THE GRYPHON TIMES Friday, February 12, 2021 Volume 13 Issue 3 UA Spirit Week Tolbert Debuts New Podcast By William Stewart Goes Virtual University Academy sophomore Briana Tolbert has found a creative By Sylvia Halliburton way to voice her opinion on more mature topics of the world—topics During a traditional school year, Spirit Week is a time often left to adults. when students and staff get to participate in different Her podcast, “New Generation themed activities to keep school fun and not just about Speaks,” is a platform she created for school work. With schools relying on online schooling students in middle and high school to due to COVID-19, having a Spirit Week through the com- have a chance to voice their opinions puter screen can be a little difficult. on topics ranging from Black Lives University Academy‟s Student Council made it work, Matter to mental health. though, and it turned out to be a success. “So much had happened in 2020 During UA‟s Spirit that was life-changing, so I found Week, there was a series myself always making a post on of interesting events and Snapchat or having a deep conversa- themed days to partici- tion on it with friends and family, and pate in. Many people I wanted these topics to be heard so I ended up engaging de- started a podcast,” Tolbert said. UA sophomore Briana Tolbert has started a podcast called “New Generation spite the fact that it was When she got started, her first Speaks.” Tolbert is involved with cheerleading, debate and Student Council virtual. challenge was coming up with the at UA. Monday was “Fan name of the podcast. Once she over- Day,” when students came this, she tackled her next task of becoming comfort- this could hopefully lead to change in society. and staff wore gear pro- able with recording herself speaking. The podcast already has a few followers, with fellow moting something they So far she has released two episodes. The intro episode classmate Chloe Williams being one. support or believe in. allows listeners to get familiar with the podcast and how the “We are the same age, so I think she'll talk about some Mr. Blakemore and Ms. Tuesday was “Twin Day bi-weekly episodes will work. Her second episode, about things that I'll probably relate to and agree with.” Kwenin dressed alike on & UA Lounge.” Stu- the BLM movement, stars guest speakers Alesia McFadden Although Tolbert does not want podcast hosting to be “Twin Day.” dents found someone to and Jyaira Ware, who speak about the deeper meaning of her permanent career, she wants to keep doing it for as long twin with, and later on in the movement. McFadden and Ware are both UA sopho- as she can. the day, an event was hosted on Zoom for people to so- mores. “I have started promoting my podcast through social cialize with their peers and people they normally wouldn‟t Tolbert has high hopes for her podcast and how it can media,” Tolbert said. ”I feel like that's the best way to pro- talk to on a daily basis. help her fellow peers and community. She hopes that by mote things nowadays cause it's free to everyone.” Wednesday was “Go Green Day,” when everyone starting this podcast, she might influence other students and You can find updates about the podcast on Instagram, wore green and was encouraged to do something positive kids her age to start building a platform for themselves Twitter and Facebook at the handle, for the Earth. The last day of Spirit Week, Thursday, was where they can express their feelings about topics in the @NewGenerationSpeaks. “Among Us Day,” when everyone dressed up as their world. She also aims to help young people become more Tolbert hopes to release new episodes bi-weekly. favorite “Among Us” character, and a game night was comfortable with talking about serious topics. Ultimately, Check out “New Generation Speaks” on Spotify. held in the evening on Zoom so people could gather and play the game together. Shyionna Thatcher, StuCo‟s president said, “The job of StuCo before COVID was to plan events and create ways to build a stronger sense of community within UA and outside of it. We didn't want to allow this roadblock Cheering Through a Pandemic to be the reason why we didn't even try to plan something By Zahara Jordan for the students.” The StuCo team The University Academy cheerleading team is in the many more challenges have come that the squad has had to was pleased to find a midst of a different kind of season. rally around. way to facilitate stu- Since the world is facing a pandemic, many schools Lindsey said, “The biggest challenge for me would be dents still having fun have temporarily stopped the mask. Having asthma and during this virtual sports, like cheerleading, alto- cheering with the mask on is diffi- school time period. gether. However, some cult to do, and doing the cheers Thatcher said, “I schools, including UA, are that are on the longer side takes can say that StuCo is taking proper precautions so awhile to learn, as well.” simply glad that we they can still have sports One other struggle has been were still able to while keeping their athletes not being able to cheer at some connect and commu- and staff safe. away games due to restrictions set nicate during such On the Gryphons‟ Upper in place by other schools. difficult times.” School cheer team, there are Both Davis and Lindsey said The process of nine girls, and the coach is cheering for football season was finding activities for Ms. Susie Jackson. Tryouts easier than cheering for basketball Spirit Week wasn't took place last August, and games because they were able to as challenging as the practices started soon after. pull their masks down sometimes group expected it to The team has been able to since they were outside and could be. In dealing with cheer at a selection of football be more socially distanced. this pandemic, people have been forced to get creative to and basketball games through- Despite the challenges handle adversity and entertain themselves and others. out this school year. COVID-19 has presented for the Spirit Week was a prime example of this. Although sports have con- Gryphon cheerleaders, team mem- Ms. Amanda Adreani, a Student Council sponsor, tinued at UA, many coronavi- bers have still managed to enjoy was pleased with the outcome of the event, and she espe- rus-related changes were themselves and also have fun in cially enjoyed the “Among Us” night. made, specific to each sport, to the process. “I