Berne Union Local Schools

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We are all aware of the ever-changing environment of school amidst the pandemic, and while things are starting to settle back into a familiar rhythm one thing has not changed: what we’ve missed. As the year wanes to an end, the dreaded state testing creeps up on students, but this year students have concerns surrounding these mandatory tests and how well they are going to perform due to the pandemic.

Spring sports officially started February 22nd with more excitement than ever. Athletes actually get to have their season this year whether it’s in softball, baseball, or track. Starting with softball they have had a pretty good start as they have taken on Lancaster, Johnstown, and West Jeff for their scrimmages and kept it a close game with two of them. Baseball has also kept close with two out of their three scrimmages as they have played Liberty Union, Trimble, and Fairfield Union. Track continues to practice daily, but has not had a meet yet (their first is on April 6). However, just like any other sport season that has taken place there are rules and regulations to follow such as making sure to be wearing face coverings and to maintain social distancing.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world immensely. Even though school has returned to sort of normal, sports are still highly impacted by the virus. Besides the seemingly empty stands, masked faces and socially distanced seating arrangements, something else that has been altered has been the role of student aids. During the football season last year, student aids were seen walking maskless up and down the sidelines, stretching players, and even helping them when they were cut or needed a wrap.

This month (March) last year, the country went into its first lockdown from Covid. Anyone who had TikTok at that time knows that there were some interesting trends that came about in the midst of everyone’s boredom. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and discuss these old trends.

Saint Patrick’s Day is March 17th. For many people this is just a normal day. Most people just wear green. Instead of only wearing green on Saint Patrick's Day here is a list of some other fun things you can add to your Saint Patrick's Day traditions.

As we move closer towards graduation, seniors are being constantly reminded of the bitter sweet moments from highschool that we will soon be leaving behind. However, some things we may be pretty excited to not have to deal with anymore. Here are 10 things we will and won’t miss about high school.

It is difficult to think back to March 13th, 2020; at the time, one had little reason to believe that it would be a day more significant than the last. Now, it is impossible to look forward without remembering what that day brought.

Prom can be a very stressful time for everyone. You may ask yourself: What color dress? What shoes? What kind of corsage? All of these are good questions. All in all it doesn’t matter what shoes you wear or the color of your dress, it matters what you feel most confident in. If you are worried about the corsage, I promise it does not matter how nice it is or if the flowers are real or fake, it is all about the thought. Take some of the stress away and just focus on having the night of your life.

As if the pandemic was not enough the world is now facing a global semiconductor shortage. Before we can begin to break down why the shortage exists and how it will end up affecting you it is important to know exactly what semiconductors are. In simple terms they are computer chips, little integrated logic or memory circuits printed onto non conductive silicon. With modern transistor sizes reaching into the 5 nanometer range, 5 billionths of a meter, semiconductor manufacturing is one of the most complicated hightech processes on earth.

Valentine’s Day is this month and if you are struggling with ideas on what to get, here are some cute and thoughtful gifts for your valentine….

In honor of Valentine’s Day, The Orbital sent out a compatibility test to match students who were in search of love or just in search of a new friend. Thanks to two of cupid’s helpers, Shyann and Rachel, here are the results!

January 21, 2021, Republican representative Greg Steube (FL) introduced a bill to congress that would give state athletic associations an ultimatum: ban transgender students from playing sex-segregated sports or lose government funding. As a community, we are well aware that the funding given to athletic associations in schools does not cover all of the expenses, but that funding is necessary to cover some of the fees of keeping sports in school.

Good ole quarantine, as we know, you, as well as the rest of whoever is in your household obviously has to stay home quarantined for 7-10 days after testing positive for Covid. I’ll share with you guys some of the things that kept me busy as I was quarantined from december 15th all the way to January 9th.

In the 3rd century A.D., Emperor Claudius II executed two men - both named Valentine - on February 14 of different years. They were honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine’s Day. We have progressively turned this day of honor into a disgusting display of affection. For what reason?

