Vol. LXIX, No. I Douglas Southall Freeman High School May 2021 Mrs. Criswell Says Farewell to Freeman scheduled to have her second Criswell. Sydney Tyler child in the middle of the season, “Mrs. Criswell preaches Sports Editor she instead challenged herself to responsibility, accountability, coach Junior Varsity (JV) girls [and] discipline,” said Mr. After 34 years at Freeman, Su- basketball. “I knew nothing about George. zane Criswell has decided that the basketball, but if they were will- From PE teacher to coach 2020-2021 school year will be her ing to teach me I was willing to to Student Activities Director, last as Freeman’s Director of Stu- coach,” said Mrs. Criswell. Mrs. Criswell has helped every dent Activities. Mrs. Criswell has Since her time as girls basketball student that has walked through dedicated her life to education, coach , Mrs. Criswell has found Freeman’s doors find and pursue spending 42 years in the field, 34 the most rewarding part of her job their passion. of which have been at Freeman. to be helping students discover Mr. George said, “When I With her fifth grandchild on their passion. “I hate watching realized I wanted to teach and the way, Mrs. Criswell will be sports on TV, so having the op- coach at my alma mater, I went stepping away from the Freeman portunity to watch young athletes by [Mrs. Criswell’s] office to family to focus on her immediate [in real life] work hard and play thank her and with a huge smile. family. “I never missed anything at [their] passion is always re- She said, ‘Welcome home.’” warding and fulfilling,” she said. “Mrs. Criswell has always made my kids did and this job would re- PHOTO: CLAIRE MORRIS But supervising athletics only an effort to watch and support quire me to miss those things for Mrs. Criswell has worked at Freeman for 34 years. makes up part of Mrs. Criswell’s us.” said junior girls basketball my grandkids and I don’t want to projects around the school and committed to these students, job. She is also in charge of player AK Canavos. “She would do that,” she said. athletics department. Some committed to the values and overseeing, planning, and come over after games and talk While impactful, Mrs. projects she’s worked on include coordinating all student activities with us about different things that Criswell’s years at Freeman have the new turf field, updates to the including quiz bowl and theatre’s happened that game and it always not always been smooth sailing. upper fields and softball field, She was, and one act competition. She said, made my night.” On her first day of work as a and improvements to the base- will always be, “Seeing students’ phenomenal After 34 years and impacting physical education (PE) teacher ball area. “All [the projects] have committed to this work in the one act competition is thousands of lives, it is no sur- here at Freeman, Mrs. Criswell been challenging, but if you love school,”“ always a highlight” and “watch- prise that Freeman has been a entered the big gym to discover a family you do what you can for ing battle of the brains answer special place for Mrs. Criswell. that the floor had developed two them,” said Mrs. Criswell. “This - Chapin George questions I don’t even understand “Freeman is family, it’s seen me large bubbles over the weekend, is an extraordinary community is amazing.” through a lot,” said Criswell. “I making it unusable. This bump that does whatever they can to image of Douglas Freeman.” For Mrs. Criswell, the job of came to work every day loving in the road took until December support Freeman without ques- Mrs. Criswell has been flexible student activities director goes this place and loving the jobs I’ve to get fixed, so she was forced to tion.” over the years, doing whatever deeper than the job description. had here. I love this place.” adapt. “We ended up having to “Mrs. Criswell’s legacy is one she could to benefit the Freeman “I hope that whoever sits at this The Freeman family will play volleyball in the small gym of commitment,” said Chapin community. In 1987, her first year desk understands the scope of miss you. Thank you for your that year,” said Mrs. Criswell. George, Boys Varsity Basketball at Freeman, the student activities this job- it’s helping kids find dedication and hard work Mrs. Since then, Mrs. Criswell coach. “She was, and will always director at the time asked her to and realize a passion,” said Mrs. Criswell! has been involved in numerous be, committed to this school, coach gymnastics. But as she was HCPS Greenlights Outdoor Graduation anticipation towards graduation as