EDITION 3 EDITION 2 OVIEDO HIGH SCHOOL OVIEDO HIGH 601 KINGSCHOOL STREET 601 KING STREET OVIEDO, FL 32765 OVIEDO, FL9, 32765 DECEMBER 2020 NOVEMBER 6, 2020 VOLUME 61 VOLUME 61 OVIEDOJOURNALISM.COM OVIEDOJOURNALISM.COM
SIGNING DAY Student-athletes make a splash
Pages 8-9
2 | NEWS | THE LION’S TALE | DECEMBER 9, 2020
COVID-19 casts pall over holiday season, but vaccines on way Americans were forced to alter their Thanksgiving traditions and plans as the COVID-19 pandemic persisted across the country. Some opted to unite with their extended families via Zoom or other video conferencing platforms, limiting their in-person celebrations to immediate relatives and downsizing the Thanksgiving feast. Others chose to travel to visit family for the holiday in spite of advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention not to hold gatherings with people outside one’s household. Over one million people were screened by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at American airports on the day before Thanksgiving. While that’s less than half the number who traveled at that time last year, it represents the highest number of passengers screened in a day by the TSA since March 16. The rise in travel means “there is almost certainly going to be an uptick” in coronavirus
cases, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Spread of the virus was already reaching staggering levels prior to the holiday, with the country surpassing 150,000 new cases and 1,500 deaths per day in the previous week. Hospitals in states like Utah and Minnesota are reaching dangerously high levels of ICU capacity. Nine states have reached a grim milestone as more than 1 in 1,000 of their residents have died of COVID-19. Similar adaptations will also have to be made for the upcoming Christmas holiday. As with Thanksgiving, holiday parties and family gatherings will need to be limited in size or scrapped altogether. Christmas traditions such as visits to Santa Claus at the mall will likewise have to incorporate social distancing and other
health measures in order to continue this year. Parents may be hard pressed to afford the hottest new gifts, such as the PlayStation 5, considering the economic difficulties caused by the pandemic. Online shoppers will also need to get their orders in as soon as possible, as the usual holiday strain placed on package carriers will be compounded by decreased traffic to physical stores. Fortunately, the light at the end of the tunnel is visible in regards to COVID-19. Two vaccines against the coronavirus, one developed by Moderna and the other by Pfizer and BioNTech, have each been shown to have efficacy rates of over 90 percent. The makers of both vaccines have applied for emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Pfizer and BioNTech’s has been granted such approval in the United
OUR WORD
Kingdom. Depending on how quickly the FDA acts, health care workers and residents and staff of nursing homes could be vaccinated as early as midDecember. The two vaccine developers plan to have a combined 40 million doses ready for the US by year’s end. These developments will serve as the backdrop for some of this edition’s stories, as we’ll look at how students altered their Thanksgiving celebrations and what their plans are for Christmas. We’ll cover signing day and the numerous student athletes who will continue their athletic careers in college. We’ll also report on the conclusion of the football season and examine how WROR TV creates their daily broadcasts. Finally, as we approach winter break, The Lion’s Tale would like to offer congratulations on the completion of a successful first semester and wish a merry Christmas to all.
Contents
Sports
Opinion
Signing day
8-9
Negative experiences cause dissatisfaction with religion
4
Football season review
10
Qurantine harmful to mental health
5
Girls weightlifting
11
100th anniversary of women’s suffrage
5
Boys basketball preview
11
Thanksigivng disregarded too quickly
5
Entertainment
News OHS alumnus to recieve Medal of Honor
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Students hone writing skills in Literary Lions club
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Local holiday events and volunteer drives
7
Features Inside the making of a WROR 12 TV broadcast Homecoming
Entertainment Editor Mackenzie Holmes Elliott Siress Jaden MaduroVanterpool Online Editor Elsa Mattsson Emma Yost Brandon New Ashlee Ross Business Manager Emma Tagye Justina Nielsen Hannah Warrner Editor-in-Chief Patrick Costello Managing Editor Emma Yost Sports Editors Kenny Aponte Kait Peterson
Art Director Veronika Maynard Reporters Penelope Banks Vincent Crook Nikta Daryadel May Frangoul
Photographers Diego Lara Audrey Strembecki
Faculty Adviser Ben Langevin Admin Adviser Nancy Diaz Principal Dr. Trent Daniel
Oviedo High School 601 King Street Oviedo, FL 32765 P: 407-320-4199 F: 407-320-4213
Theater departments produces verbatim play
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Population: 2480 students across in person and online settings 19 newspaper staff members
Mission Statement The Lion’s Tale is the student newspaper of Oviedo High School, located in Oviedo, Florida. Our mission is to provide news, feature stories, editorials and opinions relevant to our readers while upholding the highest professional and ethical standards. The Lion’s Tale follows copy standards outlined in the Associated Press Stylebook, 42nd Edition, published in 2007 by the
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End of “Unus Anus”
14
New Ariana Grade album
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More 2020 video game hype
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Associated Press, and is a member of the CSPA, NSPA and FSPA. Distribution 800 copies of The Lion’s Tale are distributed free to all students and staff at Oviedo High School. Subscriber information is available on OviedoJournalism.com. Reader Contributions Letters to the Editor are accepted and may be
OVIEDO HIGH SCHOOL • 601 KING STREET • OVIEDO, FL • DECEMBER 9, 2020 • VOLUME 61 • EDITION 3
FRONT PAGE DESIGN BY VERONIKA MAYNARD
Love and Monsters review
sent by post, e-mail or dropped off in Room 5-020. The Lion’s Tale does not accept guest columns and reserves the right to edit Letters to the Editor. Full policy is available on OviedoJournalism.com. Advertising Policy The Lion’s Tale reserves the right to refuse advertisements. The full advertising policy of The Lion’s Tale is available on OviedoJournalism.com. OVIEDOJOURNALISM.COM
DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO
DECEMBER 9, 2020 | THE LION’S TALE | FEATURES | 3
The Month in Photos
PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBECKI
PHOTO BY OHS JOURNALISM
CHAMPIONS. The girls bowling team took home the state championship in November.
PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBECKI
PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBECKI ON THE BREAK. Freshman Jude Rivera pushes the ball up the field vs Hagerty on Nov. 13.
DESIGN BY DIEGO LARA
IN TRANSITION. Freshman Samantha Male dribbles the ball vs Winter Springs on Nov. 13.
PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBECKI
PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBECKI VERBATIM THEATER. A theater performs her verbatim monologue.
BIG LEAGUES. Students sport NBA and MLB jerseys at the football game vs IMG on Nov. 6.
student
POSSESSION. Sophomore Roen Waisanen dribbles the ball vs. Lake Nona on Nov. 12.
PHOTO BY OHS JOURNALISM FILM SESSION. Sophomore running back DJ Scott and an assistant coach analyze a play using an IPad.
PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBECKI BENCH PRESS. A weightlifter performs a bench press.
PHOTO BY OHS JOURNALISM OPEN FIELD. Senior Owen Proth carries the ball with no defender in sight.
4 | OPINION | THE LION’S TALE | DECEMBER 9, 2020
IN YOUR FACE Were you happy with the results of the presidential election? Senior Ariana Thompson
Sophomore Arynn Duba
Honestly, both sides weren’t the best, but I’m glad Biden won because he has more taste and interest in human rights.
I honestly don’t think Trump has a lot of experience in politics and I don’t think he’s a good fit for the country.
Freshman Hunter Fuehrer
Freshman Nyaliah Miller
I think the votes should be recounted because Trump seemed to have more to say about his thoughts and what he has to offer the country.
I thought that Biden had better view points on everything that’s going on in the world right now, and Trump was taking a step for the country but not in the right way. They were both childish but I think Biden had a better campaign.
Experiences cause dissatisfaction with religion
Online editor EMMA YOST
Growing up, religion was a huge part of my life. Sundays were devoted to church, summers were for VBS and Christmas was about Jesus, not Santa. My parents met through church, and all of my relatives belong to some denomination of Christianity; it’s just what I’m used to. However, over the past few years, my immediate family and I have completely disconnected ourselves from the church and no longer attend Sunday services. Let me back up a little- like I said, Christianity has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up in the church, and that part of my childhood has always been special to me. Looking back on experiences that seemed “normal” at the time has affected how I view the church now.
