In my Freshman year of high school, I started writing for the C&G and was intially overwhelmed by the process of writing an effective and captivating story. Over time, however, I started to truly enjoy the process of gathering information and displaying my findings through my writing. Over time, I realized that Journalism is not merely centered around improving your writing skills; it is a unique opportunity to convey your thoughts and opinions through writing. Additonally, through interviewing others or through research, Journalism writers have the privaledge of writing for something much greater than themselves. Journalism has been one of the most influential experiences of my life, and I am proud to be editor-in-chief.
I feel in love with writing at an early age. The ability to create images in the mind with the right words, change the narrative of history, and write the future into play. Journailsm is an art form becasue of the percision it takes to write with integrity. As an activist, I study how telling single stories hurt innocent people but in that same stroke writing can heal people. The C&G has worked tirelessly to develop a writing staff and a culture of hardworking, inquistive writers. Every article written is a showcase of our writers experiences and unique voices. We share this with our readers in hopes it will encourgae discourse and growth of commuities. Serving as editor-in-chief has been an unmatched opportunity that no gratitude can express.
Letter from Parker Miles, editor-in-chief: Letter from Jayla Jackson, editor-in-chief:Over the course of the last two centuries, the movie franchise has developed exponentially. The inaugural film, “The Horse in Motion” premiered in Paris, France in 1895 after being captured on black and white film strips. Since then, industry technology has advanced to our current platforms such as CGI and 3D coding. Along with production, film consumption has evolved accordingly. With the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+, at home movie watching has become increasingly accessible.
Post pandemic, the movie industry has experienced a decline in high grossing films that aren’t sequels or franchise films. This trend has been encouraged by the accessibility of movies from the comfort of your own home, and the lasting fear of crowds and enclosed spaces following the pandemic.
In a report from IMDb, the highest grossing movie pre-pandemic was Avengers: Endgame which had a total gross of $11,892,160,011, while in 2022 the highest grossing movie of the time was Top Gun: Maverick which had a total gross of 7,368,808,746 (IMDbPro). A loss of over $4,000,000,000 is an extremely significant decline in the amount of money made off of box office sales. It should also be noted that both of these high grossing movies are a part of a previous movie adaptation and or sequel, which begs the question of whether or not people are going to see these movies entirely for the continuation of a specific series. In fact, according to IMDb, for the last decade the number one grossing movies have all been a part of a continuation of a previous series. This trend continues this year where the current top selling movie is Top Gun: Maverick, a continuation of the Top Gun series.
People are more often than not returning to movie theaters to see continuations of movies from the past, rather than going to watch a stand alone movie. In a response based poll from the Upper school students at Holy Innocents’, of the 219 responses we received a majority of the participants expressed that they last went to the movies to see a series continuation.
Alma
Or perhaps the increasing number of online streaming platforms is in some way contributing to these numbers. Much of the data surrounding the success of movies is based on box office numbers, which depict the number of people buying tickets to watch these movies in a theater, but there was a majority of students (68.2%) who preferred watching movies at home.
In response to this growing sentiment, movie theaters have begun promoting movies in other ways, like having specialty items only available on opening weekends, or hosting movie marathons related to specific series, or exclusive 3D and IMax experiences. However, for small franchise films this is not always an option, and are unable to benefit from brand deals without significant funding. Marketing teams must continue to try and adapt to the ever growing online society to keep from falling into obscurity.
So, the question is, is the movie industry truly “dying,” or is it, like everything, growing and adapting with the changes in our current society.
America was established 247 years ago in 1776 after the American Revolution. When British settlers came to America, they brought their language, customs, and religions.The American Revolution won the colonies their independence and even though they broke ties, British culture remained in America. As America developed, it began to open its borders to the global community promising a life of opportunity. In January of 1889, the first immigration system opened on Ellis Island, in New York and people came in search of a better life. America is considered the melting pot because cultures have mixed together to form one nation. It has been argued that America is more of a salad than a melting pot because of the culture polarization inside the country. We all live under one nation but different cultural groups maintain their own identity within. This sparks the question: Does America have its own culture?
