VOLUME 26 ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY 2021

theGAZETTE est. 1995

Fontainebleau High School Phone: (985)892-7112

100 Bulldog Drive, Mandeville, LA 70471 fontainebleauhigh.stpsb.org

Homecoming 2020 introduces double crown

Iverson Celestine signs to Tulane page 6

Moving on with American democracy

page 2

Entertainment’s Year-End Reviewpage 5

Making new school history on January 29, 2021 under familiar Friday night lights, Nicole Lenfant was crowned Homecoming Queen 2020, and Victor Schilleci became the first FHS Homecoming King.

Homecoming is a long-standing tradition at Fontainebleau High School, and each year, girls are nominated for the court by their peers. There is no campaigning in-volved for the court or queen; they are elected by the student body on their merit. During halftime, at the Homecoming football game, the

queen is announced, escorted by a male member of her family down the field, and presented with ros-es and her crown. That’s the usual procedure; however, this year has changed many traditions. Rather than being escorted across the field during the homecoming football game, the court and their “beaus” (the male counterpart for each girl) remained in the bleachers at the homecoming soccer game. The queen was announced between the girls’ and boys’ soccer games, and, as an added bonus, a homecoming king was also crowned this year, maybe in part because of the pos-sibility that prom may be cancelled, the only event in which a king is elected. When asked about the differences between this years’ and last years’ experiences, two-time nominee, senior Grace Phelan, had this to say: “It was really different this year,but they still tried to make it spe-cial. We got to do a luncheon, which we’ve never done before, and we walked around the courtyard at lunch. It was great.”

Students in the ProStart pro-gram cooked a four-course meal for those on the court, including salad, soup, chicken cordon bleu, and chocolate-covered strawberries. The luncheon was provided during school, and lasted for two hours. Senior Olivia Stewart acknowl-edged the hope that others could experience the court also. “I’ve want-ed to do it since freshman year; I just never told anyone. It’s worth it.” This year’s homecoming queen, Nicole Lenfant, expressed excite-ment about her victory. “I didn’t think I would win; so it was a nice surprise. Walking down the field at the game made me a little nervous, but I was also excited at the same time. The experience made my se-nior year a little better, and added something fun to it.” Victor Schilleci, the first-ever homecoming king at FHS, shared his sentiments. “Winning home-coming king was exciting, to say the least,” he said. “I was hoping to win, so I was a bit nervous at first. I’m just glad that I had fun. It was something I will remember.”

2020 Homecoming Queen Nicole Lenfant and Homecoming King Victor Schilleci receive their crowns at the soccer game on January 29, 2021. Photo courtesy of Katie Miller.

National Hispanic Honor Society celebrates inductees and traditions

Every day, young students around the world com-plete hours of algebra and English, essential to their education; however, with a vast world outside their classrooms, learning about cultures and lifestyles of others is just as important For this reason, the Nation-al Hispanic Honor Society is offered to students after they’ have shown a dedica-tion to their Spanish class-es. Advisor and Spanish teacher, Ms. Stumpf, says NHHS gives students a chance to immerse them-selves in an environment that allows them to learn and understand hispanic culture and traditions. Se-nior, Winson Liu, shared, “ Its really fun being exposed to hispanic culture and at-tending events that further

explore hispanic traditions.” The club offers many op-portunities for students to get a glimpse into a world one would not usually get a chance to see in everyday classes. A common favor-ite among club members is the Running of the Bulldogs Other big events include Cinco De Mayo and Day of the Dead. Junior, Alyson Tyrell, a member for two years now, explains,” It has seriously helped me learn the im-portance of learning about other cultures.”Not only is the club a great opportuni-ty educationally, it also al-lows students to meet new people and get involved. Winson Liu describes his experience, “Being in this club has allowed me to be actively involved more in the school, there are always

activities and options for members to be involved with.” The club gives members a chance to develop skills used in the outside world as well. Brain Le, an officer of the club explains, “As an of-ficer, I have been able to im-prove my leadership skills.” The induction took place-January 22 and welcomed several new members. Ms Stumpf, who has been a part of NHHS since 2011, shares her excitement about the in-duction and its long stand-ing traditions, “Well, Carrie Randolph started the honor society many years ago, and I like to keep her traditions. It’s a very serious ceremony. The officers are the mas-ters of ceremony. We light candles to say our oath, we recite a poem from the Cu-ban writer Jose Martí that

we learn in Spanish 2, we watch a slide show that the students create about all the activities we did all year, and trust me, we are one of the most active organizations here at FHS. In the end, we gather together and take our group pictures, and the offi-cers let a few balloons go up in the air!” Of course there have been changes made this year due to Covid procedures; how-

ever, the club officers and Ms. Stumpf have made cer-tain to stay within tradition to the best of their ability and to make it as special as pssible. With opportunities to meet new people, get involved in the school, and broaden horizons with a new culture, the National Hispanic Honor Society offers a great chance to brighten up students’ high school experiences.