According to Pew Research Center, “Members of Gen Z are more racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation, and they are on track to be the most well-educated generation yet. They are also digital natives who have little or no memory of the world as it existed before smartphones”. Since Gen z members are so diverse and tech savvy there are obviously many different and new trends pretty often. Let's take a look at some of Gen Z’s most popular trends.

In late January, one of the most interesting developments in investing history occurred. Small time investors, organizing on the subreddit r/wallstreetbets and trading though apps like Robinhood and E-Trade were able to apply significant pressure to several large hedge funds. In the past, big hedge funds have been making the power moves and big trades. This case was unprecedented because the hedge funds were the ones getting out-maneuvered and taking gargantuan losses.

The Covid-19 vaccine has been in circulation for over two months now. As health care workers and the elderly receive their first and second doses, the rest of the population looks on, cautiously awaiting for their age group and/or profession to be next in line. The government has also had time to look into the facts and figures of the vaccine; they now want to know how many minorities have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

If you’re anything like me, February 14th is a day that you annually spend laying in your bed, watching romcoms, and avoiding social media at all costs. If you’re reading this article, it’s safe to say that the love holiday has no special meaning to you… because you are single. No chocolates or flowers or vomit-worthy paragraphs on Instagram for you, but don’t worry, 50.2% of the US population is in the same boat. As someone who is on the constant search for a boyfriend, spending another Valentine's day alone was heartbreaking but then again, February 14th is just another day. A day of others bragging that they’re in love… I lied, February 14th is not just another day, it’s the worst day of the year! As horrible as I’ve made this day sound, it is manageable to get through.

On January 7, 2021 I departed from John Glenn Columbus International Airport to Denver, Colorado. This was my first time going on a plane in a while, and I was nervous. I was doing okay until the exact middle of the flight. I began to get pale and lightheaded; I did indeed begin to sob on my mother's shoulder. I am 18 years of age so it was quite embarrassing. I was fine after my little crying incident. Until…….. MY MOM CLAPPED WHEN THE PLANE LANDED. I was immediately filled with embarrassment once again.

As the holiday season comes to an end, new challenges approach for some. Around this time of year is when a lot of people experience seasonal depression. Seasonal depression is when someone experiences depression correlated with a certain time of year. The depression is triggered by a lack of exposure to daylight. This can be especially hard for those in school. Keeping up with the workload, participating in extracurriculars, and taking care of mental and physical health can be a difficult task.

2020 is over and if you messed up last year then now's the time for a fresh start. Although many people have new year's resolutions most people aren't very good at keeping them. If you're not good at keeping your resolutions then you should start small instead of going all in and expecting it to work out. If you are having troubles thinking of resolutions or want one you can try to keep then here are some for you….

In my lifetime, never has a dreary disposition overtaken so many people at the same time. The events of the past year, which will not be discussed as it would completely overrule the purpose of this article, have, in a sense, humbled the happy expectations of life which most people hold dear. We were not far along in the year before we started recognizing the depth of the issues we would face. Violence, hatred, and fear reigned over our society for the majority of 2020 with no end in sight. Only with a new year did we expect the universe to have a change of heart and pity our bleak reality. But that did not happen, or it at least did not happen immediately, which is why as a New Year’s Resolution, and a way to avoid becoming calloused by society in both mind and age, I have decided to not only focus on the positives of life but seek them out. I encourage others to do this as well, for we have no more understanding of the future now than we did last March; we might as well hope for the best instead of expecting the worst.

The Consumer Electronics Show or CES is an annual January convention typically held in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year it was a virtual event, but in true CES fashion, many innovative technology-related ideas, products, and concepts were announced and demonstrated. It should be worth mentioning that just because something is shown off at CES does not mean it will ever be released as a real product that you can go out and buy. However, even concept devices are still important demonstrations of innovations and the way of progress.

