The Junto October 2020 - I had form'd most of my ingenious acquaintances into a club of mutual improvement, which we - Easton Area High School
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The Junto
October 2020
I had form’d most of my ingenious acquaintances into a club of mutual improvement, which we
called The Junto. -Benjamin Franklin
Welcome to the 2020 Junto. We may be masked, socially distant, and
sanitized at 2601 William Penn, but the pages of The Junto will always
be real…even in a virtual world.
People The Junto October 2020
RBG
Gabriella Feltmann // Copy Editor
On September 18th, a devastating blow was women. She protected women’s reproductive
struck to the heart of our country. Ruth Bader rights, and she supported gay marriage. Some
Ginsburg, who served as an associate justice of her achievements include writing the ma-
of the Supreme Court for 27 years, passed jority opinion in United States vs. Virginia,
away. She fought spectacularly for gender making sure that qualified women could not
equality since her appointment to the be denied admission to Virginia Military Insti-
Supreme Court, and tute, and working with
was a hero to so Obama on the Lilly
many. She makes his- Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
tory even after her of 2009, addressing dis-
passing as the first crimination in wages.
woman to receive the
honor of lying in Her death is an enor-
state. mous blow to liberals
and feminists every-
Ruth Bader Ginsburg where, now wondering
was born in Brooklyn who will take her spot
in 1933. She gradu- on the Supreme Court,
ated from Columbia and whether the nomi-
Law School, and nation will come from
spent most of her le- President Trump now
gal career fighting for or the winner of the up
women’s rights. Gins- and coming election. So
burg was nominated many are now wonder-
by Bill Clinton and ing, who will take up
appointed in 1993. her banner. Ruth Bader
She died of compli- Ginsburg said, “Fight
cations to the pancre- for the things you care
atic cancer she has been fighting for a little about.” May she rest in peace knowing that
over a year. It was the latest of five bouts of many are willing to fight in her place.
cancer she had fought. Despite this, she con-
tinued to work, saying that as long as she was She was one of America’s most influential
able to, she would keep going. feminists, and now it is our turn to carry on
her legacy.
Ginsburg was a champion of equality, dubbed
“The Notorious RBG” by those who support-
ed her and appreciated her work. She pushed
to close the pay gap between men and
3
People The Junto October 2020
5 Minutes
w/ Ms. Day
Branden Cunard // P.O.V Editor
We interviewed school counselor, Ms. Day, to ask her questions concerning her favorite movie,
this school year, and what is in store for seniors. Her answers were uplifting to say the least!
Q: Tell us your name and some background information!
A: My name is Jashanae Day, I have been a school counselor here for 3 and a half years. I started up in Tulpehocken
High School in Berks County, and a position opened up in Easton and it’s always been a dream of mine to come home
at work at Easton, and I am here forever now!
Q: Where did you go to college?
A: I did my undergraduate at West Chester University and studied Psychology, then completed my graduate at Kutz-
town University.
Q: What’s one of your favorite Easton traditions?
A: Like everyone else, Turkey Week. I was in the marching band in high school and now I am on the staff for the
band, so it’s fun to see a different side of all of it, even though I get tired thinking about the chaos sometimes.
Q: What is one of your favorite Easton restaurants?
A: I do love food, I have to think about this. I have two. Le Kang, the Thai restaurant. I love Ocean, but only when I
have money. Marinelli’s and Frank’s are always solid choices especially with my deliveries.
Q: What is one of your favorite clothing brands?
A: I recently have tried being more ethical with my fashion. Right now, it’s Elegant Tee’s. Their clothing is all ethically
made, sustainable, the women get paid a fair wage. They even write their name on the tag when it’s made so you know
who made your stuff.
https://elegantees.com/
Q: What is one of your favorite book/book series?
A: The Kite Runner. Very sad, you will cry. Big Little Lies. Juicy/gossip/drama book. Americanah by Chimamanda
Ngozi Adichie. Anything she writes is brilliant.
Q: What is your favorite movie?
