The Lions' Den

By: Sarah Danley

All eyes are on the class of 2022 this year with the remarkable revival of GS’ student section to Fall and Winter sports. In the past few years, Golden Lion athletes did not have the support of grand student sections like they have had this year.  

“Because of COVID, everyone missed out on going to games last year,” senior Roni Kaufman said. “Everyone wanted to have the real high school experience of watching games and supporting our teams.”  

Missing out on the high school experience because of the COVID-19 pandemic, GS students made up for the loss of time by showing their support exponentially this year. 

“Last year, no students were allowed in the section,” Athletic Director Mr. Frank Sundry said. “I expected a large number for the section this year, so I’m not surprised. I’m very happy with the turnout of students.” 

Although the absence of students last year intrigued many to support GS teams this year, several other factors enticed students to support our teams. Both Kaufman and senior Trevor Swartz cited social media as a major reason students came out to support athletics.  

“Social media made a big difference with the outcome,” Swartz said. “We created polls on Instagram to give people choices on things like themes.” 

Themes spanning from white outs to jersey nights gauged interest from students when attending games in the fall and winter.  

“I think themes are always fun,” Mr. Sundry said. “They bring a little of a costume feel that people want to be a part of.” 

The use of social media also allowed section leaders, including Mazzy Baxter, Charles Johnson, Roni Kaufman, Caelin Langton, Dylan Sarsfield and Trevor Swartz to post photos with Golden Lion athletes photoshopped onto them. These posts, along with similar posts from competing schools’ student sections, drew attention to upcoming games.  

“Starting beef in the comments got people to come out,” Swartz said. “We had 300 comments on one post, and I had to delete them all.”  

Although Instagram and Twitter helped immensely, senior leaders being involved in GS sports themselves also helped to set up details such as themes and game times.  

“Being involved in sports really helped,” Kaufman said. “We got inside access to what was going on with games and themes that the team wanted, really just being able to text the psycho group chat about information.”  

But being a section leader is not always about fun and games. Each psycho had the responsibilities of getting supplies for games, spreading news on both social media and inside the school and coming up with themes.   

“From past years, I knew what kind of responsibilities being a section leader came with,” Kaufman said. “I wanted our leaders to be responsible and people that would show up to the events.” 

 With all the responsibilities the Salem Psychos had, they created a memorable student section, not only for the players they supported, but for the GS community as well.  

“Last year, we had the COVID year when everything was shut down,” Sundry said. “Now, we see some semblance of normality and the athletics bring the community and the school back together.”   

The presence of student sections at sporting events provided energy and support to GS athletes during the fall and winter sports seasons. Many people in the GS community were impressed by the Psychos’ ability to draw people toward these events.  

“The class of 2022 is great across the board,” Sundry said. “From what I saw, the majority of the section were seniors leading it. The energy in the section definitely contributed to the atmosphere in all sports.” 

Coaches and staff alike hope to see this student section trend continue after the class of 2022 graduates in a few short months. With all eyes on this year’s seniors, the junior class of 2023 has a great example to look up to next year.  

“The size of next year’s student section all depends on junior leadership as they rise to the senior class,” Sundry said. “It all depends on if they continue with the social media presence and if they want to have that same atmosphere. I hope it continues.”  

In past years, the student section’s presence at fall and winter sports was not even close to what they proved to be with the current Salem Psychos. The influences of social media and responsible section leaders helped to form the student section into what it became this year.  

“The old section leaders did good,” Kaufman said. “We did great.” 

By: Sarah Danley

Spanning from Harry Styles to Doja Cat to Nirvana, every high schooler has a diverse taste in music. Though popular artists find homes in many student’s music libraries, this is where the similarities usually end.  

Mainstream artists are not the only artists high schoolers enjoy. Senior Taylor Carpellotti described her music taste as “complicated,” enjoying music from The Weeknd, Rex Orange County and Harry Styles.  

Although these pop-leaning artists are considered popular amongst teenagers, they are not the only artists making waves through high schools across the country.  

