Click here to see our past issues
Learn about the reporters of the Green and White Review!
Current Issue
_______________________________________________________________________________
Special Outlook
Students choose safer learning option amid COVID-19
By Makayla Wise
This year students have been given the option to go virtual. While many have decided to stay in seated classes, many have also decided to do virtual schooling. Doing so has its many pros and cons.
According to several virtual students this year, a few positives of the experience include getting a little bit of extra sleep, having some extra time to work on assignments, and being able to take breaks whenever.
The virtual students also mentioned many negatives, such as not understanding the work like they would in person, virtual schooling being harder than seated classes, and not knowing if you’re doing an assignment right. While it may seem easier than in-person, more than 70% of virtual students claimed it seemed harder.
There is a slight fear from virtual students about technical issues and not being able to turn in assignments on time because of power or internet outages. Many also mentioned how they like working at home, the most common workplace in their house being a bedroom or living room.
Local holiday cancelled
By Rylee Cardin
I’m sure by now that everyone has heard about Apple Butter Makin’ Days being cancelled. Apple Butter Makin’ Days has been taking place for many years, with people coming from all over the country. It has been a tradition since 1967 here at Mount Vernon, Missouri. 80,000 to 100,000 people come every year for the three day weekend. For a small town with a population of 4,508, this cancellation has a huge impact on the community.
So why did they cancel Apple Butter Makin Days? “It comes down to keeping the students safe, the community safe.” Chairman Mike Tebow said. “It just comes down to public health, not just for Mt. Vernon but for the whole county.” (credits to the ‘Lawrence County Record’) As you can see in the photo, social distancing would be almost impossible to maintain. This could increase the risk for acquiring COVID-19 through close contact. Given the fact that this is a very social event, there is lots of talking and laughing. Meaning it would be nearly impossible to keep COVID-19 out of the picture.
“The best part about it was getting to visit with people. Our kids and grandkids helped us for the three day weekend. We would have a lot of family come and visit our booth. The people that I have bowled with come by since we’ve done it for so many years, so we pretty much have a visit fest for three days really.” says Donna Campbell, retired. Donna and her husband Donnie Campbell have had a booth for the past 40 years. “We kind of have mixed feelings about it all, but we both agree that that will be the best decision for our county as a whole.” Donnie Campbell says.
The cancellation of Apple Butter Makin Days is going to have a large toll on the community financially. That includes the revenue of the town, businesses, and the booth owners. The town is impacted by the loss of the booth rentals for the local holiday. The businesses are impacted by the loss of revenue from fast food sales, groceries, and/or products that visitors may need while they are here. The booth owners lose all the revenue on all the products that they are trying to sell. All together, the community will be highly affected by the cancellation of this holiday.
Most people have agreed that it is best to cancel Apple Butter Makin Days for the well being of our county and everyone that’s in it. But everyone is definitely ready for next year’s celebration!
High school experience, 'Rona style: MVHS makes the best of a rough situation
The spring semester of 2020 was really something to behold. It was unique in a million different ways.This past summer, MVHS hosted their very first Promenade along with the regularly hosted graduation ceremony for the class of 2020. Due to complications with COVID-19, these two yearly events looked a little different.
The annually scheduled buffet and dance was cancelled and turned into the district’s first Promenade. The event was held at the high school building on Friday, June 5. Students and their dates entered through the south entrance, made their way over to the gym where photographer Mandie Dawson of Moments by Mandie Photography took portraits. Ms. Emily Sampson and Ms. Catalina Silva assisted.
Students then followed through the commons over to Ms. Tanya Hannaford and Ms. Wendi Jessee to get their names announced outside by Superintendent Scott Cook. Out through the west common doors, students walked out on a red carpet. There, parents and community members took photos like "paparazzi." This event stretched over an hour and a half.
Another change was the graduation ceremony. In an interview with head high school principal Dr. Josh Ladd, the changes made to the ceremony consisted of being outdoors as opposed to in the gym, tickets were handed out, limiting the number of seats available to the public, and it was held much later in the year. In the future, Dr. Ladd says he is “strongly considering” continuing the outdoor ceremony.
Right from the start, it was strange, featuring a recording of senior choir students singing “100 Years” instead of delivering their usual live performance. Similarly, the band also missed out on a performance at graduation.
Ms. April McBaine, the choir director here at MVHS says she had already missed so much time and she “felt like we were just missing that much more stuff so it made me sad.” McBaine also felt that COVID-19 made her job more challenging as there were many more steps to organizing the performance.”
Ms. Mona Brown served as the senior class sponsor for the Class of 2020. Her job was to speak at graduation and help chaperone junior/senior prom. COVID-19 had a major effect on her job, though she wouldn’t say it was more challenging. Contrary to both Ms. McBaine and Dr. Ladd, Ms. Brown was not the biggest fan of the outdoor ceremony, due to heat and the occasional aroma blowing in from the Mt. Vernon sewage plant.