By definition, the term doctorate, commonly used in titles as “Dr.”, refers to the highest form of degree earned in a graduate school. While there is a common misconception that the prefix “Dr.” refers solely to those within the medical field, that is not the case.

This basketball season has been very different compared to past seasons due to Covid. Nonetheless, both boys and girls have had some impressive accomplishments this year. The girls varsity basketball team has a record of 15-1 and are currently undefeated in the league. The boys basketball team is currently 6-5 but have had a less fortunate time being able to play all of their games due to several cancellations.

If you’re anything like me, the new year is the time that you convince yourself that you are going to finally better yourself. You spend New Year’s Eve crafting the perfect list of new year's resolutions, ranging anywhere from waking up earlier, working out, reading more, or just not procrastinating as often. However, when your alarm goes off the next morning because you’re going to get a workout in before sunrise, you hit snooze and then roll over with an “I’ll start tomorrow” attitude. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. I’m in the same boat and so is most of the world. It is estimated that only about 8% of Americans actually complete their resolutions with 80% falling short by the beginning of February. Even though they’re not always complete, millions still set goals to better themselves in the new year.

Now that it is nearing Christmas, it is the perfect time to go on cute dates with your significant other. Although we are currently in quarantine and can’t do much, you can still make it a memorable holiday season with your boyfriend or girlfriend by….

This year, because of the new regulations of COVID-19, our basketball cheerleading squad will only be at the home games. The 4 girls on the team have had to make some adjustments to the usual rules of cheerleading because of the virus, but they are still excited to be able to have a squad during this time. The team consists of two juniors and two seniors, so next year there will need to be more interest by other students so next year’s seniors are able to have their final year.

The world has been put on standby. Countries and their citizens have been awaiting a return to normalcy since the beginning of 2020. As the year comes to a close, we are hoping the new year rings in renewed hope for an optimistic outlook on life. On December 11th the FDA announced what we’ve been waiting to hear since March, “The vaccine is ready to be distributed”. But despite the relief millions of Americans felt after being given the news, many were skeptical, and even reacted with opposition. Why is this? The stigma surrounding the vaccine is most likely due to the misconception that the vaccine was completely created in the last year. In reality, scientists have been studying this kind of virus for decades.

It’s winter in case you didn’t conclude that from the 3.5 inches of snow we got at THANKSGIVING!!! It’s been a couple years since we’ve even had a white Christmas but that’s besides the point. When it snows, there’s so much to do instead of staying inside all day and watching TV. With that being said, here’s a few activities to do when it snows!!

Each decade brings a changing culture, atmosphere, as well as constant innovation. This leads to different toys on the market, and completely different popular toys each decade. In the spirit of the holidays, this is a list of the most popular toys from each decade and what I think of each one.

Zodiac signs share characteristics of your personality based on your birthday. Today, you will find out which Christmas item or character you are most like based on your zodiac sign.

Considering most classes are taken online these days, it has been difficult for the virtual classes offered at Berne Union to stand out. However, nothing compares to the quality, convenience, and knowledge offered through these courses! This is why we must rename the virtual classes with something as awesome as what they have to offer Berne Union students.

Having a good ugly Christmas sweater is a necessity during the holiday season. Whether it's just going to school or winning a competition you need to have the best no matter what. The key to having a good ugly Christmas sweater depends on its uniqueness. It needs to be something that no one has ever seen before. You will not want to go to Target or Walmart and buy one because anyone can have that same sweater and you'll just look like everyone else. You need to go to a thrift store, go shopping in your Grandma's closet, or make your own.

The holidays are often thought to be joyful and even a great way to lift the spirits. However, we all know this can be a very stressful time especially in the midst of a pandemic. There is a constant question in everybody’s mind-what do I get this person for Christmas? The answer is finally here. This is a list of some of the most popular gifts of 2020 to give you some ideas that could make this holiday season a little less stressful.

