May 2022

PLEASANT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL • BETTENDORF, IOWA • SPARTANSHIELD.ORG • MAY 2022 • VOLUME 61 • ISSUE 6

Editor in Chief
Allisa Pandit
Design Editor
Max Huang
Copy Editor
Jayne Abraham
Business Manager
Caroline Sierk
A&E Editor
Harper Clark
Seasonal Editor
Raksha Kumar
Sports Editor
Otto Hofmann
Opinion Editor
Sumika Thapa
News Editor
Mitchell Wood
Senior Spotlight
Editor
Tanisha Nanisetty
Student Life Editor
Josie Olderog
Back Cover Editor
Heath Rice
Letter From the Editor
Hey Spartans! As this school year comes to a bittersweet end, I am excited to share the
2021-2022 sixth and final issue of the Spartan Shield print publication. Playing off
of “Forbes 30 Under 30,” our staff chose to showcase 22 seniors and seven of them to
write features on. While commemorating the end of an era for the seniors at PV, our
staff chose the 22 exceptional seniors through a careful selection of unique achievements,
scholarship and kindness throughout the course of their high school careers.
In addition to the cover story, we covered trending global issues, local topics and created a
senior section to celebrate the last Spartan Shield issue for PV seniors. Not only does this
issue share the last senior spotlights of this year, but we also included the senior survey,
senior superlatives, a letter to the seniors and a senior playlist.
I would like to start off by thanking our readers for supporting the Spartan Shield for
the past school year and never failing to encourage students, such as myself, to pursue
their passions. I would also like to thank the Spartan Shield adviser, Maureen Dyer, who
has been incredibly supportive,
helpful and considerate throughout
the course of my senior year
as editor in chief. Thank you for
constantly challenging me, making
me laugh and allowing me
to explore the journalism field
through a medium I have grown
to love. And to the Shield staff,
thank you for creating a collaborative
work environment in the
publications lab, and thank you
for coming with innovative ideas
every pitch day.
SPARTAN SHIELD PHILOSOPHY
I hope you enjoy the final issue
of the Spartan Shield issue, and
thank you for an unforgettable
year working on my favorite
newsmagazine. The Shield staff
hopes you have a great summer
and wishes you good luck on
your future endeavors!
Until next time,
Allisa Pandit
The Spartan Shield is written, edited, and published by the Pleasant Valley High School news magazine staff. The
opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the adviser, school administra-
tors, or the district. Likewise, the advertisements in this magazine are not endorsed by the Pleasant Valley School
District. The Spartan Shield will not publish material we believe to be libelous or inappropriate for a school pub-
lication. Our mission is to provide the Pleasant Valley student body with a quality news magazine, reach as many
student readers as possible, learn all there is to know about journalism, and have a darn good time while doing it.

