The Lions Tale - Volume 61 Issue 4 - Oviedo High School

EDITION EDITION 43 EDITION 2 OVIEDO SCHOOL OVIEDO HIGH HIGH SCHOOL OVIEDO HIGH 601 KING STREET 601 KINGSCHOOL STREET 601 KING STREET OVIEDO, FL OVIEDO, FL 32765 32765 OVIEDO, FL 32765 FEBRUARY 9, 7, 2020 2021 DECEMBER NOVEMBER 6, 2020 VOLUME 61 VOLUME 61 VOLUME 61 OVIEDOJOURNALISM.COM OVIEDOJOURNALISM.COM OVIEDOJOURNALISM.COM

SIGNING DAY Pages 8-9

2 | OPINION | THE LION’S TALE | FEBRUARY 7, 2021

Inauguration, Capitol riot make for historic month In Florida, 2021 has started much the same way the previous year ended.

With an average of around 11,000 new coronavirus cases each day, it seems that the spread of the virus won’t be slowing down anytime soon. However, President Joe Biden and his administration have made a goal to administer 100 million vaccine doses in just 100 days. Vaccines for the coronavirus are becoming more accessible, with healthcare workers and senior citizens being first in line for the shots. With the new administration in office, many have hope that the spread of the virus will be curbed.

In the weeks leading up to the inauguration of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, political tensions were higher than ever. In an attempt to stop the confirmation of electoral votes for Biden and Harris, an insurrection occurred at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Called to action by former president Donald Trump at a rally

held earlier that day, angry far-right rioters broke into the Capitol building, causing a lockdown and evacuation of Congress and a delay in the confirmation of the votes. Five people were killed, including one police officer.

Just days after the insurrection, Trump was permanently banned from Twitter, among other social media platforms, for spreading false information regarding the election and for inciting violence. On Jan. 13, one week after the storming of the Capitol, the House of Representatives impeached Trump for “incitement of insurrection,” making him the only president in U.S. history to be impeached twice.

Rumors of more unrest in D.C. and state capitals circulated around the internet in the days leading up to the inauguration.

In preparation for potential violence, over 25,000 National Guard troops were

deployed to Washington. Nevertheless, Biden and Harris took office on Jan. 20 largely without incident in a scaled-down inauguration featuring masks, social distancing and a limited crowd. While many watched the ceremony virtually, the live audience was limited to members of Congress, family members of the president and vice president and other political figures. Former vice president Mike Pence attended the inauguration while Trump did not.

Both Biden and Harris made history that day, with Biden being the oldest president to take office and Harris being the first female, first AfricanAmerican and first Asian-American to serve as vice president. In his first day as president, Biden signed multiple executive orders to strengthen the country’s response to the pandemic and rejoin the Paris climate agreement.

OUR WORD

The historical events of recent weeks will serve as the background for many of the stories in this fourth edition of The Lion’s Tale. We’ll be reporting on students’ reactions to the Capitol riot and inauguration, and we’ll cover the distribution of coronavirus vaccines and the local impact. We’ll also examine how businesses and their employees are faring as the pandemic continues, make some predictions for 2021, and review new albums and TV shows.

We would also like to note the uptick in positive cases and number of students quarantined since the beginning of the semester. While students and faculty have done a great job creating an environment where in-person instruction is safe despite the coronavirus, The Lion’s Tale urges continued commitment to mask-wearing and other health measures.

Finally, we wish a happy and prosperous New Year to all.

Sports Snapshot JUMP SHOT. Senior forward Caleb Barr takes a contested jump shot vs.

Hagerty High School on Jan. 8.

DEFENSE. Junior Brandon Dillingham sizes up senior Ben Ditmyer at practice.

PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBECKI

PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBECKI

ADVANCE THE BALL. Freshman Kate Mikalsen dribbles the ball vs Wekiva on Jan. 29.

ATTACK THE BASKET. Senior guard Jacob Rose dribbles the ball against Hagerty.

PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBECKI 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

PHOTO BY 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

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

OVIEDO HIGH SCHOOL • 601 KING STREET • OVIEDO, FL • FEBRUARY 7, 2021 • VOLUME 61 • EDITION 4

FRONT PAGE DESIGN BY VERONIKA MAYNARD

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 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 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.

Correction: Freshman Trevor Lane, pictured walking across the football field on page 16 of the previous edition, was misidentified. We apologize for the error.

OVIEDOJOURNALISM.COM

DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO

FEBRUARY 7, 2021 | THE LION’S TALE | OPINION | 3

Reflecting on five months in a foreign country

writer

ELSA MATTSSON Five months have passed since I arrived in the United States from Finland.

My journey is half way through, and already I feel like I have experienced so much. The second semester of school has started, and we are looking towards spring. The fall was a very interesting and different time for everyone living in America because of the pandemic and the election. I think the fall of 2020 will be a fascinating time period to look back on when I get back home. Personally, I was very invested in the election because I think the stakes were extraordinarily high this time, and the results of the election would affect the whole world. It was interesting to see how the American voting system works in practice with the two party candidates and the electoral

Unemployment situation uncertain despite vaccines writer NIKTA DARYADEL At the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, many people were panicking about the possibility of losing their jobs.

Many had already lost their job due to the virus’s propensity for wreaking havoc on the economy. More panicked over how they could provide for their families and themselves. Since March, 20.6 million Americans have lost their jobs. However, now that multiple vaccines, with more on the way, have been developed and approved and are being distributed, where do we go from here?

40 states reported that they are going to continue opening more restaurants, bars, retail stores and travel and tourism opportunities. However, even if work becomes more readily available, the question of how safe those workplaces are- for example, the degree to which they accommodate social distancingremains. Research has shown 40 percent of people are looking into new jobs because of the poor safety precautions at their current work. Many who have the option have chosen to work from home.

However, in some cases, working from home does not pay nearly as much as working in person would, and

DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO

college. In Finland we have multiple parties, and a presidential term is for six years instead of four.

During my months here, I have discovered new and interesting things about cultural differences, especially social ones. During my first month, I realized which stereotypes were true and which were false, but as time has gone by, I have gotten a deeper understanding of how most Americans are as compared to Finns. The main thing is that Americans often have a more laid back, talkative manner. Americans love talking and socializing, which is something I really like, but they can come off as fake and are sometimes hard to make plans with.

Finnish people are usually very direct and expect you to show up at the agreed time and place. I have applied a metaphor to the two very different approaches to social life of Finnish and American people.

I describe Americans as peaches; they are soft on the outside, friendly and inviting, but they can have a hard core, meaning it can be harder to get to their inner circle or become really close with them. Finnish people are more like coconuts; they have a tough exterior that is hard to break, and they are less social and maybe a little shy,

in many more fields, particularly the service industry, it just isn’t possible.

Some companies have raised wages for those willing to work long hours at inperson jobs where their health may be endangered, but this clearly doesn’t get to the root of the problem.

Let’s not forget the best solution we have to the disruption the pandemic is causing. Widespread mask-wearing at grocery stores, schools and other establishments, and the practicing of social distancing where possible, could significantly diminish the spread of the virus. With the rise of multiple coronavirus variants, including those from the U.K. and South Africa, which may be more contagious than earlier strains, this seems particularly important.

