Brynn Nelsen '21
Especially in Fontbonne Hall, teens are doing their part in getting vaccinated to finally end this deadly pandemic. Overall, teens account for the lowest percentage of the population for who exactly is vaccinated. This could be because it was only recently that this age group has had the opportunity to get vaccinated. Many scientists emphasize the importance of teenagers getting the vaccine because they are the ones spreading COVID-19. According to the CommonHealth website, one parent explains her eagerness for her teen daughter to get the vaccine by exclaiming, “Everybody knows that trying to get an appointment is like trying to get concert tickets," Freeman said. "So it was really exciting to know they'll be protected." The process to get vaccinated is extremely easy, despite the above statement. While appointments may be hard to come by close to where you live, a quick Google search can bring you to a site nearby. Senior Faye Fudjinski explains her experience by stating, “It was very quick and over before I realized. The only thing I got symptom wise is that my arm hurt.” People are very afraid of some of the symptoms that getting the vaccine can bring. However, many argue that the symptoms that come with getting vaccinated are nothing compared to when they contract the virus. Senior Irina DiCunto talks about her symptoms by saying, “The whole experience was really easy for the first shot and I felt no symptoms. The second shot was tedious because the line was a lot longer. I was much more tired after my second dose. I think I took like four naps that day.” Teenagers are also known to be among the most affected socially by the pandemic which essentially locked them in their houses. Once this age group was able to get the vaccine, many teens reported a weight being lifted off their shoulders. It seems to feel like it can finally be on the path to getting back to normal. I know that when I got my vaccine two weeks ago, it felt like a breath of fresh air and that I can see the end of this pandemic. This is not an unfamiliar opinion. Girls at Fontbonne also feel very relieved to be getting vaccinated. Senior Maria Grzegorski explains her excitement for the vaccine, “Being gluten-free, I was able to get it earlier than most of my other classmates, and I am already fully vaccinated because of that. Since I am fully vaccinated, I am extra excited for the end of the school year and all the senior events coming up!” With all of the upcoming senior events, getting vaccinated can be relieving because you know you are safe against contracting COVID-19. While getting vaccinated may be scary, some news outlets promote false information concerning the vaccine’s adverse effects. It is essential to do your research from credible sources to find out that it is perfectly safe to get vaccinated when your doctor approves it. The only way we will see an end to this pandemic is by getting vaccinated. Whether you are young or old, it is vital to do your part and end the spread of COVID-19.
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Alivia McCord '23 For the first time in years, last year’s Saint Patrick’s Day was “canceled.” Everyone is used to the big parades, parties, and groups coming together to celebrate their national holiday. Due to Covid-19, no one got the Saint Patrick’ Day we always had. It is hard throwing parties with Covid-19 because of the capacity limit restaurants and pubs are having. Nobody wants to get the virus and everyone knows that.