by Gabrielle Bush Staff Writer

by Ryleigh McCoy Staff Writer

Proudly displaying their membership certificates, NHHS inductees celebrate their admission into the National Hispanic Honor Society on January 22 in the auditorium. Photo courtesy of Isabelle Willem

PAGE 2 EDITORIALS FEBRUARY 2021

Restoration begins at home

theGazette

Fontainebleau High School’s Community Newspaper

To contact the Gazette staff, you may email us at

fhsgazette@gmail.comAdviser: Rebecca Paul,

Room 610Editors: Cadence Lowery,

Grace NeumanStaff Writers and Photogra-

phers:Gabrielle Bush

Eli ElliottKarissa GarrettRyleigh McCoy

Gabriel MonahanSophia Rossignol

The Gazette is a public forum for discussion. The

staff and editors determine the content. However, the editorials are the opinions of the authors. The Gazette

welcomes contributions from all members of the school community. Articles must

be signed and submitted ten days prior to publication.

by Gabrielle BushStaff Writer

Four years ago, we watched, un-aware of the chaos that would en-sue, as Trump came into office. Not long ago, we watched as Biden came into office, giving hope to an anx-ious country in need of structure. The last few years have been a roll-ercoaster, as Trump lead us through a dumpster fire of unpredictabil-ity, with his interest in reigniting the nuclear arms race, removing us from the Paris Agreement, and more. It is safe to say that more than enough people have suffered at Trump’s hands, and, until we grow as a country to unify and move for-ward, we will not ever truly recover. These past few months have al-lowed Trump’s presidency to and have brew division during his time in office and to, in the end, explode with a bang. The country sat on edge as voters flocked to the booths, and, after a long wait, watched Biden emerge victorious with 306 votes, Trump receiving 232. How-ever these results were never ac-cepted by Trump, who refused to acknowledge his defeat; he denied the validity of the whole election in something comparable to a tem-per tantrum. Without success,the

Trump campaign took state results all the way to the Supreme Court, to attempt to overrule the final elec-tion results. On January 6, members of Con-gress met to count the electoral votes, many nervous about rumors that some congressmen planned to object to the electoral vote of their states, despite the will of the voters.This caused many to question the morals and integrity of the govern-ment. However, mid-process, mobs of Trump supporters stormed the capitol, and Congress found them-selves having to evacuate the capitol building. All eyes went to the Cap-itol as the world witnessed the riot-ers climbing the walls and storming the halls of our nation’s capitol. These people, believing them-

selves to be “patriots,” flooded the capitol in hopes of preventing Biden’s certification of the electoral college win. Many Americans’ faith in the country was incredibly altered, and whispers of a second impeachment for Trump soon became a reality one week before his term was over. As a country, we have much to do to make our way to being what the citizens need. A glimmer of hope arose with the January 20th inaugu-ration of Joe Biden, as he announced to the world that “Democracy has prevailed.” But, truly, this survival of democracy lies on the shoulders of each and every one of us as citizens. We must become more informed of the facts and events that define truth as we grow together to mend the shattered faith that we so badly need restored.

In an attempt to stop the certification of electoral votes declaring Biden the president-elect,, Trump supporters storm the capitol building on January 6, 2021. Photo by the Seattle Times.

