The Lion's Roar 38-2

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VOL. 38 ISSue 2

the LION'S

Four freshmen navigate a mostly online year of high school

sick of

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By Emma Zhang

Photo by Becky Dozortsev

inside this issue Finding Love on Yubo Experienced users provide insight into the app which revolutionizes teen relationships

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Newton Firearms

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The community debates the opening of a new gun store, raising questions of constitutional rights

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Newton South HIGH School Newton, MA

Hold Your Horses

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Equestrians balance a rigorous schedule and push past negative stereotypes

· Est. 1984 · June 10, 2021

PAGE 2 JUNE 10, 2021

NEWS ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR VOLUME 38, ISSUE 2

STRAS TAKES THE REINS New Principal Tamara Stras talks about her goals and vision for South

photo courtesy of Tamara Stras

By Lily Zarr

I

n the last year, there have been many changes regarding leadership positions within the South administration, from former Principal Joel Stembridge leaving South at the end of the 2019-20 school year to Interim Principal Mark Aronson’s appointment for this school year to Jason Williams starting as vice principal next fall.

On March 22, Tamara Stras was announced to be South’s new principal, with her role officially beginning on July 1.

The Selection Advisory Committee, which interviewed candidates and advised Superintendent David Fleishman in making the decision for the new principal, was composed of various administrators, faculty, students and guardians.

In Fleishman’s March 22 email to families confirming Stras’ selection, he commended her educational expertise and strong leadership abilities. “[Stras] is a highly knowledgeable instructional leader with a keen understanding of teaching and learning,” he wrote. “She has demonstrated a leadership capacity that is characterized by thoughtfulness and fairness.”

After graduating from Boston College with a master’s degree in secondary education, Stras taught as a student teacher

at Newton North, and landed her first teaching job at South’s summer school as a chemistry teacher in 2010. She then worked at Greater Lawrence Technical School as a science teacher for two years before becoming a science teacher and department head at Lawrence High School for five years.

After participating in a leadership program called Lynch Leadership Academy, Stras said she felt ready to move on from her current role as an assistant principal at

After being chosen for the principal position, Stras said that she felt welcomed by the support she received from faculty members.

“Once I filled out my paperwork, [Human Resources] sent me a badge that would give me access to the building with a little handwritten note,” she said. “I know that that may not be a big deal, but for me, that's really personal.”

Stras said that she appreciated the col-

I'm here to support all of the wonderful things that are already happening and make things better.

Tamara Stras principal Haverhill High School, a job she has held for the past four years. “[Lynch Leadership Academy] gave me a lot of confidence to know that I can actually do this job and do it well,” she said.

Stras said that as an educator who is committed to anti-racist work, South’s goals for an anti-racist curriculum drew her in.

“Education needs to be equitable, but equity has to really pair with access,” she said.

laborative environment that she experienced throughout the process of searching for a new vice principal.

“There was a lot of teamwork,” she said.

“I interacted with a lot of people at South, and all I can feel is super positive energy.”

On March 16, Stras spent the day at South and met with student groups and the faculty. She said that upon meeting students, she got a glimpse of what South’s atmosphere

was like.

“There was this theme that came through where … everybody seems like they're a little bit stressed out, and their workload is a lot,” Stras said.

In response to the environment she felt at South, Stras said she will concentrate on continuing to familiarize herself with students and work to resolve existing issues.

“My plan is to get to know the place coming in, and I do have these focus groups that I'm going to reach out to,” Stras said. “I want to see what we have and build off of the successes that we’ve already had at the school to make it even better.”

Looking ahead to next year, Stras said that she hopes for a full in-person return.

“I'm crossing my fingers here. The hope is that we return fully in the fall,” she said. “Routines and rituals and going back to that is really important.”

As someone who cares about students’ well-being, Stras said she wants everyone to know that she is always available for conversation.

“Please don't ever hesitate to just come and pop your head into my office,” she said.

“I'm here to support all of the wonderful things that are already happening and make things better.”

NEWS PAGE 3

ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR

AP tests administered online and in-person Paul Hong & Sarah Wei News Reporter, News Editor

Advanced Placement (AP) tests, taking place between May 3 and June 11, are in the midst of being administered for the 2020-2021 school year.

Tests were offered both digitally and in person on paper, with the exception of Music Theory and world language exams, which were only available in person. The College Board introduced online testing in the 2019-2020 school year as a result of the pandemic, taking months to develop a downloadable testing application to ensure security during exams. For years prior, tests had only been available in person.

The online and in-person tests differed in sectional composition as well as in question styles.

Junior AP U.S. History (APUSH) student Shanae Venter said that she felt unprepared for the digital exam.

“I had done a variety of short-answer question practices on AP Classroom … and I felt that the wording of the questions on the actual exam were unlike those of the practices,” she said. “Also, with being unable to go back and forth, it made the new format of questions harder to adapt to.”

Though students were registered for a total of nearly 1400 exams, in the first nine days of testing, only 64 students tested in the

building, AP Testing Coordinator Mary Ann Price said. She said that although the total number of registered tests was comparable to previous years, an atypical amount got canceled as the test dates drew closer.

“The biggest difference this year is the number of canceled exams — students have canceled about 500 exams,” she said. “Prior to 2020, students might have canceled 50 to 100 exams in total.”

To account for turbulence in student’s lives and the stress load of AP tests, the College Board offered full refunds for canceled tests for the first time in history.

Junior AP Chemistry student Jessie Traxler said that the refund policy allowed for flexibility and hopes that it will continue.

In preparation for the test, teachers, including AP French teacher Deborah Hahn, said that they grappled with challenges trying to adapt to constant changes in South’s schedule and College Board’s testing format.

“I had less time to prepare my AP students due to many factors [such as] the later start to our school year, the continual need to pivot as our learning model fluctuated and the decision to limit out-of-school required assignments,” Hahn said.

AP Chemistry teacher Marianne McChesney said that she had to adjust her teaching style to prepare her students for digital testing.

“Test prep this year has included more

practice using AP Classroom online progress checks so that students could get used to the online format. Entering responses on the computer is different from writing on paper because of all the special formatting involved in making chemical equations and chemical structures,” she said. “These changes in test prep help students become more familiar and confident in their ability to perform well on exam day.”

Students, like Junior MJ Kim, who took the APUSH exam, felt the pandemic’s effects on their learning. Kim said that he had trouble staying concentrated while attending school online.

“The disadvantages of online learning is that it is really easy to lose focus, and while it’s very comfortable, I would have learned a lot more in

person,” he said.

Traxler said in-person preparations for exams could have been more valuable and is disappointed to have missed out this year.

“Studying for my tests has been alright, but I definitely miss study groups. Voice calls and messaging are great, but it’s not the same as studying in person with a group of friends,” she said.

Through the various challenges of online preparation, Hahn said that her students have learned and grown throughout the year.

“Most students felt very positive about their experience … they were challenged and exposed to new ideas and ways of thinking,” she said. “That, to me, is the true definition of a successful year.”

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District confirms 9 a.m. start time for next year Sarah Wei News Editor

On April 12, South announced plans to adopt a later start and end time for the 2021-2022 school year. The announcement followed shortly after the Newton Public Schools Fall Planning Team — a group composed of School Committee members, assistant superintendents, Newton Teachers Association members, building administrators and parent representatives — formally endorsed the plan on April 6. Under the new schedule, the school day will start at 9 a.m. and end at 3:45 p.m.

Although the change may seem sudden, the decision to switch from the prepandemic 7:40 a.m. start time comes after six years of research within the district.

Even before the district began its lengthy process to change start times, Assistant Superintendent Toby Romer said that research emerged showing that late start times could improve student well-being.

“The schedule is designed around key values identified by the scheduling committee, [which include] ensuring students can thrive socially, emotionally and academically, maintain academic excellence and breadth and create time for student support and faculty collaboration during the day,” he said.

School Committee Chair Ruth Gold-

man said that the start time’s shift was also based on pre-existing studies of high schoolers’ circadian rhythms.

“Our [9:00 a.m.] time is something that's supported by all the public health and pediatricians,” she said. “There's a lot of research and evidence that students, as they get to adolescence, their biological clock shifts.”

More specifically within the South community, School Committee member Bridget Ray-Canada said that the decision was weighted in consideration of effects on students, which were measured by multiple studies over the years.

“The process involved surveys, a traffic study, high school schedule change, a webinar this year and iterations of options,” she said.

“Various start time options were evaluated based on a traffic study to determine their transportation costs, impact to [Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity] METCO Boston families, transport times, athletics impact and impacts to other school levels' start time.”

Student feedback was also an essential part of the decision, Ray-Canada said. “[A] late start improves mental ability and mood due to more sleep, which also reduces physical health risk,” she said. “During the pandemic, we received positive feedback that having a late start schedule had a positive impact as students were more engaged and alert in their classes this year.”

Although many students indicated satisfaction with the change, the decision was met with mixed reactions. In an anonymous survey sent on June 1 with a sample of ng he C 236 students, Emily graphic by respondents were

asked in the first question to rate their opinions regarding the time change on a scale of one to five, one being that they actively disliked and five being that they strongly approved.

Although there was no particular stand-out rating, the majority of students rated their decision from three to five. The option of four was the most prominent, with 65 students, or 27.5% of the sample. The rat-

to practice in the dark or not at all. In addition, high school games start at 4 p.m., so you have hundreds of kids missing over an hour of school for every game,” she said. “As a school that’s big on athletics and extracurriculars, we should be supporting those students, not making it more difficult for them.”

Girls tennis coach Bob Jampol said that the change reflects South’s preference for academics over extracurriculars.

A late start improves mental ability and mood due to more sleep, which also reduces physical health risk Bridget Ray-Canada School Committee member ing of five was the second-most common, receiving votes from 53 students (22.5%).

In addition to the positive responses, Freshman Esther Dansinger said she prefers the late starting time due to the flexibility it provides.

“It gives me more time in the mornings to sleep in or eat a good breakfast and just take time in general,” she said.

Many students, however, were unhappy with the later ending time, particularly those participating in extracurriculars and athletics. Sophomore Jaray Liu said that the new schedule conflicts with his other activities, while detrimentally impacting his sleep patterns.

“My extracurriculars don’t shift so it messes up my schedule,” he said. “All it really did was shift my sleep schedule back by two hours, so I don’t actually get more sleep.”

Sophomore senator and soccer player Lily Paltrowitz said the new schedule causes difficulties for student athletes.

“Only two teams maximum can enjoy the stadium lights, which leaves other teams

“Extracurricular activities mean a great deal to most students, and South used to pride itself that so many students participated in journalism, drama, athletics, speech and so forth,” he said. “Teens get a different kind of education in those kinds of endeavors, which should be valued as much as their academics.”

In response to the challenges that the new times pose for student-athletes, the district described potential solutions in its April 28 presentation. They proposed to move flex blocks to the end of the day on Tuesdays and Thursdays and to adjust game and practice times and add additional lighting for the fields.

Romer said that while he recognizes the challenges imposed on student-athletes, he believes that the positives of the change negate the disadvantages.

“We feel the positive impact of flex times, fewer classes per day and a more balanced pace and schedule overall will benefit student-athletes and make it easier to balance the load of different activities,” he said.

PAGE 4 NEWS

South Spots

THE LION'S ROAR

Three beloved teachers leave South

By Sawyer Cohen & Bella Ishanyan News Reporter, News Editor

Speech and Debate The Speech team placed fourth and the Debate team placed second overall in the Massachusetts Speech and Debate League state tournament that took place April 10-11. Varsity and Junior Varsity debate teams went on to compete in the Tournament of Champions and the National Catholic Forensic League, where they made it to semifinals respectively. Following their recent successes, Varsity and Junior Varsity speech and debate teams will participate in the National Speech and Debate Association tournament this June 13-18.

State-of-the-art snacking Students may have noticed new additions to the vending machines located in the cafeteria and near the Field House. Snacks and drinks such as Doritos, Nature Valley bars, Polar seltzers and Snapple beverages are available for purchase starting at prices of $1.25.

Vaccines for students The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents ages 12 and older. Rollout began on May 12. As of June 3, over 400 colleges as well as large university systems across the country require students to receive the vaccine to return in the fall, and it is expected that others will do the same. So far, Newton Public Schools has not required students to receive the vaccine for the upcoming school year.

And all that jazz...

South Stage members held inperson performances of their show, Chicago. Preparations began a week after April break. At first, rehearsals were held over Zoom, but the cast gradually transitioned to an in-person format. Tickets for their four shows held between May 20-22 sold out within a day due to its increasing popularity.

MITA BHATTACHARYA

A

fter 16 years working at South, biology and environmental science teacher Mita Bhattacharya is leaving South. She said that she not only wants to accompany her husband, who recently got a job in Maine, but she also wants to set aside time to care for her elderly relatives, a commitment she felt would conflict with the lack of flexibility that being a high school teacher comes with.

“Should a medical emergency arise, I want to be able to be there, and having a school job will be tough,” she said.