A: My all-time favorite movie is Home Alone 2. It is the greatest movie ever made. Halloween and Hocus Pocus as
well.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
A: Puerto Rico. I love the beach. Water is calming, I can relax, sit there with a book.
In the middle of the interview, the following statement was released by the esteemed Ms. Day:
“Uhm… I didn’t get the pineapple on pizza question? The answer is NEVER.” Queue the contagious laughter.
4
People The Junto October 2020
Continued...
Q: What is the Diversity Alliance, and what is the biggest message you want to put out to faculty members, students, and
parents?
A: The Diversity Alliance started a couple of years ago, and recently our big goal has been to increase the communica-
tion, getting people involved, and not having it be so secretive. Within the Diversity Alliance, there are smaller commit-
tees. On those committees, people can zero-in on their goals. My committee’s goal is to recruit, retain, and hire faculty-
of-color. The big goal is to get more people involved and let people know what we are doing. People bring different per-
spectives. Hearing from parents and concerned community members allows new ideas to be brought out, and doing it in
secret won’t allow that to happen. It’s important we bring everyone to the table to make these important decisions that
were long and needed. How can we improve our district? That is the goal.
Q: How can people get involved?
A: The best way is to reach out to Mr. Piperato. We have some students on this committee, and they thought of having
an Easton High School Committee. We are a huge school, and it’s something that we need different perspectives on.
Q: What has been one of the biggest challenges from the time we left in March?
A: Connecting with my kids. For me personally, that has been the hardest. Getting used to Zoom and not seeing each
other face-to-face is sometimes hard to be positive about. Leaving here that day and not seeing the seniors until gradua-
tion.
Q: As of right now, how do you think the school year is going?
A: All things considered, that fi rst day and the fi rst week, went way better than I have ever expected. I saw more people
work together than I ever have before. The amount of teamwork I saw during the fi rst week was just ‘wow.’ Everyone
wants to be back here for the kids. I was very proud.
Q: What is one of the biggest positives that happened since the beginning of the year?
A: I think we’ve all had to adapt to the changes and helped each other along the way. We came together in the best way.
Q: What was it like behind-the-scenes when school was starting back up?
A: It was hard. It was stressful, but we always had that end-date in mind of “we gotta get it done.” Schedules are not my
favorite. Anything that causes me to be on the computer for long periods of time causes ya girl to struggle. I don’t like it.
Q: Do you have any advice about seniors regarding SAT’s/ACT’s and if test-optional is a valid option?
A: My fi rst piece of advice is to take a breath. You can’t control whether your test scores were canceled or not. As for
test-optional, I’ve always encouraged students to check with that school individually because you want to get that infor-
mation directly from an admissions representative. If things don’t work out, in the end, whatever that dream is or what-
ever that goal, you’re going to still get there. Unfortunately, things got in your way. Take a breath. You didn’t cancel the
SAT. You’ll get to your dream
Q: The Class of 2021 is in a unique circumstance. In my opinion, we are one of the most internally-competitive classes.
What would you say to a senior right now who does not see themselves as a top-100 student?
A: Class rank doesn’t defi ne you. It’s a number that we use here and that many other schools use. Our class is so big. If
you saw the spread between someone who is ranked 100 and 150, then you see the difference between the GPA’s is 1.75.
You’re so much more than your class rank or GPA. I have no idea what my GPA and rank even was. I get asked all the
time and I still don’t know it. As long as you are respectful, kind, you treat people well, then that’s what is going to carry
you out of here. Your worth and success is not a number.
5
People The Junto October 2020
Easton Coaches
On the Return of Fall Sports
Sienna Walenciak // People Editor
Amidst our global pandemic, Easton Area High School has had to make a lot of changes
to keep faculty and students safe. The introduction of the hybrid and remote learning
models, as well as the enforcement of masks and social distancing when in school have
been adjustments for everyone. Notably, one element of the school year that has been
able to continue is the fall sports season.