We cannot rely on the vaccine to save us immediately. For one, it’s going to take months to distribute it to enough people to begin approaching herd immunity.

We also have to deal with the fact that a significant part of the population will simply refuse the vaccine; studies suggest as many as 30 percent of Americans have no intention of getting it. Hopefully, the fact that the vaccine is (mostly) free, and the fact that many large companies are paying their employees to receive it will encourage vaccination, but again, we can’t be certain.

So, in the meantime, the pandemic will grind on. Many families will continue to struggle to provide for themselves, with hunger rates remaining high.

Unemployment will remain an issue as a substantial number of businesses remain closed. Another round of economic stimulus, including $1,400 direct payments for those below a certain income level, is making its way through Congress, but that too will take time.

Things are starting to look up, but more than anything right now, we have to do what we’ve done since the beginning: look out and care for each other.

but once you break the shell, they are soft on the inside. Once you get to know them and become friends, you become super tight, and you stay friends for a long time.

Obviously the metaphor does not apply to everyone in either country, and I do not think either is better than the other; they are just different.

All of this has been a lot to get used to. I have definitely experienced frustration and confusion when living here. Sometimes it just feels like things do not make any sense at all and could be dealt with in an easier way. Still, I try to tell myself that just because things work differently here does not mean that they are bad. Adjusting to life here has overall been easy thanks to all the amazing people I have met, my host family and my friends. I am a very independent person, and I enjoy taking risks and challenging myself, so I was able to handle the stress of moving and adjusting to another country very well. I immediately felt comfortable, and I did not miss home for the three first months at all. Now after a few more months, I do miss my friends back home a lot, especially if something is going on back home and I can not be there to help. Because of the special

Time comes to disregard others’ opinions sports editor

KAIT PETERSON High school has a reputation for being a place where drama and judgemental behavior flourish, and unfortunately, I’ve found that to be accurate.

Being a high school student for the past three years at Oviedo High School, I have learned that no matter what you do, say, wear or how you act, someone will have something to say or have an opinion on it.

And the more you feed into it and let the empty words and hate-filled opinions get under your skin, the less you worry about the things in high school that actually matters- your real priorities- and more about the distracting harassment.

Something that begins as an annoyance can start to have a real and negative impact on your grades and relationships.

And although it is very easy for me to say, “just don’t listen to them, just ignore it,” I am very aware that it is not that simple. Learning to not give a single thought about what anyone thinks of you is something that, for me personally, took a lot of time to perfect. I know how difficult it can be from experience.

People will always have something to say on whatever it is someone does,

circumstances of this year, I do not feel like I am missing out on much, which definitely helps with homesickness, as does the fact that communication is very easy through social media. It is one of the privileges of living in the modern age.

I can talk with people on the other side of the world basically whenever I want to. That, of course, can be a problem too.

Some exchange students talk too much with people back home, and it ends up distracting them from their current life in their host country. Fortunately, I have not experienced this. I always make sure to be focused on my life here first and what is going on back home second.

Looking back at everything I have already seen and done here in the United States makes me feel so grateful and lucky. Being an exchange student is such an amazing opportunity, and I wish to spread awareness about it to those who may not be familiar. If you are interested in studying abroad, language trips, exchange programs or hosting an exchange student, I am more than happy to answer questions or talk about my experience. Doing an exchange year could be the most interesting and fun experience of your life.

wears or says, but there is a difference between listening to them and taking it personally, and knowing that they simply have nothing better to do and that it will not stay with you forever. Finding this distinction is what determines the kind of effect the gossip will have on you and your life.

Over time, I realized that their petty words were nothing but their jealousy of me for being able to be comfortable with what I wear, how I act, and how I live my life- care free. There are a few ways of getting to the care free point in life where you are able to focus on what really matters, especially in high school.

The first thing I did when coming to the realization that I should not be paying attention to these people was notice that I did not know most of the people that had something negative or nasty to say about me. Not only were they not people I was personally familiar with, I had no idea who the majority of them were. I had to remind myself that I owe these people nothing; they are not worth my worries, and in a few years, I will not be anywhere near them, so they have zero relevance to my journey in the long term.

Secondly, worrying about what others thought of me only took time away from the things in life I really needed to be focusing on, like school, sports and my friends and family.

My freshman year, for example, I was so focused on fitting in and letting others’ words get to me that I started falling behind in my priorities and obligations; I let the mindless hate get to my head and throw me off track.

It is a long process getting to the “I really don’t care what you think about me” track in life. Though in the end, the final destination truly makes the journey worth it. It drastically reduces the amount of stress in your life, making you a happier and more peacful and productive person.

4 | NEWS | THE LION’S TALE | FEBRUARY 7, 2021

Students reflect on Biden inauguration, storming of Capitol STORY BY EMMA YOST PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WHITE HOUSE, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS As the inauguration of President Joe Biden approached, political tensions were higher than ever. In the weeks leading up to Jan. 20, it seemed that pressures had heightened each day, with thousands of National Guardsmen arriving to secure the nation’s capital.

Thanks in part to various claims made by former president Donald Trump and his supporters regarding election fraud, some feel that Biden is not the legitimate president and shouldn’t have been sworn in.

Despite federal agencies responsible for election security calling the election the “most secure in American history,” the Trump campaign and other Republicans pursued numerous legal challenges attempting to overturn it.

Sophomore Roman Zhdanov, like many others, felt that the former president’s response to losing was childish.

“President Trump’s reaction is absolutely ridiculous,” Zhdanov said. “I do not understand; you’re a person who’s supposed to be representing the country and you’re acting like a toddler. It’s just a mess.”

However, some supporters of Trump feel that his reaction was understandable. Freshman Bryan Mort finds the former president’s actions justified, citing the allegations of fraud.

“He really didn’t [lose], because Biden cheated,” Mort said.

The belief that the election was fraudulent has become widespread among Trump supporters. Both Trump and prominent congressional Republicans such as Sens. Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham promoted theories regarding election fraud. The Trump campaign’s numerous legal challenges to the election results were roundly defeated.

A Dec. poll by The Washington Post and YouGov found that over 70 percent of Republicans agreed with Trump’s contention that he received more votes than Biden. Two

weeks before inauguration day, some extremists took this conspiracy to the next level.

On Jan. 6, as Congress was certifying electoral votes for Biden, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, causing a lockdown and evacuation, five deaths, damage to the building and a delay of the certification of the election.

Congress continued the certification that night after the building was cleared of rioters, and over 130 arrests have since been made.

Both Democrats and Republicans were outraged

by Wednesday’s events. 10 House Republicans voted in favor of Trump’s Jan. 13 impeachment, making it the most bipartisan impeachment ever. Junior Brialore Campbell considers what happened at the Capitol to be unacceptable.

“I feel like the attempts to undermine democracy are inappropriate and aren’t a good reflection of what this country stands for,” Campbell said. “[It was] definitely inappropriate and upsetting, and something that should not have been encouraged by the sitting president.”

Some students feel certain that Biden’s presidency won’t be successful.

“Trump should still be president because he did way more than what Biden’s gonna do,” Mort said.

Similarly, freshman Grady Farris believes that Biden will renege on his promises as president.

“When he was vice president with Obama, he would go back on [what he said] when he was running his election campaign, so that makes me feel like he won’t fulfill his promises,” Farris said.

