Students discuss future of Tik Tok PAGE 4
FEATURES
SPORTS
PAGE 9
PAGES 6-7
OHS welcomes new teachers, coaches
Football begins unique season
OVIEDO HIGH SCHOOL • 601 KING STREET • OVIEDO, FL • 32765 OCTOBER 6, 2020 • VOLUME 61 • OVIEDOJOURNALISM.COM
IMPROVISE. ADAPT. OVERCOME.
’
LION ON’’S 1 TALE EDITION
NEWS
2 | OPINION | THE LION’S TALE | OCTOBER 6, 2020
COVID-19 leads to school year as never before By March 13, the future of the 2019-2020 school year had, like many other facets of daily life, been thrown into uncertainty by a new strand of the coronavirus, declared a pandemic two days earlier by the WHO. It was on this Friday that the Florida Department of Education announced that all school districts would stay closed for an additional week beyond the planned spring break. This closure was soon extended to April 15 and then May 1. By this time, students had begun remote learning and the world as we knew it had come to a stand still. While it was clear that COVID-19 was spreading through the community, questions remained over the severity of the disease and the length of the sudden disruption it caused. With the Trump administration proposing a reopening of the economy as soon as Easter, discussions of resuming in person instruction and make up days persisted. But on April 18, as the virus showed no signs of abating in the near future, Governor
Ron DeSantis announced that schools would remain closed for the duration of the school year. Because of these extraordinary circumstances, Oviedo High School experienced a fourth quarter unlike any other, as all learning was promptly moved to an online format. Some teachers decided to hold live lessons through platforms like Webex and Zoom, while others created new assignments or altered previously planned projects. Students took their AP exams, which had been mostly limited to content taught before the fourth quarter and condensed from three hours to one hour, from home and participated in virtual events and other end of year ceremonies, like graduation- but with no friends, hugs or high fives. Now, over five months later, students and teachers have returned to Oviedo High School. To be sure, things look quite different from when we departed
PHOTOS BY DIEGO LARA
last spring. Many face to face classes are smaller as students learn at home through Seminole Connect and Seminole County Virtual School. Face shields and masks, and, when possible, social distancing, have become the norm on campus. Perhaps the biggest changes have been to the structure of the day itself. OHS has moved to a block schedule for the year and a third lunch has been added (and new outside seating along with it) in order to further protect the health and safety of everyone on campus. At The Lion’s Tale, we’re committed to documenting how students, teachers, coaches and administrators are adapting to this unprecedented new school year. In this first edition, we’ll examine how teachers are handling the challenge of teaching classes split between in person and virtual settings. We’ll look at how the pandemic is affecting athletes on the field and in their recruitment processes. Our
OUR WORD
RECORDS SMASHED Luke Rucker, Sophomore, beat out Blake Bortles’ Oviedo High record for most TDs in a single game against Harmony in late September.
FULL SPIKE Junior Melissa Ney congratulates the team on a well earned point. At time of printing, Junior Varsity’s record is 8-2.
PHOTOS BY DIEGO LARA
PHOTOS BY DIEGO LARA
FROM A DISTANCE The OHS Cheerleaders aren’t stopped by anything. While the stunts may look different, the support will never waver.
Editor-in-Chief Patrick Costello Managing Editor Emma Yost Sports Editors Kenny Aponte Kait Peterson
Entertainment Editor Mackenzie Holmes Elliott Siress Jaden MaduroVanterpool Online Editor Elsa Mattsson Emma Yost Brandon New Ashlee Ross Business Manager Emma Tayge Justina Nielsen Hannah Warrner Art Director Veronika Maynard Reporters Penelope Banks Vincent Crook Nikta Daryadel May Frangoul
staff will also report on how COVID-19 has altered students’ jobs and extracurricular activities like marching band. Thanks to the efforts of students, teachers and the administration this year is off to a good start, both in terms of academics and prevention of virus spread. According to the Seminole County Public Schools COVID-19 Dashboard, OHS has had only one positive case of the coronavirus at the time of printing, the second lowest number of the county’s nine high schools. That being said, we must continue to be conscientious about mask wearing, social distancing and sanitation measures. Multiple Central Florida schools have had to shut down for days or weeks after testing confirmed new virus cases within the schools. While we’re confident that such a situation will not happen, in the event of a campus closure The Lion’s Tale will remain dedicated to covering the stories that matter to the best of our ability.
Photographers Diego Lara Audrey Strembicki
Faculty Adviser Ben Langevin Admin Adviser Nancy Diaz Principal Dr. Trent Daniel
Oviedo High School 601 King Street Oviedo, FL 32765 P: 407-320-4199 F: 407-320-4213
SHOUT IT OUT COVID-19 hit hard, but few have felt the effects as deeply as Marching Band. Band has made the best of the situation and have been practicing outside
Population: 2480 students across in person and online settings 19 newspaper staff members
Mission Statement The Lion’s Tale is the student newspaper of Oviedo High School, located in Oviedo, Florida. Our mission is to provide news, feature stories, editorials and opinions relevant to our readers while upholding the highest professional and ethical standards. The Lion’s Tale follows copy standards outlined in the Associated Press Stylebook, 42nd Edition, published in 2007 by the Associated Press,
and is a member of the CSPA, NSPA and FSPA. Distribution 800 copies of The Lion’s Tale are distributed free to all students and staff at Oviedo High School. Subscriber information is available on OviedoJournalism.com. Reader Contributions Letters to the Editor are accepted and may be sent by post, e-mail or
OVIEDO HIGH SCHOOL • 601 KING STREET • OVIEDO, FL • OCTOBER 6, 2020 • VOLUME 61 • EDITION 1
DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO
dropped off in Room 5-020. The Lion’s Tale does not accept guest columns and reserves the right to edit Letters to the Editor. Full policy is available on OviedoJournalism.com. Advertising Policy The Lion’s Tale reserves the right to refuse advertisements. The full advertising policy of The Lion’s Tale is available on OviedoJournalism.com. OVIEDOJOURNALISM.COM
OCTOBER 6, 2020 | THE LION’S TALE | OPINION | 3
US provides new environment, experiences
writer
ELSA MATTSSON My dream is to see the world and meet new people and cultures. The best way to do that is to integrate with one. Different organizations allow students to travel to other countries, live with a local family and go to school in another language for a year. My mother was an exchange student in Australia when she was my age. She was my biggest inspiration for making the decision to come to the States about a year ago. I applied for a program through an exchange organization, went on an interview, filled hundreds of pages of paper work and was finally placed with a host family here in Florida about three months ago. I was so happy about my placement,
Parents’ hard work serves as inspiration business manager JUSTINA NIELSEN
COURTESY OF JUSTINA NIELSEN As a kid you grow up being inspired by many people. Whether they are your parents, older siblings, celebrities or athletes, we all had role models whom we looked up to and tried to emulate. But have you ever stopped for a moment and asked yourself why these people inspire you? What exactly is it about certain people that draws our admiration and respect? I asked this question to myself and thought, “how did I start getting inspired by others, and who inspires me the most?” There are many, but the two most influential people in my life are my parents. They taught me how to grow and feel, and how to know what is wrong and right. They showed me how to have fun and still become a grownup. I could go on and on with what they taught me. But why do I look up to them? Both of my parents come from different backgrounds, and difficult lives. They fight everyday to keep our family afloat. There was a time where they both worked two and sometimes three jobs to get money.
