THE WATCHUNG HILLS 1 STUDENT NEWS

Volume 4, Issue 3 WATCHUNG HILLS REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL NOVEMBER 2020

EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR (PAGE 1) 2020 ELECTION RECAP (PAGE 3) PFIZER VS. MODERNA VACCINE (PAGE 8) Student News Connecting Past the Classroom: Educator of the Year, Mr. Wolsko By Inica Kotasthane, Co-Editor-in-Chief “You can’t have a human body without humanity.” “It's [biology] not always about which cell goes where, put all the cells together and you have a parent, a child.” “Never stop listening to your heart, it's more than four chambers or the pulmonic valve.” - Mr. Wolsko

I had the honor of speaking with Mr. Wolsko, this year’s Educator of the Year, for over an hour, discussing, of course, the context of the award, but also the general philosophies behind his teaching style, and how his past continues to influence how he perceives teaching.Al - though I haven’t had Mr. Wolsko as a teacher, I was quickly able to understand the sense of comfort his students must feel when they enter his classroom (or Zoom call), as we were able to ease into casual conversation even after the interview was over. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with him and listening to his inspiring story, and I hope you all join me in congratulating him for this great achievement!

Mr. Wolsko teaches freshman biology and human biology at WHRHS. He’s been teaching for nearly twenty-four years, and seventeen of those have been at Watchung Hills. When asked how it felt to receive this award, he confessed that it was “very humbling,” especially since the award embodies various opinions students have of him, as well as the positive influence he’s had on them.

Wolsko told me that he knew he wanted to be a teacher at the age of sixteen because of an educator like himself: Reberty Schray. Schray was his freshman english teacher, his German teacher, his bowling coach, and above all, his inspiration and role model. Wolsko makes it clear that, regardless of how cheesy it sounds, he wanted to have the same impact on a student that Schray had on him. He works every day towards becoming someone else’s Herr Schray. “It's his fault that I became a teacher,” Wolsko jokes, “and I dedicate my career to him.”

He mentioned that Schray was someone he saw as more than simply a teacher, but rather someone who truly wanted to make, as well as maintain, emotional connections with those he interacts. Wolsko made it clear that the experiences he had with Schray define what he deems a more “humanistic” style of teaching than most. He mentioned how the typical science teacher is expected to be hyper focused on numbers and graphs, contrasting his personal efforts of “seeing the student before the material” and making his classroom a “people-driven, relation- ship-driven” atmosphere.

Wolsko says that his humanistic outlook took inspiration from Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, stating that it simply makes sense how people must feel safe and be taken care of before they can focus on other things, like academics. “That’s always resonated with me throughout my career,” he admits, “and even more so as I’ve gotten older.” This central theme of connection, connecting with his students, his material, and his environment, permeates Wolsko's teaching style and has served as a heavy influence for the way he pursues relationships with others.

Despite his clear successes in the classroom, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly dampened the traditional learning experi- ence for him as a teacher, as it has for educators across the nation. Wolsko indicated that, “It's hard to make a connection online. There’s some students I’ll never meet until next year or the year after. No one can see me smile with a mask on-- you can see this thing [his beard], but you really can’t read my face, and that’s probably the thing I find most difficult. It feels like I’m not doing enough to make that personal connection. I miss being able to be there with everyone all the time.”

These sentiments perfectly encapsulate the frustrations that many are feeling during this precarious time; however, Wolsko is trying to see the circumstances as an opportunity to form new kinds of connections. He acknowledges that COVID has been a rough time for him, especially since it is making the generational differences between him and his students increasingly apparent, specifically in terms of technological ability. “It's hard for me to learn things now at least technologically,” he declares, “and fundamentally I’m not going to change much about how I teach and how I interact with my students. It's just that I want to stay in touch especially since technology drives what we do. It’s different now, it’s faster now, I have to figure out how social media touches education, for example Flipgrid, and students deserve to have me as a teacher under- stand the technology that they use-- I feel obliged to do my best to keep up with it so that I can keep the connection.” In spite of the difficulties that have arisen due to the pandemic, Mr. Wolsko assured me and all of us that, “We will get through this… we will.” (cont. on page 2) Student News 2 Connecting Past the Classroom: Educator of the Year, Mr. Wolsko (cont.) (cont. from page 1) In terms of adapting, Wolsko has noted the necessity of having proficiency in online programs, noting how, “Teaching during COVID is different. It’s not a bad thing, especially since it’s forced me to learn about new programs. The tools change, you can’t ignore new tools. I can’t imagine what education is going to look like five years, let alone fifteen years, and what I’m hoping is that I can still help people.” He specifically mentions helping in terms of mental health, discussing his own struggles with depression and anxiety as ways of showing stu- dents that they are not alone. Even if he cannot change a student’s situation, he at least wants them to know that he understands, that he’s gone through what they’ve gone through, and he’s there if he is ever needed. “It's not just about whether they know what the mitochondria is”, he insists, “it's also being able to help them discover themselves as people.”