New York City is also very popular for their Saint Patrick’s Day parade. Mayor Bill De Blasio announced that the parade would be virtual. The virtual parade included clips from the parades over the years. Saint Patrick's Cathedral hosts a mass every year to celebrate this holiday. In 2021 the church had a live broadcast that was shown on the news. Saint Patrick’s Day is a holiday for all Catholics, but mostly for the Irish. Saint Patrick’s Day has been celebrated for years and there haven't been any problems with this holiday in a long period of time. Usually, people go to celebrate with their families in a house eating corned beef, cabbage, and irish soda bread. Rockaway Beach, Queens New York, has been a very popular spot for Saint Patrick’s Day. For many years, families in Rockaway Beach have been hosting parties supplying food for their family and friends. The parade is also very popular. People gather around the streets watching kids Irish Step dance and play Bagpipes. This year the parade was cancelled and people were not very happy about it. Lily O’Neill ‘23 shared her thoughts about this parade being canceled this year. “I feel extremely disheartened because Saint Patrick’s Day is a very important holiday for me and my family and I feel as if we should have made more of an effort to have the parade this year.” She has always looked forward to the Rockaway Saint Patrick's Day parade ever since she was a little girl. Everyone could say they were not happy with 2021’s Saint Patricks Day this year because it wasn’t the same as how it was over the years, but everyone is grateful for what they provided this year. At least there was something to offer. Gina Marie Pettignano 21'
As we are starting to approach the last few months of senior year for the class of 2021, college decisions are starting to be made. While some are being made at a rapid pace, others have not made a decision yet. Some students are still contemplating between schools because they don’t know which best fits them. Making a decision to a college so early in the game is a big commitment because once you commit to a school you are in! No backing out. All the students that made their decisions, got into either their dream school or a school that offered them a lot of scholarship money. Others that haven't made a decision yet are still waiting to hear back from all their schools. Senior Valerie Rosanelli, talks a little bit about her plan for college, “My plans for college are to go away and study business management. I haven’t made a decision yet because I’m in between a few schools and I haven’t heard back from all of them yet” Senior Angelic Molos expresses the most nervous yet most exciting day for her college decision, “I didn’t think I was going to get in if I'm being honest. I was nervously looking at the Naviance stats all day and comparing my grades to all of the data that was online and nobody else from Fontbonne ever had gotten in either, so it was really scary. Once I saw the letter and it said I was accepted to Barnard I got the chills and my whole body felt like it was about to explode!” Everyone going through the college process is taking it a different way. Some aren't ready to fully commit to a school and others are. I reached out to two alumni from the class of 2019 and asked how their college process went; if they made an early decision, or did they wait till the end? Alumna Zana Frluckaj said, “My college process was very different. I didn’t want to make a decision right away, I wanted to wait to hear back from all my schools, and see which school gave me the most money, plus specialized in my major. On May 1, 2019 I committed to St. Lawrence College in Caton, New York. It’s literally right by the border of Canada and the US. I didn’t think this was the school I was going to go to in the beginning, but it best fit me financially and educationally. I am happy I didn’t make an early decision and commit somewhere else, I’m happy I waited.” Alumna Victoria Schulz said, “From the beginning of my senior year, before I even started to apply to colleges, I knew I wanted to go to UDel (University of Delaware). It was my dream school, even though I applied to other schools just in case I didn’t get accepted. Once I did early action, and heard back that I got accepted, my decision was made. I didn’t need to think twice about it. I committed to my dream school early in my senior year. It was the best decision. I am happy I attend UDel, it fits me educationally and somewhat financially!” College decisions are different for everybody. Making an early decision is best for some, and making a decision a bit later is best for others. Sometimes waiting a little longer won’t hurt, but if you have a goal and you want to achieve it, then don’t wait! Ashley Konner '23 The New York State Regents exams have been around in New York since 1876. Last year during the peak of the COVID-19 vaccine they were canceled for the first time. The January 2021 Regents exams were canceled, but are the June ones going to be?
Many people that I have talked to in Fontbonne Hall such as Alivia McCord and Nicole Petrillo, believe that it would be best if the Regents are canceled. They explained that their logic was based on children being behind in their skills due to the pandemic, and because many are not able to be in person. “We are behind the normal curriculum due to the fact that we are hybrid, and kids such as myself are having a harder time picking up the material remotely,” said Alivia McCord ‘23. Nicole Petrillo, a sophomore at Fontbonne Hall, stated, “I believe that the Regents should be canceled due to the way that hybrid and fully remote learning has affected students negatively. Also, many kids and families are still not comfortable being in person for tests during the pandemic as it has not gone away.” Many other students that I have spoken to in the school agree that the Regents exams should be canceled this year. However, there are many students that also believe that the test should be online and proctored just as the AP exams were during the start of the pandemic and will continue to be this year. Having the Regents exams conducted remotely will help students who are not comfortable with in-person school and testing, although children are still significantly behind on curriculum standards due to hybrid and fully remote learning. The January 2021 Regents exams were canceled, leading many to believe that the June ones will be as well. That being said, there are no statements from the state that they will be canceled. There have been speculations that they will not be online being that they were not the entirety of the pandemic, but people are hopeful that the state will figure out a way for kids to get back on track and into the routine of state wide testing again. Brynn Nelsen '21 It has become alarmingly clear that COVID-19 is highly contagious, and no one is safe from this deadly disease. That being said, there is still a widespread increase in the number of cases across the United States. Why are cases rising all of a sudden?