When it comes to the future and the effect COVID-19 will have on the Class of 2021, Dr. Ladd, Ms. Brown, and Ms. McBaine are uncertain. They all sincerely hope that by that time, the virus is seen as a thing of the past and that that everything will continue as it always has. Unfortunately, it is a very real possibility that all of that is nothing more than wishful thinking.
The Class of 2020 missed out on a lot due to COVID-19 and all of the teachers feel truly terrible about it. Dr. Ladd brought special attention to the act of walking through the halls in the final week of your senior year and talking to all of your friends, feeling the building excitement as your life is really about to start.
He also mentioned that students had been working for three or four years, “building up to that pinnacle moment” where they get to wrap up their participation in all extra curricular activities through competitions or just spending those last few days really enjoying the programs, and then those students didn’t get that.
Finally, all three of these members of the MVHS faculty wanted to give a thank you to the students and staff. They all acknowledged that this year is presenting very unique challenges, but they would like to recognize the impressive way everyone is adjusting to these changes.
Extracurricular vs COVID-19
By Rylee Cardin
This school year is going to be quite a year to say the least. With COVID-19 in the picture, our lives have changed drastically.
School is obviously different with wearing masks and having to get our temperatures checked every morning. But did you ever think about the school’s clubs? Most people don’t, even the people that are in them. Someone in Journalism class brought up a very good point, clubs are being affected by all this too.
At first it was confusing. How could there be much of a change other than wearing masks for clubs, but then it was clear. Trips, one of the best parts about being in clubs. Most clubs won’t even have trips this year at all, including Drama Club, sponsor Brook Ollinger tells The Green & White. “Drama Club would have normally gone to a workshop and see and show at MSU this semester and last semester," Ms. Ollinger says. "They were going to go see Matilda the Musical in Springfield, but school went on a hiatus, so that was cancelled.”
The Green & White Review staff started to wonder if any clubs have cancelled altogether for this year. MVHS principal Dr. Josh Ladd explained, “No clubs have been cancelled completely, but there is no doubt that several clubs will be heavily impacted.” In an interview with Ms. Ollinger about how COVID-19 has affected Drama Club, since it is a very interactive group, and she said “Theatre is a hands-on subject, so having students work in smaller groups and wear masks limits what we can do compared to what we'd normally be doing.”
Some clubs aren’t having to make much of a change other than wearing masks, but there are some that will be completely different this year. Competitions are the main focus of most clubs. “Speech Competitions have been changed to virtual, so anywhere we would have gone in person we are no longer attending. We're either streaming at school or recording and submitting.” Ms. Ollinger says.
All of the teachers are obviously not a fan of how this year turned out due to Coronavirus because it really changed how this school year will go with everything. Spanish teacher Ms. Catalina Silva says “I feel overwhelmed and behind with the club. I feel like we are not going to do as much as I wish we did, but always staying positive!”
Teachers struggle with virtual instruction
When it comes to the topic of virtual learning due to COVID-19, it is no secret that it came to be quite a change from the normal reality of face-to-face learning. Most kids might say they love it: The extra sleep, working from the comfort of their bed, and staying in PJs all day definitely makes learning from home sound fun.
Some students, however, may argue against the new virtual school opportunity, agreeing that they would much rather put on their masks and head into the classrooms. Students definitely have their opinions, but have we ever stopped to wonder about the teachers?
How do they feel about this new learning experience? Are they able to balance the worlds of in-person and virtual learning? Do they find the new technological ways difficult? There are many questions to answer, and from interviewing some of our own teachers here at MVHS, they were able to answer some of the many wonders about how teachers are dealing with the new world of online learning. One of the teachers to answer these questions was Ms. Brook Olinger, our drama teacher here at MVHS.
When asked “How has the experience been for you?” Ms. Olinger responded, “It’s been challenging, but doable if I work on evenings and weekends. It's honestly not the most ideal situation, but so far God has blessed me with the ability to get everything done, so I'll pray that continues to be the case.” She added, “I have accepted that I will always feel behind and I will never be able to accomplish absolutely everything on my list, but as long as I'm organized and doing things by priority level, I'll be alright.”
Ms. Olinger agrees it's hard to maintain a balance. "This is generally the case for first-year teachers anyway," she said, "but this year even experienced and seasoned teachers are struggling a bit. I don't have children, so it's easier for me to stay late at school or take work home with me. But those teachers who do a full day and a half worth of work at school and then go home to take care of kiddos are the real superheroes.”
