Issue 2 2021 by Wingspan

Wingspan WEST HENDERSON HIGH SCHOOL

3600 HAYWOOD RD HENDERSONVILLE, NC 28791

MARCH 2021 n VOLUME 41 n ISSUE 2

WORTH A SHOT n RED ROVER, RED ROVER n SWIMMING TO STATE

Specializing in Balayage & Keratin Treatments

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ADS

Color, Cuts, Facial Waxing

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT THE COVER:

04 – OPINION SECTION 10 – NEWS SECTION 16 – FEATURE SECTION 23 – ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION 28 – SPORTS SECTION

A patient gets their COVID-19 vaccination shot. (Photo by Zoya Zalevskiy)

By Emily Chambliss Photo by Zoya Zalevskiy

n ENVIRONMENT OVER EMPLOYMENT? Pipeline cancelation raises questions

Vaccines begin to be offered throughout the county and the nation

16 n

WORTH A SHOT

n RED ROVER, RED ROVER NASA rover lands on Mars

n SWIMMING TO STATE Junior has successful swim season

Wingspan News Magazine MARCH 2021 The student forum of West Henderson High School is published three times each year by the newspaper journalism class. The purpose of Wingspan is to convey school and community news to the students, faculty, administration and surrounding communities. Wingspan content is determined by an editorial board of student editors. Wingspan is a Southern Interscholastic Press Association All-Southern, National Scholastic Press Association All-American, Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist and North

VOLUME 42, ISSUE 2 Carolina Scholastic Media Association All-North Carolina and Tar Heel Award publication. Staff editorials express the opinion of the editorial board. Columns reflect the opinions of the individual writers. Circulation is 1,200. Printed by Mullen Publications at 9629 Old Nations Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28273. The Wingspan staff also publishes online at www.wingspanonline.net and can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @westwingspan. Readers may contact the staff at wingspan@ hcpsnc.org.

PRINT EDITORS-INCHIEF Sarah Monoson Zoya Zalevskiy ONLINE EDITOR-INCHIEF Emily Chambliss MANAGING EDITORS Johnathan Austin Max Decker Zach Henby

SPORTS EDITOR Carson Godwin

OPINION EDITOR Jackson Futch

A&E EDITOR Max Portugal

FEATURE WRITERS Becca Chamberlain Marissa Detwiler Madison Hall Trinity Luce Kera Putnam Aidan Shelton

NEWS EDITOR Johnathan Austin FEATURE EDITOR Allison Caskey

PHOTOGRAPHERS Max Decker Max Portugal Zoya Zalevskiy ADVISER Jason Livingston

TABLE OF CONTENTS n March 2021

More Money, More Problems? Pro By n Emily Chambliss Web Editor-in-Chief

he federal minimum wage was first introduced during the Great Depression in 1938. The purpose was to stabilize the economy and protect labor workers. It was originally 25 cents, and has been raised by Congress 22 times in the last 83 years. As of February 2021, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. It has not increased since 2009, and a raise is long overdue. The minimum wage is not indexed in inflation, and the number of goods that can be purchased with that value, or its purchasing power, continues to decrease. Raising the minimum wage to keep up with the cost of living keeps low income workers from losing purchasing power every year. Liana Fox, Senior Analyst at the Economic Policy Institute, said: “Inflation indexing guarantees low-wage workers a wage that keeps pace with the rising costs of goods and services.” The Washington Post reports that about 7.8 million Americans are currently living in poverty. $7.25 an hour turns into about $15,080 a year. This is below the poverty line for more than one person living in a household. A 2014 Congressional Budget report states that raising the minimum wage to $10.10 would lift 900,000 people out of poverty. The National Low Income Housing Coalition reports that someone must earn $15.50 an hour to afford rent in a standard one bedroom apartment. A two bedroom apartment would require a wage of $19.35 an hour. There is simply no way for an individual earning minimum wage to make enough money to support themselves or their family. The results of a 2013 poll done by Oxfam America show that 66% of Americans earning less than

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$10 an hour report that they cannot or barely meet their basic living expenses. The minimum wage represents half of a living wage for an adult. Low income workers cannot be expected to provide for themselves and their families with a wage that low. A 2014 study from the Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative found that low income workers are more likely to suffer from poor health. They cannot afford to eat properly and cannot afford appropriate healthcare, as medical bills are the number one cause of bankruptcies in the United States. The study stated: “Policies that reduce poverty and raise the wages of low-income people can be expected to significantly improve overall health and reduce health inequities.” The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that every individual has a right to a standard of living that maintains and aids their personal health and well-being. Low income workers are not living at this standard, and raising the minimum wage is the first step to achieving this. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States has one of the highest levels of income inequality, or the uneven distribution of income throughout a population. USA Today reports that the top 1% of earners in the United States make up about 20% of the country’s total income. “In the United States today we have the most unequal wealth and income distribution of any major country on earth — worse than at any time since the 1920s,” Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said. “This is an economy that must be changed in fundamental ways.” In the article “The Contribution of the Minimum Wage to U.S. Wage Inequality over Three Decades: A Reassessment,” from David Autor, Alan Manning, and Christopher L. Smith reported that the decrease in correlation between inflation and the minimum wage has been a major factor in the U.S.’s income inequality. This predominantly impacts marginalized groups, as women, African Americans, and Hispanics make up the majority of minimum wage workers. Raising the wage will increase the median income, thus creating a more equitable distribution of wealth throughout these

groups. Some believe that increasing the federal minimum wage fuels inflation and results in the loss of jobs. This is untrue. According to the Economic Policy Institute, an increase of the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 would introduce about 22 billion net dollars and 85,000 jobs into the economy. People making more money goes hand in hand with increased spending. It puts more money in people’s pockets, money that eventually flows into retail and other businesses. A 2015 report titled “Minimum Wage Policy and the Resulting Effect on Employment” done by the Integrity Florida research institute states: “Our examination of employment statistics in states found no evidence of employment loss in states that have increased the minimum wage and more evidence that suggests employment increases faster when there is an increase in the minimum wage.” A full time job becomes much more appealing when the wage for working said job is high enough to make a living on. People will want to work if they’re making good money for their efforts. Labor turnover rates and absenteeism will decline if workers are motivated to show up. A 2014 study by the University of California at Berkeley stated: “...striking evidence that… turnover rates for teens and restaurant workers fall substantially following a minimum wage increase.” According to the United States Senate Budget Committee, welfare spending is the largest item in the federal budget. Roughly 1.03 trillion dollars were spent on government welfare programs in 2011. If lower income workers earned more money, they would no longer depend on these programs. The Economic Policy Institute reported that raising the minimum wage by 6% would cause 1.7 million Americans to no longer depend on welfare programs. This would decrease annual welfare spending by 7.6 billion dollars. Economic benefits aside, every single person in the United States deserves a living wage, and it is morally wrong to deprive anyone of that opportunity. Access to a living wage is a human right, and the United States needs to raise its federal minimum wage to at least $15 immediately.

should we raise the minimum wage? Con By n Johnathan Austin n News Editor

hile the argument over the minimum wage is not a new one, the latest round of the discussion can’t help but feel like those in power wish to kick many Americans while they are already down. It is indisputable that, for many, 2020 was tough. Those who found themselves on the front line of this battle for survival were small business owners, service industry workers and parents. It is this set of people that the proponents of an increased minimum wage hope to help. With a magic number of $15 an hour, and democratic control of the federal government, many see this as the time to make a change. But how ready is the American worker for a wage increase? How ready is the American business owner for a cost increase? While some believe that a federal minimum wage would lift millions out of poverty, the fact of the matter remains that a wage hike to $15 an hour would result in job loss, higher prices and continued business closure. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many American workers, hourly and salaried alike, have seen their paycheck decrease, their position furloughed or have even become jobless. This is due in no small part to the restrictions and regulations that dominated the service industry at the beginning of the pandemic. With that in mind, I find it hard to accept the argument that now, of all times, is the time to push for a higher minimum wage. That is not to discredit any sort of policy that would result in income gain, it is to say that the fight for a higher minimum wage often overlooks some key statistics. A higher minimum wage would have multiple

effects, the first of which being the increased cost to employers. The Congressional Budget Office, a non-partisan group that provides research to congress on policy proposals, found that as wages increase, employers seek to cut costs where they can. In their report, the CBO laid out where employers would find the cuts that would be necessary under a $15 minimum wage: “When the cost of employing low-wage workers goes up, the relative cost of employing higher-wage workers or investing in machines and technology goes down. Some employers would therefore respond to a higher minimum wage by shifting toward those substitutes and reducing their employment of low-wage workers.” In the same report, the CBO puts a number on these job losses. They estimate that through 2025, if the minimum wage is raised to $15, job losses are likely to be around 1.4 million, with a 2 in 3 chance that the exact number falls between 1 and 2.7 million jobs. Say you aren’t a minimum wage worker, or say you don’t even receive pay on an hourly basis, how does this affect you? As with anything to do with money, not all boats can rise with this tide. The CBO report covers the cost that will be transferred from the business and onto the consumer. “Higher wages would increase the cost to employers of producing goods and services. Employers would pass some of those increased costs on to consumers in the form of higher prices, and those higher prices, in turn, would lead consumers to purchase fewer goods and services,” said the CBO. For instance, grocery store profit margins average 1% to 3% while restaurants average 2% to 6%, and according to payscale.com, the average income for a small business owner is $69,000. That doesn’t leave much room for pay hikes without subsequent price hikes. Most of the time, the cost increases that come with a pay hike can’t always be passed on the customers, as many will simply refuse to pay, or be unable to pay for the products being sold. That leads to more hours cut, more layoffs and more employers, especially small businesses, shutting their doors for good. Many waiters and waitresses work for a reduced minimum wage, with the expectation

that the gap will be closed with tips that they will receive throughout their work day, and sometimes well exceed $15 an hour. If the minimum wage is not met with tips, the employer must come out of pocket to make up the discrepancy, a rule that ensures that no one falls too far behind. In this latest minimum wage reform bill, no contingency has been made for restaurant workers to be able to continue the wage and gratuity policy, meaning the thin profit margins that restaurants have always operated on, just became thinner. Many restaurants, which have already had to fight for their livelihood throughout the pandemic, will see their expenses skyrocket. These reforms come on the heels of over 97,000 businesses across America being closed, and many more hanging on for dear life, just one blow away from closure. Rather than create destructive consequences with a heavy-handed government policy, we need to allow the wage increases to come from market demand instead of government command. We must focus on the skills that allow people to move on from the stepping stone that is a minimum wage, such as emphasizing job training and removing government regulation that would allow businesses to invest in their employees. Having a good paying job is the first step in achieving the American dream, but the government can’t regulate themselves, or the American people, into prosperity. Among the points that are presented on both sides of the minimum wage debate, one point is often overlooked and can be one of the bleakest. Those that argue that the minimum wage is simply a standard at which workers can rest easy neglect to acknowledge that there is a lower, and more absolute floor that could be seen by many workers, and that is zero. Let us never forget that if the minimum wage is raised to $15 an hour, the absolute floor could be met by millions of hard working Americans. A wage increase is always something that is appealing on its face, and rightly so. But with a policy as consequential as this, it is imperative that we, as Americans, are able to put aside the rush that more money gives us, and think critically about the ramifications that changes like this have.

