The MaST Tribune
November 2021
WELCOME TO OUR FIRST EDITION OF THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR!
-The Benefits of School Uniforms - by Darya Radzevich
-A Thanksgiving Dessert to Wow Your Guests! - by Shea Devlin
-MaST To The Past - by Tori Schmidt
-National Mason Jar Day - by Simi Sabu
-Cyber Monday! - by Sarah Mathai
-How Music Programs Were Affected by Covid - by Judith Bosco
-Review of "Squid Games" - by Kristina Yakubets
-"Joe's Unzangful ZangsGiving Adventures"- by Daniel Johnson
-Covid Vaccine Update - by Marissa Sabatini
-Book Review of "A Thousand Splendid Suns" - by Sana Bakir
Opinion: Uniforms can be a plus!
Kidz Bop: Ooops They Did it Again!
Vaccine Update!
The Benefits of School Uniforms By: Darya Radzevich
Since November 1, some students have been upset about the change from being allowed to wear spirit wear to now wearing school uniforms full time. If you ask most students, they will say the uniforms are too boring or too uncomfortable. Many have even gone as far as creating petitions to end school uniforms. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to wear a cozy pair of sweatpants rather than a pair of tight khaki pants?
On the other hand, most staff appreciate the uniforms and think they are a crucial part to keep the school in order. A significant benefit of the uniforms that the teachers value is the students are not preoccupied with their clothes, leading them to give their attention to what is happening in the classrooms. During class, rather than focusing on what other students are wearing, or even being self-conscious about their own clothes, students can focus on their work.
Uniforms are also beneficial to students, even if they don’t realize it. How many times have you woken up during the months we could wear spirit wear and have been faced with the issue of deciding what to wear? Deciding what to wear in the morning can be very stressful and time consuming, causing many students to be late. Uniforms eliminate this problem. When you have set clothes to wear, you end up having more time to do other things in the morning and end up being able to make it to school on time. As well as saving time, uniforms have shown to increase the sense of unity in the school, and decrease bullying. Researchers in the United States have found that nine out of ten teachers believe uniforms play an active role in reducing bullying, and 95% say uniforms help students “fit-in”. Another way that uniforms benefit everyone is they make it easier to spot an intruder or someone that is not supposed to be inside the school. In the end, uniforms may not be liked by all of the students, but they have major benefits that improve our school experience.
Sources:
https://blog.uniformmarket.com/uniforms-business/advantages-of-wearing-school-uniforms
https://connectusfund.org/20-disadvantages-and-advantages-of-school-uniforms
https://www.mvorganizing.org/do-school-uniforms-prevent-bullying-statistics/
Thanksgiving Dessert Review By: Shea Devlin
Are you looking for a Thanksgiving dessert that will amaze your tastebuds? Well look no further! After testing this recipe last weekend, I can say with full confidence to try this recipe and you will not regret it!
This pumpkin cheesecake recipe from delish.com works miracles, and it only has seven steps and 13 ingredients. The cheesecake is made with a chocolate oreo crust and a creamy pumpkin filling. It is best to make at least a day before it’s being served, as it needs time in the fridge. The recipe even includes recommendations for yummy toppings that can make this wonderful dessert even better. The compliments you will receive from this are immaculate.