Another teacher to speak on this subject was Ms. Kami Eddington, a geometry teacher here at Mount Vernon. She spoke about her worries for her virtual students' success: “The hardest thing for me currently is trying to help students who don't understand the concepts in the lesson and don't know [that] they don't understand the concepts in the lesson! I provide feedback, but they may look at it, they may not.”
Ms. Eddington does what she can to counteract those problem areas, explaining, “I try to have meetings with them, they may ask questions and they may not. The communication is definitely harder because I don't know how it is being received on the other end.”
Overall the new virtual school world is not only new to students but a brand-new environment for our teachers. In the end, however, Ms. Eddington closes her interview with a calming quote that everyone should keep in mind as we all figure out this new online world, “We really are in this together, and now is the time to rise up, help out, and be a good person to those around you because it is hard for everyone right now.”
The Green & White gets a whole new look
By Grace Corey
As you may or may not have noticed, the Green & White Review has an updated logo. To start, the staff has decided to do a small redesign of the website. Within the next few months, readers will see a temporary logo, replacing a new design for the time being.
Beginning with our upcoming November issue, there will be a complete opening page redesign accompanied by a new logo. On the opening page, you will find links to past and current issues, links to sections in the current issue, links to the About Us tab, and a quick summary of what the Green & White Review is all about.
Along with our redesign, the staff is introducing a mental health column and a cultural differences column. These new columns include Mind Space, a column about recognizing and overcoming problems with mental health, is being introduced this month with a story by reporter Darrah Dickinson and New Perspectives, a column on cultural differences across the country includes a story by Auron Bernardoni in this issue.
Sports Central
Ballay and Darter Lead Win Against the Wildcats
The Mt'Neers won a back-and-forth slugfest against fellow Big 8 and Class 3 powerhouse Cassville Wildcats on Friday, Aug. 28. to open the season 1-0.
During a first half that saw Casville control the clock in a methodical march down the field, the Mt'Neers found themselves tied 7-7 in the locker room.
Thanks in large part to crucial motivation by Jordan Collier (52) who could be heard throughout the stadium all night with his “D up Green” chants, Mt Vernon had several stellar stops with their backs against the end zone.
With the score tied at 13 and the ball at the Cassville 38 in the fourth quarter, Mt. Vernon senior quarterback Mason Ballay (12) and senior receiver Rafe Darter (15) took lead of the game with some outstanding teamwork and athleticism.
Catching the ball in the air, Darter took off, juking two Cassville Players to reach yet another touchdown. After the bewildering move, the boys ran a two-point conversion, bagging yet another victory after putting the score at 21-13 in the last 20 seconds of the game.
MVHS Cheer Squad prepares for competition season
During a quick cheering break at Friday night's victory game against Cassville, Akaymi Cummins, a freshman at Mt. Vernon High School said, “Being a freshman, I was excited for the entire season as a whole because it’s all first time experiences for me, but in particular, I am most excited for the competition season to come. I am already super nervous, but I know it’s going to feel amazing to walk out on that mat.”
This year's cheer team is already off to an amazing start. Our All-American team consists of, Amari Tudor, Shelby Pendleton, Faith Rycraft, Nina Cowherd, Lexie Weldy, Teah Ray, and Jordan Downey.
“I was a little nervous because I am new and didn’t know what to expect,” Amari Tudor explained. “I just did my best, but when they announced I made All-American, I was super surprised and excited.”
Players fear early end to season due to COVID-19
All players have a high fear that their season will be canceled due to COVID-19. Responding to the results of a Green & White Review Instagram poll and an anonymous Snapchat poll, Senior Abbie McDonald said “I’,m extremely scared I’m not gonna be able to finish my senior year of tennis. This year I believe we are going to go far, and COVID-19 could ruin it all for us.”
An anonymous writer explained, “I’m really scared that COVID-19 is going to cancel the school year completely. The thought is making me scared. I’m trembling at the thought of it.”
Based on our Instagram poll, 51% of the students believe that sports will be cancelled due to COVID-19 while 49% disagree.
MVHS holds 2020 Homecoming, including parade
By Grace Corey
Focus Factor
Entertainment industry suffers under COVID-19 restrictions
With the world reeling in a global pandemic, our lives have been changed in multiple ways. Masks are required pretty much everywhere you go, schools have been shut down, and many people were/are dealing with the virus affecting their jobs. Some of these people include the many people that work in the TV, movie, and music industries.
Social media has kept fans of influencers informed about the changes that the virus is continuing to have on the lives of those musicians and entertainment personnel. Most events scheduled for these artists have been set back, such as tours and filming production.
Many artists, some that you may know, have unfortunately announced that most tours scheduled for 2020 will be taking place in 2021. Some of the biggest artists known that have had to reschedule include pop artists such as Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Taylor Swift, BTS, and Doja Cat; to only name a few. Some artists have even resorted to performing virtual concerts to keep their audience entertained.