Each year, the last day of vacation Bible school was the day where campers were given the opportunity to “accept Jesus into our hearts.” Emotional elementary-age kids would file onto the stage as the adults in charge praised them for their decision. I remember being in that crowd, confident in the decision I made a few years back, but unsure if I “believed enough” to get into heaven. I was doubtful most of the time, seeing how others were so emotional at church or following those decisions, when I felt the same. The way pastors talked about it, I expected to feel different, to feel the Holy Spirit in me. But I was the same before and after, which led to a lot of doubt. I remember being unable to sleep after, fearing that if I didn’t truly mean it when I accepted Jesus, I might go to hell when I die. I often felt pressured into these decisions. Sure, I believed in everything in the Bible, but it was all I’d known, so of course I went right ahead to the next step. But little kids (being seven or eight myself at the time) shouldn’t have to feel the weight of a decision that supposedly determines your afterlife destination. When middle school arrived, I was a part of various youth groups. At the time, my family and I didn’t have a “home
church” but I wanted to try to meet more people, so I tried a few different groups. It seemed that at every youth program, you had to have been at that church for years or have family connections to make friends or feel like a part of the group. Even at the church we ended up staying at for around two years, half the girls in my group didn’t know my name despite the fact that I was super involved there for those two years, going to all the events and attending youth group every week. During freshman year of high school, I considered joining a group like YoungLife to meet other kids like me. One of my friends was super involved in the group, so I asked her about joining, and was told that to get in you have to “know someone,” which rubbed me the wrong way and I never bothered going. Why would a group that supposedly wants to spread Jesus’s love be so exclusive? That year, I started to realize that the Christianity I was raised to be a part of was nothing like what I was experiencing. It seemed that everything that I learned all those years in Sunday school wasn’t followed by many so-called Christians, including values as simple as being kind or non-judgemental. Many of my Christian family members
COMIC BY VERONIKA MAYNARD
are a perfect representation of the hypocrisy in the church. Relatives of mine who were notorious for being extremely strict and conservative, I later found out, had committed all the “sinful” actions they preached so loudly against. This hypocrisy in the church is something that has revealed itself since the 2016 and 2020 elections. It seems that many pastors and churches push their political agendas on their congregations by disguising it as preaching against sin. It was long overdue, but it’s been two years since my family and I have been regular attendees at church. I stand by the values I was raised with, to show others love and kindness the best I can, like Jesus would. I feel that the church today as a whole no longer represents those values, which is why I personally choose not to associate myself with it anymore. Maybe to some, I’m not a true Christian because I don’t agree with or follow every Old Testament law and no longer attend services. But I believe that the most important part of being a Christian is as simple as showing love to others. By that measure, I suppose I still do practice Christanity.
DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO
DECEMBER 9, 2020 | THE LION’S TALE | OPINION | 5
Commemorating 100 years of women’s suffrage
art director
VERONIKA MAYNARD It is the year 2020 - exactly one hundred years since 1920, when the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, giving women the right to vote. Long before they achieved this right, women had been running for office and occupying positions in the government, but that does not change the significance of this amendment to the Constitution. Giving women the right to vote and allowing for their increased participation in politics was a monumental change following decades of protest and suffragette movements. The fact that exactly a century after this historic moment America has finally voted to place a woman in a key position
Remember Thanksgiving amid rush to Christmas business manager JUSTINA NIELSEN As the centuries have gone by, the world’s cultures have developed a variety of different holidays to honor events of religious, historical and agricultural significance, among other things. For example, in the United States we celebrate a diverse range of holidays, from Easter to Valentine’s Day to Martin Luther King Jr. Day. But what I want to discuss is how quickly we go from celebrating Halloween to Christmas. People become so excited about trick or treating and receiving presents that we tend to completely overlook Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving in the US can be traced back to the English tradition of Days of Fasting and Days of Thanksgiving, which became prominent during the Protestant Reformation. Pilgrims and Puritans continued this practice when they immigrated to North America in the early 17th century, The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, when the colonists and Natives Americans shared a feast commemorating a good harvest, the arrival of the colonists and friendly relations between the two groups. Religious and civic leaders began issuing Thanksgiving proclamations
DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO
in the executive office should be exciting to us all. Kamala Harris will become the first female- and first African-American and Asian-American- to serve as vice president. There are quite a few countries where women have served in top executive positions in government, and for the first time America can join their ranks. That fact alone is exhilarating, even without considering the long history of women in America who strived towards making this possible. As a female that lives in America, having a female in a key position in the White House is very exciting and hopeful. I see Kamala as the embodiment of the hope that eventually, in America’s future, we might finally have somebody like me as president. Women have been able to run for office for over a century, and it is only now that we gain a female vice president. While it is disheartening to think about that aspect of the past, I can now say I am excited to look towards our future as more and more empowered women join the ranks of those in federal office. throughout the Massachusetts area in the following years, and the practice of holding an annual harvest festival had become common in New England by the 1660s. Today, Canada and American territories and former colonies celebrate Thanksgiving, and Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom celebrate similar holidays. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the past year and remember what you loved about it (which may be hard in 2020) and what you are thankful for, such as family and friends. People skip from Halloween to Christmas so quickly that they just seem to forget the importance of looking back on the year and being thankful for what they have. Students and teachers get off of school to spend time with their families to enjoy each other’s company, which is a good time to do this. Stores go from having Halloween decorations out for sale then immediately putting out Christmas decorations not even a day after. Personally, I think stores should wait at least for the week of Thanksgiving to arrive so people have time to be thankful without worrying about the next holiday. This would also give people time to relax. Skipping this holiday obviously isn’t a serious offense, but it is disregarding something Americans have been taking the time to do for many generations. I understand that people are excited about gift giving and receiving, but it’s great to take part in this important tradition too. As students we can be thankful for Thanksgiving itself since we get a week off of school. We have so many reasons to celebrate Thanksgiving. While it was certainly more difficult this year, Thanksgiving shouldn’t be taken for granted. It is a time for us to appreciate what we have in front of us and to stop for just one day and rest and reflect.
Women have such a long history of battling to make their voice heard in government, and it is such a huge achievement for all women in America’s past, present and future that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris succeeded in their campaign. The long history of women running for office starts with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a well-known women’s rights activist who chose to run for a position in the House of Representatives in 1866. She was unsuccessful in her campaign, gaining only 24 votes out of the 12,000 cast, but she sparked hope amongst other women for the political future. Not too long after Stanton came Victoria Woodhull, the first female to run for president, doing so in 1872 with the Equal Rights Party. Woodhull was of course not elected, but the mark she made in American history was not forgotten. The first female to be elected to federal office was Jeanette Rankin in 1916. She joined the House of Representatives as the first female to take office without succeeding a deceased husband. Previously, the
Qurantine endangers mental health writer
ELSA MATTSSON We are in the middle of a global crisis. Coronavirus cases are going up in Europe again, and over 200,000 Americans have lost their lives to the disease. Safety measures need to be taken seriously so that the spread can be controlled. Schools are still one of the places where many people come together, creating the possibility of virus transmission. To contain the spread, everyone who has been in contact with an infected person needs to quarantine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently shortened the recommended quarantine length to ten days, but it was previously two weeks, an experience which I underwent. When I heard the news that I had been close to someone who tested positive I freaked out. I was really scared that I had been infected, not for my own sake but for the sake of my family. I have family members who would get dangerously sick if they got the virus. Even though I tested negative, I had to keep distance from my family for a while just to be safe, since the virus doesn’t necessarily show up on tests for the first days of exposure. This meant that the first week of quarantine was very
only women to have entered office in American history did so by replacing their husbands once they were widowed, and even that only occurred when the widow was deemed to be suitable for the position. Rankin created a place in history for herself as the first elected congresswoman. Belva Lockwood, Margaret Chase Smith and 18 other women (including Hillary Clinton) all ran for president. 10 more women have sought the vicepresidency, and in 2020, the eleventh female to run for vice president will be successful, a feat that will surely go down in American history. America has such a storied history of working towards gender equality across all aspects of society, and Kamala Harris’s success is just the culmination of those efforts. The fact that Harris was elected as the first female vice president on the one hundredth anniversary of women’s suffrage has not gone unnoticed and has made this occurrence so much more special and memorable for all of America.
lonely. I spent my days alone in my room. I felt very isolated. I was keeping contact with friends through social media and video chatting, but keeping total distance from everyone became very draining. After a week, I got tested again, and luckily it was negative. This meant that I could at least return to eating with my family. Still, that did not make my mood much better. I missed spirit week and other fun plans I had made. I also started to notice that my motivation for school work was getting lower. It is hard for me to concentrate on lectures on my computer. Every assignment just felt like homework and it made the daily workload feel much heavier. Working on my computer also caused me to have daily headaches. These precautions are necessary and important, but the effects need to be taken seriously. Teenagers nowadays are already struggling with mental health issues more than earlier generations. Even though the current situation is affecting everyone, teenagers are taking it extra hard. These should be the years when we can be free and have fun. Instead we have the pressure of social distancing and quarantining. Many teenagers get stuck in their rooms, alone with their thoughts, not being able to be comforted by their friends and hang out outside. To make it worse, concerts, festivals and many big school events like prom are canceled. Finding alternative, safe activities is getting harder and harder. When the pandemic is over, there will be many interesting studies concerning the mental health of the youth during this year. Suicide, domestic abuse and depression are phenomena that I already can guess will be much higher in 2020. There is not much we can do until the virus is defeated. So now we just have to remember that everyone is struggling and be respectful and kind to each other. We should be patient and understanding, so that we can get through this, together.