Amidst the political tensions, many have stayed hopeful that the Biden administration will take further action to slow the spread of Covid-19, as well as repair the damage caused by the past few weeks’ events.

Biden has signed multiple executive orders to further the county’s response to the pandemic.

“I feel like him and the vice president will do their best to live up to the expectations they set for the American people, and I hope that they are able to build back the democracy that America was founded on,” Campbell said.

TWO WEEKS APART. President Joe Biden was sworn in without incident two weeks after the violence at the Capitol.

Students experience virus safety changes firsthand at workplaces STORY BY PENELOPE BANKS The coronavirus pandemic has forced businesses to make numerous changes to their day-to-day operations, including safety measures to limit the spread of the virus.

Several Oviedo High School students have experienced these changes first hand at their workplaces.

Drive-throughs have been especially convenient for customers during the pandemic, as they are fast, easy, and social-distancing-friendly.

Junior Amari Coleman, who works at Panera Bread, feels that the pandemic and resulting increase in people looking to avoid face-to-face interaction has led to an uptick in the popularity of the drive-through.

“We are busier now because more people are coming to the drive-through instead of indoor dining,” Coleman said.

Panera Bread has implemented their own guidelines to keep their customers and staff safe. Coleman thinks the virus has caused greater recognition of the importance of cleanliness and hygiene in general.

“Safety precautions we take include mandated masks, chang[ing] gloves every time you do a new task and wash[ing] hands frequently,” Coleman said. “Working before the pandemic was more careless with health precautions, and now we take cleanliness very seriously.”

Five Guys has also taken more safety precautions because of the pandemic, according to junior Maya Woodard, who works there.

“We clean constantly and our free peanuts are now pre-packaged so people aren’t allowed to touch them

themselves,” Woodard said.

Though Five Guys does not, unlike many fast-food and fast-casual restaurants, have a drive-through, they do offer curbside pickup, another option that accommodates social distancing. For Five Guys, the virus has actually accompanied an increase in sales, according to Woodard.

“Business has increased a lot since [the pandemic], and we beat our records every week,” Woodard said.

Just like Five Guys, Chick-fil-A has also seen a great rise in sales and continues to break their own sales records, according to senior Zakaria Zakaria, a Chick-fil-A employee.

“Our business has been steadily increasing in the past few months, and although we are in the midst of a global pandemic we continue to break sales records,” Zakaria said.

Visitors to the popular chicken restaurant in recent months have likely noticed the sanitary measures it has put into place.

“During the summer we were required to wear face masks, face shields and gloves at all times, but since we no longer have to wear face shields and gloves, except when preparing food, we also are required to wash our hands every hour and try our best to socially distance ourselves,” Zakaria said.

Chick-fil-A has also modified their dine-in experience to account for the virus.

“Although we do not require our guests to wear face masks, we highly encourage it in the store,” Zakaria said.

“We also have socially distanced our tables and prefer that guests who dine in use their app to order food in order to reduce [our] contact with the guest.”

Zakaria also feels that the pandemic has given him and his co-workers some valuable experience and improved the productivity and efficiency of the workplace. “[Our performance has been] affected positively, as we now have a more productive and efficient drive through, since from April to August we operated on a drive-through only service,” Zakaria said. “With that we have been able to learn how to efficiently move our drive-through faster. There has not really been a negative effect other than having to wear a mask, but that’s for the safety of ourselves and our guests.”

DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO

FEBRUARY 7, 2021 | THE LION’S TALE | NEWS | 5

SCPS immunizes teachers as part of vaccination effort STORY BY PATRICK COSTELLO PHOTOS COURTESY OF MICHAEL LAWRENCE The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) December emergency approval of two vaccines against the coronavirus, one developed by Pfizer and BioNTech and the other by Moderna, provided a much-needed glimmer of hope after Covid-19 killed hundreds of thousands of Americans and infected millions more.

Now, that hope is running into reality as the practical challenges of distributing the vaccine emerge.

Shortly after the vaccines, both of which require two doses given weeks apart, received emergency use authorization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issued recommendations for allocation priorities. The committee recommended that health care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities be offered the vaccine first, followed by those aged 75 and older and other essential workers.

The final group to receive the vaccine before the general public would be people aged 65-75, those with high-risk medical conditions and essential workers not previously covered.

The Trump administration, working through its Operation Warp Speed program, sought to vaccinate 20 million people by the beginning of the year. However, the logistics of distributing the vaccine have been left to the states, only 12 of which are completely adhering to the CDC’s priority guidelines.

According to state health officials, the federal government has offered little support and coordination in the vaccine rollout. They cite a lack of adequate supply numbers regarding vaccine shipments, assistance in getting the shots to medical providers and funding as persistent issues. Ultimately, 2.8 million doses were administered by Jan. 1, well short of the administration’s year end goal.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis opted to include those aged 65 and older in the state’s first vaccine priority group, issuing an executive order to that effect on Dec. 23. A popular retirement destination, 20.5 percent of Florida’s population is over the age of 65, the second highest rate in the country behind Maine. The state’s vaccine rollout has been chaotic so far, with poor public communication and high demand leading to county health departments being overwhelmed with appointment requests and seniors waiting for hours in long lines at vaccination sites, sometimes camping out overnight.

CHECK-IN. SCPS employees check in at the Lyman High School vaccination event.

Jo Tripp, who received her first shot of the Moderna vaccine on Dec. 28 at the Oviedo Mall, was the first senior (excluding long-term care residents) vaccinated in the state. While Tripp faced some difficulty with the county health department’s online appointment portal, likely due to heavy traffic, she described the experience of receiving the shot as hassle-free.

“The Seminole County Health Department staff were terrific,” Tripp said. “It was really smooth for me.”

Shots in Florida are currently being distributed at certain hospitals, Publix Pharmacies, and county-run sites, with plans to expand access to Covid-19 testing sites and places of worship. CVS and Walgreens, contracted by the federal government, are administering doses at long-term care facilities.

Seminole County Public Schools (SCPS) has begun an effort to immunize its employees, offering the first dose to staff aged 65 and older on Jan. 20 at Lyman High School.

“The impetus behind such an event was mainly because most of our staff 65 and older have been working remotely since the pandemic began in March 2020,” said SCPS Communications Officer Michael Lawrence. “By assisting them in getting vaccinated, this allows those staff to return to their normal job functions and back doing their normal roles and work duties.”

While 319 of the district’s employees qualified for the distribution, nurses ultimately administered 354 doses of the Pfizer vaccine after access was expanded

to substitute teachers and other local government workers to make use of extra shots. SCPS would like to vaccinate medically vulnerable employees of all ages next, according to Lawrence.

Italian teacher Marzia Vitali received the vaccine at that event. She is teaching more students in person this semester but noted that her schedule was not dependent on whether she received the shot.

“I also think we have too many students in class,” Vitali said. “It was [an] easy [decision to get the vaccine.]”

As the vaccination campaign continues, efforts are underway to address the problems that plagued the initial rollout. Shortly after being inaugurated, President Joe Biden signed a number of executive orders aimed at curbing the pandemic, including ones expanding the production of vaccine and testing supplies, mandating masks on federal ground and on many means of transportation and requiring a negative Covid-19 test for international arrivals to the US. At the local level, some counties, including Seminole County, are now requiring proof of residency for those receiving a shot after reports of “vaccine tourists” arriving from out of state to be immunized emerged.

