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CONTENTS6Procrastination PandemicA look into the impact of hybrid learning on student motivation.Students roast marshmallows around a bonre. Photo by Maya Packer ‘228Reduce, Reuse, RecyleAn overview of the environment around us and what students can do to protect it.10War Eagle 2021 PlaylistA music review of student’s top ten favorite albums of the year.

Procrastination PandemicReduce, Reuse, RecyleWar Eagle 2021 Playlist14Class to CareerDoes high school really prepare stu-dents for the real world?20e History of Holidayse origins of common American holidays, their traditions and their foods.28e Beauty of WholesomenessA detailed explanation of the benets of healthy eating with specic tips and recipes.18Box Oce vs. StreamingAn overview of the eect streaming services have had on movie ticket sales.24Cold Weather TrendsA few students’ takes on winter fashion and a showcase of their own style and outts.34e Fall of BuzzFeedAn examination of why the content compa-ny fell out of popularity with Gen-Z.

Thank you for picking up our newest issue of e Blade! And for actually reading this note. is is our second issue of the year, coming out only a couple of months aer our rst one. I’m so proud of the sta for accomplishing this and keeping up with my overzealous publishing schedule. is issue is more general then our last with no specic theme. I wanted everyone on sta to write about something they were passionate about. We denitely achieved this with pieces about fashion, music, how to help the environment and healthy eating-- things that the writers of their article are personally interested in. e issue also contains more general articles detailing why we celebrate holidays the way we do, how the pandemic has aected school work, how movie theaters have been aected by streaming, if school actually prepares us for our careers and more. I also wanted this issue to come out around the holidays and cold weather. I tried to pull in this cozy energy with the holiday themed cover, the bonre on the contents page which was taken at an SGA cookout before a football game, and the photo on this page of Chase Dent ‘23 (see more on page 24) in a pile of leaves. I don’t think it gets more fall/winter than that. So, sit down, grab a hot drink, maybe put on some light music (follow us on Spotify at WA e Blade!) and enjoy the articles we craed for you.Editor’s NoteEditors- Maya PackerEditor in ChiefMaya Packer ‘22Butterknife EditorElizabeth Yu ‘22StaBrooklynn Barrow ‘22Sithini Chea ‘24Marcus Gray ‘22Francesca Henderson ‘23Roman Holder ‘22Neha Koganti ‘23Hannah Marte ‘23Kai Moore ‘22Tito Oyewo ‘22aomy Pham ‘22

Chase Dent ‘23 sits in a pile of leaves. Photo by Tito Oyewo ‘22

Remote schooling, face masks, daily temperature checks, MAGNUS app, standing 6 feet apart from our closest neighbor, ghts over toilet paper, and so much more. What would’ve once been seen as almost apocalyptic behavior based only in the newest sci- movie is now our new reality in a world ghting to battle COVID-19. Although quarantine had its perks, with many picking up new hobbies, spending more time with their families, and getting much-needed breaks, it also came with a laundry list of consequences, especially as it relates to younger people and their education. In efforts to reduce the spread of the virus while simultaneously providing an education, schools across the country turned to varying forms of distance learning ranging from online classes using platforms like Zoom and Google Meets to assigning hoards of work that had to be completed by a certain day as an alternative for class. At Woodward, as many may remember, the nal parts of the 2019-2020 school year were lled with short class meetings over Zoom followed by nishing assigned work for the rest of the period. The year was characterized by lunch in advisory, long breaks in between classes, and many open-note assessments. But, in attempts to help accommodate students to learning in a pandemic, the school might’ve unintentionally created a hindrance for many students during the current school year. With school being easier than ever before, many students slacked off or didn’t make as strong of an effort to learn materials that they might have in a pre-COVID world and, in certain areas, the repercussions are beginning to show. “I think math has been particularly difcult since it is cumulative,” said Jagu Goli ‘22. “For example, if you didn’t have a strong foundation in pre-calc, then you will probably struggle a lot more in calculus.”Some agreed with Goli, but felt that the hardest part of the transition back to in-person schooling was “I denitely think that I didn’t have to make as much of an effort to do well last year, so it’s been kind of difcult adjusting.”PandemicProcrastinationBy Francesca HendersonZooming into the impact of hybrid learning on student motivation

“re-learning” how to study. Morgan Black ‘23, who was virtual all of last year, feels overwhelmed this school year. “I think I got accustomed to a laid-back environment and it’s the reason I feel so stressed this year compared to previous years.” Other students shared a similar perspective as Black and often yearn for a return to online learning. “I loved virtual school and pray we go back every day.” Chandler Warden ‘23 said. “I got to sleep in and my grades were better than ever before.” However, it should be noted that when compared with other students around the country, this is not a frequent sentiment. According to a Common Sense poll conducted in September of 2020, “59% of teens [said] that online learning is worse than in-person schooling—with almost one-fth (19%) characterizing it as “much worse.” Research shows this statistic can be contributed to a number of factors, including but not limited to inequities in internet access and lack of appealing Zoom curriculum. According to the George Lucas Educational Foundation, during remote school “digital access and connectivity remain[ed] a pervasive equity issue… [and] teachers and students [struggled to] grapple with how to replicate the engagement and discourse from an in-person classroom.” Furthermore, the impacts of remote schooling could potentially be seen for years to come. “Most students have fallen behind where they would have been if they had stayed in classrooms, with some losing the equivalent of a full school year’s worth of academic gains,” said Dana Goldstein in her New York Times article “Research Shows Students Falling Months Behind During Virus Disruptions.” “High school dropout rates could increase… [and] youngerchildren could miss out on foundational concepts in phonics and fractions that prepare them for a lifetime of learning and working.” But, even if Woodward students did not struggle with access to the internet, many felt overwhelmed in that school was no longer their top priority. “During virtual learning, students’ academic lifestyles changed: for many, academics became less important, considering what all was happening around the world,” said Leigh Shelor, a school counselor for the class of 2023. “[But] at the same time, they still had to learn to advocate for themselves and to hold themselves accountable and be disciplined in a way they hadn’t before [which] was harder for some students than others.”But, Shelor believes that students’ transition back to in-person learning could also be a reection of how organized and devoted they were to school before COVID. “Every student’s situation is different; [they have] different personalities, stressors, home environments, etc. The level in which they were engaged academically pre covid and during virtual learning matters, as well,” said Shelor. For those students who are struggling and feeling overwhelmed in their attempts to adjust, making time and space to indulge in activities that you like is key. “Go on a hike, cook, read a book, do yoga and meditate,” Shelor said. “Just nd an activity that you enjoy and allows you to relax.” Also, speaking with the counselors, talking to your teachers, asking questions, and attending tutorials are all great ways to help adjust to your classes and in-person school. If you’re struggling to stay on top of things this year, know that you are not alone and Woodward has an abundance of resources to help.of teens say online school is worse than in person 59%