“I was a little bit surprised,” football Coach Braido said when asked about the continua-
tion of the season. “It’s been wishful and positive thinking from the beginning. We were
all hoping that we could start practicing and it came true for us.”
While all Easton teams have seemingly adapted to playing sports during COVID-19, the
new regulations have not been without challenges. “Telling kids to stay away from each
other is difficult, as is wearing masks all the time. However, all the athletes are doing a
great job trying to adhere to the rules, which makes our jobs easier,” Coach Braido said.
Social distancing and mask wearing have been similarly challenging for girls’ tennis
Coach Rossi who added, “The biggest struggle has been keeping up with all the changes
that the State of Pennsylvania is making, particularly when it comes to all the required
forms you have to fill out for a student to be able to participate in any fall sport.”
While many of the rules and regulations have been daunting, both coaches shared that
there are elements of the season that they’ve welcomed. “We’re fortunate in tennis and
golf that we could start at our normal times with our normal format so it hasn’t been
much of a difference for us,” said Coach Rossi. As the coach of a more intense contact
sport, Coach Braido added, “COVID-19 has definitely made kids more responsible, es-
pecially during the off-season as they do more things independently without the coaches
having to tell them or watch. This has been positive.”
Overall, both coaches are rolling with the punches. Said Coach Rossi, “Managing sports
in the middle of a pandemic is definitely more time consuming.” Coach Braido agrees.
“The first week we practiced, we couldn’t touch a football,” referring to the rule against
sharing equipment that impacted the first few weeks of practice. “Once our kids got the
hang of it, though, it’s been as good and as rewarding as any other season,” he said.
While most people would describe this year’s fall sports season as anything but normal,
our coaches seem to be turning today’s COVID challenges into advantages, which makes
the season a match worth playing.
6
Places The Junto October 2020
Memorializing 9/11
...through a pandemic Colette Potter // Copy Editor
This year was the nineteenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorists attacks. Like so many year-
ly other events, the way we memorialize the events of that tragic day have changed. But,
even with a national pandemic altering so much of our lives, it is important to never forget
those who passed away from the 9/11 attacks.
At the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City, there was a cer-
emony for the victims of the events. The ceremony started at 8:30 am and included six
moments of silence for when each of the towers was struck and fell, as well as when the
Pentagon was hit and the crash of Flight 93. The biggest changes of this event were the at-
tendees having to maintain social distancing guidelines, and recordings of the names by
loved ones instead of live speakers. The Towers of Tunnels Foundation had live speakers
to honor those who passed in the at-
tacks. The New York City memorial
ended with The Tribute in Light,
which has two twin beams in the
night sky during the night of the
eleventh. The Tribute in Light was
first cancelled due to COVID-19,
but city officials worked to make
sure it was safe.
In Arlington, VA, the 9/11 Pen-
tagon Memorial was closed to visi-
tors and held its ceremony virtually.
The Washington D.C. area hosted
the Wear Blue: Run to Remember 9/11 Memorial 5k and Half Marathon on September
13th. The race had 50 person waves and could be done virtually. As for the memorial in
Shanksville, PA, the annual service was reduced from its usual 90 minute time to 20 min-
utes. Both President Donald Trump and former vice president and presidential nominee
Joe Biden were at the memorial.
Another change COVID-19 has brought to the survivors and the first responders of 9/11
is tragic. The Twin Towers burning and falling made for survivors of the attacks to be
faced with long term health problems. The debris and ash from the Twin Towers create
several lung problems. And, those lung problems tend to make 9/11 victims predisposed to
some of the frightening consequences of COVID-19. According to NBC News, over 100
individuals have died from COVID-19 because of ground-zero diseases. It can serve as
another reminder of the sacrifices of 9/11 first responders, even nineteen years later.
7
Places The Junto October 2020
West Coast Fires
Mallika Pal // Places Editor
As if 2020 could not bring anymore insanity, record breaking wildfires in the West
Coast forced tens of thousands out of their homes. So far, over 5 million fires have been
burning in California, Washington, and Oregon combined. Over two dozen people have
died, thousands of buildings have been destroyed, and millions have been surviving in
smoke-filled air for weeks.