STUDENT LIFE
3
Learning loss: Students after COVID-19
By Alyssa Smith
With two years having passed since distance
learning first started, this school year was
supposed to mark a return to normalcy. Yet
teachers across the nation are finding that
students’ behavior and work ethic are far
from normal.
Upon returning to school full-time, it became
apparent that many students failed to
grasp critical concepts during online and
hybrid learning.
Learning loss is common for students when
returning to school in the fall if they did
not engage in their newly found skills over
the summer. In the spring of 2020, online
learning began and many students immediately
fell behind and learned little to nothing
in subjects like math and reading, making
the learning loss worse upon returning
to school in the fall.
short, and the delivery method of online
learning, both synchronous and
asynchronous, did not match the
rigor and quality of instruction
students received when
in-person learning was the
norm,” she explained. Reading
proficiency is the foundation
for many critical skills,
and it is crucial for students
to be able to read by the
fourth grade.
All students, especially
high school students, are
fatigued from this pandemic
and many are burned
out. This leads to diminished
work ethics
and less efficient
learning.
e,
The 2020-2021 school year was exhausting
and difficult for teachers and students alike.
Teachers were tasked with catching students
up from the missed content of fourth quarter
while simultaneously teaching new material
in half the time due to hybrid learning.
According to data acquired by Mckinsey
and Company, the conclusion of the 2020-
2021 school year left students several
months behind in multiple subjects; students
were five months behind in math and
four months behind in reading.
Although setbacks are seen at all grade levels,
one concerning issue is the literacy rates
of third graders. According to the Quad
Cities United Way, only 30% of the Quad
Cities’ third graders can read proficiently.
Reading specialist at Buffalo Elementary
Heather Keppy has seen this issue first
hand. “Students finishing up third grade
also are struggling to meet former benchmarks
for proficiency. Their critical learning
window for language acquisition was cut
Science teacher Audrey
Holland has witnessed a drop off at all levels.
“I think all high school grade levels are
showing signs of missing formative years of
education where test taking and time management
is developed. Juniors and seniors
are starting their first real full year of in
person classes and learning without any of
the gentle building of difficulty and acquisition
of skills over time,” she explained.
The setbacks in the classroom are not to be
blamed on teachers, students and parents;
they are the result of an unprecedented and
scary time. While the pandemic is ongoing,
most of the nation is back in the classroom.
Schools are desperately trying to make up
for lost time. The goal for now is to find
ways to catch students up while still prioritizing
mental and physical health.
In an attempt to improve literacy rates, the
Quad Cities United Way has started Read
United. Read United is a volunteer-based
project where volunteers spend 30 minutes
a week one-on-one with students to help
their literacy skills.
Not all
hope is
lost as it seems this year’s Kindergarteners
are able to adapt to their new environment
surprisingly well. “They are super eager to
learn, and I haven’t really seen a drop-off
this year like I saw in first grade last year
after that batch of kids missed quarter four
of their Kindergarten year and had hybrid
for over half of first grade,” Keppy stated.
Although it seems as though students are
beginning to catch up, it will take extra effort
to get back to pre-pandemic learning.
Through various COVID-19 relief funds,
200 billion dollars will be invested into the
American education system over the next
three years.
The goal is to allocate these funds to be
used to re-engage students and create
support for students to learn effectively.
Closing the gaps in education created by
the pandemic is critical for the future and
well-being of students across the nation.

4 STUDENT LIFE

STUDENT LIFE
5
Exploring new opportunities: Popularizing high school internships
By Alex Blackwell
Getting a job is a rite of passage for many
high school students as they prepare for
the responsibilities of adult life. However,
a much less talked about option for high
school students is internships.
Internships are one of the easiest ways to
find long term employment in a career of
interest. A study from the National Association
of Colleges and Employers
(NACE) stated that internships result
in full-time employment offers 70%
of the time. Internships also offer the
ability to get a foot in the door, resulting
in better pay. The same study from the
NACE stated the average hourly wage for
interns in 2019 was $19.05.
According to US News, only 2% of high
school students take advantage of internships
because they think of them as a “college
pursuit.” Senior JT Muszalski said, “I
recently interned at a law firm, and it was a
great experience. A lot of my friends didn’t
know you could do that in high school.”
Perhaps the lack of internship awareness
stems from the idea that internships are
hard to acquire and require
previous skill. While this
assumption can be true
in some cases,
there
are
also internships
that allow
students to gain real world skills without
previous experience. For example, Brigham
Young University Idaho (BYU-Idaho),
which requires internships for its students
to graduate, highlights that students can intern
anywhere from art museums to food
courts.
Another reason
for lack of internships
among high
school students
is simply due to
lack of visible opportunities.
According
to Forbes,
43% of internship
opportunities
were initiated due
to familial connections;
connections,
especially
those that lead to
internships, are
simply much more
difficult to obtain
without the help
of adults.
Despite internship opportunities
relying
largely on who
you know,
there are also
some ways
to find positions
without
previous
connections.
Oftentimes,
small offices
and businesses
are looking for people
to help with day-to-day
operations. Experts say a simple email to
small businesses expressing interest can foster
the connections needed to find internships.
Students should not be discouraged
if these emails do not lead to eventual internship
opportunities, however. According
to The Conversation, for every percent that
unemployment rises, the response rate for
internships decreases by 5%.
Another popular method of finding internships
is simply searching the internet for
opportunities in your area. This search is
often less fruitful because small businesses
often do not think of high school internships
until they are required.
Senior Brian Collins said, “I emailed a couple
of places I found online that were offering
full time positions to find my first
internship last summer.” While internships
are definitely the road less traveled when it
comes to high school job experience, there
are many ways that students can obtain
these opportunities.