Bhattacharya said that leaving South is bittersweet because she didn’t get to connect with her students this year, particularly given the circumstances of the pandemic. “[I would] have loved to see the seniors, who I had as students in my class last year, more often,” she said. “I have very good junior classes, and I would have loved to spend more time with them and gotten to know them better.”

Senior Amy Huang said that she recognizes Bhattacharya's efforts and is grateful for her consistent caring attitude towards her students.

“During the pandemic, she was so sweet. She kept on trying to connect with people and always [said], ‘if you need to talk afterwards, I’m here,’” she said.

Huang said that she thoroughly enjoyed Bhattacharya's classes, and will always reserve a special place in her heart for Bhattacharya pre-pandemic biology experiments.

“The interactive part made bio really fun,” she said. “It was a slow class so it was kind of hard to get through, especially since I had her a lot. She was always one of my last classes, but it was fun to do experiments.”

Bhattacharya is unsure of her exact plans for the future, but she said that she is looking forward to being active in her new community.

“I don't know if I'll be going back to teaching at a college or if I might look at working with conservation organizations,” she said. “[I’ll] definitely [be] doing some volunteer work and seeing where I can be useful, but certainly if I do any kind of work, it will be either education-related or conservation-related.”

Despite the disappointments this year has brought, Bhattacharya said that it hasn’t taken away from the appreciation for her time at South.

“It's been a wonderful 16 years at [the] high school, and I have enjoyed all the years of students that I've had,” she said. “There've been wonderful colleagues, mentors, people in the science department and in school.”

FELISA HONEYMAN

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tatistics and math teacher Felisa Honeyman taught at South for 34 years and is retiring from teaching and moving on to new experiences.

“I've been doing this for a very long time,” she said. “I’m ready to have a new adventure.”

Honeyman, who briefy had a job as a graphic designer, said she became a math teacher to lead a more exciting career.

“I was really eager to have a job where I could interact with lots of different people on a regular basis, and things wouldn't be predictable,” she said. “I got that through teaching.”

Her time at South has left a lasting impression on her students, senior Maggie Xu said.

“I had a good experience in her class,” she said. “Mrs. Honeyman just has everything really well planned out. You can tell she's really smart, and she's always available for people who need help.”

Like Xu, Honeyman’s teaching style also strongly benefited senior Sabrina Ishanyan, who said she initially struggled in her class.

“Although I struggled really hard with it, I was that much more prepared for when I took calculus this year,” she said. “A lot of the concepts were very familiar to me. I could easily pick it up, and she did a really good job explaining and drilling it.”

Xu said that she appreciates all that Honeyman has done and is disappointed to see her go.

“She's definitely [a] genuine teacher …

You can tell she really likes teaching and just being around kids because she is so involved in the school, committed to speech and all these classes,” she said. “It sucks that South is losing her because she is one of the best teachers at South.”

This summer, Honeyman and her retired husband are planning to take a road trip.

“We're driving out to the national parks and we're going to do some camping and probably spend about a month exploring parts of the country we've never explored before,” she said.

Honeyman said her plans after summer, however, remain largely ambiguous.

“I'm still young and eager enough to continue doing something. I just need to figure out what that will be,” she said.

Ultimately though, she said she is gratified with the work that she has done.

“Looking back, I'm happy with what I've done,” she said. “It's been a good adventure. It's been interesting, sometimes fun and often inspiring.”

photos by Bella Ishanyan

PATRICK MCFARLAND

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hemistry teacher Patrick McFarland will be retiring and moving to San Francisco this year after teaching for 17 years at South. McFarland said that he has taken away a lot from his time at South and hopes students can say the same.

“I've worked very, very hard over a long period of time. I really did my best, and hopefully, I've done some good things for some students,” he said.

A close colleague and chemistry teacher Alan Crosby said that he appreciates McFarland’s friendship and is grateful for having known him. Having received unmatched support from McFarland, Crosby said that he will always be thankful for McFarland’s presence during his early years of teaching.

“The first year when Crosby was my mentor teacher, I loved what he told me. [He said that] contrary to what I may have heard, my goal at the end of the year is to want to come back, and that's it. Nothing else matters,” he said. “He said if you want to come back, you’ve had a successful year, because honestly, your first year is utter chaos. It's challenging, and it's hard.”

Crosby said that McFarland is wellknown throughout the science department for his skills.

“One thing about Mr. McFarland that everyone who's in chemistry can agree on, is that he has an ensemble of demonstrations.

He's the demo master,” he said.

After their time together, Crosby said that he is both sad and excited to see McFarland start a new chapter of his life.

“Over the years, sometimes we've taught the same course, and we've worked really closely and tightly together. Other times, we're not teaching the same courses, and I barely saw him other than at standard meetings,” he said. “When Pat McFarland told me that he will be leaving the school, it just felt like the end of an era.”

McFarland said that while he is uncertain what the future holds, he hopes to let his passion for education guide him.

“It's not necessarily that I'm leaving teaching entirely for sure, because I'm not sure what I'm going to do [in San Francisco],” he said. “I may pick up a class and teach out there — I may work on some curriculum materials.”

Though the transition will be unique, McFarland said that he is optimistic of what retirement will bring him.

“I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do because I don't have to work,” he said.

“But I've got things that I love to do, so if I'm working on something and getting better, I'm happy.”

NEWS PAGE 5

ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR

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JAZZ ENSEMBLE SWEEPS AWARDS AT

NATIONAL COMPETITION The jazz group placed in Essentially Ellington, a renowned high school jazz competition

By Jaesuh Lee

T

he Jazz Ensemble ended this year on a high note as they were chosen to be one of 15 finalists in Essentially Ellington, a jazz competition hosted by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in New York. High school ensembles from around the country submitted recordings of pieces by legendary jazz pianist Duke Ellington to compete for one of the finalist spots.

Typically, those finalists would travel to New York City in June to perform in the finals in front of world-class musicians like Wynton Marsalis; due to the unique nature of this year, finalist ensembles participated in the event in a virtual format.

Instead of announcing the typical overall winners, on June 5, sectional and individual awards were given out. Marsalis said that the change in awards was made in consideration of equity concerns. For sectional awards, South's jazz ensemble was named winners in the Outstanding Rhythm, Trombone and Trumpet Sections.

As for individual awards, senior Aidan Higgins, senior Jackson Nessin-Perna, sophomore Jude Seiner and senior Coleman Stanton were named winners of the Outstanding Tenor Saxophone, Outstanding Alto Saxophone, Outstanding Bass and Outstanding Saxophone awards, respectively.

The Jazz Ensemble encountered numerous challenges due to changes amplified by the pandemic, said band director Lisa Linde. She said that it was particularly challenging to get the group properly prepared for their recording session. Although they were preparing just one piece, Sugar Hill Penthouse, for their preliminary entry, constant alterations left them on a tight schedule, Linde said.

“First we were rehearsing outside, then we were fully remote, then we finally got to be inside, but we had six rehearsals to put it together,” she said. “There were a lot of sudden changes.”

To fulfill the final round’s submission requirement of two contrasting pieces, the Jazz Ensemble chose to submit a recording of Jack the Bear and a re-recording of Sugar Hill Penthouse.

Sophomore Yuao Zhou said that stress levels ran high among the players as many were motivated to perform well in one of

the most prestigious jazz competitions in the country.

“I worried that if I played something wrong, then I’d ruin the whole recording,” he said.

The pressure junior Brian Gomez said he had initially felt was overcome through practicing and the help of his bandmates.

The ensemble’s camaraderie not only helped to relieve members’ stress, but also allowed players to easily play together.

It was crucial to their collective success, and they built friendships in various ways throughout the years, sophomore Kenny Lee said.

“Chemistry is important whether it’s at the workplace or sports. In the past, we built that by going on trips to New Orleans, Panama and doing charity concerts together,” he said. “Lately, we’ve bonded in smaller settings like during sectionals or during rehearsal breaks.”

Personally getting to know the players in his rhythm section helped strengthen all of their performances, sophomore Jaray Liu said.

“I got familiar with their style of playing, and I knew how they played: what their strengths were and what their weaknesses were, and we were able to make up for each other’s weaknesses and play really well,” he said.

Senior Coleman Stanton said that after all their hard work, the Jazz Ensemble had a shared moment of excitement upon hearing news of their selection. Given the atypical challenges brought on by this year, freshman Jared Wang said it was rewarding to see the ensemble’s work pay off.

“Because of the pandemic, we put in more work than we usually do, and it’s exciting that we got in,” he said.

Senior David Kim, who had previously been to Ellington during his freshman year, said he anticipates that this achievement this year will motivate the group to continue to work hard.

“It meant a lot more to me that the people who hadn't been before would be able to go than it did for me to go as a senior,” he said. “I'm hopeful that this accomplishment will help propel the band forward in future years.”

Members of the Jazz Ensemble record their submissions for the competition

Members of the Jazz Ensemble pose in their Essentially Ellington shirts

Senior Felix Song sets up for recording in the auditorium

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We were able to make up for each other's weaknesses and play really well Jaray Liu class of 2023

Sophomore Kenny Lee plays his trombone

PAGE 6 JUNE 10, 2021

EDITORIALS ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR VOLUME 38, ISSUE 2

The end of a chapter: a special thanks It would be an understatement to say that this year has had lasting effects on everyone's lives. Characterized by uncertainty and isolation, starting this year online left many feeling disconnected. In a normal year, the first week of school is filled with excitement and nerves for the memories to come; instead, our first few weeks were spent adjusting to the new schedule and figuring out how to navigate the world of Zoom.

In the midst of all this chaos, faculty and staff worked diligently this past summer and school year to ensure that things would run as smoothly as possible and get us back in the building.

Despite unimaginable challenges, the South community has continued to optimistically and courageously face the year head on. The faculty and staff were no exception.

They exceeded all expectations and presented themselves as a strong, united front.

During virtual learning, students were physically alone, and the nation was in a time of political and social turbulence.

Last summer and fall unveiled tensions from presidential elections and police brutality against Black Americans. Exacerbating the situation was the skyrocketing percentages of hate crimes against Asian-Americans.

In response, teachers made a continuous effort to foster difficult conversations

on current events despite the challenges of connecting with students through the impersonal wall of a computer screen. Some provided resources to guide us through processing disturbing events, while others reserved moments of silence at the beginning of class to acknowledge hate in our country.

The knowledge that teachers cared and would take time to individually check-in on us was a reminder that in dark times, we were not alone. In addition to the support received from teachers, South formed the South Human Rights Council with the sole purpose of providing students a place to reflect on and exchange perspectives.

On a smaller scale, the English department changed their curriculum to include novels and stories written by authors of color.

Instead of the usual American classics such as the "Great Gatsby" and a series of Shakespeare’s plays, students were exposed to new authors and perspectives in novels like Gene Luen Yang's “American Born Chinese,” Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God” and Sherman Alexie’s “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.”

The changes in the curriculum resonated with many and ultimately helped students gain new insights into different cultures that weren’t typically taught in school before this year. With the lack of positive representation

Editorial Policy The Lion’s Roar, founded in 1984, is the student newspaper of Newton South High School, acting as a public forum for student views and attitudes.

The Lion’s Roar’s right to freedom of expression is protected by the Massachusetts Student Free Expression Law (Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch.

71, Section 82). All content decisions are made by student editors, and the content of The Lion’s Roar in no way reflects the official policy of Newton South, its faculty or its administration. Editorials are the official opinion of The Lion’s Roar, while opinions and letters are the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Lion’s Roar. The Lion’s Roar reserves the right to edit all submitted content, to reject advertising copy for resubmission of new copy that is deemed acceptable by student editors and to make decisions regarding the submission of letters to the editors, which are welcomed.

The Lion’s Roar is printed by Seacoast Newspapers and published every four weeks by Newton South students. All funding comes from advertisers and subscriptions.

In-school distribution of The Lion’s Roar is free, but each copy of the paper shall cost one dollar for each copy more than ten (10) that is taken by any individual or by many individuals on behalf of a single individual. Violation of this policy shall constitute theft.

in the media felt by many, students of color said that it has been nice to see the school overcoming racial boundaries in the curriculum. Regardless of identity, many hope that the school will continue to incorporate unheard voices into their agenda moving forward.

This year has also brought on technological difficulties, as teachers have had to transition from traditionally teaching on whiteboards and paper to virtual teaching on a myriad of new programs. Regardless of their comfort levels with technology, we commend our teachers for having spent countless hours testing links and making sure students have a well-thought out class plan. Teachers have experimented with new academic platforms such as Classkick, EdPuzzle and Jamboard to name a few. Along with making readily available resources for students, they have managed to keep class engaging while academically worthwhile.

Some of the most visible figures during this difficult year have been the administration. They organized new transitions in uncertain times and handled school affairs.

Not only did they plan the new schedules, but they also enforced numerous rules to maintain a safe environment at South. In such a hectic time, they managed to keep the school on the same page, sending out weekly

updates regarding school events.

Among the many critical faculty members who made this year a possibility, Interim Principal Mark Aronson and Interim Vice Principal Christopher Hardiman have been the school's rock. They guided South through possibly one of the most atypical years in history by making the transition from distance to hybrid models possible, all while overseeing various pivotal aspects of the school. Had it not been for their role as the bridge of communication between the school and the community, this year would not have gone as smoothly as it has.