Culture is defined as, “the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group” (Oxford dictionary). Based on this definition, what could we consider to be a part of American culture? While America doesn’t have an official language, English and Spanish take up the majority with 75% and 13% respectivley. Both these languages are not native to the US.
The United States is a fairly young nation and its only association to ancient roots are the indigenous.American football and fast food are the quintessential answers when anyone is asked to name aspects of American culture. Is this enough to say that America has a rich cultural heritage? When the word culture is used it usually follows and preambles places like India, China, and Greece. India has dozens of languages, many religions, and specific food that is uniquely from there. Greece is known for their mythology and theatrics.Chinese philosophy, ancient innovations, and the Chinese language are all originally from China. Despite being a young nation, without any unique and unanimous traditions, can we really call our conglomerate a culture?
It’s a cool sunny day, a light breeze brushes by every so often. You’re stumbling down the sidewalk, being jostled and pushed by your friends and other happy, laughing people. As you look across the crowd, you see people of every color, each wearing their brightest smile, accompanied by sea of neon clothing. You just finished one of the greatest tailgates ever, and are now making your way down to the field. You feel like you’re on top of the world, and nothing can drag you down. Not the looming threat of midterms, or the stress about your english paper, or even the problems in your relationship. Right now, all those things are sitting, collecting dust in the back of your mind. There are memories like these that will be cherished by the people, and retold to their families and friends, these are defining moments in American culture. Every place culture, way of life, and the United States is no exception. Some tend to think differently, believing that the only culture America has are the ones people have brought with them, but isn’t that the beginning of all cultures? Floods of people came to America and brought their cultures, but over time they have all mixed into something more. Something that we as a country, use as our way of life.
America has been called many things, from the “land of opportunity” to “The New World” or even “The Great Experiment”, but one thing is for sure, we have a culture. Think of Hollywood culture, the great actors, think of Broadway. But that’s far from the end. Picture the glamorous streets of Las Vegas, or the magic of New York City, or even the vibrant yet mysterious city of New Orleans. All these places are just a few of the wondrous hotspots that are brimming with our unique culture. As if the places aren’t enough, think of all the ways we’ve revolutionized the world. We are one of the top three largest music markets. Jazz erupted deep from the streets of New Orleans. And who could forget about rock and roll? The genre that took the world by storm. Created in the 1950’s here in the United States. Finally, the biggest music genre in the world, pop music, invented in America. Music is a huge part of our culture, it unites us all across the country, and we were even able to share it with the rest of the world. What about football or baseball? Since we are are a melting pot, people can come from everywhere and still fit into American culture. Whether its holidays, music, sports, or anything, our country will welcome it with open arms. That is the beauty of American culture, not only does it unite us as a country, and bring us even closer together as Americans, but it has also united us with the world.
The National Football League in recent years has been scrutinized for the lack of African American coaches on the sidelines. Although there are nearly seventy percent of black players in the NFL there were only three black head coaches in 2022. Topics revolving around race, health on the field and other delicate issues have been voided by the NFL. One of these topics is a recent publishing of a photo from 1957 that is very significant to the Civil Rights movement. Little Rock Central High School in the late 1950s was forced to desegregate after it was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. As seen in the photo a group of white teenagers were restricting black students from entering the high school. Announced by the Washington Post, the photo featured a then fourteen-year-old Jerry Jones, future owner of the Dallas Cowboys.
During the 1950s tensions were rising over Jim Crow laws and regulations like desegregating high schools were becoming a bit more common. For example, the landmark of Brown v. The Board of Education case prohibited segregation in schooling. With protests and regulations becoming more common near white institutions, pres-
ZAYNAH PRESTON, staff writer
sure and anger began to spread in those communities. Little Rock Central High School integrated in September of 1957. In the photo, Jerry Jones (seen in the near back of the photo) is resisting desegregation. Today, Jones is a successful American businessman that has a net worth of 13.6 billion according to Forbes and has been general manager, president, and the now owner of the Dallas Cowboys. Since his management of the Dallas Cowboys the team has never had a black head coach. When asked about the photo, Jones explains “I don’t know that I or anybody anticipated or had a background of knowing…what was involved. It was more of a curious thing”. In numerous articles, Jones tries to reassure explaining that although he lived in a racially sensitive area of Arkansas, he was around black communities when young.