6 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
“Where the problem at?”: The rise of Yeat and other internet rappers
By Otto Hofmann
In the wake of online media, platforms
such as SoundCloud have made it easier
than ever to gain a following. This has led
to the rise of the internet artist, an artist
whose content originally started on these
platforms and has now garnered mainstream
popularity.
When looking at music platforms –
SoundCloud specifically – it is clear that
many promote hip-hop artists. Now, there
is a shift in the influence and talent of this
new generation of artists.
Popular artists such as Playboi Carti began
releasing their music on SoundCloud, and
this garnered attention from record executives
and peers. Carti’s early tracks such as
2015’s “Fetty” had extreme underground
success and helped him develop his relationship
with hip-hop collective A$AP
Mob. This connection allowed Carti to
land a guest feature on the A$AP Mob album
“A$AP Mob’s Cozy Tapes Vol. 1.”
Referred to as the blueprint for many modern
day rappers, Carti released his self-titled
album which instantly blew up. Not
only did people enjoy his music, but he also
gained attention for his outfits and soon
became associated with high fashion and
streetwear.
Recently, a new wave of artists has emerged,
led by Noah Oliver Smith, better known as
Yeat. He has been rapping since he was in
high school but recently gained mainstream
popularity after releasing tracks such as
“Sorry Bout That” and “Money Twërk.’’
His biggest accomplishment and most
popular work is his most recent project “2
Alivë” which became viral on TikTok; this
attention helped him earn a joint deal with
Field Trip Recordings and Geffen Records.
Yeat is able to separate himself from his
internet counterparts by his personality
and sound. Yeat has gravitated towards the
fashion scene due to his collection of clothing,
including turbans, head scarves, black
tracksuits and Balenciaga sneakers. Many
people draw comparisons to Carti. Yeat also
has coined his own lingo, using words like
“twizzy ‘’ meaning twin and “tonka ‘’ for
big one. This new vocabulary directly plays
into his music with lyrics such as “my money
big, yeah, my money tonka.”
Yeat and his counterparts describe their rap
as “SoundCloud 2.0.” Yeat, along with So-
Faygo, Ken Car$on and SSGKobe, describe
their sound as “a synthy rage rap” inspired
by Playboi Carti and others that came before
them.
Yeat’s “SoundCloud 2.0” revolution has
given him the title of “Breakout Artist of
the Year” by Lyrical Lemonade producer
and CEO Cole Bennett.
Yeat has amassed a cult following, and his
show in late February at the Roxy Theater
in Los Angeles got shut down by LAPD
due to “serious overcrowding.”
His personality and viral antics allow
him to separate himself from his new age
SoundCloud artists.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
7
Comic comeback: DC on the rise
By Heath Rice
The Infinity saga has come to an end in
recent years, and Marvel’s next wave of superheroes
and villains has been met with
mixed opinions. Films like “Shang-Chi”
which celebrated culture
and beautiful cinematography
were highly
praised. Marvel has also
released a variety of
new TV shows streaming
on Disney Plus like
“MoonKnight” and
animated shows like
“What If ?”
Along with praise,
Marvel’s newest movie
“Morbius” was strongly
disliked among fans. Senior
Aidan Schutte saw
the film this month. “I
disliked Morbius because
it was extremely
boring, it had poor
writing and overall it
was unintentionally
funny,” Schutte commented.
Following suit, DC has
also released a variety
of new movies making
fans wonder: Is DC the
new lead in superhero
movies? With titles
like “Suicide Squad”
in 2016 which received
a 26% on Rotten Tomatoes
and “Justice
League” which got a
39%, DC was always in the shadows until
now.
In recent years, DC films have taken a turn
for the better, holding stronger plots, characters
and graphics. The remake of “Justice
League Scott Snyder Cut’’ started a
new era of quality, almost doubling their
score at 71%. The four-hour movie fixed
the complaints of the past movie, adding
new characters, moments, fights and comic
moments. Characters like “Darkseid” and
“Martian Manhunter” made an appearance.
“The Suicide Squad,” a sequel to Suicide
Squad and Bird of Prey, got an impressive
score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, tripling
its previous score. It is obvious for critics
and viewers alike that DC has stepped up
its cinematic game. The new film was a personal
favorite for action fans with its brilliant
blend of comedy and fights.
Going off of the new film, John Cena, who
played Peacemaker, got a spinoff series
streaming on HBO Max. The show received
a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and was an enjoyable
series to watch,
leaving fans excited for
season two.
Hechler stated.
Along with “Peacemaker,”
DC has also released
a variety of hit shows
streaming on HBO.
Shows like “Stargirl”
and “Harley Quinn”
were absolute wonders
to experience. DC
has made a variety of
shows hitting a variety
of genres. The shows
have a deep impact on
fans with their amazing
scripts and character designs.
The newest film “The
Batman” has made over
$600 million worldwide
and had a $129 million
weekend debut. The film
was a fan favorite for its
blend of a new Dark
Knight, played by Robert
Pattinson, and amazing
cinematography.
Senior Charlie Hechler
saw the film. “The cinematography
was on the
next level, and it was one
of the greatest portrayals
of Batman in movies,”
The quality of DC media has clearly improved
in recent years for shows and films
alike, leaving fans deeply satisfied. While
the new wave of Marvel films holds promise
with a wave of hits and misses, DC may
be the next big thing in superhero films
around the world.

