Top five news stories of the year 2018-2019

Nathan Baldwin, Editor

This past school year has been full of newsworthy events from both here in America and around the world that have had an impact on the student body. From fires to shutdowns to everything in between here are five of the most newsworthy events that personally affected the South student body this year.

  1. Government Shutdown (Dec 22, 2018 – Jan 25, 2019). Due to lack of agreement on budgeting at the federal level, the federal government shutdown for over a month at the beginning of 2019. This affected people right here in Westerville, such as Senior Baylee Roberson whose mother works in the government; and as a result of the shutdown, she faced a gap of paychecks in the new year.
  2. Notre-Dame de Paris Fire (Apr 15, 2019 – Apr 16, 2019). During renovations on the historical cathedral, a fire broke out which ultimately burned out the wooden roof and collapsed the central spire. For Westerville’s Catholics or history lovers, such as Senior Clayton Fessenmeyer, the fire was a heartbreaking scene as a cornerstone of catholicism went up in flames.
  3. Separation of migrant families (ongoing). Under the Trump administration the policy of Americas border police has been to separate children away from the families in those families who are caught illegally entering the country, along with separation due to deportation after arrest by ICE agents. South is proud to be diverse and for those children of immigrants here at South, such as Angelica Baro, seeing the separation and fearing it could escalate to hitting their own family as well is a terrifying thought.
  4. College Admissions Scandal (ongoing). Coming into the spotlight in early March by federal prosecutors who revealed fifty people are responsible for using monetary means to have their children unfairly enter college. South Seniors, such as Caleb Jingo, who work hard constantly to get into a good college are heartbroken to learn just how much the system favors money over work. As said by Caleb Jingo, “It’s hard to be excited for my future when little effort is going towards making the present something to strive for.”
  5. First picture of a black hole (April 10, 2019). For the first time in the history of mankind humans were able to photograph a black hole by splicing together data and inputs together to see something light cannot escape. This monumental accomplishment in space research is exciting for those space enthusiasts around South such as senior, Brandon Allbritton, whose happy to have been apart of this moment history will remember and to see the actual thing we have long had depictions of.