OPINION n March 2021

Pro

By n Kera Putnam n Feature Writer

here are many different standpoints on how the coronavirus has been handled. Above all, I believe it is important to remember that everyone is doing the best they can to follow the guidelines that have been provided and keep those around us safe. Since the start of Plan-B, over 30 studentss and staff mambers have tested positive for COVID-19. I feel that West has done an amazing job at keeping our community’s spirits high surrounding all of the positive cases. I also believe that there have been instances when adults could have made better decisions to prevent the spread of the disease. I play two sports for West and the guidelines provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have required me to quarantine three separate times over the course of both sea-

sons. In the fall sports season, I played volleyball. After one of my teammates came down with coronavirus, we had a ten day quarantine and then the school gave every girl on the team a rapid test. This was a special instance because in any other case, the team would have had to quarantine for fourteen days, but this was the week of finals and some girls needed to be able to come to school to take exams. Luckily, everyone tested negative. However, two days after the team was allowed to return to practice and play, another girl tested positive. This then sent us into another fourteen day quarantine. In the winter sports season I was on the basketball team. About halfway through our season, I caught the virus. I knew there was a good chance it would happen at some point, but I still felt the pressure of being the person who caused everyone else to quarantine. One weekend, after having games on both Thursday and Friday that week, I woke up extremely fatigued, and I knew something was wrong. Monday morning, I decided to get tested for COVID-19 before I went to practice, and the result was positive. I was hoping the team wouldn’t have to quarantine because my symptoms didn’t show up until Sunday, but the CDC says if you are in close contact with someone who

tests positive within 48 hours, you must quarantine. I later discovered two referees from the game I played on Friday night tested positive as well. I’m sure I picked it up at one of the games, but it could have been from somewhere as simple as the store. During this odd time in life, I think it is important for us to be mindful of ourselves and others. Regardless of the situation, if you notice any sort of COVID-19 symptoms, you should stay home. I know this is hard for a lot of people, especially kids, but as I have learned it is better safe than sorry. As a student athlete during this pandemic, I have seen first hand the extreme precautions athletes, coaches, administration and students go through each day to be able to do what they love. In comparison to many other states, North Carolina has enforced strict mandates throughout the pandemic to help keep people as safe as possible and I believe our administration has done everything they are supposed to and more to ensure that these mandates have been followed. For example, as the vaccine is being delivered at more rapid rates, much of West’s faculty has now been vaccinated in efforts to get students back in the classroom, and it has been successful. I’m thankful we now have the opportunity to come back to school fully in person.

Has West Done Enough to Protect Students?

Staff discusses personal experiences with school’s health regulations

Con

By n Marissa Detwiler n Feature Writer

e all want to return to normal: a time before a pandemic put our lives on hold. But fully reopening schools is a mistake considering the lives of Henderson County community members that will be at risk when coronavirus protocols are not being taken seriously. With new information surfacing about coronavirus almost every day, I will admit that it has become difficult to abide by the ever-changing guidelines. But some basic CDC guidelines have remained consistent. Protocols such as mask wearing, social distancing and temperature checks have been recommended since the start of the pandemic. However, it seems to be these basic practices that West Henderson has failed to fully regulate. The Henderson County Public School Board did

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vote to mandate mask wearing, temperature checks at the doors and social distancing under Plan-B. In my eyes, this was absolutely a step in the right direction. But enforcing these mandates on rebellious teenagers in high school simply does not work. Furthermore, some staff members have not been practicing or enforcing these protocols properly. If students and staff are failing to abide by the county mandated safety measures, even if it is a small minority of the school population, coronavirus is much more likely to spread throughout the community. I was one of many students who returned to Plan-B after winter break. During this time, I witnessed some flaws in some safety protocols at West. Most notably, it was clear that temperature checks were not taken seriously. Countless times, students seemed to have above average temperatures, but staff would allow them into the school regardless. I experienced this firsthand when I was let into the school with an elevated temperature. I had no other symptoms until I was home, but then I experienced just about every COVID-19 symptom in the book: full body aches, chills, fever, nausea. I went

to urgent care that night, and, fortunately, my test came back negative. But it does make me wonder how many students have been admitted into the school with higher than normal temperatures: students that could have COVID-19, whether it be asymptomatic, or appeared as a false negative on a test. Additionally, I have witnessed students in my classes take off their masks to eat a late breakfast or a snack. It is technically not allowed, but teachers rarely enforce this in their classrooms. As far as social distancing goes, I was within six feet of other students at all times, and not by choice. The above instances were my first hand experiences under Plan-B. I understand that perfection is certainly not a realistic expectation at this time. My problem is how far from perfection we seem to be. Temperature checks cannot be taken lightly; it is better to be safe than sorry. Social distancing and mask wearing should be enforced by staff members. And if social distancing cannot be fully enforced in our class spaces, then why are we doubling the amount of students in each room by returning to Plan-A? I am concerned about the safety of my friends, parents, and teachers. I believe that as a school, and as a county, we can do better.

Student illustrating the silencing of cancel culture (Photo by Zoya Zalevskiy)

Commercialized Progress Is the fear of cancel culture valid? By n Sarah Monoson n Editor-in-Chief

n March 2, Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced they would stop publishing six of their titles because they felt that certain parts of these books portrayed minorities in harmful ways. When people heard the news, some cried that the popular children’s author was the latest victim of “cancel culture,” a term that has become so nebulous it nearly lacks meaning, but is still used to quickly denounce any attempt at accountability. Cancel culture was initially about the public calling out a celebrity on social media for saying or doing something offensive. The goal of the call-out was to get the person in the hot seat to apologize and, depending on the severity of the offense and the sincerity of the apology, potentially lose some of their influence. The celebrity was canceled only to the extent that people were willing to stop consuming their content. This phenomenon is still very much seen today, but now people will refer to any call for accountability as cancel culture, even when it’s not about boycotting. When a company fires a problematic employee or changes their own catalogue, people mourn the so-called injustice at the hands of mob rule, but that isn’t what’s happening. Dr. Seuss Enterprises didn’t halt the publication of these books because they truly felt threatened by cancel culture, and if they did, it wouldn’t be a logical fear. Seuss and his books have been held under the magnifying glass for years now, and that scrutiny

has done little to no damage to his success. The late cartoonist earned $33 million before taxes in 2020, and the discontinuing of six books (four of which were relatively unpopular) is not going to negatively affect his posthumous profits. In fact, after the announcement, all but one of the books on Amazon’s top 10 best-selling chart were Dr. Seuss, the books being bought by those scandalized by the “attacks” on the author. This perfectly encapsulates why cancel culture doesn’t work, at least, not to the extent that its critics think it does. Even with the ongoing discussions of whether there is racism in Seuss’s books, the vast majority of people still bought and consumed them in mass. There was never really a danger to them being boycotted enough to do damage, and without that, it’s not an example of cancel culture. It is simply a corporation adopting progressive values, or at least wanting to appear to, so as to appeal to left-leaning audiences. Disney did the same thing when they fired actress Gina Carano from “The Mandalorian” for an antisemitic remark. Carano had already been heavily scrutinized by the public for past comments about pronouns, masks and election fraud, but even with the controversy surrounding her, “The Mandalorian’’ didn’t suffer from the threat or follow-through of a boycott. Certainly, people had called for her to be fired, wanting her to be canceled, but it didn’t work, because it hardly ever

does. But Carano did get fired, one might argue, so cancel culture was successful. However, Carano was removed from one project where she was simply a recurring character, and then immediately found work elsewhere — that isn’t what being canceled looks like. When she was fired from a performatively left-leaning company, she was welcomed at a right-leaning one. And if every person who disagreed with her statements refused to watch any future project of hers, Carano would still have a potentially large audience. This is because even if it works at optimal strength, cancel culture only encompasses less than half of Americans: those who are young and left-leaning. With such little human power behind it, cancel culture isn’t and cannot be the menace that some claim it to be. What is actually happening is a shift in how corporations want to present themselves. They’ve found that it pays to be, or at least seem, forwardthinking. Companies aren’t “bending to the will of liberals” because they deem being canceled as a true threat; they’re playing along because they want to be heralded as progressive, and they know the benefits of that outweigh the costs of potentially losing conservative consumers. So, when businesses take accountability for actions deemed offensive, it’s not because of cancel culture, but rather, because of profits and good press.

OPINION n March 2021

TITLE Environment Over

The Keystone Pipeline under construction. (Photo from Transport Topics)

Employment?

Cancelation of Keystone Pipeline sparks discussion of jobs under democratic leadership By n Jackson Futch n Opinion Editor oe Biden killed 11,000 American jobs when he canceled the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline on Jan. 20. Union bosses were furious along with many conservative pundits and officials: democrats couldn’t even get through their first day of office without murdering American jobs. 11,000 jobs seem like a lot to just vanish, and they didn’t. The jobs lost due to the KXL Pipeline are a considerable amount less and they are only truly lost if Biden turns his back on the “Biden Environmental Plan” and the Green New Deal. The “11,000 union jobs” that were lost can only be traced back to one source, Alberta-based TC Energy. TC Energy is the company behind the majority of the planning, funding and profiting from the KXL Pipelines construction. In a statement released directly after the closure of one of their most profitable and expensive ventures, they made the claim that 1,000 jobs were immediately lost, many of them contractors, and a projected 10,000 jobs lost in the future, totaling $1.6 billion in gross wages. TC Energy gave no statistics or research to back up their claim, and this is accompanied by the fact that throughout the construction of other projects, including the base Keystone Pipeline, their projections were rarely even close to the reality of the project. All of this becomes even more compounded when you see that TC Energy pays corporate taxes in Alberta, Canada. The company has been creating numbers from nothing to protect its profits that it plans to hide from the deserving hands of the American people. But why does the exact number of jobs lost

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OPINION

matter? The moral is that Joe Biden and his democrats are stripping money from the homes of the great American laborer. The American worker truly is the backbone of this country and every industrialized country on earth. But it’s a backbone that’s been bent and broken time after time at the hands of the class system that they are the truest victims

President Joe Biden signing an executive order to cancel construction on the Keystone Pipeline. (Photo from Bing)

of. The cancelation of the KXL Pipeline seems like just another blow to this downtrodden and bullied group, but there is bigger salvation for the energy unions. The Green New Deal has been pitched as an attempt to rescue the spiraling climate change catastrophe, but more than that, it walks in the footsteps of its namesake. The Green New Deal is a job

program. In 1933, FDR’s New Deal gave millions of poor Americans an escape out of poverty, out of hardship, out of death. This is what the Green New Deal offers to Americans all across a dying industry with horrific conditions. The Green New Deal would offer these laborers, these patriots, a path to a better and more secure life. This job act would provide upwards of 30 million jobs, creating and updating American infrastructure with the purpose of lower environmental impact over its 10-year life span. The vast majority of these jobs would still be union, have an average higher pay than the KXL and employ the exact same people. The American working class has been kept down by the boot heel of the rich for too long. The weary worker has been misled to believe that the solution lies within less government intervention. We all have been fooled into thinking we will be the next billionaire or we will be able to break through, ignorant that the odds are ever against us. We must not put faith in a system that elevates the few, but one that boosts the many. The KXL Pipeline only helps the few, with most benefits going to the rich, and little evidence shown for the few jobs it creates. Instead, we must look to the future while learning from the past in the form of the Green New Deal, an act that will help the many and pave the way for the future of this country to have success, no matter what level they find themselves. The American laborer has been beaten down enough; it’s time for the community to step in and try to give them a helping hand.