Each year, as fall fades into winter, store shelves begin to line with holiday decor. Trees, ornaments, and lights line aisle after aisle, yet found at the end cap of one of those many shelves you can find a small assortment of decorations catering to another prominent holiday that takes place in December: Hanukkah.

As a Libra, Scorpios are pretty low on my sign compatibility chart. However, they are some of my favorite people. I don’t know if it’s their mysterious personas or their intense personalities, but I find them so intriguing. Which I really shouldn’t, we have a 29% compatibility rate… Sad I know. This is why all my relationships fail… Anyway! Here is a list of my top ten favorite Scorpios!

The transfer of power between President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden currently and will most definitely continue to make headlines in the future. As both sides ran their campaigns, multiple scandals, lies, and cover-ups, ran alongside them. Americans had grown tired of the election before it really even began. Then, as though some almighty force remembered it was 2020, our worst nightmare of a four-day election period came true. While some celebrated the outcome and others grumbled grievances, there was one function of the government that remained standing and more determined than ever to prevail over his own opponent. Dr. Anthony Fauci, a household name since March, will be continuing to advise our next president on the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

During my sophomore year of high school, the opportunity to be a part of the Big Brother Big Sister program was offered to me. I began meeting with my little, Jax, that year, and this decision is something that I will forever treasure. Jax didn’t open up to me at first. We would begin our meetings in silence, would spend our 45 minute period together in silence, and then walk back to his classroom in silence. However, the reticence never made me feel uncomfortable nor made me question my advisor’s decision to match Jax and me together. I knew that slowly, in time, our meetings would be full of conversation and laughter. Thankfully, I was right.

I compiled a list of some of the main characters of Harry Potter and ranked them along with an explanation of how I felt about that character. There are a lot of spoilers so if you have not seen or read the series, be wary of this.

Amidst the chaos of 2020, the United States dealt with the 2020 presidential election or more specifically the lack of an answer when it came to the election. People all across the nation, and even in other countries, watched in anticipation as the states counted their ballots. On November 7, four long, tense, days after the election, Joe Biden was announced the 46th president of the United States, with Kamala Harris as the first woman Vice President.

One of the few good things happening this year is the launch of the next generation of gaming consoles. While each console is loaded with many new features and some drawbacks, the most important thing to remember is get the one that your friends are getting, get the one that can play your favorite games, and if possible, avoid spending unnecessary money.

Nap time is probably one of top tier privileges given to students during their early education. Most people can probably look back on their childhood and remember a time where it was a common part of their daily schedule to take a nap during school. Although most of us as children were likely fussing and refusing to take this time to our advantage, it sounds like the majority of high school students could really use some quality napping. So why do they stop giving this time to students at a certain age? And why is nap time really so important?

This month Delaware elected Sarah McBride as a senator. McBride is an American activist and politician who is the first transgender senator in the United States. She will be sworn in as Delaware’s newest electee in January 2021. She is currently the Secretary of the Human Rights Campaign.

Eighteen is an age everyone seems to look forward to. The age when teens can buy a lottery ticket, get a tattoo, and where it finally feels like you are “free.” The thing most fear though as their eighteenth birthday approaches is one word: adulthood. It seems to come out of nowhere, at least, for me it did. This is where some people say that they feel like their youth is coming to an end when in all reality, it is just the beginning. Eighteen is the age where you can begin to make life-changing decisions, some that even impact the world.

In 2007 the U.S. faced “The Great Recession”, or an overall general market decline due to financial vulnerabilities. These said vulnerabilities led to roughly 1.2 million U.S. homeowners to cease paying their mortgage due to the depreciation of their property, which led to the disbandment or downfall of the housing market. This then led to a severe increase in the U.S. unemployment rate, rising from 4.6% to 10% in a single year. However 2020 has proven to be an overachiever; the U.S. unemployment rate is historically high, and continues to rise at an alarming rate due to the pandemic. At the beginning of 2020 the unemployment rate was 3.6%, and continued to rise to an estimated 13% in five months time.

