Category Archives: News

COVID-19

What are the benefits of getting the COVID-19 vaccine?

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By: Grace Blumer-Lamotte

The COVID-19 vaccines that are being used right now are the Pfizer vaccine, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna. The Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine cleared for children currently; it is cleared for children ages 5 through 11.

There is also a COVID booster shot. Everyone over the age of 18 can get it. At first they were just giving it to first responders and people who were more susceptible to get COVID, but now it has opened up more to the public and everyone of the age of 18 can get the booster shot.

According to the CDC, “COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, once fully vaccinated, people can start doing more, and a safer way to help build protection.” 

One of the reasons the vaccine is safe is because millions of people in the US have received the vaccine since they were authorized by the FDA. Another reason is that they have undergone “The most insensitive safety monitoring in US history.” A third reason is “There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause fertility problems.” The last reason, the CDC had stated was “The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks.”

I interviewed a freshman and a junior. I asked them these questions: Have you heard anything about the COVID-19 vaccine causing fertility issues? Have you heard about the tedious monitoring that the US has undergone trying to make the vaccine?

The freshman answered the first question saying, “No, I haven’t.” 

They then answered the second question saying, “Yes I have. I know it took lots of scientists to make the vaccine. They also had a very short period of time to make the vaccine.”

The junior answered the first question saying, “I’ve only heard conspiracy theories about it.”

They then answered the second question saying, “Yes I have. My Mom works at the U of MN and she tells me stories about how long it was taking and what a tedious process it was.”

The COVID-19 vaccine is effective. It helps children and adults from getting very ill. Another reason the CDC states about this was “Getting children ages 5 years and older vaccinated can help protect them from serious short- and long-term complications.”

Once fully vaccinated, people can progressively start doing more. Families/people can resume many activities that they did before the pandemic started. Some activities that you could return to doing that are low risk are: eating outdoors at a restaurant, getting a haircut, going to an outdoor concert, hugging vaccinated family and friends, and visiting elderly relatives that have also been fully vaccinated.

Some other activities that you could return to doing that are medium risks are: eating indoors at a restaurant, going to the theaters, traveling, going to the gym, and getting a massage.

The COVID-19 vaccine is a safer way to help build protection. According to the CDC, “Children ages 5 years and older and adults who are eligible should get vaccinated regardless of whether they already had COVID-19. Evidence is emerging that people get better protection by being fully vaccinated compared with previously having a COVID-19 infection.”

To learn more about the benefits of getting vaccinated, please go to:

Editorials/Student Voice, Events

Public school breaks revolve around Christian holidays 

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By: Ella Sutherland

If you go to a public school have you ever noticed how all of your “holiday” breaks are always revolving around Christian holidays? The 2 longest breaks of the school year are winter break and spring break. Those mostly always include the two major Christian holidays which are Christmas and Easter. 

Saint Paul Public Schools have around the same time periods for breaks as many of the Christian private schools. So, even though Saint Paul Public Schools are all inclusive of religions and cultures, there is still almost a bias for when our breaks are scheduled. 

Because school decided to schedule these breaks to be around Christian holidays, students that are not Christian have to miss school or go to school and postpone their special holiday. For example, many Jewish students have had to miss many days of school this fall because of Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, which are very important Jewish holidays that should be recognized. And even though they get excused absences for missing school the students are still missing classes and important information and sometimes even tests.

 If schools arranged for breaks to revolve around many holidays and break it up, instead of having 2 long breaks, people might feel more included. Also, in elementary schools, at least mine for example, we would do arts and crafts like a week before winter break and lots of the crafts would have Christmas trees and Santa. We only ever really talked about Christmas around that time and never included any other religious holidays. This wasn’t just around the winter break, it was around most Christian holidays.

Public schools need to start respecting holidays that are important for other religions and not just Christianity. That includes cultures such as the Hindu holiday of Diwali, and the Islamic holiday of Eid. Schools should just start thinking about this. 

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National

Oxford High School shooting

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By: Citlaly Castillo-Thoren

On Tuesday afternoon, November 30, a gunman entered Oxford High School and opened fire, injuring 10 students and a teacher. 4 students died from their injuries.     

Security cameras showed 15-year-old suspect, Ethan Crumberly walking in the bathroom and exiting with a firearm, moments after he got out of a conference with school staff and parents about his “concerning behavior”.