On top of administrative duties, Hardiman has been a dependable guidance counselor. He has made sure to prioritize students' needs and has been a constant support for all students while showing how much he cares. Aronson has taken the time to meet with various affinity groups, showing his support during difficult times of national instability and hate.

This year has taught the community about resilience and the meaning of strength in unity. We have collectively grown to effectively support one another in times of need. Though we may not be together in person, our connection, ability to inspire and be inspired by others transcends physical distance.

Volume XXXVIII The Lion’s Roar Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper 140 Brandeis Road Newton, MA 02459 srstaff@thelionsroar.com

Editor-in-Chief Ellyssa Jeong

Managing Editors Siya Patel

Emily Schwartz

Eva Shimkus

Section Editors Opinions

News

Bella Ishanyan Jaesuh Lee Sarah Wei Lily Zarr

Features

Sanjana Deshpande Sarah Feinberg Emma Zhang

Photo Managers Maureen Caulfield Becky Dozortsev

Business Manager Preethika Vemula

Centerfold

Ahona Dam Julian Phillips

Freelance

Aidan Lieberman

Media Manager Ari Gordon

Danielle Berdichevsky Ari Gordon Matan Josephy Melinda Yung

Sports

Joyce Lee Rebecca Stotsky Clare Tourtelotte

Graphics Managers Emily Cheng Dongyuan Fu Julie Wang

Faculty Advisor Ashley Chapman

EDITORIALS PAGE 7

ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR

FROM THE

EDITOR’S DESK Siya Patel

Managing Editor Disney made my childhood nothing short of magical, with talking critters and courageous princesses who followed their hearts. My favorite memories centered around a small, black television screen and a few Disney DVDs. No matter how many times I watched a film, its catchy songs and animations never failed to enchant me. If I wasn't admiring Cinderella's gorgeous dress, you’d probably find me vandalizing my Beauty and the Beast coloring book in fluorescent yellow crayons.

While my favorite Disney characters comforted me, I still caught myself feeling eager to grow up. I would imagine what it would be like to have my very own prince Aladdin, loaded with money that could buy me all the candy I desired. My fantasies made me childishly believe that age equated to experience and happiness. My thoughts always followed the lines of: “I wish I could grow up already,” and “when I have my own money, I’ll buy an endless supply of strawberry sprinkled donuts.”

Although these hopes and dreams continue to linger in the crevices of my mind, I wish I could turn back time and adopt my 7-year-old mindset of finding excitement in the simplest things rather than letting this enthusiasm fade away.

The “happily ever after” I had seen so

Happily ever after

often portrayed in my Disney movies does not measure up to my life right now. I find myself wasting my limited teenage years simultaneously stuck in the past and future, allowing the present to slip by. Teenage years are supposedly a time of recklessness, sneaking out and rebelling, a free-for-all period before the responsibilities of adulthood kick in. I should be making memories I will cherish in adulthood, yet, I fill my days consumed with the anticipation of growing up.

To me, the present is merely an obstacle to surpass — my motto in life has turned into “all this work better pay off.” Like Alice, I find myself at the pit of my own rabbit hole where I wallow in my worries for the future.

Distracted by the possibilities of the unknown, Alice fails to notice the peaceful river and green nature around her; to me, the future is what prevents me from noticing all that the present has to offer. The idea of college is enticing: a faraway place that can transport me to a whole new world filled with magic and excitement. College embodies the ultimate dream that I have worked towards for the past few years.

Years where I have buried expectations upon myself leaving me feeling mentally exhausted. My mind focuses on the idea of college so much that I completely lose focus of what truly matters in life: my happiness.

This way of life isn't truly living, however, and Ariel’s story is the perfect embodiment. Even as a princess who seem-

ingly has everything she could want, she is envious of all the riches on land. Constantly yearning to experience the human world — to live a life with human legs and a human boyfriend — she can’t enjoy the wonders of being a mermaid. If we, like Ariel, focus on what could be rather than what is, we will find ourselves missing out on precious time.

The ability to perceive the magic in life that we once saw as kids, when even a rainy puddle is exhilarating to jump in, gets lost as we grow older. This is because when we are young, we view our futures as ideals, something to be accomplished as our lives progress. Everyone has the tendency to believe that there is something better than what they have now, so they are never able to see the true beauty of the moment. What many fail to realize, though, is that anything and everything can bring you happiness, if you're willing to have an open mindset.

I’ve learned to not let my surroundings get the best of me and to enjoy the simple things in life. I make sure to take time out of my day to do things that bring me happiness, whether it's spending time with my parrot, crocheting cute tops or even just laying underneath the sun listening to Moana songs.

I still embrace the magic of Disney, and awaken my inner child to simply have fun in my teenage years. Disney taught me what it means to see ordinary things as extraordinary. What matters now is enjoying the magic of the present for what it is.

JOIN R AR Writing Conduct interviews, report on compelling topics or write about your own opinions.

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discussions about South's Jazz Program controversies, and the gun store opening

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PAGE 8 JUNE 10, 2021

OPINIONS ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR VOLUME 38, ISSUE 2

SHOULD SOUTH HAVE ACCESS TO STUDENT ACTIVITY ON SCHOOL-ISSUED CHROMEBOOKS?

NO

YES

By Briana Butera

W

hen I learned that South would be lending me a computer for high school, I was beyond ecstatic.

The thought of having my own laptop for four years made me feel mature and interested in what South had to offer. Of course, upon receiving that computer, I learned that it isn’t that simple. While many students might think of their school-issued computers as their own, the devices are property of the Newton Public Schools (NPS) in the same way that a desk, marker or textbook in the school building is, and therefore can and should be monitored.

Chromebooks are monitored because the school wants to ensure that students uphold the quality of the school-owned technology they’re lent. Administrators monitor student activity to check for permanent or potentially destructive software changes, because such changes can be extremely difficult to fix without running a factory reset.

The NPS Student Technology Acceptable Use Guidelines (NSTAUG) outlines the district's expectations that “vandalizing school technology or online resources by causing physical damage, reconfiguring the computer system, or destroying data” is prohibited. As school-issued computers are school property, NPS should have complete jurisdiction over them, just as they do over any other take-home material.

That being said, it is important to acknowledge that computers are not textbooks; they are expensive machines that give students access to the vastness of the internet — a privilege that students shouldn't forget.

Students should understand that although their Chromebook may grant them access to the depths of the internet, the school-issued computers’ main purpose is for academics, and downloading content such as movies or video games can disrupt a student’s work ethic, which goes against the values of the NSTAUG. This is not to say a student should not be allowed to watch Youtube or log into their Netflix account while on a school-issued computer, but they must understand that the computer's main purpose is for academics.

The school also monitors students’ Chromebook data so that, if necessary, they can forward any

incriminating evidence to law enforcement, if the event arises. According to NASTAUG, “NPS reserves the right to access and monitor all use of technology and online resources … communication, including text and images, may be disclosed to law enforcement or other third parties without the prior consent of the sender or receiver.” All data from school-issued technology is copied and stored on servers as it can be used as evidence in the event that law enforcement needs to get involved.

A school-issued computer entrusted to a student for the purposes of elevating academic opportunities and performance should not be used as a gateway for inappropriate activities. In essence, if students wouldn’t want their parents and teachers to know what they’re doing, then it should not be done on school technology.

The school tracks student data to prevent inappropriate behavior and to protect students from malware, scams and account information leakage. Monitoring or even banning some searches reduces the risk of students accidentally making their computers vulnerable, which in turn saves the school from potentially costly damages.

It is helpful for me to have a designated place where I can keep my school work, without it getting in the way of my day-to-day computer activity. Using my school-issued Chromebook keeps me on track and organized. As students, we are lucky to be given these tools throughout our time at South, and though we may find the monitorization of these computers annoying or unnecessary, we must keep in mind their intended purposes. The academic benefits that the schoolissued devices provide is worth the surveillance.

By Annika Engelbrecht

F

rom the hours spent binging Netflix to scavenging for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, it’s no secret that computers log our daily activity. That being said, South having access to our data is a violation of privacy. South should not have access to student data on school-issued devices because it infringes on students’ privacy, completely obliterating the boundaries between students’ school and personal lives.

Many school districts across the U.S. monitor student activity through surveillance systems that scan for potentially dangerous activity through keywords in files, emails or chat messages, which eliminates the context of the original search. For instance, if a student is writing a terrorism essay, their searches for information on the Taliban or Al-Qaeda would be flagged, even though it’s schoolwork since the system doesn’t understand the reason behind the student’s searches.

Some software programs even automatically alert authorities without checking in with a school. Authorities then can end up approaching a situation poorly. But on the other hand, if administrators are notified of every red flag, false alerts can waste the administration’s time and money.

While tracking sent emails, keystrokes and search history is already intrusive, the built-in software systems that schools impose can further encroach upon students’ privacy.

As one of the many students whose school-issued Chromebook is their primary device, giving the school a window into my private life is frightening. I want to maintain my privacy, even if my activity wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

The idea behind school surveillance of our Chromebooks — that students who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear — is detached from reality. There are numerous cases where someone may want to protect information from others without malicious intent, like scheduling a doctor’s appointment or researching personal health issues.

A study in 2016 by Jon Penney, a legal academic and social scientist, showed that when a group of people knew that they were a part of the observation, they censored their searches more often out of worry of persecution. Like in Penney’s results, censorship of students also stifles intellectual freedom, creating a culture of fear, where researching certain topics is met with punishment, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), an organization that works to preserve the rights of individuals.

The Surveillance Self-Defense, an online guide created to help individuals protect their privacy, states that many surveillance programs track private chat messages. Unlike our searches or assignments, our messages are often to friends or family and can include information on relationships and family drama or aspects of our day. To me, having chats about our day-to-day lives monitored feels like something straight out of a science fiction novel.

Above all, the relationship between faculty and students is built on trust. Students are encouraged to speak to teachers about issues if needed, but if students constantly feel uncomfortable with admin and with being in school, then the fostered trust between students and faculty will disappear, and could even make some students not want to come into the building.

The surveillance, despite its intentions, could make students feel that their entire school is out to get them.

Student surveillance systems, though intended with the important purpose to protect school property, drastically violate students' privacy, which is far more important. These systems can considerably harm students by taking away their rights, subjecting them to constant monitoring, and, revealing personal and private information to the school or public.

Although many students read books like “1984” and “Fahrenheit 451” in school, South is nowhere near a dystopian society, so we shouldn't be subjected to similar surveillance. graphic by Julie Wang

ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR

OPINIONS

algorithms undercover What is algorithmic bias, and how does it affect us?

By Melinda Yung graphic by Julie Wang

A

lthough algorithmic bias may sound like a complicated term, it is actually of great importance to our daily lives, especially in our increasingly technologically dependent world. It describes the hidden prejudice in a computer when collecting data and statistics — known as datasets — on its users, often leading to unfair or even discriminatory outcomes. From its use in larger corporations like McDonald’s and Google to local police forces, algorithmic bias taints the machine learning algorithms which are both a constant and pivotal factor in efficient decision-making.

Machine learning algorithms aid companies by producing datasets about the company’s products and consumers. Conjunctively, the machine learns how to use various algorithms to analyze data and produce datasets.

The most popular type of algorithms that machines use to collect data is in the form of linear and logistic regressions, a statistical model used to predict how frequently each number in a dataset appears.

Decision trees are diagrams that illustrate the different probabilities in a dataset, while naive bayes act as a classifier used to predict a dataset’s probabilities. The data collected through these methods allow companies to catch patterns in consumer usage while also recognizing potential problems in their products.

However, capability can prove problematic, since the computer often fails to recognize biased datasets produced by the algorithms. Through just one sample of data, many machines do not consider the other dataset possibilities revolving around the consumer and products, and this can draw conclusions on minority groups without considering nuances as would a human.

These often unjust assumptions exclude people of low income or minority backgrounds from the positive effects of machine learning algorithms such as better experiences from a company. The biases from those who program these algorithms without considering interfering variables often translates into their programming, leading to algorithmic bias.

The use of machine learning algorithms extend far beyond just private companies. In the past decade, police forces have increasingly used machine learning algorithms to predict crime through a practice known as predictive policing.

Using various machine learning algorithms allows forces to collect and analyze an area’s crime data on the number of burglaries or incidents occurring there while also analyzing the type of residents that live there. Crime data causes machines to recognize patterns from these statistics, resulting in biased trends.

Several companies engineer predictive policing software, including PredPol, a company founded in 2012, and also the name of their software.

More than 60 police departments across the country, one being the Boston Police Department (BPD), regularly uses PredPol software to collect data for multiple projects and studies on property crime.

PredPol uses machine learning algorithms to create crime datasets, but because the algorithms focus on locations that had high numbers of crime, these datasets can incorrectly predict that more crimes will occur around the same area.

According to the Los Angeles Times, in 2019 the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) recorded data about the types of cars in higher crime rated areas. The LAPD collected their data by searching cars through traffic stops, and it was recorded that 24% of black drivers were searched, 16% of Latinos drivers were searched, and only 5% of white drivers were searched.