ADS n March 2021

Tr a d e S e c r e t s

Reddit investors upset stock market By n Allison Caskey

Feature Editor

n late January, a dwindling stock called GameStop increased its share value by 1700%. Social media, in this case, Reddit, used a Wall Street tactic to beat Wall Street at its own game. According to a Yahoo FinanceHarris Poll, 28% of Americans bought GameStop (GME) and other viral stocks. An important piece to understanding how this happened, and understanding the stock market in general, is knowing that the price of a stock can have zero correlation to what the company is worth; instead, it is what people think they can buy shares or sell shares for. While blue-chip stocks tend to be based on the company’s history of profitability and stability in the market, the majority of stocks are just traded on innuendo and predictions. When a corporation goes “public,” the owners are offering pieces of their business to the outside investors in hopes of bringing an influx of cash in for their stakeholders. Investment analysts study trends of similar types of stocks and commodities, make a valuation of the worth per share, and either decide to buy, or not. But, sometimes, an anomaly occurs. This is where the GameStop situation comes in. The company itself is struggling. With so many other ways to purchase games and gaming devices, GameStop has become the Blockbuster Video of this decade. The recent commotion surrounding the retailer began with online forum site, Reddit. A subreddit group called “r/WallStreetBets” manipulated the price of GameStop’s stock, which had been hovering in the $10-$14 per share range, by encouraging their group members to buy low and get the investors excited about it. They didn’t just target GameStop. They also

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NEWS

threw AMC Entertainment into the mix. After all, many investors care less about what the stock is really worth and more about how much money they can make by buying low and selling high. This tactic managed to shake up the market, specifically hedge fund managers, who tend to buy short. This means that they “borrow” the stocks from their investors and sell them, in hopes of making a profit. They are gambling that the stock price will go down and that they will be able to buy back what

“

What this did is encourage smalltime first investors to get involved in the markets and showed the power of these investors when they are all pointed in the same direction. n Daniel

”

Holbert History Teacher

they borrowed at a much lower price and return those “borrowed” stocks to their investors, while making a clean profit. However, with the scheme from Reddit users, GameStop’s value kept increasing and hedge fund managers and other investors who bought on margin were in big trouble. “I think it was a massive opportunity for a bunch of small guys to become millionaires,” Daniel Holbert, history teacher, said. “This was a brilliant idea by the Reddit guys to see that the stock was so heavily shorted and take

advantage of the hedge funds’ short position, effectively making the hedge funds fuel their own billion-dollar losses when they had to cover their shorts. There is this myth out there in the mainstream media that these Reddit investors were these bunch of uneducated, unsophisticated losers who were manipulating the stock market. This shows you the power of corporate ownership in the media and, in reality, it is far from the truth. First off, there is a major designation to be made between the guys on Reddit that started this thing and the bandwagon investors that followed. For the people that saw this thing months ago and exposed the short position by the hedge funds, it took massive amounts of research and intelligence to make it happen. Was this market manipulation? Sure, but what isn’t?” Some people saw this as more of a political protest against Wall Street than anything long term, as far as a total shakeup of the stock market. “The GameStop situation was more or less an economic extension of the political populism we are currently experiencing — i.e., the Main Street vs. Wall Street, little guy vs. big guy mentality,” Frank Gerard, history teacher, said. Once exposed, the hedge fund managers had clients wanting to sell their shares of GameStop and AMC at these new exorbitant prices. Hedge fund managers were frantically scrambling to purchase stocks that they may have sold for $60, but were now over $300, causing them to lose a fortune per share. “What this did is encourage small-time first investors to get involved in the markets and showed the power of these investors when they are all pointed in the same direc-

Words to Know

Stock / Share :

A stock represents a piece of a company that someone holds. A share, more specifically, refers to partial ownership of a particular company. These terms are generally used interchangeably.

(Photo from Yahoo Finance)

tion,” Holbert said. “Pump and dumps and attacking over-shorted positions is nothing new to the stock market, but what is new is massive amounts of small investors engaging in these strategies.” Gerard took a similar stance. “The SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) will more than likely investigate, but to require regulation of the small investor in these situations would also require regulation of the large hedge funds. Too much money is currently being made on short selling by the Wall Street bigs, so regulation probably won’t be happening anytime soon,” said Gerard. Junior Sawyer Atwell doesn’t think that a united push to invest in something like GameStop will be the new norm. “I think this is a flash in the pan, and it’s not going to have much of an effect on the nature of the stock market in the long run,” Atwell said. Robinhood is a popular, commission-free investment company that created controversy by limiting its users ability to buy GameStop and AMC stocks. Robinhood made their money and was now bowing to the hedge fund managers. The backlash from investors was significant, causing Robinhood to reverse their decision. GameStop, which soared to over $370, is now falling back rapidly, but is still way above where it should be according to the company’s actual value. Holbert believes that Robinhood should not have the ability to stop the selling/buying shares of a stock to manipulate the demand.

“When Robinhood restricted trading, that undid the pressure that the Reddit guys had on the shorts, effectively tipping the scales for the hedge funds,” Holbert said. Gerard shared a similar opinion. “There is no SEC rule that allows investment brokers to cherry-pick which investors may benefit and which may not. In fact, the SEC is there to level the playing field. So I don’t see a repeat of Robinhood doing what they did,” Gerard said. In addition to creating more discussion regarding stocks, these events potentially encouraged the younger generation to get involved in the stock market. “I think the social media buzz surrounding this, especially through memes, has gotten a lot of students interested in stocks and investment,” Atwell said. “Getting more kids involved in the stock market will hopefully allow students greater financial literacy and independence, which is something that the student population could use right now.” This situation will also likely cause investors to look at the market differently, knowing the effect of social media and small investors working together. “This could one hundred percent happen again in the future,” Holbert said. “The cat is out of the bag now so it’s more of a ‘when and where’ question. The strategy of attacking an over shorted position in an old trick. All they have to do is do their research and find another stock that is being heavily shorted.”

Hedge Fund :

A hedge fund is an investment partnership, using funds pooled by members, to make potentially risky investments. They face less regulation than other funds and are only open to accredited investors, not amateurs.

Shorting :

When shorting a stock, investors borrow shares that they believe will decrease in value. They then sell these shares at market price, and before they have to return the borrowed shares, they buy them back at a lower cost. This only works if their prediction that value will go down is accurate.

(Information from Investopedia)

NEWS n March 2021

Presidential address stating the rejoining of the Paris Climate Agreement (Photo from ABC News)

Commitment to Change

U.S. rejoins the Paris Climate Agreement By n Aidan Shelton n Feature Writer

ere hours after his 2021 inauguration, President Joe Biden rejoined the Paris Climate Accord three years after former president Donald Trump pulled out of the agreement. The Climate Accord was drafted on Dec. 12, 2015 after 196 representative parties met in Le Bourget, France, and made an agreement to implement policies and regulations. The intent was to limit the impact global warming has on the average global atmospheric temperature. Known formally as the Paris Climate Accord, this agreement acknowledges the irreversible damage climate change poses and aims to counteract it through cooperation and intensive reduction in worldwide emissions. For the agreement to be enforced, 55 countries representing 55% of global emissions had to deposit their means of ratification. Ratification of the Paris Climate Accord was made official on Oct. 5, 2016, after the requisite participating parties had signed. The changes this agreement proposed revolved around increasing or reducing three key indicators of atmospheric condition by at least 20%. This served to: increase global energy efficiency by 20%, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20%, and to increase the market share of renewable energy by 20%. By doing so, participating parties hope to combat the impact global warming has on the planet, as excess greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide, are weakening the ozone layer and raising global temperatures. World leaders also agreed to a long term goal of keeping the escalation of global average temperature from surpassing 2 degrees Celsius above that of pre-industrial levels, as well as a more

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immediate goal to limit the increase of global average temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, involved parties agreed to a high level of transparency, with intent to reconvene every five years to discuss the efforts made toward preventing the effects of global warming. Reports will be made to the public detailing how climate action is implemented, as parties also make an attempt to strengthen society’s capacity for dealing with global warming. A recurring theme throughout the conference was one of economic frugality, which recognized the significance of preventing loss and damages related to or caused by the increase in global temperature. Participating parties agreed to the pact with cooperation in mind, and plans were quickly made to implement universal infrastructure in

Transcript of Paris Agreement (Photo from WWF Columbia)

third world countries and other countries incapable of doing so alone. Additionally, The Paris Climate Accord also acknowledges the role of non-party participants such as cities, provinces, and state authorities in addressing the issues climate change poses on the world. The Accord also invited the participants not represented at the meeting, but represented by attending parties, to scale up effort in an attempt to build resilience against the negative impacts of climate change. By doing so, the idea of cooperation was further expanded upon, as global scale changes are hardly possible without global scale cooperation. In December of 2018, the Katowice Rulebook was agreed upon at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP24). This rulebook detailed a precise way to operationalize the Paris Climate Accord, hereby making the assimilation of climate control related operations easier for participating parties. These rules encompassed the previously discussed transparency policies, economic approach, mitigation/adaptation related actions and how to operate at the highest capacity. The Paris Agreement was designed to evolve as time passed, with scheduled conventions every five years with the intent to discuss progress and necessary alterations. Every five years, target goals of each country will be reevaluated as the world moves closer to combating climate change. Meetings will continue to occur every five years until long term climate goals are reached. This theoretical point is considered to be mid-century, but work isn’t done until net greenhouse gas emissions reach

zero. In order to accomplish this, countries are working to balance the input and output of greenhouse gasses. For every amount of greenhouse gas emitted, an equal amount of gas will be removed through air filtration methods such as reforestation. Criticism of the Paris Climate Accord is prevalent as well, as some observers believe the agreement to be generally ineffective. Their concerns are reinforced by a study done by Nature weekly news magazine, which states that as of 2019, no major industrialized countries have implemented the policies necessary to make significant progress in climate conservation. Consequently, the Katowice rules were implemented in effort to combat these criticisms. Critics also note the lack of quantifiable concerns relative to those based purely upon hypothetical language. Many consider the use of words such as ‘enhancing action’ and ‘strengthening bonds’ to be weaker in theoretical value than the quantifiable goals featured earlier in the agreement, while others appreciated the positive and encouraging language. In light of aforementioned relevant criticisms, former President Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord after declaring his intent to do so upon assuming presidency in January of 2017. Due to a caveat in the agreement, withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord could not occur before three years after the pact came into force, which prevented the United States from petitioning for withdrawal until November of 2019. Trump cited potential economic issues as his reason for leaving, stating that the Paris Accord

would take Americans out of jobs and damage the manufacturing infrastructure that makes the United States a global superpower. The decision to withdraw was considered by some to be a foolish move by the former president, as democrats and republicans argued the benefits and detriments of the Paris Climate Accord. Others noted the irony of the situation, as the United States under the Obama administration made immense efforts to ensure both transparency and accountability be maintained, spearheading the language that made the agreement easier to join than to leave. As Trump’s term came to a close, presidential candidate Joe Biden made it known he would rejoin the Paris Climate Accord upon election, which he promptly did, signing it back into force hours after his inauguration. This move came as a shock to few, as Biden has made consistent efforts to combat climate change throughout his political career. The reentry took effect on Feb. 19, 2021, returning the United States to the agreement they made so difficult to leave in the first place. The reentry of the United States into the Paris Agreement comes in a time of need for the United States, as record breaking ice storms have pummeled the midwest United States, leaving a historic number of families without power. Since storms are a climate related catastrophe, the people of Texas are eligible for emergency related funds allocated under the Paris Accord, which promises physical and financial aid to those impacted by loss and damages due to climate related occurrences. While at first glance, the Paris Climate Accord

