper understandings of international perspectives, sometimes having to represent a position they don’t agree with.

“I think the overarching goal of it is to teach students to become better global citizens through this roleplay and this

research, and also gaining these skills that are applicable to their daily lives,” Ryder said.

In a normal year, students might travel to Boston, New York, DC or more, and meet people from all over the world. The conferences end with a closing ceremony and fun awards such as Best Dressed Delegate or Funniest Delegate. Despite this, club adviser Mrs. Ryder has heard from students that they’ve still been able to form connections with other students. The members participate in virtual and mock conferences and practice organizations. Newer

students get practice in a program called Parliamentary Procedure, with mentoring from more experienced members.

SAT/PSAT Club The SAT/PSAT Club is a recently made place for students looking for guidance with SAT/PSAT preparation.

The club offers access to resources such as prep books, advice, and qualified tutors to help students. They meet three times a week, on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, and everything is gone over twice so members can review anything they’re confused about. Club official junior Varnikaa Arora’s loves seeing that the resources are being

utilized and that people are finding the club convenient and useful.

“I remember when I was studying for the SATs it took me a while to get all the resources,” Arora said. “There were the resources that the school provides that mainly guided me but a lot of the other resources I was looking for since I self-studied took me a couple weeks to find.”

With discussion boards, forms, and more, the club caters to the student needs and

offers personal assistance for anyone struggling.

Ethics Bowl Team The Ethics Bowl Team allows students to debate on topics covering almost everything involving ethics and philosophy. In competitions against other schools, members get judged based on their proposed solutions and positions to the topics posed. These topics can vary from vaccine distribution to hypothetical dog adoption. Preparing for these competitions develops skills such as team work, philosophical thinking, and articulation. The team is very tight knit and even new members play equal roles. Senior Lena Pothier views the team bond-

ing and experience as the most valuable she’s had in high school.

“Most of all, I’m thankful for the experiences and the skills that Ethics Bowl has given me,” Pothier said.

“It’s allowed me to look at things from a different perspective, it’s allowed me to form an argument, it’s allowed me to explore philosophy and just learn more.”

Despite the switch to virtual, meetings have remained daily but on Zoom, lasting 2-3 hours. With a very welcoming atmosphere, the club gives members a voice and centers on pure ethics rather than

adhering to opinions. Landing fifth place in the country, the club is filled with hard working spirit where everyone is welcome.

OPINION

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Unsigned: Teachers, don’t forget about me Virtual students are being left behind.

It all started on March 15, when the district made the shift to four days of in-person instruction per week. With the shift, eager students yearning to regain a sense of normalcy traded their keyboards and monitors for face masks and backpacks.

From the surface, not much has changed: the classroom is still divided into in-person and virtual factions, just as it has been for months. But behind the scenes, virtual students are gradually being forgotten.

Crucial in the abandonment of virtual students is the increase of in-person students.

Before, just five or six of my peers were in the physical classroom at any time; now, over half of them are, leaving the majority status to the in-person students.

This transition of power marked a paradigm shift in teacher-student dynamics. No longer are teachers directing adequate attention to virtual students, instead opting to focus on in-person students. In some of my

classes, teachers aren’t paying attention to raised hands on Microsoft Teams, making it hard to contribute to class and ask timely questions. In others, teachers conduct offhanded discussions with in-person students only, leaving me, a

virtual student, guessing about the content they are talking about (exacerbated, of course, by the shabby classroom microphones that pick up more static than actual voices). In nearly every class, I have ob-

in painfully long wait times for questions to be answered. It’s clear that wherever you look, virtual students are getting the short end of the stick.

Admittedly, this response is logical. It’s easier and more natural for teachers to interact with those right in front of them, and it’s faster and more spontaneous than bridging the digital divide just to talk to a student.

However, this shouldn’t exempt teachers from paying attention to virtual students. If anything, it proves that teachers must consciously strive to include virtual students in the classroom: monitor Teams for students with raised hands; make sure virtual learners can hear and participate in discussions; allocate time for virtual questions; ask students for feedback on ways to improve.

I chose distance learning with the understandKatherine Zhang/The SPOKE ing that my teachers my experiences. This issue would afford me just as much isn’t unique to Conestoga ei- attention as they do in-person ther — one student at Hillside students. Before March, teachElementary School told me ers met this expectation of that her math teacher gives fairness. Now is not the time more attention to in-person to stop.

Please don’t forget about me. students during tests, resulting served the prioritization of our in-person counterparts over us virtual learners.

I know that I’m not alone with these feelings. The accounts of other sophomores, along with freshmen, juniors and seniors, only corroborate

The Spoke Editorial Board voted 10 in favor and 3 against this article.

Why aren’t more men feminists? memes are the first-steps of the alt-right pipeline agenda, leading to more bigoted forms of media. The existence of this internet phenomenon distances men from women’s liberation movements, while making a mockery and devaluing them at the same time.

The pipeline’s content is accessible, attractive and addictive,

Aishi Debroy

awareness to sexual violence, they congregate to leave invalidating and hateful comments.

Feminist versus anti-feminist battlegrounds emerge under these internet comment sections, creating a hostile environment for gender-based violence survivors.

The most dangerous part of the phenomenon is the lack of

Co-Web Content Manager

Every 73 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. 91% of those victims are women and 99% of perpetrators are men, making the United States the 10th most dangerous country in the world for women due to gender-based violence, according to Reuters. With statistics so alarming that indicate the disproportionate harm men are creating, why do more than half of American men not identify as feminists?