Ultimately the music industry has been strongly affected by the pandemic, and the business has definitely taken hits from the loss of album productions and tour ticket sales. Along with music production slowing down, movie and TV production has also come to a halt.
According to a list of canceled events due to COVID-19 provided by Vulture, there have been many film festivals and award shows canceled. The article mentions major events such as the Telluride Film Festival, Golden Globes, Academy Awards, MTV Movie and TV Awards, and CinemaCon. Actors and actresses have also come forward through social media explaining to their fellow fans that shows and movies will be put on hold till the world is in a better place.
The film industry has also been hit by the closing of theatres around the world. CNBC explains how the pandemic has affected AMC Theatres, one of the biggest theatre businesses in the US: “The company revealed that its revenue had fallen to $941.5 million in the first quarter, a nearly 22% drop from the $1.2 billion it garnered in the same quarter last year. The second quarter is expected to be even worse.” Theatre businesses have been heavily affected, and are continuing to be.
Overall the entertainment industry has definitely taken hits from the new state of the world. Tour cancellations, awards shows being canceled, and production being put to a halt are only a few of the many things happening around us. Moral of the story if you want to go to that concert or see that movie, put on a mask, and wash those hands!
Students and staff share self-care tips and tricks
It’s no secret that both students and staff have faced several struggles and much discomfort during this pandemic. Through social distancing and virtual learning, it’s difficult to focus on what’s really important these days: keeping your head on straight. Through a variety of responses gathered from your fellow friends and teachers, The Green & White Review hopes to help in this endeavor by sharing their coping mechanisms!
English II teacher Emily Sampson advises you to “Laugh about the struggles; learning to just roll with the unexpected or things that don't go the way I plan and getting students to join in with it; believe that this is temporary and will pass in time; remember that I am doing the best I can with what I've got and am not working for myself but for God, my family, my coworkers and admin, and my students, and that makes anything worth it.” Have more truer and beautiful words ever been spoken? All students and staff could definitely learn a thing or two from her.
What better way to stay sane than to give yourself some self care? Art teacher Taylor Hopkins says “Self-care is super important while trying to run in our classroom and an online art program. Today on my list of to-do's, I made sure to have that self-care by creating something different than I was teaching.” Part of self care is learning how to express yourself, especially creatively!
Senior Josie West explains, “I try to take time for myself and just focus on the important things and what will matter a year from now, or even five years from now. Don't stress about the little things, everything will work out. It's a crazy world with lots of scary stuff but all we can do is pray for change!”. What perspective. Somebody really needs to quote and frame this.
Just what the doctor ordered! School nurse Lindsay Cornell has a great way to lift the world's weight off your shoulders: “Turning off social media when I get COVID overwhelmed. Getting outside helps to feel wide open spaces.” Never forget the importance of simply unplugging and taking in that crisp breath of fresh air, it will surly do wonders.
Whatever you might be struggling with, and however busy you might be, remember to take at least five minutes to yourself. You can’t do your best if you’re not at your best!
Invest in these newfound hobbies from your peers!
While everyone is still adjusting to this new way of living during this boring pandemic, some may wonder what everyone else has been up to lately. Check out these fun and intriguing hobbies that your friends and staff have picked up!
The one and only Emily Sampson, English II teacher, shares, “During the time off and during the summer I started making earrings.” Come on, how much cooler can she get right? Someone needs to encourage her to sell them because there certainly is an anxious buyer in mind...
It wouldn't be right to not feature the talented artists in this school. Sophomore Leo Warren says, “I'm drawing again after like 6 months, and I must say that I actually got better at arting over that break.” And what is a great artist without the constant practice?
Determined junior Elijah Fish says, “I learned to play guitar.” Oh doesn't everybody love a good guitar player. It certainly makes an individual interested themselves in pursuing such a beautiful instrument, but then again, all instruments are beautiful. Truly hope to see you play one day!
Maybe not everyone has the skills or the time to learn how to play an instrument, but freshman Kaylie Willson shares her simple yet lovely hobby by saying, “this year I like to get up early and watch the sunrise. If I miss it, then I watch the sun go down in the afternoon.” Too bad everyone can’t watch the sunrise or sunset more often, because the momentary peace it could bring would be much appreciated.
Whether your hobby is sleeping or scrapbooking, as long as it brings you joy and it lets you escape the real world for a little bit, that’s all that matters. Now if you’ll excuse the writer, she suddenly has the urge to watch the sunset while she listens to guitar solos and sketches the homemade earrings she’s going to make later.
COVID-19 disrupts adolescence
By Makayla Wise
Adolescence is a time of big changes where one develops from a child into an adult. Trauma of any kind faced at this stage could have long-term consequences across a lifespan. Covid-19 has brought upon many challenges in adolescent living, such as change in routines.
