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TALON
THE
APRIL
GOODBYE MR. KANDRA
Get your tissues ready.
PHOTOMATH BANNED
No more cheating on tests.
SPHS BEES
New mascot check.
Volume 61 | Issue 1 | Severna Park High School | 60 Robinson Road | Severna Park, Maryland | SPTALON.COM
STAFF
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Nick Carparelli, Sydney PAGE 3 - Staff Editorial and
Herz, Sophie Krejci News in Brief
VIDEOGRAPHER Flynn Prengaman PAGE 4 - Goodbye Mr. Kandra
GRAPHICS CONTRIBUTER Maya Jones
PAGE 5 - An Undercover Genius
STAFF WRITERS Isabella Boettinger, Mike
Gaver, Rachel Ghahhari, Anastasia Gobot, Graham PAGE 6 - Photomath Banned
Haynie, Zach McGrath, Zoey Nichols, Julia Owens
ADVISER Valerie Earhart
PAGE 7 - Reception Issue Solved
PAGE 8 - Band is Banished
PAGE 9 - Six-Day School Week
WHO WE ARE The Talon is the principle news publication and public
forum of Severna Park High School, which is located on 60 Robinson Road,
Severna Park, Maryland 21146. Phone: 410-544-0900 ASSOCIATIONS
The Talon is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and
Quill & Scroll International Journalism Association. It has won Gold and
PAGE 10 - RicKeyboards
Silver Medals from CSPA. DISTRIBUTION Staff members typically dis-
tribute 400 papers to the student body. Magazines are available to pick up PAGE 11 - New Mascot
in the hallways, the main office and throughout the English department.
Subscribers may pay $50 to have the publication mailed to their home. PDF
copies of The Talon are found under Past Print at www.sptalon.com. OPIN-
PAGE 12 - Why Be in Person
IONS Views expressed in The Talon do not reflect those of the Severna
Park High School administration or the Anne Arundel County Public School PAGE 13 - Fall Sports Schedule
Board of Education. Signed columns or reviews represent only the opinion
of the author. EDITORIALS The Talon’s editorials will reflect a consensus
of the members of the student editorial board. The subjects of the editori-
als will be determined by the editorial board. The editorial board, which
consists of the staff’s student editors, will determine the content, including
all unsigned editorials. Editorial ideas may be submitted to the editorial
board by all members of the staff. Editorials should be sent to thesptalon@
gmail.com or dropped off in the publication lab, 245, during school hours. TALK TO US
No material will be published for which there is evidence that the author is
using the paper for inappropriate personal gain. ADVERTISING Any stu- Severna Park Talon Severna Park Talon
dent, parent, staff member or organization will be allowed to purchase ads.
Non-students, businesses or any person not currently attending or related to @thesptalon @thesptalon
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Any business wishing to advertise in The Talon must meet district guide-
COVER PHOTO
lines for obscene or offensive material. All copy or art will be judged by
these standards. Any ad found to be in violation must be changed or it will
not be published. The publication reserves the right to refuse any ad that is
libelous, illegal, obscene, irresponsible, inappropriate or in poor taste. The Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a
publication also reserves the right to edit any ad before publication to en- lot on students minds about how the rest of the school
sure the standards and quality of the product. The publication may limit the year is going to go and countless unknowns as the new
number of type styles offered to ad customers and set guidelines for format way of learning approaches quickly, especially for ju-
and style. The publication reserves the right to edit all submitted copy or
photographs. BYLINES All articles, graphics, photos, art, columns, pages,
nior Paul Isenburg. Now that high schools has shifted to
reviews, and other material creatively conceived, with the exception of staff hybrid, life has become even crazier than before. Photo
editorials, mug shots and cut-outs will be bylined with the producer’s name. by Flynn Prengaman, Graphics by Maya Jones
All bylined writers will be held accountable for their work. When more than
one person has contributed creatively to a piece of work, any person who
has contributed to the work must be bylined as a producer.