Click on the link below for the recipe:
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a50173/chocolate-pumpkin-cheesecake-recipe/
MaST To The Past: Kidz Bop Revisited By: Tori Schmidt
Music is the one thing that brings us all together. We all have a song or artist that brings us up when we’re down and gets us through the whirlwind that's called life. Currently there is a lot of big new music that just came out. I could take about Drake’s or the artist formerly known as Kanye West’s new albums (which both were very popular), Lil Nas X’s debut (which garnered a lot of media coverage), or the re-recorded Taylor's version of Red (which is currently the number one album in the country). But instead, I have decided to torture myself for your enjoyment, and talk, once again, about my old enemy: Kidz Bop. Kidz Bop 2022 is a terrible record. It's that plain and simple; it's bad and has some of the worst covers I have ever heard in my life. The opener is a cover of Olivia Rodriogo’s “Good 4 u”. In fact, three of Rodrigo’s songs are ruined on the album, and “Good 4 u” is by far the worse. First of all, the guitars just sound bad, the whole album uses really bad instrumentations, and very bad mixing (this problem is on the entire album, not just “Good 4 u”). Also this song has by far the strangest Kidz Bop lyric change I have heard so far. The original lyric is “Now you can be a better man for your brand-new girl”, the new lyric is “Now you can be a better one for your brand-new girl”. HUH, why? Was the word “Man” really that inappropriate? Why in the same sense would you even think of changing that? It makes no sense. The second worst song on the album is “Montero” originally by Lil Nas x. Now I can not talk about the original song, frankly the lyrics are WAY too inappropriate for school. But the fact that I can't even talk about it, shows that the fact that Kidz Bop even touched this song is gross. This song is so dirty, that the Kidz Bop version maybe uses 20%of the original lyrics, and, at that point, why even bother? The rest of the songs share the same problems: bad lyric changes and terrible production. Before I wrap up, I want to briefly mention the other new Kidz Bop album from this year, a re-recording of the original Kidz Bop album from 2001. One of the songs on the album is “Livin la Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin. In the 2001 album there was no lyric change, but there was in the 2021 version. Original lyric- “She'll make you take your clothes off and go dancing in the rain”, New lyric- “She'll make that day off and go dancing in the rain”. I CAN’T, I just can't with these, in my opinion, bad and unnecessary changes to these songs. Just like last time I give everything Kidz Bop has ever done a 0/10.
National Mason Jar Day By: Simi Sabu
Tuesday, November 30th is National Mason Jar Day. Mason Jars are an effective way to preserve food, due to the tight seal of the cap of it. Before Mason Jars existed, though, people used the wax sealing method. This method required you to leave a 1 ½ space between the top of the jar and your food, onto which you would pour the wax on. Wax sealing was a lot of guesswork, though. There was no way to check if the food was actually sealed or if the wax had an opening somewhere and the air entered.
Wax sealing became very popular in the 1830s, but by 1858, the Mason Jar was invented. John Landis Mason invented and patented it. The Mason Jar was the first glass jar with a screw-on top. This was a more effective way to preserve food. This was such an amazing invention that John Landis Mason was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006. Mason Jar popularity continued to grow and in the 1910s people bought blue Mason Jars because they believed colored glass helped preserve food better because it blocked light from reaching the food inside the jar. After World War 2, refrigerators gained popularity. Refrigerators became an easier and more efficient method of preserving food. This caused Mason Jars to decrease in popularity. Though Mason Jars lost popularity in the 1950s, they are making a return now as a classic, aesthetic and collectible. Antique Mason Jars can cost more than $1,000.
Mason Jars are used for more than just preserving food now. In 2014, Chef Hugh Acheson set the Guiness World Record for the largest mosaic made of Mason Jars. It was created using 2,000 Mason Jars and the end result was a mosaic of a green Mason Jar. Mason Jars can be used for many other activities, too. For example, they could be used as an aesthetic jar to hold flowers or be used as a decoration piece, if it is filled with something, like marbles or pebbles. They could also be used to organize your spice rack. Check out the gift idea below!
Information Websites:
https://nationaltoday.com/national-mason-jar-day/
https://www.nationaldaystoday.com/national-mason-jar-day/
https://www.invent.org/inductees/john-l-mason
Need a gift idea?
In a Mason Jar put:
1 ½ cup of oats
½ tsp of Baking Soda
⅔ cup of Flour
¼ tsp of Salt
⅓ cup of sugar
⅓ cups of White Chocolate Chips
⅓ cup of Chopped Pecans
⅓ cup of Reese’s Pieces
Then add to the side of the jar instructions, which say:
“Preheat oven to 375° F. Beat 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine, 1 large egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until blended. Add cookie mix and mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.”
Cyber Monday! By: Sarah Mathai
As everyone knows, Cyber Monday falls this year on November 29, 2021. But what is this day really all about?
Why was Cyber Monday Created?
Black Friday promotes retail shopping in-person more, so to make up for the imbalance, retailers decided to also promote online shopping, hence the name “Cyber Monday.”
In response to Cyber Monday promotions, online stores offer sales and great deals to increase their profit and popularity. Take Amazon for example. They have a day called National Amazon Prime day, which takes place on Cyber Monday!
What is National Amazon Prime Day?
Starting on Cyber Monday and extending for two days total, Amazon offers exclusive deals on many of its products, but there’s a catch. These deals will only apply to Amazon Prime members.
Why should you hurry?