think that the game night was the highlight of the promote health and safety. Lindsey said, “My favorite week for me. It really made my heart happy to see stu- Freshman cheerleader thing about cheerleading is the dents hanging out and laughing together—that's some- Bria Davis said, “Cheering connections I‟ve made with the thing I really miss about being in the school building!” during COVID is hard because other cheerleaders, and the games she said. we have to cheer with a mask are always fun to attend.” UA cheerleaders have persevered through Planning the event was new territory for Ms. Adreani on.” Davis said, “My favorite COVID-19 challenges to support the Gryphon and her students. “I think we were all a little nervous UA senior Tyler Lindsey, thing is the excitement of the football and basketball teams this year. about how it would go. A virtual Spirit Week was new another cheerleader, said, “It‟s game. I‟m on the court watching territory—something StuCo has never had to attempt be- been pretty interesting. I‟m surprised how much we were the game and cheering the team on and getting them hyped fore. And I'm so glad we went for it,” she said. able to cheer. Of course, we have to follow guidelines, so and excited to win.” Since Spirit Week was a success, StuCo plans to host staying safe is the main priority. But cheering in a mask is Even though COVID-19 has disrupted a normal cheer additional virtual game nights events coming up on Feb. difficult but doable.” season at UA, the cheerleaders are glad that they still get to 19 and 26. Stay tuned for details! There are many challenges that come with cheerleading cheer at games and have fun while doing so. even in “regular” times, but in the midst of the pandemic, 1 Teacher Feature: Ms. Hadjian, Lifelong Learner By Ryleigh Hayes Ms. Darya Hadjian is a second year Hadjian said she has enjoyed being able to watch her kids Spanish teacher at University Academy. develop while spending more time with them. One pan- Before working at UA, Ms. Hadjian demic downside has been the lack of energy she has seen worked for the Johnson County Depart- in her students. ment of Corrections at the Juvenile Ser- “[Another challenge has been] watching my babies vices Center. This past experience inspires and students struggle without peer to peer interaction. I her to help teachers keep their students think that is so essential and not offered much,” she said. motivated in the classroom rather than at a Ms. Hadjian is a mother of two, and while she correction center. teaches UA students, she is also helping her children Ms. Hadjian has many goals for her- learn virtually this year. Thankfully, her mother, self. She aims to help all her students be- “GrannyKins,” has been able to assist. come comfortable speaking Spanish. She In the midst of the challenges everybody is facing, also loves cooking, so she hopes to one Ms. Hadjian had some encouraging words for her current day open a food truck or diner and even and future students. buy her own land to grow crops. Left: Ms. Hadjian has a young son “No matter how hard it gets, the only time you truly A lover of languages, she speaks Eng- and daughter. Right: Her brother, fail is when you give up. DO NOT ever give up.” She lish, Spanish and is also currently learning Mr. Hadjian, also works at UA. He said watching her students persevere through this pan- Arabic. She said she‟s constantly learning, teaches Lower School computers demic has encouraged her to be a better teacher. which is thanks to inspiration from staff and Upper School coding. UA sophomore and Spanish student Madisen Reese members as well as her students. said, “She helps me believe I can do better and has high Ms. Hadjian is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Edu- packages to people who might need them. They also enjoy expectations.” cation and Leadership from Rockhurst University, which swimming—when there‟s not a pandemic—and reading. Ms. Hadjian said anyone in the teaching field does not she should receive within the next year. But earning that “Santa really came through this year with the books, so do it for the money. degree won‟t stop her from continuing to learn and grow. I have been enjoying reading,” she said. “We all do it because we truly care and want to invest/ Ms. Hadjian said, “I honestly cannot stop learning.” Speaking of the COVID-19 pandemic, she has experi- pour into [our students‟] lives to encourage [their] healthy In her free time, Ms. Hadjian and her kids take care enced its pros and cons along with the rest of the world. Ms. succession in this world.” Indigo Arrives Valentine’s Day History and Fun By Heaven Brooks-Smith in Upper School Valentine‟s Day is a day filled with love, treats and Woodley said, “My favorite gifts were a teddy bear and trinkets. balloons because the teddy bear was cute, and the balloons What many people don‟t know is, it was not always had mean- By Nani Hill like this. In the third century A.D, two men with the last ingful name Valentine were killed by Emperor Claudius II of words on University Academy has started using the Indigo As- North Africa, hence the name Valentine‟s Day. This day them.” sessment as a tool to help students understand exploration was named after them to honor them and how they died. Since of possible careers. One man died after defying the Emperor‟s order about mar- there is a The Indigo Assessment is an advanced personality riage, and the other was killed for helping prisoners escape. pandemic test that, after taking it, provides a detailed report to help Valentine‟s Day also replaces Lupercalia, which used going on, students become more self-aware of their strengths and to be known as the three-day festival for the coming of Valentine‟s weaknesses. The testing experience aims to empower stu- spring, and which celebrates fertility and health. Lupercalia Day can‟t dents to make well-informed decisions regarding their was and is still celebrated in Rome from Feb. 13-15. It is be cele- future paths, offering insight regarding where and how only celebrated by a small amount of people now because brated as it they might best thrive. Valentine‟s Day has overtaken it in popularity. usually is this year. So- With a total of 131 questions, the Indigo Assessment In America, Valentine‟s Day is a big deal. Americans cial distancing makes it takes about 45 minutes to an hour for most students to celebrate Valentine‟s