Feminism, the movement advocating for the equality of the sexes and the liberation of women, loses significant support from young men, who would have otherwise believed om students,inthegender communityequality, to an internet phenomenon called the alt-right pipeline: the most effective method of radicalizing young men into misogynistic and bigoted views. Through feminist cringe compilations, anti-feminist pornography vidsubmitted toeos, Editors-in-Chief Kulkarni far-rightAnanya Youtube personalClaire Miller ities, and Allison Ferriola. gaming commisogynistic munities, insensitive memes and more, the pipeline makes of The Spoke editorial board, not necessarily men believe in male supremacy ty or advertisers. opinions expressed in andThe other bigoted opinions like ssarily the opinion of The racism andSpoke. homophobia.

Internet algorithms frequently produces the formula, vertisements. Email hello@spoke.news. progressing from misogynistic internet personalities like Joe Rogan to anti-feminist content to alt-right extremism and conspiracy. Seemingly harmless YouTube videos and

www.spoke.news @thespoke

Yuting Pu/The SPOKE

allowing its viewers, mostly in- awareness most of its particisecure and easily manipulated pants have about their actions’ men, easy @thespoke and continuous ac- broader implications. What cess. The digestibility of the con- starts out as leaving online tent makes it a breeding ground comments mocking sexual vifor young /thespoke and impressionable olence victims and participatviewers. Spending hours to years ing in reactionary movements in the trenches of sexist internet like men’s rights activism bethe_spoke chats and YouTube videos slowly comes holding deeply violent radicalizes young men into the and misogynistic views toward women-hating cogs of the alt- women. These views can turn hello@spoke.news into deeply dangerous acright agenda.

These newly radicalized tions: domestic violence, mass men travel in packs on sever- shootings and other crimes al social media platforms, in- motivated by misogyny and cluding safe spaces for sexual bigotry.

Those who believe that their assault victims. Under social media posts about bringing masculinity is under attack

when women’s issues are uplifted are easily susceptible to the pull of the pipeline. Misogyny is the gateway to creating and holding other bigoted beliefs like white supremacy, eugenics, anti-Semitism and more, eventually creating the most dangerous, radicalized stereotype of the alt-right internet user.

As access to the internet and social media continues to grow, so does the amount of potential alt-right pipeline targets, an increasingly younger and more vulnerable demographic.

The pipeline’s content primarily targets these naive young men by promoting its ideologies in male-dominated spaces, including video game chats like Discord, online platforms like Reddit and certain social media platforms on TikTok. Alt-right pipeline ideologies are harmful to both those participating in misogynistic behavior and the victims of their hateful internet conduct.

To combat this internet phenomenon’s recruitment, men must hold other men accountable in male-dominated spaces and monitor their own reactions to the pipeline’s content.

However, it is impossible to fully dismantle the pipeline, as long as internet algorithms funnel young viewers into these online spaces. Isolation and distrust are critical to keeping these internet users in the alt-right pipeline. Debunking their arguments with facts and exposing their rhetoric’s harm will not change their views, as long as they have a community supporting them. Although there is not one solution that works for everyone, alt-right internet users hearing stories of people that left the community and creating healthy in-person friendships and authorities shutting down alt-right content that falls under hate speech are the best ways to suppress the harmful phenomenon.

The Spoke is published seven times a year by School Paper Express. It consistently receives a Gold rating from PSPA and CSPA, and is a National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker award-winning publication. The Spoke serves as a public forum for student expresssion

The

Staff

Editors-in-Chief: Ananya Kulkarni, Hyunjin Lee Managing Editors: Sophia Pan, Reese Wang News Editor: Zakiyah Gaziuddin T/E Life Editors: Katherine Lee, Umar Samdani Opinion Editor: Devon Rocke Sports Editor: Alexis Costas Assistant Sports Editor: Akshita Joshi Photography Editor: Hiba Samdani Multimedia Editor: Abby Carella Business Manager: Andrew Fessick Webmaster: Evan Lu Web Content Managers: Aishi Debroy, Aditi Dahagam

From the Editors: A goodbye

, Cartoonists: Leon Li, Sophia Pan, John Phillips, Yuting Pu, Charity Xu, Katherine Zhang Staff Reporters: Nishka Avunoori, Abby Bagby, Anika Basu, Jui Bhatia, Kate Emmanuel, Melissa Fan, Andrew Franceski, Julia Harris, Omkar Katkade, Brooke Kennedy, Grace Kuryan, Sally Murphy, Chanelle Ongagna, Kate Phillips, Trey Phillips, Abbie Preston, Val Pucci, Ben Reed, Tashikaa Senthilkumar, Maya Shah, Ben Shapiro, Becky Tang, Michael Tierney, Cosmo Thompson, Shreya Vaidhyanathan, Brooke Vallin, Mindy Wang, Ruijia Yang, George Zhang Faculty Advisers: Alison Ferriola, Cyndi Crothers-Hyatt, Claire Miller

Hyunjin Lee and Ananya Kulkarni Editors-in-Chief

Dear Readers, It’s already that time of the year again — the transition from one editorial board to another. While this certainly is a bittersweet moment, we are incredibly excited to see how The Spoke grows and changes under the incoming editorial board in the issues to come.

This year, as we all know, was a year unlike any other. From the months-long lockdowns, civil and political unrest, a monumental election, and attacks on freedom in our country, we as student journalists have observed and recorded these significant moments in the pages of The Spoke.

We also faced challenges unlike any other this year.

Organizing virtual activities and lessons, training a staff that was the largest in Spoke’s history, coordinating virtual Zoom productions, editing

pages over Microsoft Teams, and other logistical nightmares were all challenges we had to learn to overcome.

But through these difficulties, we as an editorial board and staff have also grown so much.