2
NEWS IN BRIEF
STAFF EDITORIAL
A
s the school ship and In- Graphic by Maya Jones
year, offi- novation,
cially be- states,”
gins hybrid Students
learning, develop a
it’s time for the county, sense of in-
and more specifically our dividual re-
school, to consider allow- sponsibility,
ing outside vendors deliv- learn life and
ery opportunities for stu- career skills,
dents and faculty/staff. gain business
The economy has taken knowledge, cre-
a hit over the last year, and ativity and the
as a community who be- critical thinking skills
lieves in small businesses required to achieve the
-- and corporate business- highest levels of personal,
es, we can do our part by academic and career suc-
allowing local establish- cess.” What better way Starbucks delivered to fac- The benefits to the stu-
ments, like Chick-fil-A, can we learn life and ca- ulty/staff will encourage dent’s grades, are incalcu-
McDonald’s, Starbucks reer skills, then by order- them to be more enthusi- lable. Not to mention the
and Chipotle an oppor- ing food from our phones astic as they teach through money our school patrons
tunity to see a take out and having it delivered? their masks. Or how a would then be pumping
surge over the next three An expertise everyone delicious Chipotle burri- into our local community.
months. needs to be able to per- to bowl could encourage We’d be doing our part to
As our Signature pro- form at optimum levels. a student to stay awake help Severna Park recover
gram Business, Leader- Imagine how having through their last period. during this downturn.
NEWS IN BRIEF So not only was the use of cats
in the school on purpose, but the
threat to other students attending
school; these potential openings
CATS HELP OUT // Cats have animals now have it for the time act to create a cesspool of germs
been roaming the hallways, in being as a place to call home. from middle schools, elementary
order to help decrease the mice schools and high schools, making
population. LARGE FAMILIES ARE OUT // these students particularly dan-
“I oversaw the cats being let For all students who have a family gerous to other students. A final
into the building, to help with of four or more, the school board decision will be made in April.
the pest control earlier in the has started hearings on whether
year during quarantine, since you will be able to continue to at- CHICKEN NUGGIES // With
it would be harder for staff to tend hybrid learning. Despite the a huge demand for free meals at
work,” School Business Man- arguments of parents, the school AACPS buildings, the Food Ser-
ager Heather DeMaria said. “It board believes that this is a neces- vice has decided to replace all
really helps having both a pest sary precaution, arguing that due nutritious food with “chicken
problem taken care of, and a to the extensive number of open- nuggies” and a knock off version
large amount of adorable cats in ings for the COVID-19 virus, of Chick-fil-A sauce. And the stu-
the building are uplifting too.” these families pose a significant dents rejoiced.
3
NEWS
GOODBYE MR. KANDRA
Michael Kandra leaves SPHS after 29 years of teaching
to become President Joe Biden’s dog walker.
Sydney Herz | Editor-In-Chief
Virtual learning has not been easy for teachers and students alike
and one teacher, Michael Kandra is ready to branch out and leave
the virtual classroom. A day in the life of an online teacher doesn’t
consist of much, but a day in the life of the Presidential Dog Walk-
er, now that consists of so much more. “I’m there, live [with] my
mask. I come to the gate, they usher me in [and I] get the pups,”
Kandra said. “[I then] pop in, give Joe some advice and then I’m
off walking, a 30 minute walk. Then lunch and a nap in the oval
office; there’s two couches, Joe’s 78 so he naps on one, I the other.
[Finally I] get up, take the pups for another walk, then I commute
home.” Photo by Natalie Castillo
has been devoted to educating kids Kandra would be
torn between deciding whether to remain a teacher or
not. But for him, the decision was simple.
“I get 25 dollars a day and a free lunch everyday, so
S
it pays more than teaching,” Kandra said. “[There are]
ay your final goodbyes because the rumors no cons, just pros [and there’s] no hybrid or virtual dog
are true; beloved history teacher, Michael walking.”
Kandra is leaving SPHS at the end of the This might not sound like the ideal way to spend your
2020-2021 school year to further his pas- day, but to Kandra it’s a dream come true. He gets to
sion for walking dogs. work alongside one of the most influential men in the
After 29 years of tiring work as a teacher, country and will have his voice heard in some of the
Kandra has decided to say his goodbyes to the Severna congregations in the Oval Office.
