2020, you caught us off guard. 2021, you just keep surprising us. In these times, it’s hard to say what’s coming next, where to go, what to do or not to do, or even to know what day it is sometimes. With all the changes that Covid-19 has brought, some days are well, we are just happy to get through. One thing is for sure, we have learned to adapt and be flexible. The students and faculty are all working together to keep each other supported and moving forward. To keep pace with the school, both in-person and remote, we took an anonymous poll to find out how the community is feeling at this point and you sure had a lot to say. We’re sure by reading through, you’ll find someone you can relate to.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR AT THIS POINT?
“I think that the school year is great. I think it’s a little easier because of being remote and when we go into school I think it’s a little stressful.”
“I am feeling a little off of the school year so far cause your not in the
class-room and the teachers can’t help you.” “I am feeling good about this school year so far. Although it is not the senior year I was expecting or wanting, I think it is going good so far.”
“It has been okay, but of course I wish everything was back to normal again in school.”
“Terrible. I can’t even think because of not only distractions but just because I want to be able to learn right in front of me with the person next to me.”
DID YOU THINK WE WOULD STILL BE HERE AT THIS POINT?
Yes: 187 responses No: 177 responses
DO YOU FEEL DIFFERENTLY NOW COMING BACK COMPARED TO NOVEMBER? “Yeah. It’s a lot easier doing only 4-5 classes a day, but I don’t like how we are stuck in homeroom for an hour or so. There’s nothing to do in homeroom and all make up work can be done at home.”
“Nope. And I don’t like the desk shields.” “Not really. It feels the same and I am not going back at the moment so it did not change for me much, but this time felt more like the safe choice to go back rather than November.”
“I am more confused this time around due to the blue and white week thing.” “No, I feel the same about things. Just a bit confused about the schedule, but I
will soon get used to it.”
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Is it Phase 2 or Phase 3? What day is it?
A collective effort by the Smoke Signals Staff
Williamstown High School
March 2021 Issue
2
What Day Is It? (cont.)3
DECA News4
Martin Luther King6
Nurse Kline7
Nurse Recktenwald8
Entertainment9
HoroscopesWHAT HAVE YOU CHANGED ABOUT YOUR STUDY/SCHOOL HABITS THIS YEAR? “I actually have a study and school section in my house.”
“My school habits are a bit better and I’m actually doing homework because I don’t have to go sit in a building for six or seven hours and then come home and do even more work.”
“I now start to do my work ahead of time so I don’t have to stress about it later on.”
“The only change for me is my focus. I focus better in school rather than at home.”
“I feel as if nothing has changed for the better. I feel although office hours are great, it’s rather uncomfortable. I get a better understanding face to face with a teacher.”
WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF OR SOMETHING NEW THAT CAME OUT OF THIS EXPERIENCE?
“I didn’t realize how much the people you socialize with in school impact you. Even people you only talk to in school have an impact because for me there are few people I talk to outside of school and I either get really lonely or have no motivation to talk to people.”
“I learned how to entertain myself, I know that sounds funny, but I used to go and hang out with friends and family almost everyday and now I’ve learned how to do things by myself and still be entertained. I’ve read probably every book in my house, I’ve painted my
bathroom walls and I’ve done every little craft on YouTube.”
“That I am lazy. You might think I’m joking but I am so serious. I feel like school and then practice right after school kept me so busy and kept me always doing something.”
“I learned the value of friendships because not seeing my friends everyday I only kept in contact with a few so it shows who sticks around.”
“I have learned that the second I slack off, it is hard to come back and that I really need to focus and try hard in order to succeed.”
“I learned that I could do a lot of things if I put my mind to it and have motivation.” IS THERE ANYTHING YOU MISS THAT YOU DIDN’T THINK YOU WOULD?
“Going to school.” “School in general.”
“I thought I wouldn’t miss having to wake up early and get ready and go to school for 7 hours but I actually do. I would drop everything to be able to go back to normal school. I learn better.