“Anything that sounds good,” junior Jeremiah Myers said. “I really like female rap, like Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion. Not Nicki Minaj though, her last album was a flop.” 

These household names are not the only artists found in student’s Spotify playlists.  

“I listen to music from the ‘70s and ‘90s,” freshman Riley Campbell said. “I also like Alice in Chains, Sublime, The Grateful Dead, Cake and Greta Van Fleet.”  

The time during middle school and high school allows students to cultivate their music taste and decide what artists or bands they like with exposure to many different genres of music. Despite this differentiation, societal influences might be imposed upon students, whether that

be from the radio or friends.  

“I was influenced by friends and family and what they liked,” Campbell said. “I used to listen to P!NK, and a lot of 2010’s music. Gradually, I moved more into rock music.” 

Students in all grades struggled with influences on their taste in music.  

“In middle school, I listened to a lot of pop and rap,” Carpellotti confirmed. “Now, it’s all over the place.” 

While friends and family can be a major influence over the music teenagers enjoy, there are several other ways one’s music choice is influenced.  

“It’s changed politically,” Myers said. “I won’t listen to an artist if they are against my political views. They have to face the effects of cancel culture.” 

The largest influence over students and their taste in music is what is considered popular at the moment. Artists such as Harry Styles to Nirvana, Taylor Swift to Greta Van Fleet, are able to stay popular in student’s eyes for many different reasons.  

“So many people love [Harry Styles’] albums because they are all different,” Carpellotti said. “Even in One Direction their albums each sounded different.” 

Harry Styles and the former One Direction were not the only ones changing their sound over time.  

“Kanye West also does this with his albums,” she said. “His are all over the place, but a lot of people like him because he’s always changing it up.” 

By changing their music, mainstream artists are able to remain in the public eye for longer. Though this is one way to stay relevant, many artists use different methods to gain traction among the younger generation.  

“It’s not necessarily the music that I’m interested in but the lyrics,” Campbell said. “[Greta Van Fleet’s] experiences are relatable, they’re more realistic than a lot of people in the public eye that other people want to see.”  

To many, lyrics are a big factor when considering what music teenagers enjoy.  

“Mother Mother – I just really like their music,” Myers recommended. “There’s a deeper meaning behind their lyrics, like sometimes it’s political, sometimes it’s funny.” 

Although everyone has a unique taste, it is important that students stay open to many styles or genres of music. Music is a media that is constantly changing with time, and any music can become popular at any time.  

“If someone is looking to try something different, I definitely recommend Rex Orange County,” Carpellotti said. “It’s more than likely that someone is going to like at least one or two of his songs. He has alternative music but also pop songs.”  

By: Sarah Danley

Facing the start of the rest of their lives, high school students are challenged with many choices concerning their future. Whether that means jumping into a career or expanding upon their education, students must face the inevitability of their changing lives. For many, this feat can become a stressful and scary task, especially without knowing what the future holds.  

“I only applied to one school through the early application process,” senior Mazzy Baxter said. “After that, it was a waiting game. I waited two months to hear back from [Penn State] so it was stressful, but luckily it worked out.” 

 Other times, students are unsure of where they want to attend by their senior year. Senior Natalie DiCriscio, attending Shippensburg University in the fall, applied to five colleges that gave her the realistic expectation of running for their respective cross country teams.  

“Running is something I couldn’t live without, so I couldn’t pass up the chance to run in college at a more serious level,” senior Natalie DiCriscio explained.  

DiCriscio had lots of support with her decision from her coaches and classmates. Cross country coach Mr. Nathan Snider and senior Abby Sharp are “big fans” of Shippensburg University, a fact that DiCriscio knew and used to make her choice easier. 

Along with the factor of running cross country, DiCriscio also looked into factors like proximity, size of the school, and how much money each school awarded her.  

“I did a lot of college research through Niche and the College Board website,” DiCriscio said.  

Through these websites, she was able to find universities that fit what she specifically wanted. Other websites, including Fastweb, Cappex, and ADMET, can also help students find the perfect school for them.  