Wolsko’s determination to establish connections with others on a human level continues outside of the classroom as well. Food, he mentioned, is a huge passion, as he finds that cooking for people and with people is another way to connect. Getting to try new foods and experience different cultures allows him to form relationships that transgress even language. After he retires, his dream is to get a food truck with Mr. New.

Regardless of his interests, Wolsko emphasized how teaching holds a special place in his heart: “It's a privilege to be a highschool teacher, not everybody gets to do this, and not everybody gets to do this as long as I have.”

QUOTES FROM STUDENTS: “Mr. Wolsko is a great teacher. He is funny and lighthearted which made biology fun to learn. Mr. Wolsko really helped me get my feet grounded in my first year of high school as I was comfortable in his teaching style.” -Alex Chiu

“On the very first day, Mr. Wolsko made sure my whole class knew that we could come to him if we needed anything and made our class a very safe space. He wants to help all of his students in not just academic ways, but in personal ways as well. In class, he’s a very fun teacher and makes learning a lot easier!” - Eesha Lal

Thank you to Mr. Wolsko for providing the photos, and congratulations again on Educator of the Year! Arts and Entertainment Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 Premiere When is the Right Time to Play By Chelsea Fernandes, Staff Writer Thursday, November 12th was the premiere of Grey’s Anatomy Season Christmas Music? 17. Starting in March 2005, Grey’s Anatomy has been airing on TV for By Pavithra Ponnolu, Staff Writer a consecutive 16 years now coming on 17. We all know the great joys Christmas season brings each year. Wheth- er it is spending time with your family, receiving presents or maybe The writers, Shonda Rhimes and Krista Vernoff, said that the whole sea- even being gifted an itchy sweater from your grandmother, Christmas son is dedicated to the current pandemic taking over our world. Both season is almost always guaranteed to start spreading immediately af- writers said that this whole season will be in the eyes of the doctors and ter the day Thanksgiving ends, specifically in the form of jolly music how they handle the hospital. The cast first started filming on September that is assured to stay stuck in your head. 8, 2020 for the new season. The whole cast has taken precautions for COVID-19, so adding this interest into the current season helps keep Around this time of year, the Christmas spirit spreads unbelievably the cast and crew safe. fast. It has already spread to local malls, which have set up photo- shoots with Santa, and have mailboxes for children to write letters to November 12th was a 2-hour premiere consisting of two episodes, and him. However, asking the question of when is the right time to play both episodes tied up loose ends from the previous season that were cut Christmas music, may seem like a simple question, but it can very short due to lockdown. The writers managed to take the filming from easily incite chaos. last season that they couldn’t incorporate into the last couple episodes into flashback scenes that correspond with later events. The topics that Many Scrooges of the Christmas spirit feel that Christmas music can- were covered were handling the coronavirus in the hospital, coronavi- not be fully appreciated if played before Thanksgiving and physically rus death tolls increasing, how masks are limited even for staff, and the cringe at the thought of playing holiday music all year round, whereas doctors suffering through coronavirus. This season also incorporates others jump for joy to start it early and eagerly disregard Thanksgiv- current events like racial injustices against the black community, lack of ing. It is hard to say whether people’s beliefs rely on logic or senti- healthcare for people in need, and child trafficking. These topics were mentality, but it clearly is a heavy issue waiting to be debated. talked about in previous seasons but the writers made it a point to keep on talking about it due to what is happening in our current lives. The Some say that Christmas music should start whenever the listeners cast took a break for Thanksgiving and planned to return to filming the feel ready, but this can easily bring out the worst in people. Namely, next few episodes later in December. people can start to listen to Christmas music even before Halloween begins, which, simply put, feels wrong. It is like decorating for Hal- And in a shocking twist, the premiere ended with the late Derek Shep- loween in August. Others are more specific and allow the music to herd came back in a dream sequence to reunite with Meredith Grey on flow in with the change in months: Halloween in October, Thanksgiv- the beach - a jaw-dropping ending to the emotional season premiere. ing in November, and Christmas in December. So, logically speaking, “All I Want For Christmas” by Mariah Carey should be inescapable by December 1st.