I’m happier as well.” “The presence of teachers.”
“The chicken sandwiches in the cafeteria.” “Teachers calling on me to answer a question.” “Keeping a nor-mal schedule.” WHAT THINGS DO YOU MISS THE MOST? “My friends.”
“In-school activities.”
“Seeing my friends at school.”
“Eating with my friends in the cafeteria.” “I’ve really missed goofing around with my friends and honestly seeing all my teachers and actually being able to learn and do hands-on activities.”
“I have missed the social interaction, and the overall whole school environment, with friends, and just having a good daily routine.”
WHAT PARTS OF THIS EXPERIENCE DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO UTILIZE DOWN THE ROAD?
“We should make online school optional even after the pandemic. It makes kids with anxiety feel safer and kids who are bullied instead of being singled out can just be on the computer. It’s also good because as long as you have internet you can do school.”
“The parts of this experience I think we should continue to utilize down the road is to make sure everyone stays safe,
un-derstands what they are being
What day is it? (continued)
Hey.
I miss you.
Hey.
I miss
you too.
taught and we keep doing zooms with the teachers to ask for help.”
“I think we should use online classes for snow days.”
“I think we should continue to sanitize everything.”
“I think we should keep the half day schedule.”
“Taking the time to hang out with your family.”
WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT THE FUTURE/END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR?
“I hope things go back to normal where everyone goes into school even if we all need masks or desk shields.”
“I hope that we will be able to do school actually, and it’s practical for everyone because my main problem was with all the distance and not being allowed to do things as you normally do at school that
drove me away from going back. I just hope that can change!”
“I feel pretty confident that things might go back to the way they were before the end of the year or at the very least, the beginning of next year (as long as people are doing the things they should be).” “I hope that somewhere in the near future we all get back to school because sometimes I miss human interaction.” “If prom and senior trip do get canceled I wont really be upset because at this point I’m just looking forward and hop-ing for graduation so I can move on and make steps in my life that will impact my future.”
“That we can get some normalcy.” “That we’re able to make everything normal again, classes being on a normal schedule, and that my senior year next year will be normal.”
“What I am hopeful for going into the end of the year is to have a great rest of the year even if we are virtual, to make sure I have good grades, hopefully have prom and be able to see my friends graduate.”
“Happiness, total enjoyment.”
“I’m hopeful that we can end the year off strong and hopefully get back to normal next year.”
As we continue to make changes and adjustments, it’s clear that while every-thing seems strange right now, we all are looking for the same thing in the end. A return to something we used to take for granted. A chance to see our friends, participate in activities, and most importantly, get back to some normal things. Hopefully, when that happens, we’ll once again know what day it is and where we’re supposed to be. Until then, hang tight, and remember we are all in this together.
Hey.
I miss
you too.
DECA is one of the largest and most active clubs at WHS. Beyond meeting and discussing business skills, members also compete with each other at regional, state, and national levels, traveling to hotels across the country. At these competitions, members are presented with business-related problems, which they must solve. Students then present their solutions to judges using PowerPoints, poster boards, or other means. All things considered, being a part of DECA means being very hands-on and sociable. But after everything that has happened in the past year, much of this simply isn’t possible. The hotel halls that once bustled with students will go empty, to be replaced— much like many other things —by the crackling quiet and distance of Zoom calls.
This year, all presentations will be pre-recorded using pro-grams and sent to club advisors, who will review them and
offer criticism before forwarding them to the judges. Most of the videos will be made using programs like Screencastify, which allow the webcam video and screen to be recorded simultaneously. Other than how they are presented, everything else remains the same. Students still must take the regional and state exams, and they still are faced with the same types of problems to be completed in the same general time-frame. And although it is disappointing that students likely won’t be able to travel for the national competition this year, it is much better to be safe than to put students in harm’s way.