“All these websites are going to do the same thing by giving personalized feedback based on your criteria,” Guidance Counselor Mrs. Laura Klipa said. “ADMET is more based on the financial logistics, like what your career plan is and making sure you don’t have more debt than necessary.” 

There are many other resources for students to cut down the cost of college through high school scholarships.  

“All scholarships that Greensburg Salem gets are online, on Teams in the class pages,” Mrs. Klipa said. “Those are all scholarships that our students are eligible for.” 

Even with the help of all these resources, some students have different ways of finding the right school for them.  

Similar to DiCriscio, Baxter, who is starting at Penn State University with a major of Risk Management this fall, did not always think she would end up at Pennsylvania’s largest state school.  

“When I was younger, I didn’t want to go to Penn State because it was the basic state school, and to me, it had a bad connotation,” she said. “When I started researching into it more, I realized it had everything I wanted, with my major, student section and Mini-Thon.”  

While finding the right school can be stressful enough, another layer of stress can be added by choosing a major. Some students, like DiCriscio, decide to start school undecided and take many different classes to narrow down interests. Others have a different approach.  

“I started by figuring out what I didn’t want from a career and chose from there,” she said. “Definitely start looking at career paths. You also want to look at schools that fit what you’re interested in, not necessarily looking at the name.”  

Resources online and at school make the process of choosing the perfect school significantly easier for students by helping them learn about what kind of environment is best suited for them when it comes to furthering their education.  

“BigFuture.org finds college matches based on personality, if it meets your specific criteria, size, and type of university, like a liberal arts school,” Klipa said.  

Students now have many resources to help find the perfect school for them after high school. Ultimately, the biggest piece of advice given to high schoolers while searching for the perfect school is to pick what is right for them.  

“Don’t look at what your friends want because at the end of the day, you’re by yourself,” DiCriscio advised. “Find whatever will fulfill your needs.” 

By: Sierra Hauer

   As the new year has rolled into motion, many people have resolutions on the top of their minds to make it better than previous years.

   Since 2020 was a challenging year for most, improvements are necessary. New Year’s resolutions can be a little nudge to start making the changes needed to foster a more successful experience.

   “I think people hope 2021 would be better,” senior Sarah Brautigam said. “We all want it to be a clean slate.”

   While having a clean slate mindset can be very beneficial, it is important to remember that there are always going to be bumps in the road. Especially with a pandemic, now is a time to remember that problems don’t just disappear if you ignore them.

   “Just because 2020 is over, it doesn’t mean that life is just going to magically go back to normal,” sophomore Abby Spino said.

   Despite this, there are always things that can be done to make issues more bearable. That is why people should start making little improvements to guarantee that 2021 will be a better year.

   “I think that New Year’s resolutions are great ways to start off the new year,” senior Leesa Farree said. “It motivates people to reach their goals and encourages people to work on themselves.”

   Working on oneself can mean a lot of different things. For some, it can be a change of perspective.

   “My New Year’s resolution was to maintain a positive attitude,” Farree said.

   Working on oneself can also include more physical goals.

   “My New Year’s resolution this year was to be more active and actually do what needs to get done,” Brautigam said.

   Regardless of the resolution, though, they are usually hard to stick to.

   “I think that it can be difficult to stick to resolutions because sometimes we get busy and forget or can’t physically do what we need to,” Farree said. “I think that perhaps reminding yourself with notes or alarms to work on a particular goal could be helpful to sticking to a resolution.”

   There is a surplus of ways to help motivate oneself to keep at a goal, but one of the best ways is to have someone hold you accountable for it.

   “It definitely helps to have someone hold you accountable for your resolution,” senior Morriah Bauman said. “I think people should follow social media [accounts] that influence whatever they’re aiming for. They just need to keep a constant reminder of what their goal is.”

   Even if a goal isn’t completely reached, making progress still counts. And including more positive influences like a social media account regarding your goal can improve one’s experiences and perspectives.