Whichever way you side in this vitriolic debate, and whether you are a Grinch or a Cindy Lou Who, follow the conviction in your heart and play all the Christmas music you want from the safety of your home. Politics and World News 3 The 2020 Election: The Presidency, The Senate, and The House By Maxwell Schwartz, Staff Writer

The 2020 election was both historic and divisive. Below is a recap of the results, a likely timeline of the future, and the winners and losers of No- vember 3rd.

For the first time since 1993, it is highly likely that America will say goodbye to its incumbent President by refusing the privilege of a second term. After a long and vicious battle for the , former Vice President and soon-to-be former senator Kamala Harris will be making their way to Washington D.C. to live and work for the next four years as president and vice president. This historic election will mark the first time a woman wins on a presidential ticket, with Harris being the fourth to run and the first to be successful (after Geraldine Ferraro, Sarah Palin, and Hillary Clinton in 1984, 2008, and 2016 respectively). Additionally, the 2020 election saw its highest turnout ever with Joe Biden winning more votes than any other candidate in history (79 million), and Donald Trump winning the second most votes in history (73 million). Most shocking, however, is that Trump, despite the ongoing accusations of racism over the past four years, won more minority votes than any other GOP candidate in 60 years, improving with every demographic except white men.

Following the media’s projection of Biden’s win, cities saw massive celebrations and parades by his supporters despite the ongoing pandemic. Ad- ditionally, controversy surrounds both candidates as the days since the election continue to pass, particularly Trump. Following his baseless claims of victory, both on Twitter and in front of his supporters on election night, Trump mobilized his legal team to begin investigations and lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Georgia. Some states, such as Georgia, are cooperating with the President by conduct- ing a full recount of ballots by hand, mainly due to the narrow margin of votes. As a result, it is likely that these results will remain contested until the electoral college meets on December 14 to officially cast their votes.

Though many are claiming that the election is over, that is far from the truth. While Biden will most likely retain his lead in these states, the election will end following all legal battles, on December 14 at the latest. The legal battle partially mirrors the controversial election of 2000 where Florida, the state needed by both candidates to win, was decided by a margin of only 537 votes. Following a recount and court battle that was brought all the way to the Supreme Court, it was ruled that George Bush would keep the state and win the presidency. Despite the precedent, however, 2020 bears little resemblance to 2000 as the Trump team is challenging the results in multiple states and the margins between Trump and Biden are much larger, with most states having a margin of tens of thousands of ballots. While highly unlikely to emerge as the winner, Trump is fully within his rights to request a recount and pursue litigation. Overall, the media does not decide elections, only project winners. As of today, no states have certified their election results.

Though all attention has been directed at the top of the ticket, there were hundreds of other races being decided on election night. While the Pres- idential election did not go as well as Republicans had hoped, they overperformed in every other aspect. In the House of Representatives, Repub- licans saw a net gain of 14 seats, including 13 new women. Despite these gains, the House will remain in control of the Democratic Party, with Nancy Pelosi chosen to remain Speaker of the House from the divided Democratic Party. Additionally, the Senate is likely to stay in the control of Mitch McConnell and the Republicans, who currently hold 50 seats and are awaiting the results of the two Georgia runoffs in January of 2021. This is as a result of Georgia’s state Constitution, which requires Senators to win 50% or more of the votes in order to win their race. These runoff elections will ultimately decide the fate of the Senate, due to the Constitutional process of deciding a 50-50 tie with the Vice President-elect Kamala Harris,casting her vote to break the tie, giving Democrats the edge. (cont. on page 4) Politics and World News 4 The 2020 Election: The Presidency, The Senate, and The House (cont.) (cont. from page 3) Winners Drugs: Every referendum on marijuana and drugs passed. New Jersey was one of fifteen states to legalize cannabis, and Oregon became the first state to decriminalize all drugs including meth, heroin, and cocaine. Mitch McConnell: Assuming the Senate runoffs retain the overall results they saw on November 3rd, the Republicans will maintain the control of the Senate. Being that the Democratic party retained control of the House and likely flipped control of the White House, McConnell will be the most powerful Republican in the nation and the main opposition of the Biden/Harris administration. House Republicans: The gains that the Republicans made in both the House of Representatives and State Houses were far beyond pollsters’ pre- dictions, and are especially important due to the fact this is a redistricting year. The aspect exciting the GOP most are the historic gains the party made among women and people of color, making 2022 a year that could possibly see the House flip. Joe Biden: Joe Biden became the first president since Bill Clinton to defeat the incumbent president in their reelection bid. Following a long year and a half of personal attacks, various allegations, and intense investigations into Obamagate and Hunter Biden, Joe Biden came out on top and is to become the 46th President of the United States.

