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I had form’d most of my ingenious acquaintances into a club of mutual improvement, which we called The Junto. -Benjamin Franklin

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Staying HealthyThe JuntoCover Story May 2020

Mallika Pal - Contributing Writer

In QuarantineAn abundant amount of stress and anxiety fills the air during this unprecedented time, and the media is creating even more of an unhealthy environ-ment. Worrying about issues in the world while being stuck inside can bring you into a bad mindset. So take this time to work on yourself, because it

is important to keep your physical and mental health in check.

We all know that exercising regularly has many health benefits, but bringing ourselves to work out every day is quite taxing. Here are some unique and fun workouts to keep you motivated!:

Workout 1: Yoga

Yoga is a universal exercise that some deem to be the best type. It can help reshape and unravel your habitual or unconscious patterns. This exercise can get really intense, yet it is so easy to start. Youtube has great beginner yoga videos!

Workout 2: Hiking/Walking

Running is an exercise that is not meant for everybody; it can be a grueling task for some. As obvious as it sounds, walking is the next best exercise. It is more beneficial than it seems. With this beginner workout, your heart will get stronger, you’ll lower your blood pres-sure, and your bones will get stronger. Walking also eases stress and helps you sleep better. You will see changes from walking at a brisk pace for just 30 minutes a day!

Workout 3: HIIT

This is my favorite type of workout. HIIT is high-intensity interval training. It combines short bursts of intense exercise with peri-ods of rest or lower-intensity exercise. This type of exercise feels the most beneficial for me. Adding weights is an even better way to exercise. If you are an athlete, this is a great workout to challenge yourself ! This video never gets boring.

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Staying Healthy (cont’d...)The JuntoCover Story May 2020

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds of salmon, cut into 4 filets

• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon of minced parsley

• 1 teaspoon of onion powder

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper

• 4 slices of lemon

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray.

2. Lay the salmon fillets down the center of the baking sheet, leav-ing space between each fillet.

3. Arrange the asparagus around the top and bottom of the bak-ing sheet.

4. Whisk together the melted butter, garlic, parsley, and onion powder. Drizzle over the salmon and asparagus.

5. Sprinkle the salmon and asparagus with salt and pepper.

6. Lay 1 slice of lemon over each salmon fillet.

7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the salmon flakes with a fork and is opaque throughout.

8. Serve immediately.

GARLIC SALMON & ASPARAGUS

Salmon is a great source of iron to keep your body in check. A lot of people suffer from iron deficiency, includ-ing me, so I love eating this knowing it is strengthening my immune system.

Half of staying healthy is leading a balanced lifestyle that consists of clean eating and being active. Here are some delicious recipes that will leave you mouth-watering, yet are shockingly healthy!:

Calling all vegans! If you love spice and rich flavors in your food, this recipe is the golden ticket.TOFU STIR FRYIngredients:

• 2 (14-ounce) packages extra-firm tofu 1 tablespoon canola oil or grapeseed oil*

• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

• 3 large minced garlic cloves

• 1 small bunch green onions — finely chopped, divided

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

• 1–2 teaspoons fresh chili paste (sambal oelek) 10 ounces baby spinach**

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

For Serving:

• Prepared brown rice

• Cauliflower rice

• Soba or rice noodles

• Quinoa

Steps:

1. Drain the tofu. Wrap each block in a double layer of paper towels and pat dry, pressing down on the tofu lightly to squeeze out excess moisture. Cut the tofu into 3/4-inch cubes.

2. In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the tofu (be careful, as the oil will splatter a little bit) and drizzle with 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Sauté, stirring every minute or so until the tofu is nicely colored on all sides and the moisture has cooked off, about 8 to 10 minutes. Don’t feel that you need to stir constantly. Sitting for a while on one side is what will allow the tofu to brown. Add the garlic, roughly two-thirds of the green onion, gin-ger, chili paste, and the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add several large handfuls of spinach, stirring as you go so that it wilts and you can fit more in the pan. Once the first addition has wilted, con-tinue to add and wilt the spinach by handfuls, until all of the spinach is added. It will seem like a ridiculous amount at first but will cook down considerably. Stir in the sesame seeds. Stir in the sesame oil. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle the reserved green onions over the top. Serve hot, with brown rice, noodles, or whatever you like, along with a few dashes of addi-tional soy sauce and chili paste or flakes to taste.