My birthday is on October 28. Although this is coming out after my special day, I will still accept gifts. Here are 18 suggestions for my 18th birthday!

As Halloween approaches, most are getting ready to dress up and celebrate the holiday. As we enjoy ourselves, it is important to be conscientious about the issues that Halloween brings.

If you plan on attending college, deciding where to go can be a difficult decision. There are many things to consider when choosing your home for the next four or more years. Picking your major would arguably be the most important thing to look at, but in reality, your top priority should be how pretty your college campus is.

With Covid-19 still going on there’s not much that’s left open with the exception of some seasonal openings of stores. Of course with halloween around the corner there’s limited things to do but most of these places have tried their best to keep the activities for the most part up and running.

The Fairfield County fair was Sunday October 11th through Saturday October 17th. This year the fair was different from every other year because of the coronavirus. This year the fair had no rides and limited food trucks. Although the fair wasn´t the same the kids in 4H still got to show off the hard work they put in with their animals.

This year has definitely been a crazy year, from being stuck in the house, having to wear a mask everywhere, and kids not being able to have a normal school year. Although we have been given the green light to go back to school on October 5th it is still not going to be like normal.

Cross Country meets in 2020 are different than in years past; Covid safety regulations have limited Berne Union to participating in small meets (not exceeding 4 teams) exclusively as opposed to the large invitationals that they would have attended in previous years. When asked how it feels to not run in large invitationals Wes Nye said, “Personally, I find it more mentally challenging to keep your desired pace at a smaller meet compared to an invitational.

School is returning to full-time in-person classes on October 5. With school being online since March, we have gotten used to the routine of waking up at 8:30 in our pajamas and getting on Zoom. That's about to change. We will have to wake up early, look nice, worry about keeping our masks on all day, and practice social distancing.

As we all know 2020 has definitely been a year of uncertainty. With the outbreak of the coronavirus most things we have taken for granted have drastically changed. Arguably one of the most talked about in America is sports. There have been countless postponements, cancellations, and changes made at all levels of athletics.

This year, on May 25th, George Floyd (from Minnesota) tragically died at the hands of a police officer. Since then, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has been working in full force for change and reform. This has sparked protests all over the world. Many of the protests have been huge with thousands of people but there are also a ton of small, local protests as well.

How often do you find yourself checking your phone throughout the day? When you check it, do you log on to a social media app? If the answer is yes, you are among the 70% of Americans who check at least one social media app a day (PewResearch.org). This percentage has risen steadily over the years, and in the midst of a pandemic, internet and social media usage has skyrocketed.

In the Jewish culture they leave stones instead of flowers to memorialize someone they have lost; unlike flowers, stones are immortal like the memory of their loved one. Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s memory will be immortal to the world: the Supreme Court Justice and crusader of women's rights will forever be a part of the United States history.

The first COVID cases were documented in early 2020 and with that, school came to a close in March, and that “two week” break that we were once promised turned into school not opening back up to its students for the remainder of the year. While virtual learning is taking place now, everyone can agree that it is not the same as in-person learning, especially in the social sense.

On April 20th, Governor Mike Dewine announced that all schools, K-12, will be closed through the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. This affected students worldwide, but especially the class of 2020. What was once going to be the school year that was full of senior skip days, tag, prom, senior sports, and graduation is now a school year full of cancellations, postponements and moments that they will never get back. The Berne Union community has done a few things already to honor the class including sending out signs, a virtual Facebook frame to show support, and lighting up the football field with 2020 displayed across the scoreboard. Everyone is just trying to let the seniors know that all their hard work is appreciated and that their 13 years of work will not go to waste. With this pandemic affecting their class the most, I asked seniors Jayne Muncie, Meadow Sharpe, and Elly Diehl a few questions regarding their thoughts and feelings about their senior year ending early.