8 OPINION
Grammy’s 2022: Behind the broadcast
By Jillian Keppy
Each year, the Recording Academy hosts an
awards ceremony to recognize “outstanding
Achievement in the music industry.” Winning
artists and contributors are presented
with a gilded gramophone to symbolize
their success. But to what extent are winners
recognized and why?
This year’s Grammy Awards show featured
countless pop legends and A-list celebrities,
some of whom are regular Grammy attendees
and others who were attending for the
first time this year. Pop mogul and beloved
Disney star Olivia Rodrigo was one of the
more notable first-time nominees this year,
being nominated in seven categories and
taking home the award for Best New Artist,
Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Pop
Vocal Album. Rodrigo also stole the show
with an amazing live performance of her
top hits, alongside other performers such as
BTS, Billie Eilish, Brandi Carlile, Brothers
Osborne and Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow.
But why, out of all of the nominees, were
these the artists chosen to perform? While
a lot of the selection is based on popularity
and how well-known the artist is, it is
also clear that some performers are chosen
based on their status and relationship to the
network. Kelly Clarkson, Jon Batiste, Snoop
Dog and Brandi Carlile are all examples of
artists who have close relations to the NBC
network and are often in the Grammy performance
lineup, regardless of their success
in the industry that year.
Confusion surrounding performers was not
the only noteworthy topic after this year’s
64th annual awards ceremony. Several artists
who were highly successful in the industry
this year and were nominated in one
of the “big four” categories opted out of
attending the show, one of those artists being
global superstar Taylor Swift. Swift was
nominated for Album of the Year for her alternative
folk record “Evermore.” In 2021,
Swift was nominated for and won the Album
of the Year award for “Evermore’s“
sister album, “Folklore.” Even though Swift
attended in 2021 to receive her Grammy,
she was nowhere to be seen on the red carpet,
during the show or at the Vanity Fair
after party.
Swift’s absence left fans confused, especially
after her success and eagerness at last year’s
show, and senior Lauren Puthoff was disappointed
by the no-show. “Taylor Swift is
one of my favorite artists, and I always look
forward to seeing her red carpet looks. I was
shocked to learn that she didn’t attend, especially
since she was nominated for such a
prominent award,” Puthoff stated.
So, either Swift had been informed by an
insider from the Academy of her unlikely
chances at winning the profound award two
years in a row, or she simply does not care
about “Evermore” and had no interest in
being present to accept a possible Grammy
for it. One would assume that the latter is
unlikely.
While Swift did not need to be present if
she were not likely to win an award, the
same does not go for smaller, rising
artists. Walking the red carpet alone
opens up the opportunity for
an interview with one of many
huge news outlets at the event
and magazine photographers
looking for possible cover
photos for fashion articles the
next day. While the Grammys
are the largest event of the year
in the music industry, they also
present one of the most prominent
opportunities for celebrities, publicity-wise.
The topic of smaller artists and lesser-known
contributors attending
also brings up the conversation
surrounding which
awards are presented in
the “pre-telecast” ceremony.
Fewer than
20 awards are presented during the telecast,
leaving nearly two-thirds of the 86 awards
to be announced before the main event.
While it makes sense that there is simply
not enough time to give all 86 awards the
same amount of attention, it is unfortunate
that so many phenomenal contributors are
snubbed of a true ceremony and acceptance.
One specific award robbed of a full presentation
was producer of the year. Jack
Antonoff took home the award this year
with an extremely well-rounded resume.
Antonoff has produced masterpieces with
artists like Lorde, Lana Del Rey, Clairo,
Taylor Swift and countless others. Producing
is arguably just as important, if not
more important, than the work that goes
into writing and performing on an album.
Production work is what brings a record to
life, which is why it is so difficult to understand
the reasoning behind its lack of
appreciation by the Recording Academy.
The Grammys have been questioned by
artists and viewers alike for
decades. Winning a Grammy
is seen as one of the
highest honors in the
industry, but it is easy
to question the award
show’s validity when
inconsistencies in
artist appearances
and
contributor
appreciation
are so
prevalent.