Fires have erupted from lightning strikes, climate change, and outdated forest manage-
ment practices. Ecosystems are also now at risk and habitats of millions of species have been
destroyed. Hundreds of animals were found either injured or charred to death. Climate
change is the effect from overbuying fossil fuels. More carbon dioxide pollutes the ozone lay-
er. This is creating the perfect storm for wildfires. The dry, hot climate of the west coast in-
vites the blazing fires. Winds continue to feed them and carry them over into cities.
And for the survivors of the fires, life isn’t too great either. Those who have not been
forced to evacuate have been sitting in a cloud of smoke that circles the West Coast. It has
even turned the sun red, visible all over the country. Citizens are either trapped in their
homes to protect their lungs from the smoke or going out for necessities, exposing themselves
to not only poor air quality and smoke, but the pandemic still raging. And they are angry.
Selfishness and greed from fossil fuel executives and politicians have caused this catastrophe.
As climate change takes its toll on Earth, it not only is affecting it in a physical manner, but is
also creating social, economic, and political chaos. The growth of greenhouse gases in the
air is inching humanity closer to the previously predicted, dangerous levels of global warm-
ing. Natural disasters, like the current west coast fires, are wake up calls reminding us of the
worst of climate change.
8
Places The Junto October 2020
Cottingham
t . h . e . u . p. d. a . t . e
Rachel Arzoumonian // Copy Editor
Cottingham Stadium is Easton Area High
School’s beloved football stadium, and it
has been for almost 100 years. This past
year the Easton Area School District
board approved a plan for a new $15.9
million stadium. Cottingham was razed
over the summer and is currently being
worked on. The thing that made Cotting-
ham unique from other schools’ stadiums
was that it had a grass field, concrete
bleachers, and a non-video scoreboard.
What will the new Cottingham Stadium look like, and when will it be done?
There will be a new parking lot outside of the modern, arched brick entrance that is com-
bined with ticket booths. The lyrics of the Easton Alma Mater will be written on the ground
in front of the entrance and continued throughout the stadium. There will be concrete
bleachers, under which there is a decorated walkway that is intersected with a path that leads
in between the bleachers to the track around the field. The field will be turf rather than grass,
and there will be updated concession stands and bathroom facilities. It is expected that the
stadium will be ready for the 2021-2022 football season. To view a virtual tour of the new sta-
dium, visit https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H371LjgrHHc.
A camera is set up to record the demolition and
building process, and at the end of construction
there will be a video displaying the entire
progress. This is also helpful for surveillance
purposes.
Cottingham is long overdue for an update-it is
very exciting to get to experience Cottingham
transforming into something modern, yet classic,
after almost a century of Rover tradition.
9
Points Of View The Junto October 2020
Lani’s Limelight
To the People of my Hometown...
Alania Mariano // Editor-In-Chief
I am not going to act like everything is fine. Our country is obviously experiencing a troubling year. So far
we have been challenged with a pandemic, wildfires, a controversial election, and the list can go on. Although,
there is one event that has been brought up more this year than ever before in this decade- the fight for human
rights. I am sure I am not the only one that is constantly viewing posts on social media pointing out the flaws of
our fellow humans. After thinking about it for so long, I still cannot understand it-why is everyone going against
each other? Why are we judging the color of our skin and the way we look, as well as act? I honestly still do not
understand it, but was definitely oblivious as to how it was affecting the people where I live. This was until my
friend and editor of The Junto, Branden Cunard, created a petition. I cannot explain my feelings when I saw this
petition on my friend’s Instagram stories. The title read “Ban Gay-Conversion Therapy in Northampton County,
Pennsylvania!” and my mouth dropped.