Despite the challenges associated with receiving the doses, demand is likely to remain high.

“I really wanted the vaccine,” Tripp said. “I trust our scientists and didn’t even give a second thought about getting it.”

SHOTS IN ARMS. A nurse distributes a shot of the Pfizer vaccine.

OHS tests new ‘Zeroeyes’ AI weapon detection system STORY BY EMMA TAGYE Oviedo High School (OHS) has introduced a new weapon detection system called ZeroEyes, which uses artificial intelligence to monitor live camera footage in order to detect the presence of weapons throughout campus.

Following the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that occurred just three years ago, OHS and many other high schools have taken extra security precautions to prevent a similar situation.

OHS has several measures and policies in place to promote safety, including the presence of multiple school resource officers and security personnel, a threat assessment team and emergency response plan. The ZeroEyes system is the latest addition to this array. ​”ZeroEyes utilizes the school’s existing cameras and analytic technology that learns how to detect guns on an ongoing

DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO

basis,” said county director of school safety and security Rick Francis.

The ZeroEyes system, developed by a team of technologists and former Navy SEALs, sends an alert to school staff and security when a weapon is detected, with the goal of confronting a threat before violence occurs and giving first responders a better understanding of the situation when they arrive. The company’s website describes it as equivalent to “having military-grade intelligence monitoring your facility at all times.”

The gun detection technology is currently being used in schools in New Jersey, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

OHS is the first school to launch this pilot program in Seminole County.

The technology debuted at OHS on Jan. 13, with a demonstration of how it works and its effectiveness. Company representatives also answered questions from the administration.

“My goal was to bring awareness of

the AI technology in weapon detection and highlight the partnership between my office and ZeroEyes,” Francis said.

ZeroEyes has effectively spent months adjusting the system to fit the school’s needs, and there are talks of expanding

the system to other county schools.

“The district is focused on our mission to safeguard the safety and security of our students, staff, and property [and on] creating safe, orderly, and welcoming learning environments.” Francis said.

6 | FEATURES | THE LION’S TALE | FEBURARY 7, 2021

Might be b etter but probably n ot.

-Bailee Ov erton, 9th

Personally, I don’t really know what 2021 will be like, and I don’t know what the future holds.

-Sean Dover 9th

k it’s Yikes, I thin ugh gonna be ro man. ke, 12th -Rianna Du

2021: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

I think 2021 is goi ng to have ups and downs througho ut the year.

-Jake Wolfson, 9t h

It’ll probab ly be like a mix of last year with some new things.

-Kyle Ball, 9th

I mean, it doesn’t look good so far so probably worse or the same.- Mazie Strembicki, 11th

ith the I hope w ent sid new pre ar will ye that this r. be bette ean, D -Sydney 12th

. e alright b t s ju l ’l It dams, -Dylan A 10th

t; the ugh star h o r a d a dy h d wit It’s alrea happene e v a h t most a things th and with Covid, so it itol ine, the Cap the vacc for the t e g ’t n a people c y changed much 2th ll ,1 a hasn’t re avannah Phillips .- S majority I think it’ll be about the same, maybe a little bit better now that the world has experience with everything.

-Lainey Green, 9th

more We have he Covid ft control o 0 is and 202 vaccine over. abal, 9th -Maya C

orse.

It’ll be w eer, 12th Sp -Joshua

What are your expectations for 2021?

ople ause pe c e b , e Sam to efusing r l il t s e r e a k and ar s a m a r wea e bating th m o c t o n y way the virus the e. should b th Ward, 12 -Jennah

I think it’ll hop efully be better.

-Fatima Almo usaek, 11th

{COVID is The new ster and a f is } t n varia . kill us all h o t g in o g , 9t tha Male - Saman

Better than 2020

I think it’ll b e the same, but I hope it wil l be better.

-Ehren Tow le 10th

I hope 2 021 is be tter then 202 0.

-Cody M cguirt, 9 th

ter l get bet I think it’l the world of since all ndle ow to ha knows h it. arter 9th -Collin C

Every single month [of 2020] brou I have hig g ht a new h hopes problem, a f 2021, an nd I hope 2 d with th or 021 e COVID is better fo vaccine r the sake o I believe f graduation this year will . be a lot b Alessandra etter than 202 Dunoyer, 1 0.

2th -Madaly n Falk, 9 th

ill be is year w h t dI k in h t I ame, an s e h t t o n my better if ople like and e p e r o o out hope m ts can g n e r a p d ually. gran le event b a t r o f be com 2th ewton, 1 -Taylor N

I think the year will most likely be the same, but I hope it will be better because I got things to do this year, and I hope all of this stuff doesn’t get in the way.

-Jordan Lett, 12th

FEBURARY 7, 2021 | THE LION’S TALE | FEATURES | 7

Worse than 2020

Same as 2020

Other

Through social media and in-person polling, our staff asked students what their predictions were for 2021. A majority of the people asked said they felt 2021 would be better than 2020. Last year clearly had its fair share of lows. Other than Covid-19, we faced tragic loses of athletes and other celebrities. Natural disasters such as fires in the Amazon Rainforest and Australia also shocked us. Now that 2020 is officially over, it’s time to do our best to move forward.

We’re no th problem andling the so correctly ccurring , still.

-Bridget Walsh, 9 th

Worse.

-Alex Majoree, 12th

we’ve ary and u n a J ly ings It’s on ty bad th t e r p e had som far. so th happen erson, 9 d n a S y e -Ril

Thinks will be bad, but they may get better.

-Katie Coghill, 12th

Basically, e veryone’s g oing to die.

-Paul Horn , 9th

DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION BY M. FRANGOUL, J. NIELSEN

8 | SPORTS | THE LION’S TALE | FEBRUARY 7, 2021

Lacrosse looking to dominate after previous season cut short a handful of rivals that they are all looking to compete with and win.

Natalie Cyrkel, a senior midfielder and captain on the girls varsity squad, named a few matchups that she is looking forward to, including Hagerty High School.

“It’s my last time playing against my friends [at Hagerty],” Cyrkel said. “Also, Lake Mary [is another rival]; they have been a lasting rival for us and it’s important we beat them every year.”

On the boys side, Caimlin is also looking to best some of those teams this year.

“I look forward to playing Hagerty, only because we all have some friends on that team and they are our crosstown rivals,” Caimlin said. “But I am also looking forward to playing teams like Lake Mary and Winter Park because they will be our biggest challenges.”

STORY BY KENNY APONTE As the spring sports season at Oviedo High School (OHS) approaches, and lacrosse season with it, both the boys’ and girls’ varsity squads are looking to be very formidable opponents for teams in Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Districts Four and Seven, respectively. After the previous season was cut short for both teams due to Covid-19, the players are more than ready and eager to come back and secure wins all season long. Although both teams lost important players to graduation, they feature plenty of new and returning faces looking to contribute.

Abby Greene, a returning senior midfielder on the girls’ varsity roster is eager to see what the season brings and what her new teammates can add to the squad.

“I feel pretty good, but we have a lot of people to replace on varsity since ten seniors graduated last year,” Greene said. “I’m excited to come back and play with my friends that I’ve known since elementary school for one last year.”

