Mamaroneck High School • Mamaroneck, NY • Volume XXXVIII, Number 5 • Winter 2021 Mamaroneck to Return to Full Capacity After Spring Break moves to 100 percent. There have By CAITLYN CARPENTER been no confirmed cases of in- school COVID-19 transmission in Last week, the Mamaroneck the high school thus far. School District announced that all Upon return, school traffic its schools, including Mamaroneck patterns and the eight-period High School, will be returning to schedule with Focus Fridays will full capacity on Thursday, April remain the same. However, for 8. After seven months of hybrid lunch, students will be encouraged learning, the district confirmed to eat outside or off campus. that it is ready to welcome back If indoor eating is necessary, all of its hybrid students full- students will be spaced six-feet time. Students will still be able to apart in larger rooms such as attend school virtually should they the gym or cafeteria and will be choose to do so, but there will no required to keep their masks on longer be a hybrid option. when not eating. In classrooms, The decision stemmed students will be spaced three to from discussions with students, six feet apart, following updated teachers, and administrators health guidelines, and each desk which emphasized the benefits will be equipped with a plexiglass of in-person learning and the shield. Should there be an increase feasibility of safely returning to in cases, Clain will not hesitate to 100 percent-- especially with many make changes. In the meantime, teachers now vaccinated. MHS she is hopeful the switch will bring Principal Elizabeth Clain stressed a sense of normalcy to MHS. how she feels the high school has The Globe recently sat been able to successfully keep its down with Clain to discuss the students safe at both 33 and 50 switch. Keep an eye out for percent capacity and that, with the PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MHS MULTICULTURAL STUDENT UNION the full conversation on MPR’s proper procautions, she believes MHS Students (from left to right) Jacinta Smith (‘21), Sofia Martinez (‘23), Emilia Pantigoso (‘21) dance in one of “Discourse.” Find it on Spotify this will continue as the school the pre-recorded segments of the assembly. and Apple Podcasts. Black History Month Recognized MLK Assembly Combats Throughout the District Injustice Through Art Incorporating various art forms, By SELA BREEN By JADE DECKER such as art, dance, and literature, Throughout February, students took matters into their To start the new year, after own hands as they expressed Mamaroneck High School, along a year of chaos and a year of with the rest of the Mamaroneck the importance of this MLK fighting back, Mamaroneck High Day through their extraordinary Union Free School District, School’s Martin Luther King celebrated Black History Month display. Assembly was a perfect reminder The first act included to honor contributions Black of our nation’s empowering past. communities have made to the street art, step dancing, singers, This past year, the eyes of our and recited messages that the country and local community. nation were opened to the horrors While it was harder to celebrate students of Mamaroneck High people of color endure daily School wanted to share with during a pandemic, the district still through discrimination and police tried its best to integrate education the community. These included brutality. Although society is said excerpts from “The Other of Black history into the six to have progressed over time, schools through education of America” and more. Art from recently we have been exposed to all over the community was staff members, initiatives to bring situations not too different from anti-racist and diverse curriculum PHOTO COURTESY OF @MAMKMSU ON INSTAGRAM incorporated in the video, bringing Alina Priya (‘21) hangs a Black History Month poster in the overpass. those of the times of Martin color to the issues of racism. into English and Social Studies Luther King Jr. classes, and student engagement District Equity Team, a group inclusive curriculum, create equal Jordan Reilly (‘21), who sang Put together by the “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus, in a culturally-aware and safe of 46 teachers, administrators, opportunities for all students, and Multicultural Student Union environment. Much of the work and members of local, non- dismantle inequitable policies in stated, “I thought this song was (MSU), the first-ever online MLK perfect because it matches well done throughout Black History profit organizations who are the district... Assembly referenced events of dedicated to developing a more with the theme of the assembly... Month was spear-headed by the SEE “MAMARONECK,” PAGE 3 this past year as well as those SEE “STUDENTS,” PAGE 9 that occurred 60 years ago. FEATURES EDITORIAL ARTS & LEISURE SPOTLIGHT OSR students find mentors in a A new culture of MHS musicians participate in virtual Pandemic