Park community and move into the White House as an “Sometimes when the White House is holding a meet-
employee (and friend) to President Joe Biden. Wonder- ing on education, Joe lets me pop my head in,” Kandra
ing where it all started? Kandra’s business started out said. “I have taught for 29 years so they of course ask
small, walking a few friends’ dogs a week, and turned for my opinion, but I’ve got nothing.”
his canine calling into a booming organization. Kandra Nevertheless, leaving SPHS and the wonderful com-
is now drowning in money, dog hair, and an overused munity has not been as easy as one would think. Addi-
FitBit telling him he’s gotten in more than enough steps tionally, since Biden is the president and has a limited
everyday. number of years in office, Kandra’s business and em-
“I started out walking Steve Bisciotti’s dog, the Ra- ployment as the Presidential Dog Walker is also lim-
vens owner,” Kandra said. “Since then my dog walking ited. Every day he remembers how amazing his job at
empire has expanded.” SPHS was and the fun times he had there with all of his
Word got around that Kandra’s business was afford- students and fellow staff members.
able, local, and left the dogs and their owners happy. “[I’m] not sure how long I will last as the Biden dog
In fact, the hot gossip was heard by so many that Kan- walker,” Kandra said. “I miss SPHS; once you have
dra was approached by a family friend and Joe Biden’s been to the mountaintop (SPHS) it’s hard to appreciate
personal doctor, Kevin O’Connor about the presidential anything else.”
pets not getting enough attention from their busy owner. Luckily, Kandra is planning to stick around until the
“I told him I could do it - I can leave teaching and end of the third marking period in order to say goodbye
work at the White House,” Kandra said. “Twenty-nine to all of his students and coworkers and give one last
years of teaching has beaten me down and dogs are farewell to his time as a teacher.
more likely to listen to me than my students.”
You’re probably thinking that as a majority of his life
4
AN UNDERCOVER GENIUS
The vaccine found through innovation and hard work
by a teacher in the SPHS science department.
Sophie Krejci | Editor in Chief
Everyone who has had some of her students be-
Ms. Mossa for biology gan to notice her secretive
knows the vast span of plans and were astonished.
her intelligence. However “I always knew she was too
with school being online, smart to be a teacher, but
her students don’t know this was something else,”
how she spent the majori- senior Ethan Kent said.
ty of her 2020. Frantically Not only was Mossa a
moving between science driving force behind the
labs, finding wifi spots promptness of the vaccine,
around the school for calls but she utilized her AP
and experimenting day Bio students for some help
and night, Mossa was re- along the way. “There are
cruited by Pfizer-BioN- several types of vaccines,
Tech to help create the I wanted to see which type
COVID-19 vaccine at my students thought would
warp speed. work best with this new vi-
Before being a teacher, rus,” Mossa said. With sev-
Mossa worked in a lab and eral classwork assignments
when the COVID-19 cri- and labs, her AP Bio stu-
sis broke out, she was im- dents, unbeknown to them,
mediately contacted again helped with data and con-
for assistance due to the firming Mossa’s ideas. Lat-
pandemic. Knowing the er she started reaching out
urgency of the situation, to some of the students she Ms. Mossa has been relaxing in 2021 now that the vaccine she
Mossa took on changing felt she could trust. “Ms. created is being distributed across the world. Relieved, Ms.
Mossa has returned to teaching at SPHS. “I hope my creation
needs of finding a vac- Mossa asked me to be a part is helping everyone” Mossa said. Photo courtesy of Ms. Mossa,
cine while continuing her of the phase one trial group. Graphics by Maya Jones
teacher duties. Between I said no, but now that she
grading papers and creat- has had so much success, I fatigue but has not had Fortunately, Mossa has
ing an mRNA vaccine, my wish I had said yes,” senior COVID-19 since the shot. had some time to destress
2020 was very stressful. I Kate Stefancik said. Anoth- Now, Mossa’s contri- and focus solely on her
had no time- for exercise er senior Grace Ferguson, bution to the vaccine ef- students and teaching.