5 Since 1996, the city of Atlanta has received an “F” for ozone pollution as a result of failing to meet ozone attainment levels. Ozone (O3) is a highly reactive gas that can be extremely harmful to human lungs if ingested; the gas is present in the Earth’s upper atmosphere (stratosphere) as well as the lower atmosphere (troposphere). As both a man-made and natural product, ozone derives from pollution emitted from cars, power plants, industrial boilers, reneries, and chemical plants. According to the 2020 State of the Air report published by the American Lung Associ-ation, Atlanta air quality meets about 40 “code or-anges” per year, meaning that the air quality index-(AQI) ranges between 101-150 per year. The AQI measures how clean or polluted the air is alongside what concerning health effects it may cause. Based on the Environmental Protection Agency, a good AQI is around 0-50 while a moderate AQI is 51-100. With code oranges, Atlanta’s air quality does not affect the general public but does put people with lung disease, older adults, and children at risk from exposure to ozone; those with heart and lung diseases are at greater risk due to the increase of particles in the air. Slowly but surely, Atlanta has improved its AQI as it went from the 25th most pol-luted city in the country last year to 33rd this year; however, there are plenty more environmental issues that can be addressed throughout the city. Dr. Maria Mays, an Environmental Science teacher and Environmental Awareness Club (EAC) sponsor, emphasizes the importance of keeping watersheds clean. Watersheds are areas of land that drain streams and rivers into a common out-let; Atlanta’s Flint River is just one example of the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Reduce, Reuse, Recycle By Thaomy Pham

6 thousands of watersheds throughout the nation. As Atlanta is built on the Flint and South Rivers, the people in the southern parts of Georgia use the wa-ter for agriculture purposes such as shing. “The Atlanta airport just recently dealt with an airplane fuel spill,” Mays said. “[Even though] Atlanta people do not use the water, it should be kept clean [for those who do].” According to a U.S. Water Alliance report, around two million people in the states do not have access to safe drinking wa-ter and sanitation. Nahdia Parks ‘22 explains how Woodward’s EAC is targeting the issue at hand. “We’ve suggested using dual ush toilets to replace the current ones in [every] bathroom [on campus],” Parks said. Dual ush toilets save 67% of water com-pared to regular toilets. The EAC provides students with various opportunities to earn service hours while aiding environmental causes. “Students can volunteer with Finding the Flint, an organization that maintains the Flint River and analyzes the nutrients owing in its water through sampling,” Mays said. “The experience [al-lows] students to [not only] learn more about what goes into the water [but also] how important it is to the Georgia regions.” Students may choose to get involved in environmental awareness through simple every-day tasks. Mays has replaced her paper towels and razors with more environmentally-friendly products since the beginning of COVID. “I’ve bought fabric paper towels that absorb [just as much] water without the waste,” Mays said. During quarantine, Parks began an at-home garden, where she grew her own vegetables. “Throughout the year, I grow jalapeños, green onions, spearmint, and cucumbers,” Parks said. Students like Parks who have a green thumb can easily donate their garden crops to organizations like Love Beyond Walls that distribute food to fami-lies in need. By participating in environmental aware-ness, every member of our community can help Atlanta take one more step towards a clean city. “We only have one planet, so it’s important to keep it clean and healthy for future generations,” Mays said.Bring a reusable bag to store your groceries. Bring back plastic bags to let others reuse them. Limiting your own waste reduces the amount of plastic used over time.Growing your own vegetables in your backyard can be more than just a hobby. Consider donating what you don’t put on your dinner table to families in need. Be sure to check with your local organi-zations and their COVID protocols re-garding donations.When using the sink, remember to turn off the water when it is not being used. Learn to skip the thirty minute showers. Do-ing so will aid in water conservation and limit runoff in major bodies of water. Meat production is a large contributor to climate change. Eating more vegetables will ultimately improve your health while reducing the meat industry’s im-pact on the planet. Think of the cows!Going Green On Your Own! Gardening + Donating: Smart Shopping: Conserving: Eating Clean:

If anything, 2021 could be considered a movie. Filled with adventure, tragedy, new feats, and new connections, this past year has been an action-packed story. Like any classic movie, 2021 is accompanied by an elite soundtrack that sets the mood and tone of the story. In October, students voted on their favorite albums to debut in the top 5 of the Billboard 200 Albums Chart this past year. Here is a countdown and reviews of what students have been listening to all year long.WarEagleA music review of students’ top ten favorite albums of 2021By Roman Holder1Whole Loa RedPlayboi Carti e War Eagle album of the year came out on Christmas day in 2020, but since it debuted on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart in 2021, it qualied for album of the year. e Playboi Carti album was announced in 2018, and did not disappoint. Debuting atop the Billboard, the album was packed with Playboi Carti’s signature baby voice. With only 3 features, the album showcased Playboi Carti at his best by not only exploiting his signatures but using other vocal techniques such as whispers and rasp.Roman Reviews:Playlist 2021