Justin Kotar, a junior defenseman on the boys’ varsity team, has just about the same eagerness as Greene to step back onto the field again for his third season with the team.

“I’m feeling pretty good going into the season; this is my third year on varsity and I’m excited to have a lot of potential,” Kotar said. “This year we have 20 plus seniors returning, which brings a lot of leadership to the team, and a very

PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBECKI TRACK HIM DOWN. Senior Zane Banachowski pursues senior Maddox Nebel in practice. talented underclass. As far as the team goes, we are looking to have one of the best seasons we’ve had in a while with the amount of talent on the team, and if everyone buys in and works on their flaws we could be a very good team.”

Since the last time these players stepped off the playing field with Lions jerseys on, they’ve had what’s essentially been an extended offseason, allowing time for recovery. But most importantly, it‘s given time for improvement.

“I believe I have improved very much from last year from hitting the wall, doing [one-on-ones] against other kids,

footwork and just taking the time to improve the little things,” Kotar said.

The junior defenseman was not the only one to sharpen his skills with the given time. Ryan Calimlin, a senior attackman and midfielder, has been grinding and crafting his game, and now says he is a much improved player “I believe I have come a long way since last year,” Caimlin said. “I trained almost everyday during quarantine, just working on the fundamentals, and took that into the summer season. I have gotten so much better with my left hand and IQ.” As with any sport, both programs have

Early schedules Boys 2/11 vs. Lake Highland Prep 2/16 @ Timber Creek 2/22 @ Lyman

Girls 2/16 vs. The First Academy 2/18 @ Dr. Phillips 2/20 vs. Bartram Trail

Soccer serves as anchor in life for girls’ varsity players STORY BY MACKENZIE HOLMES The Oviedo High School girls’ soccer team, currently 12-0-1, has achieved fifth place in MaxPreps’s rankings in the state and ninth nationally. This kind of performance has become commonplace for the girls’ soccer program at Oviedo.

The outstanding star this year has been sophomore Valentina Amaral.

Amaral had 11 goals this season, including a hat trick against Lyman to secure the win. She also gave the Lions six assists over the course of the year. Other players who made an impact this season include Kyleigh Thelen, who scored five goals, Raisa Lugo, who notched four, and Peyton Massie with three. Abbie Davis and Ryleigh Holcomb each contributed four assists.

Amaral is one of three triplets who play soccer at Oviedo- her brothers Filippo Amaral and Lorenzo Amaral are on the boy’s varsity team.

“What draws me to soccer is more like my family and my brothers; everyone’s kind of drawn to the sport, and it’s definitely something I want to pursue in college and hopefully professionally,” Valentina said.

The girls’ soccer team has competed hard all year, and the sport plays a central

role in the lives of many of the players, including senior goal keeper Amanda Waggoner.

“This might sound pathetic, but I have never thought about what my life would be like without soccer,” Waggoner said. “I have been playing soccer since I was 11 years old, and before that I did so many other different sports.”

The game can also serve as a respite from the difficulties of life.

“Soccer is an escape if I’m feeling blue, stressed or just not myself,” Waggoner said. “I know soccer will always have my back because it only makes me think about the thing I love playing.”

Amaral agreed with this statement.

“You can really escape from all your problems from the amount of time that you’re playing,” Amaral said.

For many athletes, while they may try to prioritize school and family, their sport is their true passion, the thing that makes their world go round. Whether they play just as a hobby, or have a lifelong dream of playing professionally, a sport can be a rock in an athlete’s life. ”My mentality would not be as stable as it is without soccer,” Waggoner said.

“Whenever i’m stressed about school, friends, or college, I know soccer will always be there for me because it makes

me think about the thing I love.”

In the face of challenges, the Oviedo Girls soccer team has continued to persevere. After their late season defeat last year, they are fueling up to make a postseason run this year.

“This soccer team has taught me competitiveness, hard work and how to be an even better soccer player,” Waggoner said. “I also have met many new friends along the way that face the same challenges I do.”

PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBECKI ONE-ON-ONE. Senior Raisa Lugo tries to beat a defender vs. Wekiva on Jan. 29.

DESIGN BY KENNY APONTE

FEBRUARY 7, 2021 | THE LION’S TALE | SPORTS | 9

writer VINCENT CROOK

Mahomes should have been awarded MVP The strange, and at times, surreal 2020 National Football League (NFL) regular season has come to an end.

With the 2021 NFL Honors ceremony premiering on Feb. 6, we figured it was as good a time as any to predict the winner of the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. Now, I’m writing this before the final award is announced, but you, reader, will have had the answer for about a week.

At the end of the season, Russell Wilson was one of the favorites to win the award, throwing 40 touchdowns along with 4,212 passing yards during the regular season.

Unfortunately, the Seattle Seahawks quarterback was not able to advance past the wild-card round, losing to the Los Angeles Rams. Due to this, his chances at the MVP award are much slimmer.

The defending Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes has been on a hot streak for the last several weeks, leading his team to the championship for the second year in a row. He had a career best completion percentage and record in the regular season, though he didn’t quite match his 50 touchdown, MVPwinning 2018 campaign.

Tom Brady is a solid underdog after leading the Buccaneers, a 7-9 team before he arrived, to a Super Bowl appearance. He would be adding to his three regular season MVPs and four Super Bowl MVPs. It’s shocking that Brady, possibly the greatest quarterback of all time, is only about third or fourth line for the honor, but that goes to show you how strong the field is.

Finally, there is Green Bay Packers signal-caller Aaron Rodgers. He led the league in completion percentage and touchdowns, throwing for a career high 48 scores. Rodgers is a great pick for the award.

Despite Rodgers’s stats, my prediction for the MVP is Patrick Mahomes because of the hot streak the Chiefs have been on. With several weapons on the wings, I believe he will be able to get the award for the second time in his career.

PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBECKI TEAM HUDDLE. Coach Jason Vallery talks to his team in the huddle during a timeout in a hometown showdown against rivals Hagerty High School on Jan. 8.

Boys’ basketball looks to finish season strong STORY BY KENNY APONTE A loud bench, fast basketball and many buckets were promised by our boys’ varsity basketball team, and they have delivered. At the time of press, their record consists of 12 wins and nine losses.

The morale is looking up for the team with their solid record, and the outlook of the season at this point is positive.

Senior small forward Caleb Barr believes that the competition so far has been good and that team has been handling it pretty well.

“This season has been such a fun and challenging season overall, but it’s been fun being with the boys and playing,” said Bar. “We’re going after it and competing with everyone.”

The team started the season blazing

*Rodgers won the award.

DESIGN BY KENNY APONTE, PATRICK COSTELLO

hot, winning seven of their first eight games, with dominant performances against Lake Mary, Orangewood Christian and Pine Ridge. They’ve since cooled down, running into tough opponents such as Seminole and Central Florida Christian Academy, but closed the regular season strong, beating Winter Springs and Hagerty.

Two pairs of brothers, senior guards Spencer and Jacob Rose, and Barr and his younger brother Dawson, a junior and guard, have led the team in scoring.

Spencer Rose has notched the greatest number of assists, while the older Barr and senior center Charlie Johnson have been the most prolific rebounders.

The Rose brothers will continue their basketball careers at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, after recently

committing.

Now that the team is heading towards the tail end of the season, the boys have the postseason on their minds. They will face Colonial in the district playoffs on Feb. 9.