Students protest lack of govenment regualtion on climate change (Photo from ekathimerini.com)

seems to only affect us from a global perspective, the impact it has can be traced everywhere, even to relatively smaller areas like Western North Carolina. “Farmers in Henderson County grow apples because our climate of warm days and cool nights, with valleys protecting trees from frost, promotes apple production and flavor. Those home grown apples bring in tens of millions of dollars each year,” West Henderson science teacher Kathleen Abraham said. “The economy of Henderson County also benefits from the many breweries that take advantage of our clean, cool rivers. From small operations to large corporations such as Bold Rock

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The question is not how well we can adapt to a changing climate, but how well those species that we rely on can adapt. n

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Kathleen Abraham

West Henderson Science Teacher

and Sierra Nevada, our climate directly influences the quality of the water used in their operations.” As the quality of the climate affects Henderson County, it also affects every other region of the country, which is why rejoining the Paris Climate Accord was so important to the United States as a whole. The Accord also affects the oceans and creatures that live in it, such as fish, coral reefs and phytoplankton. “Phytoplankton are the plankton in the ocean that perform photosynthesis. Not only are they a crucial food source, but they also provide upwards of 70% of atmospheric oxygen. So many life forms, including humans, are quite reliant on atmospheric oxygen. The question is not how well we can adapt to a changing climate, but how well those species that we rely on can adapt,” Abraham said. On top of the Accord itself, there is still work to be done as climate change continues to negatively impact the world. From aiming to reduce emissions and dispose of waste in an eco-friendly manner, technology still has a long way to go before we can consider the climate crisis under control. While some view this as a daunting task, others approach the situation with more optimism. “Through funding and education, we need to create opportunities for technological innovation. We are the only species that uses more energy than we need for our daily metabolism, and I don’t see us reducing our use,” Abraham said. “I am confident we can use our overly large brains and our opposable thumbs to find ways to stay plugged in without continuing to emit greenhouse gases.”

NEWS n March 2021

Red Rover, Red Rover Perseverance lands on Mars By n Allison Caskey n Feature Editor

n Feb. 18, 2021, NASA’s Perseverance rover finally landed in Jezero Crater on the surface of Mars after a seven-month journey in space. According to NASA’s website, the purpose of the rover is to “look for signs of past microbial life, cache rock and soil samples, and prepare for future human exploration.” From the moment that humans first laid eyes on Mars, they have been captivated by the vast landscape. Since the 1960s, NASA has been exploring the planet using rovers and orbiters in order to study it and try to answer the question of if Mars has ever hosted life, and if it ever will. Despite be-

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ing a little more than half of Earth’s size, the surface area of Mars is about the equivalent of that of Earth’s continents. However, the known water on the planet is in polar caps and possibly lies beneath the surface. “I think it’s very exciting because the mission itself is to explore the possibility of life on another planet,” Sergey Zalevskiy, science and astronomy teacher at West Henderson, said. “It’s going to be exciting to see what kind of results they come up with. Now that we know Earth and Mars are very similar in their beginnings, and then they diverged quite significantly. We’re trying to figure out what happened, why they diverged, as well as if there was any possibility of life occurring in this. Besides that, it’s very interesting to know the environment of other planets, so there are lots of other possibilities of things to study like water and where it is on Mars. It’s just very exciting for science and the future as a whole.” Before the rover landed on Feb. 18, only four rovers had previously touched down on the most sought after destination for relocation of human life. As NASA states, the purpose of Perseverance, or “Percy,” is to further study the atmosphere, land, and capability to sustain life. “It’s a little bit too early to just give up on the Earth, and we still have a lot of work that can be done here because the earth is a very robust system that can obviously handle quite a lot,” Zalevskiy said. “It’s not time to leave yet. However, as many know, many futurists and scientists are having this discussion of asking, ‘Are humans going to

NEWS (Photo Illustration by Zoya Zalevskiy)

be able to realize that we need to do something different?’ If not, we definitely should be looking to move to somewhere else. This is why Elon Musk started SpaceX, because this is not a new conversation. In the 1960s, an astronomer called Carl Sagan talked about the fact that the Earth has limited resources. Even if we do everything right, resources are limited because of population growth. Eventually, we’re going to run out of resources and [outer] space has unlimited resources, so therefore, we have to become a space-faring civilization in order for us to survive long-term. It’s too early to give up, but yes, we have to prepare.” In addition to the other historical achievements made, we were also given the first glimpse at what the red planet actually sounds like. Along with photos and video recording of the landing, NASA also received audio clips on Feb. 22 of the windy surface. In addition to the 25 cameras attached to the rover, two microphones were also sent along with it. Although one failed during the descent to the surface, the remaining one was able to capture the first sounds ever recorded on another planet. Mission team members stated that they hope to hear many more sounds from Mars, including wind, storms, falling rocks and the sound of Perseverance’s wheels as it moves or its drill as it digs into the Martian surface, according to Yahoo News. However, scientists involved warn that the microphones may not last for the entirety of Perseverance’s mission due to the harsh conditions on Mars. “This is the first time we’re actually going to bring the samples back,” Zalevskiy said. “We only did this once, and it was from the moon and it was a long time ago. This is like the first time since the moon rods that we’re going to be able to bring samples from another planet to study, which is significant. It’s always important to remember that a hundred years ago, in the 1920s, we just discovered cars and electricity and it was exciting. These are baby steps, and it’s amazing how much has been able to be accomplished in the past few decades. We tend to forget that, as humans.”

“Developing the Mind, Body, and Spirit in pursuit of a Stronger Future”

Dustin Cox - Jostens representative

(828) 891-9616 5218 Brevard Rd, Horse Shoe, NC 28742 ADS n March 2021

Worth a Shot COVID-19 vaccine becomes widely available across the country by n Emily Chambliss n Web Editor-in-Chief

he needle sunk into his arm, pushing through his skin and into the muscle. Microscopic molecules traveled into his cells, beginning a process that could save his life and many others. His arm aches, but it’s barely noticeable. He smiles, more than ready for his life to get back to normal. On Jan. 21, 2020, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in the United States. Since then, the medical community has worked tirelessly to create a viable treatment. Almost an entire year later, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the use of an mRNA vaccine to prevent the virus on Dec. 11. RNA is a molecule essential in various cellular biological processes, like the coding and expression of genes. mRNA is a subtype of RNA. It carries portions of DNA across the cell for processing. In an mRNA vaccine, the nucleic acid codes for the spike protein of the virus. Spike proteins allow viruses to penetrate cells and cause infection. It is a replicated surface protein, not the entire virus itself. The mRNA instructs the body to produce spike proteins. The body recognizes that these proteins are foreign and produces antibodies to fight it off, preparing the immune system for a potential coronavirus infection. “All kinds of vaccines have the same principle: getting the attention of your immune system,” Dr. Amy Sheck, Dean of Science at the North Carolina School of Science and Math, said. “I think mRNA vaccines are really nice. Adjustments are easy to make in the case of a mutation. You just take

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FEATURE

something out and put in a new piece. They can be made and adjusted in a relatively short amount of time, and that’s a good thing.” Two vaccines were granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA in December 2020. These are produced by the companies Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. Pfizer is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, and Mod-

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I think people can take reasonable precautions. But the real danger is not being vaccinated. n Dr.

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Amy Sheck

NCSSM Dean of Science

erna is a newer biotechnology company based in Cambridge, MA. An FDA analysis report released on Feb. 24 reports that the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is safe and 66% effective. The vaccine became widely available across the country in late February. “The efficacy of both of these vaccines is amazing,” Sheck said. “It’s in the ‘90s. They were hoping for the ‘70s, but they got in the ‘90s. I wouldn’t

worry about the difference in effectiveness between the two brands. The big difference is storage. Pfizer needs this ultra cold freezer, which makes it harder to distribute. Storage affects vaccination rate, which is very important.” The needle is skinnier than a pencil point, and experts report that it should feel no different from any other routine vaccine. Medical professionals recommend looking away from the injection site and relaxing your arm to minimize anxiety and pain. The process is not difficult and should be over just as fast as it began. “Our facility is a special care unit. All of our residents have some form of Alzheimer’s or Dementia,” Sydney Contreras, Resident Care Coordinator at Mountain View Assisted Living, said. “When it comes to the process of giving shots, it’s usually a little chaotic, but it actually worked really well and went really smooth. The Health Department did a good job.” Minimal side effects, like soreness and a low grade fever are common after receiving any vaccine. However, many are worried, as a result of the fast tracked development and approval of the COVID-19 vaccine, that the side effects could be severe. “None of our residents had any side effects or issues with the vaccine,” Contreras said. “I was very tired after both doses, and I ran a small fever. My arm was pretty sore and my body felt super drained. But after getting some sleep, I felt just fine. Nothing lasted long.” Though none of the clinical trials reported any major safety concerns, health-

care providers are making an effort to curb people’s fears regarding the vaccine. Patients are to remain at the clinic for 15 minutes after receiving their vaccines for observation. They are encouraged to report any abnormal side effects to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System or their local clinic. “I think people can take reasonable precautions,” Sheck said. “But the real danger is not being vaccinated.” Dozens of conspiracy theories regarding the virus and the vaccine have risen to prominence in the last year. From the virus being fake, to the government microchipping citizens with the vaccine, each theory has little to no merit. The newness of both the virus and the vaccine make people much more susceptible to misinformation. “When they first introduced the vaccine, I wasn’t very educated on it. I knew I wasn’t going to turn into a zombie or anything, but it was easy to fall into some of the conspiracy theories,” Contreras said. “They developed it so fast and I wasn’t confident in its safety. The biggest scare is the unknown. But after talking to our facility doctor and doing some research, I felt a lot more comfortable. This protects the lives of the people I take care of, so I am all for it.” Creating a successful vaccine in under a year is no small feat. Prior to the pandemic, the mumps vaccine, developed in four years, held the record for fastest vaccine conception. Pharmaceutical companies, both large and small, came together to quicken the development of vaccines and treatments. Global collaboration, generous funding and innovative mRNA technology allowed for the

vaccine’s rapid production. “Here is a process that normally takes five years, and we did it in one year. So how did we do that? The technology is different. The RNA technology is faster. Building strings of nucleic acid is pretty easy and it’s so cheap. The technology itself makes the process go faster,” Sheck said. “If we can do it this fast this time, what’s next? Can we do it

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Everyone has a different perspective about the pandemic and its impact in Henderson County. The families and loved ones of those lost wouldn’t debate with them. They have experienced those losses in a direct and personal way... a friend, a family member, a neighbor. The human impact has certainly been felt.