since I wanted a milieu as far from what I am used to. My exchange program is about ten months, which means that I will be here for this whole school year. My goals for the year is to have an extensive American experience, see different parts of the United States, become fluent in English and meet new people. I decided to become an exchange student because I wanted to challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone. After a fifteen hour flight from Finland to Florida and a couple days of getting used to the seven hour time change and humid, hot weather, I started my year at Oviedo High School. I was shocked at the size of the school. Schools back home usually have about 400 students, nothing like the 2,000+ that go to Oviedo. The fact that there are multiple school buildings and over one hundred classrooms was completely new to me. It is scary to be the new kid. I was more than nervous, but from the first class I had, I was met with the most welcoming and friendly people. Both students and teachers were understanding and helpful. I was amazed over how complete strangers
They moved our family from Staten Island, New York, to Oviedo since they knew we were going to struggle living where we were. Even though I was two at that time, I used to think about what it would have been like living where most of my family does, but this doesn’t change the fact that I love where we live now. My older cousins used to play an important role in my life. Today, as I observe their lives from afar, I realize that I am not a follower to them; I am independent. I am my own person and I shape my own identity and future. Two of the most important things that my parents have taught me, and what truly inspires me most about them, are how they always tell the truth and say how they feel. They are honest and forthcoming, and don’t let something linger or put it on the back burner. Additionally, they don’t let what has happened to them in the past define their future, and they have grown so much from past struggles. I’ve also learned from my parents that sometimes it’s necessary to move on from certain relationships when they’re having a negative impact on me. All these lessons show me how to be strong and stay true to who I am and not let anyone try and bring me down.
A CHERISHED MEMORY. Nielsen embraces her parents as a child.
could come up to me, and want to know more about me. The cultural difference was very prominent, right from the start. My first impression of Americans was very close to the stereotypes that Europeans have gotten because of movies and TV. Everyone was so friendly, social and talkative. I’m not sure if you know anything about Finland, so let me just recap. Finnish people are very quiet, introverted, and value their own space- the complete opposite of Americans. The first day of school, I felt like Cady Heron from the show Mean Girls on her first day of high school; I was very much overwhelmed. School work here is done very differently from what I am used to. I am still getting used to only ten minute breaks and the bell ringing for class. The concept of bathroom passes is also foreign to me. The block schedule of course makes things different, and the pandemic in general is changing a lot of things. This year is different not just for me, but for everyone else too. It is not just me who is still learning and getting used to these new online systems. I knew that America is very different from Europe and that people here think
Different mask options have pros and cons writer
NIKTA DARYADEL COVID-19 has hit the US hard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended the use of masks, social distancing and staying inside, although the public has not always been consistent in following this guidance. However, one of the most important things is the wearing of masks- they not only protect ourselves, but the people around us. Different kinds of masks are composed of different materials, but what is the most protective option? Let’s start with the most common type, the disposable mask. I think this mask is good in terms of protection; it is thick, but not so thick that you can not breathe. What you are supposed to do is use it once and then throw it away once you are done, hence it is disposable. What I have noticed is people tend to use these masks as a “goto” option, wearing them a few times before disposing of them. Given that this is not in accordance with the intended use, is this the best way to protect others? Perhaps not, but the mask itself is not the problem. It is affordable and medically certified, which proves its usage is effective when done correctly. The cloth mask is another commonly
differently, and often more conservatively. The fact that 16 year-olds can drive, but you cannot drink until you are 21, is very confusing to me. This year, with the pandemic and the election coming up, might be one of the craziest times to live here, and the political tension is almost electric. I also assumed that everything would be a lot bigger here, and that is definitely true. Houses, cars and foods are all much bigger here. I of course expected Americans to be dumb, since that is the way Americans are often portrayed. Thankfully, most people I have talked to are a lot smarter than I thought. There have been some occasional questions like “where even is Finland?” and “do you have polar bears there?”, but I suppose that is understandable, considering that I come from a very small country that is rarely spoken of in global media. American teenagers are not that different from Finnish teenagers, except for being a lot louder and more outgoing. That is very relieving for someone who wants to talk to as many people as possible.
used face covering, and for good reason. It is washable and reusable, so I already rank it higher than the disposable mask, which is neither of those things. It is thicker than the disposable kind, and personally, I think this mask is more successful in limiting the spread of the virus. It is also very affordable and comfortable, so no one should be complaining that they can not breath or that it is bothering them. Unlike the disposable mask, most of the cloth masks are tight-fitting, but not too tight, on the user’s face. All in all, I think this is one of the top tier masks. The last face covering I see worn commonly is the N95 respirator mask. For starters, it is not as affordable as the traditional masks. The N95 masks can range from ten to fifty dollars depending on the design and manufacturer. I personally do not think that a high quality mask should be too expensive, as some of these are. Some families may be able to afford a high-priced face covering, but what about the households who are less fortunate, especially considering the economic strain the pandemic has caused? It should be noted that this mask is used by medical personnel and is very much protective. It is bulkier and would certainly not let unnecessary air particles pass through that could harm the user. I do have to say it is not very comfortable and could be a little harder to breath in, but if health workers wear N95 respirators for hours each day, you can put one on when you go to the store or run other errands. Do it for the good of those you encounter. There are many more types of masks that I could discuss, but it is most important that we spread awareness of the most commonly used ones. The pros and cons of each kind do matter, but if you’re in a public place you need to wear one no matter what. It protects you and the people around you who do the same. DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO
4 | NEWS | THE LION’S TALE | OCTOBER 6, 2020
Local primaries focus on proposed development STORY BY PATRICK COSTELLO
Florida held its primary elections on Aug. 18, with voters choosing candidates for races in the House and state Legislature, as well as for local offices. The primary saw several changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of which may provide a preview for the much-anticipated Nov. 3 general election. Election officials launched efforts to recruit poll workers, purchased plexiglass barriers and hand sanitizer, and implemented social distancing and disinfecting procedures. More ballots were cast through mail-in and early voting than in previous years, including a record 2.3 million mail-in ballots, accounting for nearly 60% of all votes cast. Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus, the August election drew the highest state primary turnout since 2002. Election day featured several noteworthy races in Central Florida, including the Republican primaries for county commissioner in Seminole County’s First and Third Districts. Incumbent Bob Dallari defeated Longwood Mayor Matt Morgan in District 1 and incumbent Lee Constantine held off his challenger in District 3, Longwood City Commissioner Ben Paris. The contests largely centered on the controversial River Cross development, backed by former state Rep. Chris Dorworth. The development would open a 669-acre parcel of land located just east of the Econlockhatchee River and north of the Orange County line to homes and commercial space. That piece of land falls within the protected rural area established by Seminole voters in a 2004 ballot measure, and the county commission, including Dallari and Constantine, unanimously rejected the proposal in 2018. Many local residents support protecting rural zones and limiting urban sprawl. “Rural Seminole County is important for both animals and people,” said senior Sean Mings. “People move to rural Seminole County to be away from all the construction and developments. They also move there for the scenery and
to see wildlife that you wouldn’t normally see in developed areas.” All four Republicans stated that they supported guarding the rural boundary during the campaign, but the two incumbents faced attack ads funded by a political group that received $150,000 in contributions from Dorworth. The former state rep. is currently engaged in litigation against Seminole County over the River Cross development. The county commission races weren’t the only primaries in which the River Cross plan was at issue. Patricia Sigman defeated four competitors in the Democratic primary for state Senate District 9. The seat, which covers Seminole and parts of Volusia County, is being vacated by Republican David Simmons due to term limits and will be hotly contested in the general election. Sigman overcame a late ad push in favor of another candidate, which she claimed was paid for by supporters of her November opponent, Republican Jason Brodeur. Brodeur is a friend and political ally of Dorworth, and has faced doubt over his stated commitment to protecting Seminole County’s rural areas. As a member of the state House he voted for legislation that would’ve helped Dorworth’s development bypass the county’s building restrictions. A Brodeur spokesman later claimed the vote was a “mistake,” and the state rep. went back shortly after the bill passed to change it to a “no,” but this did not alter his offical vote. In Orange County, two controversial incumbents, District 1 County Commissioner Betsy VanderLay and Property Appraiser Rick Singh, whose office was recently under criminal investigation, were shown the door by voters. Sheriff John Mina will likely return to office after winning his primary. Elsewhere in the Sunshine State, Republican Ross Spano of Florida’s 15th Congressional District was ousted by challenger Scott Franklin, who hammered Spano over an ongoing ethics probe regarding possible finance
violations in the incumbent’s 2018 campaign. Spano’s seat, which covers much of Tampa, is one Democrats are aiming to flip in November. Republican Carlos Gimenez will take on Rep. Debbie Murcasel-Powell in the Miami area 26h Congressional District, a seat that has changed hands twice in the past decade and will be a battleground again this year.