Sophomore Jayci Joachim explains says spending all of her time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of stress into her life. “Although I love my family and have certainly enjoyed this time I have spent with them, it has been a challenge at times adapting to my lifestyle change.” She added, “I miss playing basketball with my teammates and I miss being with my friends at MVHS.”
Another challenge adolescents face during this time is missing significant moments in life such as birthdays, graduations, proms, births, and funerals. The pandemic has made it harder to celebrate or grieve in typical ways. Joachim certainly understands this. She explained that over this time she has lost two family members and couldn’t attend either funeral.
She also mentioned she and her family couldn’t attend her sister's graduation due to COVID-19 and that her and her immediate family did their best to celebrate birthdays together at their home.
No one is quite sure how this will affect adolescent futures. People are aware this time could be traumatic for some teens. It could lead them into mental health disorders such as hypochondria or self-isolation.
There’s also an academic worry as well. When Joachim was asked about her concerns for her future, she explained, “I think this will affect my future because I am not getting the in-class education, so it may affect the way I learn and my grades, which may affect my future for college.”
She also explained her predicament with basketball: “I am also not going to be able to join my basketball team this year, which is really upsetting, [because it] may affect if I get a scholarship or not.”
Joachim found a silver lining to all of this though, mentioning that she feels this time has made her a better person. She feels as though this is making her stronger mentally and emotionally due to the fact she has been fighting through all of the hardships and keeping her family safe.
Through all of this, it can be hard for an adolescent to stay grounded and mentally stable. Joachim has had her supportive family keeping her grounded. She also explains, “When I get really stressed I usually go outside and play basketball and listen to music because it helps relieve my stress.”
The CDC suggests staying socially connected and maintaining a normal routine as well as trying to stay as healthy as possible.
Out of Our Element
California wildfires rage and other news
In California, it’s wildfire season again. The fires are just as bad as last year, if not worse. Unlike last year, some of the fires have spread to Oregon. As of September 29, 2020, over 3,627,010 acres have burned, 26 fatalities are confirmed, and there have been 8,136 individual fires, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s (CAL FIRE) website.
The fires are so severe that in Southern California the sky appears orange-tinted. This is because of the large amount of smoke in the air, blocking sunlight, similarly to what happened in Indonesia during September 2019. The smoke particulates only allow red, orange, and yellow wavelengths of light to reach the surface.
As of September 29, 2020, one fire has been confirmed to be started by gender reveals gone wrong. That would be the El Dorado fire. It was caused by a pyrotechnic device malfunction. The device was designed to emit colored smoke, but ended up causing nearby four-foot-tall grass to catch fire. Attempts to douse the flames with water-bottles failed, and 911 was called.
The fire, dubbed The El Dorado Fire, has burned 22,597 acres and is 68% contained as of September 29, 2020. One firefighter has died fighting that particular blaze. He was their equivalent of a frontline fighter, going into the most dangerous parts of the blaze. That is currently the only fatality associated with the El Dorado Fire.
The Eldorado Fire is the second massive fire to be sparked by a gender reveal, the first one taking place in 2017. That fire burned over 47,000 acres in Arizona. The flames were started when a gun was fired at target rigged to explode with colored smoke.
#
On December 5, 2019, Bob Woodward began interviewing President Donald Trump for his upcoming book, recording the conversations. Everything said in the 18 interviews was considered on-the-record. On September 9, The Washington Post released excerpts of the recordings. Trump, during one of these interviews, while being recorded, admitted to purposely downplaying the seriousness of COVID-19.
Trump told the American public COVID is not as deadly as it actually is. He told the public that it does not spread as fast as it does. He told the public that masks aren’t as effective as they are. He told the public to live as though nothing was wrong, even as experts from around the world sounded the alarm bells.
During the phone call interview on February 7, Trump said that the Coronavirus is “more deadly than your, you know, your — even your strenuous flus,” while recounting a conversation he had with Chinese President Xi Jinipeg. "You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed,” Trump said on the call. “And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.”
On that same day, while speaking to reporters about the conversation with Jinipeg, Trump said, "China is working very hard. Late last night, I had a very good talk with President Xi, and we talked about -- mostly about the coronavirus. They're working really hard, and I think they are doing a very professional job. They're in touch with World -- the World -- World Organization. CDC also. We're working together. But World Health is working with them. CDC is working with them. I had a great conversation last night with President Xi. It's a tough situation. I think they're doing a very good job... I think that China will do a very good job."
On March 7, 2020, Trump told Woodward, “I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down. Because I don’t want to create a panic.” President Trump said that after the US announced it's first confirmed case of the virus, on January 21. He said this after the first confirmed COVID-19 death on US soil, which was announced February 29. He said this after March 3, when the CDC lifted all restrictions on testing for the virus. Six days after that interview, March 13, Donald Trump declared a national emergency.