2MonteroLil Nas X e debut album for Atlanta’s own proved that Lil Nas X is not a one hit wonder. Although falling slightly short of the top spot on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, the album has produced two number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 Albums Chart: “Call Me By Your Name” and “Industry Baby”. With support from Jack Harlow, Megan ee Stallion, Doja Cat, Elton John and Miley Cyrus, Lil Nas X’s album was the journal of the life of a young, gay, black man throughout triumph, failure and heartbreak. With unique and refreshing production from the producing duo, Take A Daytrip, Lil Nas X’s “Montero” was an action-packed rollercoaster that cemented his impact and presence on music and pop culture.4DondaKanye West Aer three listening parties in Atlanta and Chicago, Kanye West’s tribute to his mother was a testament of the man he is today. Filled with features from various artists, “Donda” was without a doubt a highly collaborative eort. If anything, “Donda” is an out-of-this-world experience, not one’s everyday album. With heavy production from West and backing from his Sunday Service Choir, the album pulled from various music sources such as gospel, Chicago drill and house music, and samples like “Doo Wop (at ing)” by Lauryn Hill. e various sounds created a worldly experience but still remains sonically and aesthetically consistent.3Certified Lover BoyDrake e long awaited sixth studio album from October’s Very Own (OVO) hopped on the scene with an immense force. Breaking record aer record, the album debuted atop the Billboard 200 Albums chart alongside its number one lead single, “Way 2 Sexy”, and 8 other songs from the album in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. Although the album is already a certied classic due to its immense sales and impact, the album doesn’t elevate Drake’s discography. Nevertheless, it still produces catchy songs, and tells incredible tales. With plenty of features such as Jay-Z, Lil Baby, Future, 21 Savage and so many more, “Certied Lover Boy” is a fun album to listen to while you are driving alone in your car or on a Saturday night while hanging out with friends.

5SourOlivia Rodrigo At the start of 2021, Olivia Rodrigo’s breakout single “Driver’s License” took the world by storm and was the rst debut single by a woman to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart since Carrie Underwood’s “Inside Your Heaven” in 2005. Pleasantly, her debut album, “Sour”, followed behind and did not disappoint. Debuting atop the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, Sour would become the second album to sell over 100,000 copies for ve consecutive weeks, selling 105,000 copies in its h week. e Taylor Swi-inspired singer-songwriter created the perfect album to express the ups and downs of teenage heartbreak and relationships. Pulling from alternative and rock sounds, Rodrigo oen received comparisons to another pop-alternative artist, Billie Ellish, but Rodrigo’s unique song writing style, production, and sophisticated vocal technique allowed for her own lane and style to form.6Planet HerDoja Cat Aer what seemed like an eternity of performing her number one single, “Say So”, Doja Cat was nally able to break free from the old hit with the fresh new sounds of her 3rd studio album, “Planet Her”. Racking in 27.6 million streams worldwide on Spotify, Doja set the top debut for a female rapper on the streaming service. On the heavily pop-inuenced album, Doja pushes to emphasise that she is in fact a rapper and that this album is heavily rap-centric as well. And Doja’s rap performances did not disappoint either. With anthems like “Need to Know” and “Ain’t Sh*t”, Doja uses striking word play, imagery, ow and cadence to mesmerise the listener’s mind.7Ca Me If You Get LostTyler, The Creator Aer battles on how Tyler, the Creator’s genre-bends his music, “Call Me If You Get Lost” is a solid Rap body of work. Debuting atop the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, Tyler, the Creator’s sixth addition to his discography is a road trip of love, pain, passion and fun. From head to toe, Tyler’s performance is amazingly provocative, exciting, and intricate. His lyrics and wordplay are witty and make the songs feel like melodic conversation. With refreshing production, the album goes beyond the overused 808s and Hi Hats and instead uses an incredible brass and string performance to compliment Tyler’s vocals and lyrics.

8The Off SeasonJ Cole Another record breaking album, J. Cole’s sixth album, “e O Season”, is a perfect example of why J. Cole is one of the best performing rappers to debut in the last decade. e album had the third highest opening week sales for a rap album in 2021 behind “Donda” and “Certied Lover Boy” selling 282,000 units in its rst week. J. Cole does not shy away from showing o his incredible lyricism and success. Aer spending some time playing professional basketball in Africa, J. Cole’s return reminds the listener why he is a leader in storytelling.9Happier Than EverBillie Ellish With a slow start to Billie Ellish’s sophomore album’s rst ve singles, “Happier an Ever” contradicted its predecessors and was a cohesive expression of the ups and downs of a teenage popstar. e album debuted atop the Billboard 200 and remained there for an impressive three weeks making Billie Ellish the rst woman to do so since Taylor Swi in 2020. e album is a journal and insight into the insecurities and troubles of a celebrity. With tracks like “Your Power”, Billie Ellish gets vulnerable and highlights the troubles of toxic relationships. e anthem and album title track, “Happier an Ever”, showcases how Billie Ellish can do more than whisper on her songs and inversely expresses emotions with power and push from her vocals. With complete production again from her brother, FINNEAS, the album is a technologically beautiful production masterpiece that is intricately made.10Sincerely, KentreNBA YoungBoy In his third studio album, “Sincerely, Kentrell”, NBA YoungBoy joins Tupac and Lil Wayne in becoming the third rapper to have an album debut atop the Billboard 200 Charts while incarcerated. With no features, “Sincerely, Kentrell” is a personal letter about NBA YoungBoy’s trials and tribulations with crime and the law. Since the release of the album, NBA Youngboy has been released from prison, but his album still stands as a testament to the injustices of the American legal system towards Black men. With lackluster production, his stories, lyricism, and ow make up for the emptiness and repetitiveness of the album.

ClasstCareerFive core subjects—English, math, science, social studies, and world language. The Upper School requires its students to take these ve subjects in order to graduate. Although the subjects appear simple, students have the opportunity to specialize in concentrated courses, such as Contemporary Drama, Anatomy, Personal Finance, Discrete Mathematics, Multicultural Ethnic Diversity Studies, Japanese, and many more. However, the opinions of how important these courses are in daily life vary widely among the Upper School community. Among the subjects offered, science is well-loved by students as it is one of the only subjects they tend to double up in. Science teacher Chelsea Hagan elaborates on how students can explore career options through taking different science classes pertaining to certain concentrations. Hagan teaches Forensics, Chemistry, and Biology. With Forensics, Woodward provides its students with unique experiences through microscopy (eld of using microscopes to view objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye). “We have uorescence (light given off by certain substances when it absorbs light or other electromagnetic radiation) and electron microscopes, which students can use by taking Forensics,” Hagan said. All Woodward science classes go hand in hand since students learn an abundance of scientic background in Biology and Chemistry, which is required in order to take specic concentrations like Astronomy, Meteorology, Physics, Anatomy, and Environmental Science. “Students can start thinking about how they can utilize [skill sets acquired through previous course work] to further their understanding and knowledge in science,” Hagan said. “The technologies we use [such as] gel electrophoresis (a laboratory method used to separate RNA, DNA or proteins) introduces students to the type of research they could [potentially see] in a real lab.” Although using advanced equipment to Does our curriculum prepare us for the future? by Kai Moore and Thaomy Pham