Seminole County
Winter Springs
Rural Area
Oviedo
Chuluota
Location of planned River Cross development
600 single-family homes 1.5 million
square feet of commerical space
Students weigh in on effects of possible Tik-Tok ban STORY BY EMMA YOST In early August, President Trump issued an executive order to ban the popular video social networking app TikTok and the messaging app WeChat. Prior to Trump’s emphasis on the TikTok ban, India banned TikTok permanently due to security threats, along with a number of other Chinese-run apps. On August 6, Trump gave the company that owns TikTok, Byte Dance, 45 days to sell the app to an Americanowned company, such as Microsoft. Trump claims that the app poses a national security threat, asserting that TikTok, run by a Chinese company, will allow the Chinese Communist party to gain access to Americans’ personal information. Trump offered a similar explanation for the WeChat ban, saying that the app could allow the Chinese government to obtain Americans’ private inforamtion. The messaging app is used by many Chinese Americans to stay in touch with family and friends in China. Some feel that Trump’s executive order may be driven by the recent surge of political content on TikTok. In June, many videos showing footage from Black Lives Matter protests went viral. “I don’t think the ban is necessary especially [because] the only time Trump has talked about this was during a pandemic and the BLM movement, ” said junior Emma Hennigan. Users on the app came up with a viral plan to ruin Trump’s June 20 rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by having viewers request online tickets and then fail to show up. Trump claimed that “almost one million” people requested tickets, but just 6,200 attended the rally. Many teenage TikTok users feel that the ban is unnecessary and that the president has more important DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO
things to be worried about. “It seems like a silly task to take on right now with our country facing such bigger threats with extreme division, burning cities, and a pandemic not under control, just to name a few internally,” said junior Felicia Wilks. However, others feel that due to safety concerns, the ban on TikTok is necessary. “It sucks because TikTok is awesome and I enjoy watching [the videos], but I think since it is a matter of national security it is important, and I trust the government is making good decisions,” said sophomore Byrce Lesser. Senior Victor Diaz is one of a few students at Oviedo High School with a significant following on the app, coming in at around 330,000 followers. While the ban could impact him, Diaz says he has other things to worry about aside from TikTok. “I still have many other priorities than TikTok such as baseball, football and school. I would still post on other platforms like Instagram and Triller,” he explains. Triller is an app run by Proxima Media similar to TikTok, where users can create and upload content. Many creators, including Diaz, have downloaded the app as a backup in case of the ban. Along with other teens, Diaz feels that the ban isn’t needed and that it won’t ever come into effect. “There’s no need for it and it most likely won’t happen,” Diaz said. On September 27 a federal judge granted an injunction against the order that would have removed TikTok from app stores, temporarily blocking it. The Trump administration has approved a preliminary deal that would involve ByteDance selling a part of its US operations to American companies Walmart and Oracle. Details of the deal have not been finalized and TikTok’s future in the US remains unclear.
Preliminary Tik-Tok deal ByteDance will create a new company for it US operations, TikTok Global. Oracle will own 12.5% of this company and serve as a data host and Walmart will hold a 7.5% stake.
ILLUSTRATION BY VERONIKA MAYNARD
OCTOBER 6, 2020 | THE LION’S TALE | NEWS | 5
Students recognized in National Merit program STORY BY EMMA TAYGE Seven Oviedo High School (OHS)students have been named semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship program. Patrick Costello, Bradford Geiger, Maurya Jandyala, Eshan Ramesh, Justin Rockaway, Aiden Rotondo and Jonathan Whyte (all seniors) were recognized with unique distinctions. The goal of the National Merit program is to seek students in the U.S. who are academically gifted and encourage them in their college pursuits. The highest scoring students for the PSAT qualify for a chance to advance in the competition with $2,500 scholarships being awarded to winners. Over three and a half million high school students take the PSAT each year. 50,000 of the highest scoring students across the country are chosen for recognition in the National Merit Program. Around 16,000 of these students are named semifinalists, and roughly 15,000 of these will advance to being finalists. The people who are in charge of the program pick these finalists based on their grades and their achievements throughout high school. Over half of that number will receive some type of scholarship, either from the National Merit program itself, or through corporate or collegesponsored funds. Oviedo High School students are proud recipients of this honor. “I feel pretty good about being part of this,” said Bradford Geiger. “It’s pretty flattering.” The finalists have kept what college they want to attend in mind if they were to receive the National Merit scholarship. For example, Jonathan Whyte said he “would love to be able to go to Harvard.” Geiger shares that he would like to go to UCF.
“I am currently undecided, but my dream school should I be accepted would be the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,” said Justin Rockaway. This scholarship helps students not only to pay for college but to improve their applications for their dream colleges. “I was glad to add this to my college resume to increase competitiveness, and some of the schools I am looking at might qualify me for merit-based award scholarships,” Rockaway said. Test scores are not the only component necessary to advance in the competition. “Although the PSAT is used to gauge this partially, I think that the other components of the semifinalist application, such as the list of extracurriculars and the essay, are also a good reflection of the students whose performance at school is worthy of a scholarship.” Whyte explains. The OHS students who were named semifinalists were surprised and honored to receive the honor. “I feel really lucky,” Whyte said. “Honestly, while taking the test, I did not really feel solid about my performance, so the fact that I made it this far into National Merit is amazing to me.” After submitting their applications in October, semifinalists will be informed if they’ve advanced to finalist standing in February. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation will begin notifying scholarship winners in March.
