Author: Ivy Miller

Sports and the Pandemic

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By Shane Holcombe ‘23 and Maddie Olshemski ‘23

After COVID-19 brought the cancellation of spring sports, student athletes have been ecstatic to return to play with their teammates in the fall. However, this upcoming season will certainly look different than that of years in the past. 

Guidelines from a recent PIAA meeting include wearing masks during practices, practicing social distancing while staying on the sidelines and commuting to games, and maintaining hygiene to the best of the athletes’ abilities. A plan for spectators to return to stadiums and fields is yet to be determined and will be a fluid process throughout the fall, winter, and spring sports seasons this upcoming school year. 

In a virtual interview with Coach Klassner, head coach of the field hockey team and Athletic Director of Sem, Klassner noted that “this [season] will be a year for the record books.” Klassner mentioned she “has been meeting regularly with athletic directors around the area to ensure the safest season for the athletes and the best experience possible for sports to return on campus.” Meanwhile, practices will be “more drill based in smaller groups rather than contact training everyday” so that Sem can follow PIAA guidelines. In order to maintain social distancing while being transported to and from games, students can expect to see “team busses multiplied and games farther away from Northeastern Pennsylvania potentially canceled.” On the topic of spectators, Coach Klassner stated, “fans affect the momentum and energy of the game, and the possibility of not having supporters in the stands will have to be dealt with” (After The Opinator interviewed Coach Klassner, the PIAA announced that fall sports would have to move forward without spectators). Klassner also noted that “if need be, our coaches and teams are ready for the possibility of online practices and training.” While the pandemic may bring sudden changes and pauses to the fall sports season, Coach Klasner expressed her hope that “if anything, hopefully athletes who are seniors and play spring sports don’t have to wait another year to return to play.”

For a brief period of time, the PIAA expressed uncertainty about the occurrence of the upcoming sports season. After Governor Tom Wolf released a statement strongly recommending the postponing of sports until at least January 1, 2021, the PIAA stated that they believe this recommendation “has a potential negative impact on the students’ physical, social, emotional, and mental health.” After meeting on August 21, the PIAA Board of Directors voted to permit fall sports to begin on August 24th based on local school decisions and stated that they will “monitor school participation in fall sports and may pursue alternate solutions, if necessary.” The Opinator wishes all Sem teams best of luck and hopes all athletes remain safe and healthy throughout the upcoming sports season.

COVID-19: Fact vs. Fiction

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COVID-19: Fact vs. Fiction

Photo courtesy of BBC News

By Sasha Roumyantseva

With seemingly endless amounts of information on the internet, web users can often struggle to remember all the information they read or hear, let alone determine if that information is true or not. According to recent studies conducted by the Bruno Kessler Foundation in Italy, every day in March 2020 an average of 46,000 new posts on Twitter led to inaccurate or misleading information about the pandemic. Since social media platforms like Twitter are from where many people receive their primary information about the crisis, The Opinator has compiled a list of fiction you may have been told is fact, and fact you may have been told is fiction.

Fiction: An accurate way to test if you have COVID-19 is to check if you can hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. 

The only way to accurately check if you have the virus is to get a laboratory test.

Fact: Vaccines against pneumonia do not protect against the COVID-19 virus.

Vaccines against pneumonia, such as pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine, do not provide protection against the new coronavirus. The virus is so new and different that it needs its own vaccine. Researchers are trying to develop a vaccine against COVID-19, and the World Health Organization is supporting their efforts. 

Fiction: “Certain foods and vitamins can help fight off COVID-19.”

At this time, no food or supplement has been proven to prevent or treat COVID-19. Researchers are, however, studying a number of  vitamins and supplements, including zinc, vitamins C and D, and melatonin, to see if they can be helpful.  

Fact: People of all ages can be affected by the virus.

Older people and younger people can be infected by the COVID-19 virus. Older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease, appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill from the virus.  

Fiction: COVID-19 isn’t harmful to young adults and children.

Children’s symptoms tend to be milder than those in adults, that is if they show symptoms at all. Recent reports, however, indicate that some children may develop life-threatening complications that can affect the heart and other organs. 

Fact: There are no medicines that can prevent or treat the virus.

To date, there is no specific antiviral treatment recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus. Those who have a possible or confirmed case of the virus are encouraged to stay home except to get medical care, monitor their symptoms carefully, remain rested and hydrated, and stay in quarantine. 

Fiction: Coronavirus can be transmitted through mail.

Experts are still learning how the new coronavirus spreads, but it’s believed that the virus primarily spreads from person-to-person through infectious respiratory droplets.


As research surrounding the virus and its spread continues to develop, The Opinator encourages its readers to refer to reliable sources of information to learn about the pandemic, such as the Center for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and county and state health departments. Misinformation can have devastating effects, so hopefully this article has taught you something new about the pandemic or helped you debunk false facts that you’ve read.

 

New Club at School is Nuts!

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New Club at School is Nuts!

by Max Liu ’21

“Squirrel watching isn’t just a club. It’s a lifestyle.” – Jonah Pascal ‘21

A brisk January morning passes by. Keefer Wu ‘21 has spent the second half of his lunch bell tracking down the Rodentia Sciuridae, also known as the squirrel. Today in particular, Keefer is attempting to get an image of one particular squirrel, one that has been constantly harassing the tree outside of the Stettler Learning Resources Center. “Geoffrey,” as head of security Jonah Pascal ‘21 calls him, “is a creature that evades all detection. You see him, and then he’s gone before you can get a picture.”

The squirrel is a fascinating creature. With its sizable tail and short legs, one would think that capturing a squirrel would be simple. As head of trapping Shailee Desai ‘21 will tell you, however, this is never the case. “Trapping squirrels can be pretty difficult. I tried when I was approximately 10 years old, using a crate and a couple of nuts and a ziplock bag. The squirrel took the nuts and escaped.” However, this has not deterred the Official Rodent Observation and Study Society of Wyoming Seminary (dubbed Squirrel Club). “Squirrel club has been working diligently on a high-quality trap that poses no risk[s] to either humans or squirrels,” claims Ms. Desai.

A common question that the Squirrel Watching Club receives is “why?” The easy answer: to observe and study squirrels. However, the club does have other motives.

“Squirrels scare me” say Shane Holcombe ‘23 and Flynn Little ‘21. This is a perception shared by various students across campus. However, squirrels are nothing of which to be afraid. The Rodent Observation and Study Society’s official mission statement is to spread awareness about an underrepresented population on campus. Mya Dobrowolski ‘21, founder of Book Club, perfectly captures this message: “Squirrel club is not only an enriching school club, but it also fosters creativity that is crucial to the development of awareness towards squirrels.”

Of course, Squirrel Club is also an opportunity for students to have fun and topractice critical thinking. Niko Katsuyoshi ‘20, a TikTok star, calls the activity “one of the most interesting and interactive clubs on campus” and an “opportunity to go out and watch nature.” Multiple fun and original events have been hosted this year, including an art competition and ‘squirrel hide and go seek’.

“Squirrels are really nice. They give life to nature,” says Sandra Hategekimana ‘21. Since its founding in December 2019, Squirrel Club has been actively gaining members and seeking support from the local community. “Squirrel Club has shown me a part of campus that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise,” says Matthew Kuloszewski ‘21. Each day, the club worked towards changing the opinions of the students and creating a more inclusive environment on campus.