Losers Pollsters: For four years following Donald Trump’s historic victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016, pollsters were attacked for how badly they got the election wrong. The 2020 election was their shot at restoring credibility, but they were at times even further off than they were four years ago, particularly in congressional races. For example, Fivethirtyeight had Jaime Harrison within three points of defeating incumbent Senator -- Graham won his race by over 10 points. Democratic Donors: The Democratic Party outraised the Republicans by incredible amounts. For example, in South Carolina and Kentucky alone, Democrats spent over $200 million to unseat Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell respectively. Both Senators won their reelection by a combined 29 points. The 2020 election was historic for the amount of money raised by both sides, particularly the Democrats who outraised their Republicans opponents in most races. In a year with incredible gains in the House and a likely Senate majority for the Republicans, the Democratic Donors, aside from Trump’s defeat, have nothing to show for the hundreds of millions of dollars spent. Congressional Democrats: Led by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Progressives are becoming a more vocal part of the Democratic party. This is lead- ing to a deep divide within the party itself. Furthermore, Democrats in purple districts (swing districts) are clashing with Progressives on the future of the party, highlighted by the dispute between Ocasio-Cortez and Abigail Spanberger. Spanberger nearly lost her bid for reelection and blamed it on the more vocal and more radical agenda of the Progressives. In retaliation, Ocasio-Cortez, who represents a D+57 district, asked to stop listening “to people who lost elections as if they are experts in winning elections.” This faction will likely cause a deep divide for the party as a whole going forward. Donald Trump: As stated previously, Donald Trump is the first incumbent since 1993 (George H.W. Bush) to lose his reelection bid. Due to the baseless claims of victory, the ongoing litigation with little evidence, and the reality of his time in the White House dwindling, public opinion of the President is beginning to drop fast. While he has expressed interest in running again in 2024, this devastating loss and defiant reaction will leave a poor, lasting effect on his legacy. The United States: 2020 is often referred to by pundits and analysts as one of, if not the most divisive year in America since 1860. The same was said in 2016, then 2017, then 2018, then 2019. Overall, America is becoming more and more divided with each year and while President Trump, a notably divisive President, has been removed from office, the partisan divide will likely continue in the ensuing years as the Democratic party moves further left and the Republican party moves further right.

The sources for this article can be found here.

New Jersey Votes to Legalize Recreational Marijuana By Aaron Opell, Staff Writer New Jersey has done it. On November 3, 2020, more than two-thirds of NJ voters approved an amendment to legalize recreational marijuana for those 21 and older, making NJ the first state in the mid-Atlantic region to do so. The bill removes penalties related to marijuana use, and will allow possession up to six ounces. The amendment has been passed by the NJ Senate, but still needs to make it through the State Assembly before it goes into effect on January 1, 2021.

So, what does this mean for the industry? A plan for opening up the New Jersey market and distributing licenses is currently in the state legisla- ture, and it is expected that the legalization of marijuana will have many economic benefits. Some predict that the size of New Jersey’s population and high income levels could make NJ the second largest market for the drug in the US, second only to California. Those who hope to build their businesses based on the new law are counting on residents of New York, Pennsylvania and other neighboring states to contribute, since anyone with a valid ID from any other state will be able to come to NJ to purchase marijuana.