This data collection illustrates how a machine’s dataset can already be biased due to the statistics being inputted. Ultimately, data that predictive police software like PredPol use in their algorithms can unintentionally target minority neighborhoods.

Because machine learning algorithms are not programmed to analyze and consider each data point’s various possibilities, a profuse number of assumptions can be created regarding minority groups. Since police forces hold a great amount of power in our society, numerous problems arise around machine learning algorithms.

Algorithmic bias is created amongst predictive policing as the dataset becomes more biased towards minority groups. Since these biases are through digital technology, it is difficult to fix these dataset issues as it becomes automatic in a machine’s system. There is no quick fix towards preventing algorithmic bias, but there are effective ways to limit its occurrence.

Collecting more diverse datasets rather than relying on one source is a key way to ensure that machines are learning to identify a variety of different trends. Since we live in an innovative society, we should strive to engineer more advanced technology like sensors that can be placed on parking meters, storefronts and pavements to directly capture data without isolating minority groups.

We must also work to create data analysis tools that will strengthen the source of our datasets, further limiting the risk of algorithmic bias. We must constantly be open to new ideas when implementing advanced technology to make sure our society is welcoming, just and truthful.

PAGE 9

PAGE 10 OPINIONS

UPGRADE

THE LION'S ROAR

campus chatter

9

The Lion's Roar asked ...

If you could spend an evening with anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would you spend it with and why?

Graduation

"I would spend an evening with Malala Yousafzai. Her work for women's education inspires me, and her countless achievements would make for a really interesting conversation."

Beach days

-Tal Berdichevsky, Class of 2021

No school!!!

“I would spend the evening with Kylie Jenner because she has a rich lifestyle with fame and glory, and I’d like to experience an evening in her life with her daughter.”

Hot girl summer

-Isabella Tsareva, Class of 2022

New Marvel content

“I would spend an evening with Albert Einstein so he can explain the theory of relativity to me."

-Dylan Curran, Class of 2023

No final exams

“Probably Malala Yousafzai or the Mirabal sisters because they are important feminist role models."

The new BTS Meal at McDonald's

-Riddhi Pathankar, Class of 2024

Summer clothes photos by Dana Berdichevsky

9

DOWNGRADE

Mosquitos Sunburns Kissing Booth 3 Final projects Dealing with Karens at your summer job Extreme heat The D'Amelio show coming out Summer reading Seniors leaving Sweat Sand everywhere

Shadow and Bone Review

BY DANA BERDICHEVSKY

While most television shows adapted from book series end up misfiring, the eight-episode Netflix original “Shadow and Bone” exceeded my expectations. As an avid reader of both the “Shadow and Bone” trilogy as well as the “Six of Crows” duology which inspired the series, I was restlessly anticipating the show’s release.

“Shadow and Bone” is set in the Grishaverse, a universe in which Grisha, those with magical powers, walk among humankind. Within this world lies the Fold: a sea of darkness filled with monsters called Volcra.

The series follows three different storylines, starting by following the life of a girl named Alina Starkov, who discovers that she is a powerful Grisha who can destroy the Fold. When her powers are revealed, she is separated from her childhood best friend, Mal Oretsev, and whisked away into the higher-class Grisha life. Throughout her journey, she is accompanied by the General of the Second Army, the Darkling.

In another city, Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa and Jesper Fahey, three gang member otherwise known as the Crows, are tasked with kidnapping Alina and set out on a journey to do so.

In the series, there is a great divide between those with power and those without, shown through the storyline of Nina Zenik and Matthias Helvar. Matthias, a Drüskelle who hunts Grisha, and his crew capture Nina. While traveling to Fjerda, where Nina will face a trial for being Grisha, Matthias’ ship sinks, leaving enemies Nina and Matthias stranded and forced to grow closer while finding their way back to civilization.

As expected, there were several differences between the novel and the Netflix original. One massive change that I tremendously enjoyed was the inclusion of the Crows. The Crows were not a part of the book series, but they played a prominent role in the show, adding a greater element of secrecy and darkness. Their storyline kept me

on the edge of my seat as they tip-toed around the continuously approaching danger.

Another excellent difference centers around the character of Mal Oretsev. In the book, Mal is an angry, manipulative guy, and I resented his romantic relationship with Alina because he would constantly blame her for her uncontrollable power. Archie Renaux, who played Mal in the Netflix original, shaped his character into a kind, supportive and protective companion.

His portrayal of Mal made me second-guess my hatred for the character and reassess his compatibility with Alina.

Apart from these successful changes, I harbored conflicting feelings when it came to the show’s diversity. While the cast is incredibly diverse, with members of Nepalese, Ugandan and Chinese descent, the show made some poor decisions when it came to the overall exploration of the diversity of the characters.

While the book described Alina as a white, “pale” character, the television adaptation made Alina Starkov half Shu: an ethnicity similar to our world’s Mongolian and Ancient Chinese descent. This adjustment is fascinating, but they did not fully explore how her half-Shu ethnicity affects Alina.

We got glimpses of the discrimination she faces in the beginning of the series when Alina is ordered to the back of the food line after the server recognizes her Shu features; however, the second half of the show did not display as many of these interactions, making her identity seem forgotten. Overall, Alina’s half Shu identity adds to the humanization of her character.

Another questionable choice was casting a white stunt double for biracial Amita Suman, who plays Inej. Stunt double Vellai Krisztina used makeup to match Inej’s darker skin tone. It would have been more appropriate to select someone with a skin color closer to Suman’s.

photo courtesy of Netflix

While watching the series, I quickly spotted another negative: Nina Zenik’s portrayal. In the books, Nina is a plus-sized character as described

by Kaz, but her character is not played by a plussized actress. Danielle Gallaghan, who plays Nina in the television adaption, unquestionably did a phenomenal job portraying Nina’s personality and emotions.

That being said, I believe Netflix did not seize this opportunity to help normalize different body types and bring confidence to girls who look like Nina. The casting of Danielle Gallaghan left some discomfort regarding both the missed chance and accuracy of the show.

Though there were definitely some setbacks as expected with every television series, the Netflix original’s ability to weave the complex stories of eight characters together into one show is impressive. “Shadow and Bone” has proved itself to be a massive hit, and I am incredibly optimistic for the series’ future. As I sit impatiently waiting for an official second season, I will surely be rewatching the incredible eight episodes that have brought the magical and magnificent Grishaverse to life.

ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR

OPINIONS PAGE 11

"TEEN TINDER TINDER"" Two experienced Yubo users give us an insight into their experience with the app, leaving us with the question: does the app succeed in bringing teens together? graphic by Dongyuan Fu

Y

By Hanna Liauchonak

ubo, a friend-matching service for utterly convinced that I would be sold and teens, is the quintessential positive trafficked at the hands of a geriatric catfish.

My verdict is this: be prudent. Exercise feedback loop: you can swipe endan appropriate level of caution. I would not lessly and be rewarded with a match when denounce Yubo and its function to connect swiping right on a person who has done so on teenagers with similar interests, even if a risk your profile too. Most individuals on the app, comes with meeting the people you connect myself included, intend on matching with with on Yubo, or any online platform for that users with whom they could see a romantic matter, in person. relationship; a “teen tinder,” if you will.

Surely the vast majority of Yubo usLast December, a friend and I decided ers are never serious in their endeavors to find to download Yubo, and I ended up meeting a a dating partner.

My aforementioned friend, guy who lived in one of Newton’s neighborfor instance, ing towns. has no deExchanging Exchanging Snapchats sire to meet Snapchats turned to facetiming, which the people turned to quickly turned into an event h e y h ave FaceTiming, tual date, in person. befriended which quickon the app. ly turned into Hanna Liauchonak class of 2023 I c onc e de an eventual that my exdate, in perperience with Yubo is not the norm, but I son. We have been dating for five months as encourage others to try to meet somebody of May. I am indebted to the app for bringing meaningful on the app. us together.

I enjoyed my short time on Yubo and Invariably, as children of the interhave recommended it to my acquaintances net age, you and I both have been made because I truly believe in the concept behind well-aware of the inherent risk and danger the app and its ability to bring like-minded that comes with meeting a stranger online. people together, beyond the dimensions of Indeed, my decision to meet a guy from the small fish pond of people with whom Yubo in person was met with considerable you interact on a daily basis. consternation. My friends, for instance, were

T

By Yana Kane

o “join, chat and make real friends” is its full potential because it requires purchasregarded as Yubo’s mission statement, ing a premium subscription for the most basic but in my experience, it has not been functions. I had over 500 friend requests that so effective. I first heard about Yubo from I was unable to view, which defeated the app's a friend whom I had often seen swiping main purpose: making friends and forming through the app. I downloaded Yubo solely new connections. My efforts to access these out of pure curiosity to see if it was worth the requests, such as sharing a link to promote storage, but there was also a sense of deeper Yubo proved inoperative.

That being said, there was a favorable interest to hopefully connect with someone.

The number of users on the app felt features about Yubo: the available option to endless, and the act of swiping left, indicating livestream. Yubo makes it easy to reach the that you are uninterested in the profile, was streams, as the app connects your profile to multiple what took up users’ pages, most of my Every time I discovered regardless of time. It was someone my age who I was whether you unusual to interested in talking to, the are mutual come across conversation never lasted. friends. people with Unlike common inYana Kane class of 2024 Instagram’s terests, even lives, where though the app claims to recommend profiles based on it felt awkward to share a piece of your personal life with classmates, streaming on Yubo similarities.

Every time I discovered someone my doesn't afford the same pressure because I age who I was interested in talking to, the knew that the people watching would not conversation never lasted. We would chat for see me again after this instance.

My takeaway is that Yubo is an app a few weeks at most, the result often fruitless because I found it difficult to form a genuine to download when you have simply nothconnection with someone without meeting in ing better left to do. I think that the app is person, which I was not comfortable doing. a complete waste of time if your goal is to I also felt that I couldn’t use the app to form genuine relationships with other users.

FIREARM FALLOUT As Newton residents grapple with citywide changes, citizens debate over the safety and constitutionality of opening a gun store, Newton Firearms, on Washington Street

By Julian Phillips and Ahona Dam Graphic by Julie Wang

O

n March 16, eight people, six of whom were women of Asian descent, were killed in a racially motivated mass shooting in the Atlanta area. Merely six days later, 10 people died in a supermarket shooting in Boulder, CO, and mass shootings have continued to occur regularly, including a Florida shooting on May 30.

According to ABC 7 News, there have been over 400 school shootings across the country since 2010, a problem intrinsically linked to gun violence. According to the Washington Post, the U.S. has experienced higher rates of gun violence-related deaths in 2020 than any year in the past two decades.

Especially this year, people have witnessed the impacts of both the pandemic and gun violence, which have added to feelings of isolation and anger.

As the country reckons with continued gun violence, the topic of gun control has garnered political attention. In Newton, concerned community members and government officials have expressed disapproval of a recent proposal to open a gun store, Newton Firearms, on 709 Washington Street.

While Mayor Ruthanne Fuller and members of the Newton City Council sought to prevent the store from opening in its current proposed location, gun advocates have

responded with concerns over the constitutionality of such a ban.

Community members have also expressed concerns for safety due to the gun store’s proximity to local gathering areas, such as Cabot’s Ice Cream & Restaurant, Newton North High School, three elementary schools and one middle school. In response, the Newton City Council proposed specific zoning regulations to ensure that the store is some distance away from homes, schools and certain public areas.

During a May 10 public meeting, the Newton Department of Planning & Development detailed the Firearms Zoning Amendment, which includes a 150-foot buffer from residential properties and a 1,000-foot buffer from K-12 schools and other public spaces.

In a June 2 City Council meeting, the Amendment was approved in a 23 to one vote.

Three locations in Newton, not including 709 Washington Street, are outside of the Amendment’s restrictive buffering. While Newton Firearms already has a temporary stop work order from the Inspectional Services Department, the Amendment immediately and permanently prevents the store from opening at its current location.

However, the store could file a successful lawsuit and remain at 709 Washington Street or relocate to one of the three locations

and apply for a special permit, both of which come with difficult processes.

More than 500 people attended the May 10 public meeting, including Ali Wolf, the founder of the Stop Gun Stores in Newton Facebook advocacy group, and gun rights advocate Susan Huffman. Wolf created the Facebook group on April 15 which currently has around 2,000 members seeking to receive updates on zoning changes regarding the gun store.

Prior to the public meeting, Wolf started an online petition to stop Newton Firearm’s opening, a cause that collected approximately 10,000 signatures. She said that the tremendous support caught the attention of the mayor and city councilors. Wolf said the timing of the gun store proposal was unfortunate, especially in consideration of the pandemic and recent surges of gun violence flooding national headlines.

“We’re coming out of a pandemic where gun sales are soaring, but [so are feelings of] anxiety, fear and depression,” she said. “It's a recipe for disaster.”

CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS While Stop Gun Stores in Newton has gained notable momentum in the commu-

nity, gun advocates have expressed disfavor to the city's efforts to restrict gun sales. Huffman said that the Firearms Zoning Amendment is a violation of the First and Second Amendments and that the Constitution protects Newton Firearms. She said that the gun store would benefit Newton financially as well.

“They’re trying to shut this perfectly legal, constitutionally protected business and keep it out of Newton,” she said. “These things are taxed, and there’s a sales tax that goes to the city, so why shouldn’t those tax dollars be right here in Newton?”

Meanwhile, Wolf said that the interpretation of the Second Amendment is more complicated than it seems.

“The way that we have interpreted it to mean that any individual in our society has the right to own a gun is different than what was implied by the initial amendment,” she said.

Newton residents and workers across the political spectrum have questioned whether community reactions to the Firearms Zoning Amendment match the public consensus. English teacher Kelsey Dornbrook said that regardless of vocal dissenters, the best decision is the one that matches the majority of the public’s opinion.

“As long as the majority of the citizens of Newton are against opening the gun store,

then the government should have power to do what the citizens want,” she said.

Huffman, however, said that she felt underrepresented in the public meeting as a gun advocate, a feeling she said was expected given the political culture in Newton.

“There are a lot more pro-Second Amendment and pro-Constitution people that are here in Newton that just don’t want to speak out because of the climate in Newton,” she said. “If you’re conservative and pro-Constitution, you’re on the outside in Newton, so people tend to not want to speak up for fear of being ostracized.”

of Rights. Among the 10 amendments, the Second Amendment appeased both AntiFederalists and Federalists by ensuring that the government had no authority to disarm its citizens. It empowered state militias and granted citizens the right to feel safe and prepared during times of danger.

While Congress intended for the Second Amendment to be used in the context of organized militias, present-day gun restrictions focus on individual rights.

In 1967, the armed Black Panther Party marched on the California State Capitol to promote Black gun ownership. Governor

We’re coming out of a pandemic where gun sales are soaring, but [so are feelings of] anxiety, fear and depression. It's a recipe for disaster.

Ali Wolf gun control advocate Freshman June Kim said that while everyone should be free to voice their opinions, there are certain limitations when turning speech into action.

“We're free to say that this business isn't welcome in our town, but there's nothing we can do to stop the business from opening if it wants to open,” she said.

REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES The origin of the Second Amendment contributes to a public debate over individual rights. The history of the amendment reveals the power imbalances that were present between the government and citizens and continues to protect individual rights even today.

The Second Amendment, one of 10 amendments in the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights, was ratified by Congress in 1791.

It states that “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

During the American Revolution, militia referred to groups of men who protected communities, colonies and, eventually, states.

Militias proved to be insufficient against the British, so in response, the Constitutional Convention granted the federal government the power to organize a standing army.

Anti-Federalists feared that the government might abuse its power and deprive states of the right and responsibility to protect themselves. After the Constitution was ratified, Congress established the Bill

Ronald Reagan and the National Rifle Association (NRA) advocated for the passing of the Mulford Act, a bill banning open carry of loaded firearms. While the act initiated a series of laws that would make California have some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, it drew parallels to a time when white elites viewed Black slaves as a threat. The already-held fears of the elites were amplified when slaves possessed firearms.

Reagan and the NRA’s support for gun control under racial pretenses proves that the gun debate has become more convoluted since Madison’s time.

In a city like Newton, which is overwhelmingly affluent and liberal, senior Laila Polk said that the debate surrounding the opening of a gun store brings up questions of inclusiveness and progressive values. She said that by allowing gun stores to be in less affluent areas, legislators are disproportionately affecting neighborhoods of color.

“The question becomes, well, where do you want it?” she said. “Do you want it in a poor neighborhood that can’t organize to fight this and doesn’t have [the resources] to do so?”

PERSPECTIVES Recent increases in gun violence across the nation have contributed to a wide range of reactions among students to the proposed opening of Newton Firearms. With many still grieving and processing these events, Newton Firearms’ attempt to open during this time is shocking, Kim said.

“From a business standpoint, I don't understand why they're trying to open a gun store in the midst of all of these shootings,” she said. “They're going to get negative views on their business because of the recent events, so I don't understand why they're trying to open this store during such a sensitive time.”

Despite negative and confused reactions from students like Kim, other students, like senior Damian Mathews, have a neutral stance on Newton Firearms.

Mathews, leader of the Political Discussion Club, said that he would be generally unconcerned if the gun store opened.

“People will have a right to protect themselves, and people should have that right and be able to exercise it,” he said.

Senior Maya Zeldin said that while she opposes the idea of a gun store, she realizes that the public can’t override the law.

“Legally speaking, there's no reason why someone can't own a gun,” she said. “We can criticize it all we want, but the only way we can stop [the store] is if we change the law, and that's not going to happen anytime soon.”

Polk said that the city should ensure that Newton Firearms follows safety protocols if the store opens. She said that it is crucial to be safe and mindful of surrounding locations.

“As long as you know how to use a gun, you're trained to use it safely and you don't have any mental illnesses, you will operate it safely,” she said. “I have no objections to a gun store in the middle of nowhere, but I do have an issue with putting a gun store so close to elementary schools and familycentered places.”

ADAPTING TOGETHER While the debate around gun control has been historically multifaceted, commonalities exist between all sides of the Newton Firearms debate. According to WBUR, the perception of division makes Americans believe that the country is more politically divided than it actually is.

Regardless of conflicting viewpoints on the opening of Newton Firearms, teachers and students are working towards fostering a safe environment as school transitions back to normalcy. Dornbrook, an active member of the South Human Rights Council (SHRC), said that multiple support systems within the building construct safe spaces for students to voice their opinions.

“Building a safe environment means providing support, as in counselor support and guidance, but also support in the form of student groups and clubs and affinity groups,” she said. “If there's a group of students that wants to take action, then doing that through a club or the SHRC is a good way to make the community aware about issues and start a conversation about them.”

Mathews said that he moderates discussions surrounding both national and local politics in Political Discussion Club meetings. He said that while discussions will continue, changes within the city, such as if Newton Firearms' opening, are inevitable and often only somewhat important.

“Usually a good amount of people show up from both sides of the discussion, so usually we have some fruitful debate,” he

They’re trying to shut this perfectly legal, constitutionally protected business and keep it out of Newton.

Susan Huffman Republican committeewoman The rise in school shootings over the past two decades has further inflamed tensions regarding the accessibility of gun stores.

While Newton Firearms would have been subject to strict regulations under federal, state and local law, Newton North senior Coral Lin said that the proximity of Newton Firearms to North would lessen her feeling of security regardless.

“I would feel a little bit on edge,” she said. “If something were to happen outside of school, I’d feel very vulnerable because there's not too much you can do from inside the school to prevent that.”

said. “Things change as Newton grows, and it’s obviously going to start to have some things that it did not in the past.”

As Newton grapples with vocal concerns and rapid policy changes among local officials, Polk said people should be reasonable when making decisions that will have lasting impacts on residents and the city.

“As long as you're really smart about it and we're not walking into this afraid, then we can make good decisions,” she said. “If we're walking into these decisions blind and afraid, then the chances that we make a bad decision go up exponentially.”

Percent (%) of Americans with the following views on current gun laws and changes moving forward

70% 50%

More strict

30%

Kept as now Less strict

10% 2004

2012

2008

2016

2020

data from national 2020 Gallup polling

236 South students responded anonymously to an online Roar survey about a gun store opening in Newton Would you feel safe if a gun store opened in Newton?

Do you think that gun stores should be allowed to open in Newton?

20.5% 55%

24.5%

"It is okay to be upset about it, but to stop someone from opening a store just because you don't agree with the politics is violating their rights."

"When guns are used right they hurt people, and we don’t need that in Newton."

20.1% 55.9%

24%

No Maybe Yes

Anonymous student comments "Newton might stop being the safe place it has been. I am African American, and I have two little sisters. I am worried about their safety."

"People need to understand that a responsible business won't be handing out guns to just anyone."

FEATURES PAGE 15

ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR

Community losses recognized through nature Sarah Feinberg and Lyanna Tran Features Editor, Features Reporter

Hundreds of Newton residents have lost their lives to COVID-19, leaving a grieving community. In response to the ongoing tragedies, South alumna Elizabeth Sockwell said she launched the Capture Carbon Commemorate COVID-19 Tree Project, better known as the 4C Tree Project, with the hope of lessening this collective pain by bringing life.

Sockwell said this project raises funds to plant memorial trees to remember those who had died during the pandemic.

“Our government failed to protect people, so I was angry, upset and sad to see so many people suffering,” she said.

“In response to just feeling helpless, I was thinking, ‘Is there some way that I could help start something that would honor and remember those who have died tragically from COVID-19?’”

After researching climate change’s global effect and witnessing the worsening conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, senior Yoshi Futai said that she was motivated to help her community. She said that these intersecting crises, combined with her interests in sustainability, led her to become an active student leader of the 4C Tree Project, which had been introduced to her by her sustainability teacher, Andrew Thompson.

“I wanted to find a way to help my community, as well as pursue my passions,” she said.

Project members like Futai educate

students about the importance of planting trees as part of their mission to help the environment. To reduce the severe consequences of climate change, Sockwell said that it is crucial to teach younger people ways to mitigate factors of climate change, as well as its detrimental effects on communities.

“We want to educate students, especially on the value of how much planting a young sapling adds to our entire community and adds to future generations who will get to see these trees grow big,” Sockwell said.

“Educating people that these trees are special,

that they are memorial trees, and also the value that trees bring to the urban forest and why restoring our urban forest should be a priority of ours.”

The 4C Tree Project has not only directly helped the environment through planting trees, but it has also brought beauty and life in this time of despair. By connecting spirits through planting new trees, Futai said the project has created a space for loved ones to commemorate the lives that were lost and to give back to the community.

“These trees are beautiful, living crea-

photo courtesy of the Boston Globe

Maeve and Elizabeth Sockwell, Nora Flint and Yoshi Futai display project goals

tures, and rather than being mournful or sad, it was more about celebrating lives,” she said.

“These trees are their legacies.”

The 4C Tree Project’s tree dedication ceremony took place on May 1. Sockwell said that bringing Newton’s neighbors and spiritual leaders together made it a lively, yet respectful event.

“We wanted a spiritual component.

[We had] religious leaders in the community come out and speak to the importance of honor, remembrance, prayer and reflection,” she said.

Futai said that the dedication ceremony was significant to both the members of the project and the larger Newton community.

“It was a moment for us to really step back and just appreciate life. It was just nice seeing people come to this ceremony,” she said. “It reminds people that their loved ones and family aren't being forgotten, and we also came together as a community.”

The initiative has allowed for more than 170 plantings around Newton, and their upcoming goal is set to plant 300 trees by this upcoming fall. Futai said that people can still support the cause by donating through the Green Newton Website and by staying engaged through the 4C Tree Project Instagram page.

“We're not done fundraising,” she said. “When more people are vaccinated, we hope that we can hold more tree planting events where people could come and help plant trees. We still urge people to donate because COVID-19 is not going to stop anytime soon.”

Class of '21 unites after an abnormal final year Sanjana Deshpande Features Editor

For senior Kaity Shaughnessy’s school year, COVID-19 has had a massive impact.

“I haven't learned as much as I normally would’ve,” she said. “We missed a lot of the fun senior events, like football games, and just feeling like a community.”

The pandemic majorly altered the past two school years for students of all ages; with that, many traditions to help celebrate the end of the year have had to be canceled or significantly modified. These celebrations aren’t just a way to have fun, Shaughnessy said, but also a way to get closure.

“It means a lot because it puts an end to our high school journey. Without it, this year wouldn't feel complete,” she said.

“Having prom and graduation is just one last hurrah for all the seniors to come together and be a community.”

The senior class officers understand the significance of these traditions and have worked tirelessly to make amends without losing the enjoyment aspect, class president senior Benjamin Moshes said. He has worked to make different arrangements for prom, which is now being held on the field at South as opposed to its usual indoor venue to prevent a super spreader event from occurring.

“We've been working with the class officers and the PTSO starting in late February to organize prom, but it's been a long process because of the number of restrictions that we've had,” he said. “It’ll still be formal and fun, but it won’t be held in the typical way.”

Moshes said that given the atypical circumstances of this school year, he believes that the closing senior events will bring a satisfactory end to the class of ‘21’s

school year.

“Some of these events will be more joyful than they have been in years past,” he said. “Maybe they would have been more fancy if they were being held during a normal time, but people have been so glad to see each other again and connect with each other. The most rewarding part of all of the work that we’ve put in has been seeing people connecting with each other after such a long time.”

Senior Benson Lu said that the class

office’s efforts have been beyond appreciable.

“It’s hard to communicate with the administration sometimes, and a lot of things can get delayed by that,” he said.

Senior Louis Gershon said that he respects the grind the class office put in this year.

“At the end of the day, this is a really hard situation and the fact that they’ve been able to do something is great,” he said.

“They’ve done the best with what they have, and I know how hard they’re working.”

Moshes said that resilience, which has been a constant theme in the senior class this year, is truly impressive.