make discoveries may be a thrilling experience for some students, sophomore Logan Bagwell ‘24 nds the subject of Chemistry difcult and unnecessary to grasp. “It’s a lot of memorization, and it really frustrates me that I have to do problems I’ve never encountered before,” Bagwell said. “I don’t need to know how to balance equations, and I know I’m not going to become a chemist so the subject is irrelevant to me.” According to a survey of 223 students, 25.1% of students nd science to be the least useful subject in their everyday lives. A common student opinion is that studying science is only helpful when a student is pursuing a career in the eld, especially pre-med tracks. However, junior Morgan Black ‘23 wishes that there were more scientic courses in Woodward’s curriculum to choose from. “I would denitely enjoy having a Psychology class especially since a lot of graduating students have selected it as their major,” Black said. “If it’s a popular major, there has to be something about it that students gravitate towards.” Social studies teaches students about the behavior of the people around them. It is mandatory that students take three years of social studies, and typically, senior year gives students the opportunity to take more specialized classes. Jill Bounds, who teaches AP Government, believes her class contains lessons that go beyond the classroom. In the course, students learn about the intricacies of politics, the branches of government, and voting. “Participation, how to vote, and how to register is so important for us to know about to get out into the real world,” Bounds said. AP Government is a course typically taken by juniors and seniors; Bounds considers the class especially relevant to that age group. “I love teaching juniors and seniors because I feel like by the time they get to this class, they already have a background in government,” Bounds said. “People are more involved because they know that they’re about to be 18, and they see how participation can have an impact.” Also featured within the social studies curriculum is a Personal Finance class. Javy Cross ‘22 believes the class is useful and wishes that it was put at the forefront of the curriculum. “In my opinion, personal nance is the most important class in the Upper School,” Cross said. “I think everyone should be required to take it because it’s just really helpful for everyone.” According to the survey, students nd English to be the most useful subject to their lives outside of school. Dr. Meredith Zaring, an English teacher, emphasizes the important takeaways from actively participating in class discussions. “There’s a communication element,” Zaring said. “Everyone needs to be able to communicate well, and English helps with that. We learn about how arguments are made, and the more we learn “There’s beauty in English, and conversations develop [a student’s] rhetoric skills as well as serve as a creative outlet.”- Meredith ZaringBiology students complete a cell analysis lab in a pre-Covid classroom. Photo courtesy of John Faison.

about making arguments, the smarter we [become] as people.” Additionally, Zaring believes that English is about creative expression, which benets students who struggle to nd outlets in writing. Having earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in literary studies, Zaring has developed a passion for analyzing critical works but nds her students’ reactions as her favorite part of teaching the subject. “I love the look students get on their faces when they’re thinking about something in a new way,” Zaring said. “It’s like seeing the imaginary thought bubble above their heads. I love challenging students to see things in a new way and understanding the complexity of a poem.” Analyzing literature and poetry goes beyond just the classroom. Through English, students can utilize their analytical skills to grasp topics in the real world. Learning through reading and writing is one of the best ways to develop argumentative statements and provoke discussion. For students, being able to think critically of themes and apply them to their everyday lives is one of the greatest skills to receive from a secondary education according to Zaring. “English can easily be connected into any career,” Zaring said. “Any career requires communication skills, and people who have good communication skills are people who are going to succeed. Communication can also lead to networking, which is essential.” Nonetheless, the student body has varying academic interests. Bagwell enjoys the open-ended nature that English classes encourage. “I love the question of emotion and being able to be creative in [English],” Bagwell said. “I think it’s a lot harder to be creative with math and chemistry.” Despite the large range of course selections available to students, some believe that the curriculum is irrelevant to their future; and consequently, their lives. While students declared English as the most useful subject, 31% of English teacher Dr. Zaring captures her students’ interest through a class discussion.

“[We] have a calculator. You don’t need to know complex math, but [when] you do taxes you certainly [need] to know Algebra. I feel like it’s kind of helpful.”- Morgan Blackstudents surveyed believe math is the least useful for real life application. The Upper School offers several concentrations of math, including Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, and Statistics. Sara Elliot, who teaches Algebra II, understands that critical thinking skills are necessary in math and beyond. She cites conrmation bias, a phenomenon where people analyze information in a way that conrms their opinions rather than taking information at face value, as a problem that can be solved using the same reasoning found in Algebra. “We can take mathematical ideas and the problem solving and logical reasoning that comes with the math curriculum to ght against conrmation bias, and maybe even narrow mindedness,” Elliot said. The math curriculum is one that heavily relies on analysis of problems and solutions. Though her class might seem challenging to some, Elliot acknowledges the difculties that math courses can pose to students. “I think deductive reasoning is undervalued by students, and it’s also probably the most difcult part for them,” Elliot said. “In math, there [are] multiple ways to do [things], and it’s important to teach all of them because people are going to have preferences.” Black has mixed views about the usefulness of math in the real world. While technology is available as a resource, she realizes that some things inevitably require mathematical knowledge. “[We] have a calculator,” Black said. “You don’t need to know complex math, but [when] you do taxes you certainly [need] to know Algebra. I feel like it’s kind of helpful.” Elliot realizes that a student’s path is unknown. Although some students don’t like the curriculum, it can still impact their future in different ways. “Kids are not always interested in the basic courses we’re offering, or the general curriculum, but if you aren’t learning this now, you’re closing opportunities and you’re closing doors on things that you might not even realize.”