We realized the importance of teamwork and community. We learned to take responsibility, not only for our individual roles, but also going above and beyond to ensure the paper was our best combined efforts.

We would like to thank you, our readers, for staying by us throughout the year. Although this year has been one of the most challenging years for

The Spoke, with virtual productions, new advisers and difficulty covering in-person events, thank you for believing in us and trusting us to be our community’s voice.

And last but not least, thank you to our editorial board, our advisers and the entire newspaper staff for dedicating

hours and hours to making The Spoke a reality despite the pandemic. Interviewing, writing journalistically and trying to bond has definitely not been easy. But thank you all for making Spoke a priority and contributing to the sharing of our community’s stories throughout the year.

Both of us have dedicated a significant portion of our time in high school to The Spoke.

Both of us have also sacrificed other activities and interests, whether it be a sport or a musical instrument, to give our full attention to creating our beloved paper. But given a choice to go back, neither of us would trade this time for anything else.

Everything, from stressing in the small closet-like production room in Room 280A until 7 p.m. on school days to getting stormed on while covering school events, has given us some of our best and most memorable high school memories.

On this note, we would like to wish Katherine Lee, Sophia Pan and Reese Wang, the new Editors-in-Chief of the 72nd editorial board, the best Sophia Pan/The SPOKE of luck as they navigate the paper in a year that will be just as challenging as this one. We have no doubt that they will continue to meet, and surpass, your expectations and produce a student publication of the highest quality.

Sincerely, Ananya & Christina

Charity Xu/The SPOKE

SORRY, WE MISsPoke

In the March issue, on page 2, Khani Valasa is a sophomore, not a freshman.

Non-staff contributions: Non-staff contributions from students, the community, graduates or other interested parties are welcome. Editors will decide which contributions are publiched based on space and relevance to the community. All contributions must conform to journalistic practices, including accuracy, timeliness, purpose and writing conventions. The Spoke reserves the right to work with the contributor to meet these standards. All outside contributions are bylined.

www.spoke.news @thespoke @thespoke

Letters to the editor: Letters to the editor may be submitted to Editors-in-Chief Ananya Kulkarni and Hyunjin Lee, or advisers Cyndi Crothers-Hyatt, Claire Miller and Allison Ferriola.

Editorials: Unsigned editorials represent the views of The Spoke editorial board, not necessarily those of the administration, student body, community or advertisers. The opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not necessarily the opinion of The Spoke.

Paid advertisements: The Spoke accepts paid advertisements. Email hello@spoke.news.

/thespoke the_spoke Needladri hello@spoke.news

OP/ED

Thursday, April 29, 2021

9

After the first 100 days: Biden, be better

Ben Shapiro Staff Reporter

When President Joe Biden was announced as the Democratic nominee, we agreed to settle. Not love, not worship, not praise. Settle. In the 2020 election, a huge portion of Democrats and leftists alike decided that while Biden was not by any means the first presidential choice, if there was any way of removing former President Donald Trump from office, it would be by electing him. We agreed that once he was elected, we would continue to criticize him when it was deserved and not let the Biden administration get away with any misdoings. But even after 100 days of his presidency, it feels like we haven’t been able

to breathe in again after our collective sigh of relief on Inauguration Day. Where is the progress we were promised?

One of the most notable hypocrisies we have seen under this cabinet has been the treatment of children at the U.S.-Mexico border. Biden was so quick to call out the Trump administration for its inhumane policies, but now he is staying silent when he is facilitating the exact same thing.

By switching the rally cry from “kids in cages” to “migrant facilities for children,” Biden is letting himself off the hook for the sake of publicity and his reputation. Kids are still being separated from their parents, kept in cages and taken into government custody. Nothing has changed. Biden, we see what you are doing; be better.

Another one of Biden’s campaign promises was to increase the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour. We saw the proposal included in a recent stimulus bill with high hopes of the new Democratic majority in the Senate passing it. However, that optimism was short lived when seven Dem-

ocrats — members of Biden’s own party — voted against its inclusion. After this massive disappointment, it seems that the issue left Biden’s radar.

We’ve heard him speak about it, but as the saying goes, actions speak louder than words.

If nothing is done, nothing will change. Biden, be better.

In the same breath as his debate floor promise to raise the minimum wage, we heard Biden promise that Trump’s tax cuts on large corporations would go on day one. We are now 99 days into his presidency, and these corporate tax cuts are still in effect. The 1% don’t need decreased taxes, the people living below the poverty line do. Biden’s website claims his presidency to be “for all Americans,” however he cannot rightfully claim that while helping the rich and hurting the poor. Biden, be better.

Now, as disappointing as the feats of Biden’s administration have been in the past few months, they all still pale in comparison to the failures of the Trump administration.

Biden has enacted massively important policy and it is un-

just to ignore that. On day one, he rejoined the World Health Organization in attempts to listen to science and ease the effects of the pandemic. His administration also shut down the Keystone XL pipeline, and in doing so, stopped a project that would have had grave effects on the environment.

With that said, we cannot ignore his hypocrisies. Just because Trump is no longer president does not mean that all of the injustices in the world have vanished. We need to step up and pressure the Biden administration into carrying out its campaign promises. To everyone who settled for him, where are you now? Are you going to silently ignore the kids who are still in cages? Will you stand by as the $15 minimum wage proposal is voted out by its own supporting party? Are you going to let Biden face no repercussions for falling through on his promise to undo the corporate tax cut? Remember, we settled for Biden; he was not the top choice. While we have the power to demand change, Biden has the power to enact change. Biden, be better.