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n Andrew Mundhenk Henderson County DPH Communications Manager

again? Can we do it better? This really is a game changer for creating vaccines. Instead of growing them in chick embryos, maybe we can do it a lot faster every time.” Henderson County has not been spared by the deadly onslaught of the virus. According to the Henderson County COVID-19 dashboard, there have been 9,489 positive cases and 153 deaths as of March 29. “The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all aspects of life in Henderson County, just as it has nationally and globally,” Andrew Mundhenk, Communications Manager at the Henderson County Department of Public Health said. “Everyone has a different perspective about the pandemic and its impact in Henderson County. The families and loved ones of those lost wouldn’t debate with them. They have experienced those losses in a direct and personal way... a friend, a family member, a neighbor. The human impact has certainly been felt.” The health department provides investigation, surveillance and prevention methods to control all infectious diseases, including the coronavirus. They will continue to work closely with hospitals, care facilities, businesses, schools and other public organizations to make sure they have the resources they need. “County health departments were the first to enter the COVID-19 response and will be the last to leave,” Mundhenk said. “No doubt (that this experience) will help formulate our preparedness strategy moving forward for the next situation. Right now, however, it is still very much all hands on deck.”

FEATURE n March 2021

Every health care provider is legally required to submit any “reportable” disease information to the health department. Reportable diseases are tracked by the health department. They take the lead on contact tracing. Identifying people who test positive and those they came in contact with in an attempt to hinder disease spread. The health department has also made an effort to educate the community on how the virus spreads and proper preventative measures. “The health department tracks communicable diseases to ensure the safety of the community by seeking to prevent disease outbreaks,” Mundhenk said. “Disease prevention and control is a cooperative effort involving health care providers, local and state health departments and members of the community. Over 18,000 people in Henderson County have signed up to receive the vaccine, but the health department has only had enough supply to call roughly 2,000 of those people. As of Feb. 19, they have administered 4,307 first doses and 1,831 second doses. Health care workers were first

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We see vaccines as the light at the end of the tunnel, the most effective tool we have towards getting out of this pandemic. n Andrew

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Mundhenk

Henderson County DoPH Communications Manager

priority, and adults age 65 and up are next. Pardee UNC Healthcare and Blue Ridge Health began the vaccination of school staff on Feb. 27. “The current priority is our vaccination campaign,” Mundhenk said. “It will be months, not weeks, until everyone is able to have the opportunity to be vaccinated. But we see vaccines as the light at the end of the tunnel, the most effective tool we have towards getting out of this pandemic.” The Henderson County Health Department is hosting vaccination clinics at local schools like East Henderson High School and Apple Valley Middle School. They are working to distribute the vaccines they receive from the state swiftly and efficiently. “Timelines for future groups remain uncertain as vaccine providers continue to get very limited weekly allotments,” Mundhenk said. “We are working with other vaccine providers in the community to vaccinate everyone who wants to as quickly as possible.” A 2020 survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation reported that more than a quarter of Americans would probably, or definitely not

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Patient is bandaged up after recieving COVID-19 vaccine. (Photo by Zoya Zalevskiy) be taking the coronavirus vaccine. Most of these people are Black, rural or republican Americans. Different groups are hesitant for different reasons. Many Black Americans’ concerns can be attributed to a history of racism and ethics violations in the medical field. “Among Black Americans, there is vaccine hesitancy because of the Tuskegee syphilis trials,” Sheck said. “That is warranted and unfortunate. The medical community needs to win that trust back.” Genuine health concerns aside, many Americans simply believe they do not need a coronavirus vaccine and the government has no right to force them to receive one. “People have inflated public health issues with freedom. We love freedom. But there are some things we don’t have the freedom to do. We participate in a civil society, and we agree on certain behaviors. We’ve agreed to abide by rules, and there continues to be confusion about that,” Sheck said. “Then there was the incident of an Andrew Wakefield paper on the false association of vaccinations and autism. That’s an idea that a lot of people latch onto. When it comes to your precious child or your family, fear overwhelms any rational thought.” Herd immunity, or resistance to an infectious disease within a population as a result of vaccination or prior infection, protects the people in a community who cannot get vaccinated for various medical reasons. While someone may not care about getting the virus themselves, the possibility of spreading something deadly to other people is a strong motivator. The CDC recommends vaccination as the best way to protect yourself and others from the spread of COVID-19. “Getting vaccinated is something you can do for everyone else. This is what we do for the com-

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Getting vaccinated is something you can do for everyone else. This is what we do for the community. n

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Sydney Contreras

Resident Care Coordinator at Mountain View Assisted Living munity,” Sheck said. “I’m vaccinated to protect my mother and my granddaughter. Do it for other people. And also do it for yourself. I’m thrilled to be vaccinated so I don’t have to worry about getting COVID. I don’t have to worry about giving it to other people.” In a little less than a year, there have been over 500,000 COVID-19 virus deaths in the United States. Millions have lost their jobs, and families all over the country have suffered in an unforgettable manner. After a year of constant struggle and loss, the vaccine finally shines a light on the finish line and a hopeful future. “The vaccine is the unknown. There’s a chance something bad may happen because of it. But there’s also the chance that it won’t,” Contreras said. “This vaccine is going to save lives. To me, that is more than worth it. The people I take care of are always someone’s family member. If something were to happen, their family can’t come in to say goodbye. I’ll do anything to prevent someone from losing family like that. We need to do this. For ourselves and everyone else.”

Rewriting

History?

New social studies curriculum creates difficulties for teachers By n Marissa Detwiler n Feature Writer

he young, bright-eyed woman discovered her passion within learning about the history of our nation: the gory details of war, oddly specific facts about each U.S. president and the diverse blend of cultures that makes America so exquisitely unique. Now an educator, she shares this passion with each one of her students. She dives into lessons with enthusiasm and grabs the attention of her class with each detail and story. In her class, students do not just recite information, but retain it. Many social studies teachers, including Vanessa Price, are afraid they will no longer be able to effectively teach content to students following a recent curriculum change by the NC Board of Education. The Board voted to include new standards in the social studies curriculum which will specifically discuss “racism, marginalized groups and the impact of policies on different populations.” The new standards specify which diverse perspectives teachers must cover, whereas the previous standards gave teachers the option to choose between these perspectives. In addition to the new standards, the entire social studies curriculum has been altered. Lobbyists convinced the board to implement a personal finance course within the realm of social studies, which affected the overall layout of required high school classes. “I don’t disagree that kids should be taking personal finance in high school. But a lot of social studies teachers are wondering why they decided to put it in our curriculum,” Price said. “It has created a ripple effect of sorts, because now two classes (American History 1 and 2) have been smashed together. Now we won’t have the time to cover the original source material, much less the new standards in the detail that I believe is necessary.” While the newly required topics have been the center of many news headlines, Price emphasized that most teachers were not worried about covering them. In fact, most teachers included diverse people and events in their lessons already. The issue lies within the sheer amount of content teachers

will be expected to cover, as two courses are being combined into one. “The original reason we separated American History 1 and 2 was so that we had more time to teach it, so we could include minority groups and be more inclusive with history rather than only covering a bunch of old, dead white guys,” Price said. “There was a lot of backlash about the board smashing the two courses into one. We just won’t have time to teach about minority history or really dive into any diverse perspectives.” The timing of these new standards has garnered copious amounts of attention from media outlets. Many reporters have speculated that the Black Lives Matter movement over the summer of 2020 prompted the vote. However, Price confirmed that the revisions have been in the works for years, contrary to popular belief. “These revisions have been floating around for about two years now. Granted, most of that time was just talk instead of action. We are actually already in the process of phasing the new standards and new courses in,” Price said. “I do not know that it is a direct result of the BLM movement. My feeling is that the timing was coincidental, considering how long the new standards have been talked about.” The revised standards were not without strong opposition from the public, however. Board members, such as Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, claimed that the standards implied that systemic racism existed in America. Robinson went on to state that systemic racism “does not exist and should not be taught in schools.” Following these complaints, the words, “systemic racism, systemic discrimination, and gender indentity,” were all removed from the proposal. These terms were replaced by “racism, discrimination, and identity.” State Superintendent, Catherine Truitt, has clarified that the terms were replaced because teachers needed to discuss multiple forms of racism, discrimination and identity, not because the Board refutes the existence of systemic racism.

According to Price, one of the most controversial revisions referred to gender identity, or “identity.” Some teachers have released statements which claim they will not teach young students about gender identity, because it clashes with their personal beliefs. On the other hand, LGBTQ rights advocates, including Equality North Carolina, have responded to the new standards with public support. In a publicly released letter, the advocacy group stated: “Historically, institutions, including education, have erased histories of marginalized groups, namely Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQ histories. These erasures have a lived impact on our communities both from a policy perspective and within our day-to-day lives.” According to Price, teachers were given surveys from the Board of Education. Price then concluded that the Board wanted feedback but did not allow teachers to take part in the final decision. “That is really what so many teachers are mad about. They are the ones teaching the content, teaching being the key word here. With so many years of history to cover, it will not be the learning experience many teachers want to offer to their students,” Price said. Traditionally, Price has found that many students think of history as boring and repetitive. Years ago, when the state previously decided to split American History into two courses, teachers like Price realized that their students were much more engaged. Now the Board is reversing this engagement by doubling content and cutting teaching time in half, which Price believes reinforces the stereotype that history lacks excitement. “You can get through the content. It´s the difference between a deep dive and surface level learning. And that surface level teaching is the reason why so many have hated history in the past. I really try to stray from this type of teaching in my classes, but these teachers won´t have that choice,¨ Price said. “I just want to show kids that history is so far from boring. There is a reason I’m so passionate about it.”