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The College “Tea”The JuntoPlaces May 2020

Many high-schoolers across the world are pushed to take the SAT and

ACT in order to be accepted into college. For decades, it has been a

requirement for big-name schools, such as the Ivy League. Everyone

strives for that perfect score with the drive to go to Harvard or Stan-

ford after high school. Due to the

coronavirus, this historical time

has made for some even more his-

torical decision-making; colleges

are not requiring standardized test-

ing. Yes, you’re reading this cor-

rectly. My fellow high school jun-

iors, please think about this care-

fully though. SAT and ACT test-

ing has been cancelled starting in

March, and now the April, May,

and June dates have been canceled

as well. Students are going to be

applying to colleges starting August 1st, but many will not have a single

test-score to jot down for these colleges to see. However, one thing

should be noted; just because a school is not requiring test scores, does

not mean it will give you higher chances of being admitted. The appli-

cant pool is going to be MUCH larger than years past, as students will

see this as an opportunity to apply to schools where test scores are

probably higher, but they did not have the scores to even be thought of.

On a brighter note, however, colleges are seeing this pandemic as a

troubling time for everyone. This is, in my opinion, the best case sce-

nario. A test score should not determine the level of academic success

you can hold. A 1020 on the SAT should not hold you back from be-

coming the next Albert Einstein or

Michelle Obama. Colleges are realiz-

ing that students do not have access

to proper studying resources for

their overly-annoying testing require-

ments. Cornell University recently

became the first Ivy League univer-

sity to become test-optional for the

class of 2021, which is monumental,

and it wouldn't catch me by surprise

if Harvard was next to go. The es-

teemed UC-system (Universities of

California) hold some of the most

renowned public colleges, such as UCLA and University of California-

Berkeley, had recently announced all of their UC-schools will be test-

optional. Other colleges on this list include Tulane University, Boston

University, New York University, Williams College, and Swarthmore

College, which is located right here in Pennsylvania. Only time will tell

what the class of 2021 is going to endure. Good luck rovers, see you on

the flip side.

Colleges Going Test OptionalBranden Cunard - POV Editor

In the terrifying age of the coronavirus, students are faced with new challenges every day in regards to taking classes, completing work, and testing with-

out running into technical difficulties. As the class of 2020 finishes off their senior year, the new question that replaces that of prom and graduation be-

comes: what about college?

Updates on the virus are being given daily, and new developments are popping up at a rate that makes it excruciatingly difficult to keep up with. It’s no

surprise that colleges are struggling to come to conclusions about how to move forward with educating their students. No one knows whether or not it will

be safe to return to campus in August, but one thing is for sure-- colleges are doing everything they can to make sure they can reopen safely as soon as pos-

sible, considering they will lose millions upon billions of dollars in room and board fees.

Continued on Page 6...

The Remote vs. On Campus Learning DiscussionAlly Fuller - Editor-in-Chief

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The JuntoPlaces May 2020

Local businesses need help during this time of reducing social interac-

tion for the good of our public health. Many of us likely take the small, local busi-

nesses we like to eat at for granted. According to CNBC Markets and Main Street

America, 7.5 million small businesses are at risk for closing permanently due to

COVID-19. The same article said over half of these small businesses reported

that they were getting a 75% decrease in business revenue. I personally really en-

joy the foods from some of these local businesses. If it is possible, I suggest trying

to support and order takeout from the restaurants you enjoy. A lot of the food di-

versity we enjoy, and the option to have Indian, Mexican, or Italian, depends on

these smaller restaurants, which is another reason we should support them.