Day by sending cards, giving gifts, a little difficult for cou- complete. There like chocolate or flowers, and enjoying romantic dinners. ples and families to are many types of It‟s also a popular day for marriage proposals. enjoy this day, but luck- questions includ- In Paris, which is known as the City of Love, Valen- ily there are still ways ing ranking how tine‟s Day is very popular. Couples go to Paris and often to celebrate the holiday things affect you, renew their vows, many hold weddings there, and others in while staying safe. One checking all the Paris plant trees to show their love for one another. Other option is a movie night. boxes that apply to Valentine‟s Day festivities in Paris include champagne Williams said, “I you, sorting words cruises, lunch in the Eiffel Tower, chocolate and pastry love romantic movies, in order of their tours and much, much more. and my favorites are importance to you, and filling in some blanks at the begin- In other countries, such as Italy, men give special „Jumping the Broom‟ ning full of personal information. chocolates with messages on the wrappers to the special and „Always a Brides- UA seniors took the assessment last fall, while fresh- people in their lives. Valentine‟s Day in Italy is for adults maid.‟” UA freshman Jayla Williams men took it just recently. These ninth graders will take it only instead of being for everybody, as is the case in most Woodley said, “My received this gift on Valentine’s again as seniors so they can observe any changes and/or countries. favorite romantic movie Day from her mom one year. consistencies after four years have passed. Every year on Valentine‟s Day, lots of men, women is the movie „The Cin- The test is a new experience for both students and and children give or receive gifts, and many can point to derella Count.‟” teachers alike. Ms. Katy Kenyon, the Upper School coun- one particularly memorable gift they love most. Other ideas might be to order favorite takeout foods, selor, is helping to implement it. She took the test herself University Academy freshmen Jayla Williams and Avi- enjoy self-care days for Valentine‟s Day or even undertake to see what it would be like for students. ona Woodley do lots of things to celebrate Valentine‟s Day. a fun, holiday-themed DIY project. She said, “I would have loved to have taken the test Both have received gifts in previous years that are special to Valentine‟s Day is still a day of love, treats and trin- when I was in high school so I could learn more about them. kets, even though it has a very bloody origin. Get some myself. I think it would have helped me to keep my mind Williams said, “My favorite gift is a Build-a-Bear I got snacks, turn on a good movie and enjoy Valentine‟s day. and options open when exploring different majors and from my mom.” Xoxo. careers.” Seniors took the test last November, and when asked by Ms. Kenyon for feedback, she said they thought it was “creepy how accurate the report was,” especially since it Gryphon Basketball Teams Pick Up Trophies included seemingly random questions. The Indigo report each individual test taker receives after finishing the assessment shows the test taker‟s strengths, weaknesses and skills. It also shows how one prefers to interact with others, the DISC behaviors (Dominance, Influencing, Steadiness, Compliance) and the biggest motivators of the person taking the test. In addition, it lists possible majors and careers that would match the personality of the person taking the assessment. Of course, this is very important for seniors--and all high school students in general--to start thinking about. Overall, students liked the experience. UA senior Mikilah Davis took the Indigo Assess- ment, and she said she would absolutely recommend it to others. “You can definitely learn things you didn't know about yourself. It can help you in the long run in a way, Left: The boys’ basketball team won third place at the Bill Burns Tournament in Lathrop. Right: The girls [and it] can direct you to a better path in life,” she said. picked up the fifth place trophy from Summit Christian Academy’s tournament. 2

GAMERS’ THISe OR THAT

Gaming Consoles vs. Computers PlayStation 5 vs. By Ethan Bui With the release of brand new technology including consoles will be represented by the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Xbox Series X next generation consoles as well as performance-enhanced Series X, while the PCs will be represented by a $750 PC parts, many gamers are trying to decide which platform budget-build. All of these systems actually perform more or By Joseph Mitiku is best. There are many sub- less the same, except in one options, but it really comes down area known as FPS. Most people know that the two new consoles for to two main choices: console or FPS, which stands for Xbox and PlayStation, the Xbox Series X and the Play- computer (PC). frames per second or frame Station 5, are out. Both new consoles deliver fast loading In terms of the options for rate, is the performance statis- times, high graphics and impressive frame rates. But consoles, the top choices are the tic that most people look for which of the two systems is the superior gaming machine, PlayStation 5, the Xbox Series X in competitive gaming. If the and which of them offers the better game base? and the Nintendo Switch. As for frame rate is low or dropping, From the look of the console itself to the graph- PCs, there is a much wider vari- the screen experiences tearing ics, these consoles seem to be in a rather evenly matched ety of options since owners can and causes the player to get battle for which of the two of them is superior. mix and match parts to customize distracted or even not be able The PS5‟s loading time is 5-10 seconds, and the their systems as desired. to see what is going on. When Xbox has similar loading times. The loading times vary In fairness to both platforms, the frame rate is high, every- depending on the game that is running. the comparisons in this article thing moves smoothly, as if it The PS5 has an impressive 8-core 3.5 GHz processor, will be made based on budget and were a high quality recorded but the Xbox has an even better 8-core, 3.8 GHz proces- performance in gaming. When video. sor. The Xbox has a raw output of 2.4 GBps and a com- looking at the cost of consoles The maximum frame rate pressed output of 4.8 GBps. The PS5 more than doubles