This year, because of COVID-19, online shopping has become more common. Because of this, products take longer to ship and become backed up due to the influx of orders. So, this year, don’t do your online shopping last minute. Whether it be for Christmas or birthdays, order them in advance before these online deals end!
A New Note for 2021 By: Judith Bosco
Over the past year, Covid-19 has affected every single aspect of our daily lives at school, and this does not exclude the music program. Music programs across the nation have dealt with de-sizing and defunding for years, and the pandemic has only worsened the fragile state of music education in schools. When school returned to in-person, chaos and confusion continued to ensue. During music lessons, special instrument masks are required for wind and brass instruments, and the sharing of materials is prohibited. Puppy Pads (absorbent material that music students can use to empty their instrument) and other materials are needed in order for students to play their instruments. All of these precautions are reasonable and needed, yet it is obvious that these necessities obstruct the enjoyable aspects of music and contradict its reputation as something for people to seek refuge in. As life slowly gets back to normal, we have to wonder about the future of music programs. Due to schools being shut-down back in March 2020 and students’ experiencing learning loss during the pandemic, more focus has been put on traditionally tested subjects like Math and English. On the other hand, the pandemic has shown us the importance of mental health and wellness, and it is clear that music has such a positive effect on mental wellbeing and emotional soundness. Schools can hopefully promote music for the sake of their students and prevent this integral part of education from dying out. We have to decide what we will take away from this pandemic. Did we learn that we should focus more on the arts for the wellness of our students or will we allow this pandemic to complicate and further exacerbate the dwindling of music education? There are many people behind the scenes who work tirelessly to keep music programs afloat. As MaST’s instrumental music teacher, Mrs. Knittle has dedicated countless hours and a great deal of energy to keep music alive in our school, and she has done a really great job. There are still quite a few students who are dedicated to the music program and remind us what unmitigated passion looks like. You can help support these students and our music program by attending MaST’s Winter instrumental Concert on December 14th!! If you are a high schooler who is proficient in an instrument, please see Mrs. Knittle or email me at judithbosco@student.mastccs.org
A Review of South Korean Sensation "Squid Games" By: Kristina Yakubets
Netflix’s smash Korean Drama, “Squid Games”, has swept the hearts of many international viewers. Series creator, Hwang Dong-Hyuk, has spent over a decade trying to get this project green-lit, and once it took off and gained buzz in a matter of days, there’s no doubt that it will be much easier for him to get his next project produced. However, while many loved the show, some viewers and critics violently criticized the predictability of it. In my personal opinion, “Squid Games” was captivating in the beginning, but as it went on, it became slow and simply boring. After understanding the plot, the show became very predictable, to the point where I was accurately guessing exactly what would happen next and what characters would get killed off and what characters wouldn’t. Is it just me or does this show feel like an adult rip-off of “The Hunger Games” but it’d be a disgrace to even compare the two. Destitute players get picked to play a game for others’ entertainment, risking themselves and their lives for a chance at wealth. Sound familiar? The story line is basically the same with a couple minor tweaks and changes. But again, comparing the infamous series, “The Hunger Games”, that is filled with empowering, heart-wrenching, intense, and memorable moments with women ruling the screen, with a predictable series that accidentally blew up because it got put on Netflix is shocking and shameful. In conclusion, in my personal opinion the Korean drama is overhyped, over appreciated, and overrated beyond a shadow of a doubt. Watching it was painfully frustrating, to the point where I wanted to yell at the screen for the plot to move along. And the worst part is, most viewers have predicted exactly which player would win the games from episode 4, leaving it lacking in unexpected and shocking twists. Although the decade long hard work of Hwang Dong-Hyuk is appreciated, the series lacked originality, was confusing, trudged on for what seemed like forever, and was very difficult to finish.
Creative Corner: A Short Story by Daniel Johnson
Joe's Unzankful ZanksGiving Adventure
It was a late Zanksgaving night, and Joe, Jeffy, and Jandle were preparing the table for their Zanskgiving dinner. Everyone got the table ready for their “Special Guest”. “You know, I don't understand why we even celebrate Zanksgiving with him.” Said Joe, “ He’s such a nuisance.” “Yeah well, Jandle insists on bringing him over'' replied Jeffy “And this is my first time meeting him, so maybe we can be FRIENDS!!”