Overall, the significance of this photo says much about not only Jerry Jones but the NFL as a whole. An owner of the Dallas Cowboys (known to be “America’s team”) was seen sixty-six years ago opposing desegregation. Most people don’t realize or haven’t even heard the news about Jerry Jones in this disturbing picture. Despite its terrible nature, it was fitting for the time. As proven by the photo, it doesn’t make sense for Jones to say he didn’t have any background of knowing about the significance of desegregation in schools. Very few news stories or articles have been published about this, which leads us to believe the NFL could be trying to sweep it under the rug. In recent years, the NFL has been criticized for their lack of diversity. Also, the league has not made any comments regarding Jones in the photo. Perhaps because of the absence of the NFL in discussing social issues and wanting to be a positive influence, it is not surprising to see Jerry Jones as an owner and in this photo. This brings assumptions of what were Jones’ true motives in the photo. People wonder if Jones’s continued internal support of discrimination has influenced his possession of the Dallas Cowboys.
With no true scrutiny towards Jerry Jones for this 1957 photo, it begs the question of why haven’t others received this same judgment. For example, last November, NBA player Kyrie Irving faced backlash for his perceived antisemitic action. Recently Irving has been a main advocate for black players in the NBA. Irving retweeted a movie on Twitter that is perceived to be antisemitic. The retweet was a film with material that had a negative impact on the Jewish community. The Brooklyn Nets (Irving’s team) suspended him for multiple games and the media absolutely crucified him for his retweet. There were many harsh headlines, articles, and news stories about this one situation. This event was not swept under the rug. In fact, it was quite the opposite as it brought a great deal of attention to not only Irving but also his family. The NBA apologized for Irving’s action and made him apologize to the media within weeks of the incident. Nike also terminated Irving’s contract causing him to lose his shoe contract and Nike athlete appearance.
The incident with Kyrie Irving showed that in this society people are quick to analyze, judge, and sometimes dehumanize others after they’ve made a mistake. Jerry Jones was trying to disallow and block young black students from entering school because they were black. Kyrie Irving retweeted a movie that was considered anti-semitic. There are many differences between both, but one was blasted on mainstream media and the other was kept under wraps. Perhaps it was because Jones is a white billionaire that owns a NFL team and has become likable from his success.
Praising and glorifying those with power and choosing to diminish others that don’t have the same ability is what America has been teaching forever. The idea to always strive to be something you aren’t capable of being whether it’s social class, race or gender. Historical circumstances have led to this unfair system that has many complications. The clear discrimination for an African-American Kyrie Irving, is a clear example of the biased prejudice. Jerry Jones received no true criticism for his actions during a period of racial tension. The clear discrepancy between the treatment of these two men and the discourse behind it raises a conversation concerning both our past and our future.
Hamlin’s injury, the sceince behind it, and the ramifications for the sport of football as a whole.
By: PARKER MILES, Co editor-in chief
Monday, January 2nd, 2023. 8:55 P.M. Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills safety, delivers a strong hit to the heart from Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver. Initially, Hamlin returns to his feet, but immediately collapses to the ground. Doctors, medical staff, and trainers from both teams quickly rush to the field and administer CPR for roughly 10 minutes. Hamlin’s heartbeat was restored on the field and at 9:25, he was transported in an ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical center. In the medical center, Hamlin remained in critical condition and on a ventilator for approximately 3 days. Around the 2nd or 3rd day in critical condition, Doctors started to observe signs of improvement and approximately 60 hours after the injury occurred, Hamlin was taken off of the ventilator. Initially, he couldn’t speak, but he could write. Upon waking up, Hamlin asked who won the Monday Night Football game, and the doctors swiftly responded, “You have won the game of life”. In a mere 3 days, Hamlin had gone from practically dying on a football field to having enough oxygen to be removed from a ventilator, a truly incredible progression that left all NFL fans and experts in awe. On January 11th, Hamlin returned to Buffalo after being discharged from the University of Cincinnati medical center after a successful series of tests. Jamie Nadler, critical care physician and Chief Quality officer at Kaleida Health, mentions, “We have completed a series of tests and evaluations, and in consultation with the team physicians, we are confident that Damar can be safely discharged to continue his rehabilitation at home with the Bills”. 3 days after his return to Buffalo, Hamlin makes a visit back to the Bills training center in Orchard Park, N.Y. In just two weeks, Hamlin had gone from suffering cardiac arrest in an on-field collision to returning to the Bills practice facility and conversing normally with his beloved teammates. All NFL experts, insiders, and fans continue to be astonished by Hamlin’s rapid recovery, and considering the unlikelihood of the event, many believe that Hamlin’s quick recovery has been a miracle. With regards to the injury, it is important to
