By Aaliyah Bell
 
On January 20th, 2020, Inauguration Day, the nation was met with many historical moments. The confirmation of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris was also led with many new changes for politics and society. Starting out the new presidential is the oldest president to run and win in United States history. Not only did he make history by himself but he also started by making changes to the cabinet; this includes picking the first transgender assistant health secretary by the name of Rachel Levine. Levine being selected for a cabinet position in government gives people across the country a sense of hope that they too can become anything they dream to be with hard work and dedication. Alongside these historical accomplishments Kamala Harris has also managed to become a historical figure as the first woman to become a Vice President along with the first Black-South Asian to run as a Vice President and win. 
 
During the welcoming of the new elects, Dr. Jill Biden (the new First Lady) invited Amanda Gorman to recite her poem, “The Hill We Climb” at the inauguration, making her the youngest Inaugural Poet in United States history at 22 years old. Gorman now joins legendary poets such as Maya Angelou at making history especially at such a young age. In addition to these major events Howard University, which Kamala is an alumni, became the first HBCU to escort the Vice President to the White House starting on Pennsylvania Avenue. At the end of the day, all of these occurrences give citizens with many different backgrounds ambition to make a mark and a chance to change the world. Americans should take great pleasure to congratulate everyone for the accomplishments they have achieved. 

By Deziree Garrick
 
After ten long months, East High is officially reopening for students! Students are set to return February 25th for the first time since March 13th. Students have been given the choice to return to in-person learning or to remain remote. Although some students will be back inside of the building, what students used to know as normal is a thing of the past. Social distancing, modified bell times, masks, and a mixture of in-person and virtual learning is what we will come to find as normal in the near future. To dig deeper into the logistics of reopening East, Principal Blocker answered some important questions regarding reopening. 
 
Most students are wondering what reopening is going to look like, and Mrs. Blocker walked us through some of the details., “256 upper school students have chosen to come back hybrid. They will come into the build Thursday and Friday, and classes will follow the simultaneous model. Social distancing and masks will be required,” explained Mrs. Blocker.  The simultaneous model simply means that both remote and hybrid students will start classes at the same time, and follow the same schedule. Teachers will teach both in-person and online at the same time. This model provides the least amount of disruption to the relationships that have been made between students and teachers over the past semester. Mrs. Blocker also notes that students should not expect handouts and physical activities while in-person, as we have previously used. And in addition to not having manipulatives, students will be required to bring their Chromebooks back and forth to school every day.
 
So with that being said, there are the initial hopes for the reopening process. “The perfect scenario is that scholars will return to the building and feel a sense of comfort and staff would feel successful with meeting both hybrid and remote students’ needs., I hope all will respect the safety procedures that are in place to protect us all,” said Mrs. Blocker.                
As we move into this hybrid model students and teachers should keep in mind “that we must all be kind and understand that no one will be returning to what used to be, we will all need to be flexible and understanding with one another. Teachers have never taught both groups at the same time and will have new things to learn as will scholars,” says Principal Blocker.” 
 
Students who choose not to return in-person should know and understand that the teachers and staff greatly respects their decision and supports it. “We will miss them and will continue to find ways to make everyone feel included in the East family whether at home or in school,” ensured Principal Blocker. 
 
Also Mrs. Blocker “hopes that kids that do come back aren’t disappointed when they realize it's not what it was in the past and that we all just have to do the best we can to get this phase of school over with successfully.,” and She also adds that “teachers have done tremendous work to try and make remote learning as meaningful as possible, and their efforts should be recognized because it was not an easy task!” 
 
As the student representative on the Upper school Governance Council, I have had the opportunity to voice the concerns and suggestions of my peers. Being a part of the Governance Council has allowed me to better understand all of the time and effort that goes into reopening as a school amidst a global pandemic, and it has also allowed for me to better understand what it means to truly represent my constituency (my peers). 
 
 Reopening East will not be easy, and with reopening will come many changes and unfamiliarity, but if there’s any school that can do it successfully, it's East High for sure! 

By Jamel Brown
 
When you talk about social media, there always seems to be an outside opinion towards the people who post on it. Whether it is a post about food or about donating to charity, you can find many of these little adventures in people's lives that people post to show the world. People seem to present themselves differently online than they do in person, whether they are more outgoing or bold on social media. Social media users have many different ways to mask themselves behind their post, such as spam pages or pages that don't include their names or have a different profile picture, it all grants them a sense of confidence.
 