Braden Reyes, a senior center on the varsity squad, believes that they should still play the same way regardless of where they are in the season “We should be playing one game at a time, and we will end up going to where our potential takes us,” Reyes said.

Barr had a slightly different take on what he believes will be the outcome of their postseason run.

“I think we’re going to make it far into the playoffs and make a good run for states,” Barr said.

10 | ENTERTAINMENT | THE LION’S TALE | FEBRUARY 7, 2021

Everything revealed from Disney Investor Day 2020 STORY BY BRANDON NEW, KAIT PETERSON, ELLIOTT SIRESS

DESIGN BY ELLIOTT SIRESS

ASSET CREDIT: WALT DISNEY STUDIOS, MARVEL STUDIOS, LUCASFILM

With the failure of the sequel trilogy and the success of The Mandalorian, many Star Wars fans realized the new way Disney will handle the franchise. Instead of releasing sequel movies on the big screen they would instead expand the universe through the small screen with Disney+ original shows. This idea of how the franchise should continue was confirmed during the Disney Investors Day Meeting. Along with the confirmation of The Mandalorian Season 3, some of the new shows introduced include the following.

Taking place 10 years after the events of Episode lll: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi follows the titular Jedi dealing with the events of losing his apprentice/ friend Anakin Skywalker. The show will see the return of Ewan McGregor playing ‘Obi Wan Kenobi’ and Hayden Christensen playing ‘Anakin Skywalker a.k.a. Darth Vader’. The show will begin filming in 2021.

Ahsoka will follow the fan-favorite Jedi of the same name. First appearing in Star Wars: The Clone

Wars Movie, cementing herself as a main character in Star Wars: the Clone Wars, appearing in various episodes of Star Wars: Rebels, and making her first live-action appearance in The Mandalorian, the new series is set to take place around the same time as aforementioned show. Once again Rosario Dawson will reprise her role as ‘Ahsoka Tano’ and will go on the hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn and Ezra Bridger.

Little is known of The Rangers of the New Republic other than it being taking place at the same time as both Ahsoka and The Mandalorian. A possible crossover event has been hinted between the three series in the future. Originally appearing in Season 7 of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the “Bad Batch” returns in their own original series by the same name. It starts off after the events of Season 7 of The Clone Wars and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. You see the elite and experimental clones go through the aftermath of the “Clone Wars” and find themselves at the dawn of the “First Galactic

Empire.”

Other shows and movies all set to release on Disney+ include: Andor, - a prequel to Rogue One in which you watch Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna, find his place in the Rebel Alliance - Star Wars: Visions, - a collection of animated shorts by multiple Japanese animators depicting various elements of the Star Wars Universe - Lando, - with little known about this show other then it’s following the smooth talking smuggler Lando Calrissian sometime after Solo - The Acolyte, a show taking place during the days of the High Republic before Episode l: The Phantom Menace - A Droid Story, - an animated series following C-3PO and R2-D2 helping a new, unknown hero - Rogue Squadron, - a new movie with little information about it, which is set to release in 2023 with possible connections to the old dog fighting video game of the same title - and a currently unnamed ‘Star Wars’ feature length film directed by Taika Waititi with a “fresh, unexpected and unique” - but

currently undisclosed - approach to the galaxy far, far away.

Stepping outside the many worlds of Star Wars, a few other projects were announced to be in the works at Lucasfilm, including Indiana Jones, Willow, and Children of Blood and Bone. Indiana Jones is set to be the fifth and final installment in the archaeologist/adventurer’s journey, with Harrison Ford returning to play the title character.

Willow will be a series based on the novel of the same name, following a farmer, played by Warwick Davis, on a journey to protect a helpless, orphaned baby from an evil queen.

And Children of Blood and Bone the only title here not of Lucasfilm’s IP - will be a film based off Tomi Adeyemi’s award winning book of the same name. The film will follow a young African girl named Zélie Adebola on a coming-of-age quest to restore magic to her forsaken people, ‘the Maji’.

Kicking off the new era for the MCU: Wandavision. Coming out back in January, the show follows the titular characters, played by Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany respectively, trying to live a perfect life in a small town. However, not all is as it seems, with a dark truth lying just outside the town. With a current episode count of 5, many have already fallen in love with the sitcom-hoping chaos of the show.

Along with it will be The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, starring Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, and Loki, starring Tom Hiddleston, both hitting Disney+ back to back early 2021. The former will follow the head-butting duo attempting to carry Captain America’s mantle while dealing with former villain Helmut Zemo, and the latter will see our alternate 2012 God of Mischief get caught up with the Time Variance Authority in a plot scattered across time and space.

But those are just the beginning. Tying them together will be Doctor Strange In The Multiverse

of Madness set to premier in 2022, bringing in Wanda Maximoff to the cast alongside Benedict Cumberbatch as ‘Doctor Strange’. The sequel will see direct connections back to Wandavision along with setting the stage for the upcoming, yet to be named “Spider-Man 3.”

Not much is known about the third installment to the webslinger’s story, but many rumors claim we’ll see Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield return as alternate universe versions of their Spider-Men. Unfortunately pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Widow, starring Scarlett Johansson, and The Eternals, starring Kit Harrington, Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani, and many more, are set to be released in May and November respectively this year.

Black Widow is set to take place between Civil War and Infinity War and will give us a slice of Natasha Romanoff’s dark life as an ex-KGB agent. The Eternals will see a diverse cast of 10+ stars as a race of immortal beings uniting after the events

of Avengers: Endgame to clash with their evil counterparts, ‘the Deviants.’

Many more films and shows are set to hit the theatres in 2022 and beyond. Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings which will be Marvel’s first heavily Asian-based film with ‘The (true) Mandarin’ as the antagonist. Thor: Love and Thunder, the fourth film - and second under Taika Waititi’s direction - in the God of Thunder’s run, where we’ll see him tagged along by The Guardians, Natalie Portman returning as ‘Jane Foster’ - now as the ‘Goddess of Thunder’ - and Christian Bale as ‘Gorr the God Butcher.’ Captain Marvel 2 will see Brie Larson as ‘Carol Danvers’ again along with Iman Vellani as ‘Ms. Marvel’, who will be receiving a show of her own in late 2021. Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3 is underway and Black Panther 2 is currently being re-worked following the passing of lead actor Chadwick Boseman. It has been announced that ‘King T’Challa’ will not be recast and instead the movie will act as a legacy film for the late actor. And to

top it off, two new films - Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Fantastic Four - were announced to be in production.

Along with these films will be various shows such as What If…, an animated look into the multiverse of the MCU. Other shows include Hawkeye, - seeing Jeremy Renner return as the OG Avenger with Hailee Steinfeld as his daughter ‘Kate Bishop’ - She-Hulk, - about the lawyer turn beast set to played

by Tatiana Maslany - Moon Knight, - about a vigilante with Dissociative Identity Disorder - Secret Invasion, seeing Samuel L. Jackson return as ‘Nick Fury’ in a plot of rogue Skrulls invading Earth - Armor Wars, starring Don Cheadle as ‘War Machine’ dealing with Stark’s tech getting in the wrong hands - and Ironheart - which will see Dominique Thorne play Riri Williams, a young African inventor who builds the most complex suit of armor since the days of Iron-Man.