Here? These acts are occurring in my hometown? I obviously signed the petition and reached out to my
friends and family to share what was going on, but it did not seem like enough. After doing some research, I
learned that many types of this “therapy” is banned in twenty states as well as seventy municipalities, Northamp-
ton County not included. Not only should people be allowed to live the way they want to, but this therapy is hav-
ing an opposite effect: reinforcing depression, low self-esteem, shame, addictive and compulsive behavior, loss of
religious faith, self-harm, and suicidal tendencies. Individuals are being put through horrific pain to be told that
they are not allowed to like a person of the same sex and that their morals are wrong. I expected more from my
hometown than this.
I am lucky enough to be able to go to a diverse school, but that does not mean we can be blind to the real
world. Without even knowing it, these acts are happening all around us, even closer than some might think. So
do your part to make a change, even if it is small. Sign the petition below with the hope that it will make a differ-
ence, be kind to the people around you, and take the time to educate yourself. In the technology world we live in
today, it is easy to believe false information. If there is one thing I learned from this year, it is that remaining
silent has never done anything to make change.
https://www.change.org/p/susan-wild-ban-gay-conversion-therapy-in-northampton-county-pennsylvania?origi-
nal_footer_petition_id=24319405&algorithm=promoted&source_location=petition_footer&grid_position=7&pt
=AVBldGl0aW9uAPkWcwEAAAAAX0XJH2uKQxg2NDlkODkyMQ%3D%3D
10Points Of View The Junto October 2020
Mulan
Juliana LoPiccolo // Off Leash Assistant Editor
Mulan was supposed to be progressive—an upgraded story for
new generations to see with strong themes of female power and
individuality, but instead of applauding crowds it was met with a
worldwide boycott.
There are four main reasons why Mulan failed the way it
did, both commercially and critically: loss of content, lack of di-
versity among crew, filming taking place in Xinjiang, and the
lead actress’s public support of the Hong Kong police during
the pro-democracy protests in 2019.
The first strike took place before the remake was even
completed. Though the film is set in China and stars many Chinese actors, the problem lay
with the majority of the crew being white. Director Niki Caro is a white woman from New
Zealand, and screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver are both white Americans. This
grim oversight of key crew is possibly the reason why the poor changes to the film took place.
Multiple changes were made to the remake—a few being, no music from the original sound-
track was featured (a particular blow for me being as the songs were some of my favorites),
and the absence of Mushu and Li Shang from the cast of characters; the prior for the sake of
cultural sensitivity, and the latter in the wake of #MeToo. Both commercial missteps as those
characters and songs were fan favorites.
The two main issues for the public, and the reasons behind #BoycottMulan, both center
around serious discourse in China. Locations profit quite a lot when productions choose to
film there, Mulan filmed partly in Xinjiang (shin-jahng). Xinjiang is also home to a long line
of human rights issues, the most recent being the serious mistreatment and cultural genocide
of Turkish speaking Uighur Muslims who are being forced into secretive ‘re-education’
camps. These re-education camps are reportedly the prison-like setting for erasing any ties to
their religion and ethnic identity, and instilling absolute loyalty to the government. In a way,
Disney indirectly financed these camps where people are being tortured by the thousands.
Lastly, the actress behind the titular role, Liu Yifei, infamously voiced her support of the
Hong Kong police during the Chinese public outcry in the fight for democracy. The protests
continued from 2019 into 2020 all in hopes to achieve full democracy and for police to be
held accountable for their actions during said protests where people were seriously injured.
The actress did comment on her statement, but did not apologize.
The complete numbers aren't in yet for how much Mulan has grossed worldwide, in-
cluding theatrical and on Disney+, but they are expected in early November. For now, Mulan
is streaming via Premier Access (for which subscribers pay an extra $30) on Dinsey+, and be-
ginning December 4th subscribers can watch for free.
