ON CAMPUS
THE WOOSTER BLADE | OCT. 8 2021 | PAGE 2
Changes to Homecoming court nominations still in place THEO OLLIER staff writer
Due to complications with COVID last school year, nominations for Prom court were selected by a vote from WHS teachers. In years past, WHS students voted to nominate other students for Homecoming and Prom court and voted on king and queen. This fall, Homecoming nominations were chosen by a teacher’s vote and WHS students were able to vote for Homecoming king and queen. Connor Rotolo (12) was selected for the senior Homecoming court and stated he is honored by the nomination and is happy
for everyone else who was nominated. However, Rotolo noted that he did not know what the nomination process for Homecoming was before this year. “I’m really excited, it’s a huge honor to do this . . . I’m really happy for the other two guys and three girls that got nominated . . . I’m gonna be honest, I don’t remember how it [the nomination process] was before COVID,” Rotolo said. According to Brooke Coblentz, adviser of Student Council, Student Council members chose to have teachers nominate students for Homecoming and Prom. Coblentz stated there was no specific criteria for nominating students.
“I asked them [the Student Council] if they liked that [teachers voting to nominate students] and wanted to do that again for Homecoming, and they said yes . . . There was no specific criteria [for nominations] because criteria for one teacher is different for another,” Coblentz said. Jared Pennell (12) does not think that teachers should vote for Homecoming nominations, noting that teachers do not know WHS students very well and people who want to get nominated will not get the chance. “I don’t think that’s the best [teachers nominating students for Homecoming court] because I don’t think that teachers know us that well, to
DELANEY WILSON
The homecoming court poses for pictures with king Nate Monastra (12) and queen Olivia Fox (12) before the varsity football game against Mt. Vernon be honest. And, I feel like the people who actually want to be Homecoming king or queen
aren’t going to necessarily have the opportunity to [get nominated],” Pennell said.
WHS students and staff still adapting to in person classes OLIVIA HINER trends editor
With the start of a new school year, many new changes have been introduced. There were a lot of unknown factors last school, which led to educational challenges this
year. School board president Sue Herman said she believes the biggest challenge for this year has been, “getting everything up and running again.” Jill Coppola, English Dept. member, worked as an all online teacher last year. She
DELANEY WILSON
WHS students work together in Jen Wright’s Honors English II class on a character analysis assignment.
said the biggest challenge for this school year has been making the transition from last year. She brought up the fact that “...some freshmen this year haven’t been in school since seventh grade.” Along with the difficult transition, Coppola said students are lacking in focus, social skills and studying skills, so pacing this year has differed from years past. Eric Heller, Science Dept. member, was an in-person teacher at the high school last year. Heller said the biggest challenge for him this year, “... reacclimating to the rigor, stress and anxiety that usually comes with a normal school year, which nobody has experienced in over two years.” He noted that this reacclimation process is the case for both teachers and students. Freshman this year have a unique perspective as they have gone through considerable transitions. Grace Jones (9) notes she decided to go to in person
school last year. She said she made this decision because she thought it would be the most beneficial for her. Jones said the biggest challenge for this year has been, “...trying to get in the habit of studying” and returning to old habits. From a senior’s perspective, Nathan Bonvallet said this year has been more difficult. He said that it’s the, “...same work, but you have to put in more effort for it.” Each of these people have very different perspectives, but their answers are somewhat similar in the fact that they all include the difficult transition and getting used to school again. Students have been adapting to this somewhat normal school year in different ways. Herman stated she thinks students are adapting “pretty well.” She said students are, “... to be back in school and learning like they’re used to learning.” Herman acknowledged that getting used to being fluid
has been a challenge and said there is still confusion and uncertainty, but said we, “... have to be open to change and understanding of each other.” Coppola said older students have been adapting to the transitions and changes of this year better than most of her younger students, but overall, said students have been adapting how she expected. Heller said students are adapting pretty well. He stated that WHS students are, “...some of the most resilient students and they have adjusted as well as I could have expected. It has come with challenges, but students are always ready to take on a new challenge.” Jones said adapting to this school year has been a lot easier than she thought it would be. Bonvallet said that personally, he has control over everything and notes he has talked to some people that are still adapting to the transition to the new school year.