President's Trump's intentions may have been to avoid a national panic, but a lot of citizens were panicked anyway, as they were scared that the American government was ignoring basic facts. They were scared because their government didn’t take decisive action until the virus had already begun to spread in the U.S.
Woodward has been criticized for not releasing the tapes to the public sooner. He has responded by saying that if he had released them at the time, it wouldn’t have changed anything. Now that it is closer to election day, he felt it might make more of a difference.
#
On September 18, 2020, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away after a long fight with pancreatic cancer. Despite her passing away 46 days before Election Day, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is already pushing for Donald Trump's nominee to fill her spot. This is a reversal of his opinion during 2016 when Justice Antonin Scalia passed away 269 days before Election Day. President Trump's nominee is Federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett. This is also in opposition to Ginsburg's last words, "My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed."
If Barret is confirmed to the Supreme Court, it would be a drastic shift from the former balance. Previously it was five conservatives justices to four liberal justices, Barret would change it to six conservatives and three liberals. Her confirmation would also make for a total of six Catholic Justices.
Democratic politicians and citizens are concerned not only about the change in the balance of the court, but about Barret's public statements. Barret has taken anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage positions, in complete opposite of Justice Ginsburg. During her career as a lawyer, Ginsburg fought for woman's rights in the workplace and a woman's right to choose. As a Justice, she not only ruled in favor of woman's rights and gay marriage, she also began officiating gay marriages months after the landmark Supreme Court decision that forced the federal government to recognize federal marriage. It is said that she presided over the first same-sex marriage at the Supreme Court.
Barrett is an alumna and professor of Notre Dame. She taught there for fifteen years and still occasionally teaches classes there. She has seven children, two of whom are adopted from Haiti. She has consistently ruled against abortion rights.
Ginsburg lived a remarkable life, being the second woman appointed to the Supreme Court, after a successful career as a lawyer. She argued in front of the Supreme Court many times before her appointment, advocating for gender equality and abortion rights. She won many of those cases. Ginsburg also co-founded the Women's Rights Project at ACLU.
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter nominated her to the US Court of Appeals. She was confirmed on June 18, 1980. She was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton, and the Senate confirmed her on August 11, 1993. During her tenure as a Justice, she became known for her eloquent dissents when she disagrees with the majority opinion. One of her dissertations actually influenced the language of a law making it easier for employees to win pay discrimination cases.
Survey reveals COVID-19 student misconceptions
Ever since the pandemic began, misinformation about COVID-19 has been spreading. In the age of the internet, it can be hard to distinguish fact from fiction. With that in mind, The Green & White Review staff sent out a survey designed to test the student body on their ability to distinguish COVID facts from myths. It consisted of ten true or false questions. Responses were anonymous. Now to break the results down.
To start, we got 65 responses to the survey. There are roughly 440 students attending Mt. Vernon High, meaning we got a response from about 14.8% of our students. The survey was sent out by email, and not everyone has regular access to their school email, so it is understandable how it may have been missed. Regardless, such a small sample size may skew the data.
Of the questions, the student body got the correct answers about 68.77% of the time.
The statement that most students got correct was #9, at 96.9%. It was followed closely by #6, with 95.1%
#9 is false, as people can often be asymptomatic carriers of a disease for weeks, spreading it before they are sick themselves. This does not just apply to COVID-19, a lot of rapidly spreading diseases were similar in that regard. That is a part of what allows them to travel quickly, as the#9 carriers aren’t even aware they are sick.
#6 is actually a common misconception being spread on the internet, primarily via Facebook. All of the false statements included in the survey are rumors that have been circulating online. That said, #6 is a particularly silly one. Garlic can boost your immune system, but as stated on the World Health Organizations’ (WHO) website, “Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties. However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus.” It can, however, prevent your first date form catching feelings for you.
Some of the myths being spread online are not as harmless as telling you to eat more garlic or pepper. The most common ones were not included in the survey. Some people believe that the new 5-G towers are responsible for the outbreak. That is false. Some myths about COVID are unfortunately being spread by The White House. For example, President Donald Trump has claimed in many speeches, based on a small and widely criticized French study, that the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine is an effective treatment for COVID-19.
Our president is not the only one at fault here. French President Emmanuel Macron also promoted the drug shortly after the study, despite there being little proof that it would work. What makes the rumor so dangerous is that the number of people buying hydroxychloroquine or requesting it in hospitals lowers our supply of the drug. This in turn makes it more difficult for people who need the drug to get the drug. Hydroxychloroquine is used not only to prevent malaria but also to treat skin issues associated with lupus and to help reduce pain caused by arthritis.
Our student body also seems to be split on the issue, let it be repeated. Hydroxychloroquine is not proven to be an effective treatment for COVID-19.