11Points Of View The Junto October 2020
Covid -in-> Politics
Isaak Torres // Copy Editor
The impact of the coronavirus is unprecedented. Lives
have been lost, businesses have been destroyed, jobs have
been terminated, and now when all hope hangs in the bal-
ance an election is coming up that will decide the fate of
our country for the next four years. Amidst all of this
chaos, two people groups have become the center of atten-
tion for most Americans. Republican or Democrat, Donald
Trump or Joe Biden, Right or Left, Conservative or Liber-
al. All names representing the democratic nation we live in.
However, since the coronavirus, these names have become
more dividing than unifying. With social media and cyber interaction at our fingertips, and now
social distancing and stay at home orders becoming the norm, Americans are forced to look into
politics more than ever. Add one of the most important elections to our nation's history to the
mix along with a few masks, and you have a perfect blend of boredom, curiosity, and political
manipulation.
Since this crisis, the views of Republicans and Democrats have been amplified to the everyday
American ten-fold. Because more and more people are staying in the house and turning on
their phones, citizens are constantly being bombarded with the Trump and Biden campaign
through social media. Even without campaigning from presidents, every app you open, whether
it be Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Youtube, etc, frequently displays the political views of every-
day Americans as well. While also being compacted with the news, this creates a very opinion-
ated and controversial atmosphere to live in.
Based on your political affiliation, people often find themselves losing friends, and intentionally
or unintentionally creating enemies. This new unrest has stirred a fire within Americans’ hearts
that is pulling them to one side or the other. Now, people want a leader that can not only insure
safety today but a future tomorrow. A virus like this shows people the next day is not a guaran-
tee and gives them an even greater incentive to follow their prospective future leaders and par-
ticipate in politics, unfortunately to opposite sides.
But is this a bad thing? While it is never good to be one sided, it is important to consider the fact
that people are becoming more interested in politics. In fact according to political scientist (spe-
cializing in voting behavior) Michael McDonald there will be, “a voter turnout storm of a cen-
tury in 2020.” He believes that this election will crush previous elections in the fact that eligible
voters are going to vote. It is indisputable that the coronavirus has influenced this voter influx.
While it may have taken a global pandemic for people to wake up and take control of their
lives, it has happened, and it is shaping up to be an even crazier end to an already insane 2020.
12Points Of View The Junto October 2020
The Cunard Collective
College Admissions
Branden Cunard // P.O.V. Editor
The Class of 2021 is in a unique circumstance regarding perfect score if that’s the only thing a student is relying
one particular topic: college admissions. This year, we on, which brings me to my next point.
are experiencing over 80% of colleges in the United
States input a test-optional rule, where students now have Uniqueness. In these relatively-new holistic re-
the option to choose whether or not they decide to sub- views, everything about who you are matters. It’s more
mit a standardized test score, like the SAT or ACT. All of than just a GPA and class-rank, which are still inherently
this came about due to the recent pandemic crisis. Uni- gross and wrongly competitive factors. Extracurriculars,
versities recognized not only the lack of access to testing- volunteering, leadership, and more importantly, ES-
sites, but the lack of access to practice books/websites, SAYS! College essays have the chance to really express
tutors, and other methods of studying. Due to this, uni- who you are as a person. Universities are focusing more
versities across the country, including all of the Ivy- on essays now than ever before, and since testing is
league universities, University of California schools, and deemed optional, you have an opportunity to write your
T20-universities are now making these standardized way in college. The 2020-2021 admissions cycles are go-
tests-submissions completely optional. ing to be on for the books because of this. Some schools
are trying this out for the first time, while others have
Now, as someone who is applying test-optional to been doing it for a while. Bucknell University, University
every single school I’ve put on my CommonApp, this is a of Chicago, and some other top-schools have been utiliz-
great opportunity for me. Standardized-testing in itself is ing this method for some time, and the success for appli-
a complete scam. CollegeBoard, an alleged “non-profit,” cants admissions has been quite astounding.