6 | NEWS | THE LION’S TALE | DECEMBER 9, 2020
OHS alumnus Cashe to receive posthumous Medal of Honor STORY BY PATRICK COSTELLO PHOTOS COURTESY OF US ARMY On Oct. 17, 2005, Sgt. 1st Class (SFC) Alwyn Cashe pulled six of his fellow soldiers from a burning Bradley fighting vehicle, suffering severe burns that proved to be fatal. Now, 15 years later, he is set to receive the country’s highest military decoration for his actions. Cashe, who attended Oviedo High School and grew up in the area, enlisted in the Army after graduating in 1988. He served in the Gulf War and in Iraq following the US-led invasion prior to his 2005 deployment with the 3rd Infantry Division in that country. Cashe was acting as platoon sergeant of the 1st Platoon of Alpha Company when the vehicle he was in struck an improvised explosive device (IED) en route to Daliaya, Iraq, engulfing it in flames and dousing him in fuel. Initially only slightly injured, Cashe exited the transport and aided its driver in doing so. He then moved to the rear of the vehicle, pulling injured soldiers from the flames. He returned to remove his men multiple times, enduring the heat of the blaze as it burned away his armor and uniform. Cashe ultimately rescued six soldiers and refused medical evacuation until others were evacuated. The explosion injured ten soldiers, seven gravely, and an
LAID TO REST. Cashe is interred at Restlawn Cemetary in Sanford.
interpreter was killed. Cashe was wounded the most severely as second and third degree burns covered 72% of his body. He succumbed to his injuries three weeks later at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Although he was posthumously awarded a Silver Star, Cashe was initially denied the Medal of Honor because he and his men were not in active combat. However, subsequent investigation revealed that the soldiers had taken enemy fire throughout the incident, beginning a campaign to have Cashe’s Silver Star upgraded. This movement, led by his older sister, Kasinal Cashe-White, earned the support of many in the military community, including the major general who nominated him for his original award. On Oct. 17, 2019, Reps. Dan Crenshaw, Michael Waltz and Stephanie Murphy, whose congressional district includes all of Seminole County, wrote to Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan Murphy requesting that Cashe be recognized with the Medal of Honor. “SFC Cashe has become something of a legend in military circles, the object of profound respect and even reverence,” wrote the three members of congress, each of who served in the military or worked at the Department of Defense, in their letter. Esper responded in August, agreeing that he merited the decoration, but noting that the law required the Medal of Honor to be awarded within five years of the deserving action. The following month the House passed legislation waiving that requirement and the Senate followed suit. If President Trump signs the bill into law and authorizes the award of the medal to his family, Cashe will become the first African American to receive it since the Vietnam War. “He is deserving of the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military award for bravery on the battlefield, and we urge President Trump to quickly sign our bill into law to make sure that happens,” Crenshaw said after the Senate approved the bill. This latest decoration is just one aspect of Cashe’s legacy. His son, Andrew Cashe, graduated from the Army’s One Station Unit Training for Infantry in July. Pittsburgh Steelers left tackle Alejandro Villaneuva, who served as an Army ranger, honored Cashe by taping his name on the back of his helmet before a game in September. The Oviedo Post Office was renamed in his
SGT. 1ST CLASS. Cashe is pictured here in his official Army photograph. memory in 2019, as was a new Sanford Army Reserve center in 2014. “Alwyn is a hero in the most pure and profound sense,” Murphy said in a speech given at a dedication ceremony for that post office. “He’s the real thing.”
The path to America’s highest military honor Oct. 17, 2005 SFC Alwyn Cashe saves six soldiers from a burning fighting vehicle in Iraq.
2008-2014
Sep. 22, Nov. 10, 2020
A Facebook page advocating for Cashe to receive the Medal of Honor is founded in 2011; it now has 9,000+ members. Multiple military figures become involved in the campaign.
House and then Senate pass legislation waiving five year statute of limitations on giving award, leaving only Pres. Trump to sign bill and confer honor.
Nov. 8, 2005
Oct. 17, 2019
Cashe dies from his injuries at a military hospital in Texas. He is initally given the Silve Star.
Three members of Congress write to the Secretary of Defense formally requesting upgrade.
DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO
DECEMBER 9, 2020 | THE LION’S TALE | NEWS | 7
Area offers holiday decoration, entertainment options PHOTOS COURTESY OF RAZZANI’S FRESH CUT CHRISTMAS TREES, OVIEDO MALL STORY BY PENELOPE BANKS This chaotic and unexpected year has nearly come to an end: December has arrived. December is the time to be jolly and feel the holiday cheer, even though this year there may be some alterations to usual Christmas plans. Though large gatherings, like Christmas parties, may be prohibited, there are still other fun options to enjoy the season, with social distancing of course. Choices will be limited, but with the right attitude it’ll feel like just another Christmas. Here in Oviedo, there’s a few things families can do to get in the spirit. Christmas trees, which light up living rooms and provide a home for presents on Christmas morning, are a great place to start. Some lucky shoppers were able to buy a tree from Oviedo High School’s tent before they quickly sold out, but those who were not still have numerous options to buy a tree from, such as Razzani’s, Happ’s and the Home Depot. There are also activities for the little ones and their families. Riverside Park and the Oviedo Gymnasium and Aquatic Facility are offering phone calls with Santa
Claus. Those interested in this will have to pay a two dollar fee at either of these locations by December 13; Santa will then call on December 15 between the hours of 6 and 8 p.m. This isn’t the only Christmas fun Oviedo has to offer. Bingo is a fun game of chance for any age group with the chance of winning prizes. Center Lake Park is hosting their Holiday Bingo on December 18. Due to the pandemic, participants will have to pre-register and there will be limited amounts of space in order to
TREES AND WREATHS. Razzani’s offers Christmas trees and wreaths at its Winter Park location.
practice social distancing. During this past year, the coronavirus has caused economic difficulty for many people, as some have seen reduced hours or lost their jobs entirely. For those looking to give back to those who aren’t as privileged, check out the Complex Seven Toy Drive and Holiday Party. This drive will take place on December 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more details on how to give back to the community and participate in this drive, visit the Painted Oaks Academy website. While there are many places and events for people looking to go out and enjoy this time of year, those who prefer to stay home also have many options. Some traditional Christmas activities one can do at home include the following: decorating cookies, building gingerbread houses, painting ornaments, putting up decorations, or even creating fun gifts for friends and family. As the year comes to a close, it’s important to try and leave it with the best attitude. Cherish the times with friends and family this holiday season, reflect on the good things that happened this year and have a merry Christmas and happy New Year.
O CHRISTMAS TREE. The Christmas tree placed in front of the Oviedo Mall’s entrance is seen here.
Students improve writing skills in Literary Lions Club STORY BY EMMA TAGYE The Literary Lions club is the perfect place for students looking to take their writing skills and other creative abilities to the next level. “This club is not just about writing but about different elements as well, including photography, artwork, poetry and short stories,” said Nicole Blanton, a 10th grade English teacher and club sponsor. Honing one’s work through peer review is also an important part of participating in the club. “Some of the things we do in the club is write a variety of different literature, ranging from many genres and types,” said sophomore Delaney Warner. “Once we have a finished product, we share our writing to the members of the club, and
DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO
when we congregate we analyze and give feedback.” Literary Lions goes beyond what one might do in an English class. “This club is more laid back than an English or Journalism class, and I feel we get to let our creative juices flow,” Warner said. Members of the club have also made connections and friendships with each other during their time together. “In English you may not be able to give detailed feedback on someone’s writing, as you are in Literary Lions,” said sophomore Gracie Baumann. “Not only does this feedback help the writers, but it also forms close bonds.” The club has been meeting through Webex this year thanks to the coronavirus. “I personally love having meetings on
Webex,” Warner said. “It is much easier to attend meetings.” Some students prefer that medium, but others are looking forward to next year and the resumption of normal faceto-face meetings. “I think it is harder to do meetings on Webex because it makes it difficult to make connections with people through an online platform,” Baumann said. Literary Lions allows students to enjoy writing by removing the stress of deadlines and grades. “When the meeting starts, we take turns giving feedback on the writing,” Baumann said. “The feedback can range from thoughts we had while reading, constructive criticism, or just things we liked about the writing.” Working in a group setting where
COMIC BY VERONIKA MAYNARD
members are free to share their feedback can be very beneficial. “We conduct our meetings as writing workshops, where students submit their work to the group ahead of time and we all give those students feedback, either written or verbal, during the meeting,” Blanton said.