I walked on the treadmill took a different path. “Ms. forts has been noticed. “I’m glad the vaccine was
while grading labs,” Mos- Mossa encouraged me to Pfizer-BioNTech’s was approved because I need-
sa said. During the days, take her vaccine, and be- approved for Emergency ed to start sleeping again.
she was let back into the cause she has a degree from Use Authorization from Hopefully, the vaccine
empty school to manu- John Hopkins University, I the Food and Drug Ad- will continue to make stu-
facture prototypes of the said yes,” Ferguson said. ministration (FDA) on dents more comfortable
vaccine and send them Ferguson continued to ex- Dec. 11, 2020. Now the coming back to school,”
back Pfizer headquarters plain that she experienced first dose of the vaccine Mossa said.
in New York. While Mos- some of the explained side has been distributed to
sa was working diligently, effects, such as a fever and millions of Americans.
5
NEWS
PHOTOMATH BANNED
The math app, PhotoMath is being banned on all
devices in AACPS due to a new county wide policy.
Nick Carparelli | Editor-In-Chief
With PhotoMath being banned, it will
no longer be available in the app store
for all students in Anne Arundel County.
This decision becomes effective on April
1. “From this day on, math scores may go
down,” Lowman said. “But it will show
who is wanting to learn.” Photo by Nick
Carparelli
“I use PhotoMath for practice
problems and to get a better un-
derstanding when I am doing work
outside of school and when teachers
are not available,” senior Evan Ste-
fanovich said.
By making this choice, the BOE
hopes students will feel more prop-
erly educated and will legitimately
raise their test scores when they re-
turn to the building as a whole
“I don’t think it is a surprising
move at all,” math teacher Angela
Sasse said. “Our main goal is for
students to learn, and they are not
learning if they have access to Pho-
toMath.”
The biggest concern from the BOE
and teachers is how students will
adapt when we return to full in-per-
M
son learning again.
ath grades and decision follows the Board of Edu- “I think that students are really
test scores cation’s, most recent meeting. going to struggle when they come
have been at “The math department is glad that back for hybrid. We all know that
a record high the county took this initiative,” math builds on prior knowledge,
this first se- SPHS Math Department chair Julie and if they were using PhotoMath,
mester and Lowman said.“It will help students they don’t have any of those skills
the math department knows that do their own work and make it more to apply to new problems,” Sasse
there is a specific reason.. After fair for hybrid students doing work said.
a long investigation on the mat- in the classroom versus students do- “My hope is that with this change
ter, Anne Arundel County Public ing work at home.” students can find a new passion for
Schools has decided to ban the app Now that hybrid learning has start- math that maybe they would not
PhotoMath as it has become the ed, the disparity of in school teach- have been able to find earlier now
main factor behind increasing test ing rather than being at home can with the app banned,” Lowman
scores and assessment grades. This affect students more than we realize. said.
6
SCHOOL RESOLVES CELLULAR
RECEPTION ISSUE
The rising use of smoke signals in cellular dead-zones
across the nation.
Zachary McGrath | Staff Writer
Before students left the materials and perform the alphabet, writing an essay they can potentially learn.
school building in March a necessary actions to make and translating it into the While many students are
common issue for students smoke signals. A faculty smoke alphabet as a final returning to school at dif-
was the lack of reliable member will be outside project. “Honors Intro ferent times during the
cellular reception within the school writing down to Fire Signals will chal- year, they need to make
Severna Park High School. the messages and posting lenge the students to tell sure to take advantage of
Almost everywhere inside them on the SPHS parent the difference between or- the wonderful smoke sig-
the school is a dead zone Facebook page to relay dinary smoke signals and nal program when they
and many students have the information. Through the ones that matter,” Seg- re-enter the building.
made suggestions on how many hours of staff devel- natelli said.
to solve it. On Feb. 22, the opment, it is estimated the There is even talk that the
school administration was entire process will take signature program should
proud to announce they around half an hour. With adopt parts of smoke sig-
had found a solution just this new resource, the nals into its curriculum
in time for hybrid learn- school will take full ad- to reflect the rapidly
ing: smoke signals. This vantage of the opportunity evolving world we
solution has been in devel- and a semester-long class live in. Based upon
opment since the start of named Honors Intro to how the class is re-
the school year. “It took Fire Signals will be taught ceived by SPHS students
a lot of brainstorming, but by Dr. Barbara Segnatelli. and staff, it is possible
we think we came up with It will be offered next year that it may become a class
a safe and fun solution and will teach students offered all across Anne
for students and parents how to effectively use Arundel County Public
alike,” school computer smoke signals and prepare Schools.