is also a massive scam. These tests target younger stu-
dents to spend hundreds of dollars on a test that they All-in-all, this admissions cycle will be his-
think determines their self-worth. The CollegeBoard toric. Some schools are adopting this method and exper-
continuously racks up millions of dollars alone on SAT’s imenting with the class of 2022 and 2023 as well, so it
every single year, especially now-more-than-ever because should lead to interesting results. No matter what, if
there are limited amount of test-dates, let alone testing you’re a senior reading this and you’re struggling with
sites that are actually allowing students to take them. your applications, you are going to get in. You are going
These tests do not in ANY WAY define someone’s worth, to follow your dreams. You are going to college no matter
success, or achievements. They’re just bubble sheets with what. You got this! My anaphoric statements are guaran-
a set of answers to questions that “make you think.” It’s teed to manifest your admissions decisions (Thanks Dr.
disgusting. Parents stress their students over them, in re- Varela for anaphora). P.S. SAVE YOUR MONEY
turn causes students to stress themselves out to get the COLLEGE IS EXPENSIVE!
perfect score. Odds are, Harvard won’t even take the
Good luck, Rovers :)
13Staff-Ed The Junto October 2020
what do WE think?
Hybrid vs. Remote Learning
During this year corona has abruptly change our lives. Especially from school. For the 2020-
2021 school year at Easton Area School District (EASD) came up with an idea and let their stu-
dents decide if they wanted to do a remote schedule(fully online) or a hybrid schedule where two
groups of students meet on different days during the week. We asked students from the Junto
staff on what they think is the best option.
Some students believe that a hybrid schedule is the best option this year. They picked that
because they wanted to still have some in-school experience, like seeing teachers face to face and
seeing their friends that they haven’t seen in a while. Due to a lot of students picking remote
there are smaller classes this year, usually ranging from 5-10 kids in a class, maybe even less. This
gives students to exactly focus and learn in class without any disruptions. When they do online
school for the three days they believe that it's a lot more time to do work faster/better. The only
problem hybrid students seem to face is having a bad sleep schedule, because they are not used
to having all these days off of school and it seems to be a little confusing at times because of all
the school's new rules.
The other option was remote which was quite the popular option out of the two. Remote
students think that it’s the better option safety wise because there's less of a chance of getting
COVID-19 and being able to not have to wear a mask all day. Though these students are fully
remote they still can interact with school activities. They like the fact they can wake up whenever
they want to and work at their own pace. Even though that seems great there are still some
downsides to remote, like some students find it hard for them to pay attention which causes stress
and missing deadlines. For harder classes like AP, it's better to learn in a classroom setting be-
cause it gives students to really focus and understand what's going on better.
Though that corona made it hard for everyone this year especially with school. Even with the
few downsides to the two, we still figured out ways to benefit students from it and giving them the
option best suited for their own needs.
14The Junto October 2020
hits & misses
Pet adoptions have skyrocketed!
A 103-year-old grandmother beat COVID-19!
Drive-In movie theaters made a comeback!
The first 2020 Presidential debate catastrophe.
Many Netflix-originals have been canceled due to
the pandemic.
Social unrest over the murder of George Floyd.
The Cosmic Cup is closing due to COVID-19.
The Junto has a podcast! Off Leash is in session and hosts, Kellie and Jul, are kicking off the
year with a mini episode introducing Off Leash and all it has to offer. This year we have
book and movie reviews, monthly flashbacks, and interviews lined up to accompany every is-
sue of The Junto. You can listen to the first two episodes now—in which the staff discusses
everything from shopping on a budget to Little Women—by clicking the link featured on the
Easton Area High School homepage, as well as Spotify, Anchor, Google Podcasts, and more.
15People The Junto October 2020
The Staff of the Junto
Advisor - Jeannine N Capecci
Editor-in-Chief - Alania Mariano
Points of View - Branden Cunard
Places - Mallika Pal
People - Sienna Walenciak
Photography - Nailah Lockhart
Copy Editors
Baudilio Ramirez
Colette Potter
Gabriella Feltmann
Isaak Torres
Rachel Arzoumanian
Steven McDonald
Julia Vinci
Off Leash
Editor - Kellie Painter
Assistant Editor - Julianna LoPiccolo
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