Shorty after he exited the bathroom, he walked down the hallway pointing the gun and shot students.

The suspect surrendered when cops approached him. 

The teen had a permit to legally hold and fire a gun in certain locations, like private property and the gun range.  He used a semi automatic handgun, or a 9mm Sig Sauer SP2022 pistol, that his dad bought on Black Friday.   

The superintendent put out a statement video that is 12 minutes long. First he apologized to the families who lost loved ones from the shooting. Then, he goes on to say that the schools will not be able to reopen for weeks.  “This school is a wreck. It’s a war zone,” Superintendent Throne said.

Ethan has been charged with 24 felonies, including four counts of murder, and one count of terrorism. He is being charged as an adult.

The parents of Ethan are facing charges of four counts of homicide, and involuntary manslaughter.  Many sources say that the school or his parents could have prevented the shooting. Moments after the school announced there was an active shooter in the school, Ethan’s mom texted him: “Please Ethan don’t do this.” 

James Crumley And Jennifer Crumley pled not guilty to the charges against them. After their son did the shooting, they left town. They said they were unaware of the scheduled arraignment time and said they weren’t fleeing prosecution.                                                

Science/Nature

Poaching of rhinos

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By: Mila Hart

Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting of wild animals. This has been an issue all over the world for hundreds of years. It was in the late middle ages that poaching officially became illegal and a punishable offense.

More than half of the world’s poaching occurs in Africa. This is because Africa is home to a large variety of rare animals. The countries with the most poaching are Zimbabwe and Kenya.

The main animals that are affected by poaching in Sub-Saharan Africa are white and black rhinoceros, African elephants, and lions but the list goes on and on.

Rhinos are poached for their horns. In recent years the poaching for rhino horns has increased because the demand for them has skyrocketed in Vietnam. The Rhino horns are extremely valuable and can be sold on the black market for upwards of half a million US dollars. Rhino horns can be used in medicine but they are mainly purchased as a symbol of wealth.

In 2004, 12 rhinos were poached in South Africa but because of the increase in demand nearly 1,000 rhinos in South Africa were poached in 2013. The population of black rhinos was estimated to be about 100,000 in 1960. Since then there has been a significant decrease and now the population is around 5,000. One of the main causes of this decline is poaching.

Over the years, conservationists have developed methods on how they can help protect rhinos from poachers. When it comes down to it, when the horn is left on the rhino the chances of it being killed are much greater than if the horn is removed. This has led conservationists to safely remove the horns themselves.

Rhino horns are made up of keratin, the same thing your nails and hair are made up of. When poachers cut off the horns they try to get as much of it as possible; to do so they cut off part of the rhino’s face as well. Because of this rhinos are left with dismembered faces and could very easily die if not rescued in time.

The process of safely removing a rhino horn begins by tranquilizing a rhino from a helicopter and tracking it until it is sedated. Once on the ground, the conservationists will cut the rhino’s horn off safely above the growth plate. This leaves a stump that will grow back in two to three years. Because rhinos live with no natural predators, living without the horn would not make them more vulnerable in the wild. Conservationists at Vetpaw say that if they weren’t taking action now then both elephants and rhinos would be extinct in the next ten years.

COVID-19, Local

What is COVID-19 currently looking like in Minnesota?

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By: Grace Blumer-Lamotte

COVID-19 better known as COVID or Corona, is a virus. According to Hopkins Medicine, COVID-19 is the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that emerged in December 2019. The way coronavirus is spread as of now, researchers know that the spread is through droplets and virus particles released into the air when an infected person breathes, talks, laughs, sings, coughs, or sneezes. 

The cases in Minnesota have increased due to the widely known delta variant. According to StarTribune, there are increased demands for hospitalization including a surge of newly reported infections, exceeding the state’s capacity for logging cases. 

The symptoms of COVID-19 are flu like symptoms. That includes fevers or chills, a cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. If you have any of these symptoms the CDC strongly encourages those to get tested. To learn more about COVID-19 tests, visit this website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html.

According to Mayo Clinic, one of the ways you can help prevent the spread of COVID is wearing a mask properly. This means wearing it above your nose and having it cover both your nose and mouth.