specialist Mrs. Knell said. them for a job in the grow- Faculty and students are
The system will be both ing smoke signal industry. ecstatic about the news.
safe and effective. First, The class will teach the Sophomore James Fallon
a student who wishes to history of smoke signals is especially excited about
send a message must ask from its first use in an- the new class, “I’m so
for a pass during lunch cient China during the excited to start learning
from a teacher. During construction of the Great about smoke signals,
their lunch period Officer Wall to its revolutionary like I’ve always want-
Swartz will guide the stu- use by startup companies ed to learn,” Fallon
dent to the roof of SPHS in Silicon Valley in an at- said. He is not alone.
where six fire pits will be tempt to reinvent commu- Many of his peers,
located. The student will nication. Students will be are excited about
be expected to build the tasked with learning the this new class and
fire, bring fire making Heinz-Ferdman smoke the important skills
Graphic courtesy Vecteezy
7
NEWS
SCHOOL BAND BANISHED
TO THE BASEMENT
SPHS has cut the band’s funding so that it can
use the extra money towards sports.
Bella Boettinger | Staff Writer
T
he 2020-2021 has thought why not sell it,” senior senior Jack Peterson said. The new
been different than Evan Molavi said. The basement workout room will be used for af-
any other year in classroom will be directly under the ter school sports only reserved for
history; school has men’s bathroom near the cafeteria, the athletes, the regular gymnasium
been out for almost that is the largest area of the base- will remain for P.E. classes.
a year and the last- ment, so in a way it is a luxury. The SPHS band will try as hard as
ing effects are yet The sports fields will also be ren- they can to raise money to get their
to be seen. Many programs have ovated and sponsored by Gatorade. old classroom back, so buy their
been cut and clubs can’t perform “I’m really excited about the new lemonade and get them out of the
to their full potential. However, it fields and gym, but I feel bad for the basement-- they’ll always be more
is the school’s top priority to make band. It’s also really cool that we than a band.
sure that the sports teams return to are getting sponsored by Gatorade,”
normal, then to shift their focus on
In the past few months, SPHS decided
the clubs and arts programs. that sports hold more value than band, so,
The faculty of SPHS have decided band’s funding was cut and class will now
to cut all funding for the band, and be held in the school basement. “With de-
move their practices to the base- termination the band will try to make a
comeback to show the school we need to
ment, as the band room will be now be heard,” senior Evan Molavi said. Graph-
be used as a new workout room, ic by Bella Boettinger
sponsored by Gatorade. “Band has
been such a big experience of my
time in high school, I’m flabber-
gasted that the administration isn’t
able to see that we have a huge role
in school spirit,” senior Lauren
Hong said.
The band will be performing at
multiple events in order to raise
awareness and money so they can
move back upstairs. In addition,
during the performances they will
be selling lemonade to those who
attend. “One of our favorite things
to do in a band during breaks was
to drink lemonade together, so we
8
SIX-DAY SCHOOL WEEK
Starting in April with the new hybrid learning plan,
there will be mandatory weekend virtual classes for all
SPHS students.
Sydney Herz | Editor-In-Chief
S ince COVID-19 be-
gan a little over a year
ago, Anne Arundel Coun-
more difficult.
“Having school on Sat-
urday is going to make
schedule change because
now I won’t be able to
hang out with friends on
and decreased school spir-
it.