Report Card The Falcon and the Winter Soldier + We get to know some of the more underrated Marvel characters better - John Walker may be one of the most hateable characters I’ve ever come across

B+

Senior Drive Through + Fun, free candy

- Can’t replace a year of missed milestones

+ Music that Taylor officially owns AND new songs from the vault

Trey Phillips/The SPOKE

- I can’t keep up with everything she’s putting out

B

Earth Day “I think (Biden)’s handled it pretty well, especially pandemic-wise. I think we still have to wait and see about other issues that he’s promised that he’s kind of taken a step back from.”

“He’s done really well with the vaccines, I’m proud of that...still the cases are rising which is not a positive sign. In terms of Iran, I’m happy that they’re talking again because the sanctions seemed a little harsh, it really put their economy under. ”

- Lucia Peña,

- Seena Amin,

freshman

STUDENTS SPEAK OUT

sophomore

“(Biden) said he would get 100 million shots in his first 100 days, he was able to double that. I think that’s pretty impressive.”

- Kris Galica,

Ananya Kulkarni Co-Editor-in-Chief

As a senior in high school, I have a routine. I come home from a long day of school, the pressure of studying, after-school activities and homework lying in the hours ahead.

Many days, the single hour between finishing school and moving on to my next set of tasks is a reprieve, precious minutes in which I am able to vent my frustration about anything and everything, which usually happens over FaceTime calls, texts, or maybe even a post on my Snapchat story.

That was exactly what ninth grader and Pennsylvania student B.L. (who will not be named as she is still a minor) did. In 2017, B.L. came home after something we have all experienced: a bad day. She recently learned that she did not make it onto her school’s varsity cheerleading squad and would remain a junior varsity member of her squad for the remainder of the year. She voiced her disappointment to her friends in a story on her Snapchat account.

In a string of curse words, B.L.

F

- He is a bad influence on younger generations and I don’t understand why this was necessary

junior

As the landmark Tinker v.

Des Moines Supreme Court ruling famously said, “students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gates.” We as students deserve to be heard, especially when not disrupting our educational environments. Those citing this kind of disruption, which is outlined as an exception to protected speech, fail to make the connection for one crucial reason: the student was at home.

As a student, I understand there are limits to how I may appropriately express myself in the classroom. But what right do schools have to regulate what we say within the confines of our own homes?

On school property, there is a point to maintaining a certain kind of decorum. That same decorum should not extend past school lines. In an increasingly virtual world due to technological advances and the shift online due to the pandemic, Leon Li/The SPOKE this case is more importin Philadelphia, where the stu- ant than ever. dent won her lawsuit against I urge the court to rule in the school district, but the Su- B.L.’s favor. Schools have a preme Court is now hearing right to choose how they set the case. up their codes of conduct, If a student can be suspend- but they must do so while reed for what she says on her specting their obligation to personal social media account constitutional law. Today, the outside of school property and school took issue with her use hours, what stops the school of profanity in regard to some from suspending a student for of their athletic teams. But voicing concern over how the where, exactly, does it end? administration is conducting And, as students, is that really itself? Or for bringing forward something we want to leave up an issue regarding a teacher? to the schools to decide?

C

Mare of Easttown

Jake Paul Fight

- Lenora Umsted,

expressed her frustration with “school,” “softball,” “cheer” and “everything.” When a fellow schoolmate took a screenshot and showed the story to the coach, the school suspended her from cheerleading for a year, citing the need to “maintain a teamlike environment” and “avoid chaos.”

No matter your opinion on a student using curse words or expressing her frustration in a public forum, one fact remains the same: the student was at home, off-campus, outside of school hours and therefore under the protection of the First Amendment.

This standard was upheld in the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

- We aren’t doing enough to preserve our planet

- The show is pretty bleak and doesn’t reflect the Easttown we know and love

senior

Censorship outside of schools

+ Celebrating the Earth’s beauty

+ A new murder mystery set in our neck of the woods

Q: How do you think President Biden has done so far in office?

“You can see that he’s trying to make somewhat of a difference and trying to come up with equity and equality, but there have also been 20+ shootings in a month so there’s that.”

A

Fearless Re-release

Do better for Asian Americans

Sophia Pan

Co-Managing Editor My community is in pain.

Since the pandemic began, anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) hate crimes have skyrocketed. The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism saw anti-Asian hate crimes rise 149% from 2019 to 2020. In the past year, the nonprofit Stop AAPI Hate reported nearly 3,800 hate crimes against Asian Americans, and that number is “only a fraction of the number of hate incidents that actually occur.” If you do the math, that’s at least over 10 hate crimes every single day.

I am afraid. Even though I am privileged and sheltered, living in a wealthy community of relative safety, that fear follows me like some great lurking beast. Whether I am taking a walk or shopping for groceries or just sitting at home in my room, I feel that beast breathing down my neck. What if I’m next? What if my parents are next? What if my grandma is next?

And when I hear my classmates whisper how they think

Asian Americans face no oppression, my fears are not soothed. When I think of the everyday microaggressions I try to ignore; of the influencers who pull back their eyes and call us “ching chongs” and “chinks”; of former President Donald Trump, who called COVID-19 the “China virus” and “kung flu,” my fears are not soothed. We are perpetual foreigners in this country, brandished like a shiny weapon against other communities of color and then shunned and beaten and bruised for never being American enough — for never being white enough.

Even when our people are slaughtered for existing as themselves, parts of America still refuse to acknowledge the hate or our pain.

Last month, when a white man in Atlanta killed eight people in spas, six of whom were Asian women, the officer speaking on the case excused it as the shooter having had a “really bad day.” Even when the shooter himself confessed to targeting Asian massage parlors to eliminate his “temptation,” there is still debate over whether or not the incident was racially motivated at all. These are senti-

ments I have heard echoed in hushed whispers in our own community.