Absence of pep rallies causes disappointment for some STORY BY KAIT PETERSON Pep rallies at Oviedo High School are nothing short of tradition to ring in the upcoming football season. With the consideration of Dr. McDonald, one of OHS’ assistant principals, riding into the rally on top of Mr. Maitland dressed in the Oviedo Lion mascot costume, it’s easy to say that this past year would’ve been very hard to beat. With the COVID-19 pandemic reeking havoc in communities across the nation, the entire country has been affected, including Oviedo. Pep rallies represent an array of different meanings to the students, faculty, teaching staff and the community. There are hundreds of different aspects that come into play when organizing the school’s pep rallies. A large amount of these factors have been affected due to the pandemic. Not only has the school begun its football season without the classic dogpile at the beginning of every rally, but the band, dance, color guard and cheer teams haven’t been able to perform their shows and stunts. “Pep rallies with the team and the band were always a fun way to rally up school spirit, hang out with friends and get ready for the Friday night football games that came after them,” said junior and color guard team captain Stella Lueck. Pep rallies are indeed school spirit packed
events that have been known to hype up not only the student body, but also the fall athletes that are recognized at the rallies, including members of the football, volleyball, tennis, bowling, dance and cheer teams. “For me personally, I valued being with the team and having fun doing our cheers and dances more than I valued the praise and admiration; feeling the applause and intensity from the student sections was praise enough,” Lueck said. The student sections are indeed feeling empty this pep rally season, and this is a disappointment for all of the new incoming freshmen and exchange students who were looking forward to this aspect of the high school experience. Whether or not OHS will have pep rallies in the spring is yet to be determined, although many hope this tradition will return. As for now, the students and staff, as well as the community, are finding other ways to celebrate their school spirit. One way to display this spirit and support the school is to buy Oviedo Lion merchandise. This can be done at the school store, the Friday afternoon spirit stores, before and during the football games, and online at the Oviedo High School website.
pep rally photo
PHOTO BY BRENDEN GRAVES
RIP PEP Photo from August 2018. DESIGN BY EMMA YOST
6 | SPORTS | THE LION’S TALE | OCTOBER 6, 2020
Business As Usual
COURTESY OF OHS JOURNALISM
UNDER CENTER. Quarterback Luke Rucker takes the snap. COURTESY OF OHS JOURNALISM
ONE PRIDE. The Lions celebrate after scoring a touchdown against University High Sch
Varsity football adjusts to safety pro STORY BY KAIT PETERSON
COURTESY OF OHS JOURNALISM
GO LIONS. The student section rises in a cheer.
Varsity football schedule so far 9/17
@Colonial
W 29-8
9/25 vs. Harmony W 56-21 10/2 vs. University W 43-18
DESIGN BY KENNY APONTE
Friday night lights in the jungle are something Oviedo High School (OHS) students look forward to every year. Packed stands of students cheering on their favorite athletes, performances from cheerleaders, dancers and the Oviedo Lions’ band- it is part of an American tradition that has been around for decades. Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc throughout the nation and the world, this mainstay has been forced to adapt. So what is to become of OHS football and Friday night lights? Though there are many changes that have been implemented, it is confirmed that the Oviedo Lions football team will indeed have a season this year, but with the confirmation of a season comes the confirmation of new rules and regulations. Some of these new rules include limited attendance and ticket sales, social distanced workouts and new practice regiments. But perhaps the biggest change is the arrival of a new head coach. “Starting last spring we got a new coach after Christmas break, coach [DJ] Mayo”, said senior wide receiver Keith Nemasango. “After the pandemic hit, our spring season was canceled and he left for
Georgia, which left us without a head coach for two months, and we didn’t know what to do.” After months without a head coach and team training, the Oviedo Lions found themselves starting anew, with the arrival of a new head coach, Kolby Tackett. They soon gained access to the home football field and weightroom, and have been preparing for the season ever since. “We started working out, like individually, even if we didn’t have coaches, we all got together and worked out as much as we could,” Nemasango said. Making sure the team works together as one is crucial to success, not only on the field but off the field as well. “We worked out at our homes, at the field, and we just stayed in touch with each other so we didn’t lose our bond,” Nemasango said. Separated by offense and defense, the players practice in two groups. The mandate to wear masks throughout campus, and the state in general, has caused some difficulties and annoyances in the gym. “Wearing the masks during workouts is definitely annoying,” said senior Sebastian
OCTOBER 6, 2020 | THE LION’S TALE | SPORTS | 7
COURTESY OF PRINCE PRODUCTIONS
BRACE FOR IMPACT. Wide reciever Keith Nemasango wears a type of helmet intended to mitigate the force of repetitive hits in practice.
Senior athletes vie for scholarships STORY BY KENNY APONTE
hool on Oct. 2.
otocols, new coach Vargas. During 7th period the varsity football team can be found in the OHS weight room located in the back of the school. After a long day of classes the team does several workouts, all while wearing masks. “They’re not comfortable. I mean you, get used to it, but it’s not as comfortable as you want to be,” Nemasango said. Despite all the challenges the team has faced, and will continue to face, early in the season, they have prevailed due to their hard work and dedication to the sport they love. “I am very competitive. No matter what I’m put up against, I’m gonna just compete,” Vargas said. “I’m going to bet on myself every time. I have a passion for what I do, and if I don’t do it with a passion I’m not gonna do it at all.” This hard work and perseverance has paid off so far. The Lions are 3-0 after beating Colonial, Harmony and University High Schools. Against Harmony, sophomore quarterback Luke Rucker threw for a school record seven touchdown passes, including two to Nemasango and one to Vargas.
To play any sport at the next level is the dream of a majority of the student athletes in this current day and age. Student athletes will work and grind day in and day out on the field or court and in the classroom to receive an offer to play at a college or university. Gian Flores, a junior catcher on the Oviedo High School varsity baseball team, wants to work hard to reach this goal of earning a scholarship to play baseball at an institution. “I just enjoy every aspect of baseball. Training and working out and just grinding is fun for me, and then seeing all of the work I’ve put into this game show itself when game day comes along is the best part,’’ Flores said. “I want to play at the next level because I believe I have the ability to do so and I believe it’s the gateway to the next path in my life. Whether my baseball career continues past college, or If my next path is through a degree, only God knows.” Verbally committing to a school brings great honor and pride to the athlete and his or her school. A full ride scholarship often provides paid tuition to further one’s education as well as grants the opportunity to have a greater chance for that athlete to play professionally, if they wish. Student athletes like Kyleigh Thelen, a senior varsity girls soccer player, also keep their education in mind when considering playing at the next level. “I want to continue playing in college to continue playing the sport I love as well as getting a good education,” Thelen said. Another student who sees both the importance of education and hardwork is Julian VanDeventer. VanDeventer is a senior defenseman for the boys varsity lacrosse team. “If you want to commit to a college or university to play lacrosse it takes years of
hard work and dedication; it’s no easy task. It’s not only lacrosse you need to focus on to play at the next level; grades are more important than lacrosse itself. If your grades aren’t good enough to at least get into the school, how do you expect to play lacrosse there?” VanDeventer said. All of these benefits are what student athletes strive for, but many were faced with adversity and have had to adapt to the COVID-19 virus almost stopping them from achieving this momentous goal. “I’ve had to do virtual showcases, so I took videos of myself training and sent it into a showcase organization. What I haven’t really been able to do is be seen by college coaches because the NCAA scout dead period has been pushed back so much due to COVID,’’ Flores said. Many athletes like Flores have had to find alternate ways to show their talent and ability to play their sport in order to receive an offer. Taking videos of oneself and sending it to showcase organizations or college coaches themselves has become the new norm. The virus has prevented large events such as club and school tournaments and showcases, where athletes would normally be able to have scouts and coaches see them play, from taking place. With adversity comes adaptation. And it seems that many of the student athletes at Oviedo High School have had to adapt and have done it well. With the cancellation of recruiting events like VanDeVenter and Flores mentioned, athletes have had to send video to or contact college coaches and recruiters in hopes of a scholarship. Coming into this year, high school athletes are going to have to work even harder than they have before to be able to play at the next level.