As it is regarding most things now, all we can do is hope that this is merely one bad year and things can get back to normal soon. But for now, all we can do is try and best and wait for business to get back to usual.
Business Not So Usual:
DECA in 2021
by Anna McMahon
CLASSROOM
CLASSROOM
B
lack History Month 2021 is focused on the theme of the black family with subtopics including representation, identity, and diversity. Throughout American history, the contributions of African Americans have been integral and heavily under-appreciated due to racial inequity; however, to highlight African American influenc-es and excellence, Black History Month was influenc-established. The under-pinnings of Black History month began in September 1915 by Jesse E. Moorland and Carter G. Woodson with the creation of Black History Week. As founders of the African American Life and History Organi-zation, the men aspired to publicize undervalued African American accomplishments (“Black History Month”). Purposefully, they chose the second week in February to hold the honorary celebration to cor-relate with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Gaining recognition, college campuses and several organizations ded-icated the entire month of February to celebrate the legacy of African Americans. Then, in 1976 President Gerald Ford officially attributed the month of February for Black History Month, he states that this fed-eral holiday will “‘seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglect-ed accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history’” (“Black History Month”).REPRESENTATION,
IDENTITY, &
DIVERSITY
by Christina Copeland
Furthermore, exemplary of African American leader-ship and tenacity, Martin Luther King was one of the most influential activists in American history. As the son of an admired pastor and a schoolteacher, he was strongly influenced by his brilliance and family to at-tend Boston University at the ripe of fifteen. Originally in pursuit of his law and medicine doctorate degree, Martin Luther King decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a pastor when he met Dr. Ben-jamin Mays. Successful in his field, he quickly won a prestigious fellowship and was elected president of his predominantly white senior class” (“Martin Luther King, Jr.”). Then, after meeting Coretta Scott, he wed and moved to Montgomery, Alabama. During this time, Montgomery, Alabama was one of the most segregated and racially turbulent cities in the country. Thus, initiating his life of activism, Martin Luther King led the infamous year-long bus boycott after Rosa Parks’ arrest. As a result, Martin Luther King was known nationally for his ability to organize individuals to accomplish the mutual goal of ending discriminatory legislation (“Martin Luther King, Jr.”). Persuaded by the boycott, the Supreme Court de-clared in 1956 that segregating seats is unconstitu-tional. Subsequently, after he was stabbed by a white supremacist at a book signing, Martin Luther King moved to Atlanta George, his hometown, to establish a civil rights organization. In collaboration, he and several southern activists instituted the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with the objective of gaining equal rights for African Americans. To reaf-firm their non-violent stance, the organization’s motto was “Not one hair of one head of one person should be harmed” (“Martin Luther King, Jr.”). Modeling that motto, Martin Luther King, a myriad of protesters and activists frequently returned to Birmingham to combat the growing opposition for equal rights and Jim Crow Laws. Consequently, Martin Luther King was temporarily imprisoned, and, in that time, he wrote the renowned ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’. Finally, near the end of his life, Martin Luther King coordinat-ed the March to Washington where he performcoordinat-ed his speech ‘I have a dream’. Overall, his steadfastness
and perseverance led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended segregation and discriminatory policies (“Martin Luther King, Jr.”).
Moreover, lesser-known Coretta Scott King was instrumental in the continuation of the Civil Rights Movement following Martin Luther King’s assassina-tion. Aligning with the theme of the black family, Mrs. King was called to raise her children while Martin Luther King traveled the country as a leader and an activist (“Coretta Scott King: 20 Facts.”). However, unable to stand idle, she utilized her audience as a singer to encourage women to join the movement and contribute to the protests. Additionally, she gave free concerts, conducted speeches, and worked alongside activists to get the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed. Then, in memory of her dead husband, she encouraged former president Raegan to create Martin Luther King Day, which was established in 1983 (“Coretta Scott King: 20 Facts.”). Continuing to contact the president, she pressured him to place economic sanctions on South Africa to deter their system of Apartheid. Similar to America, Apartheid plagued South Africa aiming to create a system of European hierarchy upon the natives. To add on, observing the injustices and inequities faced by the LGBTQ community, she called for a branch of the Civil Rights Movement to focus on eliminating discrimi-natory legislation (“Coretta Scott King: 20 Facts.”). Conclusively, Black History Month celebrates the vast contributions African Americans made to create a more inclusive and diverse society.