“Honestly, I’m not sure
ty Board of Education weekends a lot less relax- the weekends,” sopho- if I’ll continue with my
has been working hard to ing,” junior Jimmy Miller more Cooper Powell said. sports,” junior Lily Beck-
figure out the best way said. “Now instead of just “I also might have to drop er said. “The long school
to keep students engaged having a practice, school a few clubs or even Rock weeks will come with
while teaching virtual- is going to make every- ‘N’ Roll because rehears- even more work to do and
ly. As many know, a new thing and get pushed back als and meetings will take even less free time.”
plan has been implement- and Sunday is going to be up too much time that Now that this new sched-
ed that allows students to filled with doing home- could be spent working on ule has finally surfaced
go back to school partially work.” school work.” and informed the SPHS
in person. However, what As if students didn’t have Sadly, what the Board community, it is recom-
they have not disclosed enough homework al- doesn’t realize is that mended that students and
is that this new hybrid ready, with a lack of time many students will have faculty enjoy all of their
learning plan will include to complete it, this new to discontinue their sports, weekend activities and
a mandatory full day of mandatory class schedule which will lead to less free time now before it is
classes on Saturdays to on the weekend will most scholarship opportunities taken away.
make up for the lost in- likely increase stress lev-
structional time during the els of students who won’t Virtual learning has transitioned from only assignments back
past school year. Wednes- have more than a day to in March of 2020, to face-to-face meetings beginning with the
days will obviously still get their work done. 2020-2021 school year, to partial in-person learning starting in
March of 2021. However, the new addition to the hybrid learning
be a professional devel- “I think the county im- plan of Saturday school does not have positive responses from
opment day for teachers plementing this plan is the SPHS student body. “Now students will only have one free
and students, but virtual ridiculous,” Miller said. day to do anything and they’ll probably spend most of Sunday
doing homework,” sophomore Cooper Powell said. Photo by
classes will commence “Most students and par- Sydney Herz
Saturday morning for the ents barely heard anything
rest of the year beginning about it and we’ve already
in April after hybrid learn- had an abnormal year, so
ing has begun. this is just adding onto the
As you can imagine, this stress of our lives.”
has not gone over well Not only will students
with the student body and not have time to get their
has many negative conse- schoolwork done, but with
quences besides just sim- half their weekend carved
ply the extra class time. out for more online learn-
These problems make ing, there is little time for
valuable weekend activ- friends, family, extracur-
ities such as jobs, sports, riculars and relaxation
extracurriculars, home- from the busy work week.
work and traveling much “I strongly dislike this
9
FEATURES
RICKEYBOARDS
These piano keyboards
from the school are never
gonna give you up, let you
down, run around or
desert you.
Anastasia Gobot | Staff Writer
T
he music de- though I knew it would
partment at be a hot mess due to Goo-
Severna Park gle Meet lag. We all went
High School to play our first note and
was surprised then … a cacophonous
in the first semester when chorus of Rick Astley’s
the pianos distributed by “Never Gonna Give You
the county for the Piano 1 Up” blasted out from ev-
and Piano 2-4 classes were eryone’s unmuted mic. I
found to be defective. was flabbergasted,” mu-
The pianos taken home sic teacher Mr. Brisentine
by students who didn’t said. “Was this some cru-
own one for their class, el pandemic joke being
found that when pressed, made by the county? Had
the keys on the piano I broken them when deliv-
would play a very familiar ering them? Pretty trau-
song released in the 80’s. matizing, if you ask me.” Piano keyboards given out to students during virtual learning
“Everything was fine, it While this meme contin- were manufactured by a company that wanted to prank its
was a really neat keyboard ues to torment its victims, customers. As a result, Rick Astley’s music continues to startle
… until it ruined my life,” some actually find that students and teachers in the music department. They may be
returned soon. Photo by Anastasia Gobot
sophomore and former pi- these keyboards are hilar-
ano student Ella Graves ious. They seem to do a making plans to call back their instrument along
said. great job of causing more the keyboards and replace with the music teachers;
These keyboards are laughter than any serious them with ones that don’t perhaps a little too at-
found to play “Never trouble – almost like a lit- promise to never make tached for their own good.