“Jeffy, just you wait….you are going to hate hi-” The door rang. Jandle quickly walked to the door and opened it. Surprisingly 3 guests were here. “H-Hi.” said Keith. “HI!!” said Hangle. Keith and Hangle skedaddled past the door. Then Alan came. Jandle put on a confused face wondering why those two were here. “Those two kids followed me here,” said Alan. “ I tried to shoo them away but they kept following me.” Jandle pointed inside and allowed him to enter. Jeffy greeted him, Joe didn’t. Now Alan wasn’t the most likeable person. He always had a frown on his face, he never talked to anyone, and when he did, Joe never liked what he had to say. And yet he never understood why Jandle would bring him over (or how he could even be considered their friend.) Jandle allowed the kids to stay, so they moved them to the table, sat Jeffy down at the table because he wouldn’t stop talking about his food collection to Alan, and went into the kitchen to get the SCRUMPTIOUS TURKEY FOOD. “Hey new stranger, who are you?” asked Hangle. “Here’s a better question,” said Alan. “ Who the spaghetti flakes are you? You weren’t invited.” “Oh don’t mind them,” said Jeffy. “They sneak in here all the time”
“ Yeah, so why don’t you just sneak outta here, ALAN ” murmured Joe to himself.
Everyone sat quietly until Jeffy spoke up.
“Hey guys, you wanna play Spooky Scarecrows?”
“Sounds pretty stupid.”
“Yeah but it’s FUUUUUUUuUuuUUuuUnNNNN! Come on...play with us!!!” Jeffy begged Alan to come play his game, but Alan replied “No. No. NO. I don’t wanna play your stupid little game. I just want to eat (and talk to Jandle)”
“But everyone else wants to play.”
“Yeah!” “Yeah!”
Joe quickly thought for a moment before agreeing with the majority that wanted to play Jeffy’s game. “If you don’t want to play, we can talk about my deep -fried hoagie collection!” Alan couldn’t take any more talk about Jeffy’s food collection, so he agreed to play. “YAYAYAYAY!” screamed Jeffy before Jandle gave him a harsh shush from the kitchen. “Ok, so here’s how we play. When the game starts, you may hear some noises. When you hear them, shake your hands and say oogiboogie. But don’t say oogiboogie when someone else says it, or else.” “Or ….what?”
“The game is starting.”
“I h-hope I don- d- don’t lose.” Keith stuttered.
“..... Nothing is happening” Suddenly he hears a voice.
“Did you guys hear that?” Alan asked as the voice grew louder. “I think you should start saying the words,” Jeffy replied. “I- I don’t remember! Is this some kind of trick you guys are playing?!?!” But it wasn’t. And the voice slowly grew louder. “ CHICKEN WINGS CHICKEN WINGS CHICKEN WINGS CHICKEN WINGS CHICKEN WINGS CHICKEN WINGS.” “WHAT ARE THE WORDS?!??!” screamed Alan in fear. “Sorry, we can’t tell you. It’s the rules'' Joe said smugly. Then the thing came. “ARE YOU THE ONE THAT REFUSES TO SAY OOGIE BOOGIE!!” it screamed. “WHAT THE-WHY IS THAT THING BREAKING THROUGH THE ROOF OF OUR HOUSE!!!!”
Update: Children Ages 5-11 Are Now Eligible For the Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine By: Marissa Sabatini
Ever since March of 2020, the world has been in a pandemic due to the COVID-19 virus, a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. By mid-March of 2020, scientists were beginning phase 1 to create a vaccine against COVID-19. In order to create a vaccine against the virus, they would need information about the virus to create mRNA instructions for cells to fight off the virus. In December of 2020, the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine was approved as the vaccine against COVID-19. Since December 11, 2021, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been available for Americans aged 16 and older. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 (BNT162b2) vaccine contains a piece of messenger RNA (mRNA). The COVID-19 mRNA teaches cells in the body how to create an immune response to the virus that causes COVID-19. This response can prevent an individual from getting sick with COVID-19 in the future. After the immune response, your body discards all the other vaccine ingredients. This is a totally normal body function. The ingredients of the Pfizer vaccine are messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNA), lipids (fats), and salts and sugar. All the ingredients have a specific role in how the vaccine works. There are also two other COVID-19 vaccines you can receive. The first vaccine is the Moderna COVID vaccine (mRNA-1273). The Moderna vaccine contains all the same ingredients as the Pfizer vaccine, except it contains acid stabilizers and acid. The Moderna vaccine is only recommended for those who are 18 years or older. The second vaccine is the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (JNJ-78436735). The Johnson & Johnson is made of a harmless version of a virus that is unrelated to the COVID-19 virus, sugars, salts, acid, and acid stabilizers. The Johnson and Johnson is only recommended to those who are 18 years or older. The Pfizer vaccine and the Moderna vaccine require two doses because one dose of these vaccines provoke a weak immune response. There is a stronger immune response with two doses. However, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one dose.