So, to my Asian American brothers and sisters, I hear you.

Your experiences and emotions are valid, even when people try to discredit your identity.

To my non-Asian Ameri-

And specifically to my white allies, have those tough conversations for us. Having to debate our validity for existing is exhausting. If you care about Asian Americans, if you care about people of color, then do that legwork for us. Engage with your friends and family and classmates and teachers when they say things that they might not realize are ignorant. It should not be our job to prove that we are valid and human — we just are. The burden must now fall on white allies to intervene and make that known.

And finally, to America, there must be change. President Joe Biden announced several initiatives in late March to address anti-Asian bias, violence and xenophobia, such as the reestablishment of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and the establishment of a taskforce to combat anti-Asian xenophoCharity Xu/The SPOKE bia fueled by COVID-19. cans, please do better. Listen While these efforts are a start, to, and really hear, us when we we must see in practice what is tell you about our experiences. said on paper.

My community is in pain, Share resources that actually help our community. Check but if this country and its peoin on your Asian American ple will listen to and hear us, friends. Most importantly, re- maybe my children and my flect back on your own biases grandchildren will not have and change them for the better. to be.

Yuting Pu/The SPOKE

Sports

Thursday, April 29, 2021

10

’STOGA LACROSSE Plays with passion Designed by Sophia Pan, Co-Managing Editor

Take a look at some of these pioneer pics!

Aditi Dahagam/The SPOKE

Playing hard: The boys’ varsity lacrosse team suffered a loss against Malvern Prep on April 10, with a final score of 13-5.

Michael Tierney/The SPOKE Tight teamwork: Freshman Chloe Brown winds up to pass the ball to her teammate in a game against Strath Haven at Teamer Field.

Aditi Dahagam/The SPOKE Tough opponent: Malvern Prep leads the boys’ varsity lacrosse team 2-0 during the first quarter of their game on April 10.

Maya Shah/The SPOKE Strong starts: The girls’ varsity lacrosse team won against Strath Haven on April 13 17-5, leading at the first half 8-2.

Recent triumphs: Fans rejoice as Sixers find success in the new season

Courtesy Marisa Francione

Dedicated fan: Freshman Sixers fan Marisa Francione watches the team play during the 2020-2021 season. Francione was happy about changes made to the team over the break between seasons.

Ben Reed

Staff Reporter Following a disappointing ending to their 2019-2020 season, the Philadelphia 76ers are back with a winning record

in the 2020-2021 NBA season.

After falling short in the playoffs, the team made numerous changes to their roster coming into this season.

The Sixers’ last season ended abruptly in the first round

of the playoffs. The team lost four games in a row and was swept by the Boston Celtics.

Junior 76ers fan Stanley Kim explained what he thought went wrong with the team in their previous season.

“I think it’s because of Al Horford taking space away from Joel Embiid,” Kim said.

“Al Horford plays the center position a lot, so having two centers in the floor doesn’t really work in today’s era.”

Following the disappointing loss in the playoffs, the 76ers made many major changes to improve the team during the offseason. Alterations were made to both the roster and the coaching staff.

One of the biggest changes to the team was parting ways with former head coach Brett Brown, who had been with the team for seven seasons. Brown was replaced by Doc Rivers, who has been coaching since 1999. Rivers himself was a former NBA player and coach for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers and the Boston Celtics, where he was able to win a championship. Senior John Defruscio shared his opinion on the team under the leadership of their new coach.

“I think Doc Rivers is a much better coach than Brett Brown was and I think he really knows how to coach a team,” Defruscio said. “I think he can help this young team become a better team in the playoffs.”

The Sixers also picked up some new players for their lineup while getting rid of others like center Al Horford who is now on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Freshman Marisa Francione gave her opinion on how these new players have improved the team.

“They have some new players like Danny Green and Seth Curry. They provide great chemistry with Simmons and Joel,” Francione said. “It’s just a new perspective of the team.”

Kim also expressed his confidence in the future of the team with these new players along with Philadelphia veterans such as Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid, and Ben Simmons.

While the team has certainly stepped up its game in some aspects, it still has certain areas to improve in. Kim believes the Sixers’ greatest strength is their

star center Joel Embiid and their weakest point is their ability to shoot the ball.

“I think our biggest weakness, even though we addressed these changes during the offseason, is still shooting,” Kim said. “If you have Ben Simmons on the floor you need shooters around him. And he needs to be better at shooting.”

The Sixers are currently battling with the BrooklynNets for the first seed in the Eastern Conference, and for the first time in a while many fans believe the playoffs are

in sight. DeFruscio feels confident about the team’s chances to finish the season strongly and make a deep run in the playoffs.

“I think that (the 76ers) will make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. If it’s against the Nets I think it’s going to be a tough time beating that team, but I think that there’s a chance that we take them to either six or seven games,” DeFruscio said. “If we do win the Eastern Conference, I think they will win the NBA championship.”

Sports

Thursday, April 29, 2021

11

Junior tackles sports and stress with mental health club Hiba Samdani

Photography Editor An aspiring Duke University lacrosse player took her life in July of 2019. After suffering an injury to her knee, she felt she was falling short of her own expectations. These feelings contributed to increased levels of anxiety and depression, and a sentiment that she had no one to convey her concerns to. The loss of their friend and relative led her family and friends to start Morgan’s Message, a non-profit organization intended to provide resources and create a safe space for athletes undergoing mental health issues, to relay her story.

“I just happened to stumble across it, but it was really inspiring for me,” Junior Lily Jamison said, who plays on the varsity field hockey team.