and PCs, many people seem to on the top consoles right now that with a raw 5.5 GBps and a compressed 9.0 GBps. assume that consoles are better is 120 FPS. Although this is a The Xbox‟s cold startup time is 21.35 seconds, while because they are cheaper. huge upgrade from the previ- the PS5‟s cold Cannon Clark, a University ous 60 FPS consoles, the startup time is Academy junior, agreed with this budget PC is able to run at 25.56 seconds. idea. 144 FPS. Not only is this bet- When booting “I think that consoles are ter than the console‟s frame the consoles Some gamers prefer to play on a PC (top), while better in cost because they are rate, but it is also not capped. from sleep, the others prefer consoles like the PlayStation 5 around $300-$400, while PCs This means consoles have to Xbox has a load (bottom). cost $1000 or more.” be running at their best to up time of 4.44 Although this statement is somewhat true and is a com- achieve 120 FPS, while the PC has 144 FPS as its stability seconds, while mon opinion held by many, various factors are still over- area. the PS5 lags a few seconds, with looked. Most PC owners have their computers custom- Another difference between the platforms is the use of a time of 5.11 seconds. made, meaning the price will vary depending on what the a controller versus mouse and keyboard. In terms of gam- University Academy fresh- person wants his/her system to achieve. ing, this is more of a preference-oriented option, but over- man Cenae Hancock is a big Jaden LeGrair, another UA junior, is a PC owner him- all, people generally agree that the mouse and keyboard gamer who prefers the Xbox. self. combination is better competitively. This is also backed by “My favorite part about the “PCs are better in cost because you can pick your parts the fact that controller games usually offer an option called new Xbox would be the start up rather than doing an entire upgrade for consoles,” he said. “aim assist,” which aids players‟ accuracy because it is time. The console took an im- So PCs may actually be better in cost due to the fact harder to be precise on a controller. pressive 3-4 seconds to boot up a that people can build them on a budget and slowly upgrade In conclusion, both platforms have their ups and game, but the old console would in the future. For consoles, however, the owner has to up- downs, but it mainly comes down to preference as long as have taken 10 seconds at least,” grade everything all at once every time a new one comes buyers are investing in the right configuration--the one that Hancock said. out. Another factor in upgrading is that people don't need to satisfies their needs. The Xbox also has a lot UA freshmen Bray- upgrade their PCs at all unless they want to. But in order to Ultimately, LeGrair chose to stick with PC. more backward compatibility don Mitchell (top) play new games and continue to play with friends on a con- “I prefer PC gaming because it is better competitively games compared to the PS5, but and Demitri Oliver sole, people are forced to upgrade for every generation. and has more games.” the PS5 comes back with more (bottom) both prefer The last aspect of cost, which is heavily overlooked, is Clark, on the other hand, leans toward consoles. console exclusives than the the PlayStation 5. that people usually pay monthly to use online services on “I prefer console gaming because it feels way more Xbox. However, this isn‟t to say consoles but not on PCs. PC users, though, do pay a comfortable to me.” Xbox won‟t come out with some console exclusives one monthly internet connect fee. But although the initial cost These statements suggest that the advantages of PC day. of a PC is probably much higher than a console, a variety of gaming are competitiveness and performance, while the Hancock had an experience with this backward com- longer term factors make the PC option undoubtedly cost advantages of console gaming are casualness and comfort- patibility with the “Halo Master Chief” collection. After competitive. ability. she and her brother sold her old console, they were wor- Now, on to the performance side of each platform. The ried they wouldn‟t get to play the older “Halo” again. Thankfully they realized they actually could. “Something like them giving backward compatibility is huge if you want to play an old game with better graph- ics and higher frame rates,” Hancock said. As for the PS5‟s console exclusives, UA freshman Demitri Oliver cited that as one reason why he favors the PS5 over the Xbox. “The exclusives we are getting is a new „God of War,‟ and we already have „Bug Snacks‟ and „Destruction All Stars,‟” Oliver said. With graphics, the consoles seem extremely similar. The Xbox barely has a better CPU. The PlayStation ap- pears cleaner than the Xbox when the console is into fa- voring frames mode (higher frames over graphics). The PS5 deals with antialiasing (cleaner lines) better than the Xbox, but the Xbox fights back with the quicker start feature. This allows users to switch from one game to another with extremely short loading times. Another thing Oliver enjoys is the PS5‟s controller. “I like the new controller. The old gen controller was personally too small for me. I feel like I can play better with the new controller,” Oliver said. Ultimately, either choice would seem solid. Each console provides a compelling number of reasons why it is the best choice. Xbox has power, speed and backward compatibility. But while Sony‟s PlayStation does not have many backward compatible games, it does offer a big lineup of proven studios currently making new exclusives for the console. These companies are really not making it easy for anyone trying to decide which new console to pur- chase. 