NEWS
9
Product personification: Modern technology preys on human vulnerability
By Jayne Abraham
In an increasingly digital society, seemingly
unattainable technological advancements
become a reality everyday. Robots – Amazon
Alexas and Google Homes – live in
our houses, virtual reality transports us to
places previously unimaginable and an immersive
digital playground, the metaverse, is
upon us.
While such realities previously only existed
in people’s darkest dystopian fantasies, humans
have become almost inseparable from
technology. But what is the appeal?
Simply put, modern technology preys on
human vulnerability.
Whether it is a lonely individual’s desire
for a companion or a child’s need for stimulation,
technology, in its many forms, has
been personalized to target humans’ craving
for connection.
Various forms of media have shown the
dangers of this dystopian dependency, like
the eerie, heartbreaking 2013 Spike Jonze
film “Her.” In the movie, Theodore, played
by Joaquin Phoenix, falls for Samantha,
played by Scarlett Johansson, who is an artificially
intelligent virtual assistant with a
female voice.
humans’ relationship with technology is
described as intimate. “On the Internet,
people create imaginary identities in virtual
worlds and spend hours playing out parallel
lives. Children bond with artificial pets that
ask for their care and affection,” it reads.
“We create robots in our own image, we
connect with them easily and then we become
vulnerable to the emotional power
of that connection,” explained the article’s
interviewee, MIT Professor Sherry Turkle.
No longer is technology viewed as a merely
cold and subservient tool. Essentially, humans
are being microdosed dystopia.
Take for example the “Ask app not to track”
feature on Apple products. Such transparency
from Apple may seem comforting, but
according to the Washington Post, the “Ask
app not to track” feature is an empty promise.
“Our investigation found the iPhone’s
tracking protections are nowhere nearly as
comprehensive as Apple’s advertising might
suggest,” wrote Washington Post contributors
Geoffrey A. Fowler and Tatum Hunt.
“We found at least three popular iPhone
games share a substantial amount of identifying
information with ad companies,
even after being asked not to track.”
Dougherty acknowledged that such marketing
helps these products appear less invasive
as they appeal to human emotions.
In fact, he even pointed out that “the marketing
itself can be invasive.” Dougherty
continued, “I’ve gotten a lot of YouTube
ads recently for phones. This is correlated
with me doing a lot of Google searches
shopping for a new phone.”
Invasive marketing is strikingly methodical
thanks to invasive products that study
every user’s click. The personification of
these products only shines a brighter
light on the dystopian
fantasies
that have
become
increasingly
realistic.
“I think films [like] these are important
because it’s displayed as a symbol or metaphor
for how addicted we are to our smartphones;
we [have begun] creating isolation
between [ourselves] and everyone else,”
said senior Carson Meenan, an avid movie-watcher
and a fan of the movie “Her.”
But beyond the theater, how far does this
message truly go? Audiences consume such
media and condemn the extremes of reliance
on technology, but many remain oblivious
to the fact that a similar reality is upon
us.
In a 2003 Harvard Business Review article
that has since grown in applicability,
Humans are burdened by their insatiable
desire for convenience. The
voice assistant technology of the
Alexas and Siris of the world “epitomize[s]
the tension between efficiency
and privacy,” according to The
Guardian. And it is no coincidence
that these invasive technologies are
identifiable through human names.
“Corporations are just trying to convince
you that this new ‘advanced’
thing is worth your money because it’s
cool and makes your life easier,” said
senior Carter Dougherty. Commercials
for Alexa sell an image of convenience
made lighthearted by witty humor.

