Author: Ivy Miller

Introducing Sem’s Newest Class Dean: Dr. Penland

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By Kate Getz ’21

Entering the 2020-2021 school year, Wyoming Seminary will be introducing a new class dean for the Class of 2021: Dr. Elizabeth Penland. Affectionately known amongst students as Dr. P, she has been teaching Latin at Sem for the past two years. She is an effervescent polyglot, animal parent, secret-phone-game-fanatic, and plant lover, and Dr. P loves teaching Latin because she loves the language and the chance to unfold the interests and curiosities of the students who sign up for the course. Her Latin students should shed no tears at her new position, however, because she will still be teaching Latin at the honors and AP level; Mrs. Morgan Howard-Penland will be teaching Latin I and II.

What is something most people do not know about you? 

“I speak about 13 languages, not fluently, but I have basic knowledge of the following languages: English, Spanish, German, Latin, Coptic, Syriac, Greek, Armenian, Middle Egyptian, Medieval German, Medieval Dutch, Arabic, and Italian.”

What are some of your favorite things about Sem? 

“I really like the service attitude at Sem and the focus on both community service and service to others. I really love the little things about the dining hall that no one else may like, but I see it as an opportunity to see people and foster community. I have been welcomed really warmly at Sem, and even though I have only been here two years, I feel like I am a part of everything. I also just love getting to know my awesome students. And the motto is in Latin! How could you not love that?”

What was your favorite part about virtual learning? Least favorite?

“[My favorite part was that] because we were more digital, we got to use a lot of different tools that I had not used before, so I really enjoyed that. Just seeing people was fun at a point because it was nice to have social interaction of any kind. Every time we saw each other was special for me.”

“[My least favorite part was] probably just the overall lack of connection and how exhausting it was to be online all the time.” 

In the scenario that we have to go back to online learning, what changes would you make to your teaching approach and class dean approach? 

“Everyone has their own online teaching style. My upper level classes hit a good rhythm during the spring where people had time to engage with the material and the opportunity to process it. I would love to do more of that because it was useful to see how students were handling the material. I also may use more small group features to check in with technical questions. We are also getting rid of the textbook for Latin honors.”

“[As class dean] what I want the seniors to know is that my office is always open. I want to find times to see people to hear about things quickly. I’m here for the academic, the personal, the existential, everything. This has been true for my Latin students, and it is especially true for all of the seniors in the upcoming year. I want to make sure that people are being heard.”

What part of being a dean are you looking forward to the most? 

“I am looking forward to helping students solve problems in any capacity I can while looking at both the big picture stuff and all of the small pieces of the Sem experience.”

Next year is going to be difficult and confusing as we continue dealing with the virus. What are some of your plans and goals in guiding the senior class through their last year at Sem? 

“My biggest goal is connecting us. I really want to find ways to feel like we are in touch with each other. I want us to have group activities, maybe small group by choice activities or a rotating set of people, so they not only form class identity and cohesion but also connect with each other. I am very open to ideas about how we can do this. I want to make sure the senior class experiences togetherness and the ability to be the leaders at Sem. I also am very confident in my thought that seniors need both a cookie and nap at all times.”  

What were some of your favorite quarantine activities? 

“Reading mystery novels, watching anything on the Britbox channel and Disney Plus, particularly ‘Pick of the Litter’, cooking nostalgic foods that Mrs. P and I had not had in a while, and definitely ordering takeout once it was available because we were sick of cooking.”

Is cereal a soup or a salad? Please explain your answer.  

“Cereal is clearly cake because everything is cake right now.”

Please provide as much information about your dogs and cats as possible.

“[We have] Lucie and Lola, who are Gemini and twins, one-year old Morkies (Maltese/Yorkie). They like playing, walks, and chicken bacon and do not like bedtimes, bath times, or being told not to bark. Pansy, Imogen, and Draco are Gemini rescue cats, [from the] same litter, 9 years old, and part Bengal. They like water, treats, and windowsills. [They] do not like dogs, vacuum cleaners, and road trips. Tiki, who is a new-to-us rescue chihuahua, was fostered by the Maxwells in Pittston where she met Lucie and Lola at a playgroup. [She is] 13 years old and sassier than anything. She likes walks, playtime, and snoozing on her blanket and does not like crates, nosy Morkies when she’s sleeping, or being kicked off the sofa.”

If you had to eat one food every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

“Some form of chicken fried rice. Always.”

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.