FEATURE n March 2021

the

Flipping

Script

Local student activism group inspires community action

By n Zoya Zalevskiy n Editor-in-Chief tudent-led activism groups are becoming throughout history. work. From making physical posters about difmore common across the United States, es“As a student of color, and as an ally to other ficult issues to hang around school campuses, to pecially following a politically charged year. racial and ethnic communities I know what it’s creating online resources about current events, Henderson County is no exception to this rise in like to grow up without accurate representation to emailing school board members and teachers advocacy. Diversify Our Narrative (DON) is an in literature, and I really want to change that for across the county about the mission of DON, stuorganization devoted to fighting racial injustices other students of color.” DeGuzman said. dent activists are able to be involved in a variety and inequality within our education system. This chapter of the nationwide organization of ways. Maxon has helped spread the mission Founded in 2020, DON focuses on bringing light has spread to schools across the county, includof DON by contacting faculty at school through to harmful stereotypes and caricatures of racial ing West Henderson. Senior Caroline Maxon is an emails, as well as working on her own personal and ethnic groups that are taught in literature involved student working to incorporate Divergoals using what she has learned through the curriculums across the country. sify Our Narrative within the halls of West. organization. When students across Henderson County “I really wanted to try and communicate the “I sent out an email to the faculty explaining heard word of this nationwide movement, they idea to the English department to encourage the what DON is and sent resources of how they can immediately jumped at the chance to make a reading of authors that were of different races become involved. I’ve been trying to work on change in their community. Hendersonville High and of different backgrounds,” Maxon said. “I stuff personally as well,” Maxon said. “So for an School senior, Rachel DeGuzman, was one of want to help encourage exposure to the whole AP Literature project I chose to read a book by those students. student body.” Richard Wright, who is a famous African Ameri“My friend texted me saying that they had Since June 2020, members of the DON can author, just to explore a different type of this whole national chapter of Henderson County have been hard at literature.” There are also opmovement going on and portunities to serve in that we could start a a leadership position chapter for our region, for through this organizaHenderson County Public tion. DeGuzman serves Schools. I thought, (that) as a graphic designer for I would really like to bring the chapter, sometimes this to our county so that having the opportunity we could really change to help lead the chapter things around here,” Deas well. Guzman said. “For graphic design, The goal of Diversify we research recent or Our Narrative is to bring current events or try to racial awareness to the find holidays that are classroom through resignificant to racial and forming the way students ethnic minorities. We are taught about racial do extensive research and ethnic minorities. on them and try to put While often presented as a those facts into a post, caricature, or completely put it on social media left out of many literature to try and educate curriculums, DON works others. For the district with local school boards, leads, we connect with school administration our regional leader, tell and educators to incorpothem our goals for the rate accurate depictions chapter, how far we’ve Signs created by the Henderson Country DON chapter. (Photo by Rachel DeGuzman) of people of color’s lives

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Recent Henderson Country DON chapter meeting. (Photo by Rachel DeGuzman) gotten with our goals,” DeGuzman said. But not everything has been smooth sailing for members of DON. Students have faced many personal challenges in response to the politically charged year and their continuous work through

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I know what it’s like to grow up without accurate representation in literature, and I really want to change that for other students of color. n Rachel

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DeGuzman HHS Senior

the organization and outside of it. A major challenge has been activist burnout: the feeling of being overwhelmed, frustrated and hopeless after a period of intense activism. “Activist burnout is very real, so I appreciate the people who try to stay involved and continue to come to meetings and work at our goals. I think through Diversify Our Narrative, a lot of us have learned how to combat this activist burnout and why we can’t just let it prevent us (to keep) pushing the movement forward,” DeGuzman said.

Roadblocks, such as funding within the county — which isn’t able to accomodate buying new pieces of literature for students — and keeping members involved, have caused members to become disheartened. However, moving forward is essential to making tangible change. “I try to stay motivated by remembering that some people don’t have the privilege of stopping the movement and dropping all of the work that has been poured into this organization,” DeGuzman said. “I really think about the impact that we can have if we keep pushing.” Despite these challenges, the DON chapter of Henderson County has moved forward in their efforts to change the way the Henderson County education system handles topics surrounding minority groups in the classroom. Students helped start a petition to implement DON goals within the school system, and began collecting donations to pave the way toward affording literature options that are diverse and widely available in schools. The petition has over 500 of their needed 1,000 signatures and the fundraiser has reached their $150 goal, but is still accepting donations. DeGuzman has said that the overwhelming supportive community has been the most surprising and heartwarming thing about being involved with this organization. “Just by signing the petition, donating anything they can, spreading the petition and

fundraiser, joining the organization, or even just telling people what Diversify Our Narrative is, it all helps in such a big way,” DeGuzman said.“I don’t think we would be as far as we are now without community support.” Being involved with Diversify Our Narrative has influenced members’ world views. It has allowed for students who feel disadvantaged to come together with students who want to help create a more representative educational space. By challenging the stereotypes and conventional mindsets that many were brought up believing to be true, students have been encouraged to broaden their horizons. “It just made me realize (what a) small corner of literature we really explore in the English classroom, and how there are so many more different elements, different cultures,” Maxon said. “It’s important to not just read these books by English authors; we need to be encouraged to explore more, to expose yourself to more, to realize that there is more.” The people involved with Diversify Our Narrative have been motivated to get outside of their comfort zone and do something positive for their community. “I just like to remind our community that the fight against racism and prejudice is far from over, and it isn’t too late to help our organization,” DeGuzman said. “You can’t stay within your comfort zone and you have to be willing to push and step out, really pour in a lot of effort or else there isn’t going to be any real lasting change.”

Senior Caroline Maxon works on reaching out to community members. (Photo by Caroline Maxon)

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VIRAL VIBES

Staff reviews popular TikTok songs By n Max Portugal n A&E Editor

I had heard this song a lot on Tik Tok and I fell in love with it after the first listen. It’s well written, but it does feel like a normal indie pop song. It’s very hard to mess up writing in that genre, so my only negative point is that it could be more complex and more unique, musically speaking. The complex bass line and the simple the root notes stand out to me and make it more enjoyable. The instrumental section is also very simple in a good way. Where this song stands out is how Tai Verdes writes music that is actually relatable to high school and college kids, something that mainstream music has been missing. Verdes is singing songs about issues that teens deal with, like being left on read by someone for no reason, or what it feels like to go through the stages of a relationship. Incorporating what he personally has experienced, making a very personal and authentic sound to his music, especially with this song. While “Stuck in The Middle” is musically a copy paste indie pop song, the lyrics and meaning of the song are so much more, and that’s why I think this song more than deserves a 9.5/10.

This song is good, but the fact that it got popular on Tik Tok has ruined it. The minimalistic vibe of the song with the light piano and building drums is done very well. The dynamic changes are awesome and creates great contrast throughout the song. It really has you riding a rollercoaster of emotions that makes the listener feel what she is feeling. Overall, I think it is really good and has a very powerful emotional aspect to it. However, Tik Tok has ruined it for me. I can’t listen to the song without thinking of all the different remixes people have done, which makes the song lose its emotional aspect. Instead of hearing an emotional story, I’m thinking of the guy who added truck horns over it or thinking of the person who mashed it with different songs to create completely different vibes. The original appeal of the song is gone and that is why I dislike it so much. This song is getting two scores: one before Tik Tok ruined the song, and one after they did. Before Tik Tok really ruined it, the song gets a 8/10; after Tik Tok ruined it, “drivers license” gets a 5/10.

The first listen of “telepatia” had me surprised. I know nothing about the artist Kali Uchis, so I was thrown when the Tyler The Creator type beat came in with the almost Glass Animals ambient chords on top. This song has an amazing vibe that needs to be present in more trending music. It is laid back and is perfect for enjoying the moment and enjoying the vibe. The part of this song that disappoints me is the vocal melody with the weird high note at the end of some lines. I think it’s a good touch but it just takes a moment to get used to. That is the only downside I see in this song. The bass line keeps the minimal chords and drum beat grooving and moving forward, but still sitting on the back of the beat and giving you that head swaying, eyes closed vibe. “telepatia” is amazing, but I feel like the replayability is limited with how the vibe is. Overall, the song gets a well deserved 8.5/10.

The first time I heard this song my immediate thought was “Take On Me” by a-ha. The overwhelming sense of the 80s pours out of this song with the use of synth instruments and a very bouncy electric drumbeat. The weak points in this song for me are how it just feels like a grab for the 80’s and while the song has plenty of replayability and gets better after the first few listens, it just still feels like The Weeknd jumping on a trend to appeal to an audience. The strong points of this song for me start at the beginning with the ambient fade into full volume drums and the melody. It sets up a really good dance and forward pushing vibe for the song. The bass holds a solid foundation for the big chords throughout “Blinding Lights.” A very strong point in the song is the use of effects in the background; it adds a layer that would make the track feel empty without it. Overall, I think this is a great song that has very good replayability and deserves a 7.5/10.

A&E n March 2021

Guide to

Streaming

Staff reviews which streaming services are worth the money By n Sarah Monoson

Editor-in-Chief

Ever since it began offering the option to stream in 2007, Netflix has been the top provider in the streaming world, its name even becoming synonymous with just the act of watching movies and television on demand. In the years since then, various streaming services have popped up in an effort to ride Netflix’s coattails, each with varying success. With each new platform, consumers are left wondering whether it’s worth it to add to their bills or stick with what they’ve got. I will be reviewing six major streaming companies, including Netflix, based on their catalogs, usability, and price.

As the herald of the streaming age, I think Netflix deserves its popularity. It has over 5.5 thousand titles in the U.S., the vast majority of that being movies. My list of shows and movies that I watch or would like to watch on Netflix is much longer than on any other platform. In addition to pulling content from various networks and studios, Netflix has created an impressive amount of original shows. Several Netflix Originals have been extremely popular, such as “Stranger Things,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” “The Witcher,” and the award-winning “Marriage Story.” In terms of pricing, it is on the more expensive side, with its popular plans being $14 and $18 per month, but I think those prices, specifically the former, are warranted. Overall, Netflix is the undisputed champion of streaming for a reason, and I think it’s the platform one should get first and foremost.

Hulu’s catalog is a mixed bag of things one has never heard of, and doesn’t care to, and popular things users love. It has a good collection of comedies, animated shows, and beloved movies, but looking through its sections, it’s almost hard to find the gems. It doesn’t really have much popular original content to speak of, except for “The Handmaid’s Tale.” However, it has major strengths that Netflix does not. For instance, it has next-day streaming for shows airing new episodes, which is incredibly convenient if a user doesn’t have cable television and you doesn’t want to wait for a season to be over to see it. Hulu even has a Live TV package for additional money. Further, Hulu has an affordable $6 subscription plan, with ads, and an ad-free plan for $11. Although, the ads can honestly be a huge nuisance that discourages you from binging anything on the platform. I’d recommend checking if Hulu’s catalog appeals to the user personally before subscribing, but with it’s cheap price (and discounts/deals), it’s a solid supplemental service.

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(Photo illustrations by Zoya Zalevskiy) n

A&E

Prime boasts the largest catalog of any streaming service, but that doesn’t mean it has the best content. It has its trash, like every platform, but I’ve found that it’s great for popular movies and niche series. The platform’s original shows and movies tend to be well-received, but not well-known, especially to teenagers, like the award-winning “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Hunters.” Additionally, Prime has partnered with IMDb TV to increase their library, but the content included in this partnership must be seen with ads. This is really just a minor annoyance to watch some of the excellent things offered by IMDb TV, though. My largest issue with Prime is that since it’s both a subscription-based streaming service and a place to rent or buy movies and shows, it isn’t entirely user-friendly. It recommends things that aren’t free to you, and it divides shows by the season, meaning that each season is a separate icon on the home screen instead of the whole show being together. However, the beauty of Prime Video is that it’s simply a bonus feature of Amazon’s membership plan that gives users free shipping. Although, it can be purchased separately. With free shipping, it costs $13 a month, and the service alone costs $9. I’d only recommend paying for Prime if the user is getting the first plan, assuming they order on Amazon regularly.