Literary Lions Club meets at 3:30 on Thursdays.
8 | SPORTS | THE LION’S TALE | DECEMBER 9, 2020
DECEMBER 9, 2020 | THE LION’S TALE | SPORTS | 9
THE NEXT CHAPTER Student-athletes relish signing day experience, look forward to future PHOTOS BY AUDREY STREMBECKI STORY BY KAIT PETERSON
KADE FAIRCLOTH & ERIC DAY
In 1964, the National Letter of Intent program was created by J. William Davis, retired professor of government at Texas Tech University. This is the period of time in which the high school athletes who have verbal offers from colleges and universities will make their athletic scholarships official by signing their National Letter of Intent. Signing day is a huge next step in many athletes lives, as the sport they play will dominate their lives for the next four years. Although it is usually a time of celebration, there is also stress and a realization of how much responsibility being a college student-athlete entails. It is a monumental day in many athletes’ lives that they can share with their teammates, friends and family. “Signing day went awesome for me,” said senior baseball player Eric Day. “I was nervous but excited to sign. It’s a big deal and I was nervous because it is the next big chapter in my life. I was very excited to sign with a great college though.” Day, who plays third baseman and occasionally pitches, has been a part of the OHS baseball program for all four of his years in high school. He committed to Troy University in Troy, Alabama, to play Division I baseball and signed in early November. Another student-athlete that committed to a university this year is senior outfielder Kade Faircloth. A teammate of Eric Day, he has also been a big part of baseball at Oviedo all four years. “Signing day was exciting for me,” said Faircloth, who committed to Newberry College in Newberry, South Carolina. “I didn’t know what to expect, but having my family, friends, coaches and teammates
there made the day special and one to remember.” Although the athletes are very excited to be stepping through the door that has been opened to them, the excitement does come with a lot of stress and responsibility. “The recruitment process was very rough because I knew that I wanted to go out of state and I also had my major already picked out, which really limited my options,” said senior lacrosse player Abby Greene. “It was hard to contact and get in front of coaches because it was expensive.” Greene has officially signed to Lock Haven University, located in Pennsylvania. All of the athletes interviewed for this story signed to schools out of state. Not having a support system or lifeline within reach will be a big adjustment for them. “Being a student athlete at the next level is a whole new challenge,” Day said. “The amount of discipline you have to have is crazy and I won’t have my parents to help guide me. It will all be up to me to get all of the things I need to do done.” Day is not the only signee concerned with the new amount of responsibility in his future. “I’m looking forward to the freedom that comes with college, as well as the growth into a functional adult,” said senior Carlie Rose, a swimmer. “I’m excited to connect with the amazing students, coaches and professors and to take advantage of the opportunities the school has to offer. I’m a little bit nervous about being so far from home in freezing weather, but I think I’ll get used to it.” Rose recently signed to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to continue her athletic and academic career. A prestigious universtiy like Harvard is bound
to present some challenges for Rose, especially when it comes to balancing obligations and time management. “Swim adding up to three hours a day combined with balancing high school has always left me with very little time to explore my other interests,” Rose said. “I know I will have to study more than I have in high school, but in college many of the swimmers have much more time to join groups or pursue internships that would otherwise be nearly impossible in high school. I know I will have to study more than I have in high school but there still will be more time left open to do other things,” Rose said. The responsibilities of a collegiate studentathelete include completing assignments, getting to workouts and practices on time, being a good teammate and maintaining proper nutrition. Being able to manage one’s time accordingly is an essential skill. “While being an athlete I want to also maintain a high GPA and also a social life outside of lacrosse,” Greene said. “As I get more experience I would love to get a lot of play time and earn my place on the field.” Maintaining a social life outside of sports and academics is something that proves difficult for many student athletes all over the United States. Being able to balance it all will be challenging. For those who have already had the chance to hone their time management skills in high schools, the adjustment may not be quite as challenging. “I think it will be tougher,” Faircloth said. “The classes will get harder and we will have practice and weights all day. High school has definitely helped me in learning how to use my time wisely with school and sports.”
ABBY GREENE
3B
OF Newberry College
Lockhaven University
Troy University
OHS class of 2021 signees
Tyler Hanley
swim & dive
Florida State University
Sydney Dean
lacrosse
Tiffin University
Peyton Massie
soccer
Stetson University
Carlie Rose
swim & dive
Harvard University
Abby Greene
lacrosse
Lock Haven University
Kelsey Sauer
soccer
Georgia State University
Eric Day
baseball
Troy University
Josh Stewart
golf
Florida State University
Catherine Bucker
softball
Florida Southern University
Sam Austin
cross country/track and field
University of Florida
Brendan Carney
bowling
McKendree University
Alyssa Tossi
softball
Columbia Int. University
Leola Broitman
cross country/track and field
Flagler College
Kade Faircloth
baseball
Newberry College
Makenzie Fore
softball
St. Johns River State College
Sam Henery
cross country/track and field
Flagler College
Kyleigh Thelen
soccer
Stetson University
Paige Weinmann
softball
Seminole State College
DESIGN BY KAIT PETERSON
10 | SPORTS | THE LION’S TALE | DECEMBER 9, 2020
FOOTBALL SEASON IN REVIEW Based on interviews with the players and our own evaluations, a game-by-game breakdown of the season. STORY BY KENNY APONTE
9/17 Colonial (A) W 28-9 Strong start to a solid season The first game of the season with lots of excitement and a talented group of high school football players ready to leave their mark on the 2020 season. The Lions came out of the inaugural game of the season with a blowout win of 28-9, a 19 point victory. This was not without the help of a great night by the Lion’s defense. Senior defensive back Tayvon Coleman said that he was able to help set the tone with 9 tackles and a crucial
10/16 Winter Park (A) L 49-10
11/6 IMGAW (H) L 38-7
Offense stifled
IMG comes out on top
A tough night for the Lions after a loss in the previous game. On October 16 Oviedo faced Winter Park, ranked No. 12 by the Orlando Sentinel, and suffered their second loss. The offense was shut down by the opposing defense. Quarterback Luke Rucker completed 15 out of 32 passes and managed to reach 183 yards through the air even after being keyed in on by the Ram’s defense. Junior receiver Alex Saunders hauled in a 62 yard touchdown pass from Rucker.
IMG came out of the gate strong and did not look back. Oviedo fought hard throughout the entire course of the game but couldn’t come out on top. At halftime the score was 7-0 with IMG being the only team to score. Oviedo managed to put points on the board with senior wide receiver Winston Brown’s touchdown. Although IMG continued to score, the Lions were intent on coming back stronger for the next important playoff game.
PLAYOFFS
pass breakup in the heat of the game.
10/23 Timber Creek (H) L 22-21
11/20 Hagerty (H) W 41-13
9/25 Harmony (H) W 56-2
Close game, fell just short
Taking care of business
Total domination
An extremely close and hard fought game, but unfortunately Timber Creek managed to secure the win. At halftime, the Lions led 14-7 and in the third quarter 21-7. Both sides of the ball, defense and offense, looked great in the first three quarters. The Lions even recovered a fumble on the kick return by Timber Creek. Alas, the Timberwolves remarkably scored 15 points in the final five minutes to win the football game.
The only thing better than one win against Hagerty is two wins. The varsity football team wasn’t going to let this team win on John Courier Field with the bright Friday night lights on. The game began with both schools going touchdown for touchdown up until the second quarter when Oviedo secured the lead over Hagerty for the remainder of the game. This was made possible by Luke Rucker scoring a total of four times for the Lions with two rushing touchdowns and two touchdown passes.