   “People can make the best of 2021 by starting to accept the world now and how it’s going to be for a while,” Bauman said. “Things are not going to change overnight, and people need to get used to it whether they like it or not. Just trying to make the best of things and see the positive makes a big difference.”

By: Sierra Hauer

   Greensburg residents know that when fashion trends come and go, you can usually find the remnants scattered throughout thrift stores.

   Stores like Goodwill have lots of affordable clothes that can help people develop their own style and fill their wardrobes.

   “Thrift shopping to me is just an affordable way to get really good clothes,” senior Damiana Walker said. “Everything I’ve ever gotten from thrifting has lasted me longer than a lot of clothes newly bought. Plus, thrifting helps me find clothes that suit my out of the box style.”

   Thrift shops often have a lot of older items of clothing, so they are very useful to find outdated styles that are becoming popular again.

   “I think thrift shopping became popular again because history tends to repeat itself with fashion trends that were extremely popular in that time,” freshman Marlie Dietz said.

   Many teens agree that certain styles tend to bounce in and out of the spotlight of what is popular.

   “I feel like there has been a rise in thrifting due to the whole vintage aesthetic coming back, such as mom jeans, dad sweaters, baggy shirts and low waisted jeans,” Walker said.

   Regardless of what is or isn’t in style at the time, thrift stores still have a great variety of affordable clothes thanks to the community. Thrift shops – especially smaller local ones – thrive off donations, so it is important to donate old clothes that could still be worn.

   “I donate things that I don’t use or wear anymore because I feel that if I have something that, while it may not be of value to me, it might prove useful or nice to someone else,” Dietz said.

   Even if people think that no one would want to wear an article of clothing because it isn’t cute enough or it doesn’t fit their aesthetic, it is still much better for the environment to donate old clothes.

   “Fast fashion is polluting the earth when companies are mass producing clothing made out of cheap materials that aren’t good for the environment,” sophomore Emily Frazier said. “And once something goes ‘out of style’ people just throw it out, but after a while, the amount of clothing being thrown out will add up.”

   With fast fashion stores like Hollister, Rue 21 and even Hot Topic, trendy and sometimes low-quality clothes are mass produced and sold. This mass production often has terrible effects on the environment.

   “Fast fashion production and manufacturing processes result in a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, which is damaging to our already damaged planet,” Dietz said. “Fast fashion also depletes non-renewable sources and uses massive amounts of water and energy.”

   Even though fast fashion can be harmful, some people just can’t avoid it.

   “I think fast fashion is a tricky business because not many people know where their clothes are actually coming from and what they’re made of,” Frazier said. “Most people go for the name brand clothing just because it’s trending without really knowing the consequences.”

   Whether people are buying from name brand stores or shopping second hand, it is always important to donate or recycle used clothes so they don’t add to the pollution fast fashion has caused.

   One major thing that has changed regarding thrifting as it has become more popular, though, is that people tend to be more open minded about it now. In the past, there was often a stigma regarding thrifting. Some people thought it was just for poorer people, but everyone can find great things while thrifting.

   “I think the stigma that people are being looked down on for secondhand shopping has changed tremendously,” Frazier said. “Since thrifting has become a ‘trend,’ more and more people have been less afraid of being judged and hopped on the bandwagon and realized that it is pretty fun and you can find really good things.”

By: Kimberly Gray

Celebrities can be canceled at the drop of a hat. With technology ever advancing and most people having recording capabilities in their pockets, mainstream media can easily find an incident involving a celebrity, consequently showing the public all the details. And once that happens, there is no telling what will become of the star.  

Sometimes it’s a beloved author, a pop star or a professional athlete who takes a step out of line, and society is quick to see, but slow to forgive.  

“Consumers are so quick to cancel but slow to accept the change in the person because they know that those who are craving back the spotlight will do anything to get it back, and once they do get it back, they will change to their old self,” junior Sage Blair said.  

Over time, the world and circumstances change. But it has long been debated if people, and who they are at their core, ever change.  