10 NEWS
Piling the pressure: The strain of overworking on students
By Heath Rice
With the rise of fast food, accessible entertainment
and service work, the need for
jobs has skyrocketed. To fill these vacancies,
there are teenage students looking for an extra
buck. With schoolwork, clubs, personal
activities, family and work, the load can be
overbearing.
Students can easily be swept under a pile
of missing assignments and forgotten priorities
as their shifts grow longer. Senior
Gabby Mcconaughy gave her opinion on
balancing work and personal life. “I work
most weekdays and I enjoy the money, but
it becomes overwhelming. When I get off
work, I instantly have to do hours of homework,”
she shared.
and any other activities.
“I come home most nights and go straight
to bed, ignoring certain assignments. I
wake up early and do them before school,
throwing my schedule out of whack,” Mccounaghy
stated. Students are forced to take
their free moments and warp their schedule
around workload.
“I feel exhausted, tired and overworked almost
every day. I have a hard time making
room for my boyfriend and friends even on
weekends. Even without my job, I was already
overstressed with classloads, applying
for college and upcoming school events,”
she expressed.
Various PV students reported that they
wake up around 6 a.m. for a variety of reasons.
With clubs and after school jobs, most
students do not arrive home until around 8
p.m. To receive the 10 hours of sleep needed,
they would have to go to bed right when
they get home. Instead, they have hours of
homework to complete.
There truly are not enough hours in a day
for students to achieve the excellence they
desire without sacrifice — whether that is
sleep, friends or other activities. Students
are forced to spend their days and their
nights on school just to do it again the next
day.
Teenagers are forced to balance
a variety of priorities
that on their own can take
up an entire day. All together,
students are left overstressed
and overworked. Not only
are they overworked but they
feel it is an obligation. Senior
Tanveer Bassi, who works
at a local arcade, stated, “I
feel like I always need to be
working. I take any shifts I
can along with school and
hobbies, simply because it’s
what’s expected of me,” Bassi
stated.
Over 25% of students in the United States
work some form of a part-time job. Unlike
many adults whose main focus is work, students
have a variety of other priorities. Even
without jobs, students can be overworked
with schoolwork and activities. Clubs like
sports and theater meet for countless hours
on weekdays and entire days on weekends.
Tournaments and performances conquer
weekends leaving little time for socializing
Students spend around six hours in classes
learning content back to back. To make
up for 45- minute classes, teachers pile on
readings, assignments and practices to help
boost learning. These assignments force students
to spend the other hours of their day
studying and working. It is recommended
that students have 10 hours of sleep, and
with the 8:10 start to 2:45 end, students
are left with only eight hours left in the day.
The high expectations of
being a student along with
work, hobbies and life itself
make it almost impossible
to take a breath, especially when the world
around you deems it as ordinary.
The best way to combat this cycle of exhaustion
is to prioritize yourself. Talk with
teachers and counselors to find ways to get
the time you need to rest. Teachers may allow
the extensions necessary when communicated.