The Senate approved a budget resolution on February 5 that is a key step toward fast-track passage of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan without support from Re-publicans. Legislators will only now start draft-ing the bill text. A final vote could possibly come in late February, after the impeachment trial is complete in the Senate. Lawmakers hope to pass the legislation by March 14. If and when the bill passes, and if it does in-clude the stimulus, it’s possible that recipients could receive those checks pretty quickly if their bank details are on file. In an effort to jumpstart America’s economy, President Joe Biden created his “American Res-cue Plan.” The plan is intended to provide fund-ing for small businesses, vaccine distribution, and more. Part of this package includes a third stimulus check of $1,400, which, when combined with the most recent payments, would total to $2,000. Like previous stimulus packages, the American Rescue Plan also extends weekly un-employment and eviction bans. Biden’s newest package is an improvement from the CARES Act. The ARP includes a plan to provide 100 million vaccines in 100 days. After a year of no direction from the federal govern-ment, any plan is welcomed. Administering 100 million vaccines won’t be easy, but the promise of a plan is enough to keep citizens hopeful. The extended rent moratorium is one of the most needed parts in the package. Protecting the 107 million Americans whose ability to pay rent keeps people in their homes, also keeping Covid

numbers down, is vital. Some are against spending more government money. Most people’s current financial issues exist in a world where prices haven’t increased, stocks haven’t fallen, and expenses are low. There are also many who are still employed. In theory, Americans should have more money than ever. Lawmakers fear recipients will hoard their checks instead of circulating the money. Others want more funds to be spent on aid for small businesses or an increase in unemploy-ment payments. With those in need outnumbering the well- off, the American Rescue Plan is a sign of hope for many Americans. Though only a week into his presidency, Biden has begun to address this dire situation. “We need an answer that meets the challenge of this crisis,” Biden said. After all, even Trump declared, ““I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 ... and to send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a Covid relief package.”

Is another stimulus check really necessary?

Stimulus checks could be on their way some time in March. Photo courtesy of cnbc.com

Unemployment fell to 1.18 million, the lowest level since the pandemic started in mid-March. However, that number is still extremely high. Courtesy of https://macdailynews.com/

Courtesy of endhomelessness.org

Total number of People Experiencing Homelessness

in 2019 per Type

396,045

171,670 96,141

37,065 35,038

567,715

Overall Individuals People infamilies

Chronically Homeless

Individuals

Unaccompanied Youth

ShelteredUnsheltered

Veterans

600 K

400K

200K

0K

by Karissa GarrettStaff Writer

PAGE 3 FEATURES FEBRUARY 2021

by Cadence LoweryEditor

“Collaborative, supportive, and different.” These are three words senior Sydni Goodson used to describe the new Unity Club that she helped to begin and Mr. Jeff Boren is sponsoring this year. In room 906, every Thursday, the group meets to discuss issues that affect minority groups at Fontainebleau High. Whether it an issue of sex-uality, race, or gender identity, the club plans to aid in the unification of the school’s population. The majority of students at Fontainebleau are cisgendered: white and heterosexual, which gen-erally gives them the grace pass of experiencing less of the discrimination students seeking ref-uge in this club may endure, but everyone is en-couraged to get involved. Goodson and her mother were motivated over the summer by the tragic murder of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement to take any action they could to make a difference in the world around them. The two decided that a safe space which provides students with an environ-ment to discuss difficult issues is crucial to the well- being of the student body. Goodson, when asked about the importance of such a club, shared, “Since Fontainebleau is predominantly white, some students don’t feel safe or heard and some LGBTQ+ students don’t feel comfortable coming out.” Unity clubs not only provide space for minority groups to speak about issues concerning themselves but also pro-vide a collaborative and educational venue for their allies to learn and teach others how to help students who are different. Student leader, Goodson, said the club is plan-ning events that will take place in the courtyard

Unity Club promotes diversity and acceptance

Unity Club members Aidan Parks (12) and Sydni Goodson (12) set up a table in the courtyard during lunch to advertise their new club. The club will be participating in Black History Month by giving away free buttons and putting up flyers. Photo by Cadence Lowery

in the near future. However, the group’s first plan of action is much simpler in nature: brochures with the dates of diversity celebrations, such as National Coming Out Day and National Wom-en’s Day. There will be brochures and buttons available to support the new-found club. All students are welcome to join the meetings. Goodson hopes that when she graduates, the Unity Club’s mission will be carried on by the next class of students so that support of diversi-ty on campus continues. In order for this dream to come to fruition and for real change to hap-pen at Fontainebleau High, courageous students have to take the reins and steer the student body in a direction that promotes acceptance of every student.

Unity in Diversity

A. If you could solve one problem in the world, what would it be?B. What is one school rule you think should be re-evaluated?