3 New Anime NFL Playoffs Don’t Disappoint By Trevon West Releases On This year‟s NFL playoffs featured many exciting matchups for fans across the country. In the AFC and NFC, there were four total games that determined who advanced to the Track For 2021 division championship games. On Saturday, Jan. 16, the first NFC divi- By KaRon Hearron sional game was played between the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams. The Packers For any anime fans out there, 2021 is promising sev- defeated the Rams 32-18. eral new exciting releases. The Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens Put simply, anime is just Japanese cartoons. In Japan, played that same night in the first AFC divi- any form of animation is considered anime, which is short sional game. Ravens‟ quarterback Lamar Jack- for animation. son threw a late interception, and he would Perhaps the eventually leave the game due to injury. The most anticipated Bills were the winners of that game, beating the anime coming out The divisional round NFL playoff games were full of intrigue and Ravens 17-3. this year is season excitement this season. On Sunday, Jan. 17, the next two games to two of “The close out the divisional round were played. The Kansas City the game 30-20. Promised Never- Chiefs and the Cleveland Browns faced off in the second University Academy middle schooler Eric West land.” This anime AFC divisional round game. The Chiefs pulled away with a watched and enjoyed this game. West said, “The Bucca- is about kids tough win after starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes went neers and Saints game was my favorite because I like trapped on a farm down with a concussion, and backup Chad Henne had to watching Tom Brady play." who are secretly step up and get the job done. The Chiefs won by a final The following weekend, the Packers and the Bucca- being shipped out score of 22-17. neers faced off in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 24. to demons, to Longtime Chiefs fan and University Academy senior Many thought this game would be close because both quar- later be Jordan Johnson said he was not worried about the Chiefs‟ terbacks, Brady and Packer QB Aaron Rodgers, are in the eaten. Due to early deficit. Johnson has watched many playoff games this conversation to be Hall of Fame players when they retire, COVID-19, the season, but he particularly enjoyed watching the Chiefs and they were right. The score turned out to be 31 to 26, production of the play the Browns. leaving Brady and the Buccaneers with the win. second season “I loved it because after Mahomes got injured, I had Not too long after the Bucs and Packers game, the was pushed back, lost all hope of making it to the Super Bowl. Then Chad Chiefs and Bills battled it out for the AFC championship. but it was re- Henne came in clutch to save the game,” Johnson said. Early on, the Chiefs were down 9-0, but Chiefs fans knew scheduled to re- The Chiefs‟ defense stepped up and played extremely the game was still early. lease on Jan. 8. well to hold off the Browns‟ running game. Players like The Chiefs went on a 38-6 run after being down two One signifi- Frank Clark, Tyrann Mathieu and Chris Jones were key scores in the first quarter. Both the defense and offense cant thing about factors in the defensive effort. made key plays to help the Chiefs close out the game, 38- “The Promised Johnson said Jones is his current favorite player in the 24. The team captured its second Lamar Hunt trophy in the Neverland” is playoffs because “he‟s a really good defensive lineman.” past three years. that the protago- To wrap up the divisional round, the New Orleans Since the Chiefs and Buccaneers both won their cham- nist of this anime Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fought it out that pionship matchups, they both advanced to the Super Bowl is actually the Sunday night in the battle of veteran quarterbacks Tom on Feb. 7. This year‟s playoff games were filled with ex- first ever female Brady and Drew Brees. The Saints were up at one point in citement and surprises, making them very entertaining to shonen protago- the game, but Brees threw a couple of interceptions, and the watch. nist. Shonen is Buccaneers took advantage of their opportunity and won arguably the best anime producer Top to bottom: “Demon Slayer,” in Japan. “Attack on Titan” and “Black Clo- Another ver” are three popular anime. anime that‟s al- Ups and Downs of Social Media ready been re- By Sydney Brenson leased this year is season two of “That Time I Got Rein- carnated as a Slime.” This show is about a shonen pro- Social media has become a staple in business, educa- mass produce ice cream. He also created strawberry and tagonist who was, as the title says, reincarnated as a slime. tion and many young people‟s personal lives. mint ice cream. He then goes on adventures with his powers. The story Statistics show that on average, people between 16-29 Shalom Boyce, another junior at UA, said, “Since [the ramps up to an even bigger mystery, which is why fans years old use social media for three hours daily. These three rise of] social media, it feels like everything that I was shel- were so excited for this second season. hours take place across a variety of platforms. Media has tered from or that had been watered down has come to This new season was released on Jan 12. developed from the traditional origins in the form of news- light.” While fans were certainly excited about these new papers, radio and TV, to internet applications, which are Boyce also sees social media as a research field for releases that came out this year, old favorites are still what most young people use today. These new applications learning and understanding new things in society or even highly popular, too. include Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and TikTok. someone‟s personal life. This leads to the understanding of University Academy freshman Demitri Oliver said Social media is used for many things like staying in new concepts and ideas. some of his favorite animes include “Black Clover,” sea- contact with family, finding new creative outlets and mak- While social media has upsides, it can also become a son three of “Fire Force” and “Attack On Titan.” These ing new friends. While these are great reasons to join and negative influence. Social apps feature plenty of negative animes are considered to be “The Big Three,” which in- use social media, the platforms can also have drawbacks. people, environments and actions. Many people who gain fluence the rest of the genre. Content can sometimes be violent, explicit, negative and fame on these platforms post harmful content consisting of “Black Clover'' is about a kid born in a world that even harmful. Both the positive and negative impacts colorism, misogyny and cultural appropriation. revolves around magic. But unfortunately, this kid was should be carefully considered before wading into social For example, Lana Del Ray has made racist tweets, and born with absolutely zero magical powers. Even so, he media. Future has shown himself to be a