“I think that people’s beliefs do change over time,” senior Noah Dann said. “It is hard to accept these changes because our environment wants us to maintain our beliefs, but we want to change and can’t.” 

Toxic is a term used to describe a person, environment or situation that is unpleasant or damaging. And when taking a look at cancel culture, it does have some toxic traits.  

“I believe that cancel culture is very toxic,” Dann said. “I believe that a thing that happens in the past, where the person tried to change, should not come back and hurt them in the future.”  

Media coverage is a factor in how people know what’s going on in today’s world with celebrities. Whether this is through Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or Facebook, social media can be a powerful influence on how someone is perceived by the public.  

“More people are getting ‘canceled’ today than ever because of the ability to search people up so easily,” Blair said. “You can go to an influencer’s Instagram and scroll to the bottom and see something that you can cancel them for. It’s just too easy.” 

Social media outlets are rarely fair as they can fan the flames of a media firestorm for clicks. And more clicks means more money.   

“I do think it is toxic; the media makes it toxic,” senior Savanna Altieri said. “That is their business, and their business only, and the media shouldn’t exploit them.” 

Although it can seem like when celebrities get caught saying or doing cancelation worthy things they are no longer going to be accepted by the public again, there is still hope for redemption. 

“Previously canceled people can win back their audience and consumers through showing they’re genuinely sorry,” Blair said. “They can take action and donate to an organization that relates to what may have gotten them canceled ( ie: said things about LGBTQ+ community and donates to The Trevor Project and provide support for that part of the community).” 

In the end celebrities are human, and they make mistakes.  

“I believe that everyone deserves a second chance,” Dann said. “Any person can change and become a better person if given the chance.”  

By: Kimberly Gray

In every corner of GS, books filled with invaluable information, epic tales and beautiful worlds are going untouched due to two factors: Covid-19 and budget cuts.

Covid-19 has changed almost every part of life for most people, including how and where students learn, and libraries are no exception to facing these changes. A constant fixture at both the middle and high school are the libraries. The middle school has a boundless Maker Space and many books that are not being used. At the high school, the once vibrant atmosphere of the library has gone dormant. But, even in this day and age, libraries are important places for reading and learning.

“Covid-19 is the biggest change to the library this year because you [students] are all in your own little worlds with these computers in front of you now,” high school librarian Mrs. Carrie Vottero said. “There is just no traffic like there has been in the past and that has changed the entire lifeblood of the library. There are no children here.”  

Knowing how to use a library is an important skill. Students, young ones especially, need to learn how and where they can find information and stories. And this goes beyond the Dewey Decimal System.

“Having a vibrant, well-funded school library is really important to very young children because it sets them up as lifetime users and lovers of libraries in general,” Mrs. Vottero said.  “And the wanting of information gathering. I think of you kids as information seekers; I use that term in here a lot because that is what a library is, a place where you can come to gather information.”

Having a place to not only get information, but books for leisure purposes is important for students.  Plus, the positive space it provides helps students in a different way.

“Whether it’s a book you’re reading for fun and pleasure or whether you’re doing research for a project, or whether you’re here with another student or a teacher collaborating on an assignment,” Vottero said. “Maybe it’s just a time out space for to find a moment of calm and quiet. You have to teach a child to love a library. So, losing that for our young children is a tragedy.” 

While it is important for elementary-aged students to have access to libraries, it holds importance to older students as well. From the resources it provides to the programs it sponsors, the library has a lot to offer.

“The library helped me early on; I was able to read a lot and get really good at writing and spelling,” junior Trent Lenhart said. “Also, it has always served as a relaxing place for me.”

These programs and resources make a positive impact on students’ lives. Whether that is being a part of a team or just having somewhere to go, all students can benefit from having consistent access to libraries.  

“I have done WIRC and have enjoyed it every year I’ve done it,” Lenhart said. “While also reading plenty of books from the library…”

 Lenhart is not the only student to have positive experiences with the library. Many other students have found a safe haven among the stacks.