Gonna Give You Up” by tle source of light during you cry or say goodbye. “When I tried to play
Rick Astley, a song used these difficult times. However, Severna Park “Hot Cross Buns,” I ac-
as a trolling weapon since “I love it, it’s absolutely High School is hesitant to cidentally Rickrolled my
2007. This meme, called amazing, but I do need to return them, for one rea- parents. I realized my
“Rickrolling,” seems to sleep sometimes so that’s son or another. power and have no plans
now have sneakily made an issue,” Graves said. “They have been deemed in returning my magical
its way into students’ The county learned of as ‘educationally, mental- keyboard,” sophomore
homes and virtual learn- what these keyboards did ly, and culturally stimu- Nia Slade said.
ing environments. from several parents that lating,’” Brisentine said.
“On our first day of us- grew tired of hearing that “I must admit … I do like
ing the pianos as a class, they weren’t going to be them now. The song is
I thought it might be fun given up, let down or definitely catchy.”
to unmute and just play deserted. The county is Many students have
a song together, even rumored to have started grown very attached to
10OPINIONS
COULD WE BECOME THE
SEVERNA PARK BEES?
Anne Arundel County Public
Schools wants to change high
school mascots to even the play-
ing field, and it’s about time.
Zoey Nichols | Staff Writer
A
ttention many sports -- and it’s never be able to outper- Graphics by Maya Jones
Falcons, partly because of our fear- form a bear in nature.
and per- less mascot, the falcon, a “It was just unfair to attention to the protec-
h a p s bird of prey -- how could have a Falcon as the SPHS tion and conservation of
not for a gopher, patriot, knight, mascot. Falcons have re- local bee colonies, one of
m u c h etc, really compete against ally good eyesight, and the proposed mascots is a
longer. Anne Arundel that? could totally take out a Worker Bee. The Worker
County Public Schools Because some school cardinal, the new Crof- Bee is explained as a de-
(AACPS) wants to change mascots were seen as ton High School mascot. termined and hardwork-
mascots in the county, to more powerful than oth- We had to be fair. If we ing insect to represent the
provide equity among the ers, school officials were are all the same mascot, student population, while
high schools, and it’s an concerned that it provided then everyone is equal,” the Queen Bee is to repre-
excellent idea. an unfair advantage for department chair Nadine sent the career and future
For too long, Severna some school mascots, for Hendler said. aspirations the AACPS
Park has dominated so example, a gopher would As a way to also bring students work hard to
achieve.
“I think bees are a great
idea,” Hendler said, “It
is a way to showcase the
importance of bees and
the idea that we should all
help each other, just like
they do in a hive.”
It’s time to make it an
even playing field, even if
not everyone is on board.
“The Falcon has been our
mascot forever,” sopho-
more Elliot Newton said,
“Why would we change
it now? I get that maybe
our mascots aren’t equal,
but when you think about
SPHS, you also think
about the Falcon, you
know?”
11SPORTS
WHY BE IN PERSON
WHEN YOU CAN
BE VIRTUAL?
SPHS sports move to Google Meets instead of live play.
Julia Owens |Staff Writer
T
he football season has begun and because gear up in pads, helmet and mouth guards, with the
of the rise in cases in the county, the Ath- only difference being the players are in their living
letic Directors have amended how football rooms.
will be played in the coming weeks: instead Not everyone is excited about this new way to play
of in-person, it will be a Google Meet. football, including the Falcon, the SPHS mascot (for
Senior Fatorma Bolay III, a varsity football player the time being). They said, “How in the world is this a
said ¨The games will be in person, but pretty much ev- good idea? The only reason anyone goes to a football
erything else would be virtual.¨ game is to see actual players - on the field. How will I
How will the game be played in a Google Meet and get the crowd excited if no one is on the field?”
not in person? As a contact sport, and the close prox- The varsity cheerleaders disagreed, “We typically
imity that players are to each other, everyone involved have fans that don’t really get into the game, they are
felt it would be safer to do the plays online. Athletes too busy looking at their phones or taking selfies of
will “huddle” up -- in a break out room -- and then themselves in the stands. Now at least -- they will be
reconvene in the main meet, where both teams will focused.”
“play” football. The referees will be on the field, and The football team is also not convinced the county’s
will move the ball in the “theoretical” place the ball decision is the best interest of the team. A source wish-
would have landed. The benefit of this type of football ing to be anonymous, because of fear of being benched
beyond staying healthy? The receiver will never miss (virtually) said, “Look -- we’ve waited almost a year
a ball. to get back on the field. It just seems like a slap in the
In order to make the game seem authentic, each player face to take that away.”