“I'm really proud of the class of 2021. It was a difficult year to be a senior, but people have put in a lot of effort to keep their heads high and have fun, even if some things were done differently than they usually are,” he said. “People have tried their best to try and enjoy themselves, and that's an amazing quality that our grade had this year.”

photo by Maureen Caulfield

PAGE 16 FEATURES

THE LION'S ROAR

PRODUCING NOMADLAND

When the Stars Align

Julian Philips Centerfold Editor

SCIENCE TEAM'S TAKE

The Roar spoke to "Nomadland" Producer David Greenbaum about his journey and success within the film industry

By Elisabeth Jolly

G

rowing up in upstate New York, David Greenbaum said that he did not have much exposure to the film industry. Now president of Searchlight Studios, an American film studio that was recently bought by Disney, Greenbaum has produced countless Academy Awardwinning movies including "The Shape Of Water," "The Favourite," "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri" and "Jojo Rabbit." Continuing in the same stride, his latest movie, "Nomadland," has taken the world by storm.

comfortable and confident doing.

“I learned that every actor has their own approach and also their own way of finding the character, so some actors are what we would call a ‘fully method.’ They almost live the life of the person that they're portraying during the making of the movie,” he said.

The movie shows an interesting perspective on life, and Greenbaum said that it teaches valuable life lessons.

“It's about a woman who decides what she wants, and she's driving into her own definition of what her life is going to look

It's not about red carpets and making money, it's about telling great stories. If you do that, then you'll have success.

David Greenbaum, producer of "Nomadland" Despite his success in the industry, Greenbaum didn’t attend college for film; in fact, he said that it was only after he completed his undergraduate at Oxford University, while interning for former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, that he realized his love for filmmaking.

During his time with Peres, Greenbaum produced a documentary about the Peres Center for Peace, which, among other contingent projects, opened his eyes to producing as a career.

“That was the first time that I had an opportunity to make and produce something. … You could actually tell stories to an audience,” Greenbaum said. “This was an extraordinary revelation for me.”

"Nomadland," an adaptation of the novel by Jessica Bruder, narrates the stories of nomadic people in the U.S, in particular following one woman immensely affected by the Great Recession.The film examines the strong sense of community among the nomads, most of whom play themselves, as well as the phenomenon of the transient lifestyle in the 21st century.

Authenticity, combined with director Chloe Zhao’s unique style, made the film truly unique, he said. “'Nomadland' is scripted, but Chloe also does this interesting thing. Within each scene, she has lines that she wants the characters to say, but she allows people in the scenes and the moments to just speak,” he said. “That feeling of spontaneity and naturalism is what makes the movie feel so real because you never feel like the actors or the characters are ‘reading lines.’”

Greenbaum said that through "Nomadland," he came to understand the importance of encouraging all actors to approach their role in the way they feel most

like. She's not alone. The nomads will always welcome her. As Bob said, ‘I'll see you down the road. I don't know when, but I'll see you down the road.’ That’s a beautiful metaphor for life,” he said. “At the end of the day, we're all going down the road and hoping to find people along the way that we want to spend life with.”

Greenbaum said he would advise students interested in filmmaking to be resourceful and perseverant.

“When I was a kid, we would try to make movies, but we needed to have a camcorder, an editing machine and a bunch of other things that essentially were not available to anyone who wasn't a professional. …

It was so hard to imagine how you could ever make that a career because you couldn't really do it unless you went to school for it,” he said.

“Now the reality is that there are probably school projects that students have where [they’re] making movies or videos,” he said.

Additionally, Greenbaum said he would suggest independent research as a means of developing style.

“Learn the history of movies and spend time looking at and exploring the kind of movies you love,” he said. “So much of the way I produce movies comes from films I grew up watching.”

Greenbaum said he recommends budding filmmakers watch movies such as "Citizen Kane," "The Godfather," "Lawrence of Arabia," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off " and "Pulp Fiction."

“It's not about red carpets and making money, it's about telling great stories,” he said. “If you do that, then you'll have success.”

photo courtesy of David Greenbaum

If you were up before 6:30 a.m. today, you might have noticed that something was a little off, besides the fact that you were up before 6:30 a.m. That’s right, you witnessed a partial solar eclipse! If you didn’t see it, first read The Roar and then cry; the next eclipse to cover more than half the sun will come on April 8, 2024, anyway. But what causes solar eclipses? The science is more complicated than you might think.

We all know that the moon orbits around the Earth, which orbits around the sun, and most of us know that the moon takes about a month to orbit the Earth.

Theoretically, then, some place on Earth should have an eclipse every month or so, when the three bodies align and the moon covers the sun.

However, the moon’s orbit has a 5 degree tilt compared to the Earth’s orbit, so every time there is an alignment, there’s only a slight chance that the moon will be in the right place to cast its shadow. It could be too high above the Earth, or too low, but only around twice a year is it in the right place to cause a noticeable shadow.

Speaking of shadows, the moon — just like every celestial body in the solar system — has two main ones: the umbra and the penumbra. This morning, we were in the penumbra of the moon, the lighter and diffuse shadow that results in a partial solar eclipse. As you go farther away from the moon and towards the Earth, the penumbra grows larger.

On May 1, 2079, when Boston has its next total solar eclipse, we’ll be in the umbra, the darker shadow that grows smaller as it heads towards Earth. The umbra is around 267 square kilometers on the surface of the Earth.

There’s one more shadow-eclipse pair, and if you happen to be in Northern Greenland today, you’ll see it. Since the moon’s orbit isn’t perfectly circular, there are eclipses at times when it’s farthest away from Earth — the apogee — or closest — the perigee. The moon is two days past its apogee today, so the umbra will have to be longer in order to reach Earth.

After a certain point of traveling towards Earth, the umbra becomes so small that it inverts like an hourglass and continues on, growing bigger. It’s now the antumbra, and it results in an annular eclipse, one where the moon is too small to fully cover the sun, so there’s a ring of light around it.

One more type of eclipse you might have heard of is a lunar eclipse. This is almost exactly the same as a solar eclipse, except this time the Earth is in front of the moon and casts its shadow, making the moon appear red. These are much more common, as the Earth has a larger shadow.

There’s so much more to say, but I’ll leave you with the most interesting fact of all: you know how the sun and the moon are the same size in the sky, allowing total eclipses to occur? That’s a complete coincidence: the sun is 400 times larger and farther away from the Earth than the moon. So on May 1, 2079, thank probability — or your choice deity — for bringing us this delight.

Matthew Greenfield (left), Chloé Zhao (center) and David Greenbaum (right) and their Oscars

FEATURES PAGE 17

ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR

SICK OF SCREENS Four freshmen reflect on their first year of high school during the pandemic

By Emma Zhang

photo by Renee Gilman

photo by Abby Shin

photo by Taban Malihi

photo by Peter Vashevko

he remote learning model was comforting to new student Renee Gilman, who recently moved to South from Brookline; she said it alleviated the hard-hitting anxiety that usually accompanies an entirely new environment.

“I was relieved to start the year online because I’m from a different town, and I don’t know many people,” she said. “The thought of going to school all in-person was scary.”

Gilman said that the pandemic has exacerbated some of the social challenges that come with moving. “[Switching schools] was hard because in high school, everyone has their own established friend groups. I’m quite shy, so it’s hard to reach out to people,” she said.

Upon switching from remote learning to the hybrid learning model in January, she said that she was excited to form new friendships.

“I really enjoy going to school because I enjoy seeing faces,” she said. “I’m sick of the screens because it’s what we’ve been doing all year.”

She said that intially, she wasn’t aware about many of the extracurricular activities at South, but eventually, she got involved in clubs such as the chess team.

“I didn’t know much about sports, but I ended up joining the chess team,” she said.

Gilman said that she is not only grateful to have eased into the social aspect of school, but is also relieved about the smooth transition in regards to academics.

“There wasn’t as much work and things were a little more [flexible]," she said. "The hardest part of the transition was socially since this is a totally new town.”

bby Shin recently switched from the remote learning plan to the inperson model, a decision she is glad she made. She said that though the teachers did their best with the circumstances they were dealt, in-person learning has allowed her to focus more in classes.

“Online school was pretty good because teachers were all trying their best,” she said. “It was definitely worse than in-person learning though, because I felt distracted.”

She initially chose to stay remote due to safety concerns, but after seeing the circumstances at school, she is no longer as apprehensive about the precautions put in place.

“Although a few people don’t follow [the procedures], I still think that Newton South is doing a good job with enforcing them,” she said.

Since Shin was online for most of the year, she said she hasn’t had many opportunities to connect to classmates, especially those who went to a different middle school. Clubs, like the debate team, are where she said she has felt the most involved.

“Debate is one of the only things keeping me intertwined in a social circle,” she said. “When it comes to the school as a whole, I’m not as connected as I probably should be because I went hybrid so late.”

Shin said that she is excited to get to know more people and is hopeful for the future social environment at South.

“We are able to communicate much more [in in-person school], and socializing will only get better from here.”

aban Malihi chose to learn remotely until the end of May, much later than many of her friends.

“I switched because of my friends, since most of them were in-person. It wasn’t a huge pressure for me, but I felt like I wanted to see them on a more regular basis,” she said. “My teachers didn’t do a very good job of including virtual students all the time."

Since vaccine distribution for teens was uncertain at the time, Malihi said that she wasn’t comfortable going in-person any earlier.

“There were little waves coming here and there, and I wasn’t vaccinated,” she said.

“It was unclear when vaccines would be available to our age group, so I figured I’d ride it out.”

When the pandemic halted many activities, Malihi said that she used the surplus amount of time to discover new passions outside of her singing hobbies. She had more time to devote to activities such as Speech and Debate and tennis.

“I’m very involved in music, but we weren’t able to do any performances this year,” she said. “I wish I could have gotten involved in that, but I actually appreciate it because it steered me in a completely different direction.”

Beyond freshman year, Malihi said that she is excited to continue to go outside her comfort zone.

“I enjoyed discovering new things rather than following the same rhythm and being encumbered by previous commitments,” she said. “I’m excited to see where that leads me next year when things return back to normal.”

eter Vashevko, who has been inperson since January, said that they are glad to be back in school five days a week, as the remote learning model that took place at the beginning of the year was not engaging for them.

“Online school was really difficult for me … it was hard to stay in touch and to focus. There were a lot of distractions, and it was not motivating for me,” they said. “It was hard to not be able to see people, which, for me, is a big part of school.”

They said that although they don’t feel as much of a bond with the whole grade, clubs such as Mock Trial and South Stage have allowed them to feel like part of the South community because of the people they met.

“The most connection I feel is to the clubs and activities that I’m a part of at South, which are a big part of the school,” they said.

Due to the larger grade size and class dynamic in high school, a considerable transition from middle school, they said they are less familiar with their classmates.

“The classes feel less connected because teachers used to be in contact with each other, and you had a group of people that you’d always have classes with,” they said.

Vashevko said that their freshman year has allowed them to utilize clubs and activities to explore what they are passionate about, and advises incoming high school students to do the same.

“It’s really important for people to stay open and really explore what they’re interested in,” they said. “There are so many different clubs at South and there’s no expectation that you will immediately know what you want to do your freshman year.”

T

A

T

P

PAGE 18 FEATURES

THE LION'S ROAR

THE COMMON APPLICATION The Roar follows two remaining seniors with different interests as they navigate the college application process and reveals their identities and college plans

By Eva Shimkus

photo cour

tesy of Din

a Kats

S

te s

yo fJ ul ia n

Fu

taying relatively close to home, Julian Fu, previously known as Kurt, committed to UMass Amherst, where he will major in economics.

He said a number of factors influenced his decision, such as its rural location and size.

“I'm really excited to see the 30,000

co ur

she said.

Although interested in Rutgers’ streamlined programs, Kats said when accepting their offer, she had to make compromises with her vision of an ideal college.

“New Jersey isn't my favorite place if I'm being completely honest,” she said. “[However,] it's only an hour and a half by train or 45 minutes driving, so it's not too bad, and if I want to get work in New York over the summer, it's close by, so that gives me a good opportunity.”

Reflecting on her experiences at South, Kats said that she credits South’s theater opportunities to her success in the application process.

“I'm very fortunate for where I got to go to school and [our] theater program. I had a lot of preparation, and there was a lot that was helping me out,” she said.

Having finished her high school career and anticipating her days at Rutgers, Kats said that she is excited for the future.

“I don't like this point where I'm just thinking about it all the time instead of actually going for it, because it's very theoretical now,” she said. “I'm excited for when I'm actually able to start it instead of just waiting for it.”

ph ot o

D

ina Kats, previously known as Natalie, committed to Rutgers University. She said she will study theater design technology with a concentration in technical theater.

Kats said that part of her interest in Rutgers stemmed from its major specific opportunities.

“Most schools don't let you be a technical director, but at Rutgers, by the time you graduate, you're supposed to be the technical direct or of a show at least once or t w i c e ,”

people. As weird as that sounds, I could not enjoy crowds more,” he said. “It’ll be like the best home ever. Also, I heard the food on campus is great so that’s a real plus.”