“In middle school, I liked to go hang out in the library during enrichment and help out,” junior Ryann Shirey said. “I would check books in and out, put them back on the shelves, and help to organize the library. In high school, I have been in the library every day that I’m physically in school. I can’t do a ton to help but I did help pull out a lot of this year’s WIRC books.”

Students are the key to the library. It is there for students to use and love. But to use a library properly, students have to go in person.

“I would like to see kids coming in more than they come right now,” Vottero said. “I think it’s difficult to do that because they don’t encourage you to leave your classrooms right now and for good reason. I’m not going against that… I think that individually you can ask for a pass to come down during your free time. I certainly hope that students remember that this room is here, but I understand why you’re not here. Our routine in the building is not the same.”

By: Kimberly Gray

Greensburg Salem, like many other school districts, shut down in school learning in favor of virtual learning due to COVID-19. But there was more going on behind the scenes that could have a serious effect on students,

             “We monitored how students can effectively social distance within the buildings,” Director of Secondary Education Dr. Ken Bissell said. “Also, the numbers that were coming in from the county, as far as numbers of cases in the buildings. I know we drew a line that if we had five teachers that were out whether it was for a positive test result, or because they were forced to quarantine, we were going to shut down.”

            With a whirlwind of information coming from many different news outlets, it can be hard for people to decipher what is factual and what is not. However, decision makers, like the GS administration, have to take information from the top.

            “We’re using state and county mandates and suggestions,” Dr. Bissell said. “As well as Department of Education and Department of Health guidelines.”

            While some students are doing fine with the transition to virtual learning, others are not.

            “I feel overwhelmed by the amount I have to do, which stresses me out,” freshman Sarah Faulk said. “When I stress out, I get less done and then more piles up and then I get more stressed and it just snowballs from there.”  

            Not being in school affects more than assignments and stress levels. There have been missed opportunities as well.

            “I planned to run cross country for the first time this year after doing track last year and I was really looking forward to it, but my parents would not permit me to run because they didn’t want me having any unnecessary contact,” senior Ella Johnson said. “Also, I do mock trial and we have to do all of our trials completely online which is really challenging to adjust to.”

            Not everyone agrees with the decisions that the GS administration made, and they made their voices heard.

“We received pushback form both sides,” Bissell said. “From closing, many people said ‘We want our kids in the building’ for many different reasons. We also had many people pushing us that we weren’t closing on time. I think that whatever decision we made there was going to be push back.”

By: Kimberly Gray

Climate change was a popular conversation that got dropped due to COVID-19 news and then by the 2020 election. But, that does not mean that it is no longer an issue. Climate change is still a problem, even if it is not at the top of everyone’s list.

            Climate change will affect everyone in a negative way if it is not controlled. This is not limited to hotter summers and colder winters. It goes beyond these events.

            “The climate affects our everyday lives,” junior Ecology Club member Alyssa Angiolieri said. “An example would be a farmer needs rain to grow his crops. When the climate starts changing and there is no rain, then there are no crops. This year’s harvest for farmers was terrible because we didn’t have a lot of rain this year. No crops means no food for us and no rain means our ecosystems can become damaged.”  

            People who are concerned about climate change will be glad to hear of a piece of legislation that could help lessen the effects of climate change in coming years. It is called the Green New Deal.

            The Green New Deal was proposed by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) of New York, to help the United States reduce its carbon footprint in coming years.

            “The primary climate change goal is to reach net-zero greenhouse emissions in a decade,” Jessica McDonald, a writer for factcheck.org, a non-profit organization that works to monitor factual accuracy to consumers said. “’Net-zero’ means that after tallying up all the greenhouse gases that are released and subtracting those that are sequestered, or removed, there is no net addition to the atmosphere.”

            While net zero greenhouse gases for the United States is the main goal of the Green New Deal, this is not the only goal in mind. Within 10 years, the Green New Deal hopes to secure healthy food for low-income communities, invest in infrastructure, create jobs within the renewable energy field and reduce air and water pollution.