This still begs the question: Are you the same person online as you are in real life? Well, it definitely depends on the person and some people don't even have a personality outside of social media meanwhile some people don't even know that they're on it. For example according to King University, “more than 90% of babies have a presence on social media before their 2nd birthday.” Babies can't even post on social media but they are on that depending on who wants to take the picture of them and post it.
 
Fan pages and spam pages are also an important topic to talk about but expressing this because some celebrities don't even know that there are other pages using their names and profiles. According to Nebraska TV, “According to Facebook's 2018 earnings presentation, they said as many as 4 percent of their users are false accounts, potentially equaling about 80 million fake profiles.” This gives regular users a chance to discover 4 fake pages out of every 100 pages looked at.  So make sure that however you use social media, you’re thinking about how you are presenting yourself and how others might see you.

By Boni Hassan
 
Art can have a different impact for many people. Art can be the one thing some people would like to do in their future, people will want to be artists in the future. Art education increases students' thinking capacity and teaches them how to handle pressure in their lives. Art education helps the learning process for students.
 
Art education is important because it’s part of kids’ development and can be creative with art. I talked to my art teacher, Mrs. Donlon, and asked her why art education is important and her response was, “Art is a very important part of child development, which is why it is taught from a young age. It helps to develop hand eye coordination (fine motor skills) and creativity. I think that art also connects all subjects and connects people from all over the world and even the past and present. In our Studio in Art Curriculum at East we focus on perspective and gridding, which is rooted in Mathematics. We also teach students how to look at art work and describe, analyze, interpret and even judge what they see which connects directly to English. Art history is ingrained in every Unit taught at every art class here to tie in World History and Current Events. These are some of the main reasons I love teaching art and why it is so important in schools.” There’s also other reasons why art is important. Art can help release stress, help you express yourself, record history such as language, numbers, drawing and more. Art can have an impact for people. 

By Elaisa Burke
 
Covid-19 has affected the U.S tremendously since it started. Many people have suffered from this virus and died from this virus and still is happening to this day. It took a lot away from the people: many people lost their jobs, home, money and etc. This is a tragic experience many people or even all people are dealing with. A lot of people have gone mad because of a lot of places that closed down and that we have to wear masks.  According to Johns Hopkins University, “22 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits. Technical glitches have prevented millions of Americans from receiving their stimulus checks.” 
 
It was mandatory for people not to have big gatherings/parties no more than 10 people, and to take more procedures because it would be more of a high risk for covid-19 to continue spreading so rapidly. According to the CDC, “Invited guests who live with those at higher risk should also consider the potential risk to their loved ones.”  It also advises, “When guests arrive, minimize gestures that promote close contact. For example, don’t shake hands, do elbow bumps, or give hugs. Instead wave and verbally greet them.”   
 
Many people are tired of wearing masks, and some people would go places without a mask and that’s dangerous because that can risk other people’s health. But then when some people do wear masks, it can get hard for them to breath and most people have to wear a mask while at work. And it can be overwhelming for some people. According the University of Maryland, it says, “Myth: The way you wear a mask is not important.” This goes for people that think wearing a mask any type of way is okay. Then, “Fact: Wearing a mask correctly is the key to making it effective at preventing the spread of the coronavirus.” According to the CDC, a cloth face mask needs to have the following in order to be effective:
·         Cover both your nose and mouth 
·         Fit snugly but comfortably against the
sides of the face
·         Be secured with ties or ear loops
·         Have multiple layers of fabric
·         Allow for unrestricted breathing  
In conclusion many people have and are still suffering from the covid-19 pandemic. Some people still want to try and live a normal life, but it's only going to put themselves and others at risk. So it is very important that people take the covid-19 procedures seriously and slow down the spread of covid-19.
 

By Chasity Gagner
 
Why is water actually important for our bodies? What does it really do for us? Well it does many things for us. It helps our bodies function properly. It is also an essential nutrient that our bodies need. It makes up over half of our body weight. According to The European Federation of Bottled Waters (www.efbw.org), water does many things for the human body. For example:
·         Water carries nutrients to all cells in our body and oxygen to our brain
·         Water allows the body to absorb and assimilate minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose, and other substances
·         Water flushes out toxins and waste
·         Water helps to regulate body temperature
·         Water acts as a lubricant for joints and muscles
 
Did you know that the human body can survive up to several weeks without food but can only last a few days without water? Hydration is very important for the human body. Every system in the human body requires it. From cells and tissues, to vital organs require hydration. According to www.uchealth.org there are many things that water does. For example:
·         Water boosts energy. (Water delivers important nutrients to all of our cells, especially muscle cells, postponing muscle fatigue)
·         Water helps weight loss. (Water helps you feel full longer, without adding any additional calories. Drinking water or eating foods with a high water content can be a big help in managing your weight.)
·         Water aids in digestion. (Water aids in constipation and other abdominal issues, especially those suffering from IBS. Water helps to move the digestive process along and through the system.)
·         Water detoxifies. (Moves toxins through your system faster, and optimizes kidney function. Inadequate hydration means inadequate kidney function.)
·         Water hydrates skin. (Forget expensive creams and cure-alls, water is the best defense against aging and wrinkles in the skin.)
 