Gabrielle Bulot (9) Lee Saucier (11) Regan Bond (11)

Spirit Week Candids Top Left - Senior Sydni Goodson dress-es for her future career on Thursday’s Spirit Week Career Day. Photo courtsey of Ms. ConstantTop Right - Ms. Fussell and Dr. Lorio adorn themselves in festive purple, green and gold for Mardi Gras Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Ms. FussellBottom Left - Sophomore Carlee Steadham also decks out for Tuesday’s Mardi Gras Day in a purple, green, and gold jumpsuit. Photo courtesy of Kealyn Wang.

A. PovertyB. Dress Code

A. Continued presence of warB. Absence Policy

A. Definitely CovidB. Girls Dress Code

by Grace NeumanEditor

PAGE 4 FEATURES FEBRUARY 2021

COVID-19 vaccine distribution rolls out in U.S.

MLK’s march toward equality continues forward

Martin Luther King Jr. led and inspired many movements that focused on equality, freedom, and peace. This is a fight we continue today, yearning for peace and for every-one to be treated the same no matter what gender, race, or sexual orientation. This past year, the US has seen too many inno-cent lives taken by police violence. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, Eric Garner- these people were all victims of police brutality, a sad truth many people face today. The black lives matter movement was a response to police brutality which began in 2013. It has surged over the year because of the violence in 2020. On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 2021, many remembered those lost to police violence. People of all races and back-

grounds took to the streets in protest of police brutality. Civil rights movements are different today because people of younger gener-ations are more informed with all of the media they have available at their fin-gertips. Many speculate about what MLK would say about this movement, but along with most, he chal-lenged America to bring peace and equality, which people of the black commu-nity have continued to fight for. MLK fought for racial justice and equality and in-spired millions of people to join his fight for civil rights. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is referred to as MLK day of service because it en-courages people to take the day off from their everyday lives, to give back to others. Numerous citizens men-tor children, deliver meals, build homes, and reflect

on Dr. King’s teachings. King was one of the youngest individuals to re-ceive a Nobel Peace Prize Award, at the age of 35, for his dynamic leadership of the Civil Rights move-ment. His work continues to affect protests today in the fight for racial equality. Some of his most fa-mous protests were the Montgomery Bus Boy-cotts, the Memphis Sanita-tion Workers Strikes, and the March on Washington. Sadly, King was assas-

sinated on April 4, 1968, but because of his courage and tenacity, Representative John Conyers introduced the first motion to make King’s birthday a federal holiday. It wasn’t until 1983 that the bill was signed by President Ronald Reagan. “Injustice everywhere is a threat to justice every-where,” Dr Martin Luther King Jr. said, but he also believed that “Peace can-not be kept by force. It must be achieved by un-derstanding.” This message

is more pertinent today than ever. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an advocate for civil rights and equality for all races. He was a true American hero whose peaceful pro-tests helped to bring change to the country. King is still an inspiration for peace and love around the globe. Critic and essayist William Hazlitt wrote, “No man is truly great who is great only in his lifetime. The test of greatness is the page of histo-ry.” MLK’s legacy carries on.

Giving his famous speech, “I Have a Dream”, Martin Luther King Jr. addresses a crowd of a quarter of a million people at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. Photo by Central Press/Getty Images

by Sophia RossingnolStaff Writer

With the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine fast approaching, developed countries are preparing to distribute the vaccine to their healthcare workers and elderly cit-izens first. The initial dose of the vaccine in the U.S was given on De-cember 14. However, a large num-ber of people are planning to forgo the vaccine once it becomes avail-able to the general public. Many of these individual’s fears come from a reasonable place, but for health officials, the vaccine is necessary to stomp the curve.The first vaccine was administered to a New York City nurse, Sandra Lindsay. She was among many other healthcare workers across the coun-try who received the Covid-19 vac-cine. The vaccine requires two doses given several weeks apart. General Gustave Perna, chief operation offi-cer for “Operation Warp Speed,” the U.S government’s corona-virus re-sponse program, said that the states plan to give 2.9 million doses in the coming months to healthcare work-

ers and the elderly.The coronavirus program being called “Operation Warp Speed” may be unsettling to some, as the biggest fear for Americans reluctant to take it is that it was rushed. Most people believe it was expedited in order to ease the public’s worry about the vi-rus and to bring the country out of a COVID-induced recession. Histor-ically, vaccines have taken 10 to 15 years to perfect; the United King-dom became the first country to ap-prove the Pfizer vaccine on Decem-ber 2, after only a little over a year of development. Dr Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease ex-pert, claimed that the UK “rushed” the approval of the vaccine, but then later, he apologized for making this statement.Vaccines have been a hot topic since the smallpox vaccine was mass-dis-tributed in the 1800s. However, anti-vax movements have grown recently within developed coun-tries. Studies have shown that be-tween 12-28% of parents in Europe expressed doubts about vaccinat-ing their children. This belief was evident across all socio-economic and educational levels. Fear of the COVID-19 vaccine exacerbated these beliefs.COVID-19 vaccines have been carefully evaluated and are only approved after significant evidence has been shown that they will great-