8 | FEATURES | THE LION’S TALE | OCTOBER 6, 2020
Volleyball adapts workouts, prepares for season STORY BY MACKENZIE HOLMES The beginning of the new school year also starts the fast pace of sports. Oviedo High School (OHS) does not take any sport lightly, especially volleyball. The athletic director at OHS, Jennifer Darty, is also the girl’s varsity volleyball coach. Darty, an alumna, is returning for her tenth season this year as the head coach. “There is something really, really special about high school sports and high school athletes,” Darty said. “In high school volleyball specifically they play in front of [many people you know and love] but also you get to take pride in the jersey you’re putting on and it just produces a really special atmosphere, and I love taking the court with those kids every single night.” Kate Ridenbaugh is the assistant coach for the varsity team and an alumna of the Oviedo volleyball program. The junior varsity coach is Jeff Schneider. Jess Amador, who is also an alumna of the OHS volleyball program, leads the freshman team. The newest addition to the team of coaches is Peyton Caffrey, who played beach volleyball for FSU. These coaches worked hard to create the outstanding volleyball program that Oviedo High School has by testing not just the girl’s physical toughness and volleyball talent but their mental toughness. This year would have been no different, but then along came COVID-19. Ultimately, with many things being cancelled, including the open gyms and camps, the staffing team created online summer workouts to be completed at home. The workouts were posted Monday through Friday for ten weeks. These included Mile Mondays, arm days, leg days, positional training, soft tissue stretches and on rare occasions, off days. These days were filled with self reflective questions, mostly focusing on targeting the subject of what it means to be a Lion. All coaches were surprised with the number of girls who completed the workouts. Juniors Kylie Love, a varsity setter, and Raven Wrobleski, a varsity outside hitter, both agreed that these workouts would push the girls to their limits. Love disliked Mile Mondays but realized their benefit.
“It was probably the most effective [workout] because it helped my stamina so much,” Love said. Wrobleski preferred Thursday workouts and found them more effective. “There was a lot of running and also just weight workouts mixed into that, and it was a lot of hard work, but that was definitely the hardest for me,” Wrobleski said. Incoming freshman Susan Geber, a middle blocker, enjoyed the summer workouts, but she was surprised when her first expectation of the workouts, that they would be run-of-the-mill, was defied. “Darty adds her own flare to every workout, so I thought it was fun and pushed me a lot, Geber said. “I think in the end it was worth it.” Leading the varsity team are four seniors. Lily Andrews and Cambry Emberson, liberos; Stephanie Geber, middle blocker; and Mia Tagye, varsity setter, are in their last season. Tayge believes it’s important to enjoy one’s time in high school. “Cherish the moments you have in your sports and during high school because it goes by really fast,” Tayge said. As seniors, student athletes talk to college coaches and other students try to apply to colleges and choose the major they want to pursue. But in this unusual year, this process has become more challenging. Stephanie Geber has already started to look into colleges, not just to play but to further her education. “I want to find a good fit for me academically because that’s more important to me than playing,” Geber said. In past seasons, the only things OHS volleyball teams worried about were their performance and defeating their main rivals, the Hagerty Huskies, but this season is different. There were many obstacles coming into this new season including making sure the girls were practicing the CDC guidelines of wearing masks and social distancing. Both Emerson and Andrews said their main concern was the possibility of the season getting cut short or someone on the team getting sick because of the coronavirus.
PHOTO BY DIEGO LARA
TO THE SUMMIT. Junior Caroline Przystup rises to spike the ball.
Marching band incorporates social distancing in practice STORY BY MAY FRANGOUL COVID-19 has affected everyone this year. From forcing the cancellation of plans to the implementation of social distancing, everybody has had to adapt to the changes this year has brought. Parties and big family gatherings have been postponed, and businesses have their floors marked so customers can keep six feet of distance from each other. People now wear masks out in public, and places have to follow CDC guidelines. Oviedo High School is no exception to the rules, as desks are now spread out, and some classrooms even have clear dividers on the desks. The school’s marching band was highly affected by the changes this year. Marching band involves a lot of people and marching out in the field with others. Many changes had to be made in order to keep all of its students safe for the marching season. Although students didn’t get to march on the field, they are still practicing by playing outside during class time. “When we play our instruments we have to be outside and cover the bells of our instruments with plastic bags so that we don’t project our air towards others,” said senior Vivien Towson, head drum major. The band directors have an important DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO
responsibility of making sure everyone is social distancing as well. Inside the band room spots are marked on the floor and the auditorium seats have been labeled too. “We didn’t play for the first two weeks, just so that we could cover everything that would keep us safe,” said senior Matthew Borrazzo. “Smaller groups break off during practice so we can maintain social distancing.” Seniors got to have the past three marching seasons run smoothly and normally. The returning sophomores who are veterans this year fortunately got to experience at least one uninterrupted marching season. “Hopefully marching seasons will be the same as last year in the future,” said sophomore Briana Consign. “But we’ll be more connected as a family because we got through this troubling time together.” Although the 2020-2021 school year is not what students were expecting, the seniors in band still have to set an example for the underclassmen and incoming students. “As a senior and the drum major, it’s super important that I always stay positive, and try to know the answers to any potential questions,” Towson said. “It’s hard for the underclassmen to feel sure of themselves if the upperclassmen aren’t!”
PHOTO BY DIEGO LARA
PRACTICE IN THE HEAT. Marching band practices outdoors, covering the bells of their instruments and keeping distance from each other.
OCTOBER 6, 2020 | THE LION’S TALE | FEATURES | 9
New Faces on Campus By: Emma Tagye
Each new school year brings new faces to King Street and this year is no different. We asked three new Lions about their journey that brought them here and what aspect of Oviedo High they are most looking forward to.
KAT PETTY
INSTRUCTIONAL COACH/9TH ENGLISH TEACHER
KOLBY TACKETT
Petty has been eager to teach high school for some time, but waited until the right opportunity arose at Oviedo. She previously taught at Lawton Chiles and Indian Trails Middle Schools. She plans to do several unique projects this year, such as digital escape rooms, mock trials and a poetry cafe.
HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
Tackett brings a lot of experience to the jobhis inaugural season at Oviedo will be his tenth season coaching. He spent three years at Mount Dora Christian Academy as the head coach and two as an assistant, and two years each at Harding University and Searcy High School. Tackett will face some challenges due to the pandemic, but he’s thrilled to be at Oviedo. “I could not pass up a great opportunity,” Tackett said.
ALEXANDER BUSBY ASSISTANT BAND DIRECTOR
This is Busby’s first year teaching at a school , but he has experience offering private lessons in North Carolina and Texas, where he studied to receive his BM in music education. Busby feels optimistic about what he can achieve in his new position. “I chose to come to OHS to help me grow as a teacher and musician,” Busby said.