Most restaurants are still open and offering take out. You can order online or by phone. The trickier businesses to support are some of the

stores that are not considered essential. You may be able to order online. There may be services you can book for after the shelter-in-place order is

not in effect and it is safe for some services to reopen. These might be businesses like salons. Another option to support a business is to buy gift

cards for future use. You might even want to send a gift card or package to a loved one who may not be able to exit quarantine for a while, such as

a grandparent. The shops that likely need your support the most are “mom-and-pop” style shops, which are small family run businesses. Due to

fewer customers, they are much more likely to have a greatly reduced cash flow. These may include storefronts near the Circle in downtown Eas-

ton, or in strip malls in Forks or Palmer. You can go to the Easton Main Street web page to research local stores and services. A poll from Metlife

and the US Chamber of Commerce showed that one in four small businesses are two months away from permanently closing due to the pandemic

shutdowns. The same poll predicted that ten percent of small businesses would close permanently within one month of the COVID-19 shutdowns.

It is important to help the stores that help form our community if possible in order to not lose the luxury of local businesses.

While very few schools have made conclusive decisions about what learning will look like moving forward, there are a few ideas that have

been floated around. The California State School System has already announced that it will largely switch to remote learning for the fall. In contrast,

the University of Notre Dame has announced that students will be going back to school in the fall, but earlier. Classes will resume August 10th and

the semester will end before Thanksgiving break, in an attempt to get the campus cleared before the second wave of the virus is expected to hit. Even

if students are on campus earlier, there will be severe modifications to campus life. The University of Kentucky has proposed fever checks when enter-

ing buildings, face masks in dining halls and classrooms, one way sidewalks, and a designated quarantine dormitory. I think it’s safe to say that any

college returning to campus in the fall can expect to implement at least some of these strategies in order to contain the coronavirus spread.

What makes this decision so tricky is the quick turnover time in coronavirus development. In three months, colleges could be having a whole

different conversation than the one they are having now. Regardless of what they decide though, it will be quite some time before colleges can restore

a sense of “normalcy” to their campuses.

The College Tea (cont’d)

A Life Preserver for Local BusinessesColette Potter - Contributing Writer

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Onward follows the adventure of two brothers, Ian and Barley, who are on a quest to spend one more day with their late father. Their journey is filled with magical spells, cryptic maps, and a fantasy story like no-other. It is the perfect film for all ages and a great way to kill time with your family late at night. Pixar, once again, has amazed audiences across the world with their phenomenal visual effects and fun story-line. This film is available to stream on Disney-Plus.

Birds of Prey takes place in the DC Comics “cinema-verse,” and is a film centered around Harley Quinn’s story, played by the esteemed Margot Robbie. She is all on her own after we last saw her in the movie Sui-cide Squad; no Joker, no boyfriend, nothing. Maybe a few new friends here and there, but you have to watch to find out! Birds of Prey is going to be released on Amazon Prime in June with no official date.

This brand-new documentary is inspired by the book of the same name, Becoming, which is the favored memoir by the incompa-rable former First Lady Michelle Obama. This is her life story played out in pure docu-mentary style, and is sure to be a real tear-jerker, but in an elegantly-inspiring way. Be-coming is set to be released in late May on Netflix, which is months earlier than antici-pated.

At Home Movie Theatre?

Points of ViewPoints of View The Junto May 2020

Onward: Disney-PixarBirds of Prey: Warner Bros.

Becoming: Netflix Documentary

Ever since quarantine began, there have been a multitude of movies that had plans to be released in theatres all across America. Due to the current circumstances, obviously these said movies are unable to be released in the theatres, but that does not mean they are unable to be released entirely. Companies have orchestrated plans to have their upcoming films be released on a couple different streaming platforms, such as Netflix and Disney-Plus. Listed below are some of the fabulous titles to soon-be-released or have already been released across the world!

Branden Cunard - POV Editor

Since the beginning of March, the world has been forced inside due to an un-precedented global pandemic. Tik-Toks and televised concerts have become the popular pastimes for the people who have been af-fected by twenty-one million job losses and a sixteen percent unemployment rate in the United States as of May 7, according to USA Today. Quarantine has impacted every family differently and that includes my own. There have been over thirty-three million unemploy-ment claims filed according to the New York Times. In light of it all, we are a family of what the news is calling “essential workers.” While most are still hunkering down unsure of what the future will bring, our lives have needed to go on as they always have. My household has worn masks to the grocery stores and have made our cars self-described “septic zones” to keep ourselves safe from the spread of germs. Two-thirds of my family work in the health field while the other third