Jamison saw this story as a pocket of inspiration to address mental health amongst athletes at ’Stoga. She filled out an application to become an ambassador for the organization and started a club that presents the information provided by the liaison for the area. To find an advisor, she reached out to English teacher Karen Gately, who also coaches the girls field hockey team. Gately wants to use the club as a forum to stress the importance of mental health and to provide support for them.

“I have seen over almost 20 years of coaching sometimes

Courtesy Lily Jamison

Morgan’s Message: Senior Amanda Foster and junior Lily Jamison pose together to introduce people to their mental health club. Foster helped Jamison develop content for the club’s upcoming meeting. the immense pressure that athletes are under that are often kind of brushed aside. So (we should prepare) our student athletes here just to know that they’re not alone,” Gately said.

Similarly, one of Jamison’s main goals is to debunk the notion that athletes do not

tend to undergo mental health problems. She is looking for the club to raise awareness of the depression and anxiety student-athletes sometimes experience because of the increasing pressure to perform well.

“Athletes are supposed to be seen as tough people that don’t

really deal with emotions. (For example),you’re physically built, you’re (expected to be) ready and prepared. (These qualities) just shadow the mental health side of it,” Jamison said.

Jamison plans to hold her first meeting on May 8 and will focus on COVID-19 and its ef-

fects on athletes, and combine her own research with Morgan’s Message’s research to develop a presentation for the members.

Despite the fact that the organization is targeted toward women, both Jamison and Gately want to enforce it is not just for girls alone.

“Although we are trying to extend (the message of the club) to male athletes as well, it was originally focused around female athlete mental health,” Gately said. “But I would encourage any athlete, male or female, to reach out if they are interested.”

Jamison has received a lot of help from Senior Amanda Foster, who is looking to become an ambassador for Morgan’s Message at Drexel University next year. Foster believes that mental health is extremely important because she can relate to the effects of an injury.

“With my most recent serious knee injury, focusing on mental health was more important to me than ever for a good recovery. At times it was isolating but I have been so lucky to be surrounded by great people at ’Stoga and Club Field Hockey to help me handle the times I am struggling,” Foster said.

Although the primary message of Morgan’s campaign is to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health for athletes, Jamison wants to cater the club to all different types of people.

“I really think mental health shouldn’t just be just categorized to one group. I don’t want to make it just for the students,” Jamison said. “(Poor mental health) can really drive you into a really bad spot that I feel that it needs to be called attention to. That’s why everyone should be able to join, no matter who it is.”

HIGHLIGHT REEL the latest developments in sports. clutches

The girls’ varsity softball team defeated Springfield in a comeback game on April 21. The team played hard to secure a victory in the final inning, winning 10-9. supports

Student spectators are now welcomed at outdoor home games provided they complete an online health screening before entering the stands and socially distance. Students are encouraged to come out and support their classmates- pack the pit! races

Senior Ben Horner placed second at a track invitational race on April 17, running a 4:27.55-minute mile.

This is a district qualifying time, which places him at number six on the All-Time list of boy mile runners from Conestoga. flunks

Less than a week after its creation, the European Super League has collapsed. The massive closed soccer (football) league’s ambitious plans were halted after all six of the Premier League teams competing withdrew, following the lead of Manchester City football club.

Relieved and recharged: athletes reflect on asynchronous Wednesdays Abby Bagby Staff Reporter

With the recent uncertainty regarding the continuation of virtual, half-asynchronous Wednesdays, student-athletes have had a lot on the line. Having hours of long, grueling practices on top of their school courses can be difficult to manage full-time.

Spring sports are in full swing, and for many athletes, asynchronous Wednesday time provides a much-needed break in their busy schedules. The school board created the Wednesday format for the 2020-2021 school year, in which students log onto class via Microsoft Teams meetings from 7:50-11:10 a.m. and finish the second half of the day by attending private student/teacher meetings and working on classwork assigned by their teachers.

From extra sleep to catching up on homework, the virtual days provide several benefits. Student/ teacher meetings can prove a challenging fit into some athletes’ schedules for a full-length school

day, as after-school practices leave little time for them.

Freshman and member of the JV softball team Carly Hutchinson enjoys the virtual Wednesdays and is glad to see them remain in our school model. Hutchinson believes that the current format gives her an opportunity to catch up with teachers and have extra time for homework.

“During the (in-person) days, I can’t really use office hours after school because I have to go right to practice, so having Wednesday (with) more time, it’s super convenient because if I do need to use those office hours, I can,” Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson also believes that student-athletes get extra sleep and energy on Wednesdays without the need to wake up early and arrive at the school building.

“We do get more sleep on virtual Wednesdays, which is helpful,” Hutchinson said.

Sophomore Olivia Budike, a rower on the crew team, also wants to see the part-asynchronous Wednesdays remain. Budike believes that the extra time can be

used for homework and relieving stress from students during the week, which is especially important for athletes.

“Homework is always obviously a lot of stress, and it sucks going into a practice stressed or upset about something that’s in school and you feel like you have no time,” Budike said. “It creates a lot of anxiety, especially in the boat, and in a boat, you cannot be scared or anxious because it really messes up the boat setting. It’s like, you guys could be very unstable.”

Senior Jason Look also believes that the ability to complete schoolwork prior to a practice helps with many athletes’ stress during the week.

“I think I’m definitely more relaxed on Wednesdays, especially because a lot of the track meets are on Wednesdays. So, it’s nice to just relax and not feel too stressed about having work when you come home from that, because after a meet or practice, you’re pretty tired,” Look said.

Look enjoys the extra time that these virtual days add to his sched-

ule as a runner, leaving less of a need to stay up late for school.