            “I love almost everything about AOC’s ‘Green New Deal’,” Angiolieri said. “I think if it were enforced it would be very effective. We need to convert to clean energy which is one of her goals. Part of the deal is to also restore ecosystems which is also just as important. Using non-renewable energies damages ecosystem and, as mentioned before, affects climate change.”

            Not everyone agrees that the world is in crisis due to the changing climate. Some scientists do not think that humans are the ones to cause climate change.

            “A report found more than 1,000 scientists who disagreed that humans are primarily responsible for global climate change,” Encyclopedia Britannica reported. “The research on 11,944 studies actually found that only 3,974 even expressed a view on the issue. Of those, just 64 (1.6%) said humans are the main cause.”  

Not all the news is bad. With COVID-19 flooding main-stream media outlets, some new advancements that have been made did not receive much media attention

“There was a satellite that was launched to monitor and collect data on rising sea levels,” science teacher Mr. Angelo Testa said. “This will help us understand the influence climate change has on rising sea levels.  This was a collaboration of US and European effort to help us understand the effects of climate change on a global level.”  

While technological advancements are what are going to effect the most change, individuals can make an effort as well.

“Some ways people can help is by switching little things,” sophomore Rory Damico said. “Like, instead of driving the five minutes to school or work, walk or ride a bike. If it’s raining, ride a bus. If you don’t want to do those, carpool with some friends. If there are less cars on the road, there will be less carbon emitting into the air. Small things like that are how you can help.”

By: Sierra Hauer

   Because of the Coronavirus pandemic this year, many people have had to turn to alternative methods to volunteer and donate.

   Times have been tough for everyone, but some people still want to do their part by donating what they can and volunteering as much as possible. However, regulations set to protect against Covid-19 have made these activities hard to do.

   “For me, personally, I have not seen many volunteer opportunities,” senior Ally Brumley said. “I coach youth cheer every year and that was canceled. At the New Haven Court at Linwood, no volunteers are allowed in.”

   Many volunteer opportunities have been canceled because of Covid-19, but there are many ways that people can still help.

   “I think that people who were already struggling to provide for their families have been affected the most by Covid-19,” senior National Honor Society Vice President Ella Johnson said. “Because many people have lost their jobs and aren’t getting the same wages that they used to, the number of people in need has risen. I feel like homeless shelters aren’t getting enough attention.”

   While there are many new restrictions, food banks are still operating and need volunteers. And there are plenty of other things that people can do to help the community.

   “I know it’s cliché, but I think charity begins in our own homes,” librarian Mrs. Carrie Vottero said. “We can all help out and be kind and empathetic to the people we live with. Something as simple as checking on your neighbor, calling a friend and making sure they don’t need anything or speaking with someone you know who might be lonely and isolated. We all need to be taking care of each other.”

   Along with reaching out to those closest to someone, it is always a good idea to send a little bit of love to those who need it. Seniors in nursing homes are particularly isolated right now.

   “I think that sending letters to nursing homes can help because they are unable to see their families right now or other people in the home,” senior Jenna Stillitano said. “They need some joy in their lives.”

   Elderly people specifically are much more vulnerable to Covid-19, so volunteering has been very strict. However, community members could always make cards and write letters to brighten up the days of those in nursing homes.

   “So many [nursing home] residents are upset or confused as to why they aren’t able to see their families,” Brumley said. “Little things truly are making their days. A simple card would genuinely mean so much to them.”

   Simple gestures as small as sending a card have been cheering people up all year long. Volunteering and donating usually spreads lots of cheer, as well.

   “The holidays are always a big time for donating and volunteering specifically because there are less fortunate people in the world that need help or a little extra holiday spirit,” Brumley said. “And this year it is so important because there is no sense of normalcy.”

   Helping those in need always tends to make people feel better, especially nowadays.

   “Being kind feels good,” Mrs. Vottero said. “There is great satisfaction in helping someone else. This pandemic makes me feel helpless and unable to control my world. Helping someone else makes me feel as if I have some control over what happens to me and someone I love. For me, helping someone else makes me feel as if I can do something, at least in my small corner of the world, to make the world a better place.”