10/30 Hagerty (H) W 20-14
11/27 Lake Mary (A) L 33-11
Hometown showdown
A difficult playoff matchup
The biggest game of the year: the hometown showdown. Oviedo was able to come out on top and beat the other school on Lockwood Blvd. The entire game from beginning to the end had everyone on the edge of their seats watching this heated rivalry. Oviedo was able to throw the ball much more comfortably than Hagerty as they had 119 more passing yards than the Huskies.
In a tough playoff position, the Rams were able to put an end to the Lions’ season. Oviedo scored in the second quarter with a touchdown from Luke Rucker, but by that time Lake Mary was holding on to a 7 point lead. They were able to shut down our passing game and ultimately go home with the victory.
An even bigger blowout for the second game was no surprise as the varsity squad was feeling great after that first win. After a dominant performance from the defense in the first game, the offense definitely showed up and walked all over Harmony at home. Sophomore quarterback Luke Rucker was able to rack up 463 yards and even tie Blake Bortles’s previous school record of seven touchdowns in a single game.
10/2 University (H) W 43-18 Great night for the defense Keeping University High School scoreless in the first half, the defense was easily locking up and holding their offense at bay. At halftime, the score was 22-0, leaving the opposing team with little chance of a comeback. The Lions continued to have their way, but eventually University was able to put some numbers on the board. Oviedo was the better team for all four quarters, allowing them to secure the win.
10/9 Lake Mary (A) L 38-23 Tough opponent The first loss of the season is never a good feeling. Although the Lions led in the first quarter (14-7), the varsity squad fell short 3823. Regardless of the result, the team fought hard. Keith Nemasango, senior tight end, was able to find himself five catches with 91 yards at the end of the buzzer. Senior wide receiver Sebastian Vargas was also able to catch two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter.
PHOTO BY OHS JOURNALISM ONTO THE FIELD. The Lions take the field against IMG on Nov. 6 with the band playing.
PHOTO BY OHS JOURNALISM COLLISION. An IMG defender tackles senior Owen Proth.
DESIGN BY KENNY APONTE
DECEMBER 9, 2020 | THE LION’S TALE | SPORTS | 11
Basketball ready to meet high expectations for season STORY BY KENNY APONTE The lights are on, the floor is bright and the bench is loud. All of these things can be expected to be found at any given basketball game this 2020-2021 season. At the time of this article being written, the Lions have played five games so far in their season. They have currently secured four wins and are planning to fight and earn many more. Damien Bryant, a senior forward on the squad, was very clear on what they will do this season to get those wins and
sports editor KAIT PETERSON
Weightlifting can help empower women In today’s society, and society’s views for hundreds of years, has had a very specific view of how a beautiful woman looks. Lean, skinny, makeup, but natural beauty, long shiny hair. This ideal is unrealistic. Women of all shapes, sizes and colors are beautiful. Strong women
writer MACKENZIE HOLMES
Some sports don’t get attention they deserve When OHS goes to play, we come back with a victory or a lesson. This year, we have more victories than lessons. Although some athletic teams get recognized for their success, what about the other, less prominent sports? If I asked you to name a sport that starts with T, would you
DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO
what the students can look forward to with this team. “Students can expect to see us getting dubs and killing every team we play and us putting on a show,” Bryant said. “Look out for everyone on the team, but look for me too because I’m putting on a dunk show.” With a new team, comes some new faces. Senior forward Braden Reyes is one new player added to the roster this year who is looking to contribute. “From what I’ve been part of, we’ve tried to take every day[] at a time and
focus on getting better,” Reyes said. A player who can lock down the opposing offense, has a good work ethic and an eagerness to dominate and be better is surely someone to keep an eye on this season. The team is looking for a state championship after their run was cut short last year by no other than Hagerty High School. When asked about goals and expectations, senior guard Ryan Prescott made sure to include the postseason in his response. “My expectations are that we will go
deep in the playoffs and hopefully win a championship,” Prescott said. “I’m looking forward to beating Hagerty this year,” he added. With a chip on their shoulders, the boys are looking dangerous for any opposing team to guard up. The team comradery is the strongest it has been in years, according to Reyes. “[We have] a very supportive and enthusiastic team; we are all playing for each other,” he said. “Look out for the best bench in Florida.”
are beautiful. From a young age little girls have to grow up hearing that being muscular or lifting heavy weights will make you “undesirable” to a man. At Oviedo High School, the Lady Lions weightlifting team is growing more and more every year. More strong girls, beautiful inside and out, are realizing how much fun lifting weights is, and how many benefits it brings not only to your physical appearance but also to your mental and physical health. Sophomore Ava Gelm has been a part of the Lady Lions weightlifting team here at OHS in both of her years attending high school. “I have never been worried about being ‘too strong’, some girls stress about having the validation of a boy in their life, but lifting with the team makes me happy and helps in many parts of my life,” Gelm explains. “Being a softball player as well, I noticed how much weightlifting helps me with my strength and stamina.” The benefits of lifting weights are plentiful and many girls on the team found that doing both weightlifting and their primary sport, helped them with their primary sport no matter what it was.
Personally, I have been playing volleyball for eight, going on nine, years. Weightlifting and going to my gym outside of the school weight room has helped me immensely with getting my vertical up, and having the strength and endurance I need when a long practice or tournament comes around. The change in physical attributes brought on by lifting heavy weights is not a change that comes quickly; it takes hard work and years of dedication to see extreme results. Many are worried that being a part of a four month (maximum) program will cause them to see extreme changes and results in their physical appearance. “When I first heard about the weightlifting team, I originally thought, ‘oh I don’t want to be super muscular, that is not how I want to look, but then it hit that even though I joined the team and am lifting heavy, I haven’t really seen a huge difference in my body, I look toned,” said Junior Elsa Mattsson. Mattsson is a first year weightlifter for the OHS Lady Lions. Her hesitation to join the team seemed to have been brought on by the societal view that strong is
unattractive, and that strong women wouldn’t be desired by men. Many women on the weightlifting team have realized that they should not have to worry about what a boy thinks about them, and that what they chose to do is for them. “I have not been bothered by what people think of me, I am not super self conscious, and at the end of the day, if a guy is worried about me being stronger than him, that’s his problem not mine,” says Gelm. When first walking into the weight room, the energy exerted by the team and its members was one that was unmatched. It is a very accepting and positive energy that just draws you in and makes you want to stay to experience it more. “The girls are all very uplifting and it is a really good team to be a part of, everyone always cheers each other on and does not let us give up on a lift without a fight, and if we fail, they are always right there to help you try again,” said sophomore Kaitlyn Jeffcoat. “As long as I remember to stay true to myself and realize that no matter what people think, I am beautiful and I am strong, then I will be okay.”
say tennis? What about B or D or even S? Baseball, basketball, softball, soccer? Actually, the answer that was being looked for was bowling and swim/dive. These teams work just as hard as any other sport does, right? The trophy case would tell you the answer is yes. Last year, the boys swim & dive were state, region, district and conference champions while the girls swim & dive team came state runner-up, third in the region, and are also district and conference champions. They are the girls 400 free relay state champs too. This year, the girls bowling team are state, districts and conference champions and the boys bowling team came 14th in the state, and are district and conference champions. We wanted to dive into these underappreciated sports and understand what it is like to be a part of these teams that perform so well. Justina Nielsen, a senior on the girls bowling team, says that bowling runs in her blood. “I am a third-generation bowler in my family, which makes me love the sport even more, because it makes me feel connected to someone I only knew for a year,” Nielsen said.
At their best, sports, whether a hobby or a life’s passion, connect us with others. Whether its biological family or chosen family, the pursuit of a championship takes a team effort. Nielsen’s team won back-to-back state competitions; she also placed sixth individually this year. “I was ecstatic,” she said. “That was my goal. I really wanted to place individually. I didn’t care what place it even was, I just wanted to medal!” Medaling in individual bowling is placing in the top six. Even as one of the highest achieving bowlers in the state, Nielsen is still “on and off about bowling in college” as “there’s not many schools that give bowling scholarships.” However, Nielsen shows resiliency in the face of the unknown. While bowling may not be one of the sports that gain a lot of attention, she just focuses on doing the best she can each frame. “I’m not going to let people bring me down,” she said. “It just shows me that they are not worth my time and friendship. Similarly, some may underestimate the skill and dedication required in swimming. Joseph San Filippo, a freshman on
the swimming team, knows all too well the training it takes to perform at the high school level. He explained that the workouts vary from day to day, but that the intensity level is always incredibly high. “If I’m honest there’s too many [types of workouts] to count,” Filippo said. “Coach changes up the sets and we rarely repeat the same workout unless he likes the sets.” Tennis is another sport that is extremely popular internationally but doesn’t necessarily garner much attention in high school. Madelyn Dowda, a player on the Oviedo High School tennis team, shared her thoughts with us on the matter. “It also could be the fact that many people in high school don’t think of tennis as a particularly ‘hard’ sport, while it actually is, and I think they really don’t even think of it as an important sport because they focus on sports like football, baseball, and basketball,” Dowda said. Regardless of the level of recognition these athletes receive, they put in hard work day in and day out for the love of the game, and have the hardware to show for it
12 | FEATURES | THE LION’S TALE | DECEMBER 9, 2020
LIGHTS LIGHTS CAMERA CAMERA
ACTION!