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SEASONAL
19
To eat or not to eat meat: Could you take on a plant based diet?
By Mitchell Wood
In the past 50 years, meat consumption in
the U.S. has risen exponentially. What was
once a luxury is now a commodity, meat is
considered to be the essential piece to complete
a meal in manys points of view. But is
the delectable dollar menu burger a s
harmless as many
think?
Our planet is in desperate need of a lifeline.
According to Bloomberg.com, climate
change has ravaged millions of lives and, in
the not too distant future, will undoubtedly
cause even more irreversible damage, potentially
displacing millions of people worldwide.
Agriculture has accounted for nearly a
quarter of carbon emissions alone. To put
that into perspective, that is more than all
of the cars, trucks, trains, ships and
planes in the world.
Nearly half of
the continental
U.S. is used
for raising
livestock
and the
food
w e
feed
to the sound of the sear on a grill.
Companies like Impossible and Beyond
Meat are targeting the average meat eater.
They want to create suitable substitutes
that make the switch as seamless as possible.
Humans eat plants, and plants obtain their
energy from the sun meaning all life on our
planet is solar powered. So when animals
are added into the mix ,who also eat plants,
their existence in our diets ultimately becomes
an inefficient middle-man of sorts
for humans to receive their solar energy.
Junior Kushi Maridu has given this new
plant based meat a try and thinks that making
the switch may be pivotal in the fight
against climate change. “The meat is identical
in my opinion,” he said. “To think that
making this simple change could greatly
reduce my carbon footprint is helping in
the fight against rising temperatures is reassuring.”
Slaughter houses are not something people
want to think about when digging into
their favorite meat-packed meal. The idea
of chickens never seeing a blade of grass
or calfs being separated from their mothers
at birth would likely leave any meat lover a
little uneasy.
those
animals.
Not to
mention
the 10% of
the Amazon
rainforest that has
been burnt to the ground
to allow more grazing room for
animals, essentially replacing the good
with the bad.
Without change, the exponential rise in
meat consumption will continue to have irreversible
effects on the planet.
This innovation has actually already made
its way into restaurants and grocery stores.
The lifeline is plant-based meat. A concoction
with a variety of different plant-based
products that together form the perfect
doppelgänger. The meat mimics everything
from the color, texture, nutrition all the way
Earth Day comes around once a year for
people to pretend like they all love and appreciate
the beauty our planet bestows on
us. In reality, the Earth needs us more than
ever to stand up for it. Celebrate Earth Day
by giving plant-based meat a try; you just
might not taste a difference.

20 SPORTS
A goodbye to high school sports
By Raksha Kumar
Many students started playing their sports
at a young age and have grown as athletes.
Over the past four years, these students
have shown determination, perseverance
and hard work through their sports seasons.
As many other things, sports are coming to
an end for most seniors. Some exceptional
athletes are not continuing their sports in
college; therefore, their last season marks
the end of an era.
Senior Gavin Pangan started playing
tennis when he was in elementary
school. He became
more involved and competitive
his freshman year of high
school. Pangan has progressed
both physically and mentally
through tennis. He has met
most of his closest friends on
the court and has a special
connection with his coaches
as well.
Pangan worked ex- tremely
hard and was no. 6 on varsity
junior year and pro- gressed to
no. 3 his senior year. He learned
about confidence and determination
through tennis. He
plans on continu- ing tennis
as a hobby rather than a competitive
sport i n
college. Pangan
said, “I’m
both sad and
excited
about
this
final season. It
is going to
be hard to say goodbye
to all of my teammates,
but I will always cherish the
memories I have made with them
over the years.”
Similar to Pangan, senior Lizzie McVey
began playing golf when she was
about 5 years old. She started
competitive golf in the Iowa
Junior Golf Association
when she was
11. McVey
h a s a strong
connection with her coach and
team.
McVey plans on continuing her passion
for golf after high school by playing with
friends and family. She said, “I am sad because
this is my last season of competitive
golf; however, I am very happy with how
well my golf seasons have gone. With an
amazing team and amazing coaches, I was
able to achieve my goals.”
Senior Ben Kammler started running
track as a seventh grader.
Kammler has become close
friends with many of the
people on the team.
They constantly
push each other
at practice
to work harder
and run faster.
Track coach Philip
George has especially helped through
Kammler’s long-term hamstring injury.
Kammler said, “I have been trying to
make every day count as I missed nearly
all of last season as a result of my injury.
Knowing it is my last season has pushed me
to work every single day to get to where I
want to be as an athlete.”
As the school year comes
to an end, seniors reflect
on their many lasts of the
year. This is an important
time of growth and saying
goodbye. Seniors are making the
most out of their seasons and
coaches are thrilled to see the
dramatic improvements over
the years.