students, teacher Rob Peck How to understands the sentimental value Register to Vote that the celebration holds for students and their families. “A public moment where we acknowledge all the graduating seniors, where we think about next steps, where we celebrate past successes,” said Mr. Peck, “[holds] enormous value.” In regards to graduation for the Class of ‘21, Mr. Peck said that he PHOTO: HENRICO SCHOOLS “applaud[s] the county’s decision Henrico County principals and administrators on the Richmond You must: to do what it can to give our grad- Raceway track uating seniors as normal an expe- he was not as upset about los- rience as they can.” He added that Jack Harenchar ing graduation as he was about be 18 years old Online Editor-In-Chief “los[ing] the entirety of [his] se- nior second semester.” Anything we by the next elec- Senior Amanda Gagen said that can do to celebrate Despite spending most of their “[she] had a bunch of friends who the work the stu- tion senior year online, things appear graduated last year and they had dents“ have put in has to be in order for Henrico County … little group gatherings with Public School (HCPS) seniors to each other … [but] it’s definitely to be a good thing..” end high school on a high note. missing something not to have ev- - Rob Peck On March 17, HCPS eryone all together.” That won’t be a U.S. Citizen announced that they plan to hold be an issue this year. “anything we can do to celebrate in-person, outdoor graduation With HCPS giving the go-ahead the work the students have put in ceremonies for the Class of 2021, for traditional graduations in has to be a good thing.” adhering to Governor Ralph 2021, Senior Amanda Gagen said “[Graduation is] a chance to Northam’s COVID guidelines. that she was “really happy to see celebrate the people who have have no criminal The governor’s guidance on that we are going to be in person helped you along the way,” said graduations provides that outdoor for [graduation].” Freeman Principal John Marshall, record ceremonies may take place with While not releasing details noting that he remembers his a maximum occupancy of 5,000 initially, the school district own graduation vividly. “[It’s] a people, or 30 percent of a venue›s finally announced on April 23 moment for families to celebrate capacity, as long as patrons wear that the Richmond Raceway all the little sacrifices that it masks and adhere to social dis- would hold the ceremonies for 9 takes to raise a child and for Important Dates: tancing and hand-cleaning proto- of this year’s graduating classes. students to gather one last time cols. Each student will be given four with their community of friends, Last spring, the coronavirus tickets for friends and family classmates and teachers who have Online, in-person, pandemic forced Henrico County who will sit socially distanced in contributed to their journey.” to cancel typical graduation the grandstands while students Looking forward to her and mail registration ceremonies, held at VCU’s Seigel graduate on a stage down on graduation day, Amanda says Center. Abbreviated graduation the track. Freeman’s graduation that she is most excited about the must be completed or ceremonies for the Class of 2020 ceremony is scheduled for class’s commencement speaker. took the form of driving around Wednesday, June 16, at 10 a.m. “I admire them a lot [because] it the Richmond Raceway and Until recently, current seniors takes a lot to get up in front of the postmarked 22 days individual cap and gown photo were unsure of the form that class and speak and I just think sessions as students received their their ceremony would take with it›s really sweet to hear what they before Election Day diplomas. graduation rapidly approaching. have to say to people that they’ve While graduation last year “Me and a lot of my friends were had so many experiences with.” wasn’t ideal, Freeman Class of worried that we weren’t going While certainly, no plans in the 2020 graduate Hill Nystrom said to be able to have in-person COVID-19 era are completely These forms can be obtained from that “the Nascar and small group graduation,” said Amanda. “[It is] safe, Hill said that seniors should ceremonies were safe, fun re- really important to me … [and] I try to, “have a good time… but your local registration office or online placements and gave us an oppor- feel like it’s a really nice way to enjoy your last moments as a tunity to say goodbye to friends get closure on high school.” high schooler,” no matter what and teachers.” He added that Despite not sharing the same graduation looks like.