The answer is simple: indoor gatherings and improper social distancing. There has been a large increase in cases over the past month in Breezy Point, especially in adolescents. The people in Breezy Point were always known to lack the ability to correctly social distance. However, only recently, people are feeling the impact of the virus spreading. One reason for this happening is gatherings being moved inside due to the cold weather. As a teenager in Breezy Point during this time, the impact in the rise of cases has affected my life personally. Teenagers in the neighborhood tried to hang on to every ounce of normalcy they could get while keeping gatherings small and outdoors. However, it was not enough. Jillian Kelly, 17, explains, “I have been keeping my circle small and only seeing my friends outside. I still contracted the virus and spread it to my entire family. It feels like no matter what I did, I was bound to get it at some point.” While it was unclear how exactly she did contract the virus, she still felt the significant consequences. Because of the virus spreading amongst her family, her grandfather, who is in the high-risk category, contracted the virus, and his condition worsened. Another speculation as to why cases are rising in such a significant amount would be that college kids are coming home from their first semester. Many college students had rough fall semesters and were forced to be cooped up in their dorm rooms most nights quarantined from other students. Being home finally allowed them to release a bit. And with them “releasing” and easing up regarding social distancing, the community is paying the price. “It is hard to try and distinguish right and wrong when everyone around you is out partying in large groups,” senior Juliann Bianco states. There is still constant buzz around social media about the nearest house party down in Breezy, even though the positivity rate is nearly seven percent. It can be challenging to view a friend’s Snapchat story of a large gathering where no social distancing occurs while you are inside your house alone. Because of these large gatherings, teenagers in mass groups are coming into contact with someone who has coronavirus. At one point, Rockaway’s urgent care tested over 30 kids from Breezy Point alone in one day. The third wave is hitting every community hard. With indoor dining closing and the city on the verge of yet another lockdown, tensions are high. Coronavirus cases are beginning to skyrocket to numbers that were even higher than July. The majority of the cases coming in happen to be young adults and teenagers. The main reason for this would be that these are the main groups that are not following guidelines to stay safe in the first place. The graph below taken from The New York Times shows the increase in the number of reported cases on a national scale. During the summer months, we successfully flattened the curve. However, we are spiking in cases reasonably quickly and in high numbers. The most alarming data on the map is that deaths have increased by 153% as of this week. The data reported further proves that adolescents clearly need to think before acting and that this virus is not to be taken lightly. Hopefully, because bars and restaurants are shutting down and fewer young adults and teens will be going to local places, this will help flatten the curve in Breezy somewhat. However, the main issue stems from the plain disregard for social distancing. While it is important to sympathize with teenagers because we are missing out on so many precious memories, it is not an excuse for us to put others at risk. Because of the high numbers of cases and deaths, it is incredibly vital to try and limit who you are seeing, wear a mask, and be considerate of people around you, no matter what age you are. Kayla Clayton '23 As we all know, Covid-19 has taken up much of our lives. It has ruined many fun events we were all looking forward to. For seniors, prom will be very different from how it used to be. There will be new rules and regulations that will be put into place, graduation is on postponement until the summer, and all of the class trips have been canceled for the rest of the year. For me, as a student attending Fontbonne hall, this has affected me in many ways. The main one being that I am not able to see my friends and family because we have all been in quarantine.