Voters in Arizona, South Dakota and Montana also approved legalization on November 3, bringing the total of legalized states to fifteen plus Washington, DC. Politics and World News 5 Rumors of Voter Fraud The Affordable Care Act (ACA) vs. By Siena Martin, Staff Writer The Coronavirus (cont.) This year’s presidential election has been surrounded by rumors of (cont. from below) against the coronavirus survivors by limiting their voter fraud amid President-elect Joe Biden’s win over Donald Trump. coverage or increasing prices. With 306 electoral votes and over 79 million popular votes as of No- vember 22nd, Biden has received the most votes of any presidential Small business owners and employees also depend on the Affordable candidate ever. Still, directly after Biden began pulling ahead in the Care Act. Because of it, the Medicaid expansion for them has increased results, Trump and the Republican Party began claiming voter fraud. by almost 50 percent and the uninsured rate has dropped by roughly 10 Multiple election officials have already declared this election one of percentage points. Before, small business employees had very few com- the safest, most accurate, and reliable ever, but Trump continues to prehensive coverage options. Due to the current pandemic, an economic push for legal action in states that he has lost. Pennsylvania, Geor- crisis has occurred, causing small businesses to struggle. Repealing the gia, Michigan and Wisconsin are just some of the states where he is ACA would add to their challenges, as these employees would be unin- filing lawsuits contesting the election process and claiming possible sured and have a hard time affording coverage. miscounts or voter fraud. Recounts have been requested in Wisconsin and Georgia, though Biden remains the winner and his lead is large As our country continues to fight the coronavirus, overturning theACA enough that it will most likely hold. could put more of a burden on the business owners and contractors. The litigation of the Affordable Care Act will play a large impact on the fates Donald Trump continues to make claims of voter fraud, openly talking and futures of the American people, and given the current circumstances, about “ballot dumping,” “illegal votes,” and “fraudulent voting.” Add- the court must proceed with great caution. ing to the controversy and doubt about this year’s election, Trump has been using his highly followed Twitter account to tweet out that he “won the election” and that Democrats are “destroying the evidence.” Amy Coney Barrett is Confirmed - What According to Trump, up to 900,000 of the votes given to Biden were “fraudulent”, something disputed by most election officials who say Happens Now? that we must trust in our election systems, or else they will fall apart. By Erika Cheng, Staff Writer “Baseless allegations of systematic deficiencies, notably by the in- Rumors of Donald Trump’s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett for Su- cumbent president, including on election night, harm public trust in preme Court were confirmed on September 26 earlier this year, follow- democratic institutions” say observers from the OSCE (The Organiza- ing the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The controversial push for tion for Security and Co-operation in Europe), an organization asked her confirmation occupied the media as people argued that she should to watch the election by the American government. not be confirmed due to the upcoming election. Weeks of hearings fol- lowed, causing no small amounts of controversy when Barrett evaded As of now, there is no reason to believe that there has been any tam- questions involving her views on abortion, gay marriage, immigration, pering with the US 2020 presidential election. Both Republican and and more. In the past, however, she has expressed a more conservative Democratic election administrators, along with the FBI, have found perspective on these topics, leading many to question how much lon- there to be no signs of voter fraud and agree that any claims saying ger cases such as Roe v. Wade or the Affordable Care Act may stand in otherwise are baseless. place. The Senate voted 52-48 to confirm Barrett (a close call compared to RBG’s almost unanimous decision) making Barrett the 115th Associ- The Affordable Care Act (ACA) vs. ate Justice on the Supreme Court and only the 5th woman to ever hold the title. The Coronavirus By Cynthia Ming, Staff Writer With the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the Supreme Court Just weeks before the oral argument section of the Supreme Court's now has a majority of six Republican appointed judges, leading many to most recent health care lawsuit, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed wonder how this may affect future decisions in the country. This is also away, thus making the fate of the Affordable Care Act extremely the first time in 151 years that a justice is confirmed without a single uncertain. The ACA, otherwise known as Obamacare, is a health care vote from the minority party, which goes to show just how divided this reform act that was enacted in March of 2010 by former President decision was. Justice Barrett’s vote could sway cases in almost every . Over the past ten years, Obamacare has helped re- aspect of American life. This may also include areas such as gun control, duce the number of uninsured people in the country by creating more religious liberty cases, and much more. affordable insurance, especially for low-income people and people of color. At the same time, it has also increased taxes for the higher-in- come people to pay for this act.

Earlier this year, litigation regarding the ACA began when a group of twenty states, led and represented by Texas, sued the federal govern- ment in 2018, hoping to strike down the entire act. They challenge the law’s individual mandate, which makes sure that most people obtain a minimal level of health care coverage. Individuals who fail to do this must pay a penalty to the IRS. Seventeen other states, represented by California intervened in this case in order to protect the ACA, thus making the case known as California vs. Texas. As the future of the ACA continues to be unclear, it is important to recognize the impacts of a potential repeal, especially during the current unprecedented times.