ly reduce the chance of contracting the coronavirus. “I think the vac-cine will be safe because it has to go through so many tests before it is given out. However the thought of it is still pretty daunting,” revealed ju-nior Alyse Rivaultwhen asked if she thought the vaccine would be safe. Though many people believe that the vaccine was rushed, the unprece-dented speed of its development can be attributed to two factors. Firstly, the colossal impact of the virus has inspired research teams across the world, and has inspired large dona-tions, as well. The development of the vaccine began extraordinarily early; Chinese researchers already had the sequence of the entire coro-navirus genome before COVID-19 had even killed its second victim. The speedy genome sequencing and vaccine creation is due to the simple makeup of the virus. It is very similar to the SARs virus from the 2003 outbreak, and many sci-entists who worked on the SARs vaccine have also been working on the COVID-19 vaccine. The knowl-edge gained from SARs provided researchers with valuable informa-tion that sped up the creation of the essential vaccine. With the exponential number of cases, a vaccine is paramount. Being vaccinated is a personal health de-cision, but one must also consider what is best for the general public

and the world at large. Hopefully, the vaccine will be the key to ending the pandemic for good.

Source for data: https://www.pewre-search.org/science/2020/09/17/u-s-public-now-divided-over-whether-to-get-covid-19-vaccine/ The country appears to be divid-ed down the middle when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a survey conducted by Pew Research Center, This was a drop from May 2020 when about 70% of Americans said they would or probably would get the vaccine. When asked, the main concerns of the survey-takers were the fast approval process of the vaccine and side-effects. Republicans are less like-ly to vaccinate. In race, Asians were open to the vaccine and Whites and Hispanics mixed, and only 32% of African-Americans were open to re-ceiving the vaccine. Women are 10% less open to getting the vaccine than men, and the oldest (65+) and young-est (18-29) interviewed were similarly open to the vaccine (about 57%) . Photo courtesy of CNBC.com

by Gabriel Monahan Staff Writer

PAGE 5 FEATURES FEBRUARY 2021

MUSICMusic of 2020 has been considered by many to be one of the best years in recent music history. Many iconic songs have been released this year that have topped the charts. Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” dominated the Billboard Hot 100 chart, staying at #1 for 18 weeks, spanning from January to March. “Rockstar”, a song by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch also went #1 for 7 weeks. “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd was the best-performing song of 2020. BTS received three #1 songs this year, and their song, “Life Goes On”, be-came the first song in Korean to top the Hot 100. Many historic female collabo-rations were also released, such as “Say So (Remix)” by Doja Cat ft. Nicki Minaj, “Savage (Remix)” by Megan Thee Stallion , featured Beyoncé, “Rain On Me” by Lady Gaga, featured Ariana Grande, and “W*P” by Cardi B featured Megan Thee Stallion.

2020 Year-End Entertainment Review

Top 5 Best Selling Albums Released in 2020 (in units):-Folklore, Taylor Swift – 1.2 million-After Hours, The Weeknd – 476,000-Map of the Soul: 7, BTS – 361,000-Legends Never Die, Juice Wrld –342,000-Fine Line, Harry Styles – 333,000

MEDIAWith stay at home orders in place, new movies were not released in theaters. Consequently, television dominated me-dia this year. Tiger King, released on Net-flix in March 2020, made Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin the talk of the country for months. With the release of Disney+, The Mandalorian, it's only exclusive show, became increasingly popular. Baby Yoda became a national icon for a few months. The Queen’s Gambit, also released on Net-flix in October, became its most-watched scripted miniseries and received critical acclaim for its cinematography.