misogynist. Another ex- wants to become the “wizard king,” the protector of his Social media can have a lot of positive effects like ample is Nikita Dragun, a nonblack influencer, who has a village and most powerful wizard of the era. “Black Clo- helping new artists get dis- history of blackfishing, ver” chronicles his journey. covered or exposing people which is when a nonblack “Demon Slayer” is about a 13-year-old boy who sees to new hobbies. The media person changes his or her that his whole family, except his sister, was killed by a can also help spread the word appearance to look Black by demon. However, she was turned into a demon. He goes about organizations as well perhaps darkening his or her on an adventure to try and turn her back into a human. as problems in the world. skin tone with makeup. Oliver said, “„Demon Slayer‟ is my favorite because Recently, the power of Aside from prominent [the characters] have great art style and excellent charac- social media was seen people using their platforms ter development.” through the rise of the Black for negativity, even “regular” “Attack on Titan,” the third of “The Big Three,” is Lives Matter movement, as people sometimes post inap- about a child trying to get revenge for his mother‟s death trending hashtags and live, propriate thoughts, pictures on creatures called titans, giants who just seem to want to raw video footage brought and videos. eat humans for no reason at all. unprecedented exposure and Boyce said she‟s seen the The anime genre seems to be gaining popularity. momentum to a growing movement. harmful sides of social media. “Cruel people will trick oth- UA freshman Joseph Mitiku said he thinks new fans Abreon Adams, a junior at University Academy, said, ers into watching a gory video in the disguise of a fan-cam, have been brought to anime by other prominent fans. “During BLM, we had outlets to show what was going on.” it‟s horrible,” she said. “Now that influential people are talking about Social media can also be influential in letting people Teens can be exposed to many things online, but being [anime,] people have started actually watching it,” Mitiku know what's going in the world around them. Sometimes self-aware and sticking to their moral codes can keep them said. this includes shining a light on previously poorly under- away from harmful posts. Boyce has reported accounts The pandemic may also be helping anime‟s popular- stood, misunderstood, or misconstrued information. she‟s seen posting unacceptable content. Simply unfollow- ity, as people have been spending more down time at For example, Black history is often downplayed and ing accounts giving off negative vibes is an option, too. home over the past year, looking for new things to watch muddled in mainstream education. Social media can be Awareness is key, and sometimes this might mean be- and enjoy. According to an article about anime published used to share facts about Black history that are not typically ing aware of the need for a break. Stepping away and even in The Wall Street Journal last November, “Now, with the taught at school. One particular account, stopping to consider one‟s media footprint can be helpful. pandemic putting a premium on escapist video content, @blackfoodfridays on Tiktok and Instagram, promotes Social media can be full of fun and creative imagery, but the business is getting hotter.” Black foodie culture. One post recently educated followers there‟s always a chance that things will go wrong. In- Anime seems to be a genre on the rise. Old and new about a Black man named Augustus “The Father of Ice fluences and influencers are everywhere, so be aware. fans alike have plenty to enjoy in 2021! Cream” Jackson, who taught ice cream companies how to 4 Nets Superteam—Assemble! A Different By Jaden LeGrair Recently, the Brooklyn 2018 with their superteam that Way to Read Nets along with the Houston included Draymond Green, Rockets made a trade revolv- Steph Curry, Klay Thompson ing around James Harden that and Durant. The Heat had simi- By Demitri Oliver may change the NBA for the lar success back in 2012 and foreseeable future. 2013. The Heat‟s star power In the trade, the Nets ac- consisted of Chris Bosh, quired Harden, a shooting Dwayne Wade and LeBron guard, from the Rockets for James. shooting guard Caris LeVert Right after the trade was and three future first round finalized, reigning champion picks. The Rockets then James of the Los Angeles Lak- traded Levert and a second ers was asked by a reporter in a round pick to the Indiana postgame interview how he felt Pacers for shooting guard Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden are about the trade. He said, “The Victor Oladipo. the new “big 3” for the Brooklyn Nets. trade happened today, but I With Kevin Durant, couldn‟t allow myself to in- Manga is Kyrie Irving and now Harden, the Nets have created them- dulge in that knowing that we had a team that we had to a style of selves a superteam. Some people believe they are the top play tonight, so my main focus was the Thunder.” James Japanese team in the NBA now. didn't seem too worried. comic books Christian Terrell, a University Academy senior, said, With Harden playing, the Net‟s record is 6 and 2, with and graphic “The Nets will perform like the best in the league.” their overall record being 14 and 11. He was ruled out with novels. There Although superteams have been seen before in the a left thigh contusion hours before playing the Washington are two differ- NBA, like the Golden State Warriors or the Miami Heat, Wizards on Jan. 31. He has not yet returned to the court. ent types of this one seems to differ from the traditional superteam. Clark believes the Nets will go all the way to the Fi- manga-- Cannon Clark, a UA junior, said, “It has changed the nals. webtoons and NBA. I view it differently. I say this because teams have “Nets in 5!” he said. regular had „big 3‟s,‟ but not like this. They are all scorers.” The NBA certainly has an interesting second half of its manga. Web- The Warriors won two Finals back to back in 2017 and season ahead. toons read vertically and are full of color, while regular manga A Look Into Black History Month is black and white and By Chadsity Durr read horizon- tally. With February well underway, the time has come to UA also has a Black History Month committee that Top: Webtoons are popular with Manga is especially appreciate African