COURTESY OF OHS JOURNALISM
Teachers educate students across multiple settings STORY BYJUSTINA NIELSEN The 2020-2021 school year has started unlike any other year- it is definitely something for the yearbook. Teachers and students have had to adapt to new regulations and practices due to COVID-19. Most importantly the learning environment has changed significantly. Some of Oviedo High School’s teachers are teaching online. Zachary Waters, a ninth grade history teacher, is teaching online for the first time this year. “Reorganization of time is the biggest difference,” Waters said. “With teaching virtually there are set call times, then you have a lot of other time to work with kids whether it be grading, contacting for progress updates or reaching out or responding to help requests.” The CDC guidelines have caused many teaching strategies to completely change. Shannon Nichols, an English teacher, made the change to virtual this year as well. Some teachers have had issues getting to know some of their students this year through virtual classes. “This has been the hardest hurdle for me,” Nichols said. “It is so hard to get to know my students virtually. So I have set up a series of one on one online meetings with my students. It still isn’t the same though.” At Oviedo High School, classes are like never before with students socially distancing themselves and teachers figuring out different ways to teach. Students in classes have been separated from each other and for some classes, students have been working solely on computers. “[There’s] no more working together in groups,” said
Christopher Capp, 11th grade physics teacher. “I now have to make digital accommodations for all students, I have to create different ways to do labs since group work is not allowed.” Some teachers’ classroom set ups have been changed due to this new adjustment to the school year. “I had to remove my “comfy chair” area,” said Kate Kammeraad, an AP Language teacher and Oviedo High School’s Teacher of the Year. “No one can be out of their desks, so no socializing in the comfy area. I also had to take away a tree because there wasn’t enough space.” It is a new year and so much has changed from the last. People wonder if a return to normal will ever come. “I’m not sure things will ever go back to what we call ‘normal,’” Capp said. “I think right now, I am growing as a teacher to include more tools in my belt to help students as much as possible, but I don’t think the old ways of teaching will be coming back anytime soon. By then, I will probably have it already set in my ways that this is the ‘new norm.’” Overall, while students and teachers have been stressed over how this year will go, and have experienced anxiety over all the changes, there is still some positivity out there. Skylar Rush, 11th and 12th grade English teacher, has been encouraging his students to not run away from the fear of change. “Lower your shoulder, take a breath, and run full speed into it. Do the best you can and take it day by day,” Rush said.
PHOTO BY ZACHARY WATERS
WORKING FROM HOME. History teacher Zachary Waters uses multiple computers in his home setup. DESIGN BY JUSTINA NIELSEN
2 |10 ENTERTAINMENT | THE| LION’S TALE | TALE OCTOBER 2020 | ENTERTAINMENT THE LION’S | OCTOBER 6, 2020 Asset Credit: Netflx Promotional Material
Hidden Gems of Netflix STORY BY ELLIOTT SIRESS
Asset Credit: Netflix.com
Netflix has shown us many wonderful, stunning and engaging shows throughout the years, allowing us to revisit childhood favorites such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, while also introducing us to the rich worlds of popular hits such as Stranger Things and The Umbrella Academy. But with all treasures, come the hidden gems, the lesser known movies and shows that hold some unknown or undiscovered beauty. The following shows and movies are such examples, from the grim to the comedic, the dystopian to the supernatural, and the ‘small town’, to the ‘coming of age’. There’s at least one thing here for everybody, all it takes is some snacks, interest, and the freetime for some binge watching. - The Platform (2019) - Thriller/Horror Taking place in an artificially-lit, brutalistic prison hundreds of rooms high, with a single platform, adorned with a carefullycrafted feast, descending down the floors, we follow the new inmate Goreng, into this nightmare as he is introduced to the grisly horrors and suffocating concrete of this detention center known simply as “The Hole”. Forcibly teamed up with his cellmate, Trimagasi, a deranged man bent and molded by the rules of The Hole, Goreng begins to also fold under the weight of the vertical prison, partaking in the greedy hoarding of food as the platform descends every day. - The Ritual (2017) - Horror/Mystery Six months after their friend’s death, four men—Phil, Dom, Hutch, and Luke—go on a hike through Sweden in their late friend Rob’s memory. Cutting through a forest to save some time, they soon find themselves entangled inside effigy-riddled woods marked by strange symbols and odd memorials. Pursued by an unseen creature, the group is slowly tormented and picked off one by one, Luke feeling the brunt of the nightmarish abuse with visions of Rob’s death, one he could have prevented and remains haunted to till this day. Desperate to survive and escape the beast, those who remain uncover the hidden underbelly of the forest, discovering that their pursuer isn’t your normal ‘monster in the woods’. - The Old Guard (2020) - Action/Fantasy Following a group of centuries-old warriors with regenerative abilities known simply as Immortals: Andy, Booker, Joe, and Nicky are hired by a former CIA operative named Copley to rescue a group of kidnapped children in South Sudan. They are ambushed and killed during the job however, and after healing, realize this mission was a set up. They team up with another Immortal, Nile, and search for Copley while also trying to uncover the reason behind the ambush. Chased by the threat of spontaneous mortality, the team begins to shift and wane, losing the hope that drove them all of these centuries in the process. - Locke & Key (2020-) - Drama/Fantasy Based off the comic book of the same name, the show proceeds after the murder of Rendell Locke at the hands of one of his former students Sam Lesser. His wife, Nina, and kids, Tyler, Kinsley, and Bode, move back to their late father’s family home in Massachusetts, shortly after discovering a series of magical keys, all of which having some unique power tied to them, such has being able to shapeshift, turn into a ghost, travel into your own mind, and teleport anywhere. Bode meets a mysterious but demonic entity known as Dodge inside a well near the house, being tricked into setting it free. The three team up in order to stop the being, all while uncovering the truth behind some town mysteries, and how it all comes back to their father and his friends: The Keepers of the Keys. - The Fundamentals of Caring (2016) - Comedy/Drama Following an out-of-work writer named Ben, he takes up a sixweek course to become a registered caregiver in order to avoid his estranged wife and their upcoming divorce. Ben is tasked with taking care of a bank office manager’s sexually frustrated teenage son, Trevor, who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Setting off for a road trip to see the world’s deepest pit, along with also going to find Trevor’s father, the two get tagged along by a hitchhiker named Dot and a pregnant woman named Peaches. The group continue their journey, Trevor falling for Dot as Ben deals with his personal issues, growing fond of the boy as they get closer and closer to Salt Lake City. - 3% (2016-2020) - Science Fiction/Drama Taking place in the distant future, most of the world’s population lives in the poverty-stricken ‘Inland’, only a small minority of elite people selected to live beyond the slums and ruins in a virtual paradise known as ‘the Offshore’. Every year, 20-year olds go through ‘The Process’ of being selected, the majority failing and being eliminated while those who do succeed, the 3 percent, get to enjoy the plentiful and rich world outside. The show follows a series of characters: Michele, a just and cunning woman whose brother never returned from testing, Fernando, a wheelchair-user bent on passing The Process and getting to live the rest of his life
Design by ELLIOTT SIRESS