INSIDE THE PRIDE WITH OVIEDO’S WROR-TV
PHOTO BY DIEGO LARA CHRISTMAS SEGMENT. A TV production student edits a Christmas themed segment. STORY A. ROSS, H. WARRNER At Oviedo High School, students are given many opportunities to participate in journalism, such as with the newspaper, yearbook and award winning TV production program, WROR-TV. Many students who are involved in TV production and WROR-TV create the school’s daily news broadcast and participate in competitions organized by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). This year, WROR-TV is a finalist for the NSPA Broadcast Pacemaker, showing the dedication and hard work that the students have put in throughout the year. However, this is not the first time that Oviedo has been a finalist for the competition; in 2019 they won best film in the nation in the short film category. “First of all, it takes initiative,” said Kevin Patterson, WROR-TV’s supervisor and TV Production teacher. “You have to have ideas and the drive to make your ideas into a segment.” A lot goes into making an award-winning segment, such as being well informed on the topic the student is covering. Patterson feels his students strive to meet these aspects and always want to improve on what they last created. Everyday is different in the WROR-TV studio, and students tend to have a more flexible schedule than in other classes, meaning they have the ability to choose which role they want to pursue. This could be something like sports coverage or the creation of public service announcements. “Everyone is supposed to be doing different projects, and those projects are being completed at different times,” Patterson said. “Everyone works on the same thing at once and completes their work by a certain deadline.”
While some people are writing the script and readying the teleprompter, others are in the control room preparing the footage from the day for editing. To create the news broadcasts each day, the staff creates a script, covering the school’s announcements and including segways into each segment. “I am the executive producer, so I am responsible for everyone doing promotional videos for the news. I also anchor often, film and edit the news.” said Devyn Cannata, a student involved in WROR-TV. Airing the school news on a daily basis takes teamwork and determination. Due to COVID-19, things are different than in previous years. Instead of two anchors, the team only uses one at a time. This allows the anchor to stand in the studio by himself, take off his mask and film his segment. COVID-19 has also affected the way in which the class films. Patterson strongly encourages his students to film outside more often and to use isopropyl alcohol wipes after each use of the camera. Unless the anchor is by himself in a studio, students are required to wear a mask while filming at all times indoors. If they are conducting an interview, the subject is asked to also keep his mask on. Patterson is very adamant about his students being informed and educated on topics that they are discussing and wants them to know how and why their content is created. They are constantly trying to learn and expand their capabilities. “For the past few years in particular, I have really seen how media literacy is such an important 21st century skill set and it has given me a drive to do what I’m doing,” Patterson said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WROR-TV ANCHOR. Cannata served as the anchor for the Nov. 20 broadcast.
PHOTO BY DIEGO LARA SHOWTIME. Senior Lukas Boaz works on preparing a daily broadcast.
DESIGN BY A. ROSS, H. WARRNER
DECEMBER 9, 2020 | THE LION’S TALE | NEWS | 13
Drama uses interviews to create “verbatim” production STORY BY M. FRANGOUL, J. NIELSEN The time alone in quarantine has forced people to confront some difficult moments in their past. The theater department, under the direction of Tim Carter, put on a piece of verbatim theater, drama that uses an interview as their script, to shine a light on some of the mental health struggles that are going on around campus. Due to COVID restrictions however, the play will be broadcasted digitally via Youtube. The goal of verbatim theater is for the actor or writer to interview someone about an event in their life and use their answers to create a monologue. “We turned our interviews into monologues,” said senior Ariana Latorre, an actor in the production. “So whatever the interviews were, we made a monologue out of it and we can either
DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO
perform it ourselves or we give it to someone else, and we direct them to become the person, and we are just recording it to put it together for the show.” “We are trying to give them a voice, and there have been a lot of monologues that we wrote from interviews from people that they might have talked about before,” Latorre added. They will be discussing topics that have been an issue in our environment for years, but now started to become a major concern due to recent events. To create a safe environment for all the audience, a disclaimer will be provided at the beginning of their production before any sensitive topics will be mentioned. “Some of topics will be about racial profiling, about anxiety, 9/11 events and other personal events about people,” said senior Devin Minnis, another member of
the troupe. “I won’t say who specifically [gave] that private information. Just different things that people experience everyday throughout their lives that they usually don’t talk about.” Anonymity allowed for more open interviews and created an environment of honesty. “[The students] interviewed people and I don’t even know who they are and the audience won’t know who they are,” Carter, the drama teacher, said. “The students interviewed not just other students, but adults. My son interviewed a police officer that was at the Pulse Night Club shooting.” Other topics that will be covered are about anxiety, divorce, death of relatives and self-harm. The play will be a way for today’s issues people have faced years prior that are coming to light due to this
past year. Sadly, due to some technical issues, Carter said that the production had to be reshot and will be forthcoming on social media, most likely Youtube or Vimeo. This will no doubt have an impact on the audience who watch the live stream. “I don’t think its [impact] will be either good or bad, I would see it as if it is believable,” Carter said. “It is mostly a way for people to get their stories out and then people would know that they are not alone.” Minnis believes the audience will have that same feeling. “The audience may just get a different point of view...maybe a second opinion about certain topics as something they didn’t realise before... So they can really feel how others feel,” Minnis said.
14 | ENTERTAINMENT | THE LION’S TALE | DECEMBER 9, 2020
‘Unus Annus’ passes away after its promised year of content
STORY BY ELLIOTT SIRESS
DESIGN BY ELLIOTT SIRESS
By the time you are reading this, the YouTube channel formerly known as ‘Unus Annus’ has been deleted, including every single video on it. Although illegal reuploads exist, it’s recommended to respect the wishes of the channel’s creators and not view them. “We live our lives taking each second for granted. But what would you do if you knew how much time you had left? Unus Annus. One year. This channel - much like all of you - has a limited amount of time. And every day we march ever closer to this channel’s inevitable doom. That means we’ll be uploading every single day until the clock strikes zero. And then… it’s game over. Bye bye. Finito. Finished. Curtains. Gone gone. Night night. Dead. Forever… Make no mistake. That doesn’t mean we’ll just stop uploading. When time runs out, we will be deleting this channel and every single video on it. And you’ll never be able to see them again. Because much like death, you can’t take it with you. And all we’ll have is the memories that we make along the way.” So are the first statements made by Youtube creators Mark Fischbach and Ethan Nestor - commonly known as Markiplier and CrankGameplays respectfully - on the now deceased ‘Unus Annus’. Set in motion on November 15th, 2019, Fischbach and Nestor launched the channel as a year-long project in which they’d be dedicating themselves to uploading one video every day, for 365 days, up till the end; in which they would then set it all ablaze and delete the entirety of the channel, no exceptions. Many fans were sceptical of the channel’s end, asking if the two were actually willing to toss a year of content away with the click of a button. Theories started popping up regarding the true nature of the channel, exploring themes and characters - such as Nestor and Fischbach’s occasional roles as ‘Unus’ and ‘Annus’, two beings seemingly in charge with running the channel while also digging it’s grave and preparing the funeral. Secret codes and hidden messages were leaked into the editing of various episodes describing a third, unnamed character attempting to stop or reverse the omnipresent clock which ticked every video in and every video out. Fans grew desperate looking for clues that the channel would live past the final second, attempting to pull red strings together in hopes to find some message left only for the truly dedicated to uncover, a message that the channel would stay and live. Although Fischbach and Nestor remained adamant on the channel’s incoming and permanent conclusion, many viewers continuously denied the statements, inspecting anything they could to dig up the ‘secret lore’ that must have existed somewhere within the videos. On November 13th, 2020, Fischbach and Nestor held a 12 hour long live stream on YouTube leading up to the channel’s death. And when the clock struck zero, they deleted the channel, and every single video on it. “It all started with a what if. What if we made a self-destructing channel? What if after one year, we set everything to rest? This is where Unus Annus was born. Born from the idea that everything is temporary. Born from the belief that you should never take time for granted, and you should live everyday like there’s no tomorrow.” Nestor positively laments.