American history and how it helps spread information about the month and plans corre- manga fans. Bottom: “Boruto” features one of the inspires people—even still today. sponding activities for all grade levels throughout the a storyline about a son who sets out to oldest forms Black History Month first began being officially recog- month of February. become a better ninja than his father. nized in the late 1970s to recognize African Americans Spirit Days are being held throughout February even in of art and who have achieved great accomplishments that often go the virtual school environment. They include Feb. 5, which communica- unnoticed. Today, Black History Month also helps recog- was Afri- tion.While manga has seen its fair share of ups and nize African Americans who are making history even in can Attire downs, it is still very popular amongst fans who would this current day. This month also brings those of African Day, Feb. rather read the action than see the action. descent closer together through celebration and recognition 12 which One reason for its popularity might be that most inter- of their culture, traditions and leaders. was Ca- esting series are free on the internet and quick to find. Trevon West, a senior at University Academy, is one of reer in Getting into manga isn‟t hard either, since the man- many who finds this month important. the Arts gaka, the author and the artist of the manga, usually “I like to watch Black empowerment movies and shows Day, Feb. makes it easy to understand while reading. to show my appreciation,” West said. 19 will be For some, the use of art and graphics is especially Shamaree‟ Sowell, another senior at UA, agreed on the 70s Hair appealing. importance of Black History Month. Style Cenae Hancock, a freshman at University Academy, “It is a very important month to celebrate the people Day, and Ms. Mae Turner led some UA students in a said, “Well, I don‟t like to read actual books, but manga is who have done significant things that aren‟t credited as Feb. 26 dance for Black History Month. The dance something I actually enjoy to do. Also, with the help of much,” she said. will be was shared on UA’s Facebook page since the pictures, it makes reading and understanding the plot eas- Sowell takes an interest in attending celebrations and 80s vs. school is unable to hold its annual Black His- ier for me.” events that are related to Black History Month. She also 90s Day. tory Month assembly this year. The style of art does play a huge part in determining goes out of her way to support small Black businesses such UA if a manga series is interesting and able to catch the as Ruby Jean‟s Juicery and Blue Nile Cafe. also usually holds a Black History Month assembly every reader's eye. So how is Black History Month recognized in the Kan- year, but unfortunately due to the coronavirus, it will not be While reading, Xzayveon Cunningham, another sas City community? taking place this year. In its place, the committee prepared a freshman at UA, takes notice of how the characters are One way the city is recognizing the month is by hold- calendar full of suggested videos, activities, discussions and drawn and often improved throughout the development of ing special exhibits and performances all throughout the projects for teachers to do with their students throughout a series. In fact, sometimes at the start of a series, Cun- month. the month. ningham doesn‟t even consider the drawings to meet his Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet is holding a movie night Mr. Andrew Blakemore, an Upper School English edu- personal requirements for being considered good at all. Feb. 18 featuring the movie “Get Out.” cator, is a member of this committee. “It seems as if that the mangaka is spending more UMKC is holding an event Feb.16 focusing on African “My role in this committee is to act as a representative time perfecting drawings as the series goes on, since the American inventors with an entrepreneurial spirit. who contributes ideas and relays information towards the character design looks more professional,” Cunningham The Kansas City Public Libraries are even making edu- Upper School staff,” Mr. Blakemore explained. said. cational books about African American history more avail- He finds this committee helpful to students as it usually So far, Cunningham has only noticed these changes able to the public. offers them an opportunity to be involved in the celebration within the long and drawn out series that are popular Schools are also participating in helping students un- of Black excellence. amongst fans. derstand the meaning of Black History Month. At UA, sen- Black History Month is a month anyone can celebrate While Hancock and Cunningham are seasoned manga iors are taught a great deal about Black history in African by educating themselves about how much Black Americans fans, for anyone looking to try it out for the first time, American Studies, taught by Mr. Johnny Wolfe. have contributed to our history. here are a few recommendations. “Boruto: Naruto Next Generations” is about the leg- end Naruto Uzumaki‟s son Boruto, who sets out on mis- sions and adventures with his teachers and friends to be- come a better ninja than his father. “The God of High School” is about how three high school students become legends amongst gods, humans, demons and mystical creatures. Using the friends they‟ve made along the way, they try to save the world from the hands of an evil organization called Nox. “Hardcore Leveling Warrior” is about how the top player in a game called Lucid Adventure sudenly loses everything he has and becomes a nobody once more. Over the course of this series, he trains to become the strongest player again with two of his best friends. While an anime hasn‟t been made yet, the mangaka of this series hasn‟t disappointed fans yet while continu- ing to shock readers with a suspenseful plot. For anyone looking for a good story, manga might just be what they need. 5 Changes Continue for Schools, Vaccine, Virus By Keagan Davis The past 11 months have been rough for school and life infections and deaths. fully vaccinated. The same in general due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For many peo- University Acad- New York Times article ple, perhaps, it has even felt like the end of the world. Peo- emy parent Rachel Hill stated that President Joe ple had to adapt to the rules of