in the Offshore, Rafael, an egocentric jerk willing to cheat to get outside, Joana, an orphan with little interest towards The Process and the Offshore, and Marco, the next in a long line of people known to always pass the test, awaiting to join the rest of his family outside. - Atypical (2017-) - Comedy/Drama As Sam Gardner, an 18-year old with autism, announces his endeavor to start dating girls, he takes himself and his family on a journey of self discovery as his father, Doug, begins to connect with him more, his mother, Elsa, deals with finding herself now that she no longer needs to be his sole guardian, and his sister Casey, who is offered a scholarship to a prestigious but distant high school. Sam’s father helps him with dating advice, Casey struggles with her boyfriend, and Elsa begins to have an affair with a bartender she met during a night out with friends. Trying to handle the changes going on in their lives, they all begin to question what it really means to be normal, a question that comes back down to Sam himself, and the family he, in a way, created. - I Am Not Okay With This (2020) - Comedy/Drama Frustrated at the unclosed baggage she has with her father’s suicide, Syndey Novak begins to struggle with her late teenager life, reluctantly agreeing to hang out with her neighbor Stanley and channel her anger through a diary. Beginning to develop feelings for both Stan and her friend Dina, Sydney starts to uncover her telekinetic powers, which Stan helps her control and manage, all while being watched by a mysterious figure her therapist writes off as “grief hallucinations”. Through fights with her mom on the nature of her dad and issues with Dina’s boyfriend Brad, Sydney begins to disconnect herself from everyone and everything, realizing just how scared of the world she is, a world that should really be scared of her. - The Half Of It (2020) - Comedy/Drama Ellie Chu, tasked with writing love letters to her crush, Aster, for a boy named Paul, starts to develop relationships with both fellow students, bonding with Aster over their shared interests of art and literature, and bonding with Paul through their familiar struggles. Paul fails to hold up his end of the relationship with Aster, Ellie doing the heavy lifting through texts and letters, while also hanging out with her on the side, unfolding many of her personal struggles while falling for her more and more. Caught in a multi-sided love triangle with Aster and Paul, Ellie struggles with maintaining the relationships she has built up while also going back and forth on leaving her town to go to college. - The Politician (2019-) - Comedy/Drama Set on his goal of becoming President of the United States, Payton Hobart runs for student body president at his high school, teaming up with his friends McAfee, James, and Alice to go against fellow opponent and friend, River Barkley. Treating the race as if his life depends on it, Payton confronts River but is rocked by his sudden suicide, left devistated at the loss of his friend while now being forced to run against River’s former girlfriend, Astrid. Announcing his vice president candidate, cancer patient Infinity Jackson, the team begins to gain traction in the polls while also dealing with the possibility of Infinity’s ‘rare cancer’ possibly being fake, Payton starting to see his life-long dream slowly turn into a nightmare. - Project Power (2020) - Action/Fantasy Set in a near future New Orleans, a NOPD cop named Frank and a Major in Delta Force named Art team up with a streetsmart dealer and aspiring rap artist Robin to locate and confront a ‘Power’ distributor named Biggie. ‘Power’ is a type of drug used to give someone superpowers for up to five minutes and is taking a rise in New Orleans, which the group discovers is the testing grounds for a private defense contractor named Teleios, monitoring test subjects on the drug. Art, Frank and Robin further their investigation, leading them around superpower-riddled New Orleans, racing to find Art’s daughter Tracy before time runs out. - Trinkets (2019-2020) - Teen Drama Trying to deal with her mother’s death, Elodie Davis picks up a skill of stealing, her only vice, but gets caught and is sent to deal with her habits at a Shoplifters Anonymous, where she discovers fellow classmates Moe and Tabitha are also members of. The three girls slowly start a secret friendship built on their shared interest of stealing things, gradually revealing to each other the struggles of their lives, growing closer with every meeting. Trying to adjust with living with her father and his new family, Elodie hones her kleptomaniac skills a bit more, going with life as much as she can without finding herself in trouble, or at least getting caught in it.
OCTOBER 6, 2020 | THE LION’S TALE | ENTERTAINMENT | 11
Parks reopen in the midst of the pandemic STORY BY HANNAH WARRNER and ASHLEE ROSS
Photo Credit: Mady Falk
With the development of the coronavirus, most theme parks such as Universal and Disney were forced to shut down to do their part in preventing the spread of the virus. During the time they were closed, each park had different plans for their annual passholders. Normally, the parks offer a monthly payment plan but with COVID-19 they had to alter this. Universal decided passholders did not have to pay for the months the park was closed. On the other hand, Disney provided multiple options for guests, such as postponing monthly payments then getting passes extended for the months lost, or just refunding passes altogether. To make up for the closure, Universal is offering a special for Florida residents. If guests buy a one day pass before September 30th, they can visit both parks anytime through December 24th. As of June and July, the parks reopened for guests to attend. Disney is only allowing guests with preexisting annual passes, as well as resort guests, while Universal is allowing all guests in until they hit max capacity. With this, the experience has been markedly different for visitors. While following social distancing guidelines, the parks are still trying
to make guests’ trips as enjoyable as possible. Sophomore Peter Donnelly was excited to return, but felt a bit apprehensive. “I do think they still opened a bit too early, especially with Florida being a COVID-19 epicenter,” Donnellon said. “But they overall have done a good job keeping everyone safe.” Donnellon, who has annual passes to Disney, personally thinks that they reopened too soon, but with the proper social distancing guidelines and requirements to wear a mask, it still feels safe. Specifically, Disney requires guests to have a face covering on at all times unless they are eating or on a ride. There are also reminders to remain six feet apart from other guests, sanitizing stations throughout the park and roller coasters have blocked out seating to spread out riders. Universal has similar guidelines, with slight differences, but overall is making similar efforts. History teacher Kaitlin Darling owns passes to both parks, and talked about her experience visiting Disney during the pandemic. “They have social distancing; people distanced better at Disney than students do at school.” Darling said with a laugh. “They have the dividers where everyone has to stand
Asset Credit: Nintendo Promotional Material
Super Mario Bros. celebrates its 35th anniversary
STORY BY ELLIOTT SIRESS
From the lush green hills and white mountains of the Mushroom Kingdom, across the seas to the tropical beaches of Isle Delfino and the paper streets of Rogueport, up to the great expanse of space, setting sail aboard the Comet Observatory, Mario “Jumpman” Mario has had a fair bout with baddies across all sorts of worlds and levels, bouncing from the heads of Koopas and Goombas all the way to Bowser’s doorstep. He’s seen the cut-throat competition of kart racing, the colorfully-casted chaos of ultimate brawling, the grime and grit of all sorts of sports, and the friendship-destroying, unfair madness that are party games, all while facing up against speedy blue hedgehogs, crazy orange bandicoots, and so many other gaming icons. And now here he is, 35 years of wahoo-ing and yipee-ing to the fronts of box art and the tops of polls. “We look forward to everyone joining us on a Mario journey 35 years in the making,” Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser remarked. Earlier this September, to celebrate the plumber’s 35th anniversary on gaming screens across the world, Nintendo pulled together a new video presentation to help detail the several games and products coming to shelves the rest of this year and next. “We are marking this significant milestone with a wide variety of games and experiences that all generations of Mario fans, from here to the Mushroom Kingdom, can enjoy together.”
Though some elements of the presentation leaked beforehand, there was still plenty never uncovered by fans that left them surprised. One of the most intriguing being the reveal of Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, coming October 16th, which brings the speed and fun of Mario Kart into the physical world, where players can craft tracks in their own home and set racers, like Mario and Luigi, to drift and soar across the carpet and over furniture. For fans of the popular 3D Land and 3D World games, Nintendo set up something for you too, presenting Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, coming out February 12th, 2021, an enhanced remake of the originally Wii U title, coming to the Switch, with new co-op gameplay for both online and local multiplayer, along with additional content in the form of the Bowser’s Fury, details on all the mayhem to be unleashed there said to be coming soon. Other titles such as Super Mario Bros. 35, Super Mario All-Stars, Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros., board games such as the Monopoly Super Mario Celebration and Jenga Super Mario coming from Hasbro to retailers worldwide, and a LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System set displaying the plumber hopping around World 1-1 of his original game. But the title that really stole the spotlight for the whole event, unfortunately leaked and speculated before it’s official announcement, was Super Mario 3D All-Stars, Nintendo Switch remasters of fan favorite titles: Super
six feet apart, and they have the plastic barriers in between the lines if we’re ever that close.” Disney and Universal have vast resources at their disposal, and are therefore able to take drastic precautions to stop the spread of the virus. When considering the massive amounts of visitors they receive, this is a very important objective for the parks. Although there were safety precautions enforced, Darling feels as if it may not be smart to return to either parks during this time. This not only protects herself and her family, but also her students. With both parks closed, many frequent visitors found they had taken their trips for granted and missed being able to visit whenever they wanted. “I have missed going to the parks so much,” said sophom Shay Buckman. “Especially being able to ride Thunder Mountain at Disney.” According to Darling, who used to visit Disney regularly, suddenly being unable to go at all was a huge change.
Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. Released not too long ago, on September 18th, the collection, which optimizes the three games for modern consoles, upgrading the controls for better use on the Switch. The collection was met with as much love as the original titles on their home consoles have nowadays, but is unfortunately only available up till March 31st, 2021, so if you’re out to replay these classics, best to get them now before it’s too late. The much beloved Super Mario 64 was welcomed with open arms, not seeing too many tweeks or changes beside controls and graphics, retaining the same 4:3 ratio and classic polygons of the original 1996 release. The lack of changes works in this title’s favor, many fans pleased that the game wasn’t completely reworked for modern Mario, glad to see the Nintendo 64 classic return in true form. Many were honest though with the strange juxtaposition of seeing the other two titles run so smoothly in an HD revisioning, while Mario 64 was left to bring the 90s with them. As for Super Mario Sunshine, it’s clear this game was the one most worked on, the ratio expanding and the graphics ramped up to compensate for Gamecube limitations. Fans fell in love again with the vibrant colors, seaside beauty and paint-covered energy first given to us back in 2002, though fans seemed split on the returning difficulty, many also discovering that with their nostalgia, also
returned their frustration towards some particular levels and aspects of the controls. But the award for arguably the best game in the whole collection goes to Super Mario Galaxy, which carries the same starpowered awe of the Wii title, bringing fans back to the orchestral beauty, mesmerizing art of space and the breath-taking, astronomically surreal feelings of loneliness and “quiet sadness of Super Mario Galaxy” as described by Jacob Geller in a video essay on the game, released before the titles port to the Switch. Though controls are hacky and a tad awkward to get used to, due to the original game being centered around the motion controls of the Wii, the game plays just as wonderful as it does on its home console. The only downside to the collection is in terms of content, Ollie Barder of Forbes describing that “this AllStars collection does feel a bit phoned in at times and rather bare bones. Especially, as apart from the three games you only get their soundtracks and nothing else in the way of extras.” Just before remarking how “Nintendo could have done a lot more here in terms of technical improvements for each of the games included.” Regardless, the collection does allow people nowadays to revisit childhood games and fully introduce themselves to titles they may never have had the opportunity to play in the first place. If you miss these titles, as plenty and plenty have as well, it’s worth adding these stars to your collection.
12 | ENTERTAINMENT | THE LION’S TALE | OCTOBER 6, 2020
Students lose out on chance to attend concerts STORY BY PENELOPE BANKS
PHOTOS BY AUDREY STREMBICKI Junior Mazie Strembicki missed her Maroon 5 concert in May of 2020.
2020 has been one of the most controversial and chaotic years in a recent memory. Schools have shut down, restaurants have closed and everyday life has seen numerous other disruptions and change. For some music-loving students, one of the worst parts of the pandemic has been the cancellation of concerts. These students usually love getting the opportunity to see their favorite artists in person, but plans have changed due to the coronavirus. Some students here at Oviedo High School can give us a little insight on this feeling when they heard the news. Junior Amari Coleman said she was supposed to attend the Justin Bieber concert, but unfortunately was not able to. Coleman did not buy the tickets soon after they became available, but rather waited so they would go on sale. “I didn’t have tickets, my plan was to
save up from my job and then buy them last minute cause that’s when they’re cheaper,” Coleman said. She was not only looking forward to seeing Bieber himself, but also the opening act, Kehlani. So what was her reaction when she heard the bad news? “My exact thoughts when I found out it was canceled was [that] I wasn’t surprised, because I didn’t have high hopes since the concert was in July and COVID started in April and there’s no cure,” Coleman said. Fortunately for fans, this concert was rescheduled for the summer of 2021, and Coleman cannot wait to see her so-called “king”. Harry Styles, a fan favorite in the music industry right now, was supposed to be on tour and many were excited about it, especially junior Amanda Waggoner. Waggoner says she was supposed to
Women’s Club Great Day in the Country cancelled STORY BY A. ROSS, H. WARRNER The Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, produced by the GFWC Oviedo Woman’s Club, is typically a beloved community event attended by many local citizens. But this year, due to the pandemic, it has been cancelled, a fate which many other popular events have experienced. Unlike many of these events, there is no plan for the festival to be rescheduled this year. The Great Day in the Country is usually a place where students are able to show off their talents and receive rewards. Junior Veronika Maynard was planning on showcasing her talents this year with hopes of earning a scholarship. “I’m a bit disappointed that I don’t even get to try since the scholarships usually go to juniors and seniors,” Maynard said. Without this event, many talented students lose the chance to win scholarships. Seniors no longer have this opportunity for exposure and juniors are also hurt. As if the coronavirus hasn’t already done so, this cancellation further hinders the plans they may have had for their future.
DESIGN BY JUSTINA NIELSEN
Art students don’t get many opportunities to showcase their talents and get rewarded for them; Great Day in the Country was a perfect place to do so. Not only is this event crucial for students, it is also important for local small businesses. Many of the festival’s attendees come to enjoy what the vendors have to offer. This is usually a significant source of revenue to small businesses around the city. Toni Armijo, an instructor at Tutus School of Dance, typically has students perform at the event. “We were really looking forward to showing Oviedo what our studio has to offer,” Armijo said. “Many of our students were excited to perform as well.” This festival is somewhat of a tradition for Oviedo and it will be missed by many. Numerous students enjoy the event not just as visitors, but as volunteers. Great Day in the Country was a big community service opportunity, allowing students to be active members of their community and meet volunteering requirements. However, there are some positive aspects to the event being cancelled.
Autumn Kanistras and Kate Healey spoke about how they are looking at the brighter side of not being able to advertise and promote their local business, 2 Smart Cookies. “We are pretty sure our families will appreciate the extra time we will have at home that week since we won’t be busy baking, decorating and packing cookies,” Healey said. “It has given us time to reflect and come up with other ways to stay relevant and adapt.” Great Day in the Country is very popular in Oviedo and many are disappointed that they will not get to come together and enjoy the experience this year. It is particularly well-liked among families, who would cherish this event as a fun activity to do together. “After the girls would perform, my family and I would walk around and shop, eat and play the games.” Armijo said, “I’m sad I won’t be able to spend that time with them this year.” Great Day in the Country is currently planned to occur as usual in November of next year.
attend the concert with her friend Carly O’Donnell for a fun birthday celebration. “I purchased the tickets in October and the concert was cancelled in July. The concert was supposed to be in August,” Waggoner said. “I felt sad about the cancellation, but I know it isn’t safe right now and I understand I will be able to go once it is again.” Like many other cancelled concerts, Styles has set a new date and hopes to perform in 2021, and Waggoner is sure she will be there.