examine the science behind how the injury occurred. Various Cardiac specialists say that Hamlin could have suffered a type of trauma called Commotio cordis. According to specialists from Cleveland Clinic, Commotio cordis is a condition where “abnormal heart rhythm and cardiac arrest happen upon a person, striking the chest directly over the heart at a very critical time during a heartbeat” (Cleveland Clinic). This explanation accurately describes what Commotio is and how it occurs, but it fails to clarify when the condition can occur. Dr. Rod Passman, director of the center of arrythmia research at Northwestern University, mentions that the condition occurs when, “a sharp hit lands directly over the heart at the exact wrong location at the exact wrong timing” (AP News). As a result, it seems that Commotio cordis is incredibly rare as a myriad of circumstances must align for the condition to occur. The condition is so uncommon that it only occurs “probably 20 times a year”, according to Dr. Mark Link of UT Southwestern Medical Center. He continues, “only about 60 percent of those impacted survive. The main worry for survivors is brain damage from the lack of oxygen when the heart stops pumping blood” (AP News). For the doctors at University of Cincinnati, the primary concern was that even if Hamlin did survive the injury, he could have lost enough oxygen to the point where his brain could not function. At which point, Hamlin would not make it. Doctors and former players point to this injury to highlight the dangers that playing football can entail.
Hamlin’s injury does highlight the risks of playing tackle football, but there has been a misconception that the game is dangerous because of what happened to Hamlin. First and foremost, Commotio cordis is an extremely rare injury that, as mentioned before, only occurs roughly 20 times a year. However, this injury can happen in a variety of ways and 99 percent of the time, football is not the culprit. According to the Washington Post, “this injury can also happen when a player is struck in the chest by a hard object such as a baseball, hockey puck or lacrosse ball” (Washington
“A sharp hit lands directly over the heart at the exact wrong location at the exact wrong timing” - Dr. Rod Passman.
Post). In other words, this injury can happen in many different settings and, contrary to popular belief, football does not necessarily increase the likelihood that this injury happens. In fact, the last time that anything remotely similar happened on a football field was when Chuck Hughes, a Detroit Lions wide receiver, collapsed and died on the field in October of 1971. However, Hughes was merely running a decoy route down the field, which meant that he was not even tackled. As he was jogging back to the huddle, he collapsed and died on the field. Doctors said at the time that Hughes was “suffering from advanced arteriosclerosis, a heart disease that was undiagnosed” (SportsKeeda). The reason for Hughes’s death is critical because while he did die on a football field, it was not triggered by one hit in particular. Rather, it was the culmination of a major undiagnosed problem. This event shows that Hamlin’s injury is truly unprecedented, thus highlighting the rarity of the injury.
“The truth is football is dangerous because of all the other injuries that happen during the game”, according to the Washington Post. The article continues, “The broken bones, the torn knees, ankles and shoulders are a regular part of any game” (Washington Post). These injuries are much more commonplace and if they are accumulated over a career, they can possibly lead to long-term physical issues. Perhaps most importantly, playing football can have many long-term effects on the brain. According to the Washington Post, “Football players may get chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) from repeated blows to the head. This can lead to symptoms such as headaches…memory loss and anger control issues” (Washington Post). The article finishes by describing that football players that play for many years are more likely to develop this condition than others.
Despite the myriad of risks that come with playing football, these are risks football players are willing to take. For example, Nate Burleson, former NFL player described on the Dan Patrick Show, “this is what we sign up for. No matter where on the spectrum the injuries may fall, we want to play the game” (Dan
Patrick Show). Burleson’s comments are significant as they show that at any level of football, if a person truly loves the sport and wants to play it, then they accept that injuries are just part of the game.