“I’m able to get a lot of schoolwork done during the day, and I don’t have to finish it or cram it in all at night,” Look said.

Sophomore Keril Shah, a member of the JV tennis team, likes the current Wednesday format as well.

Shah believes that they provide extra time to fit assignments into the week without having to compromise practice time.

“I feel like I get more time to get all my asynchronous stuff and other assignments from previous days done on time, and also fit in my tennis practice everyday as well,” Shah said. “Having virtual Wednesdays will definitely benefit (student-athletes) and other kids.”

With students already facing a difficult school year in the pandemic environment, stress is even more apparent in the busy lives of athletes. “(For) student-athletes, practice is right after school, so this gives us a little extra time to get some stuff done and get to practice,” Hutchinson said.

Courtesy Carly Hutchinson

Sporty and studious: Freshman athlete Carly Hutchinson swings to strike a softball. Many athletes such as Hutchinson found this year’s asynchronous Wednesdays allowed them to have more time to balance their athletics and schoolwork.

Take me out to the football game: Does America have a new favorite pastime?

Alexis Costas Sports Editor

Since 1856, baseball has proudly donned the title of “America’s national pastime,” and in the lens of history it’s easy to see why. Brought to the United States in the late 1700s by English immigrants, the sport quickly gained both popularity and cultural significance in the nation.

For decades, baseball was unquestionably America’s favorite sport, but the turn of the century has brought with it new generations of sports enthusiasts whose interests tend to lie with end zones rather than home plates. Has baseball been dethroned by the gridiron giant? Absolutely not.

Looking at simple statistics, it’s easy to make the claim that baseball has run its course. Football is the most

viewed and and most profitable sport in the country, with the National Football League (NFL) alone raking in about $13 billion dollars a year from ticket sales and merchandise- in fact, the NFL is currently the most profitable sports league in the world. Though Major League Baseball (MLB) takes second place in that contest, it generates a steep $3 billion less than its rival. To a nation rooted in capitalism, that alone is enough to make the case that times have changed.

If one seeks more evidence in favor of football, a survey organized by Bloomberg Politics in 2015 revealed that 67% of Americans polled considered the sport to be the “national pastime” of their country. Twothirds of the country agreeing is a clear sign that the sun has set on the era of baseball.

These numbers make it fair to say that football has become America’s most viewed sport, sure, but today’s sports fans may be surprised to know that broadcasting companies and the media were the key players in that popularity shift- no pun intended. Their motivation?

Football simply makes for better television. In the age of technology, most sports fans view games digitally, and football is practically designed for the big screen.

Baseball games are unpredictable in length, and require constantly moving cameras depending on where the ball flies, whereas football games take place within the limits of the field and have set times that are easy for broadcasters to schedule. The same elements of suspense and strategy that

made baseball so endearing to fans continue to work against it when it comes to live streaming, and the television industry came to the conclusion that making football their big breadwinner would not only be easier, but more profitable as well. That meant more advertisements and more press coverage.

Additionally, the structure of football as a game tends to be more appealing to the modern generation. The average human attention span is on the decline, putting the old ballgame at another disadvantage. Football is all quick bursts of action, with tackles and touchdowns galore, while baseball is a more methodical and drawn out sport. To younger viewers especially, the former is simply the more enjoyable sport to watch. It’s fast-paced, easy to understand, and keeps people excited, plus the constant push by broadcast channels and the media makes it hard not to get hooked. With networks favoring football, baseball doesn’t really stand a chance.

Yes, football wins the popularity contest, but does that make it America’s national pastime? Baseball’s cultural impact on America spans centuries, with the very first American pro sports league being the National Association of Professional Baseball players in 1871. It was also the first sport to make a dent in American desegregation, when Jackie Robinson became the first Black MLB player in 1947. During WWII, the sport even paved the way for professional female athletics and supported feminism via the All-Ameri-

Alexis Costas/The SPOKE

can Girls Professional Baseball League. If America is the “land of opportunity,” then baseball is the sport of opportunity, and football can’t challenge that.

When parents sign their kids up to play sports for the first time, the most popular choice is baseball (or teeball). Over 3,000,000 kids in

the United States alone play Little League baseball each year and a 2020 study by the Aspen Institute stated that for the teenage age group, baseball is second only to basketball in national player count. Football may be the new hottest spectator sport, but baseball continues to be the most iconic American

pastime and will likely keep that title for generations to come. Make no mistake, the MLB is a billion dollar industry with hundreds of millions of annual viewers, but the nation’s heart belongs to baseball- and when deciding what sport is truly the “national pastime”, that’s what counts the most.

SPORTS

The SPOKE

Commitment Corner Page 10

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Opinion: America’s national pastime Page 11

Lacrosse photo highlights Page 10

Student athletes weigh in on asynchronous days Page 11

Courtesy Sondra Dickey

Lax legends: Lehigh University midfielder Sondra Dickey races downfield in a game this season against Bucknell at Frank Banko Field. Along with fellow alumna Scottie Rose Growney, Dickey was recently awarded a spot on the prestigious Tewaaraton watch list for girls’ college lacrosse.

girls’ Lacrosse ALUMNI make prestigious lacrosse watch list Michael Tierney and George Zhang Staff Reporters

As the Tewaaraton watch list rolled around, the two familiar names of ’Stoga alumni Scottie Rose Growney and Sondra Dickey appeared. Growney and Dickey will now compete with other top lacrosse athletes across the country as the list narrows down.