HBO Max has a collection of content from DC Comics, Cartoon Network, Studio Ghibli, Crunchyroll, Turner Classic Movies, and HBO itself. It’s library is pretty modest, but it has popular movies such as “The Matrix” series and shows like “Game of Thrones” and “Euphoria,” the latter two being original to the channel HBO, but not the streaming service. Something notable about HBO Max is that new movies from HBO-affiliated studios become available on the platform the moment they hit theaters, which is a pleasant departure from Disney Plus charging users $30 to see “Mulan” when it first came out. Personally, I don’t think this service’s catalog is worth the $15 per month it asks, so I can’t recommend it, but I’ve enjoyed splitting the price with my friends for a single month.

The main appeal of Disney Plus is that it’s the home to Marvel, Star Wars, and (of course) Disney/ Pixar, all wildly successful studios that bank on nostalgia. This is why, despite its small catalog, it’s very popular with certain consumers. Alongside childhood classics, Disney Plus has original content already out, and many planned for the future. Its notable original shows are “The Mandalorian” and “Wandavision,” and while those two are very popular, most of Disney Plus’ other originals are lackluster. The service costs $7, which is pretty fair for what it has. Ultimately, this platform is used to watch things the user has probably already seen, and because of that, I can’t recommend it on a general basis. But, if an individual love to stroll down memory lane, repeatedly, they’ll probably love Disney Plus.

The newest streaming service of them all, Paramount Plus debuted on March 4, its catalog containing content from CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, the Smithsonian Channel, Paramount Network and, most notably, Nickelodeon. Users can also watch CBS live. Upon setting up my Paramount Plus account, I was immediately shocked and confused to find that there is no watch list for users. If I saw a show I could potentially be interested in, there was no way to mark it for later; I just had to remember that I liked it. Additionally, I was surprised by the lack of quality content that I found. Of the six “brands” on the platform, the Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and Smithsonian channels had the largest individual catalogs, but I believe that Nickelodeon’s is the only one with mostly desirable content. It has childhood classics like “iCarly” and “Spongebob Squarepants,” and it will be the home to future shows and movies relating to “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” which I find particularly exciting. Other notable shows and movies on this platform include “Survivor,” “Criminal Minds” and several other crime shows, parts of the “Star Trek” franchise — including original content — and various talk shows and sports. The amount and quality of content that Paramount Plus has is fairly suitable for its monthly price of $6 a month with ads and $10 without, but that’s only if the user actively enjoys one or more of the brands that it represents. I can only recommend utilizing the free, month-long trial that users can get before the end of March.

A&E n March 2021

Ring It Up

West students start a small business over quarantine By n Trinity Luce n Feature Writer

vercoming the boredom of quarantine and coronavirus has kickstarted creativity for teenagers across the county. From learning to play instruments, to making art, students at West Henderson High School continue to test their skills during these unprecedented times. For students like sophomore Jesse Jakubielski, starting a jewelry business has been her preferred outlet of creativity. Jakubielski began her journey of owning a small business in late January 2021 with fellow classmate Cassidy Bowen. Jakubielski and Bowen have been close friends for a while now, and starting the business together has brought them even closer. “The two of us already spend nearly every day together, so it’s even better that now we have something productive to do together that we both enjoy,” Jakubielski said. Together, the girls came up with the name RockinRings. “Some of our pieces look like gems, and we thought the alliteration was cute,” Bowen said. After naming their business, they got to work. They began creating all sorts of rings to start sell-

Sophomores Jesse Jakubielski and Cassidy Bowen work on their small business (Photo by Jesse Jakubielski)

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A&E

ing. Coming up with new and trendy designs can be hard work, but for Jakubielski and Bowen, that part is one of their favorites. “I would say our inspiration comes mostly from jewelry we’ve bought and love. We both wear a lot of rings so in a way it’s cool to express ourselves when making something we actually love,” Jakubielski said. Jakubielski and Bowen do all of their work inside of their homes. Creating their product takes anywhere from five to 20 minutes. The two have been a success around West Henderson High School. “The support from friends and classmates has been really sweet. It’s a great feeling knowing that people are proud of what we’re doing and are wanting to support us,” Bowen said. Many students have purchased their product and have advertised their new rings on social media. Having an online presence has created an amazing opportunity for students like Jakubielski and Bowen to reach the majority of their customers. The rings cost around $5, and can get up to $11. Most of the cost has to do with shipping. While the girls offer in-person delivery, they are also able to ship straight to buyers’ homes. Packaging is a very important part of owning a small business. Buyers appreciate the little things that business owners do to create a more personal experience. “We create the product, put it in a cute little baggie inside an envelope with a handwritten note to the customer and do our best to make it personal. Then, (we) put it in a bubble wrap envelope, address it and bring it to the post office,” Jakubielski said. Small businesses offer an outlet for students to get hands on learning about owning a business and the importance of community that goes into that. “In our community, it’s important to support student businesses because we are the future, and students learning these business skills at a young age can ultimately have a great impact on our current and future societies. It’s also always so important to support small businesses with handmade products,” Bowen said. Jakubielski and Bowen have worked hard to make their business the best that it can be, but

they continue to make new goals for themselves and their business. “Some future goals we have are to expand our business beyond rings, creating a website and hopefully to become a vendor at events or set locations,” Jakubielski said. By setting these long term goals, both girls will be able to make enough progress that they can begin giving back to their community. “We also really want to eventually make enough profit to where we could donate a percentage of our money to charities in our community,” Bowen said. Creating this business has been highly beneficial to both Jakubielski and Bowen. They have grown closer and learned how important having a supportive community is to creating a small business. Many students have expressed interest in starting their own businesses as a way to express their own creativity as well. “Don’t be afraid to get your name out there,” Jakubielski said. “Be sure you create a system that works for you and your business and present yourself as easy to talk to.”

Example of RockinRing’s products, which they post on social media (Photo by Jesse Jakubielski)

Listen Up And Listen In Seniors produce Wingspan podcast By n Zoya Zalevskiy n Editor-in-Chief

est Henderson’s Wingspan has been a successful newsmagazine for many years, recently branching out to include an online news publication. After years of planning, seniors Aiden Shelton and Max Decker are now exploring the medium of journalistic podcasts. After attending a journalism institute in the summer of 2019, Shelton and Decker became inspired to implement this new form of reporting within their own school. “I realized they had a podcast (award) category, and there weren’t very many entries in it,” Shelton said. “We thought it’d be cool to be the first school in our area to do that really well.” Each podcast episode is filled with Decker and Shelton covering various topics, ranging from current events to personal interests. Shelton says his preexisting friendship with Decker makes conversation easy, and takes away the pressure of trying to sound casual and relaxed on recordings. Additionally, they don’t script episodes but rather see where their natural conversation takes them. “We will text each other about things that are interesting, whether that’s current events or just things we are going through in our lives. We’ll talk about it, give our thoughts about it,” Shelton said. “We don’t have a set schedule of things, we just kind of come up with something before and roll with it.” Producing the podcast has not been without its challenges, such as finding a recording spot and working with new online editing platforms. “It was hard finding a place to record, because at West, it’s all brick walls so sound bounces around a lot, there is always an air conditioning

running somewhere, so that was difficult. Technical difficulties, we’ve had a few of those. It is just working with the program and figuring out the quirks,” Shelton said. In the coming months, Decker and Shelton look forward to improving the quality of their episodes as they become more comfortable with their recording and editing practices. They plan on expanding the topics they discuss in episodes and want to involve special guest segments as well. “(We hope to) have guests on more, and we’ll interview people that are interesting,” Shelton said. “It’s exciting to have the opportunity to meet people and learn about their experiences. I think that’s going to be the most fun part.” Finalizing a regular upload schedule and a publishing platform are also high on the list. “I really want to get the podcast to a place where I’m comfortable handing it off once I graduate,” Shelton said. “I think it’ll be cool to watch it kinda turn into something that I started.” Another unique challenge has been figuring out how to publish episodes that will be widely available to students. Many production platforms cost money to both the producer and the viewer, something Shelton wanted to avoid. After researching many possible outlets, he finally settled on a program to experiment with. “There’s a platform called Anchor, where you upload the podcast and it automatically puts it on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. I think it’s just a good way to spread it out and it does all the heavy lifting on one platform.” Shelton said. In order to reach their goals, constant work

needs to be poured into the podcast. Between recording sessions, editing content, and condensing the episodes into viewable formats, Shelton says it’s a heavy load with a meaningful reward. “Making episodes is a lot of work, but it’s something I am willing to put time into and something I want to make worthwhile,” Shelton said.

Senior Max Decker records a podcast episode (Photo by Zoya Zalevskiy). The West Henderson Podcast will be available on Spotify, Apple Music and Google Podcasts as early as the beginning of April.

A&E n March 2021

Better Late Than Never

Football season has its first game with student section in March By n Madison Hall and Becca Chamberlain n Feature Writers

n Friday, March 5, West Henderson High faced North Henderson High for their first football game with fans in the student section since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This differs from other sports games this year, where students and families had to watch virtually. “I was definitely surprised we were allowed to have a student section. It was a very exciting thing for everyone,” senior Bella Garner said. The restrictions in place required all students to stay 6 feet apart and wear a mask properly. If these restrictions were not followed, the student would be asked to leave the game with no warning. “For the most part, everyone followed the restrictions. I don’t think that was a problem at all from what I saw,” Garner said. Although West Henderson lost the game 13-8, everyone was still excited to have the chance to be there. “It was definitely exciting to be able to go to a football game again. I thought I wouldn’t have another chance to go to one because of the virus,” Garner said. “I loved seeing my friends again. I saw so many people I haven’t seen since last year.” Color guard, marching band, cheerleaders and football players all had the chance to be back in their uniforms, performing and playing once again. “During our performance, I felt super ener-

gized and grateful for the opportunity to be there. I didn’t realize how much I missed dancing at football games,” weapons captain of the color guard, junior, Rebekah Gosnell said. All the change the marching band and color guard has faced this year has brought each of them closer together. “During normal circumstances, we’d be extremely focused on making sure our show looked perfect. We would spend every moment of every practice working on something to maximize our time together. Since we do not have a show to practice for, our practices are more relaxed, we have been able to connect with each other more,” Gosnell said. West Henderson cheerleaders were also glad to have the chance to be in front of a crowd again. “It was really nerve-racking on friday, (since) it’s been well over a year since we have cheered in front of a big crowd. It was still really fun. It made the school year seem more normal seeing people in the stands,” senior cheerleader Sydney Sousa said. Hearing that there would be people in the stands elevated the enthusiasm. “When we were told people could come to the games, we were all really excited. It will definitely be a better season with a big crowd to watch,”

Football players get ready for a play. (Photo by Max Portugal)

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SPORTS

Dance team performs on field at half-time (Photo by Max Portugal) Sousa said. The football players were elated to be able to take to the field at West Henderson once again, and being able to have fans there to support them made a huge impact. “Having the fans, cheerleaders and band makes the whole atmosphere amazing to be in. During the scrimmage against Hendersonville, we couldn’t have any fans and it just felt weird. It was way too quiet,” junior Lane Johnson, a member of the football team, said. Coaches and players have been taking precautions during games and practices to ensure the safety of everyone on the field. “Our coaches make sure to remind us to keep our masks up and help to keep us following the new regulations,” Johnson said. Difficult adjustments had to be made throughout the year, and the upcoming football season was shrouded with a lot of uncertainty. “I’m most excited about actually being able to have a football season after not knowing if we would even have one at all,” Johnson said. Players and coaches alike have risen to the challenges and done the best they can to keep a positive attitude and overcome the adversity they’ve faced throughout the pandemic. “Attitudes have been good. I’m just looking forward to playing the games,” Head JV Coach Jay Young said. “Hopefully the weather will cooperate, the virus stays away, and we get it in.”