The statement that the most students got wrong the second most was #3, with 56.9% rating it true. It is impossible for a face mask to cause suffocation of any form, unless your mask is made of plastic wrap and has been vacuum-sealed onto your face. Although in that case, you might have bigger problems than COVID-19. Wearing a face mask may be uncomfortable, but it will not kill you. That said, as WHO suggests on their website, “While wearing a medical mask, make sure it fits properly and that it is tight enough to allow you to breathe normally. Do not re-use a disposable mask and always change it as soon as it gets damp.” On the subject of face masks, most students said that face masks would help slow the spread of COIVD-19. That is true, but a large enough portion of students answered the statement as false that the staff felt it need to be addressed.
There are two other statements that students got incorrect the majority of the time. One of them was a relatively harmless myth, the other less so. We’ll start with the safe one.
COVID-19 and the seasonal flu are similar. Both are respiratory illnesses caused by viruses. They have overlapping symptoms. However, the flu comes on and goes away much quicker than COVID. We have a working vaccine for most varieties of the flu. Children are more likely to be hospitalized with the flu, whereas the elderly are more likely to be hospitalized with COVID. Finally, in the US, the flu has an average mortality rate of about 0.1% each year. COVID's death rate has been more difficult to pin down, however.
Many studies have been conducted into COVID’s death rate. The issue with false-negatives in testing have made it difficult to track the deaths in the population. The death rate as calculated by these ranges from .1% to 25%. However, some of those studies neglected to conduct antibody testing. Antibody testing is one of the best ways to track where a disease has been, as you can tell you has been infected and recovered as well as who is currently sick. As such, studies that conducted antibody testing in their calculation of COVID's death rate are the most trustworthy. Those studies concluded that COVID's death rate is anywhere between .5% and 1%. (SOURCE) In other words, when looking at the most trustworthy studies, COVID's is anywhere from five times to ten times as deadly as the flu.
The most dangerous question that was answered incorrectly was #10. It also happens to be the one answered incorrectly the most, at 58.5%. As stated earlier, with COVID there is a risk of false-negatives. If you are ordered to quarantine, stay in quarantine until you have been tested multiple times, and have been told you can resume normal day-to-day life. Yes, it sucks, but this is for the safety of all of us. While it is true that the elderly and immunocompromised are the most at-risk, anyone can be hospitalized or be killed by this virus.
New Perspectives
Notable differences: senior compares Arizona to Missouri
Curiosity is the downfall of man, or is it? Have you ever thought about the differences between states? Though I was born in Reno, Nevada, on August 13, 2003, I didn't really stay there, thanks to my mom’s desire to move. Well, not exactly, We moved for reasons I am still unaware of.
Anyways, in my 17 years of life, I have travelled through many places and have had my fair share of living in some of those places. Through my travels, I have noticed that there is a major cultural difference in between the western states and the southern or midwestern states.
I'd like to discuss things that can be looked at without an opinion. I may include my personal experiences but not my personal views on the subject at hand.
The most popular home style in Arizona is pueblo architecture, and for Missouri it would be artistic craftsman. The houses in Arizona are more leaned towards Native American influence and Mexican influence as well.
Missouri homes are moderately influenced by the Victorian area of homes. From my personal experience I've noticed a lot of houses out here also tend to be ranch homes as well, whereas in Arizona there weren't a lot of ranch houses but lots of model homes.
Enough talk about the houses, let's discuss food. Missouri specifically, the most common meals consist of lots of beef, potatoes, and greens (corn on the cob, green beans and okra mainly), whereas Arizona meals mainly consist of more Mexican-styled food (for example tacos and burritos) or native styled food (for example Indian fry bread, Navajo tacos, etc). The food tends to be more spicy in Arizona, whereas here it's mainly just flavor rather than spice.
Final thing I'd like to discuss isn't so much a cultural difference but I feel it's something worth noting. The weather is extremely different from Arizona to here, as is to be expected. I don't think people fully understand the difference between the two.
According to Forbes in a 2018 article, in Arizona the temperature year-round ranges from 40°F to 110°F. During the summers it's very hot with very little rainfall or moisture. Usually The average RH (RH=Relative Humidity) is 38.5%. For any one living in Missouri you would know this is extremely different from how it is here.
For Missouri the average high is 80°F to 90°F, though some days it’ll hit 100°F. The year-round humidity average difference is more notable, with an RH (RH=Relative Humidity) of 69.2%. Arizona winters are typically windy and cold with lots of snow. The yearly average for 2018 was 101.7 inches statewide.
It tends to be higher than midwestern states for the factor of elevation. The elevation average for Arizona is 4,000 feet. Missouri winters tend to be cold and icy with moderate winds, with a yearly average between 18 to 24 inches, it tends to be a lot lower for the factor of moisture in the air and the elevation is 1,772 ft.