is in construction, still considered essential. While we have one Certified Nurse’s Assistant in the family, each of us has had to keep our-selves and each other safe as we still need to complete jobs that cannot be shut down. At my own personal job at a local retirement community, gloves, KN95 masks, face shields, hand washing, temperature stations, and hand sanitizer have become the new normal. We are a family who have embraced quaran-tine and taken the opportunity to start family

dinners and movie nights. Things that seemed impossible to do such as a home cooked meal every night a few months ago has become a positive outcome as a result of the coronavirus. But our family has not been making the ever popular Tik-Toks because every day we are still working to help people who still need our essential jobs to continue on, even during a pandemic.  Even though I am working it doesn't mean that school can be put on hold either. I know that for a lot of my friends school has been their only priority. As for me I am still doing school but also working. Not having to worry about tests has been a blessing because I don’t have to worry about studying after a night shift. Overall, life has been different for everyone and we have to take into account that everyone’s quarantine is not the same. Some people are at home with their kids while others are working all day saving peo-ples lives. #Alonetogether

Kellie Painter - Places Editor

A Day in the Life of an Essential Worker

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The JuntoPoints of View May 2020

The Ally Angle

Ally Fuller - Editor-in-Chief

The Class of 2020 will go down in history. This is not an exaggera-

tion, nor a sentimental statement to signify the end of an era. In the

truest sense of the word, people will read about us. At Easton, we are

the class that built the largest bonfire, the class that beat P’Burg for the

fifth time in a row, but in a grander sense, we are also the class that

lost three months of our senior year, our prom, our graduation, and

chance to say the goodbye to high school that we imagined, all be-

cause of a virus that started out as a meme floating around the school.

No one knew on March 13th that no student would be back in that

building for the rest of the year. Seniors didn’t know that they had

their last day of high school forever. No more 6 AM wake up calls, no

more leaving with your friends for senior lunch, and no more sneaking

on your phones during class to see if you’d get caught (come on, you

all know it was a tempting little game).

But with all that coming to an end, it’s been hard for many to accept

that these normalcies that we always took for granted are really never

coming back. Luckily, we are blessed to live in a community where

people are passionate and people care. The outpouring of love and sup-

port from the community has been exceptional, and the work put in

behind the scenes from administration really goes to show us just how

much we are all loved in our city. 

There are mixed opinions about the way the school is proceeding with

graduation this year-- holding a car parade through the city on the

original graduation date, June 10th. Some feel the decision was made

prematurely, and some feel that it was used as a cop out. However, I

for one am actually excited to have this parade in lieu of a more tradi-

tional graduation.

For one, our year has been so abnormal already that it seems only ap-

propriate that we do something a little differently in order to really fin-

ish off our high school career. With traditional graduation, we would

all go sit in a room and our families would watch us receive our diplo-

mas from a distance. This way, it’s almost as if our families are walk-

ing down the aisle with us-- a sweet sentiment to attest to what they’ve

given us up til now. And as we move through the parade route, teach-

ers, friends, family, and strangers alike will be stationed along the way

to cheer us on, as a reminder that we always have people to fall back

on in times of hardship. We get to say goodbye to our school and our

town as a class-- the way it should be. And getting handed our diplo-

mas and throwing our caps after the alma mater plays will be a nice

nod to the graduation we’d expected, and didn’t get this year.

So while the future is uncertain, it’s important to be grateful for the

blessing we’ve all been given with this graduation, to acknowledge the

work put in by our community to make this as special of an event as

possible. We don’t know what will happen with this virus, so the poten-

tial for prom and a traditional graduation later on hangs in the bal-

ance, but on June 10th, the senior class of Easton Area High School

will come together and celebrate with one last certain hurrah.

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Staff of the JuntoEditor-in-Chief - Ally Fuller

Advisor - Jeannine N Capecci

Places - Kellie Painter

Points of View - Branden Cunard

Photography - Alania Mariano

Copy Editor - Rachel Arzoumanian

Issue Contributors

Colette Potter

Mallika Pal