Swimming to State

Junior places sixth in state swim meet By n Madison Hall n Feature Writer

fter a year of unprecedented challenges and adverse conditions, life is slowly starting to regain some sense of normalcy. Throughout all of the chaos faced this past year, students and athletes alike have understandably struggled, but a select few have set themselves apart and shown that they can thrive, even amidst difficult conditions. Junior Ava Kilpatrick has proven to be one of these exceptional student athletes. Kilpatrick earned a spot to compete in the North Carolina State Swim Meet for the 2020-2021 year. Kilpatrick developed a love for swimming at a very young age, quickly advancing into a highly competitive league. “I started swimming because several of my closest friends were also on the team at that time. When I was 4, I swam on a less competitive summer team, and I first began swimming year-round for the YMCA when I was 7 years old,” Kilpatrick said. She now holds six school records at West Henderson, and has competed at the state meet twice. “I qualified for State my sophomore year along with this year. It has been a goal of mine since I first started high school swimming. I barely missed making it my freshman year, and that pushed me to work even harder in order to make it my sophomore year,” Kilpatrick said. Due to the pandemic and all the safety precautions that had been implemented, the meet capacity had been significantly reduced. Not only were spectators not permitted, but the number of athletes allowed to compete was reduced by half. This made it increasingly difficult to qualify. “This year has been very difficult. I normally don’t take more than two weeks off twice a year, so having to take all of March, April and May off in 2020 was really difficult. I had to work really hard to get back in shape and not lose the progress

I had been making. It was also much more difficult to make state this year. Instead of taking the top eight from each region in each event, this year they only took the top three,” Kilpatrick said. The reduced meet capacity is not the only challenge that was presented by COVID-19 this year. Multiple adjustments had to be made in order to comply with state guidelines, and it was a difficult transition to make.

“

I felt so happy and thankful when I learned that I had qualified for state. I didn’t even know if we would have a swim season this year, so having the opportunity to represent West Henderson at state was an honor. n Ava

”

Kilpatrick Junior

“I had to overcome getting used to lots of things with COVID. Being able to attend less practices, having to wear a mask right up until I dove into the water and having to put it back on immediately when I got out, and the struggle of making state

Kilpatrick swims at a meet. (Photo from Lifetouch)

and regionals since it was so much harder this year. COVID also affected the meet guidelines a ton. I was not allowed to have any family members at any meet the entire year. My family watched the live stream from home, but it was different and challenging not having them there with me,” Kilpatrick said. Despite these newfound obstacles, Kilpatrick finished the season with a phenomenal record and qualified to compete in the 200 Freestyle at the state meet. “I felt so happy and thankful when I learned that I had qualified for state. I didn’t even know if we would have a swim season this year, so having the opportunity to represent West Henderson at state was an honor. I missed my teammates while I was there, but our girls relay competed really well at regionals and I am very proud of the entire team,” Kilpatrick said. She placed sixth in the 200 Freestyle to close off her junior season. During this season, Kilptraick stepped into a leadership role as a team captain, and continues to inspire her teammates with her discipline and passion. “The biggest lesson I have learned from being on a team is how to support, but also push my teammates. In practice everyday, I want to be as positive and supportive of everyone around me, while also pushing people to be the best that they can be. I think this is the most important thing in order to have a team that gets along well, and also performs well,” Kilpatrick said. “(I have also learned) how to be disciplined. Having to wake up at 4 a.m., three times a week, is not easy. It would be much easier to turn my alarm off and go back to sleep, but in order to continue improving and reaching my goals, I know I need to go to practice. I am very thankful for all of the opportunities and experiences that I have gained from swimming.”

SPORTS n March 2021

The Game Must Go On West athletes handle coronavirus during sports season By n Kera Putnam n Feature Writer It is no secret that the coronavirus pandemic has stolen precious memories from student athletes across the nation that they will never be able to get back. Bleachers once filled with screaming fans have turned empty. Long seasons filled with opportunity are cut in half. Smiles of excitement are now covered by masks. Although every community has done their best to be positive during this time, most would agree it has not been easy. "Feelings can be everywhere on this topic because it's a sensitive issue for anybody that's involved," Head Volleyball Coach Tiffany Lowrance said. "However, you can't get too upset because it's just how life is right now." In North Carolina, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) has created guidelines to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, while still allowing high school athletes to compete. Cleaning protocols have been set in place, such as disinfecting bathrooms and facilities frequently. Other rules such as daily screenings of coaches and athletes are enforced. Masks must be worn properly by athletes to be able to practice and Volleyball player goes in for a kill. (Photo by Pat Shrader)

play; this rule applies to all coaches and spectators as well. Indoor courts and athletic facilities were previously limited to 25 spectators, not including athletes and coaches, but North Carolina’s governor, Roy Cooper, has recently signed an executive order allowing indoor facilities that hold 5,000 or more to host events at 15% capacity. As for indoor facilities that hold a limit under 5,000, the order now allows for 250 people. As Cooper has also recently eased up on restriction regarding outdoor sports facilities, sports fans in North Carolina have become increasingly excited. Outdoor sports sites are now allowed to welcome 30% capacity, rather than the previous 100-person capacity. As much effort that has gone into averting

“

To be honest, I thought our team brought a lot of togetherness during this because the girls were able to grasp the whole concept of COVID in our lives and take it all in. We did it as a team, we were together. n Tiffany

”

Lowrance

Head Volleyball Coach

the virus, student athletes were aware that these endeavors were not entirely promising. Everyone understood that participating in sports during this time would put them at a high risk of catching COVID-19. At West Henderson High School, many were willing to take this chance and follow the mandates required that would allow them to play their sport. By no surprise, several sports teams at West have already dealt with athletes acquiring the virus first hand. The West Henderson varsity volleyball team was one of the first teams to actively practice and compete since the start of the pandemic. The women started their season off strong, but ended up getting hit by the virus pretty hard. About

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SPORTS

Basketball player guards the ball. (Photo from Lifetouch) halfway into their schedule, one player came down with COVID-19. Players and their families were alerted immediately by the school about the contact. Teammates and coaches were required to complete a 14 day quarantine before returning to play. Players that personally contracted the virus are required to take a “return to play” assessment before returning to their sport. This assessment is primarily a cardiovascular assessment to ensure the athlete doesn’t have any minor heart issues as a result of their illness. It is protocol that players take this assessment and have the paperwork signed off by a doctor to prove to their school’s athletic trainer. “To be honest, I thought our team brought a lot of togetherness during this because the girls were able to grasp the whole concept of COVID in our lives and take it all in,” Lowrance said. “We did it as a team. We were together.” However, this was not the team’s only encounter with the virus. Only two days after returning from the first quarantine, another player came down with COVID-19. This sent the women and

how coronavirus could potentially hold the team back. “I understood, as a coach, that a majority of our team had come down with the virus. So coming back, we have one practice and then we’re playing. So you can’t expect them to be physically ready,” Brooks said. “And of course, we wore masks while we were playing, which was also something new that we weren’t completely used to.” During the team’s quarantine they had to find new ways to navigate the season and push forward during the madness. The varsity mens’ coaching staff had to get creative to keep their players’ minds focused on the game while in quarantine. “We were scheduled to come out of quarantine Jan. the 4 and then play on the 5. We knew we weren’t going to be able to practice, so we had google meets to make sure we were keeping our X’s and O’s toned up. I made sure to check in on the guys each and every day to make sure they were

Basketball player boxes out. (Photo from Lifetouch) coaches into another 14 day quarantine. Despite missing almost a month of the already shortened season, the West Henderson Lady Falcons were able to get in 10 games, and win enough to make it to the state playoffs this season. They fought hard in the first three rounds, before losing to Cox Mill High School. “I was fortunate enough to even get a senior season with the pandemic, which hasn’t been the case for everyone,” senior volleyball player Daija Jackson said. “When I realized there was a chance I might not have a season this year, it made me realize how much I love the game, brought me back to why I started playing in the first place, and showed me how important it is to have fun and enjoy it at the end of the day.” The West Henderson volleyball team was not the only team to come face to face with coronavirus this year. As basketball season rolled around the corner, the varsity men's basketball team had to deal with the setbacks of quarantine as well. Just as the season was beginning, one player caught the virus, sending the team into quarantine over winter break. Unlike the volleyball team, the single case on the boys team turned into a cluster of cases. This not only affected many players physically, but mentally as well. “After I had COVID, I could tell my lungs were weaker and I was coughing a lot,” sophomore varsity basketball player Lukas Kachilo said. “One thing COVID also did was make me mentally tougher. When we came back we all just acted like nothing happened and came together to work.” Head Coach Brandon Brooks was well aware of

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When I realized there was a chance I might not have a season this year, it made me realize how much I love the game, brought me back to why I started playing in the first place, and showed me how important it is to have fun and enjoy it at the end of the day.” n Dajia

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mates and friends. “COVID has made me so stressed this year. The workload of school is a lot and, being an athlete, it has been hard to keep up with all the classwork and homework,” senior basketball player Marissa Ambrose said. Freshman cross country runner Bre Budzinski is another athlete that knows the struggles that come with battling quarantine all too well. “I wasn’t believing in myself and there were some days I just couldn’t stand being in my house. Running really helped me get through quarantine without going insane, and it made me more confident and happy.” Budzinski was quarantined for 24 days due to exposure to COVID-19. Because she never caught the virus and did not come in contact with her teammates once she had been exposed, the West Henderson cross country team survived their season without a full team quarantine. Bre’s quarantine and time away from her team at the beginning of the season only motivated her more. She trained on her own so she would be prepared when she was able to return. Missing the first few meets of the season did not stop Bre from proving herself in her first meet back. The freshman won the meet and broke West’s cross country 5k record time of 19 minutes and 24 seconds with her time of 19 minutes and 21 seconds. “My mindset coming out of quarantine was very determined,” Budzinski said. “All the long summer runs and even the brutal days were worth it in the end. When I finally got to race, it was a blast and I wouldn’t have traded this season for nothing.” Basketball player passes the ball. (Photo from Lifetouch)

Senior

doing alright,” Brooks said. In addition to the men's varsity basketball team, the women's varsity basketball team also fell victim to the virus. The Lady Falcons held strong until the end of the season, when one player tested positive. Like many others, this put the season on hold and caused the team to postpone their senior night. “Having to quarantine wasn’t ideal, but right now everyone just has to go with the flow,” senior basketball player Bella Garner said. “I have looked forward to my senior year ever since highschool started and I’m bummed we didn’t get the senior year we deserved, but I made the best of it.” Many athletes, and people in general, agree that the obstacles COVID-19 has presented have not been easy on anyone’s mental health. The uncertainty of the future has made balancing life difficult. Students face the challenge of staying motivated between online school, working out in masks and limited time with classmates, team-

SPORTS n March 2021