Eventually the vaccine was expanded to children ages 12-15 on May 10, 2021. However, the vaccine still wasn’t available for children ages 11 and under. Finally, on October 29, 2021, Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was approved for children ages 5-11. The Pfizer vaccine for these children only has a third of the dose given to adults and children who are 12 and older. This was done because children have different immune systems than teenagers and adults. Also, the lower dose was used to minimize the side effects. The results of the trials for the children’s vaccine were similar to the results of the adult vaccine trials. The trials showed that the vaccine was 91% effective in preventing COVID-19. The side effects shown were “mild, self-limiting, and similar to those seen in adults and with other vaccines recommended for children.” Although the vaccine has been proven safe for children, some parents are still unsure about giving their children the vaccine.
There have also been some more recent updates about the COVID-19 vaccine. Booster shots have been recently approved by the CDC. A booster shot is an additional dose of a vaccine given after the protection from the original shot has worn off. For those who received the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, booster shots will be available 6 months after their initial vaccination. This is only true if you are in a specific group. These groups are those who are 65 years or older and 18+ year olds who live in long-term care settings, who have underlying medical conditions, or live in a high risk setting. For those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, booster shots are available to those who were initially vaccinated two or more months ago. It has also been discovered that people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna booster shot.
As of today, 192 million in the United States are fully vaccinated, which is 58.3% of the entire United States population.
Source Information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2Findex.html
Book Review of "A Thousand Splendid Suns" By: Sana Bakir
Khaled Hosseini’s “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” undoubtedly a treasure and monument that enveloped every piece of me from the moment I peered through the phosphorescent pages, is a raw story reflecting the understated events of Afghanistan’s last 30 years of brutal torment (at the hands of domineering Western powers)--from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban restoration. At heart, this book mends the brutality, blinding fear, and faith of this exploited paradise in emotional, human terms through a narrative of two generations of persecuted women, drawn together through warfare and grueling sacrifice. Mariam, a woman susceptible to the inexplicable improprieties of humankind as a child--who later evolved into an uncompromising feminist, and Laila, a woman who, yet deprived of every root of happiness possible, eclipsed every threat with admirable boldness, serve as the quintessence of feminine Afghan resilience. To paint a clear picture, the anarchist organization has persecuted--besides men and children--women through slaughter, abduction and forced marriage to Taliban militants, sex slavery, maniacal torture, hanging, ruthless execution, ethnic cleansing, deprivation of schooling, elimination of life due to pursuits of fields prominent for practiced freedom of expression--all of which suffice as a mere snapshot of this demonic massacre. When bridging an intimate relationship with these resolute women, I genuinely found myself feeling their abuse, suffering their piercing losses that left me in never-ending tremors whilst my eyes were obscured by poolings of tears at 2 AM in the morning. I know I may sound emotionally unwell :D, which I won’t completely disagree with after barely surviving this story, but the agony that the readers confront is what makes this phenomenon encapsulated as an unadulterated ‘memoir’ of sorts rather than a bland news story or a white-washed documentary. It is a trademark of life calamities that have often been overwritten by the Western tongue. Deep-seated narratives such as this actually teleport you on sight to the emotional chaos of how these people’s lives continued to be uprooted and unsettled not only due to the presence of the Taliban but also due to the involvement of the United States for over 20 years. Besides this though, to truly understand the strength of the inordinately plagued Middle Eastern society as a whole, beginning with the highly misinterpreted sect of Afghans, one must get their hands on this book that seriously does not fail in representing every reproduced blemish and ounce of transcendence in the setting. The magnificent allure of Kabul, which can inherently be perceived as achingly ironic, is exposed through the following lines of Persian poetry: “One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, / Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.” Yes, there is an evocation that Kabul is far from splendid and is classified between the margins of catastrophic and bloody, although, it is prominent that the “real” Kabul lays below the rubble and destruction of distraught settlers and that is the notion that should be propagated more often today.