Since the beginning of quarantine, Fontbonne Hall has come up with ways to help ensure the student’s and staff’s safety while being able to come to school. Fontbonne Hall has placed marks on the ground through the halls and outside as a “One Way flow,” while remaining socially distanced. The markings make getting to your next class easier and safer. Many girls have different opinions on this because sometimes following these one-way flows can be a little difficult and time-consuming. One of the most vital methods that have been used to ensure our safety is having temperature checks by both our school entrances. They have done this to make sure that everyone who comes to school is healthy and does have a fever or any other symptoms. Nika Goncharoff, class of 2023, explains, “I think the guidelines are good so far I like that people take students’ temperature when walking in, but some students violate the guidelines by not wearing the masks properly. The hallways can sometimes get crowded, but it eventually gets better.” Many of the students also feel that FH’s way of ensuring our safety is good and reliable. Most girls are glad that FH faculty are keeping a close eye on our health. While preparing to come back to school, FH put many guidelines into place. They have done this to make sure that none of the girls come down with Covid and to help slow the spread of the virus. Stefanie Morris ‘23 offers her opinion, “I think they set clear instructions as to where to go. They help keep us at a safe distance to help prevent the spread of covid.” Sophomore class president Victoria Bruno likewise says, “I think that the social distancing guidelines that FH has put into place are very good. It is very comforting that the school and faculty care about our health and safety. Although walking through the halls does get a little confusing, it is for the student’s safety. Also, these guidelines get rid of the hallway traffic that we had last year, but at times it does take a longer amount of time to get to class.” Irina DiCunto, a senior at FH indicates, “I honestly do feel that any rules the school asks us to follow, are for our own benefit. They are trying their hardest to keep us safe. However, I am a fully remote student, so I don’t know exactly what In-person students have to go through. Since I do work [a part-time job], I have a slight idea, but it’s not the same. Not only do these rules keep us safe, but they also keep our friends, families, and our teachers safe. Even if we get upset with the policies dealing with Covid, we have to remember that this doesn’t only affect us. It affects everyone. We have to be patient and kind in order to get through this.” Overall, FH has made a lot of smart decisions in these times of COVID. Thank you, Ms. S., Ms. W., and all of the faculty for making sure that the students are safe and healthy during these terrible times. By Juliann Bianco '21 As everyone is aware, hundreds of events have unfortunately had to be canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Although no one is able to plan anything in person for the time being, there have been many virtual events going on to keep people entertained. Since not much new content can actually be created at the moment, there have been countless examples of people getting to see and remember things like older game-changing sporting events, favorite childhood movies, and old TV shows through the media.
One of most known virtual events recently was the Disney (socially distanced) sing-along, which included many songs that all of us remember hearing countless times when we were little. One of the producers in charge stated “If there’s something that we’ve all learned in the past few weeks, it’s to cherish every moment and the importance of connection, whether through laughter, stories, or music. We hope that we can help create some new unforgettable moments in everyone’s home.” People of all ages got to see and hear familiar songs and faces from movies they used to love or share with their family. On top of that, many of the celebrities throughout the show tried to raise awareness for the charity Feeding America, whose goal is to take action for families struggling to buy food during the pandemic. The other major ongoing virtual event has been John Krasinski’s YouTube series “Some Good News,” focusing on lifting spirits and spreading positivity and motivation throughout quarantine. People have shared uplifting stories about their life through the platform, and even put together a “prom” for high schoolers all over the country having to delay or cancel theirs. Although initially the creators and guests (such as the Jonas brothers, Rainn Wilson, and Billie Eilish) said they were worried no one would be interested, by the end of the night over 200,000 students had joined. While things like these are obviously not the events anyone had been expecting or hoping for, they’ve been a great way to cheer people up until we can all be together again. By Jenine Samara '22 During this time of growing uncertainty and change, acts of service allow communities to unite. At the onset of the pandemic one of the most highly demanded materials was personal protective equipment, or P.P.E. P.P.E is an essential part of working in a healthcare facility, especially when faced with the severity of a health crisis such as COVID-19. By creating a barrier between one’s nose and mouth, the risk for contracting diseases in the workplace is significantly reduced. Since the pandemic calls for the constant use of personal protective equipment such as masks and shields, many had to face a harsh reality as there were not enough masks to accommodate the growing number of individuals who needed them. In certain hospitals, healthcare workers had to resort to the recycled use of their P.P.E. in order to preserve the quantity of available masks. Not only is this method ineffective, but it also presents healthcare workers with an additional health risk.