Mind Space
Smith advises students in overcoming anxiety
My presentation is today. The thought is a mantra, keeping time with the vicious beat of the girl’s pulse. The blood in her veins is rushing and pounding in her ears, the pain in her chest growing and growing and growing as her breathing becomes more rapid.
The thought of faking sick and staying home, anything to avoid what is sure to be the most embarrassing presentation ever, crosses her mind. She can feel the fake tickle in her throat forming and her brow creasing to illustrate a false headache. She wouldn’t even have to fake feeling sick to her stomach.
I’ll just have to do it tomorrow. The realization is a cruel end to the ever more attractive idea. She knew she needed to get it over with. The pain in the girl’s chest seems to double as she fully accepts that there is nothing she can do to avoid this. Rolling out of bed, she stands on shaky legs and takes a deep breath. Her mind is racing, thoughts coming and going at a million miles an hour. Images of her stumbling over words or accidentally saying something wrong (even though she had researched the topic a thousand times as a way to avoid exactly that) are all she can see, fear developing into a rock in her stomach. At the end of every cruel imagining, her classmates begin to laugh and point until she flees the room.
In spite of all of this, she manages to get ready and out the door and through the day, all the way up until fifth hour. It’s English, time for her presentation. The fear that she had managed to keep at bay throughout the day rises with a fierce passion. A fist wraps itself around her heart and squeezes, stealing her breath and sending pain through her chest. She feels beads of sweat growing on her palms, her hands clenched tightly.
The girl walks through the door of the room, her eyes drawn to the front where she is sure to meet her end. She stops, the thought of hiding in the bathroom for the hour sounding rather appealing. A careless classmate bumps into her, reminding her again that she cannot escape this. The jarring motion is all she needs to focus and force herself to her desk. The bell rings, smothering any last hope she had for escape.
“Alright class, we have a presentation today. Remember to be polite and respectful. Don’t talk and give her all of your attention,” the teacher says, finishing with an encouraging glance at the girl. Her hands shake and sweat, her body tensed, but she forces herself to her feet and walks shakily up to the front of the room. Heat gathers in her cheeks and she knows she’s blushing. The pain in her chest nears unbearable. She had thought she had felt bad this morning but it was nothing compared to this moment.
Standing front and center, her papers clutched tightly in pale fists, the girl says, “My presentation today is about…” By some miracle, the world doesn’t end. Her words spill from her lips with ease and she looks up at her classmates, seeing their faces filled with interest. Their attention on her doesn’t fill her with dread like it would have a minute ago. The pain in her chest eases as she settles into a rhythm. Before she knows it, the dreaded presentation comes to an end.
***
In the story, the girl is dealing with something we call anxiety.
Anxiety presents itself in many different ways. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms include:
Feeling nervous, restless or tense
Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
Having an increased heart rate
Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
Sweating
Trembling
Feeling weak or tired
Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
Having trouble sleeping
Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
Having difficulty controlling worry
Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety
Everyone experiences a little anxiety. It’s really a part of life. It becomes a disorder when it begins to affect your daily life. Also according to the Mayo Clinic, “Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks).”
School and anxiety go hand-in-hand with each other. In a poll of the student body, 84% of 100 students have experienced anxiety due to school related events, and that can have a major effect on their performance. Ms. Stephanie Smith, the counselor here at MVHS, says, “It is difficult to complete school work whenever you feel anxious because it is harder to focus.” School is very fast paced, especially this year. When you’re rushed, organization becomes near impossible, which is another cause for increased anxiety, and focus is crucial.
Fixing the relationship between anxiety and school is entirely dependent on communication between students and teachers. Teachers cannot help students if they are unaware that the student is struggling. Students have to be willing to speak up about how they’re feeling and teachers must be willing to accommodate them. According to Ms. Smith, “Communication itself would probably lower the level of anxiety.”
To some degree, pushing through the anxiety is the best thing you can do for yourself. Anxiety is a normal part of life and there is nothing you can do to rid yourself of it entirely. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to make your anxiety more manageable:
Physical activity/exercise
Start each day with a positive attitude
Get plenty of sleep
Eat healthy
Talk about what is causing the anxiety with a trusted adult
Journal/write down your feelings
Spend time with friends/family
Avoid, if possible, stressors that cause anxiety (such as procrastination)
Practice mindfulness (anchors you in the moment)
Listen to music
Deep breathing
Spend time with your pet
It’s important to remember that anxiety isn’t always a negative thing. Sometimes, you feel anxious because you’re excited to try something new or do something fun. “It is important to know what is the underlying cause of the anxiety to help understand and deal with the anxiety,” says Ms. Smith.
Students are always able to go to Ms. Smith’s office if they need to talk about their struggles with anxiety.