VSBOX OFFICEHow streaming services stole billions from the box officeby Brooklynn Barrow

With the recent global pandemic, many citi-zens have transitioned to watching mov-ies online instead of in theaters, to keep themselves safe from the virus. Not only are movie theaters becoming less popular, they are not making as much money as they were before the pandemic. Online streaming services serve as platforms that allow people to watch movies remotely if they pay a subscription fee. While the box ofce has been trying to combat this large revenue loss by stagger-ing movie releases with streaming services, online streaming websites have gone against their wishes and have begun releasing at the same time as in the box ofce, like Scarlett Johansson’s “Black Widow” in 2021. According to Screenrant, box ofce numbers are becoming more difcult to predict movie success or failure. “Netix’s subscriber base has grown to the point where the platform’s yearly revenue more than doubles Disney’s biggest year at the box ofce, and Disney+ is close to passing that same line,” said the news source. Streaming is becoming so popular that it is predicted to completely replace movie theater releas-es. “Mainly, I use Netix or Hulu to watch mov-ies because it is more convenient and cheaper than going to a movie theater every time a movie comes out,” said Elle Overstreet ‘23. Though box ofce numbers and movie ticket sales have declined exponentially over the past year and a half, they have also been slowly declining over the past 2 decades. In 2001, the total gross of the most popular movie, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” was $8,110,859,106 according to BoxOfceMojo. The same source reported the total gross of the most popular movie, “Bad Boys For Life”, in 2020 as $2,103,085,767. The gross change from 2000 to 2001 was +8% but the gross change from 2019 to 2020 was -81.4%. The pandemic has not helped the already struggling movie theater in-dustry because the use of online services has grown exponentially. The box ofce is predicted to never hit the numbers it did prior to the pandemic. Because of this bleak future, many movies are transitioning from joint theatrical and streaming releases to only streaming releases. With movie studios transitioning to stream-ing-only releases, some actors’ contracts have been breached by this new form of distribution, leading to conict between actors and companies/lm studios. The most prevalent conict being Scarlett Johansson and Disney’s Marvel Studios, after her recent movie “Black Widow” had a botched release that went against the details of her contract agreement. Johansson agreed to have a staggered release which meant the lm would be released in theaters on July 9, 2021 and then later released on Disney+. A per-centage of her contract was going to be from the box ofce and a separate cut was going to come from the online release shortly after. The Wall Street Journal reported that Disney’s botched release cost Johans-son an estimated $50 million. All in all, online streaming replacing movie theaters is inevitable but does not give companies the right to breach contract agreements. With new technology becoming readily available to the pub-lic, streaming rates are growing constantly and will eventually have an impact on actor’s salaries be-cause of bootleg websites. In situations like Johans-son’s, many actor’s contracts are not being upheld which adds to conict between the actors and the production crews. At this rate, streaming will ulti-mately replace movie theaters sooner than expected. According to Statista, “In 2020, there were 5,477 indoor cinema sites in the United States,” said the marketing and consumer statistics database. “This was a decrease of nearly 70 indoor cinemas compared to the previous year. Overall, the number signicantly declined during the past three decades.” The effect of online streaming becoming more popular contributed to the loss of many mov-ie theaters. Streaming popularity combined with a global pandemic has begun the downfall of movie theaters and box ofce revenue.

The History of HolidaysHow Holiday Foods and Traditions OriginatedBy Sithini CheaP eople love and enjoy the holidays as they are a time of celebration to spend with family and friends. Hol-idays are best known for their delicious foods and traditions. However, most people are not aware of the history of these cherished and famous holiday celebrations. Several popular holidays celebrated in America include: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah. Thanksgiving, one of America’s most famous holidays, is well-known for being associated with the Pil-grims and turkey. The beginning of Thanksgiving is mostly known as the story of the rst Thanksgiving dinner shared between Pilgrims and the Native Americans in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The famous Thanksgiving dinner is predominantly debated of whether or not it actually happened. Elizabeth Burbridge, the AP US History teacher and Modern World His-tory teacher, informs that the real story behind Thanksgiving doesn’t involve the famous Thanksgiving dinner that was taught in school. “The actual story of Thanksgiving is a lot more complicated in that there’s no actual Thanksgiving,” Burbridge said. “What we think happened is that around the time of the pilgrims arrival, the chief of the Wampanoag tribe, the Thanksgiving Native American group did meet with the pilgrims and also did have a meal.” While the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags formed an alliance and made temporary peace with each other, that’s not the full story behind it. “It was most likely a diplomatic overture because by that point, there had been other English settlers in the area and things were not going well for the Wampanoag Tribe due to disease and land being assumed by the settlers,” Burbridge said. Turkey is the most popular food associated with Thanksgiving and is known for being one of the only native animals in America. However, many people are unaware of its origin story. According to Food Unfolded, turkey was initially introduced as a Christmas food in the UK during the 1500’s. Turkey gradually became more popular during the 1500’s-1800’s, particularly in wealthy British homes. The food was so famous that the Royal British family replaced roasted swan, their typical option, with turkey. In spite of its delectable taste, price was a problem during the 16th century to the 19th century, so goose and chicken still stayed the most popular. Turkey didn’t become the most prominent Christmas meat until to the 20th century. Amanda Moniz, a historian, retired pastry chef, and a writer for The Washington Post, elaborated that pumpkins were common in the New World, America, and English recipe books included pumpkin pie during the 1600’s. However, Moniz acknowledged that pumpkin pie wasn’t always as popular as it is in modern times. Pumpkin pie, a treasured American classic dessert, started to become a traditional food for Thanksgiving dinner in the early 1800’s. “The dessert did not often show up on Thanksgiving tables until the early 1800s, but by later in the century, pumpkin pies were so closely associated with the holiday that in 1869, the Hartford Connecticut Courant