Maintaining social distancing, getting a flu shot, if you haven’t already, washing your hands frequently, and cleaning/disinfecting surfaces are also ways to help prevent spreading COVID.

Another way to help prevent the spread is getting the COVID-19 vaccine. If you are interested in getting the vaccine, you may find this website helpful: https://www.vaccines.gov/.

I interviewed a freshman and asked them these questions: How has COVID-19 affected you personally? How has it affected your household? What precautions are you taking to prevent it? How do you feel about the vaccine?

*Note, the following are simply the freshman’s responses to my questions. They were not verified for facts.

The freshman responded saying, “It stops me from visiting my friends. I also can’t go into public spaces without a mask. It is difficult for me to focus in school because I am thinking about a huge pandemic that is spreading throughout the world rather than my learning.” 

The freshman responded to the second question saying, “It affects my daily life inside my house. It affects me by making me clean literally anything inside my house. You have to be super sanitary. Any visitors I have inside my house, also have to go through the same thing. It is just a huge pain.”

The freshman responded to the third question saying, “Hand sanitizer, mask, the alcohol wipes, eat healthy, avoid areas with a large amount of people, and try not to touch everything.”

The freshman responded to the fourth question saying, “The vaccine is actually really helpful because it helps protect you from getting the virus. And I support it because over 60% of the people in the world would be infected by it if they didn’t have the vaccine.”

COVID-19

Quarantine’s effect on mental health in teens

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By: Mary Koch

Quarantine had overwhelming effects on everyone, especially teenagers. Spending months at home and not being able to see friends in person isn’t healthy, and teens’ mental health is an example.

Not being able to go to school in person made things more difficult, and it was harder to keep up with classes and assignments. Stress of staying on top of working and trying to understand lessons without having as easily accessible help wasn’t easy.

Things like school dances, performances, and sports were cancelled or postponed, so students ended up missing out on things they won’t have a chance to do again. Graduations and school events were socially distanced or virtual, and the overall experience wasn’t the same.

A poll taken in New York indicated that 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys, from the ages of 13 to 18, have had more severe anxiety since quarantine began.

Without the pandemic, 14.3% of teens will experience depression or bipolar disorder. Adding on the effects of quarantine over 22% of teens are meeting criteria for having one or both of those mental illnesses.

When people are suffering from depression, it’s recommended that people don’t isolate themselves, but with the lockdown, there was no other option. Kids have to stay home, they couldn’t see their friends or non-immediate family, and they had fewer activities.

Having a good steady sleep schedule can make positive changes in people’s lives. With lockdown school was done online, so students didn’t need to wake up at the same time everyday. Instead of going to bed and getting a good night’s sleep, they stayed up doing homework, watching TV, and going on their phones.

Lockdown also strained relationships with friends, and many teens came out with fewer than they had when the lockdown started. With fewer friends and less of a support system, people’s mental health will decline.

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Science/Nature

TBIs: effects, stats, and treatments

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By: Mila Hart and Liv Miller

TBI stands for traumatic brain injury. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons defines a traumatic brain injury as “A disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a blow, bump or jolt to the head, the head suddenly and violently hitting an object or when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue”. 

The four main types of TBIs include: concussions, contusions, penetrating injuries, and anoxic brain injuries.

  • Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries and are caused by a blow to the head.
  • Contusions are slightly more severe then concussions. Contusions are a bruise to the brain that causes bleeding and swelling inside of the brain.
  • A penetrating brain injury is when an object penetrates the skull and hurts the brain.
  • Anoxic brain injuries are the most severe TBIs. They are caused by a complete lack of oxygen to the brain. Anoxic brain injuries are often fatal.

To learn more about the four main types of TBIs visit Dolmanlaw.com.

The symptoms that follow a traumatic brain injury can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the injury. There are a wide variety of effects and symptoms that people who have suffered a TBI may experience. Some symptoms include vomiting, headache, dizziness and balance concerns, breathing problems, confusion, ect., and that is just the beginning.

Although some of these symptoms can be short term and get less severe over time, there is a good chance that someone can experience many long term effects after suffering a traumatic brain injury. These include loss of memory (amnesia), focal neurological deficits such as muscle weakness, loss of vision, change in speech, ect., and an overall weakened mental state.