A nature enthusiast, Fu said he is also looking forward to exploring the hiking trails in the bucolic area surrounding the campus.

Despite remaining on the waitlist for Emerson College and New York University, Fu said he is satisfied with his choice.

“I didn't get into one of my top schools but that doesn't really matter. I still got into a great school,” he said. “I'm not gonna say it was for the best because I can't–I will never be able to compare the two experiences and lingering on the option of what I missed out on doesn't sound interesting at all.”

Though he is glad to never use the common application website again, Fu said that in general, he does not feel emotional about leaving for college.

“I was never overly excited or underly excited. It kind of just felt like the next step,” he said.

“Maybe next semester I apply to the Honors College so there's a lot to think about.”

1 in 2000: Jocelyn Wong, "pursuing her passion" Mia Dror & Sarah Feinberg Features Reporter, Features Editor

During a time of isolation that resulted in few opportunities, senior Jocelyn Wong has enriched her learning through South’s WISE Individualized Senior Experience (WISE) project. As WISE provides a space for students to create and find unique internships of their interests, Wong has been able to pursue her passion in accounting through her own project.

Wong said she has learned about the general structure of how to run a business and budget, as well as putting information into the general ledgers. She said she is grateful to have had this opportunity to learn about a subject she otherwise might not have a chance to be exposed to in a typical classroom setting.

“If I didn't do [an accounting internship], I wouldn't know what to expect and then I would just jump straight into college and go into the world without really knowing what is happening,” she said. “Now I feel more prepared for it and know what to expect.”

Senior Michelle Yu, a friend of Wong’s since middle school, said that Wong has had a strong commitment to her passions.

“She is really interested in the internship that she chose, and she dedicated herself to it,” Yu said.

Wong’s commitment, as seen in her devotion and positive attitude towards her WISE project, are present in everything she does, Yu said.

“She is outgoing and cheerful,” she said.

“That's one of her greatest character traits; she's really passionate.”

Whether she is learning about how to run large companies or small businesses, Wong said her growing exposure to accounting has demonstrated that people can achieve their own dreams in creating businesses. She said she hopes to apply the knowledge she gained in her WISE internship to running her own business someday.

“Accounting is the language of the business world,” she said. “It would be so cool if I could have my own company, and maybe it will help me to do everything I want to do.”

Part of Wong’s aspiration comes from her mother, who is an accountant and is helping Wong learn more about business. Wong said she appreciates her family’s support in the process.

“My mom was definitely excited to help me start this project,” she said. “I'm grateful for her support. She's been a great teacher, and we've definitely bonded more over this.

It's been such a great chance to not only learn but spend time with my family.”

In addition to strengthening the bond between her and her family, the WISE project has inspired feelings of assurance and hope for the future, Wong said.

“By doing this project, I've learned a lot about accounting and I've gotten a lot stronger in this knowledge,” she said. “I feel more sure that I'm going to end up becoming an accountant … I want to major in accounting [and] becoming an accountant is definitely my dream in life.”

photo illustrations by Julie Wang

FUN

ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR

CrosSWord Puzzle

Those last days

PAGE 19

By Dongyuan Fu

Follow @nshslionsroar on Instagram to see the answers!

find us on spotify @thelionsroar DowN:

Across:

2) If you're under 18, you can get the ____ shot 4) A senior celebration that was held outside on June 6th 5) Species of insect that comes out every 17 years 7) Allow school to have access to your ____?

9) South's special talent show 11) Dr. ____ Jha 12) Mr. Hardiman's weekly Friday ____ 15) Holiday in June to celebrate the emancipation of enslaved people in the US 16) A project started to commemorate lost Covid lives by planting trees 17) An app to meet new people 19) Movie David Greenbaum produced 20)South's incoming principal

1) Senior ____ Day 3) Next year, school will start at ____ a.m.

6) South's Jazz Ensemble selected as finalists in Essentially ____ 8) President Biden is urging everyone to get ____ 10) If you're fully vaccinated, you can stop wearing ____ 13) Chinese ____ laws changed 14) A common lawn sign; "Stop ____ in Newton" 15) Senior with a cool WISE project 18) Owner and president of the Los Angeles Lakers 21) Students are stressed over these tests by the College Board 22) This summer will hopefully be back to ____ 23) Eight-episode Netflix original set in Grishaverse 24) There are no traditional ____ exams this year 25) Event on June 10th

PAGE 20 JUNE 10, 2021

SPORTS ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR VOLUME 38, ISSUE 2

UNBRIDLED COMMITMENT

College Commits Sports editor Joyce Lee spoke with three athletes who have committed to colleges

Eero Helenius Boston College

Follow two South student horseback riders as they take the reigns, balancing time for themselves and their dedication to the sport

T&F, XC

The application

process [is] extremely personal, so try to figure out what type of person you are, academically [and] athletically …

[The process] is very fulfilling in that you get to discover yourself in these big two things that define you.

Lottie McLeod Worcester Polytechnic Institute

SOCCER

Being actively recruited

meant that I had to think about what I wanted in a school, and I had to make sure that this school is somewhere I want to be without my sport … When you’re trying to find a place that fits, think about everything that you want and the experiences you want to have because that is something that can bring you a lot of joy.

By Jenny He

F

or junior Gabriella Zaff, there is more to horseback riding than meets the eye.

"What makes this sport so special is that it really is about finding the binding between the rider and the horse," she said.

Zaff has been an avid rider since she was six years old. She competes in the Eventing category, which consists of three components: dressage, a precise routine, cross country, a long-distance race and showjumping. Every section, regardless of necessary skills, requires a strong connection with her horse Patrick, she said.

“There's a lot of figuring out how to communicate with an animal that is 1,000 pounds and could easily crush you,” Zaff said.

Sophomore Kat Connor said that she has been riding for seven years, and now practices at least three days a week. She said she has to constantly focus on her posture and her surroundings when on the track.

“It's really hard to keep a lot of things in your mind,” Connor said. “You have to keep your heels down, and you have to look up.”

Even more than the sport’s concentration on the rider themselves, Connor said that equestrianism demands attention to the horse.

“Sometimes [the horses will] want to do the opposite of what you're asking them to,” she said.

Beyond the challenges of working with the horse, horseback riding is a sport with a difficult schedule. Zaff said that the scarcity of available barns in the area

limits the time available to practice. “[Equestrianism] requires so much land and there's not much of that around, and since my barn is 55 minutes away, we can't go out every day of the week,” Zaff said.

Nevertheless, the years of dedication pay off, Connor said.

“It's fun to see your progress,” she said.

“Especially during jumping … The jumps get higher, and of course, get more complicated.”

The achievements become all the more rewarding when they are shared, Zaff said.

“The goals are important, not just because it's a little thing that you check off, but because you know that you did it with a horse,” Zaff said.

Outside of the barn, horseback riding carries misconceptions, like the “horse girl” stereotype, which was popularized by social media trends. Zaff said the stereotype stigmatizes the sport and mocks female riders. “[The stereotypes] are untrue for most of the population, and they also create a divide within the horse community as everyone's trying to address it in a different way,” she said.

The term “horse girl” is commonly used to mock female equestrians for overly obsessive behavior.

It, however, inaccurately generalizes a large group of diverse individuals, Connor said.

“It’s funny, because nobody that I know at the barn acts like that,” she said.

Within the equestrian community, Zaff said there is a lack of diversity, and that the predominantly white membership of horseback riding can make racial minorities feel excluded.

“The sport is very good at … not being welcoming, which can very easily push away marginalized groups,” said Zaff.

However, as a result of the recent movements for racial justice, Zaff said that the community has taken more actions to increase representation.

“Recently, there've been a lot of efforts to actually start focusing on the voices that should have been getting focused for quite a while,” she said.

Despite the challenges that come with the sport, Zaff said that all horseback riders unite through their passion for the sport.

“Because [equestrians] love the horses, they're dedicated to making it work. That's what allows them to overcome those kinds of challenges,” said Zaff. “We're all there for the same thing, which is to compete with the horse, to bond with the horse [and] to get to know other people.”

Brett Miller University of Maryland

T&F

Something I learned

is that if you put your mind to something, then you can make it possible if that’s something that you really want to do … I always wanted to be an athlete in college, and I just had to work very hard for it.

photos contributed by Gabriella Zaff

SPORTS PAGE 21

ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ATHLETE:

COVID-19 EDITION

Clare Tourtelotte

Sports Editor graphic by Emily Cheng

Martie Fairchild and Mariel Shapiro fall into a rhythm, one day at a time

By Marisa MacDonald

T

hey arrive at school just like regular students: masked and drowsy. Unlike most, though, the time and effort to deal with their equipment before starting the day takes priority.

Junior Martie Fairchild, member of the girls varsity lacrosse team, arrives at school with the advantage of having a car and a secured parking space. She said she finds it convenient to store her cleats and lacrosse stick in her car, picking them up later on her way to practice.

Meanwhile, sophomore Mariel Shapiro plays junior varsity (JV) softball. Shapiro does not have a driver’s license or a car to leave her softball gear in, so she heads to the softball shed behind the school to drop off her bag. Shapiro’s bag holds her softball glove, spare balls, bat, batting gloves and helmet.

The shed is unreliable; Shapiro has to text varsity softball coach Jesus Rodriguez to come outside and open it, and even then, her message is rarely seen in time.

“Sometimes [the shed is] unlocked, but not usually. A lot of the time, I just have to walk around with it,” Shapiro said.

The locker room is closed this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, which means that Shapiro and other athletes have not only lost a space to store their gear, but also a space to bond with teammates. Over shared laughs with teammates or a last double-check in the bathroom mirror, the locker room offered athletes a space to get in the right headspace for the day ahead.

Fairchild said she is missing a crucial part of her morning to have to face first period biology without the morning pickme-up she had gotten used to over the years.

“I was able to drop my stuff off, but it was more than that,” she said. “I would be able to see my teammates, I'd be able to see my friends and it was just good vibes all around.”

Shapiro and Fairchild go about their day like normal students, except with calculated snack and water breaks to make sure they have enough energy for practice.

When the last bell of the day rings, they’re off to get ready for practice or a game. Due to the school day’s later end time, Shapiro misses 50 minutes of her pre-calculus class on most Mondays when she has a game.

“Because [school] ends so late, athletes can't go to flex

photos courtesy of Martie Fairchild

Fairchild reches out to protect a goal during a game

blocks.

Right now, they end up just struggling on their own,” she said.

After school, the locker rooms remain shuttered, leaving Shapiro and many other athletes desperate to find a bathroom to change in. Shapiro said that she often sees piles of bags in bathrooms, where people gather to change before their respective practices.

Once ready, Shapiro and her team begin their 20 minute trek to Countryside Elementary School for their 90 minute practice. South’s limited field space forces JV athletes to practice at nearby schools and fields to make room for varsity teams.

Shapiro said practices usually consist of playing catch with a partner, followed by some drills that include practicing catching fly balls in the outfield or ground balls in the infield.

The nature of lacrosse is physically spread out, which lends itself to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, but not so much to team bonding.

photo by Clare Tourtelotte

Shapiro winds up for a pitch

photo by Becky Dozortsev

Transgender Women in Sports

Regardless, Shapiro said she and her teammates have found ways to grow closer.

“You're not normally close to people while you're playing,” she said. “We spread out on all the benches, but we still play music on the bus and at practice.”

This season, because of the pandemic, Fairchild’s team put in extra effort and emphasis on team bonding activities after a hard practice.

“When we have morning practices, we'll go out to Bruegger’s Bagels and we'll all eat outside,” she said.

Fairchild said the pandemic has added another layer to consider; depending on the intensity of the practice and the humidity of the air, she often switches masks while playing lacrosse.

“I switch through two or three masks during the game and then one or two for practice, just because they get gross,” Fairchild said.

Practices have changed this year as coaches stress social distancing and mask wearing, but Fairchild said she is still enjoying her time with her team.

“We do drills and seven versus seven scrimmages during practice,” Fairchild said.

“We're outside, and we're masked up.We're doing the best we can, but wearing masks is frustrating.”

Her after-school practices and home games end around 6:30 p.m, and Fairchild finally gets home around 7 p.m, when her day as a student-athlete is officially over.

In addition to softball, Shapiro does dance outside of school and has to rush straight to the studio from practice three times a week. On those days, she doesn’t get home until 10 p.m., and only then can she start her homework that some of her classmates got started on six hours earlier.

Despite the unusual nature of sports this year, Shapiro said she has had a great time.

“Of course there are differences,” she said. “But we can still play together, so it's fun.”

LAWMAKERS ALLOW IGNORANCE TO INFLUENCE DECISIONS If female sports were fair, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) March Madness tournaments would treat female and male basketball players equally.

All athletes would be provided with equal amenities in their training areas, and professional U.S. soccer player Megan Rapinoe would be paid the same as her male counterparts.

If female sports were fair, female athletes would receive the same amount of press, and reporters would not just focus on male athletes.

Even on a smaller scale, if female sports were fair, the Newton South Athletics Department would hire the same number of female head coaches as they do male head coaches so that the make up of head coaches would not be 78 percent male. The simple truth is that female sports are not fair.