Citation:
“Coretta Scott King: 20 Facts.” Legacy.com, 31 July 2020, www.legacy.com/news/culture-and-history/coretta-scott-king-20-facts/.
“Black History Month.” History.com, A&E Television Net-works, 14 Jan. 2010, www.history.com/topics/black-history/ black-history-month.
“Martin Luther King, Jr.” History.com, A&E Television Net-works, 14 Jan. 2021, https://www.history.com/topics/ black-history/martin-luther-king-jr
REPRESENTATION,
IDENTITY, &
DIVERSITY
by Christina Copeland
5
CLASSROOM
CLASSROOM
TEACHER FEATURE
by Allyson Miller
As we all know, the nurses have taken on a vital and significant role this school year. As of recent, Governor Murphy declared March 9th of each year to be “COVID-19 Heroes Day”. I was lucky enough to interview two of those heroes who dedicated their lives at WHS.
What inspired you to be a nurse?
I kind of fell into nursing. I was in college but didn’t know what I wanted to do with
my life. I loved science and the Nursing program was accepting 100 students the upcoming
semester so I applied. Best decision I ever made!! I absolutely love being a Nurse. I feel like I am making an impact in people’s lives.
Have you always wanted to be a nurse?
No, I wanted to be a Marine Biologist as a child but life happens and paths change. Being a Nurse offers a wide variety of opportunities and is ever changing. I work more than one job and love that they are so different from each other.
In a normal year, what is your favorite part of being a nurse?
I love meeting new people and helping them no matter how brief the encounter may be. The best part of being a school nurse is getting to know the students and see how they grow through the years.
How about your least favorite part?
I don’t really have a dislike about being a nurse. The long hours can be tiresome but it is part of the job we signed up for when we graduated nursing school.
In general, how has this year affected your nursing job?
Our jobs have changed significantly. I don’t see a large number of student’s everyday anymore. We do a lot of phone calls home to follow up on student health issues instead. We also have a bigger role in the health of our teachers and staff.
What is the biggest work issue this year has caused?
The contact tracing has been the biggest change this year. It is very time consuming which means we are working a lot more outside of school hours. Although contact tracing is time consuming it is definitely necessary and I have learned a lot about public health nursing during this whole mess of a pandemic. Are there any surprising benefits this year has caused?
I think this year has taught us all to adapt quickly to unforeseen circumstances. It has also forced me to learn a lot about the public health side of nursing which I am grateful for.
Is there anything you would like to say or add to our community?
Nursing is an amazing career and I am so glad it is the path I chose. Nursing is way more than supplying a Band-Aid or giving medications. It is about compassion, caring, sacrifice and perseverance.
Nurse Cline
TEACHER FEATURE
by Allyson Miller
What inspired you to be a nurse?
I had a bad experience as a child at a pediatricians office when I had to get a throat
culture for strep throat, and I knew then, that I wanted to be a pediatric nurse to make sure no
other kids had to have experiences like I did. I have worked in hospitals, homecare, community settings, and school settings, and each one is SO different yet SO similar. Being a nurse is simply the best. With all of it’s options, there are no limitations and you can continually learn new things.
Have you always wanted to be a nurse?
I have wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember! I actually have no medical background in my family at all. I wanted to do something completely different than everyone else.
In a normal year, what is your favorite part of being a nurse?
I started as a pediatric and Neonatal ICU nurse where I was able to be a part of someone’s care who cannot care for themselves. My favorite part of being a school nurse is the relationships you can make with students so that they learn to trust and rely on you to help them with personal/medical concerns. How about your least favorite part?