If someone were to experience a more serious traumatic brain injury, or multiple ones over a short period of time, they might be more likely to go into a vegetative state or even die. The long term effect can get even worse if you experience multiple TBIs. Psychology Today says that if you have suffered three or more concussions you are more likely to have long-term cognitive impairment and emotional struggles. Multiple concussions can cause depression, anger, and memory loss. To learn more about the symptoms for a TBI visit the CDCs website.

It is estimated that around 1.6 to 3.8 million sports related traumatic brain injuries occur every year, and recreational activities contribute to about 21 percent of all TBIs among American children and adolescents. The reason why sports often contribute to traumatic brain injuries is because more aggressive sports, like football, soccer, rugby, lacrosse, etc. involve a lot of person to person contact often resulting in blows to the head.

There also may be a high underestimate of traumatic brain injuries reported due to many people failing to seek medical help after sustaining their injury. Many people, especially adolescents, are likely to assume they have just a mild concussion and fail to go to the doctor. This is not good because it can result in their condition getting worse, and put them at a higher risk of sustaining serious long term injuries.

There are several ways to treat a TBI. Some include rest, medication, and surgery. The treatment will vary depending on how severe the injury is. The medication often used to treat a TBI is called Diuretic. Diuretic helps remove all extra water from the body and treats high blood pressure.

The type of surgery needed to treat a severe TBI is called a decompressive craniectomy. This surgery removes part of the skull so that an injured brain can swell without being squeezed.

Although these are very effective treatments, there is still a likely possibility a patient can end up paralyzed or dead. So, it is very important to seek help right away if you were to sustain a TBI. No matter how serious it seems at the moment it is better to be safe than sorry.

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Events

Seasonal holidays

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By: Fatima Mohamud and Sumaya Noor

Which holidays are celebrated this season?

In the months of November, December, and January, many celebrations and festivals are celebrated throughout several cultures and religions. Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Diwali are some of the notable holidays in these festive months.

Who celebrates these holidays?

Christmas is celebrated by Christians of all backgrounds. The holiday is one of the biggest celebrations across the globe, with over 2 billion believers indulging in the festival. It’s from December 24 to December 25, and consists of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, sharing gifts, and spending time with family and friends. Decorations and festive treats are very popular during Christmas.

Kwanzaa is a tradition that honors African heritage and African culture and is viewed by Africans and African Americans. Kwanzaa isn’t a religious holiday but more of a cultural one as there is no religion tied to it. Celebrated for a week from December 26 to January 1, the holiday brings people together and shares gifts. Kwanzaa first became a holiday less than 60 years ago.

Hanukkah is a Jewish festival observed by Jews across the world. Hanukkah celebrates the recovery of Jerusalem. Although not the holiest holiday observed by Jews, (the holiest is Yom Kippur) it’s still very significant and is from November 28 to December 6 this year. During Hanukkah, Jews read the Torah and scriptures, recite the Psalms, light the Hanukkiah/menorah and bless themselves.

What are some other holidays observed during the festive times?

Diwali is a festivity that celebrates the light and its power over the dark. It is celebrated by Hindus and Buddhists. To honor the light, people light candles and oil lamps while praying for their wellbeing. The festival goes on for 5 days, starting on November 4 and ending November 9 this year. On the night of Diwali, many Hindus pray to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and pride, and Ganesh the god of good luck and wisdom towards the coming year.

Many people who are not Hindu or Buddhists also take part in this holiday. In the days coming before Diwali, many people exchange gifts, foods and hang up decorations just like for other holidays. In north India, many people host parties late at night with cultural food, drinks and lots of games such as gambling, it’s an ongoing tradition for many. Although this is not a requirement, many people do so to get together to celebrate.

New Year’s Eve is a celebration for people all over the world. It doesn’t follow a specific religion or belief, only to those who feel like celebrating the coming year. Lots of people buy decorations such as the last two numbers of the incoming year and throw lots of parties that night.

In New York, every year at Times Square there is a very iconic late night show that hosts singing, performances, and games before the clock hits midnight. This tradition has been going for many years and lots of people stay up to watch or go in person if they have the chance.

Thousands of people come up with New Year’s Resolutions to set a goal or plan to overcome. It’s a great way to have something to look forward to.