One unique factor of the ACA is that it protects all people with dis- abilities or preexisting health conditions, while before, insurers could discriminate against these people by charging them with higher pre- miums. The Center of American Progress estimated that 135 million non-elderly Americans have preexisting conditions, and as elders and those with preexisting conditions contract the coronavirus more easily than others, they are also faced with more medical bills as a result. In fact, a survey taken by the American Center for Progress claims that more than six in ten households where anyone has had COVID-19 faces serious financial problems during the outbreak. So without the protection of the ACA, these individuals could possibly discriminate (cont. above) Sports 6 Euro 2021 - Stay Tuned! Highlights from the 2020 Master’s By Tanguy Lesegretain, Sports Columnist Tournament The anticipation for the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship By Grace Alto, Staff Writer will have to last another year due to COVID-19 complications. While converging at Wembley Stadium for the final, the tournament organiz- The 84th Annual Master’s Tournament was originally supposed to ers have maintained the twelve city layout of the tournament, hosting occur in April 2020, but because of lockdown, it took place from No- games all across Europe in cities such as Rome, Amsterdam, and Bu- vember 12th to 15th at the Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta charest. However, this exciting new layout pales in comparison to the GA with no people in attendance to watch. The Masters is one of the qualifying race. While the best twenty teams automatically qualified four major PGA golf tournaments in the year where golfers from all for the tournament due to their performance in the 2018-19 Nations over the world compete to gain the coveted green blazer as well as league, a separate tournament was held to determine the four remaining part of the large 11.5 million dollar purse. The winner receives the spots in the prestigious tournament. Four groups or four each played immense cash prize of about 2 million dollars while even the golfer two semi-finals and a final, electing Scotland, Hungary, Slovakia, and who comes in 50th place will still get a payout of about 28,000 dol- North Macedonia to the tournament. Scotland won in a grueling pen- lars. The Masters is the second hardest sporting event to get tickets to, alty shootout against Serbia on November 12th to qualify for their first other than the Super Bowl. To obtain tickets, one must enter a lottery international men’s competition in 20 years. North Macedonia qualified in June of the previous year to get a spot at the coveted Masters Tour- for their first major international tournament ever in their final against nament. Georgia. This year's winner was American pro-golfer Dustin Johnson. He made 2016’s finalists Portugal and France seem to have only strengthened history by finishing 20 under par which was the lowest score in the 84 their squads since their original confrontation where Portugal prevailed year history of the Masters and 2 strokes better than the previous re- 1-0, scoring in the closing minutes of the game. Having won the more cord holders Tiger Woods and Jordan Speith. Johnson had previously prestigious World Cup in 2018, France boasts arguably the most talent- tied for 2nd place in the 2019 Masters, being beaten by Tiger Woods ed squad coming into the tournament with players such as Paul Pogba, who has won the Masters 5 times himself. Hot on Johnson’s heels Ngolo Kante, Antoine Griezman, and Raphael Varane. Still, Portugal were Australian golfer Cameron Smith and South Korean Golfer Im has built a young and emerging squad around Cristiano Ronaldo with Sung-Jae, both of which finished 15 under par. players such as Renato Sanches, Bruno Fernandes, and Ruben Dias. Spain, having absolutely dismantled Germany in a Nations League However, this year's tournament was the worst for former Masters game 6-0, have put themselves back into contention after a quiet per- winner Tiger Woods. Woods went from winning the tournament in formance in the 2018 world cup. Both England and the Netherlands 2019 the previous year to tying for 38th place with six other people, have built a young nucleus of players with emerging stars like Marcus only 1 stroke under par. In the 12th round, Woods had a double bogey Rashford and Matthijs de Ligt. Belgium, just falling short to France in with 10 strokes before getting the ball into the hole which was a terri- the World Cup semi-finals also has a dangerous roster with star Kevin ble turn from his tournament win in the previous year. De Bruyne. Other contenders around Europe like Germany shape this to be one of the most competitive tournaments yet. It seems as the year Bernhard Langer made history this year as the oldest golfer at the long delay of the Euros have only built anticipation to one of the most Masters tournament. At 63 years old the German 2 time Masters watched sporting events. winner finished at 3 under par and tied for 29th place with four oth- er golfers. Another competitor in the masters this year was Bryson DeChambeau who is the US’s long driving champion. The two are known as the “Odd Couple” as they are the best and the worst long drivers in the league. Langer’s drives average in around 262 yards while DeChambeau’s drives average in at about 326 yards.