In the hospital, the work can be extremely heavy & makes you extremely tired. The long 3 day stretches of 12 hour shifts can really take a toll on you, especially if you are working a night shift! But it’s a good type of heavy & tired because you know you made a difference.
In general, how has this year affected your nursing job?
This pandemic has made a big difference in my job. Typically, we have a lot of students in our office with things such as headaches, stomachaches, fevers, nausea, etc. This year, we now have two offices, in which one is strictly for covid like symptoms. This year has also added contact tracing, which is a huge step in this pandemic!
Are there any surprising benefits this year has caused?
It has taught me how to contact trace! This is all new, and it’s a really interesting process. It is so detailed oriented, and we have gotten really good at it! Since we truly do not know if there will ever be another pandemic in this world we live in, contact tracing may be the new normal in any type of virus! Is there anything you would like to say or add to our community?
If any students are ever interested in becoming a nurse & would like to talk about the process, they absolutely can come down & speak with us! Going to nursing school was extremely time consuming, and HARD! BUT, I would not have changed that for the world!
Nurse Recktenw
ald
ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT
8
by Zachary O’Donnell
Within the past few months Disney has announced its upcoming projects for the next few years. Many have agreed that there are some promising series and films in the works. These consist of some entirely new stories and some that revisit our past favorites. Here is a little about a few future releases.
RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON - Hitting theaters and Disney+ in March, Raya and the Last Dragon recount the story of a land called Kumandra. In Kumandra people and dragons lived with each other. The dragons did anything in their power to help the humans, even if it risked their existence. The dragons once sacrificed themselves to stop the monsters called Druun that were terrorizing humans. Centuries later when the Druun return it is up to Raya to help fellow humans and dragons to get rid of them.
ZOOTOPIA+ - This upcoming animated series is based on the 2016 Disney film “Zootopia”. The series will feature some of the original characters from the film and show us their intriguing story.
LIGHTYEAR - Revisiting one of our favorite characters in Pixar history, “Lightyear”, gives viewers some light into Buzz Lightyear’s history. The film goes through Buzz’s life and how he went from a space ranger to a toy. “Lightyear” is set to be released in June of 2022.
LUCA - Taking place in a beautiful city in the Italian Rivera, Pixar’s film “Luca” features a boy that experiences a memora-ble summer with his best friend. This pair of friends’ world turns upside down when they realize that they are in fact sea monsters. This film is set to release in June 2021, marking the 35th anniversary of Pixar.
by Jadyn Beyer CHAOS WALKING
Many movies, like Black Widow, In The Heights, and many others have been pushed back to accommodate the risks of COVID-19. Chaos Walking is amongst that list. A movie starring Daisy Ridley (Rey Skywalker) and Tom Holland (MCU’s Spider-man) is taking place in the dystopian world originally written by Patrick Ness in his Chaos Walking book series. The film will be directed by Doug Liman who may be better known for his other films such as Edge of Tomorrow or the Bourne series. So what can we expect from this movie when it comes to both normal theaters and possibly your own homes on March 5 of this year?
The most blatant change would be the fact that the characters may be aged up a few years. While it is quite normal for older actors to take roles of much younger characters, both lead actors have gained a much more mature look over the few years that they have been relevant in the media. We can expect the characters to be aged up to around fifteen years to sixteen years old instead of the twelve and thirteen years old at the very least. With Doug Liman directing, something else we can expect is for the movie to be filled with action sequences and strong emotional scenes. As for the plot itself, I cannot foresee any major changes that would have to be made, so it should follow the general plot of the novel. For those who haven’t read the series, the first novel follows a young Todd Hewitt through this post-war world where in his town there are only men and everything that is thought (doesn’t matter how deep in con-sciousness you are) can be heard. He finds the first girl to be seen in his town in about two decades and has to try to keep both her and himself safe from the dangers of their world. While COVID did delay this movie further, it had been delayed much earlier than the pandemic’s start. This does cause some worry for the quality of the film, but hopefully it just remains a quality over time-restraint kind of deal. I’m highly anticipating this film to come out, and hopefully it lives up to the expecta-tions the novel has set for it.