Said to be equivalent to the Heisman award, the Tewaaraton Award goes to the top male and female college lacrosse player in the country. A watch list is announced in March that includes names of players that are going to be in contention for the award. Dickey plays midfield for Lehigh University and won a state championship in her senior year at ’Stoga. Growney is currently a player and student at UNC Chapel Hill and is honored to be considered for the award.

“Not a lot of people get the chance to say that they were considered as one of the best players for that year, so I think even being considered is really special.

I was really honored and it’s just really special to be a part of such a solid group of people. Honestly, it’s really cool and it’s a great experience, and I’m really fortunate that I’m even considered,” Growney said.

Dickey is also grateful to be on the prestigious list. Playing at the collegiate level has been very rewarding for her.

“I am extremely grateful for being acknowledged with this award and really owe it to all to my teammates and coaches along the way, especially my college coaches. I have always wanted to grow and get better, and receiving this award means a great deal to me,” Dickey said.

Dickey’s greatest achievement at Lehigh was defeating The Naval Academy this year for the first time in 10 years to secure a spot in the Patriot League Tournament. She was recruited out of high school for lacrosse and recalled the impact her coaches at ‘Stoga had on her.

“I learned a great deal about lacrosse through my coaches at Conestoga. They were extremely helpful with the recruiting process and really made my high school experience the best it could be. I owe my success to all of my teammates and coaches who have taken the time to develop me as a player and person.

I would not be in this position today had it not been for them,” Dickey said.

Becoming an elite athlete was an uphill climb. Growney had many obstacles during her la-

crosse career that she was able to overcome. One of these roadblocks was when she tore her ACL during her junior year at ’Stoga and missed the entire season.

“My reaction (to finding out I tore my ACL) made me really unsettled. I was really worried about my future, and lacrosse is a huge part of my identity. So not being able to play the sport that I love so much was really weird. And I have been a contributor ever since I was young, so I didn’t really know how to do that from the sideline,” Growney said. “I had to really switch my perspective after I got my surgery and celebrate the little victories that came with rehab and training. But I think just having a really positive outlook was the best thing for me, knowing that everything would be OK”.

Some of Dickey’s greatest memories are from playing on the ’Stoga lacrosse team.

She believes that playing lacrosse in high school were the best four years of her life, and she encourages current athletes to make the most of their time at ’Stoga.

Growney also has some advice that she would like to give to the younger generation of lacrosse players.

“Keep grinding. Even if you think you can’t get better, you can. You just gotta put your head down and do the tough work when no one’s watching, because that’s where you’ll see progress. And you’ll eventually succeed in more ways than you ever thought from before,” Growney said. “Just always, always, always, always work hard when no one’s watching.”

Racing toward a cure: Mini-THON mileage contest funds cancer research Andrew Franceski Staff Reporter

Head low, heart pumping, the runners round the curve, trying to push for an extra tenth of a mile which could be the deciding factor. Conestoga runners push toward another mile and victory.

This year, Conestoga MiniTHON is hosting a mileage competition as part of greater fundraising efforts to raise money for kids fighting cancer.

Conestoga students who wished to participate, paid $5 to enter the competition for the chance to win a $15 gift certificate, by running more miles than anyone else.

Each week, participants are put into a group and whoever runs the most miles, which are self-tracked each week, moves on until there is only one person left.

Junior Johnny Papadopoulos, who is overseeing the com-

petition this year, described how the idea came about and what the goal was.

“The idea was a collaboration between the MiniTHON advertising and fundraising committees, and we hope it will get more athletes involved in MiniTHON,” Papadopolous said. “It is a great way for athletes to practice while supporting MiniTHON and a great way to broaden our reach in the community”.

Junior Michael Baumgardner, heard about the competition from his track coach and was eager to join in.

“I’m very competitive by nature and do a lot of running for Conestoga and on my own, so this seemed like a no brainer to me,” Baumgardner said. “It also gives me a great excuse to push myself and see how much I can run while also supporting a cause I am passionate about”.

Many others on the track team, like junior Molly Ryle,

have joined the competition as well, to motivate themselves to train hard while also supporting the Conestoga community.

“I am a member of the track team, so I thought it would be an easy and fun way to get involved with MiniTHON and raise money for those who need it, by doing what I enjoy,” Ryle said.

The money from the competition going to kids with cancer has been a big motivating factor for both Baumgardner and Ryle.

“Whenever I’m tired, or busy, or don’t want to do that final mile, I know that the running is supporting a good cause, and that keeps my fire going so that I can push myself further than I think I’m capable of,” Ryle said.

The participants have various strategies to try and win the prize, and Baumgardner shared his strategy of staying steady.

“I try to go out and run a few miles in the morning be-

fore school, to wake me up and grab a few extra miles before I run during track practice later in the afternoon. For me the key is pushing through when I am tired and making sure I run as many miles as I can without hurting myself,” Baumgardner said.

The concern about potential injury was the one damper on the competition, but that didn’t prevent a large turnout, and MiniTHON hopes to expand both the number of participants and prize pool more next year.

“Unfortunately, many coaches did not want their players doing extra running, which shrank the number of participants by a good amount, even though the competition was not limited to athletes,” Papadopoulos said.

“We’ve had a great competition so far, and hope for an even better one next year, but for now I look forward to crowning a champion in the coming few weeks.”

Andrew Franceski/The SPOKE

“Feet” of excellence: Members of the track team participate in the Mini-THON Mileage Competition to raise money for childhood cancer. Participants paid $5 to support cancer research and compete for the chance to win a $15 gift certificate.

SCORELINE

scores as of 4/27

B Lacrosse

G Lacrosse

Baseball

Softball

B Tennis

W

6

7

5

6

10

L

3

0

3

3

0

T

0

1

0

0

0