brings some positive change to virtual setting. PAGE 7. learning emerges NYSSMA festival. PAGE 10. MHS student life PAGE 9. with remote How are local restaurants dealing with so- How “Drivers Liscense” became a learning. SPORTS cial distancing in cold weather? PAGE 8. worldwide sensation. PAGE 10. PAGE 4. The Knicks come back like never before this season. PAGE 12. HEALTH & WELLNESS NEWS OPINION Teachers across the district begin to receive OCRA students create app for Village of How has 2020 affected our Generation Z? FOLLOW US! vaccinations PAGE 11. Larchmont. PAGE 2. PAGE 6. @mhsglobe Youngest-ever candidate runs for Should Mamaroneck Schools be promoting MHS successfully comes back from Mamaroneck Board of Education PAGE 3. political discussions? PAGE 6. Holiday break with few cases PAGE 11. www.mhsglobe.com 2 2 News OCRA Students Launch Village of Larchmont App To fill the communication gap between local government and residents, MHS OCRA students utilize technology. of reasons why residents should By REBECCA HERZBERG download this app. “It is an easy and informative product about the On January 15, 2021, MHS Village of Larchmont” because it seniors Calle Harwin, Kate strategically lays out information Coughlin, Halle Myers, Samantha and resources in an understand- Murabito, Sydney Grodin, and able and accessible manner. Also, Jacobi Kandel from the Origi- users will “always be informed nal Civic Research and Action on upcoming events and news” (OCRA) program released the within the Village. An additional Village of Larchmont App, the aspect of the app is that it creates product of three years of devel- a sense of connection between opment, hard work, and persever- residents and their local govern- ance. The idea for this app came ment representatives. If inter- during the students’ sophomore ested, community members can year when their OCRA class “see who is running the Village conducted a community concerns government and learn a little more survey that yielded surprising and about them.” In a time where intriguing results. A significant interaction and connection have number of community members become much more appreciated, felt that the local government did this part of the app provides a not communicate well with its citi- great way to learn about and con- zens. Coughlin says that it quickly FATIMAH KHAN/THE GLOBE nect with community members. The home page of the new Village of Larchmont app, created by MHS OCRA students. became clear that “communica- Although this app is specific tion between residents and local vices, parking, and other resources MHS and Hommocks, to translate However, the Village’s website to the Village of Larchmont, officials was a very prominent is- relevant to the community. It also their ideas and data directly from can be difficult to navigate, so it can be useful for residents sue in the area.” This information includes information collected Google Sheets to an app using the these students decided that an of nearby municipalities since inspired these six OCRA students from a series of meetings with Glide program - a platform which app would be the perfect rem- many programs overlap. The app to develop a solution in the form the Village Board and community enables users to build apps quick- edy. “Apps are handier and more includes a variety of resources of an app. leaders. Once this information ly. “We could not have made this convenient,” explains Murabito. such as a news bulletin, a calendar app without [Mr. Sammartano’s] The app provides a simpler means for town events and meetings, help. He was with us throughout of information delivery through contact information for municipal “Communication between residents every stage of creating the app - a modern platform. Coughlin de- services, information about Vil- from choosing colors and fonts scribes it as a “newer, easier [way] lage officials, and more. If you are and local officials was a very all the way to launch day,” reflects for residents to learn about what’s interested in exploring or down- Harwin. All six students are going on in their community.” It loading the app, go to this website: prominent issue in this area.” extremely grateful for his guidance should not be difficult to find the https://larchmont.glideapp.io/. - Kate Coughlin (‘21) throughout this process. dates of different town events or If you would like to watch a quick Prior to the creation of the basic news updates but, on the instructional video on how to app, the primary means of com- Village website, it often is. For- download the app, go to this web- The content of the app is was gathered, the six students munication between the local tunately, this new app effectively site: https://www.youtube.com/ based on the Village’s website worked alongside Mr. Sammar- government and community was solves this issue. watch?v=fuG817k4mdg&feature which includes information about tano, the technology coach for the Village of Larchmont website.