Didn’t get your own copy of Smoke Signals? Get it on the school website!
9
NEWSPAPER STAFF
Jadyn Beyer · Christina Copeland · Anna McMahon · Allyson Miller · Zachary O’Donnell
Ms. Gaudio ~ Advisor/Editor • Mrs. Peacock ~ Advisor/Designer
CAPRICORN
Dec. 22–Jan. 19
Express yourself today! If you don’t people may believe something is up. Try to just have fun and not let those around you bore you.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 23–Dec. 21
Today you will receive relief from a worry that has been troubling you for a while. Try to just be less overbearing but express your needs.
SCORPIO
Oct. 23–Nov. 22
You may have felt in a rut lately but today things are finally look-ing up! A huge weight will be lifted today, and you’ll feel like your old self again.
LIBRA
Sept. 23–Oct. 22
You may feel at a turning point with your studies and life choices. They may allow many doors to open, just make sure to think hard on what options you go for.
VIRGO
Aug. 23–Sept. 22
Today will be a very good day, Virgos! Fantasy may take the wheel today and you’ll find yourself daydreaming as you walk the halls.
LEO
July 23–Aug. 22
Your self-esteem may be challenged today. Don’t accept any hate at first glance. Just stay grounded and try to stay calm.
CANCER
June 21–July 22
A small action of generosity today will have a domino effect in your near future. As long as you put good karma out into the world, good karma will come to you.
GEMINI
May 21–June 20
Expect a reality check this month, Geminis. Your good feelings may be soured by the loss of touch with your reality. Make sure to stay in tune with your life and emotions.
TAURUS
Apr. 21–May 20
Be social this month! Latch onto that emotion you feel when interact-ing with others. Communication will be the key to success this month.
ARIES
Mar. 21–Apr. 20
Prosperity is closer than you may think. You will find what you seek, however it is up to you to take it for yourself. Try looking for solid answers rather than more questions.
PISCES
Feb. 20–Mar. 20
Come out of serious mode and lighten up! Have a game night at home or invite some friends onto a zoom for a zoom party. Just have fun and let loose.
AQUARIUS
Jan. 20–Feb. 19
Let go of your inhibi-tions today. Generally you find yourself coming up with witty remarks late after the fact. See what happens if you just go with the flow!
horoscopes
by Jadyn Beyer
ARIES TAURUS LEO
SAGITARIUS
LIBRA
PISCES AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO CANCER
ARIES TAURUS LEO
SAGITARIUS
LIBRA
PISCES AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO
CANCER
ARIES TAURUS LEO
SAGITARIUS
LIBRA
PISCES AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO
CANCER
ARIES TAURUS LEO
SAGITARIUS
LIBRA
PISCES AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO
CANCER
ARIES TAURUS LEO
SAGITARIUS
LIBRA
PISCES AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO
CANCER
ARIES TAURUS LEO
SAGITARIUS
LIBRA
PISCES AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO CANCER
ARIES TAURUS LEO
SAGITARIUS
LIBRA
PISCES AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO
CANCER
ARIES TAURUS LEO
SAGITARIUS
LIBRA
PISCES AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO CANCER
ARIES TAURUS LEO
SAGITARIUS
LIBRA
PISCES AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO
CANCER
ARIES TAURUS LEO
SAGITARIUS
LIBRA
PISCES AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO
CANCER
ARIES TAURUS LEO
SAGITARIUS
LIBRA
PISCES AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO CANCER
ARIES TAURUS LEO
SAGITARIUS
LIBRA
PISCES AQUARIUS
CAPRICORN
GEMINI SCORPIO VIRGO CANCER