ASSET CREDIT: UNUS ANNUS
PICTURED: MARK FISCHBACH AND ETHAN NESTOR
“We took each day on as a new adventure, an opportunity to learn, an opportunity to grow, an opportunity to step out of our comfort zones. Whether it was being pepper sprayed, making breakfast with the unlikeliest of tools, or painting each other naked, we took every chance we got to experience something to it’s fullest. This is what defined Unus Annus.” Unus Annus was an experience; from video to video, viewers got to live something new alongside Nestor and Fischbach. Each day would bring a new compacted journey, a microcosm of life, regardless if they were learning horseback archery, attempting to create a tornado, or hunt ghosts in abandoned houses. From starting their own summer camp to uncovering the lost city of Atlantis. From trying the most disgusting foods to learning how to salsa dance. From destroying Mark’s van to producing a song about it. From collecting toys for needy children to spreading awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement. From attempting to shatter glass with their voices to playing children’s games in total darkness, there were no limitations, no idea too mad to pass on, no feat too far to at least try. 365 days of content where all they did was live, and have fun doing so, even if they were in udder pain or facing their greatest fears. Unus Annus offered something never seen before on YouTube, and will likely never be seen in the same way ever again. Exploring various forms of therapy, expericencing the pain of child labor, becoming cryptids, just watching a comet fly across an unpolluted night sky. Goat yoga, exploring dead websites, swimming in the open ocean, summoning
00:00:00:00 demons, eating fire, making pillow forts, going coffin shopping, searching for a needle in a haystack, burying time capsules, torturing themselves in a sauna, doing an escape room, even just going on a long and ridiculous car ride. This was Unus Annus, some of the most simple, outlandish, stupid, and or funny ideas they could conjure up and film. This year of chaos accumulated with that aforementioned 12 hour live stream, a simple show where Fischbach and Nestor, accompanied by their team behind the camera, sat in an open space decorated with the truest of Unus Annus decorations. There, for those 12 hours, they explored channel memes, rewatched favorite videos, cherished fan art, viewed compilations their editors produced, and just talked, soaking in the year’s weight they carried up till that moment. The live stream was a peaceful epilogue per se, the obituary, the whole funeral even, for this channel, all while the clock loomed in the background, ticking down to the last second. After recreating every video, discussing unfulfilled ideas, reflecting on their friendship, calling every guest who appeared on the channel, even revisiting the concept of their first video, this 12 hour long live stream was set to lay Unus Annus down in it’s grave. Mark received a top hat, Ethan got a tattoo of the clock, the two along with Fischbach’s girlfriend Amy took moments inside their specially designed coffin split down the middle black and white. And in the end, together, the three of them hit delete on the channel; Ethan witnessing the clock countdown to zero, Amy watching the mouse hover over the delete button, and Mark smiling at the one million viewers. The channel may be gone, but Markiplier and Crankgameplays live on, continuing their channels and their own careers, Fischbach already announcing plans for future projects coming next year. And even in the death of the channel, compilations of some of the best moments remain - as allowed by Nestor and Fischbach - to give those who were there from the beginning, or from the end, or even from after it’s death, a chance to relive what this momentous channel was. This ‘unus annus’ has been a beautifully gorgeous era which has helped me so much, and so many others. For anyone that wasn’t there, let me tell you it was an incredible year, an incredible 12 hours, all the way down to the last second. From 365 to 000, we were all here, no matter when we arrived. I remember the night before the live stream, there was this edit on Twitter which compiled a screenshot from every video with the clock overlaid, each day going down with each screenshot. I just started crying; although I had understood the one rule set for this channel, even though I knew this channel would die, it didn’t hit me till the night before, and - even though it may be stupid to cry over a YouTube channel - it was painful to fully relize that a year’s worth of memories were going to die, not end, die. ‘What a year’ I kept telling myself after the stream cut off and the channel was wiped from existence. If you weren’t there, just know you would have loved it. In the end, the message rings true. Live your life, stay alive, relish in every memory you gain, and recognize that you will die one day. Live incredible lives. Die incredible deaths. Memento Mori.
The sweet and strange Love and Monsters suprises audiences STORY BY NIKTA DARYADEL
DESIGN BY ELLIOTT SIRESS
PHOTO CREDIT: PARAMOUNT PICTURES
Love and Monsters is a PG-13 movie that came out mid-October with a very interesting plot. Civilization has crumbled and over half the population has been wiped out by huge, mutated lizards, frogs, snakes, etc., which caused the remaining people who stayed alive to hide underground in bunkers. The main character, Joel Dawson - played by Dylan O’ Brien - finally contacts his girlfriend Aimee in which they had not seen each other as the ‘Monsterpocalypse’ began. He finds her using a radio and figures out she is eight miles away from him, so he leaves his bunker to go venture off to find her. The thing is Joel is not the athletic main character who can fight off every monster by himself and have a happily ever after ending with Aimee. He is a nerd who is very clumsy, so that is great for him. As Joel is off on his journey, while he is being attacked by a huge, mutated frog, two people, a young girl - Minnow played by
Ariana Greenblatt - and an older man - Clyde played by Michael Rooker - save him, which causes those three to keep venturing upper ground with each other. However, the key player finds a dog, whose name is Boy. I personally think Boy is a very important character in the story, even as a dog because if you think about it, how did a dog survive years on its own in an apocalypse? Going back to the movie, if Boy was not there, the plot would not have been as intense as it was. Joel not only has himself to worry about, but the dog as well. Love and Monsters to me was not so much a fighting/ action genre movie as it was to show character growth. At the beginning, as said, Joel was not strong or independent enough to handle these monsters himself and could not think quickly on his feet to figure out plans. However, towards the end, he would figure out clever ways to defeat these giants. For example,
while he was fighting one, he would dodge all sorts of attacks and use creative tactics in order to outsmart the beast. So, as he was fighting this giant, he ran over to an explosive as the giant was following him, threw it in its mouth, and jumped in the water to not get hit by the impact. Which I think is impressive for someone like Joel. Although the story may be predictable to some, the themes remain prominent and powerful through the film, intermixed with great acting and a grossly detailed world rich with character and radiation. Not following the common tropes of dystopian movies while also suprising audiences with the amount of comedic fun poured into every scene, Love and Monsters is a good way to spend a night with loved ones as we all handle our own apocalypse.
DECEMBER 9, 2020 | THE LION’S TALE | ENTERTAINMENT | 15
‘Positions’ brings back some pop and rhythm to the world On October 30th, 2020, Ariana Grande released her sixth album “Positions”. The album includes 12 songs that have blown it out of the water. Grande worked hard at writing these songs and making sure they come together to please the fans. Her single “positions” has been a show stopper. It has been featured on the U.S Billboard, and the hot 100, which is becoming Grande’s Fifth time getting to the U.S number one single. Grande’s fans have loved to see her make and share her album. She has been teasing her fans snippits and clips of the process of making these songs that have been long awaited for. Grande’s new album has had a hint of a pop sensation. This album has been similar to listening to her emotions and feelings while showing her vulnerable side in the songs. Grande really showed that she can express her emotions and was very detailed in the wording of the songs. My personal thoughts on this new album have been mixed. I loved “pov”, one of Ari’s songs in the album. It just makes me, as a listener, feel calm and pleasant. Some things that I noticed in the album was that some songs sounded very similar and made it seem that you were listening to a song on repeat. The
tracks still sounded beautiful, even though they sounded a little similar, they are still very catchy and were still received very positively. Grande did show that she was passionate about this project by putting in a lot of detail in the sound and lyrics of the album; and this really highlighted her as an artist. Grande wanted this album to be different from any other trying to step out of comfort zones when writing the songs. By going into her thoughts proving there’s a different side of her for all her fans to see through the album. As a fan of Grande, this album really was not my favorite. The album had many pros & cons. In the end it is what she is satisfied with because she put in a lot of effort, sweat and tears for her fans to love. She really expressed the feeling of loving someone and being with them. A lot of fans could relate or agree with the songs because to a listener, being able to relate to a song when “in their feels” gives this feeling of not being alone since no one likes to feel alone. Although I really did enjoy this album and loved listening to it, I had very many mixed feelings. This album made me feel happy and really made me, as a viewer, elated to see one of my favorite artists come
STORY BY DIEGO LARA PHOTO CREDIT: REPUBLIC RECORDS
STORY BY BRANDON NEW
DESIGN BY ELLIOTT SIRESS
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Release Date: November 10th, 2020 Genre: Action-Adventure, Role-Playing With a massive open-world, beautiful graphics, and an interesting time period, that being the dark ages of England, fans are praising Valhalla as one of the best games in the series so far. Though there were many bugs upon its release, it is definitely a game that uses the new generation of games very well.