Because of social distancing, and COVID 19 still being at large, the annual green jacket ceremony for Dustin Johnson was “2020-ified.” As always, the ceremony was held in Butler Cabin at the Augusta Na- tional Golf Course. However, this year the audience watching at home would be able to see more of the room as everybody in attendance would be social distancing. It was the same kind of ceremony, only with more space in between people. As the reigning champion, Tiger Woods, could be seen standing farther apart than usual. Despite the lockdown postponing the 2020 Masters from April to November, it was still a raging success for golfers and golf fans all over the world. Features Holiday Meals During a Pandemic… 7 Fun Holiday Recipes By Daisy Elias and Alexandria Angelini, Staff Writers By Julia DeMontagnac, Staff Writer As coronavirus cases rise uncontrollably, many people are planning Whether you and your family are having a holiday meal or you want on spending the holidays alone and stuck at home this year. As of to get into the holiday spirit, these recipes are perfect to make. Saturday, November 21st, New Jersey reported 4,679 new cases, which has been the state’s most since the initial outbreak in March. Who Roast Beef In order to stay safe, we must continue social distancing and keep- ing six feet from one another in public, and everyone should always try to avoid touching their noses and mouths with unwashed hands. Although these circumstances are not preferred, we have been able to adapt and find many ways to stay safe during this time.

Considering that a conventional holiday dinner is not attainable for all families, we came up with some alternatives, so you don’t have to! Whether you celebrate with your family via Zoom or go about a socially distant approach, Thanksgiving will not be cancelled. If your family is more comfortable with a dinner or lunch through When eating this Grinch inspired Christmas Roast Beef from seuss- Zoom, we have a few options to consider. ville.com, you will feel as if you are sharing a Christmas meal with the Whos in Whoville! Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, you The first suggestion is that each family can make their favorite dish should give this family dinner recipe a try. Hopefully, your family and explain to their extended family, or friends, on why this is their will love it just as much as mine did. (Link to recipe can be found favorite. Another fun alternative, though the cook in the family here). won’t like it, is making a smaller portioned holiday dinner to have a little bit of each food for their meal. Your family or friends on Zoom Traditional Hanukkah Potato Latkes can all talk about their tips and tricks on each food recipe while bonding and sharing past holiday memories. However, if your family is comfortable with the in-person approach, there are many socially distant strategies for your holiday meal. If the weather is predicted to be at least upwards of sixty degrees, or if your family wants to tough it out in the cold, having an outdoor meal is an option to consider. If the weather proves to be too cold for a meal completely outdoors, on the off chance that your family has an indoor outdoor sitting area or heat lamps, these could both be great choices for a safe holiday. However, if your family and friends are set on having a traditional indoor dinner or lunch, folding tables can be set up six feet apart With so much free time on our hands, it is the best time to perfect from each other, and the guests who quarantined with each other can this traditional potato latkes recipe for Hanukkah! Thespruceeats. remain together at each table. com provides simple steps and pictures to follow to ensure you will master this recipe. (Link to recipe can be found here). Happy Holidays! Kwanzaa Treats

Art Corner By Various Contributors Who doesn’t love Rice Krispies? This Kwanzaa-inspired Rice Krisp- ie treat recipe from ricekrispie.com will allow you to practice your baking and art skills. These festive Rice Krispies are fun to make with your family or by yourself. You will definitely impress people with your Kwanzaa inspired icing art! (Link to recipe can be found here). “Connecting...”, taken by Emily Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Rothenberg