Overall, this injury has not only impacted NFL fans and coaches around the United States, but also coaches right here at HIES. At HIES, this event has been a way for football coaches to further reinforce the proper way to tackle and to deliver hits. Assistant Coach Nick Perotta mentions, “We are teaching a leverage tackling Style that was implemented by the Seattle Seahawks 10 years ago.” He also confirms that the coaches, staff, and trainers are doing whatever they can to minimize the possibility of an injury of this magnitude. He describes, “We ensure shoulder pads are fit correctly for each HIES player to ensure that their rib cage and vital organs are protected”.
Lastly, HIES coach Zach Slaney describes an event he witnessed similar to Damar Hamlin, and how it has reinforced the need for trainers and medical staff on hand for games at all times. He mentions, “I was a football coach at Pace Academy when Jordan Sloan was injured in 2020”. He continues, “Jordan was evaluated by an athletic trainer and was quickly carted off the field and taken to the hospital”. Jordan survived and has spent the last 2 and a half years fighting for his life. This event was shocking to all football coaches around the metro atlanta area, thus making them prioritize the need for athletic trainers and medical experts during games. Coach Perotta mentions, “We have discussed our current plan and best practices for the evacuation of an athlete, should one exit Riverwood or Baker”. He finishes, “Our training staff do an outstanding job and I have no doubt that in an emergency such as the Damar Hamlin situation, they would be prepared to save the player”. While the odds of such an injury is incredibly slim, the HIES medical staff are ready for whatever.
“We ensure shoulder pads are fit correctly for each HIES player to ensure that their rib cage and vital organs are protected” - Nick Perotta.
While 2023 has already started for us, the fireworks light up the sky for those who celebrate Chinese New Year. Based on this year’s lunar calendar, the New Year celebration starts on the 22nd of January, and based on the zodiac signs 2023 is the year of the rabbit. In some records handed down from ancient times, there are incidents where rabbits were used as sacrifices.The twelve zodiac signs are the twelve earthly branches that match the year of a person’s birth. The origin of the zodiac is related to animal worship. According to the Qin bamboo slips unearthed in Hubei province a relatively complete zodiac system existed in the pre-Qin period. The earliest document handed down to record the twelve zodiac signs that are the same as modern ones is “Lunheng’’ written by Wang Chong of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The twelve zodiac signs are the vivid representatives of the twelve Earthly Branches, namely Zi (rat), Chou (ox), Yin (tiger), Mao (rabbit), Chen (Dragon), Si (snake), Wu (horse), Wei ( Sheep), Shen (monkey), You(chicken), Xu (dog), and Hai (pig), with the development of history, gradually merged into the folk belief concept of mutual generation and restraint, which is reflected in marriage, life, luck of the year, etc. However this year’s Chinese New Year is indeed a memorable one. Despite all the chaos that happened in 2022, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, Economic recession, and Energy Crisis. Those international conflicts and issues have deeply impacted the Chinese people. Especially international economic recession triggered the pop of the Chinese real estate bubble in 2022. Ever since the start of the COVID outbreak in early 2020, China has enacted extremely strict COVID control protocol. For
example, patient quarantines, lockdowns, and COVID tests, those protocols worked extremely well during the early to middle stage of the outbreak. Those times the virus was not nearly as contagious as the Omicron variant eventually became. Under the extremely strict COVID restrictions, the original and Delta variants got under control very easily. Therefore, even though China has the largest population of any country in the world, it has a very low death and infection rate of the virus. However as of early 2022, the appearance of the Omicron variant forced the Chinese government to strengthen COVID policies even further, thus further burdening the Chinese people. These restrictions accompanied with global economic recession made the public extremely unsatisfied with the actions taken by the government. Yet because of those restrictions, Chinese New Year travel became extremely difficult for the Chinese people, due to the travel restrictions. Stats shown under COVID restrictions the amount of passengers was only 50 percent of what it was in pre-covid time. Chinese New Year celebration is really different under COVID restriction. For example the big family reunion is much more difficult to host due to the flight cancellations due to lockdowns and the COVID policies. Furthermore the big festivals are reduced in capacity and restaurants are banned to host large group Chinese New Year dinners.Finally as of November 2022 China lifted all of its COVID restrictions. Due to the new variant of COVID becoming less and less deadly and the internal economic stress that China is facing.