Image Via Popularmechanics.com

TRENDS With Tiktok exploding in popularity, trends have gone viral over the internet in 2020. Using an air fryer, a healthy al-ternative to deep drying, became popu-lar as people attempted to live healthier during the pandemic. Whipped coffee, a trend which started in South Korea, took the Tiktok world by storm and featured thousands of videos on how to make it on the app. Many other trends became popu-lar. Podcasts were the rage with everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Dax Shepard and Michelle Obama. According to Brandas-tic.com, “Over 55% of the US population have listened to a podcast in 2020.” On-line video games have also flourished in quarantine, with “Among Us” taking over the internet. At its peak, it had 500 million users.

Michelle Obama prepares to begin her podcast, ‘The Michelle Obama Podcast’ with guest Conan O’Brien.Image via thenationalnews.com

by Gabriel MonahanStaff Writer

DIY BIRD FEEDER

Step One: Paint your carton Step Two: Trim the wood

Step Three: Cut the door Step Four: Add detail

Step Five: Fill with seeds Step Six: Display

Photo/DIY credit to: Megan Graney thesprucecrafts.com

18 inches butcher’s twineScrap wood/twigs

Acrylic paint and primer

Paint brushHot glue gunCraft knife

1 clean pint carton

WHAT YOU NEED:

Soccer teams kick it up to state playoffs The girls soccer team made it into the playoffs for State and played a tight game in which Cen-tral Lafourche lead 1-0 on February 4 at home. Earlier this season, though, they finished 2nd in a notoriously tough district, and seniors Blake Dusang and Caroline Becnel were named to play on the LHSAA Academic All State team. The boys soccer team recently beat their long-standing rivals, Mandeville High, at 2-1 and also advanced to the playoffs on February 6, with Brother Martin leading 1-0 at Tad Gormley Stadium. Although they did not gain the win, they have played the season well with new discipline and a new motto: “Until the final whistle.” With limited fans or no fans at all at the games and disruptions from quarantines and sickness, the teams have had to adapt to many different sit-uations. So tenacity has been a big theme. Fresh-man Olivia Yatcilla says that, at the end of the day, “all you can do is practice hard, prepare mentally, listen to the coach, and give it all you’ve got.” The boys team has participated in an off-sea-son program for the first time in a while and de-veloped a practice which allows younger athletes

FOOTBALL– Iverson Celestine signed with Tulane and was elected to All Dis-trict 6-5A Team, Colin Gagnon made 2020 All St. Tammany TeamSWIMMING– Boys took home 6th in State, Girls took 10th in StateGabby Chautin won 2nd in State for 50 Free, Cruse Wycoff took District Champ in 500 FreeVOLLEYBALL –Won 1st in Regionals in tough 5 set game and made it to Pon-chartrain Center for Quarter FinalsCROSS COUNTRY – Girls team ranked 4th in State, won District 6-5A Championhips and were Regional 2-5A Runner-upsOwen Jensen, Ashlyn Anderson, andCaroline Spalitta made All District, All Parish, and All MetroAshlyn Anderson made All State 5A and Academic All State CompositeWRESTLING – The team won 2nd in District and secured 10 Victories on Sr Night over Chalmette and Archbishop HannanRay Favaza achieved 100th Varsity Win at Louisiana Classic, David Cuccia, Mar-lon Gray, Seth Lewis, Ray Favaza, Jack Maloy, and Lane Firmin all ranked in top 10 in weight class going into StateSOCCER – Girls Soccer took 2nd in a tough District and made it to State play-offsBlake Dusang and Caroline Becnel named for LHSAA Academic All State TeamBoys Soccer won over rival team Man-deville in 2-1 Match and made it to State playoffs

to improve but also sharpens the skills of the older players. Coach Hahn asserted, “We accept-ed the challenges this season would bring us and tried to prepare for anything.” When asked what senior striker Diego Bonnet aimed to accom-plish this year, he said, “To beat my record from last year’s of 17 goals.” Although he did not quite reach his goal, he was voted first team all district forward. Many have asked if it has been worth con-tinuing sports this year, considering the dangers and road blocks. Coach Hahn feels that it has been worthwhile because academics is not the only component of school that prepares students for life. He maintains, “As a coach, I believe it was. I was with the softball team last year when they cancelled the season. Four years of summer workouts, games, and practices to be taken away like that, it was heartbreaking for them. I believe school builds the knowledge for your later years; but, sports build the toughness needed to take the hits life will throw at you. I do everything I can, every day, to stop the spread so we can finish out all seasons for all sports.”