Without water, there can be many consequences to your body. The human body requires it. According to www.henryford.com there can be consequences such as:
·         Persistent headaches
·         Sluggish bowel function
·         Dull skin
·         Fatigue
·         Weight gain
·         Dry mouth
 
So be sure you’re getting your 8 cups of
water per day for your best health!

​
By Dyanna Garcia
 
When thinking about going to college, there are many factors that may not be considered. One of the biggest stressors on a high school senior and their family, is finding the financial resources to help with the cost of attending a college. 
 
Low income families:  Not every high school graduate plans on attending college, but the ones that do, may not have the financial resources to do so. Many young adults in the RCSD system are raised in a low income family. This means that many families cannot afford to send their children to college. The increased costs of education have made it difficult and stressful for a person to plan a successful future. Many high school students have dream careers that they cannot fulfill because they simply don’t have the money to do so. Top rated colleges and universities can be considered, but the amount of money you’ll have to pay back in the future might take a big toll on you. 
 
Future debt: Almost every person that is planning on attending college knows that they’re in for a long road of future debt.  The more semesters you attend in college, the higher the cost will be. Student loans for recent college graduates can be up to $30,000. 
 
In the last 10 years college tuition has increased by more than 25%. CNBC news states, “During the 1978-1979 school year, it cost the modern equivalent of $17,680 per year to attend a private college and $8,250 per year to attend a public college. By the 2008 - 2009 school year those costs had grown to $38,720 at private colleges, and $16,460 at public colleges. Today, those costs are closer to $48,510 and $21,370, respectively. That means costs increased by roughly 25.3% at private colleges and about 29.8% at public colleges.” 
 
Books/ housing/ supplies: Along with tuition costs to attend college there are other expenses like books. Also living on campus adds another price point to college life. 
 
An article from U.S. News states, “Tuition isn't the only higher education expense that makes paying for college challenging – the price of books and supplies can add up quickly. According to the most recent survey data from the College Board, the average full-time, on-campus undergraduate at a four-year school is estimated to have spent $1,240 on books and supplies during the 2019-2020 academic year.” 
 
I’ve come to understand that portions of tuition go to funding of the college but other portions seem very large still, making it hard for low income families to afford to send their children to these colleges. If the college tuition weren’t so high, then more people could further their education and become the successful person that they dream to be.

By Davyon Johnson
 
So recently I bumped into a thought when I was asked a question by a friend while playing the video game Assassin's Creed Valhalla. During the prologue of the game you begin as a kid named Eivor, who is the default character of choice during this specific segment of the game. But after completing the introduction of the game, unlike most games, you are given 3 choices: female Eivor, male Eivor, and the Animus option. I proceeded with the male Eivor, and then my friend asked me if I always choose the male option. My response was something along the lines of, “yea I guess...?”
 
Not long after, I thought about what is that makes me choose the male option most of the time when given the option. But more importantly, how sexist is the gaming world? If I were not given the choice to be male Eivor and instead only had the option of the female Eivor, would I have had the same immersive experience in this game? And vice versa, if a female is only given the option to be the male Eivor, does this affect the immersion and experience for that person?
 
So before getting deeper into the evolution of sexism in the video game industry, I want to first talk a bit about why I choose the male option almost 100% of the time, if given the option. So as a male I see it as me being as immersive and creative with my gaming experience based on my background in gaming. Some of my favorite childhood games Like Tak, Star Fox, and Dragonball Sagas, were pretty much the games I was introduced to, and of course the default character was mostly males or an animal of some sort.
 
Although over time more games were being published with females as the main character, games like Wet, Mirror's Edge, and Tomb Raider were all games that I fell in love with as well, but I’d assume that those earlier games really set a tone as to what I’d expect from a main protagonist. Now don’t get me wrong here, I love playing some of our best games yet with female protagonists, like Hellblade, Nier Automata, and Rise of the Tomb Raider, which are all games I highly enjoy. But if given the option I will most likely choose the male protagonist.
 