Domestic travel has finally returned to normal in China, in fact, data shows that during the Chinese New Year in 2019 (just before the COVID-19 outbreak),73 million passengers traveled domestically in China by air. Overall the lifted restriction means the travel traffic could be even higher than pre-COVID times. Due to the recovery of Chinese international and domestic tourism it seems promising to benefit the global economy. Furthermore with new relief policies on the real estate market, internet/tech giants, and desmostic/ international travel. The Chinese economy seems to be promising again in 2023 and beyond. Due to the recoveries in the Chinese internal society and its economy the Chinese people can once again celebrate Chinese New Year like pre-covid time. Without the concern about the restriction and the national economies.
Music has been used for centuries as a way to soothe and comfort people. Research has shown that music can be particularly beneficial for individuals with dementia. Dementia is a decline in cognitive function, which can include memory loss, difficulty with language, disorientation, and changes in mood and behavior.
One of the most significant effects of music on the brain is its ability to activate areas that are responsible for memory and emotion. For individuals with dementia, music can serve as a powerful tool for activating memories that may have otherwise been lost. This is because the brain›s ability to process music is relatively preserved even in the later stages of dementia. This means that familiar songs or melodies can trigger memories of past events or people, providing a sense of comfort and familiarity.
In an interview with Heidi Domescik, she mentions that her mom has trouble remembering past memories, along with short term memories. She said that whenever she visits with her mom they will play cards and listen to music. The music “triggers her memories” and she will then love to “tell stories about the past”. Her mom has a connection to certain bands and or musicians “such as the Brat Pack”. Listening to these songs from the past “opens an emotional window for her”.
Another benefit of music for individuals with dementia is that it can help to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Many people with dementia experience feelings of isolation and loneliness, and
The rhythm and melody of music can also have a calming effect on the nervous system, reducing feelings of agitation and restlessness. Furthermore, music therapy sessions, in which the therapist uses music to engage with the patient, can improve their social and emotional wellbeing, and even physiological improvements, such as reducing stress and lowering blood pressure. It could also be used as a tool for nonverbal communication and expression, helping people with dementia to communicate their emotions, when verbal communication is difficult.
Lastly, music can also be used as an aid for cognitive and physical therapy. For example, listening to a song that requires clapping or singing along can help to improve fine motor skills and coordination, while listening to a song with a specific rhythm can help to improve gait and balance. Music therapy sessions can also be used to improve memory and attention by using songs to practice recall or attention tasks.
In the intervention, developed at ITA and called “Musical Bridges to Memory”, a live ensemble plays music from a patient’s youth such as songs from the musicals “Oklahoma” or “The Sound of Music.” This creates an emotional connection between a patient and their caregiver by allowing them to interact with the music together via singing, dancing and playing simple instruments, the study authors said. The program also enhanced patients’ social engagement and reduced neuropsychiatric symptoms such as agitation, anxiety and depression in both patients and caregivers.
As the research continues on music therapy, the progress looks promising. People living with the disease are already seeing palpable results while future research could provide even more relief.
RYDER MILON, staff writer
Cryptocurrency is a form of digital currency that uses cryptography for security. One of the most significant things about it is that it and is decentralized, meaning it is not controlled by any central authority. It was first introduced in 2009 with the launch of Bitcoin, the first decentralized cryptocurrency. Since then, many other cryptocurrencies have been created, such as Ethereum, Litecoin, and Ripple. Cryptocurrency is used for a variety of purposes, including as a medium of exchange, a store of value, and a unit of account. It is becoming increasingly popular as a way to make payments and store wealth, as it is not only decentralized, but it is also secure, and has low transaction fees. Cryptocurrency is also being used to fund new projects, businesses, as well as to create new financial products and services. As the technology continues to evolve, cryptocurrency will become an even more important part of the global economy.