As sophomore left forward, George Gonzalez (#10), takes the ball from Zachary High in a home match on December 8, senior striker Diego Bonnet (#22) moves toward an opening. Photo courtesy of Katie Miller

Green Waves gain top running backCelestine signs with Tulane

Despite offers from all over the country, senior Iverson Celestine (#8 running back) signed with the Tulane University Green Waves here at Fontainebleau High on December 18, 2020. As a freshman, Celestine was featured in local me-dia, as well as the October 2019 issue of Sports Illustrated. This 5’10 200 lb athlete has exhibited great diversity throughout the course of his high school career, tripling as a running back, wide receiver, and a middle linebacker. He was also featured as the male “Northshore Athlete of Sep-tember 2017.” He has been dubbed a three-star running back (ranked above average in his field) and is ready to make a name for himself. Beginning at the age of four, after encourage-ment from his father, Celestine began playing ball. The field is his home, and his troubles melt away when his cleats dig into the grass. “I’m from Section 8, where most of us never find our niche, so I fell in love with the game young and never looked back,” Celestine says. He has been offered positions on several teams, such as Colorado, Louisiana Tech, Southern Ala-bama, Southern Mississippi, Toledo, Utah, and Virginia. “He would rank in the top ten of guys I’ve coached in the last thirty years,” said Head Coach Chris Blocker.” Additionally, Celestine is well-liked by his fellow players, making him an excellent team player. “He makes you feel like he’s known you forever,” said senior Zane Ridg-ley, longtime teammate of Celestine. Of course, this kind of success doesn’t come cheaply. After a brutal game, Celestine sits in a cryo-machine at -260 degrees Fahrenheit. Iverson’s enjoyment of athletics, regardless of the sacrifices, has prompted him to major in Kinesiology at Tulane University. He emphasizes that he puts academics first, which makes sense, considering his choice of colleges. However, Celestine still manages to own the field when he is out there and has earned his reputation as an athlete. Having been described by football tracking sites as “strong, having exceptional balance through contact, active, decisive feet,” he is an attractive prospect for college ball

teams. Celestine gives credit to his father as one of his major motivators and says that his dad has “pushed him harder than some professional players.” Tulane has always had a special place in Celes-tine’s heart, so when the university made the of-fer, he knew he was home to stay. Running backs have traditionally thrived there, which was also a major selling point. Academics are usually the priority at ivy league schools; however, Tulane excels in various categories. The Green Wave ranks 8th nationally in rushing offense and 6th in turnover margin but also ranks 40th for over-all excellence in top colleges and universities of the nation. Though a football connoisseur,Celestine ultimately chose Tulane for their first-class education, and, actually, it combines both of his priorities and affords him an opportunity to put his talents where his heart is.

by Gabrielle Bush, Staff Writer

by Grace NeumanEditor

PAGE 6 SPORTS FEBRUARY 2021

After having been involved in football since the age of four, senior Iverson Celestine celebrates with his parents, mentor Coach Ackel, and his good friends, Austin and Adam Ackel at his signing with the Tulane Green Waves on December 19, 2020 in the courtyard . Photo courtesy of Abygail Lafleaur

PAGE 7 REVIEWS FEBRUARY 2021

It takes place in a modern day New Orleans. Because of its quality, I give it a 10/10. Coven is focused on witches and witchcraft.. Zoe, played by Tarissa Farmiga, accidentally kills her boy-friend, which prompts her mother to send her to “Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies” (aka witches). When she enters the school, she meets movie

star Madison Montgomery (Emma Roberts), Queenie (Gabbourey Sidibe), and Nan (Jamie Brewer). She ends up going to a fraterni-ty party, and while her movie star friend steps away for a minute, a fraternity brother puts a drug in her drink. Madison ends up being assaulted, and, in revenge, flips the bus the fraternity brothers try to es-cape in, killing and putting two in the Intensive Care Unit. Madison and Zoe attempt to make Kyle, who Zoe met at the party,, come back to life by sewing dead body parts together to make the perfect boy-friend. He comes back to life under a spell and is cared for by the witch Misty Day, played by Lily Rabe. The setting of the French Quarter captures the voodoo theme of the witches Marie Laveau and Madame Lalaurie. The series, in actuality, was filmed in the Lalaurie house, where

American Horror Story: Coven is a fascinating show, not only because it is set in New Orleans, but because it is also rooted in real life. In Ameri-can Horror Story: Coven, prominent stars Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, Jessica Lange, and Emma Roberts give memorable performances.