The History of HolidaysHow Holiday Foods and Traditions OriginatedBy Sithini Cheareferred to the pie, along with turkey, as the ‘inevitable’ Thanksgiving dishes,” Moniz said. Thanksgiving used to hold an abundance of religious importance, but in today’s world, it focuses on hav-ing an appetizing meal and showing gratitude with family and friends. In addition to dinner, America has numer-ous traditions such as watching football with family and attending the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, according to History.com. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, held in New York City, has been a tradition since 1924 and is known for its vast oats of different celebrities and cartoon characters. The President of the United States also pardons a turkey or two from being killed to celebrate Thanks-giving. This tradition became an annual event in 1989 during the George H.W. Bush administration, according to the White House Historical Association. Additionally, numerous U.S. governors pardon turkeys. Many Americans volunteer and host food drives for those experiencing food insecurity as Thanksgiving is a time of being grateful and giving thanks. Several Christmas foods can also be found on the table for Thanksgiving. However, Christmas turkey has a different origin than Thanksgiving turkey. Due to it being less expensive and larger in quantity than geese and other birds, it became a staple food in America and in England during the 19th century, according to Spruce Eats. Unlike the origins of Thanks-giving turkey, Rebecca Earle, a food historian and writer for Indep-enent, explained that Christmas turkey despite its high cost rapidly became a classic Christmas meal. “Because they were so grand and festive, turkeys quickly found a place at banquets and holiday meals, including Christ-mas,” Earle said. Furthermore, the Pagan delicacy of boar’s head, eaten to honor the god Freyr, was an expensive food in England which was replaced with a yule ham, due to its cheaper cost and avorful taste. Christmas, originally a Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, is a secular holiday in today’s world that countries all over the world celebrate. The holiday includes many traditions such as decorating Christmas trees, giving gifts to friends and family, caroling, using Advent calendars and many others. Christmas trees originated in Germany during the Middle Ages and became popular during the 19th century. 77% of Ameri-cans own Christmas trees, according to History.com. Gingerbread houses have been around since the Victorian era, and they became famous after the Grimm brothers wrote the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale. Additionally, advent calendars used to have a religious use be-cause each door uncovered a Bible passage, poem, or a miniature present. It evolved from religious use to secular use. Now, the calendars typically contain themed gifts which can range anywhere from chocolate to nail polish. Another popular holiday includes Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday, which is the fes-tival of lights that lasts for 8 days, according to Time magazine. The message behind the holiday is to rejoice in the miracle of victory, in spite of powerful odds. Chaplain Katie O’Dunne recognizes that the signicance of the oil lasting for 8 days is symbolic because the light persisted through despite overwhelming odds.

“The idea is that with the rededication of the temple when this lamp was lit, there was only enough oil to last really for one day,” O’Dunne said. “It’s seen as very much this Holy Miracle that it was able to go from just enough to last for one day to actually remain lit for that entire eight days.” Hanukkah traditions include lighting the can-dles on the menorah and spinning the dreidel. When Hanukkah was a new holiday, olive oil was used to light oil lamps, as opposed to candles because oil lamps were utilized in the Hanukkah tale. Candles were much cheaper and cleaner. The dreidel is a game believed to have originated during the 16th century and spread from Ireland to Germany. According to My Jewish Learn-ing, the myth of the dreidel begins with children being banned to read and study the Torah, the Jewish book of law, during the Macca-bee period. Despite the ban, they still studied the Torah. When they were close to getting caught studying the book, they would hide their books away and play with spinning tops. The dreidel has different Hebrew letters: “nes”,”gadol”, “haya”, “sham”, which translates to a “great miracle happened here.” Traditional Hanukkah foods are jelly donuts, lat-kes, and chocolate gelts, according to Time magazine. Fried food is a symbol for the oil that is utilized to light the menorah, so jelly donuts represent oil in that sense. The idea of these donuts came from the Israeli group Histadrut during the 1920’s in Palestine, which was controlled by the British at the time. Latkes, fried potato pancakes, became prominent in the mid-19th century. Chocolate gelt, also known as chocolate coins, might have had whiskey, grain, vegetables, and honey in them. The adults made an alternative option for children by replacing those ingredients with sugar and red coloring instead. Overall, holidays are times of joy and happi-ness, and these foods and traditions help to bring family and friends together. While holidays are always full of cheer, it’s important to remember to be grateful for what you have and to be knowledgeable about the origins of your traditions. Burbridge believes that a part of Thanksgiving should be giving deserved recognition to Native Americans particularly the Wampanoag tribe because they are the ones who shared food and knowledge with them. “The importance of knowing about Thanksgiving is understanding that when the white European English settlers came here, that there were already people living here so well that they were able to share their abundance with us,” Burbridge said. She thinks that Thanksgiving should be celebrated by giving thanks to the Native Americans for pioneering the way for white European settlers to settle here. “We took [their land] from them and so we have to really exam-ine what we are being thankful for,” Burbridge said. “Are we thankful that the white Europeans successfully destroyed other culture, or do we want to reimagine what Thanksgiving is about? What do we have to give thanks for? We need to really think about that as a country.” O’Dunne, the chaplain and teacher of Comparative Religion, believes that it’s important to be aware and be appreciative of other peo-ple’s cultures and traditions. “I think it’s really important for us to realize why they’re doing it and why it’s so important to them because at Woodward we’re so committed to moving beyond tolerance to this deep respect and appreciation for difference,” O’Dunne said. She acknowledges that learning about the im-portance of religious holidays provides students with better understanding and appreciation for their peers’ cultures and religions. “By being able to highlight the signicance of these important religious observances and these import-ant Holy Days, we can really help students to under-stand embrace and appreciate one another,” O’Dunne said.“I think it’s really important for us to realize why they’re doing it and why it’s so important to them because at Woodward we’re so committed to moving beyond tolerance to this deep respect and appreciation for dierence.”

A glance at students’ cold-weather fashion style.“I like to contrast the weather with what I wear.”“e changing colors and fall temperatures really makes me excited to start dressing up for fall.” Chase Dent ‘23Dent is wearing a blue and yellow hoodie, paired with a pair of demin pants and black oxford shoes.

“A nice collared shirt is a always a go-to for me.”“I love watching fashion shows when I’m creatively blocked.” Layla Doyley ‘22By Tito OyewoPhotos by Tito OyewoDoyley is wearing a green patterned shirt witha brown leather jacket and matching brown boots. She paired these with neutral colored corduroy pants.

“If you have courage and express yourself, you’ll end up in the right place”“I always love to incorporate a good annel and some boots into my fall outts.”Gunner Filipowicz ‘22Filipowicz wears a pattern buttown down shirt under a tan sherpa vest. He completed the look with a pair of pale green pants and brown boots.