Cryptocurrency has been a popular investment option in recent years, but it has recently seen a sharp decline in value. This is largely due to the fact that there is a lack of regulation in the industry, which has caused investors to become wary of the security of their investments. Additionally, the market is highly volatile, meaning that prices can fluctuate drastically in a short amount of time. This makes it difficult for investors to predict the future value of their investments, leading to a decrease in confidence and a decrease in demand. Finally, the emergence of new technologies such as blockchain has caused investors to become more aware of the risks associated with investing in cryptocurrency, leading to a decrease in demand and a further decline in value.
Ftx was a cryptocurrency exchange that was launched in 2019, but unfortunately it failed to gain traction and eventually shut down in 2020. The main reason for its failure was its lack of liquidity, which is essential for any successful cryptocurrency exchange. Additionally, the platform had a number of security issues, causing which caused users to lose trust in the platform. As a result, this decrease in use and eventually was part of the reason that led to its downfall. Furthermore, the platform had a number of technical issues that made it difficult for users to navigate and use the platform, which further contributed to its failure. Finally, the platform was not able to compete with the larger and more established exchanges, that which had more liquidity and better security measures. All of these factors combined to make Ftx a failed venture. Due to the amount of money that Sam Bankman-Fried (owner of Ftx) stole from his investors he is facing up to 155 for fraud.
The future of crypto currency is a highly contested topic. Many people have expressed their disapproval of this form of currency, citing its lack of regulation, its potential for fraud, and its susceptibility to market volatility. Despite the potential benefits of crypto currency, such as the ability to make secure payments and transfer money quickly, the risks associated with it are too great for many people to feel comfortable investing in it. Furthermore, the lack of government oversight and the potential for criminal activity make it a risky venture. As a result, the future of crypto currency is uncertain, and its success is far from guaranteed.
The James Webb Telescope spans about 70 feet by 50 feet. It took a long 30 years to build and has cost ip to 10 billion dollars. It was all worth it though, teh telescope has flown over 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth and has a life expectancy of 10 years. The longevity of its time spent in construction is due to the severe complexity of it, the telescope is able to interpret light emitted from space close to 13.5 billion years ago and create the images you will see below. This telescope has enabled us to look into the past, literally.
This photo is called the “Pillars of Creation” nd it lies inside the Eagle Nebula. The James Webb telescope’s MIRI (Mid-Infared Instrument) translated invisible mid- infared avelengths of light into visible light rays to create this image.
SOPHIE CARDILLO, staff writer
The Cartwheel galaxy is a result of two large galaxies colliding, generating many new stars releasing hot new gases
This photo is called the “Pillars of Creation”, it lies inside the Eagle Nebula. The James Webb telescope’s MIRI translated invisible mid-infared wavelengths of light into visible light rays to create this image.
*MIRI = Mid-Infared Instrument*
A protostar is embedded into a dark cloud (L1527) whose material is slowly growing the star. Materials that the star is ejecting have created cavities, which now glow orange and blue.
This image is of the Cosmic Cliffs, a region near the end of a giant gas cavity.
Scientists finally have a clear picture of Stephens Quintet, a visual grouping of 5 galaxies. The MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) on the Webb telescope pierced through dust covered regions and revealed huge shock waves, tidal tails, gas, and stars stripped from outer edges of galaxies by interaction.
Using the Webb telescope, scientists were able to look past the large cosmic dust clouds and get a clear look at a white hot dwarf star in the center of the Southern Ring Nebula
In this mosaic image stretching 340 light years, you can see a part of the Tarantula Nebula called the star forming region where thousands of new stars previously covered in cosmic dust have begun appearing.
This is a portion of the dwarf galaxy: Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte. It was captured using the James Webb telescope’s near-infrared camera.
This image features a dark molecular cloud named Chameleon I, located around 630 million lightyears away.
JAYLA JACKSON, co-Editor-in-Chief______
“Affinity Groups play a vital role in ensuring an inclusive environment where all are valued, included, and empowered to succeed.” This excerpt from Pittsburg University’s diversity curriculum embodies the role that affinity groups have taken in the Holy Innocents community. An affinity group is a group formed around a shared interest or common goal, to which individuals formally or informally belong and these groups have begun appearing all around campus. Holy Innocents has prided itself on being a diverse community fea turing members of different faiths, races, gender identifications, and interests. Along with diversity, there is an equipped team of professionals dedicated to multicultural affairs on campus. Keith White and Adrienne Rowe head the upper school team and have worked as advisors for many of the new affinity spaces.