Lalaurie tortured her slaves. New Orleans is known for its haunted houses, so the setting is perfect for American Horror Story. The acting and direction is spot on. The characters use ninth ward, New Orleans slang with expertise. They are also fitting choices for their roles. Nan is the smart one, while Madison is the star of the show. The director incorporates many special effects to showcase the superpowers of the witches, such as the flipped bus and people thrown against a wall. I give the series a thumbs-up, however, there are parts of the TV show I would change- For instance, innocent bystanders are harmed, and Kyle, a main character, is killed early on. I would also recommend that the series incorporate even more special effects. Nevertheless, all-in-all, it’s a great show.

In this French Quarter scene, Miss Robichaux teaches the girls in American Horror Story: Coven at the Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies (aka witches). Photo courtesy of NYT.com

American Horror Story: Coven recreates New Orleansby Adriana Vega

Staff Writer

Infectus horror story collection combines truth and fiction

In this large selection of short stories, Infec-tus, by Todd Elliott, the stories range from past to present. The bedtime stories of horror were created with the intent of drawing read-ers in with their thrilling, yet nerve-wracking, twists of events. Some are fiction and some are based on real-life events, making readers fear the unknown. Elliott’s purpose, he explained, is straightforward:, “If I can entertain, distract and make a person think about a story, then I feel like I’m doing the reader a favor. I tried to work as much of the reader’s brain as possible. Some of my stories have truth to them, like one story that features a fictional account of an actual plane crash in Lake Pontchartrain in 1964. But even if the reader doesn’t know that, and I never explain that, then it’s even more of a treat for the reader. Quite often truth is stranger than fiction.” This book does a great job of keeping read-ers interested, as well as with leaving them on the edge of their seats, wanting more from the last story. My favorite parts of the book are the stories, “The Smokehouse” and “The Art of Self Demise.” Each story follows a chain of events, leading characters to either endure mysterious fatalities or deal with painful events that bring the main characters to some hesitant realization. The tense scenes were made to be descriptive and very detailed, almost as if the reader were in the character’s place. When asked if his own paranormal experi-ences impacted who he is and his writing today, Elliott confirmed that his own experiences have made his writing possible. “My previous book, The Lower Line, which is a New Orleans ghost story, was greatly inspired by a paranormal expe-rience I had. Most stories come from nightmares that my brain conjures up. But in my latest, In-fectus: Bedtime Stories of Horror, I have one sto-ry “Good Bones,” which is based on an actual

haunting in my family. My sister-in-law was ap-parently haunted as a child, and I found her story so eerie that I combined it with the nightmare I had about a haunted house, the house I grew up in.” Various readers, ranging from traditional read-ers who enjoy classic horror novels, to a young-er, more alternative crowd who enjoy the horror genre itself, would appreciate this collection of stories, as well as other stories written by Elliott. When asked why he believed horror stories ap-pealed to readers, he stated, “It’s like a rollercoast-er. People like to be scared, but the fear isn’t in the pages of a horror book; the fear is in the mind of the reader. Horror helps us imagine what we may have thought was unimaginable or shock-ing. I have themes to the stories, I guess. Some of them are prevalent in a few. Without giving away my conveyance, or hidden social commentary, I think that everyday things and the time we are in now can be horrific.” With his skills as a horror author, journalist, tour guide, and radio host, Mr. Elliott has a wide range of experience in the art of expression and knowledge.

by Eli ElliottStaff Writer

Todd Elliott is a local author whose horror story collection, Infectus: Bedtime Stories of Horror, combines his personal paranormal experiences with the fiction of his imagination. He is also a journalist, tour guide, and radio host.

“It’s like a rollercoaster. People like to be scared, but the fear isn’t in the pages of a horror book; the fear is in the mind of the reader. Horror helps us imagine what we may have thought was unimaginable or shocking.” ~Todd Elliott

Meet The Staffby Eli ElliotStaff Writer

Gabrielle Bush, 11 Sophia Rossignol, 11

What event in history would you change? Gabbie: “The Creation of Algebra.”

Sophia: “The Coronavirus Pandemic.”

What fictional character would you vote for president?

Gabbie: “Aaron Hotchner.”Sophia: “Barbie.”

What is your new year’s resolution?Gabbie: “To eat healthier.”

Sophia: “To go outdoors more and not be a hermit.”

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PAGE 8 ENTERTAINMENT February 2021

February HoroscopesFebruary Horoscopes by Cadence Lowery by Cadence Lowery

Editor