back. She has been making beautiful music for years now and - although COVID-19 has halted the progress of making music and of course going on tour; it’s nice to see new music from her. I recommend this album to people who relate to heart breaks and relationships. This album was really good and listening to it was really fun and enjoyable, and I do not regret it. People will enjoy and have a good time listening and getting to know these songs, like I have.
iDKHOW makes an explosive debut with ‘Razzmatazz’
STORY BY ELLIOTT SIRESS
PHOTO CREDIT: FEARLESS RECORDS
Following the 80s synth-pop and alternative rock explored on the band’s debut EP 1981 Extended Play, I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME’s first official album, Razzmatazz, acts as the explosive first chapter for a band that has been burning with talent and potential from it’s prologue to even before it’s inception. Released on October 23rd, 2020, Razzmatazz wears it’s blazing brilliance on it’s sleeve, especially from the start of it’s first track: “Leave Me Alone”. The opening song introduces listeners to the sinful and infectious fire that is Dallon Weekes’ fervid vocals and Ryan Seaman’s chaotically gorgeous syncopation and powerful drumming; intermixed with the red and pungent sharpness of Weeke’s guitar mastery and the hypnotic 80s and 70s synths, a complex additional layer which adds so much flavor and multi-colored energy to the album. Jumping from song to song, Razzmatazz explores Weekes’ deep frustration with the music industry and life in Hollywood - such as in the track “Mad IQs” - and the complicated love life of the band’s frontman. Songs like “From The Gallows” shows the morbid and twisted nature of “Misguided infatuation mistaken for love.”, as explained by Weekes in a Twitter Q&A. Likewise, a similar concept is delved into with the track “Clusterhug.” A glorious orchestral explosion of music, spurring white and gold with noise. “Clusterhug” is a strange love song - most likely stemmed from failed past relationships - which tells of love now tainted through insecurity and fear, intermingled with a sense of invincibility even through blatant flaws. Weekes allusion to this girl as a “holy quarantine” implies the security and safety he finds in this bizarre relationship the two of them are in, but this love - possibly misplaced or premature - has isolated him from life, and now he’s trapped in the flurry of emotions, positive and toxic. All is not baleful or contaminated in Razzmatazz though. Tracks like “Kiss Goodnight” and “Need You Here” shift away from the sinister atmosphere, instead focusing on the brighter and happier half of love. “Kiss Goodnight” is a sweetly soft spiral regarding Weekes’ wife Breezy Douglas; intermingled with references to previous love songs he’s written for her and moments during their pre-marriage relationship - such as when Weekes and his previous band - The Brobecks - stayed over at her house after a show. While his bandmates killed time by looking through books, Weekes and Douglas talked through the night. This is all alluded to through the verse “Should you
Hype for 2020 video games revisted
invite me in to spend the night on the floor. Oh please believe I’ll be a gentleman or you can show me the door. While all my friends and I leaf through the books on your shelf. Now I don’t want to spend my life with anyone else.” Meanwhile, “Need You Here” - an adorable duet between Weekes and his daughter Amelie - depicts the love the lead singer carries for his two children even through the pain of being away on tour. So stems the repeated lines “I need you here”, a phrase emphasized by both Weekes - regarding wanting his family with him while he plays around the country - and his daughter - regarding wanting her dad back home to be with her and the rest of the family. iDKHOW is an amalgamation of a band, it’s discography stemming from originals written all the way back in Weekes’ Panic! At The Disco days, to his time with the power pop band The Brobecks, to now. That is not to say the album and the band’s work as a whole is messy or incohesive, quite the opposite; iDKHOW is a ferocious and beautiful two-piece band with incredible amounts of talent brimming from the lid, and Razzmatazz is just the first course in this incandescent meal of zealous and ear-catching arsonry called alternative rock. For anyone looking to have fun with a new wave and pop rock album rich with spicy hints of P!ATD’s glory days and vivacious tunes bound to get one jumping around their room, Razzmatazz is an eruptive and red-hot, kaleidoscopic bombshell of an album not worth the pass.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales Release Date: November 12th, 2020 Genre: Action-Adventure, Open World Being a sequel to an already well liked game, that being Marvel’s Spider Man (2018), Marvel’s Spider Man: Miles Morales had a lot to live up to, and yet it managed to live up to its predecessor. Though the game is lacking in content compared to the original, it still manages to tell a great story and was able to not only keep but improve upon the fun gameplay of the original.
Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War Release Date: November 13th, 2020 Genre: First-Person Shooter This one is the mosted mixed one out of the bunch. It does have a great campaign especially with the multiple endings which hasn’t been seen since Black Ops 2. Zombies is really fun. But the rest of the game feels like a downgrade compared to Modern Warfare (2019). Things like the graphics and sound effects are greatly downgraded and features such as mounting and opening doors are completely gone. But the game is still fun, it just doesn’t live up to Modern Warfare (2019).
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Release Date: November 20th, 2020 Genre: Hack-and-Slash, Role-Playing Being a spiritual successor to 2014’s Hyrule Warriors while also being a prequel to 2017’s Game of the Year winner The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a hard move to pull off. Luckily Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity manages to do both successfully. With its great combat mechanics, a fluid progression system, and with it being the prequel to one of the greatest games of all time, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is one of the best Dynasty style games out there.
Cyberpunk 2077 Release Date: December 10th, 2020 Genre: Action Role-Playing, Open World, First-Person Shooter By the time I’m writing this the game has yet to be released. Yet the game has seen many good reviews praising it for its new standard for sandbox open-world gaming. This game gives you so many options that it makes it infinitely replayable. Many critics are saying that though it has some problems, mainly major bugs in the game, it is one of the greatest games that CD Projekt Red (the developers of the game) has made, on par with 2015’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. ASSET CREDIT: UBISOFT, SONY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS, ACTIVISION, NINTENDO/KOEI TECMO, CD PROJEKT
DESIGN BY ELLIOTT SIRESS
16 | FEATURES | THE LION’S TALE | DECEMBER 9, 2020
HOMECOMING Homecoming celebrations provide reprieve from difficult year STORY BY J. NIELSEN, M. FRANGOUL Every year during the month of October, Oviedo High School holds its yearly homecoming court. The homecoming court process involves students in each grade first nominating a male and female student they would want on the court. Next, the male and female students who were nominated the most move on to the second and final round. Students in each grade level then vote for who they want to compose the homecoming court in the final round. COVID-19 has caused OHS to make new changes this year, but the homecoming court was one thing that allowed students to have some kind of normalcy this school year. The senior class consisted of the homecoming king, Tyler Kantrowitz, and homecoming queen, Alba Del Barco. Both students didn’t actively run for homecoming, but were honored with the recognition. Kantrowtiz didn’t even believe he was going to win. “The announcer said ‘Tyler Kantrowitz’ and I was very excited, it was like, ‘oh my god,’” he said. It was Kantrowitz’s first year on the court and he didn’t think too much about it.
Del Barco was also shocked by the announcement, when she heard her name. “I’m thankful for the opportunity that was given to me,” she said. “I was shocked since I wasn’t expecting it, definitely surprised, but excited.” Both are ready for their next adventures. Kantrowitz said that he would like to get a job and learn how to dance after graduation. Del Barco has been working with the UCF biology department and got to study the animals living in coral reefs. Science has been a passion for her since a young age. Del Barco said. “I plan to go to UF, FSU or NYU to major in biology and become a dermatologist.” In the midst of such a crazy year, they are thankful that they had this opportunity to inject a bit of normalcy into the season. “It was a fun experience,” Del Barco said. “It means a whole lot, the fact that my class would use their vote for my name to represent the senior class is amazing. I hope to continue to talk to the people I met that night, they were the absolute sweetest!”
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALBA DEL BARCO HOMECOMING COURT. Del Barco and Kantrowitz pose with the former’s boyfriend, senior Kade Faircloth.
PHOTO BY OHS JOURNALISM SALUTE. ROTC members form an entrance for senior Bryson Dunsworth.
PHOTO BY OHS JOURNALISM THUMBS UP. Senior Tyler Wampole gives a thumbs up to the crowd. PHOTO BY OHS JOURNALISM HIGH FIVES. Kantrowitz high fives students in the front row. DESIGN BY J. NIELSEN, M. FRANGOUL