“My style is not just a childhood obsession, it’s me.“Most of my inspiration comes from vintage pieces”Annabel Goncalves ‘22Goncalves poses in a white, pu-sleeved dress with a pink accent sash. e dress is accented by a bright red lip color.

of WHOLESOME FOOD: What Is It and Why Is It Important? e Beauty Wholesomeness Eating foods close to the source of natureBy Neha KogantiThe word “healthy” immediately conjures the idea of salads or veggie burgers. But what does the word “healthy” truly mean? Al-though salads and veggie burgers do provide nutritional value, most “healthy” foods do not contain the complete nutritional values that foods close to the source of nature contain-- the true healthy food. Eating wholesome foods, natural foods that contain high nutritional value, has a strong impact on the body, as food is one of the key components to one’s well-being, in addition to focusing on mental health and physical activity. The food people eat affects the ways in which people feel and experience life; wholesome foods allow the body to have the proper intake of nutri-ents so that the body systems, organs, tissues and the very cells can function to their highest potential. Viewing food in this perspective allows one to focus beyond calories and onto the food one is intaking to create the healthiest versions of one’s body. Remov-ing processed foods from one’s diet is the rst step in this process, an essential one and one that many people know. When people hear these words “eat less processed foods,” they usually simply wave the idea away and think that their salads and vegetarian meals can make up for the junk food that they indulge in. However, this belief is mistaken. Each pro-cessed food that one eats impacts the body and harms the cells. Inammation is a signicant effect of processed foods, which leads to countless diseases. According to The Art of Living Foundation, an orga-nization dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle, inammation is the body’s immune system’s response to injury, stress or excess of toxins, in order to return the body to its proper stable conditions. It has been shown to contribute to arthritis, asthma, diabetes, cardiac disorders and mental health disorders.

blueberriesbanana nutscoconut antioxidants, high berpotassium, vitamin C, healthy fats, proteincopper,iron, manganese,vitamin E & phosphorusbrown ricespinachchickpeascarrotber & magnesiumbenets eye healthproteincarotene antioxidants almondscoconutoatshoneyalmond buttervitamin Ecopper, iron, manganesehelps coronary arteriesimproves cholestrolwhole-wheat pita bread, lentils, sprouts, zucchini, tomatoes, fresh mint leaves, lettuceber, protein, potassium, keep arteries healthy, immune system, inammatoryWholesome Meal IdeasIngredients BenetsSmoothie BowlChickpea SaladGranola BarVeggie Wrap

What Do TEACHERS Have to Say about Healthy Eating? What do STUDENTS Have to Say about Healthy Eating? Many people begin to eat healthy after being diagnosed with a health issue but slowly regress from their healthy choices eventually, believing that their bodies have returned to their normal state. However, Traci Lerner, a Spanish teacher experienced in a nat-ural lifestyle, believes healthy eating should continue to be a habit. “I feel like lots of times we only worry about our health when we’re sick. There’s this tendency to just take pills and medicines,” Lerner said. “You eat a lot of things with cholesterol, and then you take cho-lesterol pills to keep doing that instead of just eating healthy.” Lerner believes that the food people eat affects the way they feel, a fundamen-tal concept in a natural life-style. “I feel like my body knows I'm not going to feel good if I eat things like [do-nuts]. And so I naturally eat healthy things because I like the way it makes me feel.” In addition, Lerner emphasizes the importance of teenagers eating healthy due to the changes occuring internal-ly during this stage of life. “You need [a healthy diet] for your mind to work well, especially if you're playing lots of sports,” said Lerner. “If you're active in lots of things, you don't get a lot of sleep because you're busy. So if you're not sleeping well or eating well and you're asking a lot from your body, getting up early and studying all the time and playing lots of sports, it's a lot of demands you're putting on your body. You don't see [these negative effects] from the outside but it has to be detrimental.” Lerner became vegan when she was eight years old, a decision that she has never regretted and one that has also beneted her health to this day. “[A] vegan diet has no cholesterol–– choles-terol only comes from animal products–– and our body produces all the cholesterol we need, so if you don't eat cholesterol, you eat less fat. You eat a lot more fruits and vegetables, and you eat a lot more ber.” Lerner also questions why the majority of peo-ple have the tendency to ask “Where do you get your protein from?” upon informing them of her veganism. “The real question is “Where do you get your ber?” because a protein deciency is very uncom-mon. If you eat enough calories you eat enough protein. But in our country, people don't tend to eat a lot of ber, and they should eat more, [which is mostly] in fruits and vegetables.” Lerner said. “It's mind boggling to me how people can just eat a plate of meat and potatoes with like maybe a couple green beans slathered in butter, and then say to me that eating a kale salad with sprouts and seeds and tofu [does not have enough protein]. We all need to just pause and actually look at the nutritional content of things. We're brainwashed.” Tonya Whitmire, a science teacher and the sponsor for the Well-ness Club, also agrees on the impact of the food people eat on the body. “When you eat foods that are bad for you, your body begins to feel sluggish, brain fog sets in and you lack energy,” Whitmire said. “When you eat proper foods you can tell a big difference in your alertness and mind-set. You also have more energy.” Whitmire, however, does not refrain from eating desserts, and believes that desserts can be healthy, an unpopular belief among many people. In fact, almost half of 303 students surveyed responded that they believe desserts are unhealthy. In addition, Whitmire believes in the fact that a healthy diet is simply one component in overall well-being. “A healthy diet is one part of a spectrum of lifestyle choices that help us feel well. Eating healthy means moderation, smart choices, learning about the ingredients in the food you eat. I think people in gen-eral struggle to maintain a healthy diet. We are bless-ed to have many choices of food at our ngertips.” “I feel like lots of times we only worry about our health when we're sick."