The first affinity group on campus, with about 70 members, is the Black Student Union. The black student union, otherwise known as BSU, was created with the intention of establishing a safe space for black-iden tifying students to exclusively indulge in shared culture and strategize ways to facilitate conversations about race on campus. Member of BSU and Executive Board, Alma Frazier, shares with C&G what BSU means to her. “Walking into BSU feels like walking into my friend’s block party, where everyone knows everyone, where we’re all able to talk and share experiences in our own bubble of the HI community. BSU was the first place on campus where I truly felt at home.” She shares a similar sentiment with many other members, including me. As a black-identifying person on campus, BSU became a second home. I could share my per sonhood with people I didn’t have to explain it to. It gave me students to connect with and adult members I could grow close to, and I did both.
The Black Student Union executive board has done a phenomenal job maintaining a protected environment and serving the campus. A round of applause is due to the group’s President - Ariel Abernathy, Vice Presi dent - Skyler Hall, Communications Director - Alma Frazier, Director of Events - Jayla Jackson, and Spirit Chair - Olivia Hutcherson.
In the same spirit, the Asian Cultural Association has become a highlight in on-campus activities. Asian Cultural Association is an affinity group that aims to create a space that celebrates Asian culture and traditions with the HI community. They have hosted phenomenal events for the Lunar New Year, Diwali, and Mid-Autmn festivals. Founder and President Tony Wang told the C&G the reason he started the group. “I started it with the intention to spread Asian culture with holiday celebrations and bring joy to Asian students and the entire campus. It’s the only space on campus that teaches and shares aspects of Asian culture. I hope the club can continue its interest in celebrating Asian traditions with everyone and promoting inclusivity for all students to continue to celebrate Asian culture.” One of the most beneficial parts of an affinity group is having a home for incoming new memebers. Places that can make you immediately feel safe. Freshamn member, Sophia Siddiqui, shares her favorite parts of the club with the C&G.
“It’s a really cool way to see other asian cultures. I didn’t know much about Chinese culture and now I’ve had great cultural experiences with it.” She also shares her hopes for the future of the club. “Since my culture is revolved around religion it’s been hard to integrate Pakistani culture. But as a whole, religion is a major part of Asian culture and I hope that in the future we will create opportunities to explore that.”
Our affinity groups create homes for students of the same race, culture, and sexual orientation. The GayStraight Alliance or GSA is offered to LGBTQ-identifying students and allies. The group meets once a month hosting lunch and learns and other opportunities to learn and connect with our LGBTQ-identifying population. The club is advised by Jamela Reed, upper school biology teacher, and senior class President, Alma Frazier. The C&G talked with the vice president and next leader of the group Colin Weldon.
“I’m a part of GSA because I think it’s important for schools to have a place where students can talk openly about LGBTQ+ issues. It’s also great place to meet other people who are interested in the commnuity. “ He also shares his plans for the next year to come. “ I’d really like to work on involving GSA in service projects and generally expanding the club. I like what we started with the Day of Silence last year and I want to do more projects like that. What he
What Colin is reffering to is the highschool-wide moevemnt where students chose to stay silent for a day to stand in solidarity with LGBTQ children who have been sildenced in their identity. Affinity groups are beneficial to communities because it foster enviornemnts where acts of service like the Day of Silence can take place. Along with BSU, ACA, and GSA there are many more groups on campus this spring. The Jewish Student Union is headed by Katherine Poch for jewish identfying students and allies. The JSU held a beautiful Rosh Hashanaa program and were a vital part of last years Christmas around the World events. Multicultural Club is a space for mixed race/culture students headed by Jezel Harmon. Hispanic Cultural Club led by Haidee Quechol, Sherlyn Sanchez, and Matthew Vickers is for hispanic identyfying students and allies. Hispanic music and food flooded the luch room for the Dia de Los Muertos reperesentation. And our newest group, Afro-Islander Club for African and Islander heritage students is led by Nathaniel Adegoke and Alston Goodwin.
As our school population grows and our diversity continues to diversify in intersectionality, we hope the student body continues to seek opportunities to create safe spaces for bears of every identification.
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