Upon hearing the news regarding the lack of PPE for those on the front lines, members of the Fontbonne community came together and figured out ways in order to satisfy this urgent demand. As many know, there are several pieces of equipment found in both FAB Lab 1 and 2 including the laser cutting machine, 3-D printer, vinyl cutter, virtual reality, and more. These tools have been used in several ways ranging from the creation of keychains to facilitating tours of cells. Using their resourcefulness, members of the Fontbonne community employed the use of laser cutting technology found in the FAB Lab to create masks and P.P.E for those working on the front lines. Ms. Ashkenazy, Ms. Rivera, and Mr. Somma, along with several other members of the community, were able to produce hundreds of shields that provided additional reinforcement for those who are frequently exposed to the virus. Through their collective efforts and strong sense of unity, members of our community were able to make a significant impact on the lives and wellbeing of others. During our time in quarantine, we should all strive to emulate the action taken by those who contributed to this effort by demonstrating selflessness and consciousness for the good of others. By Amal Dawoud '20 At the moment, the coronavirus is all that everyone is talking about, with many precautions taking place to protect further citizens from infection. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has put the whole state in lockdown in order to prevent as many future cases as the state possibly can. With this, however, some citizens are still not cooperating and going to parks, which caused parks to completely shut down to stop people from coming into close contact with one another.
As of writing this article, the CDC reports that there are over 59,000 cases with at least 965 deaths caused by the virus in New York state alone. In the whole U.S., there are 155,000+ cases with 2,800+ deaths scattered around the country, with New York being the state with the most cases. Although Cuomo and de Blasio have been trying their hardest to keep the state’s citizens as safe as possible, some people are not cooperating with the rules, putting abiding citizens at risk. All non-essential businesses have been closed until further notice from the state, leaving medical centers and supermarkets open to the public. People already don’t enjoy staying inside when the weather is getting warmer, so having a quarantine caused some rebellious citizens to ignore the rules and hang out in public and not maintain social distancing. This has led to strange trends involving people who claim to be ill with the coronavirus licking surfaces that others may touch such as a subway train pole. The state has responded to such irresponsible behavior from the public by arresting and charging citizens who participate in such trends. As reiterated from the CDC, the only way the virus will lessen and ultimately vanish is if people practice social distancing and stay home, unless one has to shop for food or needs medical attention. There is no official cure to the coronavirus, but there are studies taking place to investigate if certain vaccines are capable of combating the virus. As all of Fontbonne and the rest of the country go through this tough time, remember to keep wiping down surfaces and stay home! We will get through this! By Amal Dawoud '20 Surging all over the internet and every news reporting station possible is the coronavirus outbreak. A dangerous and very contagious virus is spreading all throughout the world, even hitting the United States. This article is to teach the reader basics about the virus and how to keep themselves safe from the raging illness.
The coronavirus is different from other viruses, as its symptoms are quite similar to those of other illnesses, such as the common cold and the flu. It is a virus that usually affects the respiratory area, such as the lungs, and signs of the virus begin to show around 2-14 days after exposure. Some of these symptoms include: fever, cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. Unfortunately, there is still much more research that has to be conducted to pinpoint symptoms that are particular to the coronavirus. The coronavirus outbreak began in China, where it had rapidly spread to other parts of the world, including the United States. Although there aren’t many cases of the virus in the country, and no cases in New York state - as stated in NYC Health website - the virus is still continuously spreading. This means that even though there aren’t any confirmed cases here in NY, one still has to be cautious for their health, especially in public spaces such as a subway station. Remember, there is always a risk, no matter how low the percentage! People that have a higher risk of catching the virus include: (Information from Mayo Clinic article)
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