What do STUDENTS Have to Say about Healthy Eating? A signicant number of teenagers struggle with creating a healthy diet for themselves, for they deem it to be not of great importance. In fact, more than half of the students surveyed responded that teenagers in general do not care about eating healthy, an unsurprising statistic. In addition, around half the surveyed students said that they consume desserts weekly; this statistic helps prove the low level of importance that most students place healthy eating at. Some students however, do keep healthy eating in mind when making their diet choices, such as Malin Tangsujaritpunt ‘23. “[Healthy eating] becomes a habit and if you have a good eating habit, you're prone to not have a lot of health issues in the long run,” Tangsujaritpunt said. “You're also eating [healthy] so that your body has fuel and if you feed it junk food, your body will have a harder time processing that.” She offers her own perspectives on the de-nition of a healthy diet and looks for a balance in her food choices to optimize her health. “I think having a healthy diet means to eat with good balance, meaning to eat foods from every food group,” said Tangsujaritpunt. “You can eat junk food but just nd a balance between that and healthy nutritious foods. I nd a balance of things especially between sweets, junk food, and home cooked meals. I mostly cook my own food so I know what I’m putting into my body.” Tangsujaritpunt also believes that dessert can be consumed from time to time, as long as one is mindful of what he/she is eating. “Your body needs sugar to provide energy as well as to treat yourself when you're having a bad day.” Grifn Sorrow ‘23 takes a slightly different approach to creating his healthy diet, focusing on the desired end goal. “A healthy diet is a consistent process of eat-ing specic foods in order to achieve a desired out-come,” Sorrow said. “I think that it is really important to have a certain diet or regular eating pattern that benets an individual. It is important to give oneself the best opportunity to perform best at whatever one desires or does. In addition, Sorrow believes that what one eats as a teenager has an impact on adulthood, affect-ing how one makes his or her eating choices.“I think that healthy eating as a teenager is important to establish good eating habits as an adult.” Photo of sesame seed and almond protein balls. Photo by Neha Koganti.

“Every day should not be a dessert day but life without dessert is just boring."- Tonya WhitmireBerry fruit tarts. Photo by Neha Koganti.Christmas sugar cookies. Photo by Neha Koganti. Desserts. Simply the word creates images of a lavish chocolate cake coated in glaze or a beautifully iced cookie. But many people see the key ingredient behind all of this deliciousness, sugar, and shy away from eating desserts. Many people refrain from eating desserts frequently due to the high sugar content and other unhealthy ingredients, while others continue eating them in moderation. Due to the notion that desserts are unhealthy, people usually do not desire to have a healthy diet. Contrary to the popular notion, wholesome eating does not require people to place desserts behind them. Desserts can be healthy with the right ways and ingredients to prepare them; people can Desserts: To Eat or Not To Eat Orange Chocolate Cakestill treat themselves to sweetness using nature as their guide. Some of these ways include substituting coconut oil for butter, switching out all-purpose our for almond our, using maple syrup or honey instead of white sugar, and using 70-100% dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate; using these ways and several more can help ensure one’s success in their path of wholesome eating.

Mini Berry Cheesecakes Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles Orange Chocolate Cake Walnut Cinnamon Brownies Here are a few wholesome dessert ideas to explore. Scan the QR code to reach the recipe. The recipes used in the photos may be modied from the original. A Look Into Wholesome Desserts

“Trapped between 2 extremes, fun content versus hardcore journalism, Buzzfeed ended up struggling as much as all news outlets are. It brought down its sta body by 15% in 2019 and still cannot seem to nd the right content to gain back the interest of its former community,” reported Sophie Boutros on Medium. Buzzfeed is an online website with a YouTube channel that has over 20 million subscribers. In the past, the channel would upload several videos a day based on dierent topics. ey contained mini-groups that focused on dierent topics such as the TryGuys: a group of 4 men who would try new things together, LadyLike: a group of women that took part in tips for women’s lifestyles, Tasty: a cooking show, and Buzzfeed Unsolved: a show about unsolved mysteries. Buzzfeed was in its prime when much of Gen-Z was in elementary and middle school; 2015-2019. Buzzfeed began to slowly decline in popularity during 2019, due to major talent changes in certain videos. An example of this was the departure of LadyLike star, Saya Nygaard, to become independent in 2017. With her exit, many of her fans followed her to her personal channel and stopped The Fall of BuzzFeedSaya Nygaard, former LadyLike star. Photo courtesy of @sayany via Instagram.By Brooklynn Barrow

watching Buzzfeed. Aer countless important faces le the combined channels, the majority of their audiences followed them on their separate journeys and le Buzzfeed in their past. Many of the people who le the company made videos explaining why they made their decisions. In contrast to Nygaard, two other members of the same group said they le for mental health reasons. ey reported that the stress placed on them to create content, and perfect it by specic deadlines, drove them crazy. ey also said that they did not feel appreciated by the company and wanted to be happier. It was reported that Buzzfeed also began to make cuts on their sta in order to become more ecient, which ultimately aected their content quality. “Media, though, doesn’t scale like tech: one journalist will always be able to produce only so many high-quality features a week, or videos a day. e huge returns on a scale that big tech can provide don’t extend to media – and BuzzFeed’s investors missed their window to sell the company for a prot, leaving it suddenly desperate to break even and so frantically cutting costs by axing sta who had done nothing other than deliver what they were asked to deliver,” reported New Statesman. It became prevalent to Buzzfeed sta that their corporate oce focused on numbers and production but failed to care about their sta and their wellbeing. “Journalists have proven they can create online newsrooms that generate social value and can reach huge audiences. Other outlets have proven there are multiple ways to raise money o that. And the talent is there. What’s missing is the right owner: someone who wants to make decent, but not venture capital-scale prots and who can be more responsive than distant US corporate overlords.” reported New Statesman. A poll was sent out to the student body and over half of the 200 respondents said they watched Buzzfeed in the past. 164 out of 200 students reported that they no longer watched Buzzfeed. e most popular channel that was reported by students was TryGuys, and when they parted from the company, their fans followed them to their independent channel where they now have over 7 million subscribers. e combination of creators wanting to be independent and creators needing a break from this ceaseless lming likely led to Buzzfeed’s ultimate downfall by removing its major creators and lowering the quality for higher quantity. omg84% of students say they don’t watch BuzzFeed anymoreThe TryGuys, who still make content on their own YouTube channel. Photo courtesy of @tryguys via Instagram.

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