Thanksgiving is a mostly American national holiday celebrated by most people of color, religion, or beliefs. It falls on November 25th and it’s not long before winter starts. This holiday consists of spending time with loved ones, family and friends to show appreciation and kindness. Others have big feats or harvests to celebrate the day and prepare for it nights before. People get together to enjoy turkey, a very common food that is usually eaten at this time of year where the animal is most popular before it migrates to the south.

During this holiday flights can get very expensive and traffic will become more common because of people wanting to go visit family or friends to enjoy the holiday.

Science/Nature

Effects of nicotine on the brain

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By: Grace Blumer-Lamotte

Nicotine is an addictive substance that can alter your mind and actions. It can also cause permanent brain damage. According to Drug Watch, “Nicotine can disrupt the part of the brain that controls attention, learning, moods and impulse control. People under the age of 25 are also more susceptible to becoming addicted to nicotine before the brain fully develops.” 

With nicotine, there are both short and long term effects. 

The short term effects are a reduced sense of taste and smell, bad breath, a decrease in energy, withdrawals, and fatigue. 

The long term effects and risks are the addiction aspect of it; it can lead to mood disorders, respiratory issues, lower life expectancy, and it permanently lowers your impulse control.

There are also effects of second-hand smoking. It can affect the health and well-being of anyone that’s exposed to it. According to Quebec Advice and Prevention, “These people are at high risk of developing health issues such as: heart problems, respiratory or lung problems, such as asthma or excessive coughing, and lung cancer.” Second hand smoke is one of the most dangerous environments to be around. To learn more about “The Effects of Smoking and Second-Hand Smoke” visit the website below.

I asked a freshman, a junior, and a senior these questions about nicotine and vaping. Have you ever vaped, and why did or didn’t you do it? What do you know about the effects of nicotine on the brain? If given the opportunity, would you wanna learn more about the effects of nicotine?

The freshman responded to the first question saying, “I have not vaped because I know it’s bad for me and I am not stupid.”

The second question they responded saying, “Doesn’t it have withdrawal-like symptoms? It also disrupts your attention span I have heard. Maybe you really want something and that could affect your brain the same way when you want nicotine.”

The third question they responded with, “Yes.”

The junior responded to the first question saying, “I have vaped before and I did it because I thought it would help my mental illness. But it ended up with me being addicted.”

The second question they responded saying, “I’ve first hand experience with withdrawal symptoms and let me tell you… it is not fun.”

The third question they responded with, “Yes, I would be open to learning more about how it was affecting my brain.”

The senior responded to the first question saying, “Yes, I have due to curiosity and peer pressure.”

The second question they responded saying, “Little to none.”

The third question they responded saying, “Oh for sure.”

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COVID-19

How does the Pfizer vaccine work?

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By: Sarah VonBerge

Pfizer is 1 of 3 COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States. The ones currently available are Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

Pfizer and Moderna are both Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, meaning they recognize proteins and help our body learn how to fight an illness so we don’t feel the serious symptoms. This type of RNA does not stay in the body for long, but it helps the body remember how to deal with illnesses.

These vaccines do not release a live virus, but instead a harmless protein called a spike protein, which sits on the surface of the COVID-19 virus. These spike proteins are then displayed on the cells.

When the immune system realizes that that protein is not supposed to be there, the body begins to fight it as if there is an infection even though there is no danger, which is why people may feel sick after they get a vaccine.

Even though the spike protein sits on the cell, it never goes into the nucleus, which is where DNA is kept. Because it doesn’t get into the nucleus, it does not alter DNA in any way even though this is a popular belief.

Just because the spike protein eventually leaves the body, the body doesn’t forget it. Our immune system will continue to remember it, so if the same protein were to come into the body again, it knows how to fight it.

Many are hesitant to get a COVID vaccine because they don’t believe that mRNA vaccines have enough research when, in reality, they have been tested and developed for decades, but only recently became available to the public. They have been studied for the flu, Zika, rabies, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and even cancer.

To trigger an immune response, many vaccines put a weakened or inactivated germ in our body, whereas mRNA vaccines do not. This immune response is what causes our bodies to release antibodies and fight an illness. Although mRNA vaccines can not prevent an illness, they do help our bodies know how to fight an illness and help us not feel the serious symptoms, if any symptoms at all.

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