Now setting all that aside, I believe the gaming industry has had an extremely positive impact against sexism in the past few years. Especially in 2020, many new games gave a lot of control to the player’s character creation and choosing their gender in game. In fact there were so many games that gave that freedom, like Fall Guys, Bless Unleashed, Genshin Impact, Assassins Creed Valhalla, Nioh 2, and even if it was an extreme disappointment, Cyberpunk 2077. This game gave you full control over every aspect of your character and I would have to place this as one of the most in depth character creations ever made in gaming history. 
 
The gaming industry is constantly pushing the boundaries when it comes to including the community. The same goes with sexism; it has evolved in a way that diminishes any possible accusations that one could give in the state that the current generation of games are in. Even when games are focused on one gender alone, female or male, the gaming community and the immersiveness of these games makes anyone who is playing video games feeling so welcomed and appreciated. 
 

By Yasir Mungani
 
As the class of 2021 reaches its goal and prepares for graduation at East, what might a student of the equivalent education level in a different country be doing? Each country that will be mentioned has a different approach to higher education, which makes them uniquely tethered to the goal of preparing students for success. 
 
Abdirahman Ali, who is in his second year of college in the United Kingdom is currently preparing for his A-level exams. N, now keep in mind that college is merely junior and senior year for our British friends over in the UK.  
 
What exactly are “A-levels”? Ali had this to say, “Essentially, A-levels are the exams correspondent to every college student’s concentration, which consists of 3-4 courses that a year long.” After its introduction in 1988, The National Curriculum1 has been providing the framework of education for children between the ages of 5-18. 
 
The British system goes by years, a typical student would start with Nursery, then go on to Reception and then year one till year 13, after that comes postsecondary education/University. 
 
Pretty nerve-wracking for some final exams to decide where you end up, no? “There are several paths to take to University, but obtaining your A-levels as well as the other general requirements is the popular choice among prospective university students,” said the 18-year-old IT and Engineering student. And to think this would’ve been East students if a bunch of old white men didn’t get angry over tax on tea.
 
Our American education system is easy to comprehend, for Americans that is, but do you think Non-Americans believe the same? Yasmin Hussein, a year 12 (junior) student in London shared, “It’s a bit difficult to grasp you guys’ education system, I believe that’s because you’re a much larger nation and the states have much influence over education, but I always loved watching movies and seeing students break out into songs in the hallways, but it turns out it stays in the movies.” 
 
How does the nation with the largest population attack education? In 2014, The National Bureau of Statistics of China2 reported that within their 514,000 schools, there are 15 million teachers employed, and nearly 260 million students enrolled. Much like the United States, China’s education system is state-run3 
 
Though pre-primary education is not compulsory in China, students start nine years of primary education between the ages of six and seven, which is compulsory. Maybe this doesn’t seem bad to students in Turkey, considering Turkey’s adoption of the 4+4+4 system of compulsory education since 2012.4
 
With the variety of paths each nation has developed for their future leaders, it is certain that it works best for them, even with continuous change being made by governments, there is far too much achieved, and even more left to achieve. 

By Leida Nunez
 
Some people may argue that covid-19 has been beneficial because they have more time on their hands and can work from the comfort of their home but this isn't the case for everybody. Student athletes have been struggling with mental health and with staying on top of their work without an outlet. It is proven that sports actually help and keep student athletes on top of their grades because they know that if they don't have good grades they can't play and will go on athletic probation until they qualify to play again. According to student writer Rayna Acha in her news article, “Sports participation causes students to do better in school,” she states that, “in order to be eligible to play a sport, a 2.0 GPA has to be maintained. The expectation is that students will stay on track to graduate and if they cannot do that then they will no longer be able to play their sport, at least until their grades are improved.” This shows that sports actually help student athletes stay motivated and do good in school so that they can do what they most love. 
 
When the pandemic hit, it left many student athletes without hope. Many of these student athletes use sports as an outlet and get away from the real world because when they are involved in sports they don't have to think about what's going on at home, they have a goal and one goal only and that is to get better every day and win games. Also a lot of these student athletes use sports as an opportunity to go to a good college and actually be their family’s pride. They also see it as a way out because they don't have the funds to be able to go to college and pay for it or because where they come from isn't a place to be proud of so they want to be better than what they seen all their life. In the article ‘’Sports and Society: Can Sports Be an Effective Path out of Poverty for Youth?’’ by Justin Goldman it says, “Athletes have long used sports as a means to get out of a life of poverty. Whether it be Joe Frazier making it out of the slums of North Philadelphia or Marshall Faulk getting out of the Desire projects in New Orleans, sports have long proven to be a route out of poverty into a life of fame and fortune.’’ This shows that sports are more than just games for majority of student athletes.  They are a necessity.