“The Mandalorian”, taken by Emily Rothenberg

These pinwheel cookies from delish.com are the perfect treat to get Interested in drawing cartoons, tak- you and your family into the holiday spirit. Trying to roll the cook- ing photographs, or have any other ies into a pinwheel was a bit of a challenge, but after enlisting my artistic interests? The Watchung Hills family’s help, we were able to do it. The cookies did not turn out Student News is always willing to picture-perfect, but they still were delicious holiday cookies. (Link to showcase the art of students! Join our recipe can be found here). classroom with the code “eeekjfq.” Health and Wellness 8 Coronavirus Vaccine Race - Pfizer Moderna Inc.’s Breakthrough in By Elli Belyarchik, Staff Writer COVID-19 Vaccines Within a year the once unknown COVID-19 has taken the globe by By Subham Das, Staff Writer storm, affecting an estimated 58.5 million people worldwide. Among those affected, almost 1.4 million have died due to the disease. In an In the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine during this ongoing pan- effort to stop the spread of the virus, nations have imposed harsh lock- demic, a large candidate has emerged with striking improvements: downs, greatly restricting the amount of contact people are allowed to Moderna Inc. Moderna is a biotechnology company whose focus is have with each other. As coronavirus case numbers continue to rise, creating mRNA vaccines, with their recent efforts going towards the experts have warned that it is uncertain when or if things will get back invention of a new COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna has been conduct- to normal. ing research known as the COVE study to test the efficacy of their improved COVID-19 vaccines, and they have recently finished Phase However, with the announcement of new possible vaccines, hope for 3 of this study. The COVE study, involving more than 30,000 partici- a normalized future has been reignited. On Monday, November 9th, pants, has been conducted in collaboration with the National Institute Pfizer Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, issued a press release in of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Institutes of which they stated that their vaccine candidate passed three out of four Health (NIH), the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development of the phases needed to get it FDA approved. This makes it the first Authority (BARDA), etc. potential vaccine to do so, this also means that it can be rolled out to the general public as soon as this December, provided that no prob- Phase 3 of the COVE study has brought forth promising results, with lems occur. the latest vaccine of mRNA-1273 having an efficacy of about 94.5%. Groups like Pfizer and BioNTech have also been urgently working to The Pfizer vaccine was the result of intensive studies and trials, in- test new vaccines as COVID-19 deaths surpass 230,000. Though the cluding testing the treatment on animals and a group of 43,538 human efficacies of these previous vaccines were held around 90%, mean- volunteers. As a result of these tests, the vaccine has been proven to ing that Moderna has the most efficient vaccine at the moment. In be 90% effective in adults, with only 94 study participants having Moderna’s COVE study, only 95 of the 30,000 participants caught contracted the coronavirus after being injected. There were also no COVID-19, with only 5 of these infected individuals actually given the adverse effects in any of those who received the vaccine. vaccine at all while most of the other infected individuals were given placebos. These numbers have been paramount in raising spirits across It is important to remember, though, that an effective vaccine does not America, as Moderna has raised the possibility of an effective vaccine necessarily mean the end of the pandemic. It is unknown if a vaccine coming out in the upcoming months. would only stop people from getting symptoms of the virus, rather than them not having it at all. If it proves to be the latter, then it would Additionally, Moderna has made great improvements in the storage ca- still be possible to spread the coronavirus. Until more data is collect- pabilities of the mRNA-1273 vaccine, boasting storage capabilities at ed, something that can only happen after the vaccine is released to the a temperature of -20°C. The main issue with the Pfizer and BioNTech general public, it is important to stick with basic coronavirus protec- vaccines besides the lower efficacy numbers is that they must be kept tion strategies. Keeping a six-foot distance with others and wearing in ultra-cold storage at around -75°C to stay useful. This brings up the a mask will still be necessary even with the release of a vaccine. issue of transportation and pharmacy storage, as it may be difficult to Furthermore, even after the Pfizer vaccine is approved, it is probable gain access to ultra-cold storage areas for the vaccines. This vaccine’s that the company will not be able to produce enough to meet the high storage capabilities of -20°C, the temperature of most standard freez- demand of the general public. As a result, only those that are at high- ers, make it the most practical option. Moderna has also stated that risk for the virus will be vaccinated at first. It is estimated that the the vaccine can be stored at temperatures of 2° to 8°C (temperature of general public will not have access to the treatment until the spring of most standard refrigerators) for up to a month, further increasing the 2021 at the earliest. storage capabilities of the vaccine.

Nevertheless, news of the Pfizer vaccine is a much needed beacon of With these recent improvements, Moderna announced on November light in what was an otherwise brutal year for the general public. As 16 that they would be applying the mRNA-1273 vaccine for authori- the CEO of Pfizer, Dr. Adam Bourla, stated “With today’s news, we zation from the U.S. FDA. The vaccine is specifically being applied are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with under the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) which allows a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health for unapproved medical products to be used in emergency situations crisis.” (life-threatened COVID-19 patients are prioritized for the vaccine). Through this EUA, high-risk groups and essential workers may be able to get vaccinated as soon as late December, which could prove valuable as COVID-19 cases are currently rising across America. If approved this vaccine could be available to the public in the coming weeks. However, Dr. Anthony Fauci projects that healthy young adults will only begin to get vaccinations in April, with the final decision ultimately under the FDA’s jurisdiction. Nonetheless, Moderna’s rapid improvements of the mRNA-1273 vaccine should be seen as a beacon of hope as we move towards a future free from COVID-19.

The sources for this article can be found here.

WHRHS Student Newspaper Editorial Board Alan Wang Olivia Kuang Jack Osmond Ambika Muralitharan CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF ARTS AND ENTERTAIN- FEATURES EDITOR STUDENT NEWS MENT EDITOR EDITOR Inica Kotasthane Tony Liu CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF Ahir Verma FEATURES EDITOR Giselle Sintra POLITICS AND WORLD HEALTH AND WELL- Mrs. Battiloro NEWS EDITOR Tanguy Lesegretain NESS COLUMNIST ADVISOR SPORTS COLUMNIST If you are interested in joining the WHRHS Student Newspaper, use the Google Classroom code: eeekjfq