And from Walt Disney, a multitude of films and shows, both animated and live action. Starting us off from Pixar Studios, Soul, which came out back on Christmas Day 2020, following the journey of middle school band teacher Joe Gardner, voiced by Jamie Foxx, as he is thrust into the worlds before and after life, teaming up with the stubborn and quick-witted soul, 22, voiced by Tina Fey. The film was both revered and criticized for it’s veering away from the typical Pixar formula, discussing the concepts of life and what a person’s purpose is.

Pixar also announced two more films: Turning Red - which will follow main character Mei Lee as she battles the chaos of adolescent while dealing with her strange ability to transform into a giant red panda whenever she gets too excited - and Lightyear - an in-universe look into the origins of Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear, voiced by Chris Evans. And beyond Pixar’s film-based content will come their first step in animated shows,

where we’ll see a Cars sequel series following McQueen and Mater going on a road trip, Dug Days - another sequel series showing the life of Carl Fredricksen and Dug the talking dog after their adventure to Paradise Falls in Up - an original show Win Or Lose, and a series of shorts titled Pixar Popcorn which will follow various fan favorite characters from Pixar’s pantheon of beloved films from 1995’s Toy Story to 2020’s Soul.

From Disney Animated Studios: Raya and The Last Dragon, coming out March 5, 2021. The film will follow main character Raya, voiced

by Kelly Marie Tran, on an adventure to find ‘the last dragon’ in the wake of a dark force returning to wreak havoc on humanity. The film was originally set to come out back in 2020, but was pushed back following the intensity of the COVID-19 pandemic. Walt Disney’s 60th animated film, Encanto, will tell the tale of a magical family in an equally magical world, and Iwájú - based on the comic of the same name, will be a 2022 show set in a futuristic

Lagos, Nigeria where we’ll see the exploration of social classes, child innocence and the challenging of the status quo. The show will premiere on Disney+ with Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pan-African entertainment company, Kugali, helming the project.

Other 2022-2023 animated series will include: Baymax!, - which will explore more of the city of San Fransokyo with medical droid Baymax on his mission to help all who are injured - Zootopia+, - a look into the many animals, predator and prey, of Zootopia - Moana, - a musical-comedy seeing the titular character go even further beyond the islands of Polynesia - and Tiana - another musical-comedy centered around the title character after her amphibian journey in 2009’s Princess and The Frog.

On the live action side of things, a re-re-remake of Swiss Family Robinson is set to be released on Disney+, a Beauty and The Beast ‘Prequel Series’ following Luke Evans’ ‘Gaston’ and Josh Gad’s ‘Le Fou’

following the storyline of 2017’s live action movie, a reimagining of the Disney Afternoon series Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers starring Andy Samberg and John Mulaney as the title characters, and a sequel to the beloved yet underrated 2007 film Enchanted, Disenchanted, which will see Amy Adams return as ‘Giselle’, questioning her happiness 10 years after her happily ever after, a question which will turn both the real world and the realm of Andalasia upside down.

Other live action films include Pinochio, Peter Pan & Wendy, The Little Mermaid, - with Halle Bailey as the lead roll and with new songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda - a prequel to The Lion King, Cruella, - a film from the view of 101 Dalmatians’ villain - a sequel to Halloween classic Hocus Pocus, and Percy Jackson and The Olympians - a series based off the middle-grade book series, helmed by author Rick Riordan.

DESIGN BY ELLIOTT SIRESS

SECTION BY BRANDON NEW

SECTION BY KAIT PETERSON

SECTION BY ELLIOTT SIRESS

FEBRUARY 7, 2021 | THE LION’S TALE | ENTERTAINMENT | 11

Kid Cudi’s ‘Man on the Moon III: The Chosen’ reaches new heights

Sephiroth soars into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

STORY BY PENELOPE BANKS

On December 11, 2020 rapper, Kid Cudi, released his Man on The Moon III: The Chosen album. I think it’s safe to say that Cudi rarely disappoints and some songs on this album proved me correct. To me I feel like his albums never fail to have that nice balance between pop and rap.

The album begins with a 36 second long intro that smoothly transitions into my personal favorite from the album, Tequila Shots. Like Cudi’s other songs Tequila Shots has a very similar beat and rhythm. For me the beat makes me want to drive down a long road with my friends just vibing. In comparison to other songs written by him I would rate this song specifically a 4 out of 5 depending on the mood I am in. Moving onto the rest of the songs, my second favorite on the album The Void. I think what drew me into this song in particular was the similar aspects between this song and others from previous albums.

Like Cudi’s other songs it’s slow yet has this beat that never makes you feel like the song is being completely dragged and drawn out.

This song would be rated a 3 out of 5 for me.

It’s not something I would add to my everyday playlist or listen to on a daily basis, but if it were to come on then I would enjoy it.

If you are a fan of rapper Trippie Redd, then this next song may be for you. Though I cannot say I’m a total fan, I have my fair share of songs that I enjoy by him. On this album he was featured in the song Rockstar Knights.

I find myself listening to different genres of music, but it’s predominantly rap. This is what caught my attention when hearing it for the first time, it consisted of similar beats that Trippie uses in his music. Rockstar Knights would

PHOTO CREDIT: WICKED AWESOME, REPUBLIC RECORDS be rated a 3.5 out of 5 for me. It’s definitely a track I would recommend to anyone remotely into this kind of genre.

What’s interesting about KId Cudi is how consistent he has been with his style of music.

The beats and rhythms that are used for his music are always similar and you don’t really see him branch out into different styles often.

Personally I prefer his Man on The Moon: The End of The Day album. That being said my final overall rating on the album itself would be a 3.5 out of 5. I think he has made better content and was not completely blown away by this album, yet it was a fun trip to go down and perfect for a day out with friends, driving down the highway.

STORY BY BRANDON NEW During the game awards of 2020 Nintendo revealed their latest character to join their popular fighting game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as part of Fighter Pack Vol. 2.

The trailer starts off similar to the “World of Light” trailer in which characters from different franchises battle against Galeem and an army of Master Hands. Yet mysteriously, out of nowhere, Galeem is sliced in half and the one-winged angel himself: Sephiroth descends into the battle.

Main antagonist of Final Fantasy Vll, Sephiroth has been helmed as one of gaming’s most threatening and recognized villains, appearing in other games such as Kingdom Hearts. ‘The One-Winged Angel’ now acts as the third Square Enix character - second of which from the Final Fantasy franchise - added to the roster, the other two being his rival Cloud Strife and Dragon Quest XI protagonist ‘The Hero’.

On December 17, SSBU director Masahiro Sakurai further showed off the mechanics of Sephiroth. Though being much taller then standard fighter, Sephiroth is a lightweight and fast fighter. Dealing damage with the ‘Masamune’, a katana-like blade which gives players incredibly long-ranged attacks, Sephiroth is able to cast explosive fireballs and channel dark energy to hone in on opponents.

Sephiroth was released on December 22, though many people got to play him early through an unique, special event which allowed players to battle the One-Winged Angel in an attempt to unlock him early.

Along with Sephiroth and his stage: ‘Northern Cave’. are new Mii Fighter costumes. These include Barret (Gunner), Tifa (Brawler), Aerith (Swordfighter), and Chocobo (hat for all

classes) from the Final Fantasy franchise, and Geno (Gunner) from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.