Not only do transgender women face the hurdles that female athletes do, but they also regularly face misconceptions about whether or not they are real women. Physiologically, people who were assigned male at birth have higher muscle mass and lower percent body fat than women, so many claim that transgender women physiologically present an unfair advantage in sports.

Among a group of gender-assigned girls at birth, some are inherently going to be faster and stronger than others — maybe they're taller, or maybe they have faster genes or faster metabolism. There are already advantages in sports because every athlete’s body is different, no matter if they’re cisgender or transgender. The idea that transgender women have a “leg-up” in sports not only shows a lack of understanding for transgender people, but it also perpetuates a false and transphobic narrative.

On April 23, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed House Bill 391, banning transgender youth from playing sports consistent with their gender identity, a practice that has been relatively undisturbed for years. Regardless of a child’s gender identity, we cannot take away their childhood by prohibiting them from playing sports on the team with which they identify. There are no stakes in youth sports, and they are meant to be fun, carefree and accepting.

In the face of the immense transphobia in our country, we must stand with transgender athletes. There is no factual evidence of unfair advantages exhibited by transgender women in sports, as every athlete inherently has certain strengths and weakness, regardless of if they are transgender.

Lawmakers and people in leadership positions limit transgender women in sports because they claim to “care” about female sports. Those same people enable pay-gaps and unequal press coverage between male and female athletes. Using transgender female athletes as scapegoats to feign care for female sports needs to end. It is crucial that we include transgender athletes in sports that match their gender identity, and we must collectively start caring about female sports.

PAGE 22 SPORTS

THE LION'S ROAR

More female ownership evens the playing field Grace Grabowski Sports reporter

Across the four major professional sports leagues, all of which involve male athletes — the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) — there are 123 different teams. Of the 123 teams, only 13 are owned by women.

Typically, team owners represent their team to the league, hire high-level employees and allocate funds for the arena’s upkeep and to pay the staff, players and additional personnel.

Many sports fans are not bothered by the little female representation among owners within these major sports leagues.

They argue that the gender of a team's owner does not matter, and they are right — the most qualified person for the job should earn the owner role, regardless of their gender.

If a woman can do the job just as well or even better than a male candidate, then she deserves to be considered for the job in the same way.

Unfortunately, data suggests that women are rarely given the opportunity to become owners of professional sports teams. From 2000 to 2018, out of the 67 professional sports teams that were sold to new owners, just one was sold to a woman.

As major professional sports mainly focus on male athletes and coaches, just seeing female figures in this setting can help spark young girls’ interest in both sport and business careers. Additionally,

increased numbers of female team owners will serve as an inspiration in the currently male-dominated field and give younger generations powerful female role models.

Take Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss as an example. When her father passed away in 2013, he divided his majority share in the Lakers among his children. Buss was named president and owner of the team, yet it was her brother who was in charge of all basketball operations. Later on, in a court case with her family in March 2017, Buss’ two brothers attempted to exclude her from a Lakers ownership board meeting. If they had been successful, Buss would have no longer been a board director for the team and would have become ineligible to be the majority owner.

After winning the suit, Buss became the majority owner. She made many adjustments that dramatically increased the Lakers’ success, including hiring Rob Pelinka as the general manager, who then hired Frank Vogel as head coach and signed LeBron James.

In 2020, Jeanie Buss became the first female owner to win an NBA championship, proving to the world that when given the chance, women are just as capable of owning a successful NBA team as men. Women deserve an equal opportunity to own and lead these professional sports teams.

Buss and the 12 other female owners serve as role models for young girls who grow up watching sports. They lead as examples of how women can become successful in professional sports in ways other than being players.

Young girls who grow up watching

sports rarely see themselves represented by the players, and although viewership of women's sports has increased over the past few years, women's sports are still not as popular as men's sports. Not only do female

owners overcome stereotypes by taking leading positions in a male dominated industry, they also break down barriers and help pave the way and create opportunities for future generations of girls.

Jeanie Buss at the Lakers' championship banner ceremony

photo courtesy of the Lakers

MIAA lifts mask mandates for outdoor sports Emily Schwartz Managing Editor

Sighs of relief and apprehension could be heard at the track on May 20 — under masks and, for the first time, without them — as the Newton Public Schools officially put into effect the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s (MIAA) guidance, which declared mask-wearing during outdoor sports as optional.

The May 18 MIAA guidance states that for outdoor sports, athletes in active play or on the bench, as well as all other personnel at a game who can maintain social distance, are not required to wear a mask. For low-risk indoor sports, athletes who can maintain a distance of 14 feet or more are not required to wear a mask, while spectators are still required to cover their faces.

The guidance was released as 12-15 year-olds became eligible to receive the vaccine, further leading to Governor Charlie Baker's announcement on May 17 that an updated mask order will take effect May 29.

The order echoed the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) May 13 guidance that fully vaccinated people can resume almost all pre-pandemic activities without wearing a mask or keeping social distance, though exceptions include while on public transportation, inside schools and in hospitals.

The advice sparked uncertainty, surprise, skepticism and joy for many, and

marked a turning point in the pandemic. The Roar spoke with South parent, health policy expert and Brown University’s School of Public Health Dean and Professor Dr. Ashish Jha about his predictions and guidance regarding these new developments.

Jha said that he mostly agrees with the CDC’s guidance that vaccinated people do not need to wear masks indoors or out, yet that he is still concerned about being maskless indoors because 12-15 year-olds who became eligible for vaccines on May 12 will not be fully protected for at least another month.

Outdoor spaces, including outdoor sports, on the other hand, are safe with the exceptions of crowded concerts and rallies, he said.

“The science on this was very clear. I don't think kids need to be wearing masks outdoors for

sports,” he said. “You're not going to spend enough time in anybody else's airspace to get infected, and we talked about having good ventilation. Outdoors is amazing ventilation.”

At all stages of the pandemic, regardless of new science and research, there have been discrepancies in mask enforcement nationwide. Even at South, teams have implemented the new guidance differently.

The girls track team continues to wear masks at practice when not running, captain junior Sofia Arboleda said. The girls tennis team, however, only wears masks when taking the bus to away matches.

The new guidelines feel relatively safe, gr a ph ic b junior girls yE mi ly C lacrosse hen g player Celia Chen said, especially as most 16-17 yearolds are fully vaccinated and protected after becoming eligible April 19.

Arboleda said that the vaccine has largely impacted her comfort levels.

“I am fully vaccinated, so I have more peace of mind

than if I wasn’t, but if we weren’t wearing masks a couple of months ago, I wouldn’t feel super safe,” she said. “I feel relatively safe with [the new guidelines], but I see how people might be uncomfortable if they’re not vaccinated.”

Sophomore boys lacrosse player Zach LeBlanc said that he feels safe taking off his mask because he trusts the expertise of those who made the guidelines.

“If the people who have more experience in the medical field than I do feel that it is safe, then I am ready to embrace that,” he said.

Girls tennis captain senior Maya Zeldin said that it has been a transition but that in addition to her mostly-vaccinated team, the increase in testing has contributed to her feeling safe.

“It was weird the first day. You’ve been wearing masks for so long, and now it’s just faces,” she said. “If people weren’t getting tested so often, and I wasn’t fully vaccinated, I’d be a bit more worried.”

Testing and masking will be key when looking ahead to a “normal” fall, Jha said, if schools do not mandate vaccines. He said that people can and should still wear masks, especially if they feel more comfortable doing so.

“I know it's a difficult transition, and the one thing that I've said to people is there are still people who feel more comfortable wearing a mask,” he said. “When I said we don't need to, it doesn't mean that people shouldn't be allowed to.”

ISSUU.COM/THELIONSROAR

SPRING SPORTS REVIEW

SPORTS PAGE 23

The Roar spoke with four spring sports teams about the challenges and successes of their seasons so far

By Aidan Lieberman

Softball

C

aptain senior Nora Flint said that although the absence of last year’s season was costly, there has been a benefit to time off: a noticeable boost in the team’s morale.

“The year off made everyone super excited for this year,” they said. “I can definitely tell the energy is really good. Everyone's happy to be there.”

The team lost their first four games of the season, which Flint said is attributable to an array of factors.

“The last time our team played together, we had eight seniors. They all graduated, so half of our varsity team is new,” they said. “None of us have really played together before, and we're still adjusting to that.”

Additionally, to limit contact, the team plays another school multiple times in a row, a factor Flint said contributed to the softball team’s slower start. In spite of the challenges,

the team remains optimistic.

“Last week we played a difficult team,” they said. “It's hard to judge how our season will go when we've only played two schools so far.”

Beyond practice time, Flint said that this year the team has put in an increased effort to bond with teammates.

“It feels really social, just hanging out and then there's some softball on the side,” they said.

Moving forward, Flint said that the team is looking to making the playoffs at the end of the season.

“We have to win over 50% of our games.

In the lineup this year, we play the tougher teams first, and then towards the end of the season we play the teams that we've typically been able to beat,” they said. “We’ll make sure that we keep our heads in the game and don't give up.”

Members of the varsity softball team pose for a photo

Boys Lacrosse

S

trong teamwork helped the boys lacrosse team come into the season prepared despite COVID-19-related challenges, captain senior Will La Camera said.

“Building up to the season, we had a strong preseason, and our chemistry was really good,” he said. “We had good senior captains last year who helped build [team spirit], and this year, we've taken another step forward in that regard. We’re all playing together as a team.”

The lacrosse team had a solid start to their season, with a few notable wins over Cambridge, La Camera said.

“Then we slowed down a little bit against Westford, and we played Lincoln Sudbury on Monday… they’re the best team in the state,” he said.

Despite the loss, La Camera said that he was proud of the team’s performance at the Lincoln Sudbury game.

“They were beating us the whole game,

4-5

photo courtesy of NSHS softball

2-5

but everyone just kept pushing through it, and everyone was giving 110% through four quarters,” he said. “I was really proud, just having a team full of guys that are going to give it their all no matter what the score is.”

The team is facing a schedule full of stronger opponents this year compared to other years. La Camera said that they have six games against some of the top 10 teams in Massachusetts.

No matter their opponents, the team has fun while playing, La Camera said.

“Everyone’s been trying really hard, which is all you can ask for,” he said. “We’re just having a good time out there. We’ve had some good results.”

Regardless of the scoreboard, La Camera said that it has been gratifying to see the team play with an optimistic mindset.

“We have a young team this year, but I’ve been impressed with how well everyone has worked together,” he said. “Everyone is trying hard and giving it their all.”

Boys Track 4-0

T

he boys track team is currently undefeated, winning the four meets they’ve had against Waltham, Lincoln Sudbury, Westford and Acton-Boxborough.

Captain senior Eero Helenius said that the track team’s success comes from their hard work and undying spirits.

“The boys have definitely taken the chances that they've had by the scruff of their neck,” he said. “We've had a ton of boys running [personal records], and we have had a lot of people doing very well in events that they haven't done before.”

Captain senior Jonathan Orelowitz said that the team’s dominance comes from the diverse skill sets of each athlete.

“We’re a very well-rounded team,” he said. “We have the best distance crew in the state, and we have very good sprinters, jumpers and throwers.”

Helenius said that a strong foundation of team chemistry has allowed the team to

maintain connections despite the difficulty of team bonding this year due to COVID-19.

“You definitely lose an aspect of team culture and community that you would have otherwise, especially with such a big team,” he said. “But the team is very special and resilient in the culture that we've cultivated.”

The team is hoping to win the Dual County League (DCL) championship at the end of the season, Helenius said.

“After this whole year of training, to really lay it all out there, to show the DCL who we are, then definitely that DCL championship is going to be the one thing that we’re gunning for,” he said.

Orelowitz said that the team has also set goals beyond the DCL championship.

“Looking past DCLs, we want to do really well at divisionals, hopefully win that, and although it’s non-scoring, we want to send as many people as we can to allstates,” he said.

Runners take off in the 800 meter race in a meet against AB

Girls Tennis

D

photo courtesy of Nora Ito

6-6

espite the turbulent changes to daily their attendance thus far, a critical factor of life brought on by the pandemic, maintaining a strong team. captain senior Jillian Reingold said “To be on the tennis team, you have to that the girls tennis team faced relatively few make sure you’re committed and able to play COVID-19-related changes to their season. every day, whether you’re playing a match or Instead of shaking hands with oppo- in practice,” she said. nents, players now tap rackets Reingold said she was surprised to find with one another to show that there has been more team chemistry this sportsmanship. Up until year than previously.

May 20, players were “There’s more bonding [and] talking required to wear masks going on and a lot more team spirit,” she said. during practice and games, Reingold said it has been a precaution Reingold said was inspiring to see players show a hurdle to playing her best. i m m e ns e i mprove m e nt “It was hard to through their dedication and breathe in a mask, hard work. especially when run“Everyone's goal is to ning around a lot improve more in their game. on the courts and So next year, when they come especially in hot back and play, maybe they can end weather,” she said. up being on varsity photo by Eva Shimkus Reingold said if they were on JV,” Senior Marie Lee at everyone has been consistent in Reingold said. tennis practice

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