SPORTS
21

22 SENIOR SECTION

SENIOR SECTION
23

24 SENIOR SECTION

SENIOR SECTION
25

26 SENIOR SECTION

Tohm
Name: Ethan Kilcoin
Celebrity look-alike: jughead
Most embarrassing moment: none (7th
grade)
High school highlight: June 4th
Favorite book: Wolf of Wall street
Your best feature: critical thinking skills
Who would be your Vice President? Don’t need one
Weapon of choice in a zombie apocalypse: Radiohead sword
Craziest talent: Knowing the meaning of weird fishes
Biggest accomplishment: Letterboxd hitting 30 follows
Future children’s names? Ethan and Colin
What’s your @ know_agenda
THE PROWLER
Name: Mitchell Wood
Most embarrassing moment:“My hero”
incident
Favorite book: The Art of War
Your best feature: Fingers
Who would be your Vice President?
Phoenix Jones
Weapon of choice in a zombie apocalypse: Light saber (green)
Plans after high school: Research global warming for 14 hours
a day trying to find a solution
Dream job: Card shark or Hitman
Best advice you have ever received? If you walk with a purpose
nobody will stop you
Biggest fear: Bronze Bull or HAL 9000
Future children’s names? Pablo
What’s your @ mitchellkwood
Jayney Baby
Name: jayne abraham
Most embarrassing moment: crying at
school multiple times each year
Your best feature: my audacity
Weapon of choice in a zombie apocalypse:
my words
Craziest talent: going to bed before 11
pm every school night
Plans after high school: subscribing to the elitism of higher education
Biggest accomplishment: successfully assimilating into american
culture
Dream job: struggling poet
Biggest fear: pv parents
What’s your @ insta – @jayne.abraham
SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS
27
Jig
Name: allisa pandit
Celebrity look-alike: deepika padukone
Most embarrassing moment: hs dances
High school highlight: volvie
Favorite book: the epic of gilgamesh
Your best feature: my voice
Who would be your Vice President? aditya
roy kapur
Weapon of choice in a zombie apocalypse: raksha kumar
Craziest talent: knowing my limit
Best advice you have ever received? “stop cutting your bangs”
Biggest fear: sumika thapa at graduation
Best PV memory: may 29, 2022
What’s your @ allisapandit
Cine
Name: caroline sierk
Celebrity look-alike: florence pugh
Most embarrassing moment: state
speech 2022- if you know, you nose
High school highlight: directing frozen,
jr.
Favorite book: the seven husbands of
evelyn hugo
Craziest talent: curating aesthetic pinterest boards
Plans after high school: I’m going to UCLA to double major in
vocal performance and communications
Dream job: music producer
Best advice you have ever received? figure out who you are,
and be them on purpose
Describe your freshman self in three words: don’t know her
What’s your @ c.sierk
Rakshasi
Name: Raksha Kumar
Celebrity look-alike: Donkey from Shrek
High school highlight: Throwing food at
lunch (sorry erickson)
Your best feature: My toes
Weapon of choice in a zombie apocalypse:
Disco stick
Craziest talent: BBL face
Future children’s names: Coco, Bananas, Peanut, and Eclair
Most embarrassing moment: Getting mistaken for a preschooler
Biggest fear: Rithvik
Describe your freshman self in three words: smart, hot, irresistible
What’s your @ Snap: raksha_k57 insta: raksha.k10