It is roughly estimated that about 90% of the United States population has seen at least one film from the Star Wars franchise and I’m here to inform you that I am, sadly, a part of the 10% that has never seen one. I find it just as odd and enraging as you do. Ever since I was little, I have had an infatuation with Storm Troopers and R2-D2, but I have never made it to watch any of the movies. In honor of May 4, National Star Wars day if you didn’t know, I thought I would join the dark side and review each of the movies from a first-time seers point of view.

The city of Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus pandemic was believed to begin, has discharged all coronavirus patients. They reportedly only have 3 new cases and no recent deaths. China, which had recorded over 82,000 coronavirus cases and nearly 5,000 deaths, is beginning to gradually reopen and resume an almost normal lifestyle.

During this time there isn’t much we can do other than binge-watch new shows and eat food. However, we should be using the time to get healthy. Now is a perfect time to start healthier eating habits or a new workout. Pinterest LogoKeeping your body healthy is so important.

While the number of cases of Covid-19 rises steadily in the U.S., Americans are left with only one choice to combat it: staying at home. As of right now, there have been over 980,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the United States. New York has become the country’s epicenter of the virus, acquiring almost 294,000 of those cases. Despite the Stay-At-Home order, the virus still spreads among the close-living city dwellers of New York. Because of the surge of hospitalizations and unfortunate deaths, New York has once again had to make a dreary decision when it comes to where the bodies of unidentified coronavirus victims will be buried.

Let’s be honest, we have all claimed that this quarantine is making us “go insane.” This self-quarantine has lasted over a month now, which according to many, is long enough. While you may not technically be going insane, there is no doubt that the isolation could definitely be taking a toll on your mental health. During these stressful times, your physical health is not the only thing you should be aware of. You should also be making sure that your mental health is not dropping drastically.

Through all of the chaos around COVID-19, we cannot fail to recognize the good happening in America this month. April is dedicated to raising awareness for all of those who fall under the autism spectrum, including those who have been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Every April 2nd the foundation Autism Speaks celebrates National Autism Awareness Day, and then uses the rest of the month as a way to share experiences and stories with the rest of the nation in order to bring awareness and help inform people on autism. Along with speaking about Autism, other events such as marathons and public speaking events are hosted throughout the month (however the global pandemic has hindered said activities). Yet there is still hope to raise awareness during quarantine;

Because of the Coronavirus, Dr. Amy Acton has become a household name to millions of Ohioans, yet, many know very little about her. Acton was appointed to the position of Director of Health for the Ohio Department of Health in February 2019 by Governor Mike DeWine. Dr. Acton was a perfect choice; she had earned her medical degree from the Northeastern Ohio University of Medicine and completed her residency and internships at Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York City, New York) and Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, Ohio).

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Ohioans have turned to Governor Mike DeWine for reassurance, and with him comes the unforgettable facial expressions of Marla Berkowitz. Notoriously known for her ‘over-the-top’ facial expressions as she signs, Marla Berkowitz is a certified American Sign Language Interpreter with a secret: Berkowitz is actually deaf.

There are a few things we know about the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. For instance, it can happen to anyone, young or old, famous or not famous, rich or poor. We have heard about some of our favorite celebrities testing positive for the rapidly spreading virus. Here are a few known people who were diagnosed and what they have to say.

Right now, more than ever, everybody needs somebody to look up to, whether that be just to offer a laugh or to deliver a hopeful message. With that being said, here are my top ten celebrities that I feel like we can all appreciate while we are in quarantine.

In January, WHO (World Health Organization) responded to an outbreak of COVID-19 in China. On March 11th, the WHO Director-General characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic (meaning it affected the entire world). COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, is a respiratory illness that is extremely contagious. It has symptoms very similar to the common flu but has a higher mortality rate and is easier to spread. It has infected over 700,000 people and has killed over 33,000 across the world. Because of the rapidly increasing number, several countries have implemented versions of self-quarantine to help slow the pandemic.

This is a very boring time for everyone; it almost feels as if everyone is on house arrest. Here are 10 things to keep yourself busy.