quarantining, staying six feet said she thinks the Biden originally aimed to apart from one another, wearing masks and attending virtual COVID-19 death toll is have at least 100 million school. horrible. Americans vaccinated in This has also been a time of constant change. Whether it “The death toll of his first 100 days in office, comes to infection rates, death tolls, schools, vaccines or COVID-19 saddens me but he has now raised that health-related guidelines, updates and changes seem to be greatly, and my heart goal to 150 million. the norm. These changes will surely continue for quite some goes out to every indi- Hill thinks vaccine time. vidual who has lost distribution is going as Education is one field facing never-ending changes dur- someone to COVID-19 well as can be expected. ing this time. complications,” she “I feel the vaccine St. Louis, Mo. resident Bryon Green thinks it‟s time for said. distribution is going as students to begin returning to their school buildings with So far, there have good as it can due to a vast high safety protocols in place. been approximately number of people “If the numbers are low, commit to some type of hybrid 468,000 deaths in the wanting to receive the Upper School students have only been in the building on a selec- learning at first until it's safe to return back full-time for U.S., with some 27.2 vaccine,” she said. tion of testing dates this school year. inside the building school,” he said. million infection cases. She was able to receive University Academy plans to have K-5 students return The vaccine is yet another focus of constant change, the vaccine since she works at a doctor's office, and she has- to in-person school on March 29, after all staff members with new information about vaccines and their distribution n‟t felt any side effects so far. Hill said she encourages oth- have had a chance to receive the vaccine. Middle and Upper plans being reported on almost daily. ers to get vaccinated, too. School students will stay virtual until further notice. While Many people think the vaccine distribution is moving Things continue to change in the midst of this COVID- their teachers will be required to work from school, students slower than it should be. According to the New York Times, 19 pandemic, and that will probably remain true for quite in grades 6-12 will remain virtual until further notice. about 27 million Americans have received at least the first some time yet. Another thing constantly changing is the number of dose of the virus, and more than six million Americans are

Would you like to help with New Music Coming Out in 2021 this year’s UA yearbook?! By Ariana Williams 2021 has barely kicked off, but there‟s never a right or star‟s knee injury. There‟s an unconfirmed tracklist posted Anytime you‟re out doing something wrong time to talk about by Genius, but Drake has not confirmed any of these tracks. music. Music will forever Another artist who has an album coming soon is rapper with your University Academy friends, reign because of its ability to Nicki Minaj. In 2020, she did an interview with DJ Flex, take a picture and submit it to the year- create a different mood in the and she said she is working on her next album. It is ex- book through this app! It‟s that simple. listener with its sounds. pected to release sometime in 2021. There isn't yet a title There are more than 1,000 for the album, so her fans are calling it “NM5,” since it music genres people can would be her fifth studio album. 1. Download the Yearbook choose from to satisfy their This year, Travis Scott is also expected to release his tastes, making it easy for fourth album, “Utopia,” after his album “Astroworld” de- Snap app. music to stay relevant. Any buted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Chart in 2018. There 2. Search for “University tune could find its way to are said to be 14 songs on the album so far, but a longer Academy.” uplifting somebody and put- tracklist should be in the works. ting them in the right mood. People have a strong desire for new music, and many 3. Enter this code: Gryphons2021 “I know I love a song if are just waiting for some new songs they will love this 4. Upload pictures you‟d like to be in- it gets me to chill, lay back year. and vibe to it. It usually “There isn't really anything that has dropped this year cluded in the 2020-21 UA yearbook! changes my mood to chill,” that I liked, but „Barbie Dreams‟ by Nicki Minaj is iconic,” University Academy eighth UA freshman Kamiyah Maxwell said. grader Kenon Lofton said. Often when celebrities say they‟ll drop an album on a For the past couple of certain date, that date isn‟t guaranteed. Fans sometimes get weeks, reporters like Hot tired of waiting for new music from their favorite artists 97‟s DJ Flex and No when a previously set release date passes by. Whether the Jumper‟s Adam22 have album gets pushed back because of the artist or manage- talked up albums and singles ment or tech issues, delays create greater anticipation expected to release later this among fans. year. “„Anyone‟ by Justin Bieber is getting old, so something Drake (top) and Nikki Mi- One expected release is new should come out,” Lofton said. naj (bottom) have both the album “Certified Lover Fans all around the globe are hoping for their favorite indicated they have new Boy,” which was announced artists to unveil new songs sometime this year, and new music coming in 2021. by rapper Drake back in Oc- artists will probably also surface. There‟s music out there tober of 2020. He told fans for everybody, no matter the situation. Just be yourself, and his album should be expected to drop in January 2021, but vibe to the music that moves you. according to Billboard, it has been postponed due to the

As If You Matter by Clem O. Ukaoma

(Inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem, Dreams)

Don’t take your life for granted, Instead, treat it tenderly, like it matters; For things treated like they didn’t matter,

Are, the world over, soon taken for granted. Live your life as if it were already dear,

Too dear for anyone to ignore in the clear, In this way, the world will know you matter, And not just because a slogan says you matter—

You matter when you refuse to be taken for granted! Congratulations to Oscar Sauceda, who be- February 1, 2021 came the first wrestler in University Acad- emy history to advance to sectionals. Go Gryphons! 6