Many fans were surprised with the antagonist’s arrival, seeing as little was handed over to Nintendo with Cloud’s inclusion back in Smash 4. But this surprise is a welcome one, as Sephiroth was a niche but widely requested villain for the fighting game. And now with him and Steve from Minecraft, the next 3 characters from Fighters Pass Vol. 2 could be anyone from the vast gaming world.

DESIGN BY ELLIOTT SIRESS ASSET CREDIT: NINTENDO, SQUARE ENIX

A look into The Dreamscape of Nicholas Podany

“So what happens when the DESIGN people inside of our dreams go to

BY ELLIOTT sleep?... What happens to them when SIRESS we wake up?... Do they go on living like we’re there?... Or do they just pause

PICTURED: until we go back to bed?... And who are NICHOLAS they anyway? Are they pieces of our consciousness, our memories? Or do PODANY

they evolve independently in a place in our minds we can’t quite reach?”

Such is the concept tackled in LUCIDS, a YouTube web series entirely run by one man: Nicholas Podany.

Known mostly for his role as Albus Severus Potter in the ‘Year 2’ cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the Juilliard graduate found a platform back in early 2020 making short skits on TikTok, bringing together his musical and theatrical talents to pull off practical yet comedically-vibrant sketches.

But in April of that year, Podany would unveil two series on the app which would pull in thousands, not just for it’s seamless delivery in both performance and comedy, but also for their mind-bending plot and complex lore.

The first would be JASPER, which would follow the titular character getting roped into a cult devoted to his worship, helmed by ‘Jasper Prime’, a charming man with a shady agenda.

Through multiple kidnappings, the relationship between Jasper, Prime, and the Cult would devolve into madness as two impostors unfolded their plot against the leader, ultimately forcing Jasper to see the man attempting to steal his identity as either a sick criminal, or a lost soul trying to find his way to a family.

The second would be The Adventures of Benjamin & Oliver, the journey of two boys who discover, after their

bizarre reunion, that the past 15 years of their life has been nothing but a dream. Waking up in the 2nd Grade, the duo would begin to explore the untapped multiverse inside their heads before consulting with their math teacher Mrs. Hills for help getting back to their reality.

“People like me are called Lucids, able to jump from one dreamscape to another.” as explained by Mrs. Hills in Chapter Five of TAoBAO, “See, we discovered that dreams are not stagnant fictions but behave almost like creatures, gradually evolving. [...]

Dreams are self-contained universes, each with their own cast of characters.”

Fans were hooked, discussing theories while attempting to take in every new episode’s information down in the comments section. But this dreamscape unfolding onto our phone screens got a whole lot deeper when it was revealed to us that the two series - JASPER and The Adventures of Benjamin & Oliver - were interconnected, the world of Jasper and the Jasper Cult existing inside Benjamin’s dreamscape, and Prime - who’s real name we learn to be Quinn - being the long lost memory of Mrs. Hills’ child.

On December 4, 2020, Podany would give us LUCIDS, a six part series only on YouTube, which would further explore the vast world of The Dreamscape, seeing our two duos Jasper and Quinn, and Benjamin and Oliver - coming face to face in a plot

to return the ex-cult leader back to his grieving mother. With only four parts out as of writing this, more and more came in to see just where the series was heading. Every episode gave us more emotional beats and even more questions gnawing at our heads for answers. Whether it revolved around the nature of The Dreamscape, or where Benjamin’s relationship with his longlost lover Isabelle was heading, or the details regarding an unknown accident in Oliver’s past, viewers watched and rewatched to catch every detail.

LUCIDS is an absolute gem of a show, with every aspect from the cinematography, to the acting, to the writing, to the scoring beautifully crafted. Whether it be the opening shots of Part One, the final scene between Oliver and Mrs. Hills in Part Two, the eerie editing of the therapist scene in Part Three, the emotionally-rich dialogue of Benjamin’s proposal at the start of Part Four, or even the Dreamscape chase sequence in the very same episode, there are so many strong moments in the series.

Every character feels unique and distinct, and it’s easy to forget they’re all played by the same guy. The pacing is phenomenally well-kept, Podany balancing a multitude of dreamscapes and realities, keeping viewer’s gears turning without completely losing them. The dialogue, especially its delivery, both pulls at the heart and takes one’s breath. And the story itself

STORY BY ELLIOTT SIRESS ASSET CREDIT: NICHOLAS PODANY

is definitely the crowning jewel on Podany’s crown of storytelling mastery.

There are a good handful of moments where I was truly stunned, blown away or had chills run down my spine, whether from the story, the dialogue or the editing. I often find myself binge watching the whole thing from start to finish, or even every series back to back. There is just so much to love and get lost in, every element is engaging and incredible, you feel the weight whenever a character’s eyes shift or whenever someone pauses to collect their thoughts. The music and editing - all done by Podany himself adds to it and makes every scene all the more fluid and/or powerful.

With a current subscriber count of 19.4K on YouTube and follower count of 325.9K on TikTok, the beginning of Podany’s storytelling career is a slow but immensely promising one. JASPER, The Adventures of Benjamin & Oliver, LUCIDS, and even his other skits and series such as NARRATION, are all definitely worth the watch, and inevitable re-watch because when I say this stuff gets confusing, I mean it. Podany is a man of many hats, and it’s fascinating to know that this is only the beginning for him.

A full Interview with Nicholas Podany is available at the bottom of this article on the Oviedo Journalism website.

DESIGN BY ELLIOTT SIRESS

2020 2020

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Overall, 2020 was a rollercoaster of a year. From Kobe Bryant’s devastating death to the tragic wildfires in Australia and California, it didn’t always look like we’d make it to the end. Looking back, we had no idea of the events that were to come when we were counting down to the new year in Dec. 2019.

By early March, the Covid-19 outbreak had forced us to put our lives on hold and enter quarantine, and school became virtual for the remainder of the year. By July, TikTok was nearly banned for the first time by then-President Donald Trump, an issue that reappeared in September.

However, it remains standing today. The Black Lives Matter movement dominated the summer after the police killing of George Floyd in late May. The country held an extremely contentious election in November, which, despite numerous claims of election fraud, concluded in Joe Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration as the 46th president of the United States. By the end of the year, scientists from pharmaceutical companies Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech had successfully developed vaccines for the coronavirus, giving many people hope as the new year dawned.

Going into 2021, spirits are high with anticipation of the events that are yet to come in this new year. One of 2020’s many disappointments was the cancellation of concerts, travel plans, and numerous other events. Now, with increasing rates of vaccination and the steady revival of the economy, there’s hope that those things may actually occur this year.

Many people have set personal goals to have a successful year full of self-

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STORY BY HANNAH WARRNER, ASHLEE ROSS

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

reflection and growth. While masks and social distancing will likely be here for some time, it’s possible that, depending on how distribution of the vaccine goes, we may be able to begin resuming our normal lives sometime in late summer or early fall. It’s safe to say that that possibility will motivate us all this year.

“It will get better, honestly, I don’t think it can get any worse,” said sophomore Sandy Fraig.

Although 2020 did not go as planned, hopes are high for 2021.

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BREAKING NEWS

CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

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HELLO 2021!

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DESIGN BY HANNAH WARRNER, ASHLEE ROSS