(who joins the Google Meet) will be required to fully
Many students from SPHS participated in the flag football season this year. However, social distancing might not be enough to stop
the spread of COVID during the upcoming football season. Photo by Flynn Prengaman
12FALL SPORTS SCHEDULE
The county moved fall sports to the spring, spring sports
to the late spring and winter sports were canceled.
CROSS COUNTRY GIRLS SOCCER JV BOYS SOCCER
3/22 Chesapeake at 4:30 PM (A) 3/23 Southern at 7 PM (H) 3/23 Southern at 5:30 PM (H)
3/24 South River at 4 PM (A) 3/30 Broadneck at 7 PM (A) 3/25 Crofton at 4 PM (A)
3/29 Chesapeake at 4:30 PM (A) 4/6 Arundel at 7 PM (H) 3/30 Broadneck at 5:30 PM (A)
4/1 South River at 4 PM (A) 4/8 Annapolis at 5 PM (H) 4/6 Arundel at 5:30 PM (H)
4/6 South River at 4 PM (A) 4/13 South River at 7 PM (A) 4/8 Annapolis at 4 PM (H)
4/8 Chesapeake at 4:30 PM (A)
4/12 South River at 4 PM (A) UNIFIED TENNIS JV GIRLS SOCCER
4/13 Chesapeake at 4:30 PM (A) 3/25 North County at 3:30 PM (A)
4/14 South River at 4 PM (A) 4/8 Chesapeake at 3:30 PM (A) 3/23 Southern at 4 PM (H)
FIELD HOCKEY 4/12 Old Mill at 3:30 PM (H) 3/25
3/30
Broadneck at 5:30 PM (A)
Broadneck at 4 PM (A)
3/23
3/30
Southern at 6:30 PM (A)
Broadneck at 6:30 PM (H)
VOLLEYBALL 4/6 Arundel at 4 PM (H)
4/6 Arundel at 5 PM (A) 3/23 Southern at 6:30 PM (A)
3/30 Broadneck at 6 PM (H)
4/8
4/13
Annapolis at 6:30 PM (A)
South River at 6:30 PM (H) 4/6 Arundel at 6 PM (A) JV FOOTBALL
4/8 Annapolis at 6 PM (A)
3/27 North County at 9 AM (A)
FOOTBALL 4/13 South River at 6 PM (H)
4/2 Northeast at 9 AM (A)
4/10 Glen Burnie at 9 AM (H)
3/26
4/1
North County at 6:30 PM (A)
Northeast at 6:30 PM (A) JV FIELD HOCKEY
4/9
4/16
Glen Burnie at 6:30 PM (H)
Chesapeake at 6:30 (H)
3/23
3/25
Southern at 5 PM (A)
Crofton at 4:30 PM (H)
JV VOLLEYBALL
3/30 Broadneck at 5 PM (H) 3/23 Southern at 5 PM (A)
BOYS SOCCER 4/6 Arundel at 6:30 PM (A) 3/30 Crofton at 5 PM (H)
3/23 Southern at 5 PM (H) 4/8 Annapolis at 5 PM (A) 4/6 Broadneck at 4:30 PM (A)
3/30 Broadneck at 5 PM (A) 3/23 Southern at 5 PM (A) 4/8 Annapolis at 4:30 PM (A)
4/6 Arundel at 5 PM (H) 4/15 Chesapeake at TBD (A) 4/13 South River at 4:30 PM (H)
4/8 Annapolis at 7 PM (H)
4/13 South River at 5 PM (A)
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13Students and Staff of SPHS, The Editors and Staff of the Talon want to welcome you back into the building as hybrid learning began roughly one month ago. Over the course of the second semester, we have worked long and hard on making this issue interesting, entertaining and enjoyable for students and staff. We greatly appreciate your continued support through these challenging times and through the entire school year. We hope this issue makes all of our days just a little bit better and brings joy to all. Nick Carparelli III Sydney Herz Sophie Krejci
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